Dr. Tajiri Brackens

I attribute my success to my willingness to learn and grow, and understanding that there are different perspectives and different realities that come from different experiences. Mentorship and coaching have been critical to my growth because we can't figure it out all by ourselves - we don't know everything, even though sometimes we think we do. Having someone show me a different way, a shorter way, or a smarter way to do something alleviates the learning curve and shortens the path for the direction I'm growing. That has been integral for me and why I've been able to develop in the way that I have. Three mentors who have been very integral in my current phase of life and season are Lamar Tyler, Kyra Dodd, and Alicia Little - they've been instrumental in my development.

The best career advice I've received is to be authentic and unapologetic. I've developed what I call a sixth sense - the ability to see people for who they really are, to look into their eyes and see their soul. It's a discernment that's in me where I can feel the energy and tap into who someone is, even if I've never met them before. I look beyond the surface and see deeper into who they are, not just the physical person in front of me. This ability to truly see people has been invaluable in my work, and staying true to that gift while being unapologetic about it has been the most important guidance I've followed.

My advice is resilience, because this is a very liquid and fluid market, especially with AI. Nothing is ever cut and dry - the landscape is constantly changing, just like how Apple and Samsung compete to make their products better. You have to understand your unique selling proposition and what makes you stand out, even when everyone can do the basics. As women, we wear so many hats - we're moms, sisters, business owners, employees, chefs, and so much more. We juggle everything and often put others ahead of ourselves to make sure they have what they need, putting ourselves on the back burner. But if we're no good personally, then we can't be good to the people we're trying to serve. You have to stay resilient through all of this and remember that taking care of yourself is essential to being able to serve others effectively.

I don't really see challenges as challenges - I see them as opportunities. They're opportunities to learn how to do better, process better, and understand better. It's about asking what problem is preventing something from being efficient, and what's the missing link that's keeping it from working well. For me, it's like solving puzzles - what am I missing personally, or what is this situation missing? It forces critical thinking and practical thinking with a wider lens and scope to solving the problem. There's always a solution to something, and it's about connecting the dots with what you have in front of you. In my business, I've grown through what you might call challenges by failing forward - asking what I learned from each experience, what worked, what didn't work, and how I can take what worked to get where I want to go, or pivot what didn't work so I can reach my goals.

Being unapologetic and being true to yourself are my core values. If things don't feel right or bring you joy - and joy and happiness are actually different - then you're not operating in the place or realm you were created to operate in. There's a question I use: what is that thing you could continue to do even if you didn't get paid for it? That's where the peace and joy come from. Or flip it - what do people ask you for and come to you for all the time because of your gift and ability? That's where you need to operate, because you can see the value and need in it. When you operate in your zone of genius, your zone of greatness, and everybody does the same, you wouldn't have to worry about people not being fulfilled or trying to fit in where they don't belong. That's where loyalty and growth happen, because people are doing what they're good at. Stay in your lane - when you do that on the highway, you don't create an accident, but as soon as you try to get into another lane not designated for you, you create chaos. Your gifts will make room for you, so just stay in what you know how to do. That alleviates confusion.