“The intersection between caring for the environment and managing your company in a sustainable, ethical way is called corporate social responsibility.” – Elba Pareja-Gallagher Elba Pareja-Gallagher is an Environmental, Social, and Governance expert, sustainability consultant, and keynote speaker. Elba is the founder and Principal of Sustainability Navigator, which offers coaching and mentoring to small, minority-owned businesses on following ESG regulations in the sustainability sector. She is ...
Aug 01, 2023•37 min
“Your network is your net worth.” – Shakeia Kegler Shakeia Kegler is the Founder & CEO of GovLia, a company that helps state and local government agencies effortlessly implement and manage supplier diversity programs. Their goal is to expedite supplier diversity efforts without the traditional, time-consuming, paper-based processes. Before founding GovLia, Shakeia served for five years in the Navy as Aviation Ordnanceman Petty Officer 2nd Class. Following her career in the military, Shakeia ...
Jul 25, 2023•35 min
“We are committed to inclusion, but sometimes, using jargon can exclude people from participating.” – Adam Moore There are a plethora of buzzwords and industry terms in the supplier diversity world. As a professional industry, we tend to throw around terms and concepts that could be overwhelming not only for seasoned supplier diversity professionals but also for business owners who are new to supplier diversity practices. We can also expect new concepts and terminologies to emerge as the industr...
Jul 18, 2023•28 min
“Goals and metrics are your North Star—if you don’t have them, you have no idea what you’re navigating to.” – Adam Moore Supplier diversity is rapidly becoming a necessity for every business in the modern corporate world. Tapping into diverse talent is crucial to staying innovative and competitive while simultaneously meeting your organizational goals for inclusive economic impact. But how is a successful supplier diversity program started and maintained? What does it take to develop and sustain...
Jul 11, 2023•38 min
“Supplier diversity is an intentional program that reaches out to diverse suppliers. It is about working with your business units to ensure they build relationships with and include suppliers owned by diverse persons.” – Adam Moore You may be hearing a lot of talk about supplier diversity programs these days. You may also have heard about how implementing them is crucial to success, especially in today’s market and corporate environment. But do you actually need one? What are supplier diversity ...
Jul 04, 2023•40 min
“Diversity, equity, and inclusion is beneficial for an entire business; for everyone.” – Jackie Ferguson Jackie Ferguson is the Head of Content & Programming and Co-Founder of The Diversity Movement, a full-service DEI consultancy that provides diversity and inclusion content such as courses, videos, webinars, and podcasts. As Head of Content & Programming, Jackie manages all the content her company produces, especially when customizing them for each client. Her passion for diversity and...
Jun 28, 2023•28 min
“If we can create a culture where everyone feels like they belong, then we’re going to have a much more successful supply chain.” – Chloe Guidry-Reed Relationships are the key to any successful business, but what happens when one party in the relationship has all the power? The power dynamics of big companies and corporations often put smaller suppliers in a precarious position. Big companies can use their financial clout to demand more and more from suppliers, driving down the supplier’s profit...
Jun 20, 2023•28 min
“Being open is the sign of a curious mind, and a curious mind is not going to stop until it gets the information it needs to make a difference.” – Joset Wright Joset Wright Lacy is an attorney, executive coach, diversity consultant, and founder and President of Waypoint Strategies LLC. Through Waypoint Strategies, Joset provides coaching and consulting services with a focus on building leadership skills. She has over 30 years of experience leading public, private, and non-profit organizations. P...
Jun 13, 2023•45 min
“Corporations have to begin to hold the boards accountable to be that bridge to small and diverse suppliers.” – Nedra Dickson Nedra Dickson is the Global Supplier Inclusion and Sustainability Lead at Accenture, one of the world’s largest professional services companies focusing on strategy and consulting, operations, technology, and interactive services. Nedra promotes and leads Accenture’s efforts to maximize procurement opportunities with small and diverse businesses across 17 countries. She a...
