In this episode of Support is Sexy, Elayne and Polina Hanin, Principal at Aequitas Partners, have a conversation about equity, diversity, and inclusion, and what it means to be an ally in America today. Polina talks about her personal racial “wake-up call” and how that has impacted her business practices. Whether in friendships or in the workplace, listen for tips on being a champion for others and going from gatekeeper to “gate-opener” in this episode of Support is Sexy. 

 

Elayne Fluker

Elayne Fluker is the author of the new book, “Get Over ‘I Got It’: How to Stop Playing Superwoman, Get Support and Remember that Having It All Doesn’t Mean Doing It All Alone.” As host of the SUPPORT IS SEXY podcast, she interviews more than 500 successful women entrepreneurs around the world, who share inspiring, true stories of the ups and the downs of their entrepreneurial journeys. Elayne is also the founder of SiS.Academy, an online learning platform for women entrepreneurs. For more information about Elayne Fluker, please visit elaynefluker.com. Thank you for listening!

About our Guest:

Polina Hanin is Principal at Aequitas Partners, a boutique firm that builds leadership teams for high-growth health companies focusing on health equity. Polina is also an Advisor at StartUp Health, an investment platform founded in 2011 to invest in a global army of entrepreneurs, called Health Transformers, to achieve health moonshots. 

 

Insight from this episode:

• How to “step off the sidelines” and move towards authentic and intentional allyship in and out of the workplace. 
• Tips for shifting from exclusion to inclusion in your hiring practices. 
• Strategies for investing into diversity, equity, and inclusion. 
• Details on the turning point in Polina’s personal journey of racial reckoning. 

 

Quotes from the show:

• On the hiring process: “The more criteria that you pull together, the more that you weigh them and understand what actually is priority and what’s a non-negotiable, the more you can actually start to think not in exclusionary terms but rather inclusionary terms.” –Polina Hanin Support is Sexy Ep. #768
• “There’s an opportunity for us to give back, so that five years later [students at HBCUs] are [ready], and they have the resources necessary and all the experience that immediately makes them a fantastic candidate for a search that we’re doing down the road.” –Polina Hanin Support is Sexy Ep. #768
• “How can I actually be a champion for the people that I care about? How can I be their cheerleader? How can I promote the amazing things they’re doing?” –Polina Hanin Support is Sexy Ep. #768
• “Sit with the discomfort and analyze your life. Analyze what you’ve done, what you haven’t done. Just come to terms with it and figure out how you’re going to move from that and change that. What are you doing differently tomorrow?” –Polina Hanin Support is Sexy Ep. #768
• “If you’re a business leader, put someone in charge of that [diversity, equity, and inclusion] plan.” –Polina Hanin Support is Sexy Ep. #768
• “How is somebody going to know an opportunity exists if it’s not presented to them?” –Polina Hanin Support is Sexy Ep. #768

Resources Mentioned

Health Talent Exchange

Authentic Diversity: How to Change the Workplace for Good by Michelle Silverthorn

www.qualifiedBlackpeople.com  

Mark Dawson’s LinkedIn

Polina's SIS Episode

Stay Connected:

Elayne Fluker

Website: elaynefluker.com

Twitter: @elaynefluker 

Facebook: Elayne Fluker

Instagram: @elaynefluker

LinkedIn: Elayne Fluker

Youtube: Elayne Fluker

 

Polina Hanin

Website: Aequitas Partners

Twitter: @PolinaHanin

LinkedIn: Polina Hanin

 

Support is Sexy

Website: Support is Sexy Podcast

Facebook: Support is Sexy

Instagram: @supportissexy

Youtube: Support is Sexy Podcast Playlist 

 

Post-production for this episode was provided by Podcast Laundry.

[Music: “Stomp and Clap” by Scott Holmes from Free Music Archive]

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