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Intimate Conversations with Susan L. Taylor

The elegant braids, the elevated forehead and graceful neck, the flawless complexion, the uncommon grace that shines through eyes that speak of possibility and courage- yes this is the image of media icon Susan L. Taylor, Editorial Director of Essence magazine. The unique look of Susan Taylor hints of the unique gift that is within her; the ability to inspire change through her sisterly, poetic, and thought-challenging writings.

Susan L. Taylor is a major driving force behind Essence. She has filled various leadership roles within the company including Editor-in-Chief and Beauty Editor. She has ushered Essence through periods of phenomenal growth. Susan is a fourth generation entrepreneur, having developed her own line of cosmetics and skin care products. She now serves as the Editorial Director and looks peaceful and energetic as she greets us with a generous smile.

CEO Woman magazine (CW): I sense an air of excitement from you today. What is it that you hope to convey to the women today?

Susan L. Taylor: I am truly excited and overjoyed to be in a room filled with women who are not only succeeding in their own endeavors, but with women who care passionately about people in the community. That’s really what we need more than ever, compassion and love. So it’s nice to be in the company of women who are looking in the right direction. You see, there is a mandate for women to step forward. And there is a strong need for creative leadership. We need women like you who can envision a new world that’s really on the way and have the courage, commitment, insight… and love to give birth to it. So we’re saying yes, we can live lives that are exciting, productive, and happy. We are meant to enjoy our time here on this planet. But primarily we have another task today and that is to create a better world.

CW: Businesswomen often have conflict with balancing life priorities. What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned about life priorities?

Susan L. Taylor: I’m glad to say that one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned after hearing it for so long was to rearrange my life so that it feeds me. I see clearly now that whether we’re after personal, professional or spiritual growth, the wisdom is the same: Be truthful and clear about where you are in your life; search out the philosophies and strategies to take you where you want to go; then practice them.

It also pays to know what motivates you, the right relationships for you, the right combination of foods for your body, the best exercise for you, what energizes you. The most empowering thing is knowing who you are and how powerful you were created to be. Being in integrity with yourself about what your issues are, what your pain is, what your hopes and dreams are; so you don’t get it twisted and you’re free to accept yourself. Women are notorious for negating ourselves and dishonoring what God made. Our focus should be to learn to love ourselves… to love what He’s made. When we become present with ourselves we come to a place of truth and our capabilities and gifts sharpen and we begin to walk in that destiny that has been specially prepared for us. You see what makes a person so phenomenal is that we are both human and divine.

CW: What is your advice for women who feel stuck in their current careers? How would you recommend that they go about living a richer life?

Susan L. Taylor: Today I have a zest for living, but there was a time when I felt stuck… when it seemed nothing in my life was working or satisfying. The demands of daily life were overtaking me. That’s what women have to be watchful about. When the demands of daily life consume us, our hopes and dreams diminish; we adjust because we feel that we have to and we get to the point where we hardly notice. But our hearts are always aware. We have to follow our heart, our passion and when we do that we are on the path to infinite abundance. We feel compassion for ourselves and others. We live each moment as a gift, and we’re fully aware that our passion is our divine assignment.

For too many women the workplace is a painful place. No matter how talented or educated, many of us tell some aspect of the same story: We’re overworked, underpaid, unappreciated, misunderstood, and passed over for promotions. Many report feeling invisible and discouraged in organizations large and small. But pay attention to that pain, boredom, and discontent because it can be a divine intervention, God’s way of encouraging you to re-examine your path and use your unique talents. Begin to move into doing more of what you love. As you do more of what you love, you create abundance of the highest measure: peace, prosperity, and joy. You become more passionate about things that matter most to you.

CW: What advice do you have for women who are transitioning into different careers and businesses?

Susan L. Taylor: Don’t expect seamless transitions. As you make the stretch, know that you were born to win. Assess your skills and close gaps between them and your dreams. How do you do that? By learning something new and surrounding yourself with people who have different and complimentary skill sets.

I also believe that every one of us had better have more than one stream of income- equity in a new venture, real estate investments, a partnership, a hobby turned into a business. Think business! The only way to secure your future is to design it.

I applaud women who have the courage to live their dream. We shouldn’t struggle to make a good living or have a great life. Our foremothers already fought those battles and won- and only fools give up conquered ground. Even when women had little say so over their lives and during tremendously harsher times than these they were building their own. Surely they had fears, but they moved forward anyway, not letting their fear override their faith. Whatever you desire can be yours. But we have to show up, become active, and breathe life into our sound entrepreneurial ideas. With faith, a positive attitude, and a relentless, strategic approach, we will not fail.

(Read the rest of this inspirational interview with Susan L. Taylor in the June issue of CEO Woman.)

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