Cassandra Crawley Mayo: Trailblazing from Civil Rights to Corporate Leadership

Cassandra Crawley-Mayo shares her journey from growing up during the civil rights movement to becoming a pioneering Vice President at a Fortune 500 company, and how she discovered that our greatest obstacles are often self-imposed.

• Growing up as the only child during the end of the civil rights movement with a strong faith background
• Being "voluntold" to attend an all-white school with her mother during integration
• Becoming the first African-American female General Manager for Courtyard Marriott
• Dealing with prejudice and tokenism in corporate America while proving her qualifications
• Writing "Is Your Way In Your Way?" after an airport epiphany
• Identifying how comparison, life interruptions, media consumption, and self-sabotage keep us stuck
• Creating a personal board of directors with specific roles (finance person, accountability partner, confidant)
• Developing the RISE methodology (Recognize, Interrupt, Surrender, Embrace, Build, Launch)

Connect with Cassandra at cassandracrawley.com or email her at mayo@cassandracrawley.com for a complimentary discovery call to start living your best life on your terms.

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Chapters

• 0:56 Meet Cassandra Crawley-Mayors
• 3:45 Growing Up During Civil Rights
• 6:34 Breaking Barriers in Corporate America
• 14:23 Getting Out of Your Own Way
• 23:14 The Power of a Personal Board
• 29:48 The RISE Journey Methodology

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:37

Welcome back to one on one with Mr you. Of course, I'm your host, mr Yu, in studio with us, mentor, speaker, pioneer and the author of Is your Way In your Way? Cassandra Crawley-Mayors in the house, how are you today?

Speaker 2: 0:51

I am doing great. Mr Yu, Thanks for having me.

Speaker 1: 0:55

The pleasure is mine. We had a great pre-interview chat and I'm excited for our listeners to hear more from you. Customarily, I always ask our guests that's coming in share about your childhood and your upbringing, as briefly or as much as you want. Let us know how you got from there to where you are right now. Go ahead and share.

Speaker 2: 1:11

Okay, well, I grew up as an only child.

Speaker 2: 1:15

Oh okay, yeah, and I actually grew up during the I want to say, sort of the end of the civil rights movement and I actually grew up in a home of what I would call faith. My grandfather was a minister and he was a type of grandfather If we did not go to church he would come by to see why didn't we go to church. So that was just really ingrained in me and the reason I wanted to share that I was the only child because I always wanted an older brother, and the reason for that is I wanted them to do the yard work and I also wanted them. I wanted to meet their friends because my dad really gave me what I would call the work ethic. He had me outside, he was mowing the lawn, I was sweeping, I was picking up leaves and I actually thought that's something that a girl shouldn't be doing. So that's one of the main reasons why I wanted an older brother.

Speaker 2: 2:17

I think it's important is I came from a mother and father background. They were both parents, were in the home and I would say my parents were strict to me. And I say that because I said you know what, when I go to college or if I go to college. I'm not coming back, I want to be on my own. And then what happened was during that time my mom was asked to go to a far away school. They were in the process of integrating and she was the only teacher at this time in the area that we lived that she was sent to a faraway school and at that time I was voluntold that I was going with her.

Speaker 2: 3:05

So we both were the only African-American people in the school, with exception of the janitor and the cooks. So with that I'm like okay. So when it was time for me to go to college, I wanted to go to an HBCU.

Speaker 1: 3:24

I love the story. That creates two additional questions for me that I want to ask you. So it's kind of a two-part question. One you mentioned really uh briefly about this was who felt was the strictness of your household one? Do you feel like that was part because of the uh movement that you were, that your family was living through in regards to cigarette movement? And my second question is kind of just share how you felt, because I know we read books and we see documentaries on TV, but we got a live person who lived in a lot of this in many ways was the first to do many different things. How did you feel to live in that? Was it fearful, was it tension?

Speaker 2: 4:09

kind of just answer both of those questions for me, if you don't mind doing that sure when I reflect on my childhood and you ask the question were they strict because of the civil rights movement? They were strict because they loved me, they wanted the best for me. They were parents that protected me. For example, if I wanted to go somewhere, they wanted to know who with whom and what do their parents do. And if I would go to a party, it wouldn't be long before 11 o'clock. My mom would walk in the party, in the front door, and my friends would say they would laugh and they said, guess who's at the front door? And I was like, oh my gosh. So they were very protective. But I certainly appreciate it. Now I get it. And in regards to the civil rights I, you know I was very naive.

