We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dawn Christian a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Dawn, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?

I founded BeLeadership™ | Belong by Dawn Christian® out of a deep-seated need. After serving over 20 years in corporate spaces, I had an epiphany that I and my well-being were the priority. I had a difficult pregnancy. When I was 7.5 months pregnant, I had my annual review. I was treated as though my pregnancy was a disruption. My review started with, “Well, you just go have your baby.” A month prior, I had complications breathing and was rushed to the emergency room. I was under so much pressure that I prioritized texting my boss while on my way to the hospital to apologize for being unable to make a call. He responded, “Can you send me the slides before you go?” He never asked if I was okay. When I reported it, the response was, “He didn’t mean it.” I wasn’t seen or valued, nor was the life of my unborn son.
The intentional vision driving BeLeadership™ | Belong by Dawn Christian®
is fueled out of a deep-seated need for humanity in the workplace. Belong by Dawn Christian is the leadership advisory firm with a clear mission to develop belonging as a leadership competency™. Our purpose is to redefine leadership, to claim and create spaces where everyone feels they belong, where leadership is not just a role but a state of being.
Belonging starts within you. Curating the BeLeadership™ cohorts was a mindset shift and healing that began with vulnerability and propelled me toward freedom. That idea of freedom translates to authenticity that leaders lack. Leaders often find themselves searching for trust but aren’t willing to lean into vulnerability because they worry about perception or being singled out, which can cause anxiety and lack of psychological safety. I’ve been in leadership positions across several types of organizations. But I wasn’t truly a leader until I led with my soul intact. I had to heal by discovering myself, and part of that healing was letting go of the standard of leadership that didn’t include me, wasn’t built for me, and was never aimed at leading individuals like me. Leadership has been type-casted in an image that is neither intergenerational nor intersectional. Most leadership models do not include the working caregiver, all gender identities, various ages, beliefs, or backgrounds, and because of this, we have lost a sense of humanity in workspaces. The CDC has declared loneliness as an epidemic. The lack of being seen, heard, and valued has left the working world void of humanity. Belong by Dawn Christian is here to reimagine leadership to prioritize humanity because healthier humans create healthier organizations™️.
Belonging, for me, was a conscious decision to lead from my entire being– my soul. It began with unearthing my ethos, defining my values, and establishing spaces for both you and me to belong.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

As a mompreneur and sandwich generation caregiver, I’ve encountered my share of struggles. Life-work harmony ™️ is not only something I coach my clients on but also something I’m always holding myself accountable to practice. The mom guilt factor is real, and I’ve often had to say “no” when I wanted or thought I should say yes. But, I set boundaries and priorities, and I’ve learned that doing so has made things more fulfilling. I spent 25+ years in corporate roles before starting Belong by Dawn Christian. As a bootstrapped business, I’ve become clearer on what matters now and how to manage where I invest my time and money. One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced was my ability to become even more open and vulnerable when it comes to my mental health and wellness. I thrive with anxiety. As a woman of color who entered into corporate in the 90s, I was trained and socialized to assimilate and often code-switched, meaning I presented the version of myself that I thought would be accepted. It was important to me that I showed up fully when I created Belong by Dawn Christian. Today, I no longer hide my anxiety but am more comfortable living out loud. What I thought would drag me down was like a weight lifted off my chest. I can just be who I am. I evolved to this space and I’m much better for it.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?

Belong by Dawn Christian®️ is the leadership advisory firm committed to developing belonging as a leadership competency™. We provide coaching and consultation to organizations, executives, and all humans in leadership roles who seek to go from having teams to having collaborators ™️. Our Ethos-Driven Leadership ™️ framework guides leaders to dismantle exclusion and embrace vulnerability. Our BeLeadership™ coaching, cohorts and experiences
intentionally center the layered identity of leaders and sets the stage to embrace
authentic leadership at the intersection of belonging, mental well-being, and impact. Ethos-Driven Leadership™ guides you to prioritize self-care and well-being as you lead your community and organization.
As a comprehensive advisory firm, we are committed to enhancing organizational effectiveness and coaching individuals, groups, and teams. Our unique differentiator is our ability to curate bespoke experiences that foster a sustainable belonging culture. We offer learning and development services, including one—to three-day intensives, on-demand, and live learning journeys. Our coaching services include our LivingRoom™ laser coaching, intentionally designed to disrupt the busyness culture by promoting mental well-being, restorative rest, and life-work harmony.
Our BeLeadership™ cohort-based programs are founded upon our proprietary Ethos-Driven Leadership™ framework. Our BeLeadership offerings include BeLeadership Executives™ for senior levels leaders, BeSeen™ for ascending leaders, and Work Like a Mother™, our cohort, which focuses on the working caregiver and is launching in 2024!

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?

My advice for those just starting is to be yourself. You are more than enough and everything that is required. Prioritize and stay focused on our ethos and mission. You or your product may not be made for everyone. But it is made for someone. That’s who you focus on. You will be more fulfilled and trusted if you stay rooted in our true purpose.

Pricing:

• We are currently offering $200 off our Working Like a Mother™ cohort through June 7th with promo code WLM24 visit us at https://www.beleadership.community/wlm24 to enroll today!
• As a working caregiver myself, I understand what it is like to manage it all. We have partnered with AferPay and Klarna to help you ease the financial burden. Visit us at BeLeadership.Community to find out more.
• We have tools to help you advocate for yourself. Email us at [email protected] to receive our sponsorship tools.
• If you’re interested in enrolling 5 or more people in our BeLeadership programs, contact us for group-rate pricing!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.beleadership.community/wlm24
• Instagram: @BeLeadership_Community

Image Credits
Belle Imagery (all other images)
Christa Booth (board room table)