- LaKeshia Grant, the CEO of
Virtual Enterprise Architects. We're an IT consulting company based in the Washington D.C. area. Enterprise Architecture
is a discipline within IT and which you take an
organization's strategic goals and you sort of pilfer
out those strategic goals and ensure that the operational processes fall in line with the strategy. We look at an organization
and then determine whether or not their infrastructure and their technology
supports their vision. The real callus for me was the fact that I felt that
I didn't have a voice. I felt that I had good instincts and in most cases when I did
provide recommendations, eventually they would adopt it. They would congratulate me and thank me after the fact, but you know
I had that instinct to just go and be entrepreneurial. I really wanted to create
my own environment where others can be heard, and
if they have great ideas to really foster that and really help support them in those ideas. I can't be a jack of all trades anymore. Back in the day when, you
know I was actually doing day to day work, I was
the jack of all trades. Now, it's impossible. So now I have to really rely upon my staff and others within the organization to help guide our strategies
and whether or not we should enter into new markets. We're always looking
for our next customer. I am consistently out writing
proposals, meeting new people. When I talk to other entrepreneurs and people who are just
starting their own businesses, the first thing I ask, are
you passionate enough to when you wake up in the morning, go straight to it? And then before you go to sleep, that's the last thing on your mind? The entire day, all
24/7, you're gonna eat, live, and breathe this business, but if you're really
passionate about what you do, you're gonna love it! I can't give a generic response you know, for other, you know, young women, you know who may enter into IT because
it's a difficult field. I think one of the issues with some women is the ability to assert
themselves in certain environments. I raised to assert myself. Not a lot of women are as assertive in asking for certain things or maybe negotiating certain things, but I think that largely
is a result of education. I'm already spanning multiple categories. I'm black, yes. I'm a woman, yes. I'm technical, I'm analytical, I believe and have faith in my own skills and abilities to be
such a great entrepreneur. It doesn't sound humble to say that you know I'm a great entrepreneur because I have a lot of,
you know, work to go but I'm proud of myself for being successful in running my business. So for other females, other entrepreneurs, other minority potential entrepreneurs, despite the industry, it's all about self. Once you're comfortable with yourself and your innate abilities, you'll make other people comfortable.