Breaking Barriers, Building a Hire Ground

As the founder of four companies, Monique Mills is no stranger to blazing the trails of entrepreneurship in technology and digital transformation. She is passionate about helping companies overcome obstacles and innovate new roads to technological development and is intent on solving big problems within the modern world. As the founder and chief strategist of TPM Focus, Monique and her team offer a unique blend of corporate sensibility and startup scrappiness to help their clients align their marketing, technology, sales, and customer service with their revenue goals. Monique is also the host and Executive Producer of the Unpolished MBA Podcast, where she speaks with innovators and entrepreneurs – some with MBAs, and some without – to share their entrepreneurial journey, experience, and the wisdom they’ve gained along the way. Monique joins us today to share how she blazed her own trail in the tech industry. She explains how she helps organizations align their marketing, sales, and technology with their revenue goals, why it’s crucial to align your marketing efforts with your revenue goals, and the importance of being strategic when creating your marketing campaigns. Monique explains why entrepreneurs need to properly segment their target audience and build their marketing strategies around them. She shares what inspired her to launch her podcast, the Unpolished MBA, and what she hopes to accomplish with her show. We discuss the value of co-locating with other organizations and the importance of understanding how buying habits are shifting. We also discuss the most common problems women in the workplace face – particularly in the S.T.E.M industries – and how entrepreneurs and organizations can help move the needle on creating more inclusive workplaces for women. “Never stop learning. Never stop learning from everyone around you. Everyone has value and information that could be helpful to you.” – Monique Mills This week on Breaking Barriers: Resources Mentioned: WIT – Women In Technology Connect with Monique Mills: TPM FocusTPM Focus MarketingMonique Mills WebsiteUnpolished MBATPM Focus on LinkedInTPM Focus on FacebookMonique Mills on LinkedIn This podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Christine Rogers is the President and COO of Aspireship, a company helping tomorrow’s leaders by ensuring they perform at optimum level in their current roles with training, interview preparation, leadership development, and career development coaching. Aspireship looks to proactively match such leaders with fast-growing employers in need of talented and ambitious professionals. Christine has previous experience as a Senior Director of Sales for large corporations such as MINDBODY Inc. and Infusionsoft. However, she is also an experienced entrepreneur, having previously owned Room 4 Baby, a baby and children’s store in Gilbert, AZ, where she supervised all aspects of a small baby business, from sales staff supervision to payroll and contract negotiation. Christine currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona. Christine joins us today to reveal how identifying difficulties in hiring consistently good talented people for selling environments led to the creation of Aspireship, a course platform allowing someone without experience to learn foundational selling. She explains how such untapped potential – when trained – can be matched with a company whose focus is on the employee’s competency and ability rather than their previous resume. Christine takes a holistic look over workforces and why she thinks it’s important everyone in a business, from marketing to accounts, should understand selling when representing a company. She also discusses the role of leadership when placing new hires in an organization and how vital these leaders are for the success and longevity of such placements. “Do a roleplay. Feel how it feels. Are you understanding those concepts and can you do it?” – Christine Rogers This week on Breaking Barriers: Connect with Christine Rogers: Aspireship’s WebsiteAspireship on LinkedInAspireship on FacebookChristine Rogers on LinkedInConnect with Hire Ground: Hire Ground’s WebsiteHire Ground on LinkedInHire Ground on FacebookHire Ground on TwitterCloe Guidry-Reed on LinkedInAdam Moore on LinkedIn This podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today!

