August 22, 2024 • 19 mins
In this episode, Make the Change engages with Liz Cullen Whitehead, the CEO of 12PointFive and co-founder of Diversity Masterminds, who has supported diverse entrepreneurs since 2002.
Liz shares her journey of creating positive change, her challenges, and how she addressed them. She also provides insights into the importance of supplier diversity, sustainability, and mindfulness in today's business landscape.
Learn about Liz's bespoke services to underrepresented business owners and how she helps them leverage certifications for growth. Discover the rewarding aspects of her consultancy experience and her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to make a positive impact.
Join us for an episode filled with captivating stories and thought-provoking discussions. For more information, visit Make the Change, 12PointFive or Diversity Masterminds. Stay tuned for our next episode of Conversation of Change!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Music.
(00:05):
Hello everyone, welcome to Conversation or Change, the podcast that features
social entrepreneurs that create inspiring and positively impactful work.
My name is Nabilah and I am a change maker with Make the Change,
a social enterprise in Singapore offering learning programs to tertiary students
and persons with disabilities,
(00:27):
offering creative services to businesses,
as well as educating corporates about creating lasting impact and attaining
their targeted CSR goals.
Today, we have a special guest joining us this time. She is Liz Cullen-Whitehead,
the CEO of 12.5 and co-founder of Diversity Masterminds.
(00:50):
It was since 2002, Liz has been supporting diverse entrepreneurs in growing
successful businesses.
Welcome, Liz!
Thanks, Nabilah. It's a pleasure to have you here with us today.
So for today's section, for the listeners to be on track on what we will cover,
we will cover topics from supplier diversity, sustainability, and even mindfulness.
(01:16):
So let's kick off today's conversation with a self-introduction of Leeds and
an overview of what you do.
Oh, thank you. And thanks so much for having me. I'm happy to be here.
My name is Liz Whitehead. I am the CEO of 12.5, as you mentioned,
co-mastermind of Diversity Masterminds.
And I started my career, as you mentioned, in 2002, helping certified diverse
(01:41):
business owners do business with big corporations.
And what I realized was that business owners,
entrepreneurs need information they learn in a way that is different than people
perhaps in training for a corporate job going from A to B.
They're juggling a lot of different things. And I realized they need the information
(02:05):
they need when they need it in a way that they can digest it.
So I started my own company in 2017 to offer more bespoke services for entrepreneurs
who are doing business development with the aim of getting contracts with big corporations.
Awesome. So it seems that your entire journey has been focused on creating positive change.
(02:29):
So how has your journey towards creating positive change evolved over the many years?
Oh, thanks. It's a great question. So I think that it probably started when
I was about seven and I was going to Catholic school here in the States.
And in Catholic school, they talk a lot about the priests and the nuns having
(02:53):
a calling. Like God speaks to you and says, this is what you have to do.
And I was terrified that I was going to have a calling.
I was like, please don't pick me. But what I realize now looking back was like,
that was, you know, the beginning of instilling in me the need to be of service, right? Right.
(03:14):
I was like, I knew that at some point, you know, that I was pretty lucky,
pretty privileged, as we might say here in terms of, you know,
what I had access to and that I knew that I was going to be of service.
So I started my career actually in the environmental field, but realizing that,
you know, the the fundraising and the political organizing,
(03:36):
what I really liked about that, what really spoke to me was the chance to talk
to people about how things were affecting them.
So when I had the opportunity to move for an organization that was going to
support entrepreneurs about 20 years ago, that's when I really found that, oh,
I have a strength here in terms of talking to people about what they need and
(03:58):
how I can help them and connecting them with resources.
And this is a need that people have. So my calling actually found me.
I did eventually have one. And it wasn't as scary as I thought.
Interesting i'm sure that it has been you mentioned that it has been 20 over
years since you have been in that particular company 12.5 right um there are
(04:21):
a lot of like trends changing over what companies need or certain resources
change over the years so what would be some of the challenges that you face
and how did you address them,
That's a great question. So I started my company in 2017, but I've started in
this career in 2002. So I've basically been in this space for 20 years. Right.
