How to Get Into Bigger Rooms Before You’re Ready

What if the room you feel least ready to enter is exactly the room you need to be in?

In this episode of the Catch her Spark Podcast with Jen Maldonado, Jen sits down with first-generation attorney Sherelle Sanders to talk about what it takes to step into bigger rooms, take on bigger opportunities, and build a career when no one in your family has gone before you.

Sherelle shares how a high school teacher first saw something in her and encouraged her to consider becoming a lawyer. That encouragement helped start a journey that would eventually lead Sherelle from humble beginnings to a legal career spanning more than 25 years, representing major corporations and handling complex, high-stakes cases.

But Sherelle’s message is not simply about confidence. It is about what you do with it.

She shares why she believes you should “aim a little higher than your pay grade” and intentionally put yourself in rooms where you are not the most experienced person. Those rooms may feel uncomfortable, but they are often where the greatest learning and growth happen.

Sherelle also opens up about being a first-generation professional and the lessons she wishes she had understood sooner. Her advice is practical: network, find mentors, and show up. She explains why your mentors do not need to look like you or share your background—and how some of the people who helped open important doors in her career came from very different backgrounds than her own.

Jen and Sherelle also talk about the importance of knowing your craft. Getting into the room is only part of the journey. You also have to prepare, learn, take responsibility, and be ready when an opportunity comes.

The conversation goes beyond career success as Sherelle shares what success and legacy mean to her today. She talks about raising children who understand that being blessed also creates an opportunity to bless others, including her daughter’s work helping children in foster care and her son’s commitment to giving back through his business.

This conversation is for the woman who knows she wants more but wonders if she is experienced enough, connected enough, or ready enough to take the next step.

You may not feel ready when the bigger room opens.

Walk in anyway.

About Sherelle Sanders

Sherelle Sanders is a first-generation attorney with nearly 26 years of experience practicing law. Throughout her career, she has handled complex cases, advised major corporations, and built a reputation around preparation, strategy, and knowing her craft. She is also passionate about mentorship, service, family, and helping the next generation recognize opportunities that may once have seemed out of reach.

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