Abraham Xiong is the President of Government Contractors Association, Inc., a national trade association of commercial contractors and government agencies. The organization’s goal is to help small or minority-led businesses get their fair share of opportunities in the government market. Abraham is also the co-founder of Blockchain Chamber of Commerce, a membership-based organization supporting emerging cryptocurrency and blockchain industries. Abraham joins us to discuss how he and his group help underserved businesses get more government contracts. He shares how his passion for government contracting began and his life after his family migrated to the United States. He describes the economic imbalance minority-led and women-led companies face with government contracts. He explains the importance of being a business certified by the government and the opportunities it unlocks. Abraham also shares his stories of what it was like dating outside of the Hmong community and what his occupation was before he became a full-time entrepreneur. “There is an economic injustice that’s going on in the government contracting world.” – Abraham Xiong This week on Breaking Barriers: Connect With Abraham Xiong: Government Contractors AssociationBlockchain Chamber of CommerceAbraham Xiong on LinkedIn This podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Amanda Hammett is the CEO of Core Elevation, a company dedicated to helping high-performance leaders achieve even greater results and working with Inc. 5,000 corporations to strategize attracting, retaining, and engaging top-level talent. She is also the host of the Next Generation Rockstars Podcast (aka Millennial Rockstars), where she proves her nickname as the ‘Millennial Translator’ by interviewing millennial business prodigies on the secrets of their success and the motivations that focus them. Amanda currently serves on the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce board while also serving for the past ten years as Corporate Board President of the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Georgia (HOBY). With a BA in History & Political Science from Agnes Scott College, she is a consultant and trainer who has delivered over 800 keynote speeches to the millennials corporate America needs to connect with. In today’s episode, Amanda joins us to discuss recruiting millennials and Generation Z and what problems she has observed with modern recruitment techniques for this demographic. She reveals her Millennial Translator moniker’s origin and why businesses began to queue up for her help in connecting them with their younger workforce. Amanda takes a psychological look at the millennial employee and why they rebel against the Boomer Generation’s work-life values before them. She also warns the companies who are quick to make statements of intent; be that for social change, better employment practice, or other morally guided declarations. She explains that millennials do their homework on their possible future employees and empty promises can come back to haunt a brand in the most damaging of ways. “What makes millennials different is their size. They are the biggest generation to come through since boomers and (are) even larger than boomers AND their willingness to speak up – their willingness to say ‘This isn’t for me.'” – Amanda Hammett This week on Breaking Barriers: Connect with Amanda Hammett: Next Generation Rockstars PodcastCore Elevation’s WebsiteCore Elevation on LinkedInAmanda Hammett’s WebsiteAmanda Hammett on LinkedInConnect with Hire Ground: Hire Ground’s WebsiteHire Ground on LinkedInHire Ground on FacebookHire Ground on TwitterCloe Guidry-Reed on LinkedInAdam Moore on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority led, women led LGBT led, and veteran led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today!