(04:41):
And, you know, we were chatting a little bit before we started recording about
how I did a video series called Business Unusual, which was precisely about this.
Me and my co-founder at Diversity Masterminds, Heather, interviewed business
owners about different challenges they faced and how they overcame.
And in that time, there was the dot-com boom and bust.
(05:06):
There's 2011, which was massive globally, but here in the States, I'm sorry, 9-11.
There was the financial crisis of 2008. We just went through COVID.
So what I've learned is that it's always business unusual.
Like there's no such thing as like, okay, we're just going to,
this is like normal state.
(05:28):
There's always something that is going to change and cause you to reflect or have to adjust.
And that's, I think the biggest learning that I've had that one,
you have to be ready for those changes.
But also, if you're proactively looking for new opportunities,
saying yes to things that might be outside your comfort zone,
(05:51):
you're better prepared for when those times come. You've built up different reserves.
You have different revenue streams. Those are the kinds of things that I think really keep you going.
Right. Yeah, I do agree with you. And it's actually nice and heartwarming to
hear about your journey towards creating positive change and how you mentioned
about you have to be prepared with whatever comes to you, right?
(06:15):
Yeah. So speaking of impactful work, let's delve into the services that you provide.
So can you give us a brief description of what you do on the services part?
Yeah. So when companies get certified either as a diverse-owned business or a B Corp business.
(06:37):
Then a lot of times they're like, okay, I'm excited about this certification.
I worked hard to get it, but I don't really know what to do with it.
What is my goal for leveraging this certification?
What is my goal for making connections through this organization?
And And that's really where I come in. I'm a business development consultant
(06:59):
specializing in underrepresented founders and companies that are trying to make
a positive impact. How can you do that?
You know, ethical, authentic business development to grow your business.
So you can make a bigger room as a, as a business owner.
So the services I offer include one, I have an online course, right?
(07:22):
Like I mentioned, business owners are busy. Small business owners are always
doing something. So I have an online course. You can take it on demand.
Then my co-founder and I offer like a live cohort because another key aspect
doing this work is that being a business owner or being in a small business can be lonely.
And you need other peers to bounce ideas off of.
(07:43):
So we have a live cohort to go over the concepts we teach in the online course.
And then, you know, I always say, once someone knows what they need to do,
and then sometimes a business owner will be like, well, I don't think I'm ever
going to be able to do that.
I don't think I have time to do that. Then they can hire me for one-on-one services.
Oh, I see. That's great. Great. So then one of the key keywords that you mentioned
(08:09):
was about underrepresented business and about how, you know,
supplier diversity comes to the picture.
So that is something that I would like to, you know, share with the listeners
first who might not be familiar with this term.
So at least you can chip in as well, because I think you are the more suitable
person to explain what supplier diversity is about.
(08:30):
So, supplier diversity is a business strategy that encourages the use of diverse
suppliers such as minority-owned, women-owned, and other historically underrepresented
businesses in the supply chain.
And it's all about creating equal opportunities and promoting inclusive economic growth, right?
(08:51):
Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. You you pretty much nailed it.
It's it basically it's it originated
in the United States with the civil rights movement in the 1960s.
And as a means of using the particularly the government's economic spending
power to address social and economic disparities among minority groups.
(09:13):
And then as it's grown, it's included, it's become more inclusive of other groups,
including women, people with disabilities, the LGBT community, veterans.
And not only that, it's expanded globally. So, you know, even in the business
community in the U.S., some people are not familiar with the terms.
(09:35):
And then globally, it's still, well, I joined an international organization
to work on supplier diversity in 2011.
It's still relatively new in those spaces. Not only that, it's also expanded
beyond the government to include major corporations.
And I would say, actually, it's the multinational companies,
(09:57):
your Apples, your Googles, your, you know, IBMs that have really taken these
concepts and turn them into not just CSR or a nice to have,
but a real economic driver for that.
