Today's episode is all about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Bree had the pleasure to chat with Nicole Sanchez, full-time MBA, class of 2012. She is the founder and CEO of Vaya Consulting, which offers best-in-class DEI, leadership, and culture consulting services for companies shaping the 21st century, primarily in technology and media.

Nicole has been doing DEI professionally for more than 20 years. In this episode, she shared her definition of diversity, equity, and inclusion and why creating DEI in the workplace became her passion.

This passion ultimately led Nicole to found Vaya Consulting. She started her own consulting company where she could go and do DEI on her terms and rules.

Furthermore, Nicole shared the challenges she faced when she began Vaya and gave us insights on how they carefully choose their clients. She also let us in on how they address wellness and mental health in their workplace, which is essential during this time.

Episode Quotes:

Her definition of DEI in a nutshell

"Diversity is you get a bunch of different people together, and you focus a lot on race. Equity is how we disperse resources and make decisions that ultimately are fair and point us towards outcomes we want. Inclusion is how do people feel when they're inside. It's about shaping your cultural norms around the actual shape of the people who make up your company."

Why psychological safety is currently her favorite entry point into DEI

"The most fundamental thing we need in a group is psychological safety. All people from all backgrounds want to feel safe. So, I start everything that was psychological safety. It fundamentally means that you're able to take risks without fear of repercussions, that you can say things and try things and point out problems without fear of the floor dropping out from under you. That's what it means in the workplace."

What people can do/change to create DEI in the workplace

"No matter what organization you're in and what your background is, no matter how involved or not involved you've been, there is a group of people of color in your company who is talking about this, whether it's been formalized or not. Get connected to that group and find out what's up. It's the same thing as any community organizing. Somebody else is already doing this work and has a good lay of the land and connect with them to see what they've tried, what they need support with, and what you can do to help."

Show Links:

• LinkedIn
• Vaya Consulting

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