ASK YOURSELF

ASK YOURSELF!

Why, in 2020, your customers would answer NO to any of these questions?

Are you taking the collective $3 trillion buying power of Back and Brown communities seriously? How would your business be affected if it went away?

Last year several brands that we consider leading tastemakers and leaders in their respective categories came under criticism for, at best, tone-deafness in product design, customer experience, or ad campaigns. People stopped wearing their Gucci belts, posted press releases to acknowledge their D&I hires, and then went back to business as usual. I asked then if it was enough or if it was an "accessory" of the moment.        

Well, here we are again. 

George Floyd's televised murder sparked a movement, and while concerned citizens are still protesting unarmed people of color continue to be killed and companies post #blacklivesmatter on social media. Is that enough? People of color are disproportionately affected by COVID due to systemic inequities in healthcare, access, and income, and companies continue to post #blacklivesmatter. Is that enough?

If companies don't include people of color in their brand stories, supply chains, leadership, or line of sight, do they really matter? I have spent my career in corporate retail and adjacent industries, predominantly as an "only" or "first." I didn't understand it in 1990, and I certainly can't comprehend why it is still a title now, 30 years later.

I have had a successful and gratifying career, but lifting the "only" and pushing the "first" boulder up the hill is exhausting.  

My career has been on the business side of brands, leading merchandising, product design & development, strategy, and creative marketing, not in HR, but I have focused on creating opportunities for inclusion and developing talent throughout my career. Post my corporate journey, I continue to use my platform to help women and people of color accelerate their careers by providing them inclusive communities where they can obtain exposure, support, and empowerment from accomplished experts. I also use my team and business leadership insights to ensure that as many brands as possible have the tools to be responsible, purpose-driven, and inclusive. 

Right now cannot be a moment; it must be a movement. I was on a call last night and heard from a friend/colleague the story of a fashion brand approaching an illustrator to create "protest inspired graffiti" for their storefronts while the moment was "relevant." I was appalled! This matter has always been relevant; it just now has your attention. 

Please don't let this be you. 

Do something provocative, meaningful, sustainable, and impactful. Be an example to your industry. Don't just do what you have done, do something different, do more. 

How much more vibrant would your brand story be with an authentic connection to your diverse customers? How much more productive would an inclusive culture, team, and process that reflects all of the people who help you achieve your financial goals every day?

ASK YOURSELF

If you are the leader of a brand and genuinely want to be on the right side of progress and to make sustainable and impactful changes to your culture, please contact me. I welcome being a thought partner. [email protected]