Changing the Narrative, Developing Women Leaders of Color with Ilesha Graham of The Good Life Brand

The ground is shifting under our feet—AI upheaval, layoffs, and backsliding on DEI—while hundreds of thousands of Black women are being pushed out of the workforce. We refuse to accept that story as the ending. With leadership coach and Good Life Brand founder Ilesha Graham, we dig into how women of color can lead change without sacrificing health, voice, or values—and how organizations must evolve if they want the results they claim to value.

Ilesha takes us inside her first principalship, where accomplishment met bias and she was read as a “quota” instead of a qualified leader. That moment became fuel. We unpack the double binds that follow women of color at work—the angry vs. invisible trap, the rising imposter syndrome as representation thins at the top—and the concrete fixes: sponsorship that advocates, mentorship that tells the truth, and coaching that offers psychological safety. Ilesha shares the boundary framework that saved her from burnout, plus the exact language to push back on overload: “I’d love to take this on. Here’s what’s on my plate—what should come off?” The result is a model of leadership rooted in wholeness and performance, not martyrdom.

You’ll hear two powerful case studies: a leader who reclaimed weekends and presence with her son by realigning work to values, and a first Black female principal who led a year-long culture shift—ally mapping, student voice, and a new shared mission—so equity work became a staff commitment, not a compliance task. We also dive into why community is strategy: networks open doors, soften the emotional blow of forced exits, and accelerate the next opportunity. And if you’re eyeing entrepreneurship, you’re not alone—Black women are leading new business formation. Elisha’s advice is direct: build your personal brand, publish your lessons, and let your track record be discoverable.

If you’re a leader, take this as a charge to act: believe Black women, correct bias in real time, fund development, and measure leaders by culture, not optics. If you’re navigating change, set one boundary this week, shift one piece of thought leadership, and plug into community. Subscribe, share this conversation with a friend who needs the boost, and leave a review with the one script you’ll use to advocate for yourself next. We’re redesigning the table—pull up a chair and bring someone with you.

Follow Ilesha on LinkedIn: Ilesha Graham. Instagram: Coco Speaks. Ilesha wrapped up 30 days of leadership tips—31 one-minute lessons across LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok. Reach out to her for executive coaching, leadership training, retreats and strategic planning.

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• Website: ALewisConsult.com

#LeadershipPOV #WomenInLeadership #RepresentationMatters #FaithInAction #TheGoodLifeBrand #ALewisConsulting #BlackWomeninLeadership

Chapters

• 0:00 Setting The Stakes: Women Of Color And Work
• 3:10 Meet Ilesha: Journey Into Leadership
• 6:35 First Seat, First Bias: Changing Narratives
• 10:45 Unique Barriers Women Of Color Face
• 16:45 Believe Black Women: What Orgs Must Do
• 21:45 Mentors, Models, And Why Coaching Matters
• 26:40 Burnout, Boundaries, And Healthy Leadership
• 32:20 Two Coaching Wins: Life And School Change
• 39:10 Community Over Isolation: Collective Power
• 45:10 Brand Yourself: Owning Thought Leadership
• 51:00 The Next Decade: We Are Our Own Rescue