Meet your Mentor

Hello, my name is Kanika M. Watson, APR. I am the CEO and founder of Kanika M. Watson Consulting, a career and leadership development company dedicated to women’s advancement and empowerment. I can help you discover your purpose and achieve breakthrough success.   

Discovering my purpose

I am a firm believer in the power of purpose. It provides deeper meaning to everything I do and inspires me to be the best version of myself as a mother, wife, and businesswoman. Purpose also ignites my energy and passion for empowering women to lead the change they want to see in their careers, companies, and communities. 

From an early age, my parents instilled in me the importance of faith, education, and the drive to pursue my ambitions. My mother taught me the invaluable lesson of self-worth as a black woman and how to forge my own path in life. As I ascended the corporate ladder, I held on to those values but inevitably encountered the intersectional reality of workplace bias and feeling undervalued and under-supported in my goals for career advancement. I watched how my mother and other strong women mentors in my life led with purpose, confidence, and unwavering resilience, which became my ideology. It helped me rise to the moment as a stronger leader. I learned to take risks and advocate for myself and others and unapologetically break down barriers along the way. I also successfully navigated the corporate landscape, making meaningful impacts and building multiple award-winning campaigns, initiatives, and high-performing teams.

Having strong women mentors was one of the greatest gifts in my career. My journey was not easy, but they crystallized for me that I represent far more than myself and my purpose is to pay my successes forward. They lifted me up, pulled me forward, and gave me access to opportunities beyond measure. As I continued to take on more significant roles, I made sure to pave the way for other women to come up the ranks. I also channeled my expertise and 20+ years of lived experiences into mentoring women on career advancement and the power of storytelling to lift their voices, so they are seen and heard in the workplace and in business. 

Living my purpose 

My journey was a blessing, and my path forward is clear. I am now living my purpose through my women’s leadership development and career empowerment company. Because of my own experience, I can bring clarity, purpose, and motivation to other working women and mothers—especially women of color. I mentor, support, and equip them with bold strategies, proven tools and techniques, and deep learning experiences to accelerate their path to success. I also work with organizations to prioritize and increase their investment in women’s advancement, empowerment, and inclusion through realistic career and leadership development programs, workshops, and valuable resources. 

I am fortunate to have the enduring support and collective wisdom of my amazing parents, husband, sister, and strong women mentors to motivate me to be something bigger than I ever thought possible. Most of all, I am inspired by my little son, my biggest supporter, who keeps me grounded, balanced, and focused on what truly matters as a working “power mom” who is doing it all.

There are countless purpose-driven women whose ambitions, talents, and stories are waiting to be lived and shared. They are the reason why I do what I do, and the impact that our partnership brings about is the cornerstone of my purpose and mission.

Read Kanika’s Story