After spending nine years behind the scenes at Black Girls RUN!, Jay Ell Alexander stepped into the role of CEO. She utilized her PR skills on how to listen and lead and transformed BGR! into the powerful nonprofit it is today.
Jay Ell knew from the beginning that she wanted to lead from the inside, listening and learning from the BGR! community. While her transition from National Director to CEO was fairly smooth, Jay Ell still had lots of awkward conversations that helped bridge gaps within BGR! as a community and as a national movement. During her chat with April, Jay Ell shares how her role evolved, how important it is to listen before acting and her best tips for new entrepreneurs.
On today’s episode you’ll learn:
- Why you should listen to your community before making changes
- How Jay Ell facilitated the transition to a nonprofit organization
- What to look for when choosing board members
- How to have awkward conversations to bridge gaps
- What to do if you feel stuck and overwhelmed as an entrepreneur
& SO MUCH MORE!
Connect with Jay Ell and BGR!
- Check out Jay Ell ‘s website HERE!
- Find the Black Girls RUN! website HERE!
- Donate to the BGR! Foundation!
- Follow BGR! on Instagram @OfficialBlackGirlsRun
- Like and Follow BGR on Facebook @BlackgirlsRUN
About BGR!
Black girls run? Of course we do. There’s a huge misconception that black women don’t run. In 2009, Black Girls RUN! was created in an effort to tackle the growing obesity epidemic in the African-American community and provide encouragement and resources to both new and veteran runners. The goal of “Black Girls Run” is to encourage and motivate black women to practice a healthy lifestyle. We want to serve as a fitness resource for runners and gym rats alike, as well as provide tips and commentary on staying active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But we also want to start a movement to encourage ALL women to get off the couch and get active.