Black Woman Bliss

What happens when a layoff becomes the push to finally build the business that has been calling your name?

In this episode of the Black Woman Bliss Podcast, Mercedes sits down with LaKesha “Rolling with Keke” Moore, Senior Event Strategist, accessibility advocate, and founder of Rolling With Keke™. Keke brings over 20 years of experience helping organizations build spaces that are truly inclusive, accessible, and safe for all. She has saved organizations over $260K and served events of over 8,000!

This conversation is all about KeKe about stepping out on faith, building her business based on her Black Woman Brilliance, and learning how to move even when you’re scared.

Keke shares what it means to be one of the 600,000 Black women impacted by layoffs and how she is using this season to pivot with purpose, strategy, and heart. We talk about her journey into event strategy, why accessibility is not optional, and how her lived experience as a plus-size Black woman with a disability informs the way she shows up in business, leadership, and life.

During this episode, we're covering:

• Why strategic and accessible event planning is more than logistics
• How Keke became the “unicorn” of event planning
• What it means to build a business after being laid off
• Navigating entrepreneurship as a plus-size Black woman with a disability
• Why accessibility should be centered from the beginning, not added at the end
• How to take action on your dreams before you feel fully ready
• The connection between faith, purpose, business, and Black Woman Brilliance

Connect with LaKesha Moore

LaKesha “Rolling with Keke” Moore is a Senior Event Strategist and founder of Rolling With Keke™. Her work centers accessibility, safety, inclusion, and strategy in event design. She helps organizations create experiences where people are not just invited into the room, but fully considered once they arrive.

Connect with Keke and learn more about Rolling With Keke™.

Can one pivot change the way you see work, equity, and your worth?

In this powerful episode, Mercedes sits down with Tishayla Williams to talk about the equity pivot and what it means for Black women navigating today’s workplace. As an I/O psychologist and founder of The TW Collective, Tishayla brings a real, unfiltered perspective on performative equity, workplace harm, pay inequity, and the courage it takes to pivot with purpose.

Together, Mercedes and Tishayla explore the hidden cost of ambition, how systems fail Black women, and why creating your own opportunities is often the first step toward liberation. This conversation is honest, validating, and full of the kind of wisdom that reminds you that you are not imagining what you’ve experienced at work and you are not stuck there either.

During this episode, you’ll learn:

• How performative equity shows up when organizations quietly remove their commitments as soon as the political climate shifts
• Why pay inequity is often the foundation of broader workplace inequity for Black women
• How Tishayla’s journey from the Army and social work into I/O psychology shaped her lens on policy, compliance, and systems change
• What it looks like to advocate for yourself when a workplace is not designed to protect or value you
• Why Black women must stop waiting for permission and start creating their own opportunities
• How to think about your career pivot, business, or next move as a path toward greater autonomy and alignment

Pivot with Tishayla Williams

Tishayla Williams is an I/O psychologist and the founder of The TW Collective, where she helps organizations build more equitable workplaces and supports Black women in protecting themselves within them. A former social worker and Army veteran, Tishayla uses her voice and expertise to unpack the hidden cost of ambition, examine policy and systems through an equity lens, and help Black women navigate work with more clarity, strategy, and self-advocacy.

For the past year, Black women have been facing job loss and the most challenging job market we've seen in a long time.

For some of us, navigating this space has presented exhaustion, hopelessness, and fear about our career trajectories and financial stability.

What does it really take to plan 2026 as a Black woman who wants more in her career and business?

In this solo episode, Mercedes gets real about what it means to plan a new year after a hard one, especially when you know you’re meant for more but you’re tired, over it, and done with grind culture.

She walks you through how she’s planning her own 2026 using reflection, the 12 Week Year, and soft, supportive systems so she can build a business and life she actually loves.

Together, we're exploring what it looks like to redesign your goals around who you’re becoming, not just what you think you “should” be doing.

Through honesty, storytelling, and practical strategy, Mercedes reminds you that your Black Woman Bliss Era isn’t about doing more it’s about doing what’s aligned, sustainable, and worthy of the woman you are right now.

