Episode 60: It’s Time For Those Tough Conversations

Every once in a while I have the opportunity to open up our minds and hearts by having real conversations with incredible women.

This week’s interview is one of those times.

I got to sit down with Jahaan Blake, Sports Executive turned Career Coach, to talk about what it’s like to have tough conversations, make it as a woman in a male-dominated industry, what it was like to experience the social uprising in 2020 as a black woman and what she sees as true leadership.

When Jahaan and I sat down to go over the topics we wanted to cover together, we knew that these were the 3 we wanted to discuss. That being said, I don’t think either one of us thought we’d get as honest and vulnerable as we did.

Jahaan is so generous and real throughout this entire interview, and we just went for it.

What was it like as a Black woman in America during the Spring of 2020? Was she mad at her white friends? Were they only reaching out because someone told them to?

Which micro-aggressions, and well, aggressive-aggressive behavior had she stuffed down or tried to ignore?

How does all of that play into her work now? And then? How do we move forward through all of this with honesty and power?

Yep. We covered all of that and Jahaan was so powerful and real in her answers. I want to say it was a joy to interview her, but it was more than that. It was a gift, a powerful gift.

I love that this episode is rounding out Black History Month on our podcast – it’s such a rich way to discuss the human experiences our Black brothers and sisters have had in this country.

It’s critical that we keep these tough conversations going, and I’m truly grateful to Jahaan for making this one happen.

After you listen in, you’ll want to know more about Jahaan, so here you go.

In her current work, she helps high achieving women in the Sports and Entertainment Industry who feel stuck, frustrated, and defeated find their voice and tackle whatever is keeping them from getting exactly what they want out of their career.

During here eighteen years of working in sports, including working for three major league teams (Red Sox, Dodgers, and Cubs), her favorite part of the job was helping others see their full potential.

So, she made a business out of it – you know how much I love that.

Whether her clients want to break into sports, take their performance to the next level, or own a place at the executive table, Jahaan provides customized coaching programs to accelerate their career.

She’s also the host of the Game of Her Own podcast which highlights the inspiring journey of influential women working in the Sports & Entertainment industry. These candid interviews offer unique advice and strategies to help empower women in the industry.

If you’d like to follow Jahaan on social media and check out her website, you can do that here:

Website: jahaanblake.com

Insta: @jahaanblake

linkedin: Jahaan Blake

podcast: Game of Her Own, which you can find on Apple, Spotify, Google, and YouTube

Don’t miss last week’s Episode 59: What That Mess In Your Office Really Means