Summer 2023
THE QUARTERLY INSIGHT
“Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it's having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it's our greatest measure of courage.”
- Brené Brown, world-class researcher and author of six New York Times bestsellers
Embrace the New Horizons: A Promising Start to the School Year!
In 2021, my wife and I decided that the family would begin spending a good portion of the summer in another part of the country. We consider these trips our response to the pandemic and all that we and the rest of the world endured during that difficult period. Our hope was that we would begin creating space through this immersive experience to learn about new places and people without the limitations that familiarity and pressured conformity brings to learning experiences. We opened our minds to living a lifestyle that was not like the one in our home city and connected with people in ways that seemed vulnerable (always asking for help at every turn is not in our nature) to start but immediately created an opportunity for shared discovery for the novice...and the teacher. I vividly remember a conversation with a couple on a ferry ride that started with tips on places to go in their city but ended with both couples sharing and learning about our respective love for soccer and our boys.
Why is this story relevant to a new school year? Oftentimes leaders of young people - principals, teachers, coaches - begin planning for the school year or season with their most vulnerable or novice stakeholders in mind, but not at the table. If we could potentially shift our thinking and approach where we are consistently empathizing and elevating the perspective of the learner, we may not only generate for ourselves a renewed energy around discovery, but we may also learn a thing or two about the world that we would have otherwise missed. Something to consider...
Here's to a new year full of learning, sharing, and growing for us all.
Best wishes in the new school year!
Unleashing Potential: A Transformative Experience for the Firms' UNC Luther Hodges Scholar Interns
The UNC Luther Hodges Scholars were introduced to leaders in the nonprofit sector, including family foundations, local and national level government leaders, place-based organizations in the Atlanta area, and worked on several projects for the firm's growth and development. Additionally, the firm provided several workshops to increase networking, broaden industry knowledge, and increase knowledge of research techniques.
From left to right - During orientation, Hodges Scholars were coached by Talib alSalaam, Kenan Flager MBA Class of 2010, on best practices for data research planning. Atiba Mbiwan, Executive Director at the Zeist Foundation, and his team provided a crash course on place-based philanthropy and community development. Stephanie Core, Senior Data Analyst, shared best practices on how to present data as well as how to navigate a career in the data analytics field. Toured the John H. Harland Boys & Girls Club of Metro Atlanta and was given valuable insight on the business side of nonprofit work from David Jernigan, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta.
Client Spotlights
RICE
Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE) has partnered with the Atlanta Black Chambers, Invest Atlanta, Mayor Andre Dicken's office, and Colombian officials to begin the first official trade mission in Colombia supporting business leaders and entrepreneurs of Afro-decent. A group of 20 Black entrepreneurs visited the culturally vibrant city of Cali in lieu of supporting, encouraging, and strategizing with Afro-Colombian business owners through establishing relationships with potential suppliers, manufacturers, and other relevant business opportunities in Colombia.
Goodie Nation
Joey Womack, founder of Goodie Nation, was recognized for his work with entrepreneurs with a surprise award from Mayor Andre Dickens for $100,000 from Google. Womack is the first person given a Google Startups Community Icon Award, paving the way for a continuing philanthropic initiative by Google to support startup companies.
STEAM Truck
In partnership with Girls Going Tech, STEAM Truck's summer camps have been empowering young girls through access to innovative programming workshops designed to ignite passions, inspire, and prove to young campers that they can excel in any work domain they choose to pursue.
CareerRise
Our firm is excited to announce that we have been selected to develop a multi-year strategic plan for CareerRise. The engagement will combine extensive desk research with the aggregation of the thoughts from the organization's leadership and stakeholder community to develop a comprehensive strategic roadmap.