Diversity Discourse

In this episode, Britt Hogue, founder of The Collective Good, discusses the evolving landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in corporate settings. She emphasizes the importance of understanding DEI as core human values and the necessity for organizations to adapt their approaches amidst societal pushback. Britt highlights the role of corporate culture in fostering inclusivity and the impact of consumer expectations on corporate decisions. She also shares her journey from Wall Street to social impact, advocating for a rebranding of DEI initiatives to maintain their effectiveness in a polarized environment.

In this conversation, MBE Magazine Publisher Tanya Isley interviews Omar Harris, a former pharmaceutical general manager and author, about his innovative approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) through J.E.D.I leadership. Harris critiques the traditional HR-centric approach to DEI, advocating for a broader organizational commitment to these principles. He introduces the concept of J.E.D.I leadership as a problem-solving framework that addresses injustices within organizations. Harris also discusses his latest book, “The J.E.D.I Leaders Playbook,” which serves as a guide for leaders to navigate social issues and foster inclusive environments. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding the “why” behind DEI efforts and the need for a strategic approach to implementing change.

In this episode, Felicia Kelly shares her journey of empowerment and self-discovery through the Rich Method for Living. After facing personal challenges, including a tragic loss and a health diagnosis, Felicia emphasizes the importance of redefining wealth beyond monetary success. She discusses the impact of high-stress environments on personal relationships and the significance of healing and self-care. Felicia encourages listeners to build meaningful relationships and take steps towards living a rich life, emphasizing that true wealth encompasses peace, joy, and fulfillment in all areas of life.

In this episode of Money Mindset, host Alleson Tate speaks with Charese Chambers, an award-winning fractional CFO and founder of Financial Fancy. They discuss the importance of financial management for entrepreneurs, the role of a fractional CFO, and the significance of understanding profit and loss statements. Charese shares insights on navigating business challenges and emphasizes the need for intentional spending and budgeting. The conversation also touches on the importance of business coaches and the empowerment that comes from financial awareness, particularly for Black and brown businesses.

In this episode, Alleson Tate and Cole Williams discuss real estate investing as a path to building wealth. They explore the reasons why entrepreneurs are interested in real estate, such as diversification and the potential for generational wealth. Cole shares his expertise in real estate investing, particularly in acquisition wholesale strategies. They discuss how to get started in real estate investing, including the importance of mindset, research, and education. They also cover financing options, including FHA loans and leveraging other people's money. Cole emphasizes the need for due diligence, avoiding common pitfalls, and maintaining integrity in the industry.

Brandi Chew, chief marketing officer at Brandit Strategies, realized in order to change the impact she makes in her space, she had to first change the way she thought about executing day-to-day responsibilities—and that’s exactly what she did. Along Brandi’s journey to deliver on her brand promise, which she claims is the key to business success, she continues to fuel her passion for growth by combating blanket marketing efforts with scalable strategies that leverage data and insights in order to directly elevate the communities she serves.

Crystal Foote is the CEO of Digital Culture Group, an Atlanta-based adtech company that helps advertisers and agencies “discover, strategize, and reach audiences with authenticity to build long-lasting relationships.   She recently released a new children’s book titled “The Inclusivity Superheroes: A Tale of Diversity and Unity." Recognizing the importance of speaking to younger generations, the advertising executive strategically chose to market to children to help instill these values, using the relatable theme of superheroes. Listen to our conversation with Crystal as we discuss starting her career in advertising, what she wants to accomplish with her book, and carrying on her Civil War hero uncle’s legacy.

Julie Bee is the author of Burned: How Business Owners Can Overcome Burnout and Fuel Success. A business owner burnout strategist, Bee has been dubbed the “small business fixer” by her clients and peers. With over 15 years in the entrepreneurial field, she has solidified her reputation as a dynamic consultant, a riveting speaker, and a leader who sheds light on the darker side of business ownership. She joins Diversity Discourse to discuss how entrepreneurs can recognize and overcome burnout.

In this episode, Alleson Tate interviews Aja Evans, a licensed mental health counselor and financial therapist, about how mental health impacts finances. They discuss the definition of financial therapy and how it differs from traditional therapy and financial advice. Aja explains that financial therapy focuses on understanding the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors around money and how they impact one's relationship with money. They also discuss the role of financial therapists in partnership with financial advisors. Aja shares her personal financial awakening and how it influenced her approach to financial therapy. They explore the connection between mental health and financial decisions and behaviors, as well as common signs of financial anxiety or stress. Aja provides techniques to deal with financial stress, including knowing your numbers, understanding your emotions, and creating a plan.

This episode of Money Mindset focuses on taxes and investing in personal development. Alleson Tate discusses the two tax seasons—tax paying season and tax planning season—and emphasizes the importance of knowing in advance how much you will owe. She also explores different ways business owners can invest in themselves to lower their tax bills, provides tips on how to maximize tax deductions for business travel, and more.

