Charisma Sekhemet
Charisma Sekhmet, born in New York City and raised in Bergen County, New Jersey, developed a deep passion for organization, administration, and entrepreneurship early in life. Inspired by her grandmother, who served as an Executive Assistant in Mayor Koch’s administration, Charisma began managing administrative tasks for her father’s home improvement business at the age of 13, gaining early insights into business operations and leadership. Her mother, a nurse and singer, nurtured Charisma’s love for music, exposing her to songwriting and performance, while her father’s record shop gave her an appreciation for classic vinyl and analogue sound.
After attending Lincoln University and Bergen Community College, Charisma launched her career in the music industry as Executive Assistant to Harve Pierre at Bad Boy Records from 2005 to 2008, earning acknowledgments on multiple artist albums and a feature on MTV’s Making The Band: Season 4. She later transitioned into political and administrative roles, contributing to community outreach for Governor John Corzine and providing support at NYCTV under Mayor Bloomberg. Her liberal arts education provided a versatile foundation that allowed her to succeed across diverse industries, including music, entertainment, politics, and hospitality.
Today, Charisma is the founder of C5 Bids, LLC, offering event staffing, chef support, and pop-up bartending services, while also engaging as a beauty advisor, banquet staff, and community organizer in New York City. Balancing her entrepreneurial pursuits with motherhood, she continues to provide hands-on support for artists, chefs, and community initiatives, including Ballin4Peace and Resonator Arts Management. With a focus on compassion, faith, and community, Charisma blends her love for hospitality, music, and service to make a meaningful impact, while preparing to pivot into healthcare sales and surgical equipment, building on her lifelong dedication to helping others.
• Bergen Community College- Associate's
What do you attribute your success to?
I always have to say my love for God. God is always number one. And also, operating from a space of gratitude. I may not live in a big mansion in a fancy community - I'm right here in the hood in the Bronx - but no matter what, I'm always grateful for what I have. Nothing is too small to be thankful for. Because when you lose someone who's very special to you, that's when you realize all of those small moments, just how rich they are. I remember a younger me working in the music industry and really having this attachment to materialism, and then as I got older, those things didn't really matter to me. Because I knew that having faith in God and surrounding yourself by loving, like-minded folks - and family doesn't always have to be the same people who have blood flowing through your veins - that is really what has contributed to my success. God, family, and surrounding myself by like-minded and faith-centered individuals.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Always make sure you have a relationship with older and wiser women who you admire and they can teach you something. I have always been an old soul and I have always had very rich friendships with older women, who I saw a little glimpse of my older self in them, and maybe they saw a younger version of themselves in me. To this very day, I have at least 10 older women who I admire and I look up to, and they are like other moms for me. Definitely make sure you keep positive role models, surround yourself by positive role models who can really give you the critiques that you need - not a yes person, but someone who says, baby, that was a great job, but did you think about this? Did you think about that? Because that's where the growing and the maturity and the development, that's where all of that will enter the picture, and it will also serve as a form of protection. What I see going on culturally right now in the world, we can't even just talk about pop culture, the way that women are represented - we need better representation. So, in order to know what the real deal is and the proper way to carry yourself as a lady, one of the best ways to learn is to surround yourself by other ladies who have survived the world that you are entering, and they can provide insights and help you to avoid certain areas that could take away from your progress. Definitely make sure you have a sister circle of mentors who are there to love and protect you.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges and opportunities in my field right now involve mastering the technical skills needed to pivot into sterile processing and healthcare sales, scaling staffing and temp agency services in healthcare, and leveraging medical knowledge to improve patient decision-making and public understanding through effective communication.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both work and life are faith, gratitude, family, compassion, and community, guiding how I serve others and make decisions every day.