Diversity, Equity, Inclusion - Optimal Leadership

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Agatha Agbanobi, founder of Optimal Leadership LLC., located in Austin, TX, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Optimal Leadership LLC is a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) management and advisory firm that serves clients in the tech, fashion/beauty, government, and higher education space. We work with leaders and teams who are already committed and ready to do the work of centering marginalized voices and perspectives, driving a climate of equity and inclusion in people communications and interactions as well as organization-wide policies and procedures and evaluating for continuous improvement and meaningful impact along the way.

Tell us about yourself

I am a Black immigrant woman, a first-generation Nigerian-American who grew up in Houston, Texas, and has had the privilege of living in different U.S. cities and foreign countries throughout my educational and professional career. I began equity work in education development in 2010 with the USAID Office of Education in Senegal, West Africa, in partnership with a U.S. nonprofit organization, IFESH. I continued my work in education equity reform in Texas and had every intention of working in state and/or federal departments of education for the rest of my career until I finally had “a seat at the table” with high officials at the Texas state department of education, the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

All of the conversations that transpired at that table, who was always invited and expected to speak, who always spoke first, whose ideas were always challenged, and the absence of leadership accountability for the harm caused to employees and other leaders, especially Black, Hispanic and Asian employees, really motivated me to start working against racism and other identity-based inequities in the workplace. This work feels long overdue for me.

My lived experience and that of those in my community, as well as the “progress stories” of my clients, motivate me to keep moving forward in my work - no matter how hard it becomes.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is getting out of my head and taking risks on myself on a consistent basis - being my biggest champion! I know that sounds quite intangible. However, business owners can rarely separate who they are from their business decisions. Who we are seeps into every part of our business. I have to be healthy if I want the business to be healthy and thriving - especially because I am still very much the business as a small business owner. Being able to prioritize my mental and physical health consistently this year has been a huge win.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

I think that one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner is knowing when and how to scale the business in a way that doesn’t get you into a lot of losses. It’s the art of hiring just enough volume of support to meet current client needs and grow the business simultaneously at the right speed for your business.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. Find out what you need mentally, spiritually, and physically to do your best work and consistently give yourself all that is required - even if it feels way out of budget. Your self-care has to be your number 1 priority.
2. Set high goals for yourself and take risks with yourself. Believe that you can actually do it, and your body, mind, and the universe will meet you at your place of faith in yourself.
3. Get plugged into an entrepreneur community and go to networking events. You don’t need to go to every single one. Have a monthly quota of events you must attend but know that you shouldn’t make yourself attend any event you believe isn’t worthwhile or helpful to your brand. Don’t forget that online events and social media networking groups count as well! All of this should be part of your marketing strategy.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.optimalleadership.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/optimal_leaders/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/agathaagbanobi/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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