Speaking of supply diversity about women-owned businesses and all,
(10:18):
do you tend to see yourself making conscious efforts or conscious practices
in your day-to-day life?
Like habits? Yeah, absolutely.
So not only in my day-to-day life, but also in my business. That was one of
the key things. So we met.
I met. I became familiar with Make the Change through B Corp.
(10:41):
And the fact that I count my spend, so I count all my company spend with the
various groups I mentioned, minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses.
So I count track that every year. That was one of the key reasons that made
me think that, oh, yeah, B Corp could be possible for me.
That there's, you know, a lot of small business owners look at it and think,
(11:02):
I don't have a huge carbon footprint, I don't think.
You know, I don't have wastewater that I'm trying to treat. but there's all
these social aspects that are super important.
I also, once I got B Corp certified too, so there's a women-owned logo.
I always look for those when I go shopping.
And now that I've gotten B Corp certified, I've noticed that actually a lot
(11:26):
of the stuff I was buying already, it turns out it was B Corp that I was buying
stuff from companies whose values I aligned with.
And then And the B Corp brand really solidified that.
Yeah, I guess you attract what you believe, yeah? Yeah, you vote your values with your dollars.
That's what my co-founder Heather always says.
(11:46):
It's like your dollars will tell you where your values are.
On a related note, let's focus on sustainability now.
So can you share your thoughts on the importance of sustainability in today's
business landscape? keep?
So my entire, you know, since 2002, I've been focused on corporations that want
(12:07):
to have diverse businesses in their supply chain, right?
And increasingly, what I've noticed, and one of the reasons that finally prompted
me to get B Corp certified was I noticed that corporations were not only asking
for those certifications,
but also for companies ESG statements, like I want to know I want to know your
environmental, social, and governance goals.
(12:28):
I want to know if you have a sustainability statement.
And again, like I said, a lot of small business owners are thinking,
like, I didn't know that that applied to me.
At the same time, a lot of entrepreneurs and particularly the people that we
would come across in our spaces, they got into business because they wanted to make a social impact.
(12:49):
So it turns out what I find when I'm coaching people through these processes.
It's not just saying, you know, this is what you need to do,
but more looking at this is what you're already doing.
You're already in alignment with the kinds of things that corporations want to see.
So I think it's definitely a value add in the space I come from in terms of supplier diversity.
(13:12):
In fact, supplier diversity is increasingly being couched under a broader So
it's only becoming more and more important.
And then, as you know, of course, it's more important than that.
I mean, I think we're all feeling the effects of, you know, climate change,
(13:33):
of different social and economic disparities.
We're all seeing that. It's, you know, definitely in the U.S. and globally.
And so it's everybody's responsibility to take action on that as well.
Yeah, I definitely agree with you. Even in Asia right now, I think that sustainability
is one huge topic that a lot of us are quite passionate about.
(13:57):
All right, so let's move on to maybe a personal insight of your journey.
So my question to you is, what has been the most rewarding part of this entire
business consultancy experience?
Oh, there's so many. I think for me, the most rewarding part,
like my driving mission through, you know, why I got into supplier diversity
(14:20):
or any of this work, was to be of service, but also to help underrepresented,
underestimated founders and entrepreneurs.
Get a larger piece of the economic pie, you know, be economically independent, financially stable.
And so when I see my clients actually making it work, like growing their business
(14:45):
in an authentic way that fits within their values, that and getting those,
new clients, getting a big corporate client, putting a large financial institution
on retainer, Those are the kind of things that are going to make them economically sustainable.
They're going to make them able to be generous with their workers,
(15:07):
with their employees, and grow.
So that's what's been really gratifying for me. I think also I never saw myself as an entrepreneur.
I went to college, I figured I'd get a job and I put in my nine to five and then I'd be done.
But it's been really gratifying for me to see that the flexibility and the creativity
(15:30):
that being my own boss affords has pushed me into areas I never thought I would be in.
And that's really gratifying too.
You can, you know, that I certainly, and I believe a lot of probably listeners
out there too, it's like, you really don't know what you're capable of until you try.