It’s no question that having supplier diversity can elevate a company’s financial growth—especially if more companies actively pursue supplier diversity. In fact, CVS Health reported their supplier diversity program contributed an astounding $5.5 billion to the US economy in 2018. This shows supplier diversity isn’t just a trend or a fad businesses can ride until it loses its luster. Supplier diversity improves your company’s relationships with minority-led and LGBT-led companies and lets you cast a wider net, which can result in more significant profits. Today, we discuss why supplier diversity is more than just a trend and its critical role in the economy. We explain how supplier diversity programs can be essential in mergers and acquisitions and when dealing with other suppliers. We describe the potential losses a company would incur if they don’t have a supplier diversity program. We also share some of the ways businesses can strike while the supplier diversity iron is still hot. “Supplier diversity is crucial to the vitality of the company” – Adam Moore This week on Breaking Barriers: Resources Mentioned: CVS Health This podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Joy White is a mindset and wellness coach, keynote speaker, and the founder and CEO of Flawed Masterpiece, a health and wellness business that wants Black women to adopt a lifestyle of self-care, healing, and inner peace. She has over 16 years of experience holding executive positions in non-profit boardrooms, international law firms, and small boutiques. Joy founded Flawed Masterpiece to help clients navigate professional roadblocks exclusive to Black women as they work in male-dominated industries and professions. Joy joins us today to discuss the ideas behind Flawed Masterpiece and why she prioritizes Black women as their primary clients. She shares the self-care habits she has developed for herself and her clients. She explains what counts as self-care and why it doesn’t simply involve checking into a spa hotel. Joy describes some of her best client success stories. She shares actionable tips to employers regarding employee burnout and laws. Joy also discusses the risks associated with being careless about employment terminology. “There’s a cost that you will incur when you are not mindful of peoples’ wellbeing and overall working conditions.” – Joy White This week on Breaking Barriers: Connect With Joy White: Flawed MasterpieceLinkedIn This podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Dr. Janelle Williams is the co-founder and CEO of Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative, a catalytic nonprofit that seeks to build Black wealth through community wealth-building strategies. Committed to advancing investments and policies that increase opportunities for disinvested communities, Janelle has led several strategies for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and the Annie E. Casey Foundation to advance inclusive and thriving communities. She has also served as a congressional fellow in the U.S. House of Representatives. Janelle holds a doctorate in International Family and Community Studies from Clemson University, a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Georgia, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sociology from Florida Memorial University. Janelle joins us today to discuss the wealth divide and how to close it. She explains why the wealth divide is not a simple gap, but a deep-seated divide perpetuated by historical injustices. She presents data that highlight the wealth disparities between Black and White households in Atlanta and across the nation. She shares AWBI’s efforts to close the wealth divide and shares their projects, such as the 1,000 Black Businesses Campaign and the Black Community Wealth Network. Janelle also emphasizes the need to disaggregate data by race and ethnicity, especially for Minority Business Enterprises, and underscores the importance of solidarity and collective action in addressing economic inequality. “A divide is something intentionally created. We have to constantly acknowledge the root causes that not only created this divide, but perpetuate it.” – Dr. Janelle Williams This week on Breaking Barriers: Connect with Dr. Janelle Williams: Atlanta Wealth Building InitiativeAtlanta Wealth Building Initiative on LinkedInAtlanta Wealth Building Initiative on InstagramAtlanta Wealth Building Initiative on FacebookAtlanta Wealth Building Initiative on TwitterAtlanta Wealth Building Initiative on YouTubeDr. Janelle Williams on LinkedIn This podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Matthew Sekol is the Global ESG and Sustainability Advisor at Microsoft. Matthew has over 20 years of experience in storytelling, pioneering disruptive strategies, and influencing transformation by unpacking and clarifying organizational risks and opportunities to senior stakeholders. In addition to serving as an advisor at Microsoft, Matthew is an ESG speaker and writer who has co-authored whitepapers on ESG data rating agencies and data aggregation as well as financial services and biodiversity. He is also the creator of The ESG Advocate newsletter. In recognition of Matthew’s work, Onalytica has included him among their Who’s Who in ESG in 2023. Matthew holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Penn State University. Matthew joins us today to discuss Microsoft’s deep commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance principles and sustainability. He details the company’s strategies for reducing carbon emissions and achieving a net-zero water footprint and highlights how Microsoft’s technology—such as real-time transcription and translation—makes digital content accessible to diverse communities. Matthew also explains how Microsoft ensures Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within its workforce and supplier ecosystem and offers advice on how small companies can build durable ESG programs in their operations and collaborations “I hope that, like Microsoft, more bigger companies will do engagement over divestment; that means putting together things like training programs and transparency to enable our suppliers to meet goals.” – Matthew Sekol This week on Breaking Barriers: Resources Mentioned: Water.orgConnect with Matthew Sekol: The ESG AdvocateMicrosoftMicrosoft on LinkedInMatthew Sekol on LinkedIn This podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

