My words for the year- Expansive, Momentum, Embodiment and Audacious and this trip really did encapsulate all of them!

Every time I touch down, something in me shifts. I don’t have many conscious memories of living there as a child, but the moment I land, I feel it — like I’m being welcomed home. There’s an energy to the island that’s hard to describe but impossible to ignore. It's as if the land itself recognises me, and I breathe a little deeper- I inhale.

But here’s the truth: I’m not built to go slow. A typical Type-A personality with a “hurry-up driver” — that ever-present impulse to move, do, achieve. Yet, this island has a way of making even me pause. And in that slowing down, these past few days I have remembered the fundamental lessons around timing, about trust, and about tuning in.

⏳ 1. Timing Is Everything

Alignment isn't accidental. It's ancestral.

It wasn’t lost on me that I returned to Jamaica for my first official speaking gig during my 41st year — at the 41st Jamaica Employers’ Federation (JEF) Convention. A coincidence? I don’t think so. My God-Father suggested I apply as he said, whilst I visit Jamaica frequently, I haven’t done so in my professional capacity before.

The conference theme was “Empowering Tomorrow: Leadership Adaptability and Sustainability.” It gave me the perfect platform to share what I know about reverse mentoring — not as a tool, but as a transformational lever. The room was electric. This wasn’t just a talk. It was a moment of reconnection, I really claimed the space.

📌 Contextual insight: Jamaica, like much of the Caribbean, is undergoing a generational leadership shift. The World Bank has flagged talent development, adaptability, and innovation as critical to long-term sustainability in the region. Reverse mentoring offers a way to unlock that — through mutual learning, not top-down models.

It felt more than full circle. It felt divine. And it reminded me that when the moment is right — when the assignment is aligned — doors don’t just open. I was completetly ushered through.

2. Live Good With People

Honestly, I was able to cover an incredible amount of ground — but only because when I put the call out, the people around me rallied. Doors were opened, introductions made, and opportunities created that allowed me to privately meet with some of the most influential leaders on the island. I was able to share my thoughts on inclusive leadership and the potential of reverse mentoring to shift organisational culture.

Now, did everyone say yes? No — and that’s okay. This time around, I approached things differently. I was deeply aware that while my roots are Jamaican, I’ve been far removed from the island’s current business landscape. So I made it a priority to listen first. To sit with those who are shaping the future of Jamaican enterprise and truly understand the challenges they’re navigating. Because I can’t offer solutions without first understanding the landscape.

I was genuinely humbled by the trust people showed — those who opened their networks to me, and those who took the time to meet and showed real curiosity about my approach. That generosity of spirit isn't lost on me.

This trip reinforced something I say often: Live good with people. It’s not a cliché, and it’s certainly not a “soft skill” — it’s a strategic advantage.

Because the truth is, this is how business really works — not just in Jamaica, but everywhere. Integrity. Gratitude. Connection. So yes, show up with the proposal ready. But never forget: how you make people feel is what lingers after the meeting ends. That’s what builds legacy.

🧠 3. Don’t Make Assumptions. Don’t Take Offence.

Silence doesn’t mean failure. It just means not now.

If you’ve ever built a business — especially in a new region — you’ll know the frustration of ghosts. You send the proposal, follow up, and… nothing. It can sting. Especially when you know the value you’re offering.

But this trip taught me, again, to let go of that energy. I’ve learned to not take it personally. People are busy. Budgets are tight. Politics are layered. And frankly, not everyone is ready. I truly believe in energy and whilst I am learning to be an incredible salesperson, in the work that I do I need leaders to come on board when THEY are ready – when their, bias to action energy, meets my I can unlock you energy that’s when magic truly happens for clients.

So instead of spiralling, I’ve learned to pivot.

🧠 Neuroscience insight: Our brains are wired to react to rejection like a threat. But as Dr. David Rock’s SCARF Model suggests, when we depersonalise a “no” or a “not now,” we protect our emotional energy and stay open to future collaboration.

That’s how I move now. Gracefully. Strategically. Always forward.

🌟 4. You Are the Asset

Your story is your strategy. Your lived experience is your leverage.

Old Patrice would’ve hit every meeting in presentation mode: deck? Slick. KPIs? Tight. But these days? I lead with me.

Not because the business case isn’t strong — it absolutely is. But because I’ve learned that I am the differentiator. My story. My why. My lens.

So yes, I’ll still bring the slides. But first? I bring my journey. From Jamaica to the boardrooms of London, to launching Eminere and creating bespoke reverse mentoring programmes for global giants — that lived expertise is what lands. The rest, is transactional.

🌴 5. Rest Is Revenue Too

Boundaries aren’t a luxury. They’re a leadership strategy.

By divine coincidence, it was National Wellbeing Week while I was in Jamaica. So, I gifted myself a long weekend. No emails. No calls. Just stillness. Space. Sea air and silence.

And when the work week began again, I was sharper. More present. Emotionally recharged and ready to perform at a high level — not from adrenaline, but from alignment.

📈 Supporting research: Gallup’s 2024 global report found that employee burnout costs the economy +$300 billion annually. On the flip side, teams who prioritise wellbeing outperform those that don’t by 21%.

Because the truth is: Rest isn't a break from the work. It fuels it.

💭 Final Reflections: Reclamation Mode Activated

This wasn’t just a trip. It was a turning point. A reminder that I am both a product of this island — and a bridge between worlds.

From co-creating panels at SXSW London with CEOs from British Airways, Dentsu and the Financial Times, to forging new pathways with the Jamaican Employers’ Federation and regional business leaders — I’m learning how powerful it is to straddle continents with clarity, vision and cultural fluency.

And I want to say this to anyone reading who’s navigating where you’re from and where you’re going: the return is just as powerful as the rise.

This week reminded me that whilst I am very small, I do have an incredible power and I am so grateful that I have chosen to use it.

Question to ponder:

What’s your version of a “small island”? The place, practice, or purpose that’s calling you home — so you can remember who you were before the world told you who to be?

With Peace, Love and Flow

I am on a mission to break barriers globally with Reverse Mentoring - where do you think I should go to next?