(15:51):
Absolutely. I think I myself can relate to that as well.
Yeah, it's wonderful to hear about the rewarding aspects of your journey.
Now, before we wrap up, what advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs
or maybe just like-minded individuals who just want to get started on doing
something, doing positive change? What would you say?
(16:14):
Yeah, well, Nabila, you sort of couched it there, like just doing something.
Like you don't, it's like anything else, you don't have to do it all at once.
You don't have to get, you know, 150% on your B-Lab assessment to be a sustainable business.
You don't have to do it all. So if you take one thing,
(16:36):
you know, that I'm going to offset the carbon emissions from my flight,
I'm going to find an organization that I can, you know, offset that's going
to plant a tree every time I take a flight.
Or I'm going to, you know, right now I don't have like any internship programs,
but I'm going to look at, I'm going to look into organizations that will pay an intern for me.
(17:00):
And as a result, I'm going to get someone who's a first generation college student
or someone who's new to this field.
I think there's a lot of things that people can do to just get started. The key is.
Not to wait for permission or not to wait until someone tells you that they want you to do it.
I think so many, I think for me, especially like that held me back for a long
(17:24):
time where I was waiting for someone to say, okay, it's now time you've done enough.
It's time for you to start your business or okay, you've done enough.
It's time for you to get B Corp certified.
You really have to find that within yourself and you don't have to wait for permission.
You can do it right now definitely yeah thank you
so much Liz for being a part of this episode it's actually
quite evident from our conversation today
(17:46):
that you know just be proactive be prepared
for any change to come and I love that
you have actually made significant strides and is still making in empowering
diverse business owners you know promoting sustainability mindfulness and one
One thing that I would like to highlight is how you are creating community support
in the B Corp scene as well.
(18:10):
Yeah. Oh, thank you. And thanks for the work that Make the Change is doing. It's so important.
To our listeners out there who are still tuning in to this very end,
thank you for listening and joining us on this episode of Exploration and Discovering.
For more information about Make the Change, please visit our website at makethechange.sg.
(18:33):
And to learn more about Child.5 or Diversity Masterminds, please visit child.5.com
or diversitymastermind.com.
Or you can also visit Lee's Whitehead and we will add it into our caption or
her Instagram and her LinkedIn as well.
So stay tuned to our next episode of conversational change where we will continue
(18:56):
bringing you captivating stories and thought-provoking discussions until then see you next time.
Music.
Music.
(00:05):
Hello everyone, welcome to Conversation or Change, the podcast that features
social entrepreneurs that create inspiring and positively impactful work.
My name is Nabilah and I am a change maker with Make the Change,
a social enterprise in Singapore offering learning programs to tertiary students
and persons with disabilities,
(00:27):
offering creative services to businesses,
as well as educating corporates about creating lasting impact and attaining
their targeted CSR goals.
Today, we have a special guest joining us this time. She is Liz Cullen-Whitehead,
the CEO of 12.5 and co-founder of Diversity Masterminds.
(00:50):
It was since 2002, Liz has been supporting diverse entrepreneurs in growing
successful businesses.
Welcome, Liz!
Thanks, Nabilah. It's a pleasure to have you here with us today.
So for today's section, for the listeners to be on track on what we will cover,
we will cover topics from supplier diversity, sustainability, and even mindfulness.
(01:16):
So let's kick off today's conversation with a self-introduction of Leeds and
an overview of what you do.
Oh, thank you. And thanks so much for having me. I'm happy to be here.
My name is Liz Whitehead. I am the CEO of 12.5, as you mentioned,
co-mastermind of Diversity Masterminds.
And I started my career, as you mentioned, in 2002, helping certified diverse
(01:41):
business owners do business with big corporations.
And what I realized was that business owners,
entrepreneurs need information they learn in a way that is different than people
perhaps in training for a corporate job going from A to B.
They're juggling a lot of different things. And I realized they need the information
(02:05):
they need when they need it in a way that they can digest it.
So I started my own company in 2017 to offer more bespoke services for entrepreneurs
who are doing business development with the aim of getting contracts with big corporations.
