Our conversation with Tastey Blackman, mother, now entrepreneur, was a breath of fresh air. Her humility, confidence, and focus on who she is as a woman is outstanding and rare. She is that sister you know will have your back and push you to the highest point of greatness. Her drive and passion for helping people and businesses grow are stand-out qualities. Tastey grew up in with a deep family bond that taught her the values of nurturing, independence, and what she describes as “ultra-confidence”.

Tastey grew up in rural Jamaica, St. Catherine to be exact, in a community that she adored, she considers herself an authentic country girl, where growing up she had the firsthand experience of a true Jamaican childhood; one that taught you the basic values in life, of kindness and people caring and sharing with each other. She described those days as the good old days, where her kindness was displayed in her household, her community, and her school.  

It was while at school that she decided on a career path in medicine, having discovered a love and a strong desire to care for people. With this strong conviction, she pursued the sciences and was accepted to a University in the USA, but fate would send her life in a different direction. Life has a way of opening opportunities to us or moving our lives in a different way than expected, and it is when we move in rhythm with it, and that puts us on our life’s journey.

In her words:

I am a mother of two lovely young women. I went to St. Jago High School, where I formed many friendships and developed an outgoing personality that facilitated the extrovert I am today. My unusual name also forced me out of being a shy country girl into a more extroverted person because I often found myself the center of many conversations as people wanted to know the story behind the name.  I had to learn how to graciously respond without getting upset by the nature of the questions. I definitely know I am sociable; I love exercising, and cooking which also means I love to entertain friends and family at my home.

My passion— raising or supporting children, not just my own children, but sharing my knowledge with them, and seeing them develop through mentoring and coaching. I love to help businesses also, to facilitate their revenue growth and expansion into new market markets and territories. I love a good challenge, so I will seek to collaborate with businesses that are either not doing well, want to grow, or haven’t yet realized their true potential and work with those businesses to get them on a growth path.

TBWM: I hear a lot of nurturing, whether it’s children or businesses. Where did that come from?

Tastey: My mother and grandmother, both Baptist preachers, would take in several children from the community and help to steer them and provide opportunities where they may have been none. I was raised in a household with many children, I actually thought they were all my brothers and sisters until I knew the difference. So, nurturing came naturally because of what I witnessed as a child. With those positive female role models, my actions were founded in this potent sense of equality, giving back, supporting others, and expecting nothing in return. It was purely on a love basis, and a desire to build up others. It became a part of me then, consciously, or subconsciously, I am the environment in which I was raised. 

Her Influences and Passion and The Importance of a support system. 

My Influences were definitely my mother and my father, they had two different outlooks on life. My father was all about integrity, discipline, values, morals, and justice for all because he believed strongly in an egalitarian system that looked out for others. My mother, on the other hand, is the one who spent more time nurturing me. I received a blend of both outlooks that now influences my perspective and has directed my life. I always ask the question—is this the right thing to do? I’m unwilling to move ahead if I cannot validate my decisions, or, answer in the affirmative that the action I am taking is ethical, morally right, and good for society. I feel accomplished when children develop and grow to their full potential, fulfilling their dreams and ambitions. I have had the pleasure of raising my two daughters and several of my nieces, nephews, and younger cousins and seeing them through school to the college level, including a niece, who went to medical school. I will continue to support them through their young adult life.

I received countless support in different ways throughout my personal and career life, so I am very aware of the benefits of having that solid support system. As I look back on the many times I decided to switch careers, my support came from those who have either done it before me or those who were also willing to show me the pathway that enabled my success. Even in my business success, I’ve had the benefit of great mentors, coaches, and great business leaders who have shared their know-how and successes with me. True leaders to me are very liberal in sharing their experience and knowledge.

TBWM: Having many mentors and coaches suggests that you are coachable. I recently had a conversation where the matter of vulnerability came up. What are your thoughts on vulnerability, and how does it lend itself to being coachable?

Tastey: I am not embarrassed or ashamed to say, I do not know, I need your help. It speaks volumes when I demonstrate vulnerability because, I am saying to the coach, mentor, or whoever knows more than I do, that I respect your experience or expertise and that I want to benefit from what you are willing to share. I declare this upfront with others so that they are consciously aware that I have a genuine need and that I equally respect all that they bring to the table.

I think pride plays a part in our inability to be vulnerable. People are, I think, afraid of saying, I do not know, they’re not comfortable, and they feel there will be a judgement that shows them up as lesser, incapable, or incompetent. I think the opposite, I think if someone says that they do not know, that is actually showing a strength, I do not think about it as a weakness. My interest is in learning from you, to be coached by you. So, even if you are overly critical, I do not take it personally. I don’t want to reinvent the wheel if there is no need, I do not want to learn from my own mistakes if I do not have to make them. It costs nothing to be your authentic self vulnerabilities included. Persons are working for 10 years with only one year of experience, and I believe that is partially a result of not being vulnerable and not willing to admit that they do not know. Their unwillingness or feelings of embarrassment are the very obstacles that hold them back and will keep them stuck in that position for another 10 years. If we are going to stay quiet for fear of embarrassment or to avoid criticism, I can only say that there are more people out there who are willing to help you than to be critical of you. It pays to say “I need your help”, or “I do not know” you will get the help, and you will be better off. 