Speaker 1: 5:10

I wasn't.

Speaker 2: 5:10

I didn't quite get why my mom had to go far away to an all white school. Now I got the ball and told peace, because she says you are not going to be home alone when I, when you leave school, no, you're going with me. And then throughout that I sort of started understanding, because they were calling me names. The boys called me names it wasn't the girl so much and they would call me names and I felt okay because my mom was with me. So I'm like so they can't do anything with me because my mom was with me.

Speaker 1: 5:43

So I'm like so they can't do anything with me because my mom's right down the hall. Oh, I love that. I love that you are a pioneer in many different areas. I mean, you definitely have years of experience under your belt speaking, mentoring and writing books and even leading professional people. You were the former vice president of a global Fortune 500 company.

Speaker 2: 6:02

That's correct.

Speaker 1: 6:04

I want to hear some of that story because I think, from what I understand, what you share with me, you were trails, a trailblazer in that situation. Can you share that with us today?

Speaker 2: 6:14

sure. Um, this is a story that's will stick with me for a lifetime. I wanted to share about the civil rights movement because that was the time when diversity was king. It wasn't titled diversity and inclusion, it was diversity. And when I would interview and would get the jobs, individuals would say, wow, she got this job because she was black, not because she was qualified. And I received a call from a human resources manager I used to work I was actually the first african-american female general manager for courtyard marriott's when they first started, oh my goodness. And I received a call one night about 9 00 pm and I said this is weird. So I answered the phone kind of weird, you know, not professional and he said that doesn't sound good you're right, but but listen to this.

Speaker 2: 7:20

He's asked me, he offered me this job, and I thought for a minute and and I was like, okay, well, look, you know, let's talk about salary, what, what comes with it, blah, blah, blah. And when I said okay, he immediately said, thank goodness I met my quota. And I thought about that and and, mind you, I was still naive. I was like, hmm, that was interesting and a good thing that I was naive, because I made the decision that I was going to run that hotel like it was my hotel. Now, if I would have let all of that quota stuff get in my head, I'm not quite sure how I would have responded. And what I did do is I performed extremely well. I was also placed at near Marriott headquarters, because that's where all the people came to stay and I was somewhat what they call the token, but within my heart, I was qualified to do what I had to do. So that's one of my experiences, and I have so, so many.

Speaker 1: 8:27

I was trying to see if I could extract as much as I can within this short time that we have together when you're in, and this is something that this is not really about the civil rights movement. This is something that I'm sure you can add some context to, but I've seen it as being an African-American manager in a Fortune 500 or a corporate workspace and this is something that maybe people don't understand. That's listening, that are not black and brown, so I want you to just kind of understand where I'm going with this. What's the challenges that you saw in promoting people who look like you?

Speaker 1: 9:03

The reason why I'm asking that is because a lot of times, people who may not be qualified or may not have the work ethic may feel as though it's something that's old. So when you are in a position where you can promote somebody who looks like you, certain folks may think you know what she should do, that because we're alike. But that's not how a manager should work in any corporation. You should hire on merit and, of course, skill set, et cetera, character, integrity, those kind of things. So what kind of challenges did you see, if anything, in promoting people who look like you in a time when you had the new position. Does that make sense?

Speaker 2: 9:45

It does. It makes a lot of sense. Lot of sons. As I matured I recognized that many of me was not hired and then all of a sudden they would sprinkle in a little bit. And because I had a voice at the table in a little bit, and because I had a voice at the table, even though I was cautious on what and how I said things, I would ask the questions why are there not other African American females?

Speaker 2: 10:25

Now they did have a male but why aren't there other African-American females in this role? And they would look at me and say oh, we've been interviewing, but we've just not found an individual that's qualified.

Speaker 1: 10:40

I'm like.

Speaker 2: 10:41

Is that so? How interesting is that? And what happened was Mr Marriott actually started the diversity program because he was very interested in race ethic, all of that. And once he started that, then people started moving in. And then when people were hired that looked like me that's where I became the mentor. I was the trailblazer. It was kind of like they had to see that somebody that looked like me was qualified, and not only that, I had the numbers I had, I was a troubleshooter, so if there was a problem I can handle it. So I was like the face for that organization initially. So, based on that, the door was open. As a result of that.

Speaker 1: 11:37

No, that's amazing. I didn't know that story. That's history right there talking. I appreciate this. Now, in some ways I've been able to say that I pioneered some things, things that are new, and that's fine. Not on the level of what you did at all. I'm not even trying to make a comparison there.

