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The First, the Few, the Only: How Women of Color Can Redefine Power in Corporate America Hardcover – March 1, 2022

4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 141 ratings

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Axiom Award Bronze Medalist for Women / BIPOC in Business

A deeply personal call to action for women of color to find power from within and to join together in community, advocating for a new corporate environment where we all belong—and are accepted—on our own terms.

Women of color comprise one of the fastest-growing segments in the corporate workforce, yet often we are underrepresented—among the first, few, or only ones in a department or company. For too long, corporate structures, social zeitgeist, and cultural conditioning have left us feeling exhausted and downtrodden, believing that in order to “fit in” and be successful, we must hide or change who we are.

As a former senior partner at a large global services firm, Deepa Purushothaman experienced these feelings of isolation and burnout. She met with hundreds of other women of color across industries and cultural backgrounds, eager to hear about their unique and shared experiences. In doing so, she has come to understand our collective setbacks—and the path forward in achieving our goals.  

Business must evolve—and women of color have the potential to lead that transformation. We must begin by pushing back against toxic messaging—including the things we tell ourselves—while embracing the valuable cultural viewpoints and experiences that give us unique perspectives at work. By fully realizing our own strengths, we can build collective power and use it to confront microaggressions, outdated norms, and workplace misconceptions; create cultures where belonging is never conditional; and rework corporations to be genuinely inclusive to all.

The First, the Few, the Only is a road map for us to make a profound impact within and outside our organizations while ensuring that our words are heard, our lived experiences are respected, and our contributions are finally valued. 

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From the Publisher

How Women of color can redefine power in corporate america
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Minda Harts

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The rare book that can simultaneously make professionals of colour feel seen and give white male colleagues a comprehensive education.” — Financial Times

"Empowering . . . A fresh, worthy addition to the growing body of work on diversity in the workplace.” — Publishers Weekly

"A thorough analysis of the struggles faced by women of color in the workplace. . . . This is an inherently fraught topic, but [Purushothaman] addresses it with sensitivity and nuance. . . . The book is well written and would be a solid addition to any career collection in an academic or public library." — Booklist

"Deepa’s firsthand experience as a senior executive, combined with the stories of the influential women she spoke with, has yielded a powerful collective narrative that business leaders would be wise to study closely in their quest not only to recruit and retain the top talent, but also to lead with empathy and understanding." — Indra Nooyi, former chairperson and CEO, PepsiCo, and author of My Life in Full

"The First, the Few, the Only is a deeply personal call to action, encouraging readers to learn and feel seen from its stories and messages. This important and engaging book will help build bridges, dismantle barriers, and change how we lead in the workplace." — Billie Jean King, social justice champion and founder, Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative

"We need more books by women of color for women of color—books that highlight our unique experiences and challenges in the workplace—so we can feel seen and reclaim our whole, unfiltered identities. Deepa does an amazing job of sharing her own story while also highlighting the journey of hundreds of other women of color navigating corporate spaces. You will walk away seeing yourself in the pages, experiencing a rush of validation, and feeling emboldened to find success on your own terms." — Minda Harts, speaker and author of The Memo and Right Within

"A category-defining book for white colleagues, managers, and leaders at all levels of the corporate world. Deepa examines the limiting ideas that businesses often still carry about what power and leadership look like, and how that definition leaves many behind. In a world where success is often presented as a singular path, we need books like this to show us all that leadership takes many forms and has many voices." — Daniel H. Pink, number one New York Times bestselling author of When, Drive, and To Sell Is Human

"For too long, women of color have been the ‘first, few, or only.’ The time is now for us to hear their stories, learn from their resilience, and evolve our vision of leadership. Deepa serves as a courageous and honest resource, empowering women of color to boldly venture into their full power." — Reshma Saujani, founder, Girls Who Code and Marshall Plan for Moms

"A must-have resource for women of color struggling to overcome established power structures in corporate America. Deeply inspiring and uplifting, The First, the Few, the Only highlights the power of community, encourages women of color to be unapologetically themselves in a white male-dominated environment, and provides the necessary tools to help women thrive in an environment not designed for them." — Brooke Baldwin, journalist and bestselling author of Huddle

