Learning from others is a privilege.

This is how I see the opportunity to spend an hour with my guests and hear how they progressed through the most important stages in their lives.

Through the stories she told me, Vessy taught me a few essential ways to cultivate self-worth outside of work, which is something I often struggle with. She didn’t intend to do that nor did we discuss this as a specific challenge, but that is exactly how it helped me, personally.

I’m excited to see how it helps you.

Vessy Tasheva is the founder of Vessy.com – the global online community for Diversity & Inclusion champions (invite-only) that supports them through knowledge sharing, collaborations, and emotional support.

She’s also the author of 2019 Diversity in the Workplace Report. Vessy helps companies identify and work towards removing the obstacles to Inclusion in their organization.

Through these projects, Vessy enables companies who value inclusion and diversity to make progress faster, no matter where they are in the world, because diversity is not just a Western thing as we might believe.

The way I see it, Vessy guides people to understand the norm as it changes.

Her interests are incredibly diverse and also highly convergent.

I was fascinated by her rich experience with gaining a deep understanding of both her and other people’s needs, wishes, and fears.

For example, her story about moving to Dublin prompted me to think about how important it is to notice when things fall into place. It’s like using your car’s headlights: you can’t see the full road ahead in the night but you can see a portion of it that points you in the right direction.

From learning how to be alone with yourself to understanding the fundamental importance of diversity and inclusion, we talked about Vessy’s key life experiences:

  • growing up in Bulgaria, in a family that valued art and culture
  • working in creative roles across industries (advertising, tech, marketing)
  • leaving a job she loved because she didn’t have enough room to grow
  • moving to another country because she wanted to experience a more inclusive culture
  • being a first-time, single founder and building a company from the ground up
  • being an advocate for diversity and inclusion and helping companies have these necessary and challenging conversations around them.

I firmly believe Vessy’s wisdom, her perspective, and her ability to explain difficult issues make for an important life lesson.

“… tomorrow it could be a version of what I’m doing today but it might require me to become a different version of who I am today.”

Vessy Tasheva

Vessy was inspired by Michelle Obama’s book, Becoming, to articulate a different way of perceiving her own evolution. I echo this change, as the book had a similar effect on me.

This framing involves identifying the mental barriers we deal, especially as women, so we may overcome them and thrive in every aspect of our lives.

Autobiographies helped Vessy cultivate emotional resilience to face these barriers, which is why she recommends them. Another podcast guest, Cristina Chipurici, feels the same about them and even created a list to help you read the best of them.

There are many paths this particular podcast episode can take you.

Choose the one(s) that fit your needs right now. Take what you need to advance, to continue to become who you need to be to achieve what you’re working for.

If you think others may find it as valuable, send them this link. You never know how one of Vessy’s experiences might trigger the change they’d been looking to make.

And if you’re interested in the different diversity and inclusion can make, check out Vessy’s invite-only events. It’s a powerful experience to understand more about how other people think, act, and understand the world.


Resources mentioned in the podcast:

BOOKS:

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