Speaker 1: 11:55

What I want to ask you is about do you just be a transparent? Do you feel like you're still trying to prove that you're qualified to do certain things? And you got some things you want to do? That's our mission in life, with your partnership with those 25 organizations and a hundred plus professional women that you want to partner with and create and mountains you want to conquer, Do you still feel deep down some way that you're still trying to prove that you're qualified to do these things? Are you trying to prove your value or do you have a different level of confidence because of what you've been through?

Speaker 2: 13:17

And the different capacities that I was in and different organizations, I began to start working harder. I started getting burnt out and I realized I was trying to prove that I was capable. And all of that became in my DNA, because in the corporate world you don't work eight hours. I don't know if I've ever worked eight hours, just 10 hours, 12 hours a day. And that was the expectation.

Speaker 2: 13:46

The expectation is you wear a dark suit, white shirt, and I'm like, wow, I can't even wear my color stuff because I'm a color girl, you know like, like colors, my color stuff, because I'm a color girl, you know like colors. And because of that, I got to a place where, as I indicated, I was tired because I was going, going, going, going. And then it just came to be a part of me and it also came from my background being work ethic. You got to work hard. So now that I am out of that corporate world, I feel like the other day somebody said to me I asked them how they were doing and this woman it was an Indian woman who said to me I feel like I'm in heaven and I was like, oh my gosh, what that?

Speaker 1: 14:40

is unbelievable.

Speaker 2: 14:41

Why is that? She said because I've been through hell. So now I'm at a place where I feel real good. You know, look at the world, look at the people, you know, and then you know, just hearing that I'm kind of like that too. I wouldn't say I feel like I'm in heaven, but I'm in a good place. So I'm not in a position that I have to prove that I am qualified to do what I'm currently doing.

Speaker 1: 15:03

I love that. Is there anybody you attribute your success to?

Speaker 2: 15:08

It is. I attribute a lot to God. I'm a woman of faith and if it were not for him, I'm not quite sure where I'd be, particularly because of how people responded to me when they found out, as a vice president, that I was an African-American, where they thought I was a secretary.

Speaker 1: 15:36

Who was your?

Speaker 2: 15:36

biggest inspiration. Who was your biggest inspiration? My largest inspiration were a number of people. I was a person to always look at things about empowerment, you know, growth Like Zig Ziglar used to excite me. He excited me to a point that I went to Texas to go to one of his classes. So there were individuals like that, that even Tony Robinson. I was like, wow, this is awesome. Even Miles Monroe, who was a great minister.

Speaker 1: 16:18

He was a mentor for a while.

Speaker 2: 16:20

Yes, yes, those people like that. That inspired me, I love this.

Speaker 1: 16:27

So you tell me what kind of set in motion your book is, your way, in your way. Why did you decide to write that book? I'm sure I heard part of the story, but our listeners need to hear this. Please share it.

Speaker 2: 16:43

Well, I'm going to also tell your listeners they have to get the book because I cannot say all that happened, that triggered this book, but what I will say?

Speaker 2: 16:54

there's a chapter in the book that says an out of body experience, and I literally had an out of body experience because I always wanted to write a book. It's just like your listeners they probably always wanted to have their own business, write a book, have a TV show, whatever, and they've not done it, you know. And they sit there and they have all these barriers and everything. Well, nobody's going to listen to me. Self-doubt sabotage, procrastinate is going to listen to me self-doubt sabotage, procrastinate. And that's what I did for many years about this book.

Speaker 2: 17:33

So there was something that happened at the airport, where my body, my out-of-body experience came to me. And this is what somebody that I said it was god who said this said if you get out of your own way, you cannot imagine what I would do through you. And I said and I was like what?

Speaker 1: 17:59

and that just fell down yeah, like what what?

Speaker 2: 18:03

because I did something very unusual at an airport because I traveled. I traveled 70, 80, 90% of the time and it just got real crazy. It was chaotic at the airport and what I did was I took over. So that's what triggered me to use that title. Is your Way, in your Way?

Speaker 1: 18:23

I love that. Can you share some examples of what that looks like Honestly to you, because you lived this and you understood it enough to write a book about it. I feel like people don't really get what it means to get in your own way, the self-doubt thing, the self-esteem issue, that's the low-hanging fruit. But can you share some examples of what you think getting in your way looks like?

Speaker 2: 18:50

Oh, of course. What is comparison? You know we compare ourselves. Social media is really interesting because think about it.

