4 Challenges Minority Entrepreneurs and Professionals Face In The Business World

Dr. Nika White • January 16, 2020

Happy 2020!

With every new year, we bring new resolutions and goals into our lives, our communities, and our businesses.

Even as my resolutions evolve with each year, my goal is always to work diligently towards Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in organizations and businesses.

For 2020, I am proud to announce another step towards this goal as I have been selected to serve as one of the newest National City Directors for Walker’s Legacy for Greenville, SC!

For a quick background, Walker’s Legacy is a global platform for professional and entrepreneurial multicultural women. It’s named in honor of Madam C. J. Walker — the first self-made female millionaire in US history, who was also an African American woman. Her story is truly incredible. Make sure to check out the new Netflix series about her coming out in March!

I am excited to begin this journey with 9 other dynamic trailblazing women! I’m also grateful to implement the Walker’s Legacy mission in my local community and aid in furthering the Walker’s Legacy mission through impactful programming, organizational collaboration, and partnerships.

Being in this world of DEI and thinking of all Madam CJ Walker’s achieved through adversity, I wanted to kick off the year by reflecting on the challenges that minority, under-represented, and female entrepreneurs face as they pursue their goals.

1. The Perception of Being Superhuman
As an African American woman, something that is not often talked about is the notion of having to be “superhuman” as a career professional and entrepreneur.

For example, there are often mistakes and trials that happen in the growth trajectory of trying to get to the next level of a career. Failures. Setbacks. Business problems. Monetary issues. Oftentimes with minorities, people aren’t quite as forgiving when mistakes are being made.

On the other hand, with populations who are not part of the minority population, mistakes are more celebrated and seen as “taking risks” or “being bold”. With minorities, this can bring up judgment and negative views towards failure. For us, everything has to be perfect.

This notion of being “superhuman” is where the minority career professional and entrepreneur has to have a perfect resume, massive achievements, and zero mistakes in order to accomplish the same success, accolades, or public appeal as an entrepreneur from the privileged group.

The risk factor here is that this keeps the minority business professionals (such as women of color) from really feeling as though they can try different things that can lead to promotions, advancement, and opportunities. This can lead to them being guarded in their efforts and contributions.

And many times, when people are looking for new projects or hire prospects – the decision-makers are looking for those risk-takers and “bold” movers.

I hope in the future, we can encourage a culture where minority talent can be viewed and perceived at the same level as others and not need to be “superhuman”— so they can be bolder, take more risks, and process the journey of entrepreneurship and career growth in a more equitable way.

2. Code-Switching
Code-switching is a hot topic in the DEI world and something that minority career professionals and entrepreneurs face often—usually daily.

According to the BBC , code-switching is when “a person in a minority group tones down some of the most obvious elements that associates them with their community in order to fit into a more mainstream group.”

In reference to people of color in a business setting, Harvard Business Review shares , it’s when someone is, “embracing the dominant culture or vernacular among certain groups (like co-workers, for example) and switching to a more authentic self when around friends and family.”

Code-switching happens often in the workplace. Someone may feel they have no one to confide in or speak authentically to. They may change their speech patterns and vernacular, how they reference things in their personal life, and their general attitude and mannerisms. It can feel like constant acting and performing.

Many women of color experience this and see it as not being able to be authentic to who they are. Code-switching is often a survival mechanism. It’s a way not to be judged, outcasted, or chastised in community or at work.

My previous article “Masking In The Workplace and Why It Can Be Detrimental to D&I” also talks about “covering” which is in the same circle as “code switching”. This shares how people change or “cover” their authentic self when they show up to work and can therefore not operate at their maximum, authentic self. This is detrimental for the individual and detrimental for the business or organization.

We need to bring clarity and awareness to managers, supervisors, and leaders in regards to code-switching and authentic communication. When people can stop code switching and covering who they truly are, they can show up as their most effective, productive, and authentic selves.

3. Barriers To Entry
Being a minority entrepreneur comes with inherent barriers to entry that create roadblocks and boundaries towards success.

These include barriers to networks, resources, and mentors and lack of access to capital, key resources and stakeholders, and more.

For example, capital is one of the larger barriers to entry. Take a look at a couple of these powerful statistics.

  • “A 2014 Babson College report found that less than 3 percent of venture-capital-funded companies had female CEOs.” per Business News Daily .
  • “Statistics compiled from CB Insights reports by Project Diane indicate that between 2012-2014, startups led by African-American women comprised less than 0.2% of all the venture deals in that time period.” ( Fast Company )

Lack of access to mentorship is another enormous hurdle. In the dominant narrative of white-male representation of success, an entrepreneur or business owner can find so many examples of mentors and “success stories” of people who look, act, and talk just like them. But in many cases, for minority and women entrepreneurs, it can be very hard to find a mentor who “looks” like you.

