How inclusive is the business you’re building? Are you actively embrace the anti-racism revolution to create a more equal playing field?
This is a question every entrepreneur should ask themselves – in today’s world more than ever. Diversity, anti-racism and equality are ethical issues that affect how we do business every day.
The guiding principle on which I built my business is gender equality, and I was so excited to speak to Trudi Lebron, a diversity, equity and inclusion coach, whose work I truly admire.
Trudi is bi-racial and has been interested in topics like inclusion, equality and belonging all her life. When she started to explore the online coaching industry, she realised how very white that world was and decided to do something about it. Today, she teaches entrepreneurs how to embrace anti-racism and achieve diversity with their business.
In this episode, Trudi explains why your values should never be separated from your business, what entrepreneurs in Europe can do to achieve diversity and participate in the anti-racism discussion, and how the events of last year changed her business.
Inclusive change and prioritizing impact is coming to entrepreneurship. If you want to know what you can do to support equality and diversity with your business, don’t miss out on Trudi’s helpful and valuable advice.
“Our businesses have to be a reflection of the world we want to build.” - Trudi Lebron
Are you more of a reader? Scroll down to discover what you can do to embrace anti-racism and diversity in your business.
What you will get out of this episode:
- How Trudi became a diversity and equity coach and made anti-racism her topic (3:50)
- How last year changed Trudi’s business (10:20)
- Why your values should never be separated from your business (14:01)
- How entrepreneurs in Europe can achieve diversity with their business (21:18)
- How to bring forward the anti-racism discussion in entrepreneurship (25:05)
- The shift the coaching world has gone through in regards to equity (32:17)
- Black History Month – what you can do (35:05)
For more inspiration, discover my take on speaking up vs. staying silent when it comes to Black Lives Matter, or why you should speak your mind even if your voice shakes.
How You Can Support Anti-Racism, Diversity and Equality with Your Business
Just like sustainability, diversity, anti-racism and equality are ethical issues that have become priorities for many businesses over the last years.
Having people of colour on your team or as your clients is great, but it’s not the only way to achieve diversity. Diversity is about much more: Age, language, background, and diverse perspectives, among others. It’s about how people are included and their experience when they come into your space.
If you feel a pull towards wanting to support anti-racism, equality and diversity with your business, Trudi recommends starting with a personal journey.
- Consider your knowledge of racism, discrimination, and the various ways people have faced oppression throughout history. Get clear on why we have the conditions we do in the world.
- Understand your own identity and where specific biases towards other identities come from. What groups of people are immigrants in your country, and why did they come there? What is their experience like? Get a local context of how racism manifests where you come from.
- Come to a conclusion around what your values are and what you’re committed to, and how you can tie these values to your business.
- Look at your own behaviour in business. Do you only have white clients? Do you only listen to white mentors, subscribe to podcasts of white people? Seek to diversify and listen to people who come from a variety of backgrounds.
You don’t have to be a hard-core, full-time activist to do your part in making things better. But if you care, if you want to be in better relationships with humans, if you want your business to be inclusive and impactful, choose to participate in this conversation.
Are you taking a stand with your business on ethical issues like racism, equality and diversity? If yes, I’d love to hear how! You can follow and connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.