Fueling the Fire, with Taylor Black
Introducing Taylor
Taylor’s book club recommendation: Tough Women Adventure Stories, by Jenny Tough
Taylor is an engineer, design leader and serial entrepreneur in innovation, service design and venture building, thriving at the intersections of art, business, culture and data. She is a fierce advocate for women and queer communities. Taylor is CEO and Editor in Chief of Reflections With: a publication for women leaders and entrepreneurs; and founder of The Green Room: connector between creatives and facilitator in impact-driven experimentation. She venture builds for PVH, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, testing new business models in digital fashion.
Tell us your story. What shaped who you are now?
I’ve always craved adventure and challenge. Exploring new spaces and doing hard things. I don’t know what it is… it’s just always been very clear to me that I have a fire inside, an energy bursting to get out. As a kid I found it confusing, sometimes frustrating, and now I care for it.
You could say that progressive, bisexual, free thinking women who were inspired to stand up for social and environmental rights weren’t all that common in the conservative Texan town I grew up in. One of the hardest things I’ve ever done was get out of there; another is finding balance between who I am and where I’m from.
With a headstrong mum who was adamant that I should never depend on anyone else, I was directed three options for life: doctor, lawyer or engineer. Engineer it was.
Throughout my STEM journey, I took every chance I could to see the world. I studied abroad for the maximum allowed length, and from the beginning, planned on leaving the US long-term after my Bachelors degree. I had this itch to get as far away as I could, to – experience, see, feel – something totally different than what I had before. I knew what my future was if I stayed, so I left.
Over in Australia, it took a Masters degree, two years working in industry and the patriarchy to feel like my flame was being put out in engineering, squashed by the thumbs of traditional white men who couldn’t think outside the box. It drove me crazy. I took a risk and made a career change to service design and entrepreneurship.
Scrappy was my middle name, and girl, I was doing everything I could to gain credibility in this new space while also keeping my day job that paid the bills and student debt in my tiny Australian apartment. I read articles, bought books, went to meet-ups, messaged people already doing the job, made a website, took online courses - you name it. All on nights, mornings and weekends. There was no alternative; I had to make it. I was going to make it.
If I pause to reflect, this is the grit and the raw energy that I think is the flame inside me that I mentioned before. It’s the power that keeps me going, whether I like it or not – whether I know what I’m doing or not, and let’s be honest, most of the time, I don’t. No one does. I’m following a hunch, my gut, whatever you want to call it.
Fast forward to now, and I have so much more control over what I do. The more creativity I have in my work, the more I feel as though I can lean into the flow and just go. I’ve found a career that overlaps with my passions, and fiercely encourage others to do the same – particularly women, queer people and people of color. I think I feel so strongly about this because of the journey I’ve had, the people I’ve seen suppressed in conservative spaces and how many people have wanted to see me fail.
It’s so easy to get caught in a square, with hard edges and a known horizon, where your world feels small and your problems feel big. But if you’re taking risks to do what you love, really anything is possible.
What advice would you give to someone just beginning this journey?
Just start. Start small, learn, grow, scale, repeat. Out of [nearly] every experience, there is a learning or fork in the road. Don’t let anyone make you feel guilty about changing paths, or meandering for a little longer to find what you like. It’s normal to change and evolve as we grow older; we’re not meant to live life in the same place.
What tools or lessons learned do you have for women on the rise in leadership, entrepreneurship and design?
I’d love to create some tools and resources specifically for this. I’m hoping this publication is a step in that direction; that’s the intention anyway: to be a motivator, supporter and storyteller in the journeys of others. To raise awareness, representation and conversation about women and nonbinary in business and art.
Other than Reflections With, I’d suggest finding the support mechanisms that work for you and learning how to accept rejection. They say 90% of startups fail, which means on average, you have to test 10 business ideas before you find the one that takes off.
Something that has helped me in the past is having a small group of allies who are on a similar journey to me, sharing stories and struggles, helping keep each other accountable and always there to bounce ideas off of for second and third opinions. Therapy is your friend, and so is getting outside to clear your head. There have been times when I’ve felt like I just needed to reset and gain perspective, so I’d jump into the ocean for a surf or onto a horse for a ride, and then all the sudden I could breathe easier again.
What are you doing now for work?
I’m now living in Amsterdam with my husband, expanding my design knowledge and experience from the Australasian market to the European market. I’m soaking everything up like a sponge, so happy to be here and practicing in yet another context.
I’m currently building a business called The Green Room, an instigator and connector between creatives and businesses, fueling that fire through collaboration and shared experimentation. My day job is venture building, which basically means that I build start-ups and spin-offs for corporations, often through partnerships with tech companies and/or more specialized businesses or communities. I find it super interesting. Outside of this, I do illustrations and other kinds of artwork to sell and share. I love it.
What are you currently reflecting on?
After recently experiencing a lot of change in my life, right now I’m reflecting on how I want to consciously rebuild. I’m reflecting on my daily and weekly habits, the ways my businesses and I connect with others as change makers. It’s not often we have such a reset, so I want to really take advantage of the viewpoint I have now to be intentional about what I take on and what I say no to.
What do you hope for others following in your footsteps?
Trust in yourself. Trust that you know what you need and where your next step is, regardless of what others may be telling you or how different it may be from the status quo. If you ask yourself, “what do I need right now,” and allow yourself to sit in the silence and depth of that thought, an answer will arise. No one knows your journey better than you.
One of the hardest parts about taking an ambitious path is that no one tells you how hard it’s going to be; they just talk about the glory at the finish line. Even if they do tell you of the trials and tribulations you’ll face, you must experience them yourself. Be patient and forgiving with yourself, especially when that’s hard. No single journey is the same, and yours will be different to mine because it is precisely, uniquely, irreplaceably yours.
Keep integrity and hold strong standards. In Brene Brown’s words, practice a strong spine, and a soft heart. There are no stupid questions. Run towards challenge and embrace rebellion for a positively-impacting cause that you believe in. Stand up for yourself. Do things you’re afraid of. Let your mind be changed. Live the life that the person who loves you most tells you you deserve. Be your future self, now.
Find Taylor Black
Website: www.taylor.black
LinkedIin: linkedin.com/in/taylorblackcreative