A Conversation With Beverly Vanterpool, Author Of Build Your Table

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best arts and entertainment magazine UK“, Beverly Vanterpool, author of Build Your Table, discusses how she inspires readers to forge their own paths to career success with confidence and pride.

As Black History Month draws to a close, author, podcaster, and Career Sistas founder Beverly Vanterpool shares a message that’s both timely and timeless: stop waiting for a seat at someone else’s table and start building your own. In her empowering debut, Build Your Table: Find Career Clarity, Make Bold Pivots, and Thrive – Even When the System Isn’t Built for You, Beverly blends personal stories, cultural insight, and practical advice to help readers navigate their careers with confidence and purpose.

In this exclusive interview with The Table Read, she reflects on the power of community, visibility, and self-belief—and what it really means to stand firm in both power and pride.

Your book is called Build Your Table. What does that phrase mean to you, and why did you choose it as the title for your debut?

We often hear the phrase “getting a seat at the table,” but I find that idea a bit simplistic. Securing a seat is not just about showing up—it depends on whether there’s an available seat, whether you’re welcomed, and whether gatekeepers allow you in. Yes, there are moments when you should lean in, seize opportunities, build relationships, and demonstrate your readiness to earn that seat. But there are also times when the door is closed, and no one is pulling out a chair for you.

That is the tension my book explores: knowing when to take advantage of existing opportunities, and recognizing when it is time to pivot, to move into a different room, or to create your own space entirely. “Build Your Table” is about reclaiming your power. It is about understanding that the tables already set may not have room for you—and that is okay. You can build your own.

For me, building your table is about being intentional, especially for those of us who have historically been outside the system—whether as women, people of colour, introverts, immigrants, or anyone who has been overlooked. It does not necessarily mean launching a company (though it can). It means creating spaces where you can thrive, where your voice matters, and where your success is not dependent on a single invitation, which may never come.

The four pillars you outline – knowledge and experience, community, opportunity, and visibility – are powerful. Which one pillar do you think professionals most often overlook, and why?

I am going to flip the question. The pillar we tend to focus on most—often to the exclusion of the others—is knowledge and experience. It is the one we are taught to prioritise: get the degree, build the resume, do the work. And while that is important, it is not enough on its own.

The other three pillars—community, opportunity, and visibility—are just as critical, yet they often do not get the attention they deserve. Community is about relationships, networking, and support systems. We know it matters, but many of us—especially women, introverts, or those navigating unfamiliar spaces—do not invest in it as intentionally as we should.

Opportunity is another one we underestimate. It is easy to think that doing an excellent job will naturally lead to the next step. But opportunity does not just happen—it is created. It requires sponsors, advocates, and people opening doors behind the scenes. If no one is speaking your name in rooms you are not in, no one will think to invite you to table.

And then there’s visibility. I have spoken to so many women, especially younger professionals, who believe that excellence alone will get them noticed. But the truth is, everyone is busy. Even your manager may not know the full scope of your contributions. You must be intentional about making your work visible to the right people—those who influence decisions and shape opportunities.

So yes, knowledge and experience are foundational. But without community, opportunity, and visibility, they will not take you as far as they could. That is why intentionality across all four pillars is so important.

Black History Month’s 2025 theme is Standing Firm in Power and Pride. How does that theme connect with your story and the message of your book?

As a Black woman, that identity is central to who I am—and it is woven into every part of my journey and the message of Build Your Table. We cannot be anyone else, and we should not try to be. Celebrating our unique cultural identities, our excellence, and our stories is not just important—it is essential.

The theme Standing Firm in Power and Pride resonates deeply with me. Power, in this context, is about influence, leadership, and the unapologetic celebration of Black excellence. It is about honouring the leaders and role models who have paved the way—and recognising that representation matters. I have seen it in my own life: you cannot be what you can’t see. Our understanding of what is possible is shaped by what we see around us, and if those examples are limited, we then struggle to envision ourselves in those more ambitious roles.

That is why I am so passionate about elevating stories—big and small—through Career Sistas and through my book. Whether it is the quiet strength of a woman building her business or the bold leadership of someone breaking barriers, these stories deserve to be seen, heard, and celebrated. Build Your Table is a call to action to honour our journeys, embrace our identities, and create spaces where we stand firm in both power and pride.

Many readers will relate to being ‘the only one’ in a room, whether as a Black woman, or someone from another underrepresented background. How did you navigate those moments, and what strategies do you recommend?

When you are the only one in the room, there is only so much you can control in that moment. Over time, I have come to accept that I am going to be visible, sometimes hyper-visible. So, I have chosen to be memorable for what I stand for. If I am going to be seen, I might as well be heard. I speak up, I share my perspective, and I lean into what matters to me.

