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I was lucky... my boyfriend at the time introduced me to a program at school during my grad school years that helped me face all of these things and learn how to overcome them. I also learned that it is not a weakness to reach out or ask for help if you need it. You must change yourself and your mentality... because no matter how smart or capable you are, having darkness inside yourself will prevent you from excelling and achieving in life."
So what are some of Lyttle's philosophies for success and navigating the business world as a woman? "You have to be a little bit bossy!" She explains. "I embrace bossy! You have to be able to take charge of things and know that there is always a solution. I used to tell all of my female students that every time you did better than a man you cheer!" She chuckles proudly. "You also have to recognize that there are different levels and sizes of success, so whenever you achieve a goal you should acknowledge it even if it is small." Lyttle continues. "You have to be fair to yourself... you are probably doing way better than you think you are. The only person that you should be in competition with is yourself."
Lyttle also has strong views when asked if women are represented fairly or suited to work in typically male-dominated careers such as the engineering field. "I think women are just as capable as men are and can excel in any career field." Says Lyttle. "The problem is that little girls aren't encouraged to build or work with things like little boys are. Boys spend time with their fathers learning how to use tools and fix mechanical things and are pushed towards science and technology, while girls grow up playing with dolls and are pushed towards more softer things. So girls have a tendency to be more intimidated by things like engineering." She explains. "We need to encourage parents to give their daughters the same exposure to these kinds of things that they do with their sons. Men weren't born with a natural ability to fix cars or remodel the inside of their house. They learned how because they were allowed and encouraged to mess around with things like building blocks and erector sets when they were young. But women can excel in these areas too if encouraged when they are young. And since they tend to be more thorough and detail-oriented, and are better at multitasking than men, they bring a stronger set of capabilities as a job candidate."
Lyttle has definitely taken her own advice and used it to build up a mini empire up around her. She founded, and is the President of her own engineering and consulting firm that specializes in Architectural and Mechanical Engineering Design, including "Green" building design and sustainability certification in the US and Caribbean. She is the founder and Co-owner of "Kidsville", which is a clean and safe watch space for children that is located inside of Miami area shopping malls where parents can drop their kids off to play while they shop. She is also the Co-owner of a real estate acquisition and management company that buys and rents properties in the USA along with St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In 2007, she took over management (Continued)