Speaker 2: 19:01

Individuals do not put the bad stuff on social media. They look beautiful, they're doing this, they're doing that, but I always say you never know what's going on on the inside. It's no different than you driving in a? Uh in a neighborhood and you see gated communities and you see like, oh, this is great. You know people driving these cars and I always say you have no clue what they are going through. Period. So you want to be who god has created you to be.

Speaker 2: 19:30

Another thing could be in your way is life, life interruptions. That's actually my next book. It could be, uh, one could be. You have a, a death in the family and it's so much chaos about who gets what that I know families today that don't get along because they're so focused on this. Should have been me, that should have been mine. You know all of that stuff. And trying to think about what is really important today, I mean what's important? You can't take it with you, but whatever you get, you know um, also letting. A good example is the media today. I know people who are so fixated on what's happening and I agree that we need to be informed, but I always say be careful what you listen to, what you look at and who you're around.

Speaker 2: 20:33

That is so critical because it can suck you in so much you look up and it's time to go to bed, or you get up and it's time to go to work. Then you come back home and do the same thing. You know. So you know. Um, it's just a number of things. Procrastination, you know. So you know, um, it's just a number of things, procrastination. Sometimes I'll sit here and I'm working. I'm like I want somebody to call me because, and then when the phone rings, I answer the phone because I don't feel like doing what I was doing. So that's being in my way, because you know what it is that you need to be doing, but you have all of this stuff in your way that's preventing you from doing it. Self-sabotage I'm not good enough. Who says you're not good enough? You know things of that nature.

Speaker 1: 21:16

I love that. One of the things that you know I don't get a chance to talk about much is the challenges of somebody who wrote their first book, folks who have written two and three, and I think some folks not everybody, everybody, but some just get kind of numb like, hey, I wrote my ninth book. You know what to do, I'm saying, but what are the challenges you feel in being an author for the first time?

Speaker 2: 21:42

um, I didn't know what I didn't know. I, you know, I wanted to do. I did a lot of research and I wanted to get an agent. But you had to do a lot of that and it was more about when you are ready to do what it is. That's what's pulling you. The teacher will appear.

Speaker 2: 22:11

And I say that because when I made the decision that I was going to write this book, I got a phone call and someone told me they had a friend who had an editor and they just published your book. And I'm like, oh really. So I started there where I had an editor and she helped me and she was a tremendous help. Then the part about who's going to publish she didn't do the publishing, so it was just kind of difficult to trust people, especially when it cost. And that was one of my dilemmas.

Speaker 2: 22:45

And I'm a stickler, I'm a perfectionist for covering and I want things like this, like this, like this. And we were just going back and forth of how I wanted things written. I wanted a certain cover and then they published another cover. So there were just certain things like that. And then after that you start getting phone calls and emails from people everywhere that want to turn it into a movie, that want you to be in a book fair. So you just have to be careful and also connect with somebody who has written one that you trust that you can get some great advice from, because you can self-publish your own book.

Speaker 1: 23:28

I love that. Is there anything in your life right now that you'd like to change? If you could, what would that be?

Speaker 2: 23:44

I have this. Another thing that I'm looking to do is do a TEDx talk. Awesome, and I'm like, ok, what am I going to say? So here I go again, getting in my way, and when I decided that I wanted to do that, I interviewed somebody on my podcast and she was like you know, if you need training, whenever you're ready, call me. You don't have to pay me, I will walk you through the whole thing. So that's probably my thing right now is actually Executing that and preparing myself for that, although I did apply but I didn't hear back. But I know one day I will, and I know one day I will do a TED Talk.

Speaker 1: 24:32

I'm excited. I can't wait to hear it. I'll be right there. I've got a few more questions. That has been a fantastic conversation so far. I really appreciate this. You mentioned something that I just I think, because I'm a big relationship guy, I really I really I'm going to feel it as well. So I think those two things are hand in hand. But you talked about having a personal board of directors in your life and why that's important. I need you to break that thing down for me, so I need to understand. I can't I can't walk away and not understand what that means. I know the means in the corporate world, but I've seen it. What's it mean here? What's a personal board of directors? Kisangre?

Speaker 2: 25:12

You have individuals in your circle of influence that has your best interest at heart. For example, on my board I have a finance person. Ok, on my board I have a friend that helps me keep it real. All right, I also have a spiritual friend, like if I'm going through something I know who to call because I know she is going to be upfront with me. I also have on my board an accountability partner. We meet once a week, every Wednesday at three o'clock and we set our goals for the entire year and we follow up with each other because we're holding each other accountable and if it were not for her, I don't know whether I probably would have completed the book, but I didn't want to get on the phone call the following week and say I didn't do another chapter.

