Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Asya Watkins. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Asya, thanks for joining us today. Do you take vacations? How do you keep things going – any advice for entrepreneurs who feel like they can’t step away from their business for a short vacation?
Absolutely! I took a solo trip earlier this year to Maui for my birthday and it was such an amazing experience. I bonded and created memories with a few awesome women who were also vacationing, we had a blast!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m a wife, mother, mentor, key-note speaker and a project management professional with a career that spans 20 years. I’ve had the opportunity to work with top brands like Optum, United Health Care, Walgreens and CVS/Caremark. My experience has also allowed me to serve as the Director of Mentorship for the Project Management Institute (PMI).
However, project management wasn’t always in the plan. I received my undergraduate degree in Biology & Chemistry from Xavier University in Louisiana. I then went on to study Pharmacy in their Doctorate program. When hurricane Katrina happened, I left the program and unexpectedly changed my career path. I basically fell into my first project management role as an IT Project Coordinator; I later became the IT Project Manager, and the rest is history. I fell in love with project management and knew that I wanted to further my career in the profession. I went on to obtain a Master’s degree in Business Administration from National University, my PMP® (Project Management Professional) global certification from the Project Management Institute and my LEAN Six Sigma Certification from United Healthcare’s Center of Excellence.
During my project management career, I craved a community that could help support me as I maneuver through the project management world and understand my unique perspective. I couldn’t find one, so I created it!
I’m the Founder of Women of Project Management (WOPM), a community organization with a goal to provide support, education, and other valuable resources for women, especially Black women and women of color, working in the project management industry. My mission is to ensure that this community of women have the tools and network they need to succeed and thrive in the industry. We currently have more than 1000 active members and we are growing! I’m most proud and excited that on November 12, 2022, we will have our very first in-person Conference in Atlanta, GA. I’ve been working really hard behind the scenes to make sure this event is impactful to our community.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I think what helped is that I understood the need based on my own experience navigating the project management industry as a Black woman. Also, the willingness to give back to the community the support and resources I wish I had during my career journey.
How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?
I have monthly Live Member Check-Ins! It’s so much fun; it’s a time where I really connect with the members and see them all interact with each other. I bring in speakers to provide insight on certain topic, I share membership updates, and we share success stories and/or challenges we may be facing. Inside of the Women of Project Management membership, we also have community boards and a directory of members so there’s always a way to connect.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://womenofpm.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenofpm/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womenofpm
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/womenofprojectmanagement/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQCNEc3obrkuQ4xkJojiQWA
- Other: WOPM Conference – https://womenofpmconference.com/
Image Credits
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