Tastey on challenges faced in a male-dominated space 

I have faced fewer of the obstacles that other women have had to deal with, but I am very aware of all that we face. I’m passionate about female empowerment in business, so I look forward to a space where men and women are treated equally and have equal opportunities to advance their ambitions.

So, what do you do when you are the “only” woman in the room, and you immediately become the exception? You feel the bias because you are in the minority, and there may be covert discrimination. It is a challenge, but one that we must confidently and boldly face because, if you are in the room, you are there for a reason, so speak up, don’t just lean in…make your presence felt!

 Another challenge I have experienced that is common among women is trying to create a work-life balance in a predominantly male space. In most instances, women are still the caregivers who have to balance the home and multitask at many different levels. Single moms, raising their families and trying to succeed at the corporate level to grow their careers to be successful in business or to operate their own businesses. 

In the business workspace, there’s a stereotype that says women are more emotional than men and less decisive. I would like to redefine emotional, from emotional to emotionally intelligent. Being emotionally intelligent is not a flaw or a disadvantage, I believe it has its advantage by bringing diversity to discussions and processes that we engage in. As for men being more decisive, because it has taken us so long to be in positions of power, those before us had less room to fail forward! Decisions may have taken longer, but I am also sure they were usually also more accurate. 

And then, there is setting the standards a little lower for women to make it easier because we will never get to the bar or the male standard—it is going to be hard for us. They then look down on us and write us off consciously or subconsciously as less capable and that’s not necessarily true. I believe that given equal resources, and equal opportunities, women will excel as much as men and sometimes even more in their various disciplines or careers. Some of the challenges are pretty much the same across the various industries that I have worked in.

TBWM: A man will come in for a raise and put forth all the reasons why he should get a raise and be firm about it, and they will say he is assertive. A woman comes in with the same script, and she is aggressive and confrontational. Why is that? 

Tastey: An unfortunate stereotype, but one we have to deal with and hope it will change. The notion has been—women were supposed to be less expressive in putting all their views out and be very restrained in communicating their desires and wishes. Over time this narrative has changed, as women grasp that we have the same rights, we have the same desires, we put in the same amount of work, we are equally qualified, and there should be nothing stopping us from representing our wishes and presenting our viewpoint. It boils down to role assignment, an archaic way of thinking. I see a gradual acceptance of some of the changes that women are fostering and putting forward. If speaking our minds is seen as aggressive, then that is what we will have to do until it is normalised.

TBWM: You describe yourself as an international business development specialist. What does that entail? 

Tastey: An international business development specialist provides information and advice to companies about doing business within and outside of their countries, so they can develop opportunities to grow their revenues and expand into new markets. It involves analysing business strategies for companies to either improve their existing strategies or create new ones that will lead them on a growth pathway. We seek investment opportunities, research competitors, and best practices, then develop a proposal with recommendations for these companies. So, in a nutshell, it’s the kind of work that one puts together by doing research, strategy analysis to develop a growth pathway for a company to grow into the international space, sometimes through the development of new products and services geared to the international market. I am not exclusive to international business development; I do business development with companies locally domiciled that are seeking to either grow or expand or to become more structured and formal in their operations which results in revenue growth and strengthening of their organisation’s capacity.

TBWM: TheBeyondWoman tells stories to motivate and inspire women to move beyond self-imposed limits. We just talked about growth and expansion. How would you apply that to a woman who wants to do something, but can’t see beyond the here and now? How do you talk to that woman about positioning for growth and development?

Tastey: To position yourself as a woman for growth and development, seek out information, never cease to educate yourself, and look for information relevant to the area you are seeking to be a part of. Be in the know, about opportunities available and what others are doing. That will motivate you and give you insights into what is possible. Find people who have done what you are seeking to do, ask for their help, and build your network with successful men and women who can mentor and coach you to make these changes. Get rid of I can’t do it, this is often the thinking when you are trying to go at it alone, and that is a limiting factor. The more I look at the possibility of collaboration with others, where I think there is a limitation on my part, the more it becomes possible in my mind. And in reality, when I collaborate with others, I find it becomes easier to make the transition and to transform and achieve new goals. Success cannot be achieved in a vacuum and is possible through collaboration.

TBWM: You went from a medical position to different corporate positions, and now you’re a consultant, operating your business. What has been the driving force to keep transforming and reaching for newer heights?

Tastey: Some of it was not my doing, but circumstantial. I always thought of having a business that combined all of my expertise garnered through my various positions, across the many industries I have worked in and then use my expertise to fuel my passion for helping companies and other people grow their businesses. You can appreciate my need to learn all I could to achieve this ultimate goal. The rich experience and knowledge gathered from pharmaceutical, manufacturing, aeronautical, international logistics, investment, and promotion, business process outsourcing, and other industries would one day culminate and form my business. But I wasn’t ready. 