  • “Almost half-of female founders (48 percent) cite a lack of available mentors or advisers as holding them back,” according to Inc Magazine .

On the other side of the spectrum, when a minority person does achieve success, they may feel isolated, alone, or like a fraud since there’s less representation at the top. This can lead to feelings of “imposter syndrome”.

Imposter syndrome is “the belief that one is inadequate, a failure, or a fraud despite proof of success,” per this great Fast Company article on women entrepreneurs.

Because of these hurdles and challenges, these minority business owners are often working *in* their business as a “tactician” since they don’t have as much access to those assets that make business growth and navigation evitable.

When you are in that “working in the business” position, it can be hard for you to grow or succeed in the marketplace. You’re just too close to your work and too busy doing the work rather than getting to strategic planning opportunities that fall to the wayside.

If we can lower these barriers to entry and decrease resistance towards success, it will offer better and smoother opportunities and pathways towards success.

A book which is a fantastic resource for women of color to learn strategies and tips for breaking through these boundaries and moving up is, “ The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table ” by Minda Harts.

4. The Issue of Intersectionality
Diversity is an expansive and complex topic. An important element of it is that there’s not just one dimension of diversity that defines someone’s identity. There are multiple layers that interweave with each other.

You can be an entrepreneur who is identified as a woman of color—but there are many other elements of disparity. Being of a different race is one, but then there is gender identity, sexual identity, age, income and wealth, your location, your educational level, and so many other attributes where identity intersects.

These layers of intersectionality can add up and create more of an oppressive situation, which is why we must do this work of DEI to create space for authenticity and pathways towards success.

To create a future with better models, we must critically examine why there’s not more representation and intersectionality in these leadership roles.

How Can We Support These Challenges?
The way to help solve these challenges is to first bring awareness and discussion, then most importantly, provide support and take action.

Outside of the challenges listed, many of us, even minorities ourselves, have some sort of privilege. Whether it’s the color of our skin, the town we live in, our status and position in a business, or our income—we can use that privilege as a resource for others.

I love the sentiments in this Harvard Business Review article:
“Ordinary privilege is actually an opportunity. Research repeatedly confirms that those with ordinary privilege have the power to speak up on behalf of those without it, and have particularly effective influence when they do.

For so many of us looking for an opportunity to fight bigotry and bias in the workplace or in our  broader culture, we may be missing the opportunity staring back at us in the mirror: using the ordinary nature of who we are as a source of extraordinary power.”

No matter your type of privilege, there is massive value in being a resource and champion in order to directly support underserved and minority communities — whether it’s through mentorship or coaching, creating public discussions on understanding their lived experiences, expanding and offering out networks, and building relationships with people of color.

We must get out of our bubbles and expand our networks.

Make sure to check my blog from last year on “ 7 Ways Leadership Can Support D&I Initiatives ”.

I saw a meme recently that said something along the lines of “Don’t tell me every day that you support me, but then pass up every opportunity to support me.”

Let’s actually use any privilege we have to support those with less privilege than us.

MOVING INTO 2020
As I move into 2020, and step into my role as National City Director for Walker’s Legacy for Greenville, SC, I continue to fight for, educate, and work on the issues and challenges that women, minorities, and under-served populations face in their journeys of entrepreneurship and business.

My work in DEI over the past years has led me to create and address so many opportunities in my local geography and led to this opportunity with Walker’s Legacy.

This role will be a type of mentoring experience for the women who need a level of support and who want to connect with other women around this whole sense of women supporting each other and creating this sense of community – in a real environment so they don’t have to mask/cover.

To learn more about Walker’s Legacy and my role or to share strategies, support, and education, please click here.

Read more from The Human Shift on Substack, where I share long-form essays on leadership, culture, and how we work and live.

Share this Content:

The Difference Between Being Busy and Being Engaged Why Activity Can Sometimes Hide Disconnection

By Nika White • August 4, 2026
Many people end the day feeling exhausted. Their calendar was full. Their inbox was active. Their attention was constantly moving. Yet when asked what mattered most about the day, they hesitate. Activity and engagement are not the same thing. One creates motion. The other creates meaning. Earlier in The Human Shift, The Subtle Drift Into Disconnection, we explored how disconnection often develops through small moments. One of those moments occurs when activity becomes so constant that reflection disappears. A Reframe Being busy answers the question, "What did I do?" Being engaged answers the question, "What mattered?" One Simple Practice At the end of the day, ask yourself: "What was the most meaningful moment today?" Write down the answer. What This Looks Like In Practice A leader begins ending each workday with a short reflection. After a few weeks, she notices that the moments she remembers most are rarely the busiest ones. They're the conversations. The insights. The moments of connection. Question to Consider If someone asked what mattered most about your day yesterday, what would you say? In the shift, Dr. Nika White P.S. What is one meaningful moment from this week that you don't want to forget?