Jun 06, 2023•50 min
“We have to keep that cycle of money going through our small and diverse business communities because they’re the ones creating jobs.” – Vickie Irwin Vickie Irwin is the General Manager of Supplier Sustainability and Equity at Southern Company, one of the largest energy providers in the country. Southern Company owns various electric utilities, natural gas distribution utilities, fiber optics, and wireless communications across multiple states. As General Manager, Vickie is responsible for build...
May 31, 2023•47 min
“Supplier diversity is important in life because equity, parity, and inclusion are important to the ecosystem of human life.” – Courtney Williams Courtney Williams is a supplier diversity manager at Evergy, a company that delivers utility services to 1.8 million residential and commercial customers in Kansas and Missouri. Courtney has worked in community engagement for over 20 years and is passionate about the development of diverse businesses as a way to create local impact and foster generatio...
May 23, 2023•34 min
“Diverse suppliers should focus on what’s important to the companies they’re engaging with. They have to be able to scale, operate, and deliver, leading to better outcomes relative to services and products.” – Curtis Crowder Mishaune Sawyer is the Senior Regional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager at JE Dunn Construction. A leader in the commercial construction industry since its founding in 1924, JE Dunn is a family-owned, employee-owned commercial building contractor headquartered in Kan...
May 16, 2023•56 min
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May 09, 2023•24 min
“The psychology of consumer loyalty is impacting all of us.” – Stefanie Francis Stefanie Francis is the Founder of Hootology, a marketing research firm that fully utilizes a tech-forward approach to consumer behavior and analytics. Hootlogy is founded on her passion for quantitative analytics, anthropology, innovation, art, and the creative process. She champions supplier diversity and is an advocate for equality inside and outside the workplace. Stefanie is also an Adjunct Professor at NYU SPS ...
May 02, 2023•35 min
“The more diverse the decision-making body is, the more factors you can get into the decision.” – Johnny Howze III Johnny Howze III is the Vice President of Supply Chain Management at Southern Company, an energy company that produces clean, safe, and affordable energy for its 9 million customers. Johnny’s responsibilities include overseeing operational functions and power delivery. He has over 20 years of experience in plant operations and leadership positions, including running various coal-fir...
Apr 25, 2023•39 min
“Understand and know your data, and don’t over-collect. If you’re worried about it—and all businesses who collect data should worry about these laws—engage a privacy professional and attorney.” – Rebecca Rako ski Rebecca Rakoski, Esq., is the co-founder and managing partner of XPAN Law Partners. A boutique domestic and international cybersecurity and data privacy law firm, XPAN Law is dedicated to global strategic thinking that reduces risk and leads businesses forward. Rebecca, an experienced l...
Apr 18, 2023•36 min
“Failure is an option. Failure is a great guide. It is how you learn—how you recognize you’re not doing the right things and therefore you should change to succeed.” – Paul Singer Paul Singer is the Investigations and Impact Editor at the GBH News Center for Investigative Reporting. His The Color of Public Money series at GBH News investigates the systemic exclusion of minority-owned businesses from public contracts in Massachusetts. Before joining GBH News in 2018, Paul was a politics editor an...
Apr 11, 2023•37 min
“Good financial stability and wellness of the company, coupled with good people, is every business’s heartbeat. Without them, the likelihood that a company can survive is low.” – Durran Dunn Durran Dunn is an accomplished business professional currently serving as the Managing Director for Grant Thornton’s Advisory, Governance, Risk, Compliance, and Controls practice. Over his 20 years of experience leading global businesses in accounting, finance, and internal audits, Durran has worked in multi...
Apr 04, 2023•30 min
“ As supplier diversity leaders and professionals, we need to open our eyes and minds to doing something differently and finding new ways to engage stakeholders, scale with the program, and create inclusion.” – Curtis Crowder Curtis Crowder is a cross-functional senior executive and award-winning entrepreneur, and diversity leader. He is the Director of Global Supplier Diversity, Sustainability, and Innovation at Fiserv, a leading global technology provider for the financial services industry. B...
Mar 28, 2023•35 min
“To really build in supplier diversity, you have to hit all levels within an organization.” – Cecelia Bolden Cecelia Bolden is an IT executive, business strategist, client relationship expert, and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion advocate with over 34 years of experience in the information systems industry. She serves as the Chief Development and Diversity Officer of SDI Presence, an IT consultancy and managed services provider that leverages its strong team presence to advance its clients to ...