Awesome. So it seems that your entire journey has been focused on creating positive change.
(02:29):
So how has your journey towards creating positive change evolved over the many years?
Oh, thanks. It's a great question. So I think that it probably started when
I was about seven and I was going to Catholic school here in the States.
And in Catholic school, they talk a lot about the priests and the nuns having
(02:53):
a calling. Like God speaks to you and says, this is what you have to do.
And I was terrified that I was going to have a calling.
I was like, please don't pick me. But what I realize now looking back was like,
that was, you know, the beginning of instilling in me the need to be of service, right? Right.
(03:14):
I was like, I knew that at some point, you know, that I was pretty lucky,
pretty privileged, as we might say here in terms of, you know,
what I had access to and that I knew that I was going to be of service.
So I started my career actually in the environmental field, but realizing that,
you know, the the fundraising and the political organizing,
(03:36):
what I really liked about that, what really spoke to me was the chance to talk
to people about how things were affecting them.
So when I had the opportunity to move for an organization that was going to
support entrepreneurs about 20 years ago, that's when I really found that, oh,
I have a strength here in terms of talking to people about what they need and
(03:58):
how I can help them and connecting them with resources.
And this is a need that people have. So my calling actually found me.
I did eventually have one. And it wasn't as scary as I thought.
Interesting i'm sure that it has been you mentioned that it has been 20 over
years since you have been in that particular company 12.5 right um there are
(04:21):
a lot of like trends changing over what companies need or certain resources
change over the years so what would be some of the challenges that you face
and how did you address them,
That's a great question. So I started my company in 2017, but I've started in
this career in 2002. So I've basically been in this space for 20 years. Right.
(04:41):
And, you know, we were chatting a little bit before we started recording about
how I did a video series called Business Unusual, which was precisely about this.
Me and my co-founder at Diversity Masterminds, Heather, interviewed business
owners about different challenges they faced and how they overcame.
And in that time, there was the dot-com boom and bust.
(05:06):
There's 2011, which was massive globally, but here in the States, I'm sorry, 9-11.
There was the financial crisis of 2008. We just went through COVID.
So what I've learned is that it's always business unusual.
Like there's no such thing as like, okay, we're just going to,
this is like normal state.
(05:28):
There's always something that is going to change and cause you to reflect or have to adjust.
And that's, I think the biggest learning that I've had that one,
you have to be ready for those changes.
But also, if you're proactively looking for new opportunities,
saying yes to things that might be outside your comfort zone,
(05:51):
you're better prepared for when those times come. You've built up different reserves.
You have different revenue streams. Those are the kinds of things that I think really keep you going.
Right. Yeah, I do agree with you. And it's actually nice and heartwarming to
hear about your journey towards creating positive change and how you mentioned
about you have to be prepared with whatever comes to you, right?
(06:15):
Yeah. So speaking of impactful work, let's delve into the services that you provide.
So can you give us a brief description of what you do on the services part?
Yeah. So when companies get certified either as a diverse-owned business or a B Corp business.
(06:37):
Then a lot of times they're like, okay, I'm excited about this certification.
I worked hard to get it, but I don't really know what to do with it.
What is my goal for leveraging this certification?
What is my goal for making connections through this organization?
And And that's really where I come in. I'm a business development consultant
(06:59):
specializing in underrepresented founders and companies that are trying to make
a positive impact. How can you do that?
You know, ethical, authentic business development to grow your business.
So you can make a bigger room as a, as a business owner.
So the services I offer include one, I have an online course, right?
(07:22):
Like I mentioned, business owners are busy. Small business owners are always
doing something. So I have an online course. You can take it on demand.
Then my co-founder and I offer like a live cohort because another key aspect
doing this work is that being a business owner or being in a small business can be lonely.
And you need other peers to bounce ideas off of.
(07:43):
So we have a live cohort to go over the concepts we teach in the online course.
And then, you know, I always say, once someone knows what they need to do,
and then sometimes a business owner will be like, well, I don't think I'm ever
going to be able to do that.