The Problem With Always Being Available - Why Accessibility and Capacity are not the Same Thing

By Nika White • July 27, 2026
Many leaders pride themselves on being available. Their door is open. Their inbox is monitored. Their phone is always nearby. The intention is usually good. But constant availability can create unintended consequences. People begin relying on immediate access instead of developing judgment. Leaders become increasingly interrupted. Everyone feels busy. Few people feel clear. Earlier in The Human Shift, When Responsibility Becomes Identity we explored how constant availability often grows from the belief that leadership means being accessible at all times. A Reframe Being available is not the same thing as being supportive. One Simple Practice Choose one part of your day where you are intentionally unavailable. Protect it. Use that time for thinking, reflection, or focused work. What This Looks Like In Practice A leader blocks ninety minutes each morning for uninterrupted work. Initially, people push back. Within a few weeks, team members begin solving more problems independently and bringing better questions when they do connect. Question to Consider What might your team learn if you were slightly less available? In the shift, Dr. Nika White P.S. What is one boundary you've been reluctant to establish?

When Trust Starts to Erode - The Small Moments Leaders Often Overlook

By Nika White • July 20, 2026
Trust rarely disappears overnight. Most of the time, it fades gradually. A missed follow-up. A rushed response. A concern that never gets revisited. A promise that seemed small at the time. People often think trust is built through big moments. In reality, it is shaped through consistency. Earlier in The Human Shift, The Weight of Unspoken Expectations, we explored leadership aftermath and what people carry after interactions. Trust is often built or weakened in those moments long after the conversation ends. A Reframe Trust is less about grand gestures and more about repeated experiences. One Simple Practice Think about one commitment you've made recently. Follow up on it today. Even if the update is simply: "I haven't forgotten." What This Looks Like In Practice A leader tells a team member she'll revisit a concern. Weeks pass. The concern itself becomes less important than the silence. When she circles back, even without a complete answer, trust begins to repair. Question to Consider What commitment have you made that someone may still be waiting on? In the shift, Dr. Nika White P.S. When someone earns your trust, what do they consistently do?

The Need to Be Understood - Why Some Leaders Spend Too Much Energy Explaining Themselves

By Nika White • July 13, 2026
Most leaders want to be understood. That's normal. The challenge comes when the need to be understood starts driving the conversation. You explain again. You provide more context. You clarify your intentions. You revisit the decision. And yet somehow, you still leave feeling misunderstood. Earlier in The Human Shift, The Stories We Tell Under Pressure, we explored how pressure shapes the stories we tell ourselves. One of the most common stories leaders carry is: "If people understood me better, this would be easier." Sometimes that's true. Sometimes the real issue is that understanding and agreement are not the same thing. A Reframe Being understood is valuable. Needing everyone to understand you can become exhausting. One Simple Practice The next time you feel the urge to explain yourself again, pause and ask: "Am I seeking clarity, or am I seeking validation?" Answer honestly. What This Looks Like In Practice A leader shares a decision with her team. A few people disagree. Her first instinct is to keep explaining the reasoning. Instead, she allows the disagreement to exist without trying to resolve everyone's discomfort. The conversation becomes more productive because she is no longer trying to manage every reaction. Question to Consider Where are you spending energy trying to be understood by people who have already heard you? In the shift, Dr. Nika White P.S. What's something you've been explaining repeatedly that may not need another explanation?

When Everything Feels Important - The Hidden Cost of Carrying Too Much

By Nika White • July 6, 2026
One of the first signs that capacity is stretched isn't exhaustion. It's compression. Everything starts feeling equally important. Every email. Every request. Every conversation. Every decision. There is no hierarchy. Just urgency. Earlier in The Human Shift, The Cost of Constant Readiness , we explored how constant readiness changes perception. When the nervous system stays activated for too long, discernment becomes harder to access. The result is that everything begins competing for the same attention. A Reframe When everything feels urgent, the problem is often not workload. It's a lack of space. One Simple Practice At the beginning of your day, identify one thing that truly matters. Not three. Not five. One. Let that become your anchor. What This Looks Like In Practice A leader begins every morning reviewing a long list of tasks. By lunchtime, she feels behind. When she shifts her focus to identifying the most important outcome for the day, her decision-making improves and her stress decreases. The work doesn't disappear. The relationship to the work changes. Question to Consider What would happen if not everything deserved equal access to your attention? In the shift, Dr. Nika White P.S. What is taking up attention right now that may not actually deserve it?

