When I first arrived in Australia, my world flipped upside down. Coming from Kenya – where everyone looked like me and our shared culture and traditions felt safe and familiar – nothing could have prepared me for the shock of almost always being the ONLY person of colour in a room or space.
In my lectures, tutorials, when catching public transport, or going grocery shopping, I rarely saw anyone who looked like me. Simple things I’d done all my life now suddenly made me feel out of place.
But not just like an outsider. The message I (and so many people of colour) received was that I was an outsider AND less than.
Most entrepreneurs will never understand what it’s like to be in a room where no one else looks like you. Where you never quite feel comfortable – whether it be in person or virtually. Most entrepreneurs will never understand what it’s like watching what you say and how you say it, and wanting to belong and trying to fit in. They’ll never know what it’s like to constantly practice a balancing act knowing that the standards by which they are being measured are different from the others in the room.
But that is the reality most BIPOC entrepreneurs face every time they get onto a Zoom call, join a course, or invest in a mentor. We’ve had to get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Sometimes it’s the conversations that leave you feeling less than, not because you’ve done something in particular but because of the perceptions others may have of people who look like you. Sometimes it is subtle jabs hidden in niceness that you can’t quite put your finger on it but deep down you know something’s not right.
All of these things are part of the reason I became a DEI coach and consultant. Seeing the gaping gap that exists in our coaching and personal development industry, I felt the call to work with online business owners and coaches with businesses that impact lives every day. It is my mission to help those change-makers see how they can build businesses that are racially equitable and inclusive.
Because it begins with you, the CEO. These silent slights and covert remarks end when white women business owners decide to create spaces that are safeR and inclusive for everyone.
One of the ways you can build your coaching business to have more diverse representation is by learning how to incorporate inclusive language into your business. This is a topic that, once you see how meaningful and impactful your written words can be, is a catalyst for the deeper work that draws people of all races to work with you and trust you.
If that sounds like something you know is missing (or couple be improved upon) in your business, I’d love to invite you to join me for my FREE 3-day inclusive language intensive where I’ll help you to:
➡️ Connect with your personal why for doing this necessary work (most people find that their reasons are much deeper than they ever could have imagined)
➡️ Explore & unpack the concept of inclusive language and how it intersects at a personal/professional level (especially for heart-led businesses who are working for more than just profit – this is a legacy we’re building)
➡️ Learn the difference between authentic inclusivity and virtue signalling so your business attracts a diverse clientele for years to come (not just when boxes are checked)
➡️ Deep dive into your content and identify where you can be more inclusive (we’re talking much deeper than one statement on your About Page)
➡️ Learn the 5 key concepts it takes to provide safeR spaces for people of colour within your programs & offerings (so that you can become known as a leader for ALL kinds of people)
Ready to join me for this FREE 3 day intensive?
With Love,
Annie