Brooke Foley of Jayne Agency and Lasonya Berry, CEO of McPherson, Berry & Associates talk about the interconnectedness between a founder’s vision and brand promise, and how those work together to create impact. They also discuss why keeping your promises now is critical for the future of your business and for the next generation of emerging entrepreneurs in the diverse supply chain.

The Burns Brothers have built an empire of businesses focused on DEI and making a positive impact on the social issues impacting minorities. Their businesses employ over 100 people across eight multi-million dollar, Black-owned businesses. The Burns Brothers have proven in just four short years that focusing on the principles of DEI, in contrast with some prevailing narratives is the best way to run a business in the 2024 landscape.  And in this episode, my guest co-host Brian Martin of BriSTAR and I talk with them about that and how their empire benefited from those principles.

In this episode, Allison Tate and Emily Shull discuss mentally preparing for your first million dollars. They explore common misconceptions about achieving a million-dollar year and how to shift mindset to overcome these misconceptions. Emily emphasizes the importance of understanding personal money beliefs and how they can hinder success. She provides strategies for identifying and making connections with past experiences that may be impacting financial growth. Emily also highlights the role of meditation in understanding thoughts and beliefs. The conversation concludes with a discussion on building a team of advisors for long-term success.

MBE magazine contributor Alleson Tate, certified financial planner and owner of Avere Wealth Management, talks to special guest Rickie Taylor of Retirement Plan Consultants about how diverse business owners can ensure they’re adequately planning for their financial future. You can get more insights and information from Alleson at https://mbemag.com/money-mindset-alleson-tate/. And, sign up for her email newsletter, Money Mindset, to receive financial tips in your inbox every two weeks. Also, this episode’s sponsor is Comcast RISE, a grant program built to help businesses and their communities thrive with a focus on economic growth. Comcast RISE has awarded 13,500 small businesses to date with over $125 million in monetary, marketing, and technology grants.  To find Comcast RISE businesses near you, visit https://bit.ly/RISEQ124_MBE_Pod.

Ryan Renteria is a CEO coach, diverse board director, public speaker, and the founder of Stretch Five, a leading executive coaching firm. Ryan is the author of a book called Lead Without Burnout: Growth with Less Stress for You and Your Team, which offers A Proven Process for Achieving Work/Life Optimization, Growing Your Business More Effectively, & Enhancing Well-Being for You & Your Team He joined us to chat about his book as well as the importance of corporate leaders and entrepreneurs avoiding burnout and how they can support their employees in avoiding burnout and other work-related mental health issues.

Alleson Tate, a certified financial planner and the founder and owner of Avere Wealth Management in the Atlanta area, is joining the MBE magazine team as a financial content contributor. Alleson will provide financial content to help you do better business in our print magazine, our website, here on Diversity Discourse, and in a dedicated newsletter. In this episode, Alleson talks about what she has planned for this year and how she helps business owners with their financial issues.

In our Winter 2024 installment of Beyond the Logo, Brooke Foley chats with Nicole Middendorf, Minneapolis’s financial guru and well-known curator of the “Live It List”. Nicole found herself as a financial advisor compromising all that felt important to her, inside of a relationship that was removing her ability to live life with the basics: security and stability. Once she found her way past that she decided to look at life as one big “LIVE IT” list. Nicole shares her expertise on how brand — and life choices — are positively impacted with financial discipline, which sets us up to achieve financial success. Financial success empowers us to live, love and laugh the way we envision, and allows us to demonstrate our values, beliefs and have experiences in the way that suits us - both personally as individuals, and professionally as entrepreneurs.  You can also read more from Nicole in our Winter 2024 print issue at https://digital.mbemag.com.

For Kai Fuentes, president and CEO of Ebony Marketing Systems (EMS), building a thriving business and providing her clients with high-quality multicultural market research comes down to two key pieces of advice her parents gave her: “Don’t give up,” and “Your word is your bond.”   In this episode, Kai discusses how tenacity and integrity are essential to her business and the entrepreneurship legacy her mother, the original founder of EMS, left her. Also, this episode’s sponsor is Comcast RISE, a grant program built to help businesses and their communities thrive with a focus on economic growth. Comcast RISE has awarded 13,500 small businesses to date with over $125 million in monetary, marketing, and technology grants.  To find Comcast RISE businesses near you, visit https://bit.ly/RISEQ423_MBE_Pod.

While some businesses took a huge hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ash Sharma and James Baker of popular travel brand Cincha used this challenge to grow to a multimillion-dollar business and be featured on the latest season of Shark Tank and even made a deal with Barbara Corcoran for their innovative travel belts.

We’re continuing our Beyond the Logo series with Jayne Agency to bring more entrepreneurial insights to the #NEXTGEN. This episode, Measuring Promise Through Impact – Analytics and Outcomes, features Mike Anguiano, serial entrepreneur, and the brain behind SupplyHive™– unleashing his insights on everything from building your career from the ground up, to analytics and data, and leveraging diversity in every which way.