The Difference Between Listening and Waiting - Why Conversations Break Down Even When Everyone is Talking

By Nika White • June 29, 2026
Many people think they're listening... What they're actually doing is waiting. Waiting to respond. Waiting to explain. Waiting to clarify. Waiting to prove they understand. We've all done it. The challenge is that people can feel the difference. When someone feels truly heard, their nervous system settles. When they feel managed, redirected, or rushed, something else happens. Earlier in The Human Shift, When Teams Stop Telling You Things, we explored how silence often becomes a cultural signal. Many people stop sharing because they've learned they are being heard only enough to move the conversation forward. A Reframe Listening is not gathering information. Listening is creating enough space for understanding to emerge. One Simple Practice In your next conversation, wait three seconds after someone finishes speaking before responding. Just three seconds. Notice what happens. What This Looks Like In Practice A leader receives feedback from a team member. Instead of immediately explaining her perspective, she pauses. The employee continues talking. What emerged in those few extra seconds was the actual concern. Not the polished version. The real one. Question to Consider How often are you listening to understand versus listening to respond? In the shift, Dr. Nika White P.S. When was the last time someone made you feel completely heard?

When Your Presence Changes the Room - Why Leadership Starts Before You Say a Word

By Nika White • June 22, 2026
Most leaders pay attention to what they're going to say. The agenda. The feedback. The decision. The update. What often gets overlooked is what people experience before any of those things happen. They notice your pace. Your energy. Your level of tension. Whether you seem rushed or grounded. Whether you're fully there or already thinking about the next meeting. Earlier in The Human Shift, Culture is What People Carry Home, we explored how culture is shaped by what people carry after interactions. Before people carry anything away, they're already responding to what they experience in your presence. A Reframe Presence isn't something you add to leadership. It is leadership. One Simple Practice Before your next meeting, pause for ten seconds before speaking. Take one slow breath. Notice your feet on the floor. Then begin. What This Looks Like In Practice A leader enters a meeting feeling rushed after back-to-back conversations. Instead of immediately jumping into the agenda, she takes a moment to settle herself. The meeting itself doesn't change dramatically. The experience does. People become less reactive. The conversation slows just enough to become more thoughtful. Question to Consider What do people experience when they enter a room with you? In the shift, Dr. Nika White P.S. Think about your last meeting. What do you think people felt from you before you even started speaking?

The Energy Behind Your Leadership - Why how you show up matters more than how much you do

By Nika White • June 15, 2026
Leaders often focus on effort. Working harder. Doing more. Giving more. But effort is not the only variable. Energy matters. The tone you bring into a meeting. The pace of your communication. The steadiness of your presence. Earlier in The Human Shift, The Body Knows Before The Mind Does, we explored how the body communicates before words. Energy is often what people remember most. A Reframe Leadership is not only what you do. It is what people experience in your presence. One Simple Practice Before your next interaction, ask: “What energy am I bringing into this?” Then adjust—slightly. Question to Consider What do people consistently feel after interacting with you? What This Looks Like In Practice In leadership and culture work, energy is one of the most overlooked drivers of performance and trust. It shapes how work feels—and how people engage. In the shift, Dr. Nika White P.S. If your team described your leadership in one word based on how it feels, what would they say?

The Leadership Habit of Anticipation- When thinking ahead becomes living ahead

By Nika White • June 8, 2026
A Strong leaders anticipate. They think ahead. They plan. They prepare. But anticipation can quietly become overextension. Living in the next moment instead of the current one. Earlier in The Human Shift, The Cost of Constant Readiness, we discussed readiness. Anticipation, when constant, keeps leaders slightly ahead of the present—which can disconnect them from what’s actually happening. A Reframe Preparation supports leadership. Over-anticipation distances it. One Simple Practice Bring your attention back to one present interaction today. Ask: "What is actually happening right now?” Not what could happen. Not what might happen. Just what is. Question To Consider How often are you leading from the present versus the future? What This Looks Like In Practice Leaders who reduce over-anticipation often report clearer communication and stronger relationships because they are responding to reality, not projection. In the shift, Dr. Nika White P.S. Where are you currently living ahead of the moment instead of in it?

The Subtle Drift into Disconnection - How it happens without anyone noticing

By Nika White • June 1, 2026
Disconnection rarely happens all at once. It builds slowly. A conversation you rush through. A moment you don’t fully listen. A tension you move past instead of addressing. Over time, these moments accumulate. Earlier in The Human Shift, Inclusion Isn’t Exhausting – Disconnection Is , we explored inclusion as lived experience. Disconnection is often not intentional—it is the result of repeated missed moments of connection. A Reframe Disconnection is not a single event. It is a pattern of small moments. One Simple Practice Today, in one conversation, slow down enough to fully listen—without preparing your response. Just notice. Question To Consider Where have small moments of disconnection quietly added up? What This Looks Like In Practice In culture work, repairing disconnection rarely requires large interventions. It requires consistent attention to everyday interactions. In the shift, Dr. Nika White P.S. When was the last time you felt fully present in a conversation?