Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlene McFarlane.
Hi Charlene, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Today, we are seeing the value of collaboration and the power behind shared resources and mentorship. Business accelerators, business groups and initiatives like mine, are making sure that marginalized communities are protected, educated and their voices amplified.
‘Referrals. Opportunities. Respect’ is an artfully designed master class and modern resource for organizations and students in Fashion, Beauty, Business and Entrepreneurship that reflects the reality of what can be accomplished with constrained resources.
Detailing the many moving parts, disciplines and values required to manage a diverse and inclusive brand, the series reveals raw emotion and intimate revelations sharing the many painful aspects throughout my 10 years of success, failure, discrimination, exclusion and institutional bias, building my business on government assistance, and relocating to Toronto.
The most successful of us, without wealth or connections have succeeded through a torrent of failure. Failure is what allowed us to reach new understandings and epiphanies on life, business and the people all around us. It’s an honor to share my story because failure got me where I am today. Failure made me better.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
When you start putting yourself out there as an entrepreneur, thought leader or authority in your industry, you’re always pushing yourself to be in rooms and places you haven’t been in.
Although I’ve accomplished more than I thought possible, after moving to a bigger city with more competition, status levels and structure; I felt I didn’t have enough authority, credibility or social currency to take my business in a different direction. I was riddled with self-doubt, questioning my abilities and sense of belonging. I rejected meetings, business opportunities, events and invitations to join associations and sit on boards. I hindered my growth and fell into depression. I needed to regroup.
Honestly, I thought my time was up. But then I began to ask myself: What can I do to increase my competence and improve my skills? What am I missing that if I had it, I’d feel more confident taking the next step?
Instead of resisting it and laying in bed all day, I leaned into it and embraced it as an opportunity to rest, vacation, test myself in another segment of my industry, ask for advice, seek mentorship, take courses, heal emotional wounds, set boundaries, create more structure, and recognize that those social networks and business groups need more people like me – who came from nothing and believed in their power to change their circumstances. In spite of all f this, I am so happy I made the decision to take this leap of faith. It has been some of the most exciting and rewarding work of my career.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
It’s a slow and dedicated build, which is very different from my last venture but what started as a passion project to fill a void for Fashion students questioning their ambitions in entrepreneurship, in three years has grown to six 1-hour master classes supported by Dr. Dori Tunstall, Jennifer Reitano, OCAD University’s RBC Centre for Emerging Artists, Humber College Fashion Arts and Business, and ACCESS Community Capital Fund business accelerator programs.
After I woke up from my depression, I worked on the master class as if I was already teaching it, and had support and credibility. Until one day while working my 9-5 in luxury retail, I got an email from Dr. Dori Tunstall. Then another from Humber College asking to feature me in the Dean’s letter.
Be genuine, nurture your current connections, introduce yourself and build your network, showcase your work, attend industry events, find employment opportunities that strengthen your expertise, and the connections and opportunities will come.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory would be my hometown of Montreal and my neighborhood of Little Burgundy. Also known as ‘Harlem of the North’ in the Golden Era of Jazz. It was home to the best jazz in Canada, attracting many jazz legends.
Adjacent to the railway and port, throughout the 19th and 20th centuries Nova Scotians, Caribbeans and African Americans arrived looking for work on the docks, factories, railways and as porters on the train cars. They built the first black-owned nightclub, community centers and churches, challenged politics, championed community, and brought with them a wave of talent changing the music and history of the city.
Next to Little Burgundy is the port. Old Montreal, where you can see the ships coming in as you walk along the cobblestones, restaurants, boutique hotels, performers, artists, museums and historic architecture. As a child, I would peer into the antique shops with wonder, and run along the canal soaking up the historical buildings – many of which are being replaced today with gentrification.
My hood is famous! You can learn more on the award-winning show Porters, on CBC Gem and BET+, or short clips of the documentary Burgundy Jazz on YouTube.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.charlenemcfarlane.work
- Instagram: @richnoire
Image Credits:
Black Tux Photography
