Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sabeeta Bidasie-Singh. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Sabeeta, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Have you ever experienced an industry-wide U-Turn? Tell us about it?
In the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing and the subsequent protests, many black-owned businesses are seeing a wave of support and a much more diverse customer base The Black Lives Matter protests were spread across the nation, resulting in increases in sales nationwide. The landscape of minority economic opportunity is a rugged one however, it is something that is very important to local communities and to the national economy. There is no doubt that Minority businesses contribute to the U.S. Economy in a significant way and this makes a clear and compelling case for continued economic growth. The MDBA recently produced an economic report which supported the data on the importance of minority business enterprises (MBEs) in the form of a simple arithmetic: by 2044, minorities will be a majority of the U.S. population. By implication, minority workers and MBEs represent a significant and growing share of the economy. The analysis shows MBE contributions to the economy will increase in both absolute and relative terms over time. Both individually and collectively, we’ve seen the private sector step up in response to racial injustice and inequity and we’re seeing meaningful progress, Company CEOs and Corporate America are heavily invested in the business initiative for diverse businesses in their supply chain and one of the reasons for the progress we’re seeing is because company commitments and initiatives are being driven at the CEO level.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
Today we see a lot of buzz about diversity and inclusion, a subject I can relate to on so many levels. I was born on the island of Trinidad, but was fortunate enough to have worked and lived across 4 continents in the last 20 years. This global citizenship makes me a front runner for diversity ambassadorship. I got into the space of minority business development in Houston to use my global experience in transforming the nuances that diverse businesses encounter in their efforts to grow and scale across Houston. Everyday I work towards opportunity creation to help businesses that are considered minority owned or diverse – I work through our Marketplace Committees where we meet with Corporate members and introduce them to diverse businesses that are able to provide products and services on the same scale and competency as larger businesses. I work with the minority owned businesses to help them close their gaps and build capacity through technical training and assistance and have a high degree of readiness when the corporate opportunities arise. I seek funding for the technical assistance programs we provide through member scholarships – the most recent being a grant secured from the Rockefeller Foundation to create economic equity in underserved communities. My job helps me address systemic inequalities daily and my approach is an all-inclusive, hands-on deck citizens approach. It’s about changing the narrative on sensitive topics that govern how we serve the underserved in America.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
When I joined the council, one of my strategic initiatives was to move toward a more data driven and measured organization. That called on every ounce of resilience within me and my environment. Resilience is really about the ability to thrive during times of change – there is only one constant in today’s workplace (and society) – continuous change. As an organization, we have invested in Lean process improvement initiatives, and improving member satisfaction as well as some internal restructuring. One of our resilience strategies at the council focused on new technical skills, implementation of a CRM to move away from siloed data to make better informed decisions and fostering a change mindset that promotes moving away from ‘stuck’ attitudes and unproductive behaviors. I spent a lot of time working with our leadership team on learning how to identify and challenge their own limiting beliefs and attitudes to produce a growth mindset and become co-creators of a culture of excellence.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
My career has certainly seen it’s fair share of pivots, one of my first jobs was in the field of accounting, followed by media and advertising, then marketing, education and then leadership. I have worked across a number of industry sectors and played different roles. Every time I migrated to a new country to live, I switched careers to what was available during the time of my move and based on my family situation. I would encourage anyone making a career change to be confident with your priorities, work with what you have and most importantly be kind to yourself.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: sabeeta47
- Facebook: Sabeeta Bidasie
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sabeeta-bidasie-singh-8b363646