Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur Katrina McGhee Talks Women Empowerment And More
Katrina McGhee is a woman who wears many hats. She is an author, speaker, entrepreneur and a strategic advisor for numerous organizations across the United States. Over the last 20 years, Katrina has served as a senior executive for two of the world’s most recognizable non-profits, revolutionizing the way women were ignited to take charge of their health. Realigning her knowledge and experience of inspiring wellness on a global scale, Katrina now serves as a women’s empowerment advocate, an inspirational leader and a pioneer of social responsibility.
As a former Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Susan G. Komen for cure and also formerly the National Director of Marketing for the American Heart Association, McGhee’s work in the non-profit sector has gained her national recognition as a leader in the world of women’s health.
Katrina is the author of a book entitled “Loving on Me! Lessons Learned on the Journey from MESS to MESSAGE.” The book defines her quest to inspire women to aim higher. Katrina’s story tells the transformation of her journey towards success while providing her readers with the tools needed to ignite their own, individual successes. Readers will be inspired to, “go get their more!”
Katrina McGhee has a passion for helping people reach their highest heights in all aspects of their lives. With years of business experience, she is poised and ready to ignite change in others, on personal and corporate levels, in areas including leadership, personal branding, and business development. Through her, “Loving on Me Academy,” Katrina provides online courses that empower women to lead, inspire and succeed. She also offers customized corporate training programs to foster excellence among the next generation of nonprofit leaders and shares her transformative messages of self-love and empowerment as a featured speaker at conferences and educational events.
The Hype Magazine recently sat down with Katrina McGhee and spoke on a variety of different topics, from her former positions at Susan G. Komen and American Heart Association, to her driving force now. She discusses her innovative women’s empowerment program and some of her plans moving forward.
You were the Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Director of Marketing for the American Heart Association. Can you share some of the challenges you had to endure being that you were one of a few women in an executive role within these companies?
I’ve been fortunate that, for most of my career, I’ve worked with really strong, supportive women. I have, however, always been one of the few women of color – especially in the leadership ranks. Hidden biases and long-held perceptions have always been an issue, as people relate to each other through their shared experiences. In some cases, I was the first African-American executive leader with which they had spent any measurable time. Early in my career, this was a real challenge because my tolerance for the bias – which I could often feel but couldn’t prove – was incredibly frustrating. Over time I had to learn to dial up my discernment skills, so I could quickly determine where people were coming from and responsibly respond, instead of just react.
When you had the opportunity to work with both companies, did they provide a mentor program for employees interested in management positions?
There wasn’t a formal mentoring program at either company. However, I was fortunate enough to have mentors both inside and outside of the organization. They were guiding forces on my leadership journey. When young professionals are seeking management positions, I always encourage them to do three things. First, prepare themselves by studying “leadership” in addition to their chosen area of focus. Most of us get promoted for doing a fantastic job in our chosen field, but we aren’t equipped to be strong leaders once we’re promoted. If you want to be a leader – study leadership. Second, I recommend that they join professional organizations that allow them to network with other leaders. This is an important support structure who will encourage them when it gets difficult, and hold them accountable when they’re falling short. Finally, I recommend studying and following those leaders who inspire you. There is a lot to be learned from people who are a little farther along the journey.
What is the best advice someone has given you during your 20-year career?
Go for what you want. Don’t go just for what you think you can get.
What were the criteria for internships?
I’ve always been committed to giving young people an opportunity to grow, while also providing a small stipend to help defray school expenses. At both organizations, we developed a formal intern program that allowed us to have 1-2 students per year join our Marketing and Business Development teams. These were college students who had a strong interest in our key areas of focus, while also demonstrating a commitment to serving in their community. In addition to great grades, we also wanted students to be good citizens.
What are the current steps for internships with you now?
At “Loving on Me,” we’re just beginning our formal internship process. We anticipate hiring our first student Fall 2018. More information will be available in the early summer months.
Can you tell us what inspired you to come up with the “Loving on Me” concept six years ago in 2012?
The “Loving on Me” enterprise was inspired by my own journey of transformation. In 2012 when a professional crisis turned into a personal calamity, I found myself suffering from severe anxiety attacks. I felt like I was having a heart attack and stroke at the same time. It was a life-interrupted moment of epic proportions, and it really caused me to take a step back to assess my life. What I quickly discovered is that like many busy women, I had a lot on my plate. I was trying to control everything, and eventually lost control of it all – especially me. Loving on Me was a blog to share my journey to get back in control of me. Sharing openly I soon discovered there were a lot of women just like me – busy, professional rock stars living completely unbalanced lives. In just a few short years what started as a blog became a thriving community of empowered women, committed to loving themselves and each other, while also learning to lead in every aspect of their life.
Where do you see your platform headed in the next two years?
In 2018 we launched the, “Loving on Me Academy” – online courses that have been empowering audacious women to lead, inspire, live and succeed. Our focus over the next few years is to equip women with the tools they need to be strong, confident leaders – at work, at home, and in their communities. We’ve started with a free course, “5 Steps to Get in the Driver’s Seat of Your Life (and stay there)!” The course was designed to help stop us from looking for balance and to instead, create balance. This is the first in a series of courses this year that will launch over the next 18 months. I’m also writing my second book which is slated for release in 2019.
How has this process affected you personally and professionally?
Launching “the Academy” has been an amazing experience that pushed me well beyond my comfort zone. I was determined to do it, but I didn’t know how. For two decades one of my greatest passions has been mentoring and sponsoring young professionals. Since leaving corporate America, I’ve had the wonderful privilege of developing courses that help other leaders succeed. My challenge was that I wasn’t able to reach enough people by only offering the courses inside of an organization. So I decided to expand my business by establishing an online academy. The technology, however, was way outside of my expertise. This last year I’ve had to learn a lot, and delegate even more – which is really scary when you’re launching something new that you’re super passionate about.
Why do you feel some women are not willing to seek out their full potential?
Many women, including some in leadership positions, are hesitant to take strategic risks or go for new opportunities. I believe this is in large part due to a lack of confidence. A 2016 study regarding the self-esteem of men versus women gives us some insight. Researchers surveyed thousands of people across 48 nations, and unilaterally men were more confident than women. What’s known as the “confidence gap” exists for a whole host of reasons, including some genetic and environmental factors. But what’s most encouraging to me is that it is possible to increase our confidence, by building our competence. This is what the “Loving on Me Academy” seeks to do – equip women to become more confident, effective and empowered leaders.
For more information and to enroll in one of Katrina’s courses, please visit https://lovingonme.com
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Landon Buford Washington State Graduate Past Interviews include Grammy Award Winner Kenny G, David Banner, WNBA President Lisa Borders, What's Trending's CEO Shira Lazar, Ice Cube, NBC's Chicago PD LaRoyce Hawkins, Family Matters Darius McCrary, En Vogues Maxine Jones, Team USA Track & Field Member Norris Frederick, James Kyson, WNBA Great Lauren Jackson, and more.
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