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How did you come up with the idea for your business? / Who or what inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
Early in our engineering jobs, my sister and I realized the lack of leadership and management training in STEM-based careers, which ultimately resulted in inner conflict, lack of innovation, dissatisfied employees, and a lower quality of work. However, when we turned to leadership training classes outside of work, we were similarly disappointed because many of them were simply feel-good messages about empowerment that help in the short run, instead of effective solutions for the long run. Most of the training also did not take issues of equity into account, which made the solutions impractical for BIPOC and other marginalized groups, who often have to overcome significant structural barriers in life. As immigrants in the US who are also women of color, we started A Better Force to bring our unique voice and an equity focus into the leadership and professional training world and help underserved communities with data-backed, practical solutions.
What does the average day look like for you now as an entrepreneur (especially compared to past jobs/days)?
Our work can be divided into 2 major parts, client interaction (individual sessions, workshops, consultancy meetings) and content creation. The client interaction days are full of energy, meeting new people, hearing their stories and working together to find unique solutions for them. The content creation days are quiet, thoughtful and creative days, where my sister and I are brainstorming ideas and coming up with new material for our workshops and sessions. They’re both fun and fulfilling in different ways. We also carve out certain times in the week for marketing, networking and administrative work – because in a small company, you often have to wear many different hats to make it successful.
What are some of the top things you have learned so far?
Running your own business is difficult, especially if you're starting out without significant capital, connections, or guidance. Don't let lack of fast progress deter you. Not everything is like a training montage in the movies where in the space of a few hard weeks of training, you suddenly have the strength to win against powerful opponents. This is not how the world works. Slow and steady progress over many years is perfectly normal. Failure and rejection, while heartbreaking, is also normal. Don’t let those define you. Always remember that you, your voice, and your ideas are valuable and important to the world – don’t let anyone or anything tell you otherwise.
What have been 1-2 of your proudest moments in creating your business?
We created a free virtual book club through A Better Force, promoting fiction written by women of color to uplift their voices as well as to create a safe and empowering space for joy and learning through these stories. There was a moment in a previous book club session, where I was surrounded by all these amazing women of color, who were sharing profound insights about the world that we live in, and I felt seen, safe, content and connected. From the way others interacted, I instinctively knew that they felt the same. I caught my sister’s eyes at that moment and saw the same happiness and gratitude that I felt reflected back, pride in having been able to create such a space for women of color to be in community together and lift each other up.
What’s the best advice you have received along your journey?
Right before we launched our company, a friend reminded us to listen to our hearts and sent this accompanying quote.
“It’s impossible,” said Pride.
“It’s risky,” said Experience.
“It’s pointless,” said Reason.
“Give it a try,” whispered the Heart.
Whenever we’re about to embark on something new in our business and feel afraid or hesitant, we go back to this quote and tell ourselves to listen to our heart.
What’s a fun fact about you?
My sister and I are both black belts in Wado-Ryuu karate!
About The Author:
Sarah Seraj '21
Founder of A Better Force
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