Possible Woman Interview with Traci Sanders Campbell
Some women inspire you. Others stay with you. Traci S. Campbell is that woman for me.
Raised in Baltimore by a single mother, she learned resilience early. She pursued education, built a career in IT consulting, and created opportunities through determination and focus. What moves me most is her heart. For more than a decade, she cared for her mother with deep love and strength while continuing to grow.
Today, she leads with purpose in media and community, using her voice and platforms to uplift others.
Traci’s story is a powerful reminder that even in life’s hardest seasons, you are still becoming who you are meant to be.
Traci, please share your story...
I hail from Baltimore, Maryland and I am the youngest of my mother's children. My parents separated and my father remarried. However, of my mother's children if you will, I'm the youngest. My mother grew up in the deep South and she was never able to achieve her formal education. But education was the key to everything in her opinion, so she worked really hard to ensure me and my siblings achieved higher education and/or were able to start successful businesses, which fortunately we all did most of us did.
I majored in computer science in college. I had the opportunity to either major in journalism or computer science. I went to an engineering high school, but at the same time I was always dabbling in creative writing and dabbling in media related projects. I chose computer science and ended up having a very successful corporate career in Information Technology. But after my mother passed in 2007, someone realized that I was pretty good in front of the camera and a pretty good conversationalist. So, I ended up getting opportunities to co-host events or interview folks outside of corporate America. That led to radio spots, which we currently have a radio show now called The B Zone w/ Traci S. Campbell on terrestrial on digital radio. I eventually got into the non-profit world with The C.H.A.M.P. Community Project organization which is based on a book and workbook I wrote back in 2009. And then fast forward to The BIBO (Beauty In Beauty Out) Foundation which was formed in 2013. BeSpire TV came about as a result of all the content we had accumulated over the years in serving disadvantaged communities and families. This initial content was the foundation that later branched into what BeSpire TV streaming network is today which is licensed content, classic TV shows and movies, as well as more and more original content.
What was the turning point that inspired you to pursue your current path?
The passing of my mother had a very profound effect on me personally. Up to that point I had enjoyed a very successful career in information technology. As much as I love technology, I still felt like I wasn't living up to my true calling. After years of developing that career and being a caregiver for my mother, the new chapter allowed me to pursue my passion for interviewing people, getting involved in podcasting and radio projects, and later delving into nonprofit work that would make a real difference in the lives of others.
How did your upbringing, education, or early experiences influence your ambitions?
As much as I admired and respected my mother, she was never able to realize her true dreams and aspirations. And watching her struggle not only financially but also emotionally and mentally as I was coming up, it shaped me profoundly in that I vowed to myself to never settle for mediocrity and to never not go after what I really want. I like to think that I inherited her resourcefulness and strength. However, I think I've gone at least three steps further than she did by not letting anything get in the way of doing what I really wanted to do. Her love and opinion about education definitely shaped my own opinions about education. That education afforded me the ability and access to the things and experiences that allowed me to be where I am today.
What leadership qualities do you believe are essential for success?
Early on, I learned that a real leader is also a doer and a servant. A real leader needs to also be able to do the job or at least part of the job that his or her team is able to do. But a real leader also needs to know when it's time to be a team player and allow others to shine. By allowing others on the team to have true ownership of various things, not only motivates them and allows them to grow, but also lifts you up as a leader by default. So the notion that a leader has to make all of his or her decisions in a silo to me is not only short-sighted but also detrimental to the success of that leader.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from adversity?
Adversity, like experience, is a great teacher! When things run smoothly all the time, we tend to get complacent by nature. It's only when you face challenges or adversity do you really get a chance to put into practice what you've learned and you learn new things that will carry you down the road. For me personally, adversity has been the reason why I know the importance of building a team and infrastructure first in your business. Adversity also taught me that when running a business, you need to have more than one resource for a given task or area in your business. And adversity has also taught me that most problems and challenges are short-lived.
How do you handle failure, and what mindset helps you bounce back?
