Atelier Doré

Dee Poku is founder of The WIE Suite, a private membership community for women leaders and creators, and founder of Black Women Raise, a community rooted in accelerating and helping black female founders raise capital and promote growth in their industries. She’s also a mom living in Brooklyn, so we know there is a lot on her plate at all times, which is why we wanted to ask her… what does she do to keep it all well and good?

What do you do daily for your wellness?
I believe true wellness starts on the inside. Clear mind, clear body. I start every day with a glass of fresh squeezed lemon and water, and I drink up to 2L of water a day. I also try to wake up early before my son is up and write in my journal. I’m very much a morning person – it’s when I have the most clarity so I hate to lose that opportunity to focus my thoughts.

What do you do weekly for your wellness?
There’s nothing that makes me feel more off kilter than not feeling somewhat organized. On Sundays I get planning and set priorities for the week. I love making lists. I like to review what did and didn’t get done the week before and make key goals for the upcoming week. On Saturdays I do a home facial with Indian healing clay mask which sucks out all the impurities. I also go for a long bike ride every weekend which is great for problem solving.

What do you do monthly for your wellness?
Getting out of your own head is key to feeling balanced and focused. For that you need a peer group to share ideas with and who can help you strategize. To that end, we curate monthly peer groups for all our members at The WIE Suite. And I personally check in with my own community monthly too. Every month I also try to do a mini cleanse – three days of just fruit and vegetables to help me realign.

What do you do yearly for your wellness?
Every year I travel somewhere far away from my normal environment to help reset my mind, body and soul and get some deep restorative downtime. The change of perspective helps me take stock and visualize the future. Who am I? What are my values? Where am I going? Within a few days the ideas start flowing.

What inspired you to found The WIE Suite?
I wanted to create a space where women in leadership could collaborate and drive their career goals forward in a very transaction and results oriented environment. No tip-toeing around talking business with friends, or being told the solution to your problem is more mentorship or training. At The WIE Suite, we’re focused on action – referrals, introductions, sharing business learnings, investments. Not enough women are achieving the success they should be, and it’s lonely at the top. We want to help women not only survive but thrive.

What is your hope for 2021?
There is so much to tackle this year. So many women have had to leave the workforce due to this pandemic and an overall lack of support. Now that the veil has been pulled back on what it takes to fully manage a family and a career, I hope companies put policies and practices in place that truly support working women. I would also like to see more wholesale investment in underrepresented founders, especially Black women founders, who receive a fraction of the investment capital of their non Black peers.