Mar 21, 2023•30 min
“Working with great leadership and great organizations gives you the keys to the kingdom and to being great yourself. And the more individuals who have jobs, the more we can tackle the systemic ills in our society.” – Rondu Vincent Devin Carsdale is the Associate Director of Sustainability for Strategic Sourcing and Procurement at Bristol Myers Squibb. Devin drives short- and long-term strategy and builds partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to govern the company’s Sustainable Pr...
Mar 14, 2023•47 min
Bruce Katz is the Founder of New Localism Associates, a firm that helps cities finance, deliver, and design innovative initiatives that focus on sustainable growth and inclusion. He received the Heinz Award in Public Policy for his contributions to city planning and influences on the community’s economy and livability. He authored the book The New Localism, which provides a roadmap for change that begins in the local communities. Bruce is also the Director of the Nowak Metro Finance Lab at Drexe...
Mar 14, 2023•40 min
Rachel Muredzwa is the Director of Equity & Inclusion at Ohio State University’s College of Nursing. She is a seasoned DE&I professional, community impact leader, and higher education administrator with over 20 years of progressive leadership experience in inclusive youth development programming. Before working with the College of Nursing at Ohio State University, Rachel served as the Coordinator for the Office of Student Money Management at Austin Community College. She also previously ...
Feb 28, 2023•43 min
“Truly passionate, alive people will inspire others to be passionate. Plant those seeds, even if we may never see them become mighty oaks.”- Rachel Muredzwa Rachel Muredzwa is the Director of Equity & Inclusion at Ohio State University’s College of Nursing. She is a seasoned DE&I professional, community impact leader, and higher education administrator with over 20 years of progressive leadership experience in inclusive youth development programming. Before working with the College of Nu...
Feb 28, 2023•43 min
122 Notes
Feb 21, 2023•29 min
“I advocate for renewable energy for everyone, for it to be a basic human right, for everyone to have a job in this industry and be part of this transition.” – Robert Blakekoski Robert Blake is the founder, owner, and CEO of Solar Bear, a full-service solar installation company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Solar Bear—Gizis-o-Makwa in Ojibwe—is dedicated to accelerating Turtle Island’s transition to a renewable energy future. In addition to his work at Solar Bear, Robert is an adjunct profess...
Feb 21, 2023•29 min
Rebecca Rakoski, Esq., is the co-founder and Managing Partner at XPAN Law Partners, a boutique domestic and international cybersecurity and data privacy law firm. XPAN Law is committed to global strategic thinking that reduces risk and leads businesses forward. Rebecca is an experienced litigator who has handled hundreds of matters in state and federal courts and has counseled and defended public and private corporations and their boards during data breaches. She received her Juris Doctor from t...
Feb 14, 2023•34 min
“Businesses are attacked twice: they are attacked when they get hacked and attacked again when they get sued.” – Rebecca Rakoski Rebecca Rakoski, Esq., is the co-founder and Managing Partner at XPAN Law Partners, a boutique domestic and international cybersecurity and data privacy law firm. XPAN Law is committed to global strategic thinking that reduces risk and leads businesses forward. Rebecca is an experienced litigator who has handled hundreds of matters in state and federal courts and has c...
Feb 14, 2023•17 min
In today’s market, financial performance is no longer the sole indicator of an organization’s success. If a company is making money but forgoes sustainability or has sweatshops, how good of a company is it? Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is a critical framework for any organization to understand and track—whether a multinational corporation or a small business. In this episode, we discuss the ESG framework, why you need to track it, and how. We explain how it helps organizations and...
Feb 07, 2023•17 min
Becoming incorporated is a monumental step for many businesses and their owners. Incorporating a company can open many growth opportunities: it can help protect business owners amid uncertain times like recessions and ensure a business’s survivability years down the road. So, how do you turn incorporation—a seemingly gigantic, terrifying thing for small businesses—into a simple, manageable process? This episode discusses the basics of incorporation and introduces what to expect when considering ...
Jan 31, 2023•21 min