I don't think I have time to do that. Then they can hire me for one-on-one services.
Oh, I see. That's great. Great. So then one of the key keywords that you mentioned
(08:09):
was about underrepresented business and about how, you know,
supplier diversity comes to the picture.
So that is something that I would like to, you know, share with the listeners
first who might not be familiar with this term.
So at least you can chip in as well, because I think you are the more suitable
person to explain what supplier diversity is about.
(08:30):
So, supplier diversity is a business strategy that encourages the use of diverse
suppliers such as minority-owned, women-owned, and other historically underrepresented
businesses in the supply chain.
And it's all about creating equal opportunities and promoting inclusive economic growth, right?
(08:51):
Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. You you pretty much nailed it.
It's it basically it's it originated
in the United States with the civil rights movement in the 1960s.
And as a means of using the particularly the government's economic spending
power to address social and economic disparities among minority groups.
(09:13):
And then as it's grown, it's included, it's become more inclusive of other groups,
including women, people with disabilities, the LGBT community, veterans.
And not only that, it's expanded globally. So, you know, even in the business
community in the U.S., some people are not familiar with the terms.
(09:35):
And then globally, it's still, well, I joined an international organization
to work on supplier diversity in 2011.
It's still relatively new in those spaces. Not only that, it's also expanded
beyond the government to include major corporations.
And I would say, actually, it's the multinational companies,
(09:57):
your Apples, your Googles, your, you know, IBMs that have really taken these
concepts and turn them into not just CSR or a nice to have,
but a real economic driver for that.
Speaking of supply diversity about women-owned businesses and all,
(10:18):
do you tend to see yourself making conscious efforts or conscious practices
in your day-to-day life?
Like habits? Yeah, absolutely.
So not only in my day-to-day life, but also in my business. That was one of
the key things. So we met.
I met. I became familiar with Make the Change through B Corp.
(10:41):
And the fact that I count my spend, so I count all my company spend with the
various groups I mentioned, minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses.
So I count track that every year. That was one of the key reasons that made
me think that, oh, yeah, B Corp could be possible for me.
That there's, you know, a lot of small business owners look at it and think,
(11:02):
I don't have a huge carbon footprint, I don't think.
You know, I don't have wastewater that I'm trying to treat. but there's all
these social aspects that are super important.
I also, once I got B Corp certified too, so there's a women-owned logo.
I always look for those when I go shopping.
And now that I've gotten B Corp certified, I've noticed that actually a lot
(11:26):
of the stuff I was buying already, it turns out it was B Corp that I was buying
stuff from companies whose values I aligned with.
And then And the B Corp brand really solidified that.
Yeah, I guess you attract what you believe, yeah? Yeah, you vote your values with your dollars.
That's what my co-founder Heather always says.
(11:46):
It's like your dollars will tell you where your values are.
On a related note, let's focus on sustainability now.
So can you share your thoughts on the importance of sustainability in today's
business landscape? keep?
So my entire, you know, since 2002, I've been focused on corporations that want
(12:07):
to have diverse businesses in their supply chain, right?
And increasingly, what I've noticed, and one of the reasons that finally prompted
me to get B Corp certified was I noticed that corporations were not only asking
for those certifications,
but also for companies ESG statements, like I want to know I want to know your
environmental, social, and governance goals.
(12:28):
I want to know if you have a sustainability statement.
And again, like I said, a lot of small business owners are thinking,
like, I didn't know that that applied to me.
At the same time, a lot of entrepreneurs and particularly the people that we
would come across in our spaces, they got into business because they wanted to make a social impact.
(12:49):
So it turns out what I find when I'm coaching people through these processes.
It's not just saying, you know, this is what you need to do,
but more looking at this is what you're already doing.
You're already in alignment with the kinds of things that corporations want to see.
So I think it's definitely a value add in the space I come from in terms of supplier diversity.
(13:12):
In fact, supplier diversity is increasingly being couched under a broader So
it's only becoming more and more important.
And then, as you know, of course, it's more important than that.