What does it really take to build a 45-year legacy in a space not made for you?

In this powerful episode, Mercedes sits down with Ann McNeill, “The Master Builder”, the first Black woman general contractor in Florida and founder of the National Association of Black Women in Construction.

Together, they explore how Black women can find purpose in unexpected places, build confidence that reflects true self-worth, and grow where they’re planted even when we're the only.

Ann shares stories that will inspire and challenge you, from standing up to her boss and unapologetically embodying her newfound confidence by driving off in her white Corvette, to founding five successful businesses and leading a national network of women changing the face of construction.

Through laughter, truth-telling, and legacy-building wisdom, Ann reminds us that everything you’re seeking is seeking you.

During this Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How to stay grounded in your Black Woman Brilliance while navigating male-dominated industries.
• Why your purpose and passion are already within reach and how to align your career with both.
• How to leverage your existing skills instead of waiting for permission to pivot.
• The power of “growing where you’re planted” and why it’s the foundation for elevation.
• How to build confidence at work as a reflection of self, not validation.
• What The McNeill Factor is and how it helps Black women elevate personally, professionally, and spiritually.
• The power of accountability and masterminding with your friends and family.

Build with Ann McNeill: As Ann shares in this episode, you have the power to bring your dreams to life! Connect with Ann and learn more about her transformational programs and resources:

Energy Leadership for Black Women

Sis, it’s time to talk about the power of energy leadership. As Black women, our journey to success and liberation isn’t about pushing through with another cup of coffee. It’s about intentionally building a career by centering our relationship with energy. In this episode of The Career Love Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Lynise Green, founder of Well with L, wellness strategist, naturopath, and leadership expert to talk about the power of energy leadership and holistic wellness. From engineering to naturopathy, Dr. Green shares her incredible journey of burnout, balance, and building a career rooted in holistic wellness. 

Together we explore:

✨ Why burnout is not your fault (and what’s really causing it)

✨ The four buckets of energy every Black woman must protect

✨ How energy and leadership are deeply connected to success

✨ What it looks like to reclaim joy, rest, and alignment in your career

✨ Real career paths in wellness and how to turn your passion into a profession

 About Dr. Lynise Green

Dr. Lynise Green is an Integrated Leadership Development Consultant, wellness strategist, and award-winning expert who helps high-achieving women shift from burnout to balance by leading with greater clarity, energy, and impact. With 25+ years of experience in engineering, strategic planning, and organizational transformation, and more than 14 years as a traditional naturopath, certified nutritional consultant, and master herbalist, she brings a rare blend of analytical precision and holistic insight to her work.

Named WELCOA’s Top Wellness Professional in America, Dr. Green empowers individuals and organizations to optimize personal energy, enhance well-being, and create environments where people thrive. A Doctor of Naturopathy and certified corporate trainer, she guides women to pause with intention, lead with purpose, and create sustainable success from the inside out.

Work with Dr. Green:

If you’ve been wondering how to stop playing small in your career or business, this episode of The Career Love Podcast is your personal invitation to take up space.I’m pulling up with real talk on the shifts I’ve been making in my own business — and the truth about how unworthiness can keep us chasing smaller dreams than the ones we’re actually called to. This IS a pep talk, sis but I’m also giving you real strategies, mindset shifts, and permission to stop shrinking your vision and start walking boldly in it.In this episode, we’ll cover:💖 Why ignoring your intuition is costing you big opportunities💖 How unworthiness hides in career decisions and business choices💖 The truth about staying in toxic jobs (and how to break the cycle)💖 My personal journey from playing small to embracing a bigger vision💖 Practical steps you can take today to walk fully in your worth

