Goodie Impact Story: Odie Gray (Diversity Cyber Council)
I recently sat down with Odie Gray to talk about his mission and vision to make tech more diverse, specifically the cybersecurity field.
The South Chicago native expressed concern about underrepresented communities not understanding the wealth of opportunities available to them. He recalled growing up and only having three career options – sports, entertainment, or the streets. His own experiences with the lack of professional awareness inspired him to create the Diversity Cyber Council.
The Mission
The Diversity Cyber Council is a 501c3 non-profit that serves disadvantaged communities by facilitating the education, training, and staffing of underrepresented groups in cyber security. Their ultimate goal is to establish a diversity talent pipeline to the cyber workforce.
The Hurdles
Like most entrepreneurial missions, there are obstacles that keep many founders on their toes. One hurdle that Odie knows all too well is lacking the proper funds to achieve his vision. While it’s a constant struggle, he hasn’t let that stop him. His solution was to look inward instead of outward, calling for investments from his board and team to propel his mission of providing training to residents of underserved communities forward.
Gray is also in a race against the tech clock. By the end of 2023, he expects technology to fully automate some lower-skilled positions. Odie already sees the changes happening for his target demographic, with companies investing in significant technical upgrades such as McDonald’s first fully automated restaurant and retail’s big investment in advanced in-store checkout terminals.
"I think the capacity [Goodie Nation] serves is so vital for underrepresented founders, because it's important for people to speak your name in rooms that you're not in."
The Goodie Nation Impact
Odie understands that every touchpoint counts and that no opportunity is too small. As a result of connecting internally within Goodie Nation’s ecosystem, Odie received an unanticipated $75,000 grant award from State Street.
To this day, Odie still can’t believe that one Goodie Nation introduction and a five-minute conversation could lead to the next big thing for Diversity Cyber Council. Odie wants to continue replicating what Joey Womack, Goodie Nation’s founder, did for him by connecting other founders to opportunities. He reflected, saying, “That’s why I go out of my way to [help]. I’m always posting [opportunities] in the Goodie Nation Slack community that come across my radar and [in the] hopes that another entrepreneur might see that and get a similar win.”
The Goodie Nation Ripple Effect
To this day, Odie still can’t believe that one Goodie Nation introduction and a five-minute conversation could lead to the next big thing for Diversity Cyber Council. Odie wants to continue replicating what Joey Womack, Goodie Nation’s founder, did for him by connecting other founders to opportunities. He reflected, saying, “That’s why I go out of my way to [help]. I’m always posting [opportunities] in the Goodie Nation Slack community that come across my radar and [in the] hopes that another entrepreneur might see that and get a similar win.”
"What I realized was that instead of living from the inside out, and [finding] our purpose from within, and bringing that to this world, we are [told] to conform and assimilate to what the world believes we should be."
Developing Tomorrow’s Cyber Security Professionals
Within the first year of establishing the Diversity Cyber Council, Odie and his team trained and certified approximately 70 professionals. With his recent grant, he’s confident he can triple that number. Additionally, he’s excited to invest in his Spotlight offering, which will connect his target demographic to over 45,000 state non-profits to help them receive additional support, like training and workforce development services.
A long-term goal of Odie’s is to nurture his “Tech is the New Trap Campaign,” which pays homage to Atlanta’s rich trap music history and leverages music and entertainment to reinforce pathways into tech entrepreneurship and tech careers.
With his campaign, he hopes to shift the mindset for Black communities and their identities within the world and provide a structured path towards tech with inclusive events such as a music & tech festival and a community center.
Odie's Tips for Goodie Nation Founders
Don’t be afraid to reach out and connect with someone new
Odie said founders need to take full advantage of everything Goodie Nation offers. As an entrepreneur of color, Odie feels like the most valuable lesson he’s learned is the importance of relationships, and he’s been able to form them inside the Goodie Nation ecosystem.
Odie says a simple hey, asking what someone’s up to, and, “just being able to vent and feel like you’re not alone” can go a long way.
His favorite ways to develop those relationships and plug into Goodie Nation are through in-person events and Slack community interactions.
Find your tribe
Odie leans on Goodie Nation’s virtual “All Founders Need Therapy” sessions to connect with other founders. He says it’s essential to have a tribe, saying, “[Other founders] speak about their experiences that you can relate to and then discuss how they overcame it.”
He believes these stories and interactions become tools that founders can put in their toolkits to help them solve their own challenges. He said that leaning on your tribe to help “Build Your Own Table” is also something that he appreciates. He believes your tribe can quickly become your first customers, early adopters, and even future co-founders if there’s a similar alignment as you’re building together.
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You can connect with Odie Gray via LinkedIn and support his mission to make tech more equitable at www.diversitycybercouncil.com.