As I've gotten older, “my relationship” with failure has changed. And I say “relationship,” because most of us have had to deal with a period of failure or at least perceived failure. None of us have been able to escape that experience. So now, I view failure as a time of growth. While it still is frustrating and I'm still human, so I have human emotions like everyone else, I now know that it is temporary. And I handle it now by quickly moving through the human emotions and getting it out of my system as quickly as possible. I do this so that I can quickly get on the other side and now learn the lesson in failure. I've learned over time that wallowing in failure is not how you handle your relationship with failure. Getting through the emotions and the disappointment as quickly as possible is the best way to “date” failure and the best way to get on to the other side of it so that you can move forward.
What strategies help you set boundaries and maintain well-being?
I've always been a driven person. I've always been career focused. Entrepreneurship has always been one of the most important things to me; partly for the personal gratification that I received, but also because I wanted to live a life where it meant leaving something behind that was important for others. That being said, I've also learned as the years go on, that your work is only a portion of your entire being. By taking my faith and spirituality seriously, by spending quality time with those that I love and care about, and spending some time working on my physical and mental self, I now try to exercise these other aspects in order to sustain everything that I want to do in this lifetime.
What systemic challenges do you think still need to be addressed in your field?
I happen to love two industries that are very much male-dominated: technology and media. Over 20 years ago I received my degree in computer science. It pains me that here we are in 2026, and women, especially women of color, are still very much a minority in technology. In the media, the story is pretty much the same. So we still have a lot of work to do to bring the voice of women more to the forefront and to have more chairs at the table that are filled by women. Given the world that we live in right now, I sadly feel that we're not moving forward in that initiative but we've taken a few steps backwards. So for us who fall in the millennial or Gen X or even baby boomer generations, I feel that we have a lot of work to do to leave behind more progress and inroads so that maybe in the future, we will see real progress in the status of how women are moving and being valued in technology and media.
How do you measure success in your life or career?
If at the end of the day, the projects that I'm involved in and the businesses that I have can impact someone else in any significant way, then I am successful. Through The BIBO Foundation, we instituted the McKnight Grant and Scholarship program. Up until that point, we honored exceptional women throughout the country, but I still felt that we could do more. That Scholarship and Grant program, named after my mother Marie McKnight, is actually giving money and resources to young women who grew up very similarly to how I grew up. That is a tangible “give back” that I am very proud of. We are building BeSpire TV to not just be a streaming network, but to also be a way in which small businesses, authors, coaches, podcasters and nonprofit founders can get more awareness on their projects and especially projects that are going to be helping other people. Again, if I'm able to create a platform that can enable these things to happen, that to me is true success!
Many women struggle with confidently selling themselves. How can female entrepreneurs master the art of self-promotion without feeling ‘salesy’?
I've been a consultant most of my career. I've had a couple of perm positions in my journey, but for the most part I've been a consultant. The one thing about being a consultant is that you are, by default, always selling yourself in some way. In order to get the next contract, you have to prove or justify why an employer or client should hire you. While your physical presentation may weigh in somewhat, more importantly is the value and the expertise that you bring to the table. I think women need to adopt the attitude of knowing their value and owning their expertise. These two things should lead and drive their conversations. I think women are still acting like they are in a “supporting role” and do not have the ability to act in the “leading role”. If you present yourself from a position of value and expertise and then by default worth, you don't have to sound “salesy”. You're stating facts and you're showing others how those facts can help their business or project.
How do you approach risk-taking when it comes to financial growth?
I believe in taking calculated risks. Taking a risk just for the thrill of it or without any proper research or justification is akin to gambling in my opinion. If you're taking a calculated risk, you know exactly how this decision will impact you financially and you will ensure that you have reserves to cover the loss if this risk should go against you. You would also know that if the risk goes in your favor, exactly how it will improve your finances or bottom line. This analysis is critical before stepping out on faith and taking the risk. I've been burned a couple of times because I underestimated the impact of a risky decision that went against me. Having done that a couple of times in my career, I now weigh taking a risk against what I can reasonably afford to lose first and foremost. If I determine that it is just too much for me to cover and still be able to operate effectively and efficiently, then that is not a risk that I would take.
