They said to get a seat at the table. But what if the table was never built for you?
In Build Your Table, Beverly Vanterpool-once a shy Caribbean immigrant, now a corporate leader-shows you how to navigate workplaces that weren't designed with you in mind. Part career guide, part personal memoir, this book blends real-life stories with actionable strategies to help you succeed on your own terms.
You'll discover how to:
- Navigate bias and invisible barriers with clarity
- Build a network of mentors, sponsors, and allies
- Speak up with confidence-without losing your identity
- Pivot into new roles or reinvent your career when the ladder ends
- Lead with purpose and create your own opportunities through corporate life, entrepreneurship, or portfolio careers
Beverly uses the powerful metaphor of the table to reveal the foundations of career success and the value of being intentional, taking measured risks, and embracing diverse career paths. Each chapter offers practical exercises to help you reflect, build skills, and expand your network-while finding fulfilment beyond a single job.
Perfect for women, people of colour, first-generation professionals, immigrants, and anyone who's ever felt underestimated, Build Your Table is your roadmap to clarity, confidence, and a career designed for who you truly are.
You don't need permission to lead. Build your table. Take your seat. Lead your way.
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Beverly Vanterpool is a business leader with over 20 years of experience in international corporate environments, where she held roles spanning spanning finance, operations and broader business leadership. Originally from the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean, and now based in the UK, she transitioned from accounting to leadership after earning her MBA from the University of Cambridge. As an immigrant, introvert and woman of colour, Beverly has successfully navigated spaces where she often felt like an outsider. Passionate about inclusion and mentorship, she founded a community for women of colour in her industry and has supported many woman in their career journeys as a friend, mentor or leader. Build Your Table, is her first book and is part of her broader mission through Career Sistas - her new venture dedicated to empowering women to find clarity, make bold career moves and thrive on their own terms. Career Sistas also produces a podcast, Stories by Career Sistas which Beverly hosts featuring diverse women sharing their career stories and advice.