I mean, I think we're all feeling the effects of, you know, climate change,
(13:33):
of different social and economic disparities.
We're all seeing that. It's, you know, definitely in the U.S. and globally.
And so it's everybody's responsibility to take action on that as well.
Yeah, I definitely agree with you. Even in Asia right now, I think that sustainability
is one huge topic that a lot of us are quite passionate about.
(13:57):
All right, so let's move on to maybe a personal insight of your journey.
So my question to you is, what has been the most rewarding part of this entire
business consultancy experience?
Oh, there's so many. I think for me, the most rewarding part,
like my driving mission through, you know, why I got into supplier diversity
(14:20):
or any of this work, was to be of service, but also to help underrepresented,
underestimated founders and entrepreneurs.
Get a larger piece of the economic pie, you know, be economically independent, financially stable.
And so when I see my clients actually making it work, like growing their business
(14:45):
in an authentic way that fits within their values, that and getting those,
new clients, getting a big corporate client, putting a large financial institution
on retainer, Those are the kind of things that are going to make them economically sustainable.
They're going to make them able to be generous with their workers,
(15:07):
with their employees, and grow.
So that's what's been really gratifying for me. I think also I never saw myself as an entrepreneur.
I went to college, I figured I'd get a job and I put in my nine to five and then I'd be done.
But it's been really gratifying for me to see that the flexibility and the creativity
(15:30):
that being my own boss affords has pushed me into areas I never thought I would be in.
And that's really gratifying too.
You can, you know, that I certainly, and I believe a lot of probably listeners
out there too, it's like, you really don't know what you're capable of until you try.
(15:51):
Absolutely. I think I myself can relate to that as well.
Yeah, it's wonderful to hear about the rewarding aspects of your journey.
Now, before we wrap up, what advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs
or maybe just like-minded individuals who just want to get started on doing
something, doing positive change? What would you say?
(16:14):
Yeah, well, Nabila, you sort of couched it there, like just doing something.
Like you don't, it's like anything else, you don't have to do it all at once.
You don't have to get, you know, 150% on your B-Lab assessment to be a sustainable business.
You don't have to do it all. So if you take one thing,
(16:36):
you know, that I'm going to offset the carbon emissions from my flight,
I'm going to find an organization that I can, you know, offset that's going
to plant a tree every time I take a flight.
Or I'm going to, you know, right now I don't have like any internship programs,
but I'm going to look at, I'm going to look into organizations that will pay an intern for me.
(17:00):
And as a result, I'm going to get someone who's a first generation college student
or someone who's new to this field.
I think there's a lot of things that people can do to just get started. The key is.
Not to wait for permission or not to wait until someone tells you that they want you to do it.
I think so many, I think for me, especially like that held me back for a long
(17:24):
time where I was waiting for someone to say, okay, it's now time you've done enough.
It's time for you to start your business or okay, you've done enough.
It's time for you to get B Corp certified.
You really have to find that within yourself and you don't have to wait for permission.
You can do it right now definitely yeah thank you
so much Liz for being a part of this episode it's actually
quite evident from our conversation today
(17:46):
that you know just be proactive be prepared
for any change to come and I love that
you have actually made significant strides and is still making in empowering
diverse business owners you know promoting sustainability mindfulness and one
One thing that I would like to highlight is how you are creating community support
in the B Corp scene as well.
(18:10):
Yeah. Oh, thank you. And thanks for the work that Make the Change is doing. It's so important.
To our listeners out there who are still tuning in to this very end,
thank you for listening and joining us on this episode of Exploration and Discovering.
For more information about Make the Change, please visit our website at makethechange.sg.
(18:33):
And to learn more about Child.5 or Diversity Masterminds, please visit child.5.com
or diversitymastermind.com.
Or you can also visit Lee's Whitehead and we will add it into our caption or
her Instagram and her LinkedIn as well.
So stay tuned to our next episode of conversational change where we will continue
(18:56):
bringing you captivating stories and thought-provoking discussions until then see you next time.
Music.
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