ACCESS TRANSCRIPTS: https://www.mercedesswan.com/blog/how-to-stop-playing-small-and-start-feeling-worthy💖 JOIN THE CAREER LOVE COMMUNITYIf you loved this conversation, SIS, the true transformation is waiting for you inside the Career Love Community — my space for Black women ready to create aligned careers, businesses, and lifestyles. As a member, you’ll get access to live group coaching, powerful trainings, monthly work groups, and a network of women who get it. Whether you join free or as a paid member, you’ll walk away with the strategy, support, and sisterhood to stop playing small and step into your Black Woman Bliss Era.👉 Start your journey here: https://www.mercedesswan.com/join✨ RESERVE YOUR SEAT FOR THE BLACK WOMAN BLISS WEBINARThis episode ain't everything! In the upcoming Black Woman Bliss Webinar, we’ll go deeper into exactly how to stop playing small and instead build the career, business, and life you’ve been dreaming about. You’ll walk away with a clear vision, actionable steps, and the confidence to claim what’s already yours.💌 Seats are free, but space is limited. Save your spot now: https://www.mercedesswan.com/bliss

🤎 Stay Connected:

Follow me on TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn for more career and business gems

We’re on some HR level #@%$!

In this unfiltered episode, I’m joined by HR’s Agent of Chaos, Francis “Tank” Rhodes and the hot mess that is Human Resources is catching some strays.

From SHRM scandals and toxic leadership to performative DEI and overworked HR teams, we’re naming names (disrespectfully), spilling tea, and calling out the systems that keep workplaces unsafe and inequitable for Black folks.

BASICALLY, BABES, we’re talking about everything wrong with HR.

This episode is for anyone who’s ever been side-eyed by HR, wants in on finding solutions to HR’s biggest issues, or just needs to understand what the helly is actually going on behind the scenes.

Topics we cover:

• Why HR is not your friend”… and what you actually need
• The real reason DEI was set up to fail
• SHRM, HR elitism, and our villain origin stories
• How HR professionals can reclaim integrity and lead with empathy
• Why your work bestie might be your biggest opp (we said what we said!)

Tank is a real one, and this convo was hilarious and raw. So, go ahead, boo… hit the play button.

ACCESS TRANSCRIPTS:

This episode of the Career Love Podcast is a love letter to the creative, so done with corporate, legacy-building Black woman in this community.

Today, I’m joined by the incredible Nicole Palmer—bestselling author, editor-in-chief, and co-founder of Delnic Media. We talk about what it means to navigate corporate America as a Black woman, how we’re building our digital empires to experience true freedom, and why it’s time to rethink what financial security, the stories we tell ourselves, and how we define success!

In this episode, Nicole leaves it ALL on the table (which we built ourselves) and we discuss...

• How positioning yourself as THE talent gives you career freedom
• How we can reclaim our creativity and stories by becoming a Black Woman in publishing and editing
• The difference between hustle culture and dream building
• What it really means to “play the game” in corporate space
• If you've ever questioned your path or considered if you can actually get PAID to be creative, this one’s for you.

📖 Get Nicole’s Book & Get Connected:

Join me as I hang out with the fabulous Amanda Henry of Living In The Abundance, who is a Tech Queen, senior learning & development pro by day, and financial freedom advocate by night! We’re spilling the tea on all things career growth, financial independence, and owning your worth as a Black woman in tech.

We dive into Amanda’s inspiring journey from Verizon to tech sales enablement, how she’s using her 9-to-5 to build wealth, and the power of self-advocacy in corporate spaces.

And sis, we had some good laughs about navigating toxic work environments with Basic Bob AND creating your FAFO fund (we said what we said!)

📖Get Amanda’s Book & Get Connected:

The Financial Abundance Blueprint: A Black Woman's Guide to Achieve Financial Literacy, Build a Successful Career, and Break Boundaries

Set to release April 8th 2025 (Pre-Orders are Available)

Sis, you ever feel like your 9 to 5 just ain’t it? Well, you’re not alone. In this episode of The Career Love Podcast, I’m sharing my personal story of leaving my full-time job in Diversity Equity and Inclusion to become a solo entrepreneur.

From HR for Millennials to building my Career Love brand and entering my Black Woman Bliss Era, I'm walking you through the mindset shifts, planning, and purpose that led me to quit my job with purpose and clarity.