If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of entrepreneurial wisdom, what would it be?
Build your team first! Once you have the idea in your head and you've mapped out a plan and strategy, including a way to get out of it as an exit plan, and also including aspects for scaling, then it's time to bring in the appropriate people to satisfy certain roles and grow your team. Unless you are a solopreneur, it is very difficult to do everything yourself. It actually hinders you because it's much more efficient to have tasks owned by team members. I underestimated the value and the importance of having a competent and dedicated team early on. When I corrected that issue, things moved forward faster and much more efficiently.
What’s your best advice for women who are afraid to ask for the money they truly deserve?
Get comfortable with the word “No”. The word “No” is one of the most feared words in the human language in my opinion. When people hear the word no, instinctively they think that's the end of the road, even if they don't admit it out loud. But the more “No”s that you hear, that means the closer you're getting to a “Yes”. and oftentimes, some of those “No”s are a blessing in disguise. I've had situations in my career especially as a consultant where being told no help me to get to the contract and client that was much easier to work with and much more fulfilling to work with. You want a situation where the “yes” is not only a yes from a financial perspective, but it's also a yes from a “good fit” perspective. Most men do not have a fear of the word “No”. They look at it as a challenge. For women, a “No” can be detrimental to our self-esteem. I think as women, if we are more comfortable with our value and expertise and worth, we would be able to handle a “No” just as our male counterparts do on a daily basis.
What exciting projects or goals are you currently working toward?
Me and my teams are really excited for another inspiring and rewarding year for The BIBO Foundation. Once again, later this year, we will be awarding the McKnight scholarship and Grant to two very deserving young women who despite their financially challenged backgrounds, are already showing true leadership and perseverance in their education or entrepreneurship ventures. BeSpire TV is growing with not only more content from new collaborators and partners that are coming on board, but we are super excited to launch our affiliate program! This allows us not only to get more great content from podcasters and small business owners and authors, but it also provides a way to provide an income for people who want to earn money and be self-reliant and independent. So as a streaming network, it's great to not only provide entertainment, but we're providing a livelihood to people as well. I am personally extremely proud of both platforms and cannot wait as the rest of this year unfolds and how these things will shape the rest of my own journey.
How do you spend most of your time?
These days, I spend quite a bit of time helping the teams that I work alongside to develop programs and offerings for our clients on BeSpire TV. I'm currently working with technology clients as well as a consultant. Every week I have the pleasure of interviewing some amazing people, both celebrities and entrepreneurs and recording on our beloved B Zone radio show with our crew. And, of course, I'm very much involved in establishing strategic relationships and collaborations with those that can benefit the mission of our BIBO Foundation.
As you reflect on your journey, what are you most proud of and why?
I am MOST proud of having been able to be financially, physically and emotionally able to care for my mother until she passed in August 2007. Being able to be there and give back to her for all the sacrifice, work and love that she poured into me was most gratifying. When that chapter of my life closed, I started a new chapter with a great husband and the passion and mission of the BIBO Foundation and then later BeSpire TV. So I've been fortunate to have had a very fulfilling journey thus far and I'm looking forward to the remainder of the journey unfolding.
Tell us a little about your family and what you do for fun?
I am a wife and pet mom! Love to fit in kettlebell and dumb bell exercises as much as I can. I love to read historic romance novels as well as murder/mystery novels (Sandra Brown is one of my favorite authors). My husband and I love to watch movies and fight over who won the latest scrabble or backgammon game! :-)
Photo Credit: Millie Liggins
To connect with Traci, visit:
Traci S. Campbell
Facebook: @tscpersonal
Instagram: @iamtraciscampbell
Facebook: @iamtraciscampbell
LinkedIn: @traciscampbell
The BIBO Foundation
IG: @bibofoundation
BeSpire TV
YouTube: @bespiretv
Instagram: @bespiretv
Facebook: BeSpire TV
Facebook: TheBZoneTSC
LinkedIn: BeSpireTV, LLC