Speaker 2: 26:13

As an example, I also have someone on my board who is an attorney. Yeah, and I also have someone on my board who is a confidant. I can tell her anything and I know my secret is safe with her. Until she read my book and she said, girl, you put everything in that book. I said, no, I didn't. I said, girl, I couldn't put everything in there. She said you got some things you never told me. I said yeah, yeah, because she knows me well how did you figure out that this was?

Speaker 1: 26:51

I mean, I love the idea. I intend to implement it. I've already kind of started but tell me why you we just come from would you do revelation to do this?

Speaker 2: 27:02

um, it just came from. You know, we all have. We have friends, we have acquaintances. I don't have very many close, close friends, but I realized the work that I do, the life that I'm living. I can't do anything alone and I need and we need to collaborate with someone that has our best interest at heart. So everybody in my circle plays a role and I'm like, okay, I need to have people in my circle. It's like kind of the queen on the chessboard. Yeah, I need somebody in my circle.

Speaker 1: 27:50

Oh, I love this, I love this. All right, so this is our last question. Then, after this, I'm going to have you speak to the people who are pioneering something new in life, that are watching and listening to the show, and then let everybody know where they can find your work, where they can find you. But last question of the show is our CMV question. We talked about it a little bit. Every guest that comes in has to answer it. It's a career, mission and vocation question. It's about to diminish your incredible work and your incredible life and experience. We're not doing that, but temporarily and theoretically you want to erase everything that you've done from a career standpoint mission, work, vocation you've been in. You're racing at all. What do you think cassandra is most likely doing today if she hasn't done before? She's never touched it. What do you think you're doing today?

Speaker 2: 28:40

that she hasn't done before. She's never touched it. What do you think you're doing today? My mission talk about my mission a little bit um, empowering purpose driven women to start living their best life on their terms. I say that because I do not want us to leave this earth with regrets, because a lot of people do, and that's so. I'm looking for a generation. I'm'm looking. My legacy is to transform a generation. Do a movement, a women's movement about.

Speaker 1: 29:22

Is your way, in your way, okay is there any chance this is going to start happening? I know you, I know you, I know you want to do it. How does uh perspective be looking?

Speaker 2: 29:35

it's looking pretty good because I have a signature that's titled the Rise Journey and I have a program called Rise Beyond Limits, and the rise is to recognize what's holding you back. The I is to interrupt what's holding you back. The S is to surrender, is to interrupt what's holding you back. The S is to surrender, the E is to embrace and B is to build and the L is to launch your business. Launch what it is that you were created to do, and I have the methodology and the tools to make that happen.

Speaker 1: 30:12

And in the world, so I'm so excited to have met you. You made our show better today, so thank you for being here. I really appreciate the time and the transparency and the wealth of experience. It's been a blessing to us who are maybe perhaps pioneers of some sort, being creating or pondering create something new and starting something that's there's no, there's no trail. They gotta create their own path in this so you can do it whatever order you want to do it in, but let folks know where they can find you and kind of speak. Some encouragement to those people who are pioneering something great. Sure, check out.

Speaker 2: 30:52

Sure. Check out my website, cassandra Crawley dot com. I'm all on social media Instagram, facebook, tiktok and all of those. Also, you can DM me at Mayo M-A-Y-O at Cassandra Crawley dot com Cassandra Crawley dot com and let's have what I would call a complimentary discovery call and see whether you and I can work together for you to start or stop looking good on the outside, but on the inside you're not in a good place. So, in other words, you're sick and tired of being sick and tired. Give me a tired, give me a call, send me an email.

Speaker 1: 31:38

I'm looking for it I love it, thank you. Thank you. This was fantastic for those that are watching and listening to this episode with cassandra and myself. We are live right now, so you can find us on all of the social media platforms. The ones that are not there, we'll be there within the next 30 minutes or less. If you're listening to our podcast and you're not able to see us, we do have a big, wide, audio only audience and this episode will be available within the hour. So thank you again for being here and Cassandra, and sharing your worth of insight and your thoughts and feelings and concerns. It's been a fantastic opportunity to be here with you. Thanks again for doing this.

Speaker 2: 32:19

Thank you for the opportunity.

Speaker 1: 32:21

Pleasure's all mine, Cassandra. Mr Yu, we're out of here. Have a fantastic day. Thanks again for watching and Felicia you.