"The First, the Few, the Only is full of eye-opening stories and empathetic advice that will benefit anyone who wants the inside scoop on power in today’s companies. This insightful book is a rallying cry for women of color to find their leadership pathway and blaze the trail toward more inclusive organizations that are more appealing to everyone. A must-read for managers too." — Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Harvard Business School professor and bestselling author of Men and Women of the Corporation and Confidence

About the Author

Deepa Purushothaman is a cofounder of nFormation, a company for women of color by women of color. She is also a Women and Public Policy Program Leader in Practice at the Harvard Kennedy School. Prior to this, Deepa spent more than twenty years at Deloitte and was one of the youngest people and the first Indian American woman to make partner in the company’s history. Deepa was also the US managing partner of WIN (Women’s Initiative), Deloitte’s renowned program to recruit, retain, and advance women. She has degrees from Wellesley College, Harvard Kennedy School, and the London School of Economics, and speaks extensively on women and leadership. Deepa has been featured at national conferences and in publications, including Bloomberg Businessweek, HuffPost, and Harvard Business Review. She is also an Aspen fellow. Deepa and her husband, Manoj, live in Los Angeles with their dogs and an endless list of home renovations.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Business (March 1, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0063084716
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0063084711
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.89 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 141 ratings

About the author

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Deepa Purushothaman
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Deepa Purushothaman is a co-founder of nFormation, a company for women of color by women of color. nFormation provides brave, safe, new space for professional women of color. Deepa is also a Women and Public Policy Program Leader in Practice at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Prior to this, Deepa spent more than twenty years at Deloitte and was the first Indian American woman and one of the youngest people to make partner in the company’s history. Deepa was also the US Managing Partner of WIN (Women’s Initiative), Deloitte’s renowned program to recruit, retain, and advance women.

Deepa has degrees from Wellesley College, Harvard Kennedy School, and the London School of Economics. She speaks extensively on women and leadership. She has been featured at national conferences and in publications including Bloomberg BusinessWeek, The Huffington Post, and Harvard Business Review. She is also an Aspen Fellow.

Deepa and her husband Manoj live in Los Angeles with their dogs and endless list of home renovations.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
141 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book insightful and empowering, offering relatable advice. They describe it as a must-read for professional women of all races. The writing quality is praised as well-crafted and engaging. Readers appreciate the author's empathy and thorough research. The book provides practical guidance and examples from first-person interviews. Overall, customers feel the book helps them perform better and create high-performing organizations.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

35 customers mention "Insight"35 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful and empowering. They appreciate the relatable advice and personal stories that are shared. The book provides provocative insights into the journeys of women of color to support each other and bring their whole selves to work.

"...Made me feel not alone, in community, and better yet the author has created her own company in support of the formation of this community of women..." Read more

"...This was hands down the BEST book that I have read with so much great strategies for us to keep fighting the fight and how to stay in the game to..." Read more

"...bravery, truth, equity and inclusion This text is so enlightening, so inspiring and in its wisdom creates empowerment in the reader that lasts far..." Read more

"...change without losing ourselves, this book also offers personal guidance relatable to anyone who has ever questioned their path, a sense of belonging..." Read more

27 customers mention "Readability"27 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and engaging. They say it's a must-read for professional women of all races, especially women of color. The book is described as a quick and powerful read that they couldn't put down.

"LOVED reading this book from end to end!!..." Read more

"...This was hands down the BEST book that I have read with so much great strategies for us to keep fighting the fight and how to stay in the game to..." Read more

"...With their incredible brilliance, grit and talent, women of color are gathering and leading us away from an old status quo that does not work for us..." Read more

"...and generosity of this book, and feel that it's a must read for everyone in corporate America and beyond." Read more

7 customers mention "Resonance"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book resonates with them deeply. They say it makes them feel seen and heard, validating their experiences. The book is thought-provoking, engaging, and inspiring, creating empowerment in the reader. Readers appreciate the compelling storytelling.

