Reflections from the Solaris Leadership Conference: Celebrating Black Futures

I had the immense privilege of attending the Solaris Leadership Conference, themed "Celebrating Black Futures", and it was nothing short of brilliant. The event brought together an inspiring room filled with Black professionals — each radiating insight, experience, and a collective determination to shape the future. It was a masterclass in leadership, growth, and community. One for the books.

Here are my top 10 takeaways:

• Operate from a place of gratitude. Grounding yourself in gratitude fuels clarity, purpose, and resilience.

• The purest form of leadership is people-centered. To lead effectively, do so with empathy and love.

• The path to leadership may not always be fair. Have a plan, stay true to your core beliefs, and take ownership of your journey.

• Proactively build relationships and advocate for yourself. Take charge of your career narrative — no one can tell your story better than you.

• Strategy is important, but culture is critical. Without your people, even the clearest strategy can’t be delivered.

• Culture isn’t a one-off project. It’s a continuous journey of reflection, improvement, and adaptation.

• Feedback is a gift. Seek it out, embrace it, and treat all feedback — good or bad — as an opportunity to grow.

• Visualisation is key to progression. Act like the role you want is already yours. We live in the stories we tell ourselves.

• Go again. And if the old rule doesn’t serve you, rewrite it. Legacy is built by disruptors.

• Climb — and keep the ladder down. Make it easier for those who come after you.

I left the conference feeling affirmed, recharged, and hopeful. Here’s to building futures where we all rise — together.

Special thanks to Yetunde Hofmann, Nicky Burns-Muir for making my attendance possible. To all the brilliant speakers, sponsors, organizers and fellow attendees there's nothing but deep gratitude.

Franka Chiedu ( Editor in Chief Blanck Magazine)