We’ve noticed that a large number of diverse founders who join the Goodie Nation community are solving problems in the same handful of industries. 

When Google for Startups announced this year’s (2021) Black Founders Fund recipients, it further validated our observations. 

Though diverse founders are building startups in several industries, the majority are creating solutions that impact health, culture, education, and the workplace.

It’s not a surprise that diverse founders gravitate towards these industries after remembering that founders solve problems they encounter in their daily lives. 

Imperfections in these industries contribute to a large portion of the hurdles diverse communities must overcome as they work towards acquiring more equitable footing in the United States. 

This blog post will take a closer look at some of the common areas in the workplace where diverse founders are working to affect positive change and create impact.

 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Many diverse founders in our program come from corporate backgrounds and are passionate about improving DEI standards in the workplace. 

Several of them are taking different angles to help companies and employees benefit from better DEI efforts. Here are some founders who are working to improve DEI in the workplace:

• • PeduL Co-Founder Chisa Egbelu corporations helps companies diversify their workforce with scholarship programs. 

• • The Mentor Method Founder Janice Omadeke empowers companies to increase retention and inclusively promote career advancement through inclusive mentorship.

• • Kanarys Co-Founder Mandy Price provides the framework, benchmarking, and data companies need to create long-term systemic change around DEI challenges. 

• • Chezie Co-Founders and siblings Dumebi Egbuna and Toby Egbuna help diverse talent find companies that offer both inclusive and equitable work experiences. 

 

Professional Development

Diverse founders are also seeking to provide innovative solutions regarding professional development. 

Some solutions help talent find jobs while others help current employees improve their skills during their time at a company. Here are some founders offering professional development solutions:

• • Pathwais Founder Janna Westbrook helps non-degree healthcare workers such as Nursing Assistants and Patient Care Technicians become Registered Nurses.

• • Seshie Co-Founder Kofi Frimpong helps companies book online, live, and interactive workshops to help their team with professional and professional development.

 

Gig and Freelance Economy

With the increasing popularity of the gig economy, more and more diverse founders are offering solutions to assist individuals in finding contract work. Here are some founders who are innovating the gig economy:

• • CLLCTVE Co-Founder Kelsey Davis offers a portfolio platform that connects creators to project opportunities. 

• • AfriBlocks Co-Founder Roger Roman offers a marketplace that connects Pan-African professionals to freelance opportunities. 

 

Hope for the Workplace Industry

We’re proud to see diverse entrepreneurs solving problems regarding the workplace because they are ultimately influencing the trajectory of the industry in ways that will improve the standard of work for diverse talent. 

We will continue to put forth our best effort in supporting these founders in any way we can.

If you want to join us in supporting diverse founders who are creating solutions in the workplace industry, the best way to get involved is to get in touch with them!

 

Meet Our Founders in the Workplace Industry

We want to provide as much value to our founders as we possibly can, and a great way to do that is to connect these founders with our excellent network! 

If you’d like to continue closing the relationship gap by helping these founders, see below for how you can get started today.

 

Here’s How You Can Help Them Today

Step 1 – Scroll down the list of founders to find the one(s) you might be able to assist. 

Step 2 – Click on their card for more information, and then click on the “Introduction Link” to start the process of getting in contact with them. 

Note: Please do not contact the founders if you are a service provider. You can register here as an expert instead!