"...I loved reading all of the stories within this book and resonated with many!..." Read more

"...text is so enlightening, so inspiring and in its wisdom creates empowerment in the reader that lasts far after the last page...." Read more

"One of the first books of its kind that made me feel seen and heard - validating my experiences in the corporate world as a woman of color...." Read more

"...Her writing is thought-provoking, engaging and inspiring. This book is a MUST-READ." Read more

7 customers mention "Writing quality"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's writing quality good. They say it provides practical guidance and enlightening descriptions.

"...on innovation, bravery, truth, equity and inclusion This text is so enlightening, so inspiring and in its wisdom creates empowerment in the reader..." Read more

"...Written intimately, like a revered friend entrusting a secret, Deepa's wisdom, vulnerability, practical suggestions and advice, and giant ah-ha's..." Read more

"...Her writing is thought-provoking, engaging and inspiring. This book is a MUST-READ." Read more

"This is an incredibly impactful book-deeply honest and well-written...." Read more

4 customers mention "Empathy"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's empathy. They find the advice firm yet empathetically led, reflecting many women's experiences and feelings accurately. Readers describe the book as thought-provoking, eye-opening, and humbling.

"...it blew me away with how well balanced the firm advice was yet empathetically led, truly reflecting how many women are...." Read more

"...so many first, the few and only in such great detail, accuracy and with empathy...." Read more

"Thought-provoking, eye-opening and humbling. As a white woman. I'm grateful for books like this that help me understand more, see more, and do better." Read more

"Deeply emotional and thoroughly researched..." Read more

3 customers mention "Author interviewing"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the author's interviews. They find the interviews insightful and useful, as they provide raw first-person data and personal stories. The author conducted hundreds of interviews and elicited common themes that can be applied in practical ways.

"Such an important work! The author conducted hundreds of interviews and elicited common themes for women of color in corporate America...." Read more

"Using a combination of of hard statistical data and raw first-person interviews, the author presents a compelling portrait of the challenges faced..." Read more

"...global community and delivers it with situations, examples, and personal stories that can be used for practical application in any person’s life –..." Read more

3 customers mention "Performance"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful for achieving better performance and creating high-performing organizations.

"...our whole selves to our workplaces, and create better, highly performing organizations...." Read more

"...It’s made me thinking deeply about power, advancement and success...." Read more

"...for books like this that help me understand more, see more, and do better." Read more

Women Power an Inspiration 😀
5 out of 5 stars
Women Power an Inspiration 😀
I worked with and reported to Deepa Purushothaman when we worked together at Deloitte Consulting. Her strength inspired me from day 1 :). When I found out recently that she had written a book…..Heck yeah, I was going to buy it 🤗.I am a Woman of Color too. For ALL women out there - working in Corporate America land is NOT easy but Deepa will educate, motivate, and inspire you :).I am so happy to reunite with you Deepa through your book 🙂. I can’t stop reading:). I feel like you are speaking to me from across a coffee table :).Women out there - BUY this book :). Deepa is a very strong, smart, classy woman :). Thank you:).
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2022
    LOVED reading this book from end to end!!

    We've all seen the grim stats on lack of diversity and lack of women in leadership positions in corporate America. We've been coached on how we can overcome barriers, change our behavior, etc. etc. etc.

    I loved this book because it was all about OWNING who you are, CELEBRATING who you are (and all of our gifts and strengths which are only ours as WOC), and taking a look at the ENVIRONMENT and whether it is the right place for you to fully bring in your value or whether you should consider exiting and making a new beautiful environment for yourself where you can thrive!

    I loved reading all of the stories within this book and resonated with many! Made me feel not alone, in community, and better yet the author has created her own company in support of the formation of this community of women and particularly WOC. nFormation - look it up!