You’ll hear about:

• Why corporate America was never built for us (and what that means for Black women)
• How I planned my exit with intention and a financial strategy
• What it means to build a business that supports your lifestyle and legacy
• The power of flexibility, freedom, and flow (yes, I’m sleeping *and* thriving)
• My dreams of full-time RV travel with my fiancé and our furbabies
• Finding your Black Woman Brilliance and how it guides your next career or business move

I hope this episode inspires you to reclaim the vision you have for your life and build a life and business you truly love.

If you’ve been thinking, “Girl, I want out too,” then this episode was made for you.

Transcripts: https://www.mercedesswan.com/blog/i-quit-my-job-full-time-entreprenuer

----

✨ Want to join the Career Love Community?

Welcome to The Career Love Podcast, Sis! In this powerful first episode, I’m sitting down with my ride-or-die since kindergarten and structural engineer, Destinee Wheeler, to talk about what it really means to be a Black woman in STEM. With Black women representing only 2% of STEM professionals, the journey into and to success in this field is challenging but deeply rewarding.

Join me in this heart-to-heart to talk about Destinee’s journey, the importance of mentorship, betting on oneself, and navigating white male-dominated spaces! In the Career Love Podcast, we keep it warm, but we also get real about the struggles Black women face in career growth, dealing with discrimination, and why sometimes you have to leave to truly thrive.

If you’ve ever thought about a STEM career—or just need a reminder that you deserve to bet on yourself—this episode is for you!

Tune in to learn more about...

🤎 The challenges that Black women face when entering STEM careers and the challenge real stats on Black women in STEM and why representation is so low

🤎 Destinee’s journey and challenges to become a structural engineer & bridge designer

🤎 The mentorship gap Black women face in STEM

🤎 Why betting on yourself & leaving the wrong job can change your career

🤎 The emotional & financial realities of being a Black woman in a male-dominated industry

🤎 How to transition into STEM—even if you’re starting later in life

ACCESS TRANSCRIPTS: https://www.mercedesswan.com/blog/black-women-in-stem

Resources Mentioned:

• Connect with Destinee Wheeler on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/destinee-wheeler-e-i-6828a5114/
• Watch the FREE Black Woman Bliss Webinar to learn more about pursuing your purpose at work: https://www.mercedesswan.com/bliss
• Looking to join a community of ambitious Black women to grow with? Join the Career Love Community: https://www.mercedesswan.com/join
• Want to work with me 1:1 to advance your Career or Business: https://calendly.com/mercedesswan/info

Stay Connected:

Follow me on TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn for more career gems

Subscribe & leave a review! If this episode resonated with you, let me know! Your support helps The Career Love Podcast reach and empower more Black women.

Share this with a sis who needs to hear it!

Welcome to the Career Love Podcast, Sis!

This is a space where Black women just like you are inspired to step boldly into their Black Woman Bliss Era—building careers, businesses, and lifestyles we absolutely love.

I’m your host, Mercedes Swan, also known as The Career Love Coach. As a diversity, equity, and inclusion practitioner, certified HR professional, and unapologetic Career Coach for Black women, I’m here to help you navigate the workplace, embrace your Black woman brilliance in business, and design the abundant life you deserve.

Each episode is filled with lessons, wins, and real talk to help you succeed in your career and business, shift your mindset, build confidence, take bold action and create wealth.

We’ll explore topics like discovering your purpose, living a passion-filled life, and growth—both personally and professionally. You can expect strategies and actionable guidance on everything from stepping into your purpose-driven job search with clarity and productivity tools to launching profitable side hustles and thriving as a Black woman in business.

The Career Love Podcast is my love letter to the 9.2 million Black women shaping the workforce and changing the world. And because Black women are the blueprint, I’m here to remind you that you are seen, heard, valued, and destined for greatness.

So, if you’re ready to unlock your purpose, build your dream life, and step into your professional power, give that subscribe button some love and leap into the first episode!

Your Black Woman Bliss Era starts today!