To quote the great American poet P. Diddy, I “love two things…my family, my music.” Pre-McKinsey, I was an entrepreneur. I started a hip-hop record label because I believed popular culture was the optimal vehicle to reach young people from lower-income communities. I wanted to make it “cool” to be smart. I fell short of having the impact I intended and saw a need to re-tool, so I enrolled in Wharton’s MBA program. Ultimately, I came to McKinsey to gain broader insights as to how businesses function and grow. I wanted to learn better problem-solving skills and test myself by tackling a range of complex business problems.
I started in August and have focused on developing my basic McKinsey consulting tool-kit. I am continually challenged, constantly learning, and genuinely enjoying seeing how the work I do affects my clients. Long term, I want to try again to build something of my own that will impact the lives of young people. I am not 100% sure what that will look like but I’m confident my time at the firm will prepare me to find success this time.
I was first exposed to McKinsey’s Black Network during the recruiting process. I met Zainep Mahmoud who helped me prepare for the case portions of my interviews and Shelly Stewart who energetically showed me there was a place for me at McKinsey.
The Black Network was core to my McKinsey journey before I even started, and now, it serves as a foundation of support that makes the firm easier to navigate. From training programs when I started to ongoing “check-ins” with colleagues, this network had made my transition from entrepreneur to consultant much easier than I envisioned. I am active in the Black Network because I want to give the same support and encouragement to a new set of colleagues who may have the same nerves and doubts I did when I joined. I want to help them realize how special this place is, give them a strong sense of community and help them succeed.