Certified Executive Coach (ICF) | I help women leaders amplify their performance + presence to become Executives | Wife & Mom of 3 | Exec Group Coaching Program launching in Aug 2024 | Book a call today ⬇️

Apply to work with me for Executive Coaching: https://linktr.ee/executivematerial For Brand Partnerships (brands only) please email me at team@aprillittle.co 

April Little

Only 2 Black women currently run Fortune 500 companies. 

I felt genuinely excited seeing Latriece Watkins named President and CEO of Sam’s Club because moments like this still feel… rare.

Right now, women lead about 11 percent of Fortune 500 companies, and only 2 of those women are Black.

It means we still have a long way to go. 

I know someone will read this and comment, “The most qualified person gets the job,” but if meritocracy actually worked, the C-suite would be far more diverse than it is today.

Latriece worked her way up inside Walmart over decades, which is the part people should pay close attention to.

We are often told to stay loyal, build credibility, and wait our turn, yet many women of color stall at the director or senior director level.

A few years ago, when Nike appointed a CEO after 32 years inside the company, I remember thinking that same result for women and women of color. 

So when someone does reach the highest seat after building REAL enterprise experience, it feels like a crack in a very rigid ceiling.

Sidebar: This is not about entrepreneurship, so feel free to skip this if corporate leadership is not your lane.

As an executive coach who works with women preparing for VP and C-suite roles, this is sooooo reassuring to see.

Keep climbing 🫡 

Image Credit: Essence

Exclusively on IG & TikTok: @iamaprillittle thru February 1st | Ex-HR Exec Helping Women Leaders Break the Mid-Level Ceiling Into Executive Leadership ($200k+) | 2025 Time 100 Creator

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Empowering female Directors to become successful VPs with my 7-step Passport to Promotion Framework | 10/12 women aiming for the VP role landed it in under 365 days, my about section shows you how to become the next.

👋 Hi, I’m Jill Avey, Founder of SisterSmart® . And I'm a Professional Certified Coach (PCC), Ivy League MBA graduate... and Leadership Mentor for ambitious women navigating the path to the C-suite.

I help high-achieving women break through the “Stuck VP” phase... and elegantly step into executive roles with clarity, confidence, and authenticity.

💡 Tell me if this sounds familiar:

You’re an accomplished VP or Director with years of hard-won results. But, despite your dedication... you still feel like you’re not being taken seriously.

You’re leading teams, handling high-visibility projects, and solving complex problems. Yet, vague feedback like “be more strategic” or “you need more executive presence” leaves you wondering what more you need to do.

You’re juggling critical responsibilities at work while balancing personal life... and the pressure feels relentless.

You know you’re capable of more. But, the self-doubt creeps in when stakes are high... and it feels like you’re constantly having to prove yourself.

If that sounds like you, know this: 

You’re not broken. You’re just in a system that wasn’t designed for women leaders.

That’s where I come in.

My Signature 7-Step Passport to Promotion™ Framework: 

I combine neuroscience-based leadership strategies with real-world experience to help you move from stuck to unstoppable. 

The 7 Steps:

1. Self-Leadership: Build resilience and confidence
2. Brain-Based Communication: Develop your executive presence and influence 
3. Intentional Career Planning: Create a strategic plan for your career 
4. Confidence Without Burnout: Learn how to advocate for yourself 
5. Authentic Leadership: Lead in a way that’s true to you
6. Mindset Mastery: Break free from imposter syndrome and self-doubt
7. Support Network: Connect with a community of like-minded women

Real Results:

Over 180 clients have secured VP and C-suite roles in healthcare, tech, and finance—often within just months of completing the program.

They report feeling more confident, visible, and valued—and see real results in compensation, influence, and career satisfaction.

🏆 Why Work With Me? I’ve actually been in your shoes. 

After 25 years as a corporate executive, I know what it’s like to navigate high-stakes leadership while balancing personal ambitions and professional expectations. My approach is research-backed, heart-led, and rooted in real experience.

I believe you deserve a leadership journey that’s both successful and sustainable. And I’m here to help you build it.

📩 Send me a DM: Let’s build your path to the C-suite together.

Jill Avey

"I've never had trouble finding a job. Ever."

Even the most talented people are struggling.
It's the worst market I've seen, and I've been on all sides 
of the hiring equation for 20+ years.

** This post is from my friend Sarah Baker Andrus, who has spent 20+ years on every side of hiring and helps people find work in complex markets.

Maybe you've been recruited into your last several roles. 
Or maybe when you last changed employers, you:

➙ Updated your resume
➙ Checked job boards or "want ads"
➙ Applied for jobs that looked good
➙ Got invited to some interviews
➙ Got an offer

Here's what I know from helping clients land jobs in the current market:
You can't keep doing what worked in the past.

Instead, do this:

✅A resume tailored to match each job posting, with strong bullets

✅Focus on 40-50 target employers and research them thoroughly

✅Use LinkedIn to connect with 2-3 people at each target company to learn more and build advocates.

✅Monitor target employer career pages 3X/week for specific job titles, which may vary by company

✅Apply on the company website, alert internal connections and ask if they have insights.

✅Identify and reach out to recruiters and hiring managers at target companies on LinkedIn

✅Meanwhile, prepare for behavioral and technical interviews on AI interview platforms

✅Be prepared to endure 2-7 interview rounds, complete unpaid projects, write case studies and face rejection at each stage. 
(Awful? Yes, but that's the reality)

✅Lather, rinse, repeat while waiting to hear back.

If you're not used to looking for work this way, this is hard. 
It's complex, and there are a lot of moving pieces.

I suggest you make it a project, and manage it like one. I use Asana with my clients. It keep them on track, helps manage their time, and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

➙ What systems are helping you manage your job search? 
Tell us in the comments!

🎉You've got this and I've got you!🎉

♻️ Share this with someone navigating the market right now 
➤ Follow Jill Avey for simple, real guidance on career growth and next steps

Helping High-Achieving Women Get Seen, Heard, and Promoted | Proven Strategies to Stop Feeling Invisible at the Leadership Table 💎 Fortune 100 Coach | ICF PCC-Level Women's Leadership Coach

The worst part isn't the interruption itself.

It's what you tell yourself after...

"Why am I even talking?"

And that thought?
It doesn't stay in the meeting.

It follows you to the next one.
Where you hesitate before speaking.
Edit yourself mid-sentence.
Wait for a moment that never comes.

You've already decided your ideas don't matter.

Not because someone told you that.
Because you got talked over enough times that your brain made it true.

This is how good people go quiet.

One interruption becomes a pattern.
A pattern becomes a belief.
A belief becomes silence.

And here's what kills me about this:

The company loses too.

Not because of malice.
Because the person with the solution stopped offering it.

The insight that could've changed the trajectory?
It stayed in someone's head during the commute home.

I made this graphic below because you need language ready.

Not to fight.
To finish.

When your brain freezes in the moment, pre-decided phrases give you your voice back.

(Get this graphic + my full playbook of leadership and communication tools: https://lnkd.in/gyxkNWfV)

🔖 Save this to prep for the next meeting 
🔔 Follow me, Jill Avey for daily insights on bringing your best

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