LaMecia Butler is the Program Manager for Meta’s Supplier Diversity. As Program Manager, LaMecia shapes the engagement between Facebook’s supplier diversity team and key stakeholders, which include internal buyers, management, media, diverse suppliers, and industry partners. LaMecia is also the Principal of GEM Legacy Management LLC, a firm that consults with organizations to identify the best strategies for maximum and lasting impacts on communities and individuals. LaMecia received her MBA from Rice University and her BA in Communications – Public Relations from The University of Texas at San Antonio. LaMecia joins us today to discuss Meta’s innovative supplier diversity practice. She highlights the impact of intentionality and engagement on supplier diversity. She describes her background, shares why she decided to join Meta after a career in public relations, and illustrates the role of data in storytelling. She describes the internal tools Meta has built and how they’ve embedded systems to secure and future-proof the sustainability of diverse suppliers. LaMecia also underscores the important role of storytelling in supplier diversity. “At Meta, we bring the world together. We ensure we have the right diverse supplier search tools so people can get involved in finding, recommending—and connecting us to—diverse suppliers.” – LaMecia Butler This week on Breaking Barriers: Connect with LaMecia Butler: Meta Supplier DiversityLaMecia Butler on LinkedIn This podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Vicky Brown is the President and CEO of Idomeneo Enterprises, a strategic business process outsourcing firm that specializes in Human Resources. Vicky’s HR expertise and leadership experience encompass industries such as technology, entertainment, and advertising. In addition to her role as CEO of Idomeneo, Vicky is an accomplished coach who helps new entrepreneurs on their journey toward establishing and running a successful business. She is a recipient of the Senior Professional in Human Resources certification by the Human Resources Management Certification Institute and the Senior Certified Professional designation by the Society for Human Resources Management and holds a California Teaching Credential from the University of Southern California. Vicky is the author of Sing With Your Opera Voice, My Journey From Solopreneur to Entrepreneur. Vicky joins us today to discuss recruiting and firing properly as a small business. She provides key tips on streamlining your hiring and firing process to ensure seamless transitions, quality hires, and amicable parting. She describes her former life as an HR professional by day and a lyric soprano by night. Vicky also highlights the importance of preparation when interviewing a job candidate, explains why recruitment is marketing, and underscores how diversity can impact an organization’s growth and success. “Recruiting is a marketing experience, the same way you’re recruiting potential clients to work with you, you’re recruiting potential candidates to your organization: you want them to be invested in your vision.” – Vicky Brown This week on Breaking Barriers: Connect with Vicky Brown: Idomeneo EnterprisesIdomeneo Enterprises on LinkedInIdomeneo Enterprises on YouTubeIdomeneo Enterprises on FacebookIdomeneo Enterprises on TwitterVicky Brown on LinkedInSing With Your Opera Voice: My Journey from Solopreneur to Entrepreneur This podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Jon Suber is the Supplier Diversity Manager at Freddie Mac, a government-sponsored private bank providing mortgage capital to lenders to make homeownership possible for millions of families and individuals. Jon has a BSBA in Marketing from the Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh and an MBA in Supply Chain Management from Howard University. Before working in his current role Jon worked for international corporations that include Proctor & Gamble and Unilever. He has extensive experience in supply planning, contract manufacturing, logistics, and project management. In today’s episode, Jon joins us to discuss the Supplier Inclusion program with Freddie Mac, one of the biggest buyers of mortgages in the U.S. He discusses how the company works to promote opportunities to diverse suppliers in their pipeline system, how they outreach via national conferences and local events for their 30 Max Supplier diversity program, and how they spread the word on the types of opportunity available at Freddie Mac. Jon explains the Supplier Academy program launched by the company in 2016 and what it provides in terms of education on the company and also the opportunity for diverse suppliers to present their capabilities. He also shares his journey into Supplier Diversity, where he was first introduced to the practice while interning in his first summer of business school and seeded in him a passion for supplier diversity, he would fully realize 11 years later with Freddie Mac. “You have to overcome the unconscious bias of using a diverse supplier versus the Big Four. Because the Big Four is a brand name. You know them. You trust them. They’ve done work but the reality is -who do you think the diverse supplier is? It’s not necessarily a small Mom & Pop operation.” – Jon Suber This week on Breaking Barriers: Resource Mentioned: Freddie Mac’s Supplier Diversity ApplicationConnect with Jon Suber: Freddie Mac’s WebsiteFreddie Mac on LinkedInFreddie Mac on YouTubeFreddie Mac on TwitterFreddie Mac on FacebookJon Suber on LinkedInConnect with Hire Ground: Hire Ground’s WebsiteHire Ground on LinkedInHire Ground on FacebookHire Ground on TwitterCloe Guidry-Reed on LinkedInAdam Moore on LinkedIn This podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

