Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Diana White. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Diana, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you take vacations? How do you keep things going – any advice for entrepreneurs who feel like they can’t step away from their business for a short vacation?

I believe taking time away from the business at varying intervals is critical to reset and reassess. It may be difficult initially, but even a day or staycation if planned well and with the best intentions could do the trick. Most importantly, giving that uninterrupted time to your family and loved ones provides reassurance that they are still a priority in your life.

Diana, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Diana White has over 30 years of experience in sales, retail, consumer psychology, and marketing, which are just a few of her skill sets. She established D.E.W. Business Solutions, LLC in 2014 to provide business consulting for small businesses. She provides the leadership and forward thinking that is required to take your business to the next level.

After working in retail for 30 years, Diana took on the role of Director for the Coconino County Small Business Development Center. Soon after, she began working with a technology incubator, creating entrepreneurial and business development curricula. Diana still delivers instruction to entrepreneurs and small business owners through her work with Moonshot. Diana has a Bachelor of Science degree from Northern Arizona.

Some of Diana’s skillsets include:
Curriculum Development/Facilitation
Workshop Facilitation
Business Coaching/Counseling
Human Resources Development
Content Creation
Strategic Management/Facilitation
Leadership Development
Operations Development and New Initiative Implementation
Presentation Coaching
Professional Development

Diana is also the developer, leader, and team member of three impactful entrepreneurial initiatives: the Coalition of Colorful Women, 10 Lessons Learned Podcast, and DEW Business Solutions, a boutique consulting firm. She holds several certifications, including SHRM-CP, PeerSpectives Facilitator, Entrepreneurship Center Management, Agile Scrum Master, and a Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma. Diana’s dedication to empowering underserved entrepreneurs was recognized when she received the 2023 Woman of Distinction: Innovator of the Year award from the Women’s Foundation of Arizona. With her strategic collaboration and empowerment expertise, Diana is a visionary and recognized leader in building inclusive, thriving entrepreneurial communities.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

I am trained in Servant Leadership and spend considerable time honing my emotional intelligence. It has been my experience that listening for comprehension and empathy while ensuring your team knows their value to the organization is so important. When team members know they are appreciated and bring value to the organization, they feel free and confident enough to suggest ideas that further success. On the flip side of this, creating that atmosphere allows for open and candid development and performance conversations because they know the feedback comes from a place of genuine mentorship and not from a place of micromanagement or powerplay politics. I treat my team with collective and individual care. This means I know each one’s SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) and how that defines us as a team. I get their perspective and buy-in on strategies and decisions. And when I can’t, I circle back to explain the reasoning behind the chosen course of action. I allow them to air their thoughts about it. Together, we work through a plan B. I give them backstory when I can so they understand why I was not able to include them initially. It may seem like it takes a lot of time. But once these practices and philosophies permeate your work culture, everything runs so much more smoothly. And the team is less prone to filling in the blanks with negative connotations.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn that featuring your accomplishments is bragging or coming from a place of ego. As a woman of color, I was always taught to do the work and keep my head down. That my reward will be given to me when the time is right. Throughout the first half of my career, I did this. And my bosses always rewarded me for being such a dedicated hard worker. But, when it was time for me to build a brand for myself, I felt extremely uncomfortable talking about what I had accomplished and the skillsets I brought to the table. And those past bosses weren’t going to write my story. I had to start living in my accomplishments and shedding the uncomfortable cloak of humility, which was stifling me and giving me a case of imposter syndrome. I am humble, but I also know and can speak to what I bring to the table. The two facets can coexist.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dewbusinesssolutions.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-white-20b8bb110/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDAt6aLIwAqD3lC38UYNrCzsAvjfSepZu
• Other: https://coalitionofcolorfulwomen.org/

Image Credits
DEW Business Solutions Moonshot Coalition of Colorful Women Lancaster Leadership Northern Arizona University Lunares Mobile Research Station