George B. Thomas
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We started this conversation with a simple intention: lift up a woman who has done the work, lived the lessons, and is generous enough to tell the truth about it. Enter Dr. V. Boykin, After seasons of single motherhood, a felony conviction, and more, she now leads as a two-time author, keynote speaker, doctor, and VP of Disruptive Innovation at Lyft Enablement, a HubSpot Elite partner. It’s not tidy. It’s human. And it matters right now because so many builders, leaders, and HubSpot pros are quietly carrying similar weight and still showing up to do meaningful work.
“Empowerment for me is choice. Full stop. It’s the choice to be as traditional.” — Dr. V Boykin
Origin to Ops: The Human Who Builds Systems
Dr. V describes a younger self doing the best she could for her kids, making choices that did not always match the desired outcome. She names the “muck,” admits she dove in, and explains the brilliance it takes to climb out of it.
Her grandmother’s counsel became a compass: Make choices you would stand behind “on the corner of Murray Avenue.” That visibility lens shapes how she leads today — in life and in operations — with honesty, consequence, and care.
The costs were real and ongoing. Twenty years after completing her sentence, she still loses jobs, apartments, and whole industries before she even begins.
Early on, she hid, hoping no one would Google her. That hiding shrinks your voice. Owning the truth made space for confidence and boldness, synthesizing the personal and professional, so she could move with clarity.
Not every lesson came with applause. Before prison, she admired a boss who left on vacation. The culture shifted. She panicked, applied elsewhere, and blurted it out when he returned. HR got involved. She also told a prospective assistant she needed someone who could cover while she ran errands.
Her assessment now is crisp: immature, ill-prepared, unprofessional. The lesson is gold for operators and leaders alike — your words have consequences, and context matters. Start at the beginning of the story so people can follow the why behind the what.
Empowerment in Practice: People First, Systems Second
I asked Dr. V what she is most proud of, and she does not lead with dollar signs. She points to the quiet moments that never hit a performance review. The one-to-ones. The DM replies. The trust to tell the truth in messy seasons.
Her metric is human. Empowerment is choice, and leadership is creating spaces where people feel safe enough to make thoughtful ones. That is why she writes. That is why she answers every LinkedIn message. And yes, that is why the books exist.
“Never allow anyone to determine your significance, especially in environments where wounded people sometimes mistake control for leadership.” — Dr. V Boykin
Her HubSpot take is refreshingly simple. The platform wins because it is easy to use. Add real expertise to configure it well, and it feels like an entire team at the click of a button. AI integrations are exciting, but only if they sit on top of a clear structure, clean data, and processes that honor how humans actually work.
That has always been the ethos: maximize impact with limited resources so small teams can flourish.
A Word to Women in Tech: Do What You Can Afford
Connection matters more than “networking.” Tell your truth at a level you can afford. Not every battle is yours to fight right now. Build social capital. Take the job. Then hire more people who have been underestimated. And yes, imagine a world where safety is assumed, not earned.
She wants parity, not a pedestal. She wants the myth of the “hysterical woman” retired and the emotional labor of all leaders seen for what it is: strength.
Because high-performing ops is not only about tools, timelines, and tickets. It is about humans making choices under pressure. Dr. V’s story reminds us that clarity, consequence, and care are operational superpowers. When you integrate who you are with how you work, your systems get simpler, your team gets safer, and your business can finally flourish.
Reflect & Act
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Where are you hiding a part of your story that is shrinking your voice at work?
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What operational decision needs more context from you before people can follow it?
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How can you configure HubSpot this quarter to empower your team’s choices?