“We know that women are making tremendous strides, but they’re still fighting for opportunities for success in the workplace and as entrepreneurs.” – Cloe Guidry-Reed March has arrived and Spring is in the air! March may be the month of rebirth and regrowth, but it is also the month dedicated to honoring women in business. March 8th was International Women’s Day, a global day celebrating women’s social, economic, and political achievements. March is also Women’s History Month, a month holding some important milestones for women: Title IX, prohibiting sex discrimination in all federally funded education programs, was passed by the Senate on March 1st, 1972. The Senate passed the Equal Rights Amendment on March 22nd of the same year. In March, the first major suffragist ‘march’ took over Washington DC on March 3rd, 1913. It is the month of women for a good reason. In today’s episode, we discuss some of the triumphs and struggles of women in business today. We dissect the reasons women still may have to fight for opportunities to progress while others make tremendous strides in their field. We reveal the different approaches men and women have to pay raises where men are more likely to demand a pay raise while women wait to be recognized. We also look at mentorship, team-building opportunities, and the discussions we can engage in to make positive changes for a fair playing field for women in 21st Century business. This week on Breaking Barriers: Connect with Hire Ground: Hire Ground’s WebsiteHire Ground on LinkedInHire Ground on FacebookHire Ground on TwitterCloe Guidry-Reed on LinkedInAdam Moore on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today!

“Supplier diversity for me from a corporate standpoint isn’t so much a definition or a case study as it is a program where we’re actively helping reduce barrier of entry to small and diverse businesses into corporate America” – Adam Moore Do you think you understand and practice supplier diversity and inclusion? The Harvard Business Review describes a diverse supplier as “a business that is at least 51% owned and operated by an individual or group that is part of a traditionally underrepresented or underserved group.” Bearing that in mind, onboarding diverse suppliers to your supply chain is far more than “the right thing to do.” Supplier inclusion best practices can help your company build a more agile, innovative, and profitable supply chain. In today’s episode of Breaking Barriers, Building a Hire Ground, hosts Cloe Guidry-Reed and Adam Moore discuss supplier diversity and inclusion, and what it means for the next generation of entrepreneurs. They break down the categories of diverse suppliers and discuss what needs to be done to give new-majority-owned companies greater access to opportunities in enterprise supply chains. Cloe and Adam also look at the history of supplier inclusion, starting with the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950’s and 1960’s to its evolution into an economic development initiative. In addition, the podcast hosts talk about the differing responsibilities small businesses have compared to large corporations, and how those smaller businesses can mitigate their own risks when they are brought into a larger organization. This week on Breaking Barriers, Building a Hire Ground: Connect with Hire Ground: Hire Ground’s WebsiteHire Ground on LinkedInHire Ground on FacebookHire Ground on TwitterCloe Guidry-Reed on LinkedInAdam Moore on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

“We realize that you can be everything to everybody. There is absolutely no way that we can all be good at everything, and we’re looking for specialists to come in.” – Adam Moore Do you know why you did not get that call back? There are many topics and attitudes we believe are good to share during sales meetings, because we think it adds value. However, most corporations know what they specifically want, and if you send the wrong message, they will find someone else who is more aligned with their needs. It’s time to prepare, make a plan, and specialize. In today’s episode, we share our top 5 things to avoid when connecting with corporates. We talk about how being unprepared for meetings is much more obvious than you think. We also talk about why it’s better to make a plan when going to tradeshows instead of seeing how things go. We emphasize the importance of being a keen listener and why promising everything doesn’t always look as impressive as you think. This week on Breaking Barriers, Building a Hire Ground: Connect with Hire Ground: Hire Ground’s WebsiteHire Ground on LinkedInHire Ground on FacebookHire Ground on TwitterCloe Guidry-Reed on LinkedInAdam Moore on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

“A succession plan is critical for small, medium, and diverse businesses—it is how your business lives beyond you.” – Adam Moore A business succession plan is something not commonly discussed among small and diverse businesses. After all, it’s especially difficult for any founder—especially those who think of their business as their child—to think of themselves as replaceable. However, in a rapidly changing, post-COVID market, succession planning has become more important than ever—having plans for leadership transitions is vital to maintaining the long-term health of any organization. In this episode, we discuss what succession planning is, why it’s important for your businesses, and how it’s different from a business continuity plan. We share examples of successful companies with succession plans. We outline the key elements every succession plan needs and describe why a time element is crucial. We also highlight how a succession plan can help a business focus on mentorship, explain the importance of internal training and leadership development, and underscore the characteristics any business owner or leader should look for in their replacement. This week on Breaking Barriers: This podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

