Black Trans Business Awards

Congratulations!

I see you and always will...

For over 5 years they told me I was 'lost, confused and doin' to much"...when in reality I was a hidden gem that society keep sweeping over. When I started this journey, the word—different—wasn't a compliment. It was a warning. It was the reason investors looked past me, why colleagues whispered behind my back, and why even those who loved me suggested I "just play it safe by getting a normal career." When you are different, people don't just doubt your ideas; they doubt your identity. They see your unconventional path as a lack of direction, and your unique perspective as a lack of experience. But here is the truth I had to learn in the trenches: If you want to build something that has never existed, you cannot be like everyone else. For years, I felt like I was shouting into a void. There were nights when the weight of their skepticism felt heavier than the work itself. But in those quiet moments, I realized that the very things they labeled as my "weaknesses"—my odd way of seeing problems, my refusal to follow the status quo, my "trans" status—were actually my greatest competitive advantages. I didn't succeed despite being different. I succeeded because of it. The people who try to fit in are the ones who get lost in the noise. But when you embrace the parts of yourself that others find "difficult" or "strange," you stop competing and start innovating. You see the gaps they miss. You solve the problems they’ve grown blind to. To anyone who feels like being transgender is your outlier, who feels the sting of being underestimated: Hold your ground. Your difference is not a liability; it is your strength. I see you! And I'll always see you, even you think nobody else will! The world needs your specific brand of genius. It needs the vision that only you can see because of the unique way you’ve walked through this world. Success is the loudest argument we can ever make. Don't waste your breath trying to convince the doubters—use that energy to build your empire. Let your results be their answer. Keep going. The view from the top is much better when you didn't have to change who you were to get there. The future is yours... DEZJORN GAUTHIER | Executive Director of Society of Trans Entrepreneurs & Businesses