But the real work often happens before you even enter the room. That is where you can build relationships, find allies, and cultivate support. You may be the only woman of colour in the room, but perhaps there are other women, or others who share your values and are willing to stand with you. Building those connections ahead of time can make the room feel less isolating.

And beyond that, you can create your own community—outside the room, across industries, across companies. A support network that energises you, refuels you, and reminds you of your brilliance. That way, when you do walk into those spaces, you are not walking in alone. You are walking in with the strength of your community behind you.

You’ve built communities such as Career Sistas and interviewed inspiring women through your podcast. What have you learned about the power of community from those conversations?

One of the biggest takeaways from building Career Sistas and interviewing inspiring women is this: community is everything. Time and again, these conversations come back to the power of people—mentorship, sponsorship, collaboration, and connection. So many successful women credit their networks not just with support, but with opening doors that would have otherwise stayed closed.

There is only so much you can do on your own. You can be brilliant, hardworking, and qualified—but we live in a world where opportunities are unlocked by others. Whether it is someone buying your product, advocating for you behind closed doors, recommending you for a role, or simply saying, “She’s ready for this”—those moments are rooted in relationships.

The women I have spoken to who have truly thrived have learned how to leverage their communities. They have built networks; they collaborate and support each other. That is the real power of community: it expands your reach and impact.

Your book weaves personal stories with practical exercises and historical context. How did you balance being both storyteller and guide when writing?

That is a really interesting question. Build Your Table is the book I wish I had at the start of my career. That was my motivation—to create a guide for navigating the professional world by someone who was different, an “outsider,” who looked like me. But I was also very conscious that I am not a career expert or coach or HR specialist, what I bring is lived experience.

I wanted the book to be authentic, grounded in my journey, and relatable to others. There are plenty of career guides written by high-profile figures—often men or people from privileged backgrounds—whose paths don’t reflect the realities many of us face. I wanted to offer something different.

Balancing storytelling with practical advice meant weaving in personal reflections while also asking, what would have helped me? What would I relate to? That is where the exercises and broader context come in. They are not just tools – They help make it actionable and practical while allowing the reader to hopefully see themselves in some aspects of my story, while also validating their experiences against the broader societal context we are all living in.

Who do you most hope will read Build Your Table, and what one message / spark of an idea do you want them to take away from it?

Build Your Table is for anyone navigating their career—whether they are just starting out, facing a moment of transition, or simply seeking a fresh perspective.

But if I had to choose one person I most hope will read it, it would be me, 20+ years ago. That Black or Brown woman at the start of her career, full of ambition but unsure of the rules of the game. If I’d had this book then, it would have made a significant difference.

The one message I hope readers take away is this: you don’t have to wait for someone to invite you in. You have the power to build your own table—to create the space and the platforms that you need to accelerate your career.

Looking ahead, what’s next for you? How do you see your work as an author, speaker, and community leader evolving after the book’s release?

Looking ahead, I want to keep building on the momentum of Build Your Table. The podcast—Stories by Career Sistas—has been a beautiful complement to the book. While Build Your Table shares my personal career journey, the podcast brings other women’s stories to life. We are just releasing the 20th episode, and I’ve really enjoyed the mix: some episodes are practical and advice-driven, while most are rich conversations with diverse women across various industries, both employees and entrepreneurs along with those that are doing a mix of the two with portfolio careers.  The synergy between the themes in the book and the podcast, brings the ideas to life and means there is something for everyone.

Beyond that, I am focused on evolving Career Sistas from a social media presence into a true platform—a vibrant community where women of diverse backgrounds, especially women of colour, can connect, network, and share. We are actively working on how to bring that first version of the community to life, creating spaces for meaningful conversation and collaboration.

And I hope Build Your Table is just the beginning. There are more stories to tell—my journey as an entrepreneur, or maybe a book that curates the powerful narratives I have encountered through the podcast. I am excited by the possibilities.

Find more from Beverly Vanterpool now:

Beverly Vanterpool is the founder of Career Sistas, a platform dedicated to empowering women – especially those from who have ever felt like outsiders in traditional career spaces.

Follow Beverly at www.careersistas.com and on Instagram @CareerSistas for career inspiration, community, and upcoming events.

Build the Table: Find Career Clarity, Make Bold Pivots, and Thrive – Even When the System Isn’t Built for You (Build Your Power) by Beverly Vanterpool: https://mybook.to/BuildYourTable

Apple Books: https://apple.co/4o8cTXz

Kindle: https://amzn.to/4nn9gf9

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/3LuKLPU

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