Next Level You: Breaking Barriers, Building Empires: Entrepreneurship in Today’s Business Landscape
On August 3, NYWICI’s professional development series Next Level You held the Breaking Barriers, Building Empires: Entrepreneurship in Today’s Business Landscape event. The webinar was moderated by NYWICI member and industry professional Jackie Hyland and featured media agency founder and executive officer of Skai Blue, Rakia Reynolds. Hyland and Reynolds discussed the challenges in the realm of business and how they navigated their journeys with the power of community and mentorship.
Reynolds shared her experiences with her entrepreneurship journey, emphasizing how her diverse set of skills helped make her an effective leader. She said that her passion was sparked by her experience being a Girl Scout. Her strong work ethic would carry over into her professional experience as the president of a community service association in Philadelphia, where she helped nonprofits gain more visibility to receive more funding.
She also became a studying counseling psychologist, through which she learned more about human behavior. After that, she became a part of MTV Networks as a script supervisor, where her desire to build a business really started. With all her experiences, Reynolds saw the need for a communications agency that focused on individuality and unique storytelling. She wanted to help people from all different backgrounds and play to their strengths. She aimed to remove the filtered aspect of public relations and create a company that shone a light on sincerity. Skai Blue would evolve from a production company into a communications agency. Reynolds talked about the value of confidence and how her belief in her dreams helped her achieve her accomplishments.
Reynolds’ journey wasn’t without its obstacles. She expressed how the difficulties in both her personal and professional life made starting a business challenging. Not only was Reynolds an entrepreneur, she was a mother with no traditional financial backing for her new venture.
Although these issues made the journey more difficult, they didn’t deter her. Her mindset: do with what you have. Gradually, Skai Blue began to grow, and Reynolds saw her ambitions develop into a full-fledged business.
Mentorship and networking played a key role in her growth. Reynolds said she wanted to ensure that she upheld her values of authenticity, integrity, equity, and communication within the company, so she hired people who shared those values. She emphasized that intention mattered more than ever, and she prioritized fostering genuine human connection in her business.
Reynolds ended the call by stressing the need for confidence in your pursuit, while also highlighting the value of documenting and learning from your experiences. These insights gave her the ability to expand her skills and make meaningful progress. Investing in yourself and in the people you work with, she said, are crucial steps toward building a stronger business
