Listen to “#787 What Happened to DEI in American Business?” on Spreaker.
On this episode of The Small Business Radio Show…
SEGMENT 1 with Chloe Valdary starting at 0:18. Diversity, equity and inclusion, commonly referred to as DEI. You would think that all of these things would be good for American business and society at large. But ni longer; more and more companies are coming under attack for having a DEI policy.
Chloé Valdary who is the founder of the Theory of Enchantment, a New York-based DEI organization that fights against racism and bigotry by teaching love.
- Why is DEI a target of the American right wing?
- Exploration of the dehumanization of people based on skin color and the imitative tendency of humans in response to dehumanization.
- Importance of self-reflection in understanding biases and building trust among individuals from diverse backgrounds.
- The influence of proximity and social media on the ability to relate to and understand people from different backgrounds.
- Discussion on affirmative action and its role in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
- Practical steps for small business owners to integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives into their businesses.
SEGMENT 2 with Gary Hawkins starting at 18:37. There is no doubt that retail is going is going through further transformation especially since COVID- how does a main street retail store compete in an online Amazon world?
Gary Hawkins has been described as a visionary and retail industry expert, whose deep knowledge of the industry combines with operational experience and technology savvy to provide a perspective that is completely unique. He has a new book out called “Bionic Retail”.
- The impact of COVID-19 on the retail industry and the accelerated shift towards digital transformation.
- The concept of omnichannel retailing and the need for retailers to be present where the consumers are, both online and in-store.
- Discussion on the significance of building relationships with customers and utilizing tools and technologies for small retailers.
- The use of data and information to know customers’ interests and build a relationship, and the importance of personalizing the shopping experience.
- The exponential growth of technology and its implications for retailers in the future, emphasizing the need for a shift in focus and change in practices.
- The difficulty for long-time retailers to adapt to new requirements for success and the limitations of traditional practices and processes.
- The need for retailers to break down silos and create a unified data foundation to take advantage of new AI applications flooding the market.
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