I am of Caribbean heritage with my parents originating from St Vincent and the Grenadines. I was born in Northampton, England, however much of my education was in St. Vincent so I have strong ties to the island.  

I originally wanted to be a lawyer. Growing up the only talked about options of a successful career were to be a Doctor, Lawyer, Accountant or Engineer. After a couple of years of working as an airline reservation agent to save money to go to University I realised that I loved aviation and thought that a degree in that field would give me flexible career options to work either in the UK or in the Caribbean, so I pursued a degree in Tourism Management. Since then I have worked for several airlines before moving to London Gatwick, and my career has evolved from front facing roles to project management and now business change management. I currently work with company leaders to identify opportunities for growth and solutions to business challenges.  

Alongside my career at London Gatwick, I also have a passion for entrepreneurship. I didn’t want to be pigeonholed into one thing and wanted to have multiple streams of income. My husband was interested in property investment, and my own family had a history of building homes so the passion was always there. We started investing in Buy To Let properties 7 years ago, working towards creating a passive income.  

I have also written a series of children’s book called The Kayla Adventures which features a young girl of Caribbean heritage as the main character. I wanted to contribute to the gap in the market. If one child can feel they are represented, then these books are a success. I had been putting this off for a while and wanted to do more than just talk about the need for greater representation for under-represented groups.  

There are many values and qualities I gained from my heritage and childhood. My work ethic; I learnt that if you don’t ask, you don’t get. I learnt to ask tough questions and that persistence is key. Like many children of Windrush parents and grandparents I was told that I would need to work twice as hard in order to succeed. My heritage has shaped the way I navigate the corporate environment. As a result of my parents’ experiences, they did not want us to be negatively impacted. They taught me to never think less of myself and to hold my head high. I deserve to be here as much as the next person.  

Some of my proudest achievements include becoming a Co-chair for our REACH network. In this position, I have been able to speak to influencers and change makers within the business to help build understanding and awareness. For example, for Black History Month, I was able to lead a panel discussion on diversity in the workplace. We discussed the importance of allyship and inclusion and the importance of ethnic minority representation in decision-making roles. To be able to have that forum with senior leaders and educate people who don’t know how to have these conversations was very fulfilling for me. I am also proud of creating a portfolio career and not having a linear progression path.  

Upon reflecting on my career, I wish I had learnt the value of working smarter, not harder. I was so focused on delivering tasks and not focused on ensuring visibility and networking. When becoming good at being a doer, it can make your ability to progress into strategic roles harder therefore learning to be valued in the right spaces is something I had to learn. I also wish I had learnt the importance of personal branding earlier. How to position yourself in the corporate world is multifaceted and can be very beneficial.  

My advice for young people would be to think big and think beyond traditional career paths. Don’t be afraid to defy the norms and ask challenging questions.  

Finally, don’t underestimate the power of networking. It opens so many doors. For example, at the Investing in Ethnicity and BT Mixer, I met an entrepreneur  who later gave me the opportunity to talk to young women for International Women’s Day. I gave advice around portfolio careers and how to introduce yourself. It was an amazing opportunity which wouldn’t have come about if it wasn’t for networking.