An Exploration of the Influence of Occupational Mentorship on the Success of Black Female Executive Leaders in Educational Sales

The dearth of Black women in executive-level leadership roles within U.S. business organizations persists due to numerous barriers such as tokenism; racial fatigue; stereotypes; a lack of identity; and the intersection of race, gender, and social injustices impeding their upward mobility in the educational sales industry. Despite recognizing the potential for change through tools and programs, the absence of robust occupational mentorship emerges as a pivotal barrier hindering the transformation of Black women’s roles in these educational sales environments. The sample size for this hermeneutical qualitative study was seven Black women in the K–12 educational sales industry. Data collection methods involved audio recordings of semistructured interviews to capture participants’ authentic voices, and efforts were made to bracket personal reflections and biases to ensure the integrity of the findings. The key conclusion is that despite various efforts and potential for change, the scarcity of Black women in executive-level leadership roles within U.S. business organizations persists due to numerous barriers such as tokenism, racial fatigue, stereotypes, and a lack of identity. Specifically, within the educational sales industry, these barriers impede the upward mobility of Black women. Overall, the study aimed to provide a voice for underrepresented Black women in the educational sales industry and to delve into their unique stories and lived experiences despite the challenges and rewards encountered in the scholarly space.