Book Review
When Black Women Rise by author and entrepreneur Latresse Snead is the very personal story of a visionary entrepreneur and nonprofit leader who overcame her fears and dared to dream big. And—despite all the odds and statistics—won. Today, LaTresse is the CEO and founder of Bonsai Leadership Group and is a premier executive coach for nonprofit leaders. She helps her clients navigate leadership and reach their boldest goals.
When Black Women Rise by LaTresse Snead is a powerful story of overcoming adversity and eventually finding success and a new and affirming life path through entrepreneurship. The story begins with an earthquake, which shook up San Francisco and became the source of power LaTresse carried throughout her life, from her upbringing in 1980s crime-ridden Sacramento, where she suffered abuse from a controlling father. In her early twenties, LaTresse decided to make a massive shift: she convinced her brother and mother to leave their abusive situation behind. As a family, they rented a truck, moved everything they owned, and embarked on a cross-country journey, settling in Atlanta, the mecca of black excellence. There, LaTresse continued to pursue professional and personal growth. Inspired by the words of Oprah, LaTresse went from a lower-middle-class Black girl with no money, no resources, and a mother terrified of her husband to a powerful executive in the nonprofit space, influencing more than two hundred million dollars in donations during her tenures across Tastefully Simple, American Red Cross, Boys & Girls Club of America, The Nature Conservancy, the National Park Foundation, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. She used her voice in each position to drive life-saving policies into effect and help stabilize the country’s most vulnerable environments. Notably, she was consistently among the few leaders of color in the environmental and conservation nonprofit landscapes.
LaTresse then made nearly one million dollars in sales in her first year as an entrepreneur. This book will explain how Snead overcame an abusive father, her lack of resources, racism, sexism, and microaggressions to become an influential figure in national nonprofits. It will teach readers how to define success for themselves using the never-before-seen executive coaching available in the book. When Black Women Rise is LaTresse’s first book and gives readers the tools to break through the glass ceiling and avoid the cliff. They will learn to use their voice fearlessly, negotiate what they need, and build relationships that will serve them for years to come. After all, everything is possible if you decide to bet on yourself.
Author Quotes
It’s no secret that women, especially women of colour, need to work twice as hard to get half the recognition.
The first step to success is using the resources you already have.
This book is dedicated to my ancestors, all the black women who came before me, who allowed me to rise to meet the challenges of this life.
About the author
LaTresse Snead is the CEO and founder of Bonsai Leadership Group, a boutique consulting, executive coaching, and leadership recruitment service for nonprofit organizations focused on creating racially diverse candidate pools for consideration in positions of power within the nonprofit sector. She is also a Birkman Certified Consultant and Certified Executive Coach who uses her skills to help clients achieve their professional goals. In addition to her professional experiences, Snead has served on the boards of the North American Association for Environmental Education, EarthShare, Minnesota Council on Foundations, West Central Initiative, Alexandria Area YMCA, and Lakes Area Professional Women.
LaTresse Snead was born during an earthquake in San Francisco and has brought that power to every position she has held since. During her time as an executive leader in the nonprofit space, she worked at premier organizations, including the Boys & Girls Club of America, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the American Red Cross, The Nature Conservancy, and the National Park Foundation. During these tenures, Snead influenced more than two hundred million dollars in donations and drove life-saving policies into effect, along with bold conservation initiatives.
Why LoA loves it…
In life and in business, it’s often not how you start out that defines you and your success, but how you finish. LaTresse Snead’s new book, When Black Women Rise, is a story of overcoming odds, a lesson in not letting a particular start in life define a future for yourself, and importantly, building a life and a business of substance that empowers others. LaTresse’s inspirational story is one that will motivate so many others to find their power and follow their dreams through entrepreneurship. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa