Entrepreneurs on Fire Leading a Business as a Woman of Color: Obstacles and Opportunities with Nastassia C. S.: An EOFire Classic from 2022
Jan 2, 2026
Nastassia C. S. is a startup launch expert and DEI strategist who founded The Mind Designer to help entrepreneurs cultivate authentic leadership. She shares her insights on defining personal and business success, highlighting the necessity of aligning both. Nastassia discusses the unique challenges and advantages faced by first-time founders of color, advocating for the early incorporation of diversity, equity, and inclusion. She emphasizes the importance of personal values in shaping company culture and encourages founders to disrupt the status quo for innovation.
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Define Your Personal Success First
- Many founders never define what success means personally before launching their business.
- Nastassia C. S. says align personal and business definitions of success to avoid burnout and misfit.
When Business Goals Clash With Values
- Nastassia describes launching a manufacturing business that conflicted with her personal values about plastic packaging.
- She left that model because business success didn't align with her personal ethics.
Tackle Internal Obstacles First
- Focus on internal obstacles you can control, like money mindset and fear of success, rather than systemic problems.
- Address generational traumas before or during launch to improve your chances of scaling well.