For today’s installment of The New C-Suite Gives Good Advice—a column in which women from The New C-Suite (selected by Cosmo and our friends at digitalundivided) who are changing how boardrooms across the country operate dole out top-notch career tips—we’re talking to Shanté Elliott, CEO and founder of TasselTurn. Whether you’re already killing the corporate game or if the idea of sending an email without any exclamation points sends a shiver down your spine, you’re gonna want to stick around.
Shanté created TasselTurn to link unhoused and foster-care youth with counselors and higher-education opportunities, and it’s been instrumental in placing students in top-rated schools across the country ever since. Building and maintaining a platform like TasselTurn isn’t an easy ask, and below, Shanté serves up her best tips for staying balanced, climbing the corporate ladder, and becoming a true self-starter. You might wanna take notes.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up? Are you maintaining a healthy work-life balance these days?
I wake up at 5:30 a.m. every morning, no alarm needed. Some of the first things I do are pray, set my intentions for the day, and journal. I follow this by juicing fresh celery juice and heading to the gym. One of my nonnegotiables is preparing a hot breakfast for myself every morning at home. By 9:00 a.m., my workday officially begins. To help with balance, I time-block and schedule free time on my calendar. I also don’t reserve going out and socializing until the weekend. I enjoy going out during the week as well. It helps me maintain my energy, as I am less tired when the weekends finally do come.
Let’s talk $$$. What tips do you have for negotiating a base salary or a raise?
It’s important to negotiate a salary or raise based on facts and quantitative data. Too often people rely on emotions or what is “fair.” Fairness is based on perception. Therefore, it is important to engage in these conversations with concrete examples of what you have accomplished and in what ways these accomplishments will translate into job performance and company growth.
How will the company be better because of you? How will you help eliminate problems managers navigate? What unique advantages might the company get as a result of you on the team? This is a time to brag on yourself, not depend on your educational performance or degree attainment. Those things mean little when it comes to asking for a higher salary.
What about getting people to invest money in you or your business idea—any advice?
First, people invest in people. Next, people invest in big, bold ideas. Lastly, people invest based on what they’d like to see in the future, not the present. When seeking investments, it’s important to communicate your work boldly and unapologetically. Articulate the ways your business will create a better future in the industry in which your business is situated. Lastly, be yourself. You don’t have to be perfect, but you do need to demonstrate above average knowledge and have a track record that proves you can execute at a high level.
Who is your career idol, and why?
John H. Johnson! The founder of Ebony magazine and Fashion Fair Cosmetics. John Johnson’s journey is inspiring. Born into poverty in Arkansas, he relocated to Chicago and started Ebony with $500, eventually becoming one of the wealthiest African Americans of his time.
His journey demonstrates the power we all have within us to succeed if we consistently try. In his book, Succeeding Against the Odds, he outlines his selling framework which I apply in my work today. He truly was a business genius. There are intersecting points in our journey which enhances my admiration for what he accomplished during Jim Crow laws.
Do you have any advice on how to deal with a bad boss?
First, it’s important to unpack what makes a boss bad. Assuming the reasons identified do not require HR, I would ask myself what would give me the best return on the investment of my energy—dealing with a bad boss or finding a new job and boss? Likely, the latter. However, in the interim, I would document all interactions and begin to manage up by consistently following up on projects, working based on their work style, and increasing face time with weekly check-ins, even if for only 10 minutes. I would also join workplace affinity groups to work in a community with others.
What would you say to readers who are trying to seek out a mentor in their field?
I encourage anyone seeking a mentor to not explicitly ask someone to be your “mentor.” This is a loaded request. Instead, seek out professionals you admire and share some challenges you are experiencing and ask them for their advice. People love giving advice. After you receive their advice, follow up and share how you applied their advice and in what ways their advice helped you. This is key in building a relationship. Over time, you will see how much this person is invested in you and is contributing to your success in the form of a mentor.
What advice would you give to young women of color who want to found their own business?
Go for it! I’d also encourage women of color to expand their capacity for the type of business they want to start by exploring sectors women are often underexposed to, such as hard tech and software-as-service companies. Many women start beauty-related businesses, and while I understand our connection to the beauty industry, there are so many avenues women of color should look into that can potentially yield greater returns. Aside from this, I encourage women to only share their business ideas with people who can help advance those ideas. Next, connect with your local SBA office for start-up assistance and potential connections to funding. Lastly, explore scientific research articles related to your business focus. This is helpful because it will connect your entrepreneurial creativity to the science behind the problem you want to solve.
We want to talk splurges! What’s your philosophy on “treat yourself” purchases? As you’ve made your way up the corporate ladder, what’s one way you’ve rewarded yourself?
I used to splurge on material things—designer shoes and handbags mostly. Now I splurge on elevated experiences and other conveniences that help me reclaim my time. This looks like having TSA Pre-Check and CLEAR, flying business class or better, choosing the luxury ride-share option, and outsourcing chores like laundry.
As a CEO, my time is precious and something as simple as boarding a plane 40 minutes before everyone else buys me time to complete a task that will grow my company. In the time it takes to do laundry, I can prepare for a donor meeting. To decompress, I treat myself to a getaway every quarter and at least one international vacation. Travel is one area I was underexposed to growing up and as an adult I see how much of a difference experiencing different ways of life makes. I return motivated, eager to keep building, and with new and fresh ideas.
What has been your scariest career hurdle, and what did you learn once you made it to the other side?
I relocated to Chicago six years ago. I packed my car one night in August and began the drive from North Carolina to Chicago alone at 5:30 a.m. the next day. I relocated with no job, no place to live, and I knew no one in Chicago. For the first few weeks I lived in a hotel, using the little money I had saved. Starting from scratch was terrifying. Now that I am on the other side, this experience taught me that the hard things we face in life become easier as long as we continue to move forward. It also confirmed that I can make decisions without having a fully fleshed plan. And it proved that consistency is ultimately what wins the game. Had I stopped and taken the easy path, TasselTurn would not exist.
What’s something you wish more people knew about achieving business success?
The journey to success is often a lonely one. This is because no one will know what you’re building until you “make it.” Not to mention, 90 percent of businesses fail. Succeeding in business is hard. Those who succeed have a different level of resourcefulness, commitment, and dedication and deserve to be recognized for their contributions.
Annabel Iwegbue is an assistant editor at Cosmopolitan where she primarily covers lifestyle and fashion. Before joining Cosmo, she covered entertainment at Harper's Bazaar, The Knockturnal, and Black Film. She's originally from Charleston, South Carolina, and is currently based in Brooklyn, New York. She holds a B.A. in Journalism and Cinema Studies from New York University. You can check out some of Annabel’s work here and also find her on Instagram and Twitter.
