On October 7th, Career Sistas celebrated the launch of Build Your Table, the book and career guide by founder Beverly Vanterpool, with a virtual event that was equal parts conversation, connection, and celebration.
Hosted by Ronke Lawal, PR and Communications Consultant and Personal Branding Coach, the event brought together a powerhouse panel of women who are redefining what it means to build intentional, fulfilling careers. Joining Beverly were Deepti Akkali, Senior Vice President at Planet, a global payments solutions company, and Dr. Veline L’Esperance, a Family Medicine Physician and Clinician Scientist.
Together, they unpacked the themes at the heart of Build Your Table – ownership, visibility, community, and the power of creating opportunities for yourself and others.
Setting the Table
Beverly opened the event by introducing the Career Sistas movement and the inspiration behind her new book.
“Too often, we wait to be invited or recognised,” she said. “Build Your Table is about claiming your space, defining your worth, and creating opportunities where there are none.”
She explained how the Career Sistas framework is built on four pillars – knowledge and experience, community, opportunity and visibility – values that have guided her career and inspired the book.
“There’s more that binds us together than separates us,” she reflected. “But ultimately, we’ve got to celebrate our uniqueness – our identities and what makes us who we are.”
Through an interactive Mentimeter session, attendees shared reflections on what sits on their own “career tables.”
What the Community Said: Mentimeter Results
When asked which pillar is most often overlooked in career success advice, the audience responses were clear:
- Visibility led with 44%,
- Followed by Community (33%),
- And Opportunity (22%),
This highlighted that while professional expertise is valued, many women still feel that being seen and being supported are the areas most often neglected.
When asked which pillar they felt most confident about in their own careers, Knowledge & Experience dominated with 44% of responses — proof that women recognise and trust in their own skills. Community and Opportunity followed (22% each), while Visibility came in at 11%, showing that even confident professionals can struggle to put themselves forward.
Finally, when asked which pillar they would most like to strengthen over the next year, the results were tied: Visibility (44%) and Opportunity (44%) shared the top spot, while Community (11%) and Knowledge & Experience (0%) followed behind.
These insights revealed a consistent theme: while women know their worth, they’re still seeking more visibility, sponsorship, and community — the very foundations Build Your Table was created to inspire.
What It Means to Build Your Table
When host Ronke Lawal opened the floor to the panel, the conversation came alive with honesty and heart.
For Beverly, building your table means taking ownership:
“It’s about being intentional and taking control – whether that means building your visibility, developing sponsorship, or creating new income streams. It’s about focusing on what you can do something about.”
Deepti Akkali shared that for her, it’s about creating your own space of influence and decision-making:
“It’s defining your priorities and setting your agenda, rather than waiting to be invited into someone else’s framework. If you don’t define your own narrative, you’ll always be living in someone else’s.”
Dr. Veline L’Esperance added a deeply human perspective from her work in healthcare:
“It’s about taking ownership of systems and creating community within them. In medicine, I think about the people around my table – my patients, my colleagues – and how we can build spaces where people from underrepresented backgrounds can navigate more effectively.”
She also reminded everyone that building your table is about legacy:
“It’s about creating something powerful that others can use to push themselves further.”
Navigating Bias, Boundaries, and Belonging
The conversation soon turned to the realities of being women – and often, women of colour – navigating spaces that weren’t designed with them in mind.
Beverly shared personal experiences from her corporate career:
“You get used to being the only one (woman) in the room, but it can be exhausting. It’s the microaggressions, being mistaken for someone else, or being excluded from informal spaces where decisions are made. You have to stay brilliant while carrying all of that.”
For Deepti, these experiences often showed up as jokes disguised as inclusion:
“I’ve had people tell me, ‘You’re just here because we’re doing diversity and inclusion.’ They say it laughing, but it chips away at your confidence. You start to wonder if you deserve to be there. That’s why community is so important – it’s what helps you silence that inner voice.”
Dr. Veline shared how she reframes these challenges by focusing on what she can influence rather than what she can’t:
“It’s about accepting what you can’t control and leaning into what you can. And it’s also about validating your own experience – naming when something is unjust or biased, and protecting your peace in those moments.”
On Perfectionism and Purpose
When the discussion turned to perfectionism, Beverly called herself a “reformed perfectionist.”
“I still have high standards, but I’ve learned to focus on what really matters. Not everything needs to be perfect – some things are learning experiences, and that’s okay.”
Deepti agreed, sharing her practical approach to prioritising energy:
“You can’t do everything. There’s no such thing as multitasking – only managing your energy and choosing where it matters most.”
And Dr. Veline added, “Setting boundaries is a form of self-respect. You can’t pour from an empty cup – sometimes you have to say no to protect your purpose.”
A Community of Builders
As the evening came to a close, there was a shared sense of sisterhood and momentum.
Ronke encouraged attendees to connect on LinkedIn, share reflections, and continue building their own tables through connection and visibility – the very essence of Career Sistas.
Beverly ended the session with gratitude and purpose:
“Career Sistas was created to help women support one another through mentorship, visibility, and opportunity. This event and this book are about carrying that mission forward. When we build our tables, we create space for others to rise.”