    10000% recommend this book to any WOC whose ever felt like the first, the few, or the only! And recommend this for allies too! There is so much more to do!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2022
    I’d been anticipating this book for months before it was released and it blew me away with how well balanced the firm advice was yet empathetically led, truly reflecting how many women are. For me there were experiences that I wasn’t able to put a finger on or understand what was happening. I recall having strong emotional reactions that would consume me for days or weeks to follow. The First, the Few, the One was instrumental in giving me the tools to better understand these situations and how to navigate them through who I am.

    Shortly after reading the book I was fuming in a board meeting with 10+ males (me being only woman) because I was a last minute addition not to mention I had a key role in what was being discussed. Throughout the meeting I let the voice from the book guide me, I stayed calm, identified my male allies, and spoke with the subject matter expertise I had rather than backing down and letting others take over. Later in the week I not only made sure to have the open dialogue with my boss who doesn’t have much awareness on subconscious biases but also circled back with my male counterparts that do support women’s issues. As Deepa points out, this is and has been a long journey for WOC and doing our part in large or small ways based on where we are at any point in time is incredibly valuable. Since reading the book I’ve spoken to other women who also have read it through the community Deepa has created and I can’t emphasize enough how empowering it is to connect with so many others that have similar experiences and to hear how they have navigated their situations. Hope you read it as well so our community keeps growing and we pave that path of a non-gender based world for us and generations to follow.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2022
    As a first-gen immigrant trying to find my space in the corporate world, this is the first book where I saw myself and my experience of the corporate world on every page. It describes a lot of my personal experience as a first-gen professional trying to find my spot in the corporate world. It describes my experiences and feelings very accurately. While I cannot fix it all, it gave me comfort that I am not alone and that rising tides lifts all boats and we must stay in the game to win the game! It's never easy for the first, the few, and the only but someone must! Many strong women paved the way for us before us and we must walk through those tall grassland to make way for ourselves and others who come after us. Thank you Deepa for sharing these experiences of so many first, the few and only in such great detail, accuracy and with empathy. This was hands down the BEST book that I have read with so much great strategies for us to keep fighting the fight and how to stay in the game to win the game!
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2022
    The First, the Few and the Only is not just book for corporate America. This is one of the most powerful books I have ever read. It is filled with gripping stories from women of color in the workplace, and while you read, an understanding arises, the old construct is failing and failing away. A new face of power has emerged. With their incredible brilliance, grit and talent, women of color are gathering and leading us away from an old status quo that does not work for us and forming a new world based on innovation, bravery, truth, equity and inclusion This text is so enlightening, so inspiring and in its wisdom creates empowerment in the reader that lasts far after the last page. Deepa Purushothoman is a leader for the ages. I am forever changed by this book. If you do not else this year, read this book!!!!!
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2022
    I hadn’t even gone past the first chapter before I started sending the link for this book with women around me. I could tell from the first few pages that this book was going to open my heart and eyes to the experiences that women of color must navigate on their paths to becoming successful leaders. It took me longer than usual to finish this book, because I constantly had to stop and jot down so many of the lines that left me feeling that I want to do better.

    To be completely transparent, I have known Deepa and worked with her many moons ago. She was always special as a human and a co-worker. She was gracefully tenacious and made leading those around her seem easy. After reading this book however, I now understand what I may perceive as easy, is anything but, for professional women of color.

    It is critical in life to understand and truly listen to other peoples experiences and beliefs. Making assumptions because of what we see on the outside is simply being lazy and does a disservice to all people. This book reminded me that when it comes to women of color in the workplace, what you see is not always what you get. We should take the lessons from this book to remind those around us to look at these issues from a new lens.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • KS
    5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring book for WOC!
    Reviewed in Canada on August 8, 2022
    Being one of the first, the few, the only myself this book was so enriching to read. It’s good (and sad) to know that I’m not alone in some of the things I experience in the workplace. It’s also good to know how to approach the workplace in what is definitely a more healthier way. Deepa is so knowledgeable and inspiring. I have recommended this book to so many other WOC in my network.
  • CK
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 1, 2023
    This resonated on so many levels!