As a Black woman with experience across various work environments, including ones where I look around and the only other woman of the same ethnic identity is quite literally my reflection in the mirror as I go to the bathroom to freshen up, I understand the struggles of “making waves’’ in spaces where you don’t see yourself represented.

I know first hand how hard it is to take up space in those environments, and take risks because you feel invisible, but also hyper visible all at the same time, which makes it hard to navigate those spaces.

For many Black women in corporate spaces it is pre-conditioned for you to “bend” yourself to be the “bubbly smiley Black girl,”, because God forbid people can’t tell how you're feeling by the look on your face. In my experience, you can be labelled stand-offish or difficult, which can put you at the centre of office gossip, so you teach yourself to look happy - all - the - time.

After all, trends show you are at a double disadvantage because you're Black, and a woman. A study in 2022 revealed that 48% of Black women have been criticised for behaviours that other colleagues get away with at work, with 42% of women of colour reporting being passed over for promotion despite good feedback (compared to 27% of white women). Which means it is even more daring when Black women show ambition and drive.

The Threat to pet phenomenon which was first coined in 2013 by Dr Kecia Thomas at the University of Georgia who found that early in their careers, Black women received and benefited from the support of their managers and mentors—often white males—who were eager to train and cultivate them. But as these women became more competent and confident in their roles, their mentors’ attitudes often changed.

Being bubbly and palatable positions you as a low threat. Until you start to excel. Until you go above and beyond.

I have, unfortunately, experienced this myself in my professional career. When you apply this theory, you can understand just how much race intersects with the treatment of Black women in the workplace, and why being “good" is used as a tool to silence us and stop us from thriving.

In her 2020 essay When Black Women Go From Office Pet to Office Threat, Erika Stallings broke down the pipeline that many Black women go through at a corporate level.

“Pets often experience feelings of tokenism, invisibility, pressure to assimilate, mistreatment, and being overprotected by colleagues,” Stallings wrote. “When Black women resist their status as Pets, they find themselves transforming into a threat … [experiencing] microaggressions or punishment for challenging the status quo of the workplace."

However, it feels like change is on the horizon, as more Black women are taking up space, choosing to be hyper-visible, and creating businesses on their terms. As a 2024 study revealed, Black female leaders are more likely to take risks to reach the next stage of their career than their counterparts.

Loretta De Fio, 40, is the CEO of Dizziak, a hair care range whose investors include Dua Lipa. Loretta is on a mission to help hydrate all hair types. Whilst I was researching for this piece, she told me:

“DIZZIAK was my solution to a widespread issue. Coming from a working-class background as a Black woman, I understood the importance of creating a brand that resonates with real needs and ensures inclusivity. As one of the first brands truly catering to all hair types, DIZZIAK pioneered a movement that extends beyond products to genuinely connect with diverse audiences. As a Black woman in business, I’m proud to lead a brand that challenges norms and champions equality in beauty.”

I also decided to launch my own business, The Big Bosom Brunch, at age 29.

The Big Bosom Brunch is a collective of women who come together to connect and feel free in their bodies. I knew nothing about business, but I decided to take the risk. From next year, I am ready to take it abroad. I know I’ve come a long way since feeling invisible, feeling like I had to fake a smile to get a second look in.

I will leave you with this. At the moment I’m watching Disney +’s new show Rivals, set against a backdrop of the drama, excess, and shocking antics of the power-grabbing social elite of 1980s England. Nafessa Williams, who plays Cirinium producer Cameron Cook, a Black woman in a high-powered position, told Tatler in 2024, that her role shows “black women in the workplace: go and be exactly who you are. Be smart, be firm, be yourself. Don’t shy away from who you are because other people may feel insecure or intimidated by it. Own who you are and know that there is a space for you, even if you have to create it.

It’s how we all deserve to feel.