HOUSTON (September 23, 2020) – Social justice and political unrest across the nation are two realities that many may consider as difficult topics for people to talk about without fear. But for a small business, understanding diversity and inclusivity have become a necessary consideration to survive.
Tyrone Tanner, Ed.D.
“What’s happening is [social justice] is coming off of the protest floor, the streets, and into the board room and lunchrooms. So, it’s not something that can necessarily be evaded at this point,” explained Jasmin Espy, program director for Prairie View A&M University’s Small Business Development Center (PVAMU SBDC). “Now, [consumer] dollars are behind it, and corporation employees are mobilizing these changes to create new policies.”
In a collaborative Zoom event on Thursday, Sept. 24, the PVAMU Office of Continuing Education (OCE) and Blue Palmetto Training will dive deeper into the framework needed to heighten small business owners’ social consciousness and the path to survive in this temporary, “new normal.” The webinar entitled “The Raw Truth™: Protests, Pivots, and Profits” features Tyrone Tanner, Ed.D., executive director of the Northwest Houston Center (NWHC) and professor in education, as the guest speaker. Tanner will explain the Deficit Model Theory and its impact on potential customers.
“[The] Deficit model theory or thinking is the perspective that minority group members are different because their culture is deficient in important ways from the dominant majority group. This is without taking into consideration that Black and Brown groups live in oppressive systems that cause harm with little to no accountability,” Tanner said.
One way to counter how this type of thinking, which facilitates social injustice, Tanner said, is for businesses to understand this problem and create a business plan that is welcoming to a diverse client base.
Darryl Owens
“Companies who embrace equity and inclusion are 70 percent more likely to capture new markets, increase productivity by as much as 16 percent, and employees are three times more likely to stay employed with the company,” Tanner said.
For small business owners, this webinar is an opportunity to gain knowledge and tools they can not only use but quickly put into practice.
“Small businesses don’t typically have access to support or resources to face some of the social challenges in the market place,” Espy said. “So, this course will provide information to help drive changes in their business. The PVAMU SBDC can help offer free advising where businesses might need help in making changes to the business or marketing plans.”
Darryl Owens became an SBDC client just as the pandemic hit in March.
“I was alerted of the great work PVAMU SBDC provided by a business associate. So, I reached out, and although I had hoped for a lot, they have greatly exceeded my expectations.”
Owens owns Arlington, Texas-based Blue Palmetto Training LLC, a company that trains small-to-medium sized business in team building, leadership development, and diversity and inclusion. He will talk about the tools he learned and incorporated into his pandemic pivot for his business during the seminar.
“Being an entrepreneur and lifelong learner, [I have no problem seeking] help for whatever can move my company forward,” Owens said. “I have been blessed by every offering available, but the building of my company image has had the greatest impact. I am thankful we were connected because it has yielded great results so far. And I’m encouraged it will yield even more.”
Rebecca L. Faison, Ph.D.
Owens’ ongoing personal journey to learning also contributes to his ability to profit during the pandemic, which is part of the platform Rebecca L. Faison, Ph.D., is executing in the OCE.
Dr. Faison said, “The attainment of the Raw Truth is a personal journey, and the outcomes are a result of lived-experiences. I say that if Americans wish to remain united as well as retain an impactful economy (during and after the pandemics), we must engage in conversations and practices that deconstruct the isms of race—the ultimate deterrent.”
This webinar and other programming are part of Faison’s research interests in the attainment of economic sustainability in under-represented communities through the mediums of university engagement and workforce development.
“As the director, it is imperative that our office develops a platform that supports our communities during the pandemic(s) of COVID-19 and social unrest. Our goal is to produce and provide knowledge that cultivates a culture of life-long learning,” Faison stated.
Espy says the one-hour Zoom event will be educational and help small business owners understand how to embrace change and diversify their client base, which could mean the difference between success and failure.
Jasmin Espy
“I think companies are trying to figure out how to do it and [are learning] that accountability is beyond just showing it on paper,” Espy said about the customer shift. “People really want to see it. People are saying, ‘I’m not going to spend money if you are not socially sensitive. So, I’m going to go to another business.’
This joint effort between OCE and SBDC will also deliver free advising and resources, including marketing plans on how to pivot.
“You’re going to see in this webinar that we start talking about this ‘Deficit Model’ and how to protect your revenues because there is a shift that’s changing how people spend [their money] and who they want to spend it with,” Espy said.
To register for the free webinar, click here.
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By Michael Douglas