“A business continuity plan sounds scary, but it allows you to do much more than just run a business—you have to come out of being the ‘Chief Everything Officer’ and truly become the CEO.” – Adam Moore An emergency is bound to happen in any organization, whether it’s a Fortune 500 company or a small, diverse business. For any business, preparation is better than cure. That’s where the business continuity plan comes in; it’s a wonderful document that helps you and your people navigate times of uncertainty. But did you know that a continuity plan goes far beyond just helping an organization continue its operations amid a crisis? In this episode, we discuss the “why” and the “how” of creating business continuity plans for small- to medium-sized businesses. We outline the key elements of building a continuity plan. We explore how business continuity plans can help transform business owners into excellent leaders. We explain what makes the US Army one of the most successful organizations in the world. We also highlight how a continuity plan can help business owners sell their businesses and underscore how continuity plans can help leaders communicate clearly amid disasters and crises. This week on Breaking Barriers: This podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

“Through business excellence, we can transform communities that have had historically high rates of poverty into predictable wealth.” – Louis Garcia This week on Breaking Barriers: Connect with Louis Garcia: Media GarciaMedia Garcia on LinkedInMedia Garcia on TwitterMedia Garcia on InstagramMedia Garcia on FacebookLouis Garcia on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

“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 also the founder and Executive Director of ShowMe50% Women Leading, an organization dedicated to closing the gender gap in companies. Prior to founding Sustainability Navigator, Elba served various roles at UPS for over 26 years: Director of Finance, U.S. Product Performance and Sustainability Director, and Stakeholder Engagement. Elba joins us today to outline key ideas on sustainability for small- and medium-sized businesses. She describes how she learned about ikigai and how she came to the ESG industry after a career in finance. She explains why small- and medium-sized businesses need to be able to clearly demonstrate their commitment to sustainability practices. Elba also highlights the challenges these businesses face when implementing ESG and sustainability practices and shares the first steps for jumpstarting sustainability programs. This week on Breaking Barriers: Connect with Elba Pareja-Gallagher: Sustainability NavigatorSustainability Navigator NewsletterSustainability Navigator on TwitterElba Pareja-Gallagher on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

“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 also worked as a specialist in the government contracting department. The opportunity led to starting GovLia in 2017. Shakeia joins us to discuss how GovLia helps supplier diversity efforts through government contracting support. She recounts her experience in the Navy as well as what it was like to transition back to civilian life. She describes the difficulty of small businesses getting awarded government contracts, especially if these businesses are minority-owned. Shakeia also explains what small businesses can do to make themselves look better than the competition when applying for government contracts. This week on Breaking Barriers: Connect With Shakeia Kegler: GovLiaGovLia on InstagramShakeia Kegler’s WebsiteShakeia Kegler on InstagramShakeia Kegler on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

“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 industry continues to evolve. Whether you’re a veteran supplier diversity professional brushing up on your supplier diversity terms or a new business owner trying to implement supplier diversity programs, you’re in the right place. In this episode, we define supplier diversity terms both old and new. We discuss common myths and misconceptions about diverse and small businesses. We explore set-aside programs and how they’re taking hold in the private sector. We reveal the number one risk to any business today. We also highlight what diverse spending is and how it can impact the generational wealth gap and explain why every small business needs to reach out to their local SBA office. This week on Breaking Barriers: Resources Mentioned: National Minority Supplier Development CouncilNational Veteran-Owned Business AssociationDisabled Veteran Business AllianceThis podcast is brought to you by Hire Ground Hire Ground is a technology company whose mission is to bridge the wealth gap through access to procurement opportunities. Hire Ground is making the enterprise ecosystem more viable, profitable, and competitive by clearing the path for minority-led, women-led, LGBT-led, and veteran-led small businesses to contribute to the global economy as suppliers to enterprise organizations. For more information on getting started please visit us @ hireground.io today! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.