Then COVID came, and the company I worked for in the business process outsourcing industry decided to reduce the workforce. I immediately had to figure out how I would survive. And I pivoted immediately; I didn’t spend a minute thinking about it. This was my opportunity to execute on this idea that I have had for a while and, 876 Corporate Services Limited was born. Some of our biggest decisions and our ability to pivot are borne out of adverse circumstances.

TBWM: What is a perfect day like for a consultant?

Tastey: My perfect day is when I meet with a client who knows the problem they are seeking to solve. A day like that puts me on top of the world. I can develop the right strategies that will move us forward seamlessly, as against a situation where a client is not clear about the problem they are trying to solve. I also get very excited when I’m with a client who is open to collaborative thinking and listening to the new perspectives that relay to them. That’s my perfect day—they’re sharing their insights, and I am superimposing my experience and expertise so we can solve the problems collaboratively

TBWM: You have done a lot, you have learned a lot, and you are still going… what is your most significant success to date, personal or professional? And how have you accomplished this success?

Tastey: My most significant success is my ability to transition from one career seamlessly to another. It is not second nature, and it is not easy, but it is something that I have mastered and I finally am walking in my true purpose. So, it makes me a happy professional person. I feel a sense of success and pride that I have impacted many industries, organisations, and people throughout my career. I am successful at transitioning because I am not hindered by the fear of failure, there is nothing that causes me to feel like I can’t do the things I set out to do. If I’m switching from one thing to the next, and it doesn’t work perfectly, I can switch again, nothing is stopping me if one thing does not work. I just move to the next.

TBWM: You have experienced a lot of success, and your confidence is evident, share with us a disappointment and how you bounced back.

Tastey: So, I had an early disappointment in life. Upon graduating from sixth form, I applied to medical school in the States and was accepted. I received the acceptance package and showed it to my parents, but it immediately was not up for discussion because of the cost. I was very disappointed. There was no plan B because, since the third form, medical school has been my focus. I had a good friend in high school who remains my best friend today. Her name is Camille. I shared the situation, and she introduced me to Physical Therapy, which she said was the next best thing. I asked no questions, and she gave me the forms and helped me complete the application form to the University of the West Indies, School of Physical Therapy. Fast forward I was accepted. I was grateful to have a friend who I could trust explicitly, and not question her judgment on what she was recommending. 

Disappointments teach us lessons. They’re unavoidable as long as you live. It is for us to embrace those disappointments and make good use of them and convert them into something that can enhance our future development. As a backup, I have a plan B and a plan C—a fallback position. If you cannot afford to pursue your dream because of financial difficulties, I have met many persons who have taken the long and scenic route to get to their ultimate career or goal by matriculating slowly, while working. If all fails, sometimes you must adjust your life’s expectations. Reflect, re-assess, and redirect so you can reengage the process with a new sense of purpose and with the ‘new tools’ you would have gotten from your disappointment. Giving up is not an answer. It’s never over as long as you are alive, and you have your health. Life is not a straight line. It is a journey with many twists and turns, and you hardly ever get a linear pathway to that ultimate goal or dream.

TBWM: If you could re-live your life, would you change anything?

Tastey: There is nothing I would change, my giving and nurturing from a personal, family, and community perspective has served me well. I have supported and contributed to many businesses and professional persons; I’m fulfilled. And I would take the same path, again. Unless I’m enlightened to something new, bigger, better, and different. 

TBWM: Many of us still don’t know what we want to be when we grow up, is that okay?

Tastey: It is fine. We are living in a time where we are blessed to have more options at our disposal than we ever had, professionally or otherwise. What better time to think through the possibilities and explore them gradually, if you have the luxury of time and resources. You do not have to be fixed on one thing for life. There are so many new things that come on board each year, professionally and personally. There’s no limitation. There’s no expiration date on your passions and your dreams and discovering new things. It’s a patience game, and if you don’t know now, it will come to you in time, remain curious.

TBWM: When your history is written, what would you want your legacy to be?

Tastey: In the end, I think it’s my impact on people’s lives, giving back to others, it is not about material acquisitions because I was born in this world with nothing, but I want to leave behind a trail of positive influence on all the people who passed through my space.

TBWM: What is your all-time favorite book, and if you had to pull one quote every time, what is that quote?

Tastey: “The Road to Character” by David Brooks. 

To Thine Own Self Be True—Shakespeare.

TBWM: What is next for Tastey Blackman?

Tastey: I have no plans at this time. My focus is on building, developing my consultancy, honing my skills, and building out the brand that speaks to the work that I do. Now that I am under my own umbrella, I must ensure that my work’s reputation speaks for itself, as I continue to help companies to develop result-driven strategies, and expand and grow. Being an entrepreneur and a consultant is a lot of work. You are everything in the business—the bearer, the accountant, the Business Development Officer, the Business Facilitator, and the Strategist. So, I am focused on really building out my consultancy in a wholesome way.