We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Co-Founders of Non-Corporate Girls, Ayanna Dutton and Delaila Catalino a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Ayanna, thanks for taking the time to share your story with us today What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
Delaila and I met backstage working a show during New York Fashion Week one year. We were in a group with other wardrobe and backstage crew members, but we were the only two people of color. Someone made a joke that wasn’t funny and we both gave each other a look and laughed at how funny the joke wasn’t. After chatting further we discovered that we were both Brooklyn girls, had mutual friends and we were both in sororities. It was an instant connection!
Over the years we became accountability partners and networking besties. As we freelanced and worked in corporate (sometimes toxic) spaces we started to vent a lot about common themes. For corporate environments we were sometimes the only women or only women of color and we struggled to find a community that we could tap into to navigate those spaces further. Then on the entrepreneurial side we struggled with finding our path knowing that our corporate role did not define us and we had other passions. Throughout our friendship we explored the idea of co-creating something, but we never quite made it out of the planning phase with some of those ideas.
Fast forward a few years later, we ended up attending a fashion event during New York Fashion Week. I didn’t really want to go, but she encouraged me to be her plus one. At the event we were networking when someone asked us that dreaded question of, “What do you do?”. That question used to feel so heavy to us because we both did a lot of things that weren’t defined by one corporate job role. So we proceeded with our spiel on all the things we do (living that slashie life) and then I joked and said “we are kind of like the Non-Corporate Girls”. The person laughed and said they had never heard that term before, but liked it.
Delaila and I instantly had a light bulb moment; there was something about that word that resonated with us. The next day we both couldn’t stop thinking about it and realized that there was something there. In that conversation we decided to start a podcast since neither of us had started one before. We did some reflection on what we now call the Non-Corporate mindset, the journey of being accountability partners and how we’ve been able to show up in corporate spaces despite the challenges we faced. Before we knew it we had a few segments we wanted to try, a tag line, and we were ready to try this out. The next day we booked a room, opened our laptops and hit record on my iPhone and Non-Corporate Girls was born.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, Delaila can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
Non-Corporate is a podcast and lifestyle media platform catering to professional and entrepreneurial wellness. We believe our 4Cs ethos of creativity, cultivation, collaboration and change is the embodiment of the Non-Corporate mindset for our 3 pillars: the 9-5ers, 5-9ers and the intersection of where they meet. Our digital footprint which we bring to life through resources, tools, and advice helps our community redefine what it means to pivot in their purpose.
For people who come across Non-Corporate Girls in any capacity we want them to feel empowered to achieve. A lot of barriers are set in place for most of our audience, some of the same kinds of challenges we faced. So by providing a blueprint for them to use as guidance is already solving a disparity we often come across. Another is the sense of belonging and need for community. Whether in your family or certain professional spaces you can feel isolated. This is another barrier we set to dispel.
When you surround yourself with people who just get it, it allows you to feel seen and revives your energy to keep pushing. To date there have been about 3-5 renditions of Non-Corporate Girls and we are most proud of evolving to greater heights with each one. The progress mirrors the progress of those we support and show how the needs of our community have evolved. Whether a member, a brand partner, a supporter or a peer we are determined to be impactful in the ways we engage. Every encounter with the brand is intended to leave you more informed, feel supported, and help you to level up. We meet people at any stage of their professional and personal journeys so they feel they have the tools to see their ideas through.
Ayanna, can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Pivoting is the word we use the most on our podcast and in our business. As Delaila previously mentioned, to date there have been about 3-5 renditions of Non-Corporate Girls and as challenging as they all have been it has been an evolution that we are proud of. That being said, our first and most defining pivot was taking our podcast idea and turning it into a business. When we started the pod, it came from a place of us needing a community who could understand the strains and everyday challenges we were going through. We didn’t necessarily think it was a hobby, but we also weren’t 100% clear at the time that this could be business with layers to it vs just a podcast. A few months after we started the podcast (which we were recording on a weekly basis at the time and for the record we would never advise unless you have a team to support) a friend of mine took an interest and wanted to have a meeting with us.
Looking back, that meeting was a game changer for our mindset. The partnership unfortunately did not pan out, but it opened our eyes to the possibilities. A seed was planted and we saw a bigger vision; one that went beyond us. We knew at that moment that we would have to go from this being just a podcast to really building a brand that would have the impact we knew it was intended to have. From that experience we went all in with building this brand from a podcast to a media platform catering to professional and entrepreneurial wellness. To date, we’ve carved out a lane in the educational sector with our own curriculum teaching beginners from students to adults the art of podcasting. We’ve showcased 40+ experts and resources in various ways from being guests to digital initiatives like IG Lives, Lunch and Learns and soon to be the NCG Hub. We have been go-to consultants from podcasting to professional development to our community and we know there is more to come.
Delaila, how do you keep your team’s morale high?
As a co-founder I truly believe you are only as strong as the people you surround yourself with. The same rings true while running a business. Being able to manage a team and maintain high morale is a direct reflection of the leadership styles that are implemented. From interns to external partners, we have learned to create a working environment where everyone can thrive. Understanding that it takes a certain level of trust and including people in the outcome will always yield better results.
A few ways to do this is to set clear expectations and goals; making sure every team member knows their role and responsibility and what they are expected to achieve helps to make sure everyone is on the same page. Encouraging open communication is another important one. When creating an environment where team members feel heard it enables them to share ideas and concerns without fear of judgment or retribution, allowing them to feel valued instead. Recognizing and rewarding achievements with something as simple as a thank you or as grand as a bonus or promotion can go a long way. Fostering a positive team culture promotes collaboration, teamwork, and respect. When team members respect one another they are willing to work together to achieve a common goal. And lastly finding ways to develop and help grow skill sets. Investing in your team by providing training and opportunities will not only help improve performance but also show that you value their growth too.
Overall, managing a team and maintaining high morale requires being clear on the company’s core values, mission, and vision and hiring people who align with that. By following the tips above, you can create a work environment that fosters productivity, creativity, and happiness among your team members.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.noncorporategirls.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noncorporategirls/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NonCorporateGirls
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/non-corporate-girls/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonCorpGirls
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaoVuKSwCHG7ipTHX439KkA
- Other: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/non-corporate-girls/id1223834243 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6VSbPbLVNElClACuKrrZay
Image Credits
Photo credits: Sam Ellis | IG: @_artofmemory, Dennis Cohen @photosbycohen