Chaniqua (Nikki) Ivey
Welcome & Intros
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Roderick Jefferson
Brandi Starr
Jeff Davis
Hana Jacover
Jeff Pedowitz
council members
A community-focused council supporting diversity in B2B marketing and sales
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For nearly 15 years, Demand Gen Report (DGR) has been dedicated to cultivating a collaborative community of B2B marketing and sales professionals focused on sharing ideas and inspiration. We have formed the Demanding Diversity Council to improve transparency within and beyond this growing community and provide a platform for amplifying Black voices in B2B. Recognizing how highly underrepresented Black professionals are in this space, the DGR team, in partnership with a talented group of Council members, aims to:
Diversity in Action
At DGR, our goal is to spotlight companies and individuals that are innovating in all areas of sales, marketing and tech. Building a culture upon diverse ideas and experiences is a key driver of this innovation. That is why DGR is expanding its coverage to spotlight organizations that are transforming their approaches to team building, training and professional development to positively impact their employees, buyers and business results.
Refine our mentorship program to include more specific opportunities for up-and-coming executives and aspiring business leaders to connect with their peers.
Expand our editorial coverage to feature B2B organizations implementing new and innovative approaches to diversity, equity and inclusion, and individuals creating positive change in the industry.
Use our vast portfolio of editorial channels and events to spotlight black leaders and practitioners.
Connect readers to third-party programs and initiatives that support diversity in B2B marketing, tech and sales.
meet the council
The Council represents decades of collective B2B sales and marketing experience and expertise across various industries. Check out each member’s profile to get up close and personal with them!
Share Your Voice
We’re always looking for ways to expand our community and spotlight new perspectives. If you have an inspiring success story or if your organization is implementing new programs and practices to hire, retain and promote Black professionals, please reach out to our Editor, Klaudia Tirico. She’d love to learn more about you and the work that you’re doing! DGR also hosts a variety of events throughout the year to bring our community together. If you’re interested in getting on our (virtual or physical) stage in the future, submit a session idea now!
Supporting Resources & Organizations
Thanks to our Council members and other members of the DGR community, we’re aggregating a variety of resources and organizations designed to support diversity in B2B and the world. Please get in touch if you have an organization, program or resource you’d like to share.
about us
Demand Gen Report is a targeted online publication that uncovers the strategies and solutions that help companies better align their sales and marketing organizations, and ultimately, drive growth. A key component of the publication’s editorial coverage focuses on the sales and marketing automation tools that enable companies to better measure and manage their multi-channel demand generation efforts.
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Alicia Esposito
Klaudia Tirico
Nikki Ivey is a salesperson by DNA, which is the biggest reason why she does what she does. Ivey works at Emtrain, an AI-powered workplace culture platform that helps Diversity & Inclusion and compliance leaders get a baseline on what employees are experiencing at their organizations. This allows leaders to act in a smart way, as opposed to being led by current events or what they think may be missing in their culture. Ivey is also the Co-founder of SDRDefenders, a group that helps attract people from underrepresented groups into the sales profession and offers content that’s geared at helping them understand that there is no archetype for what a salesperson sounds or looks like. She is also a member of Sales for the Culture, a community of Black sellers of varying places in their careers who support each other through knowledge shares and clinics. “I was inspired to join your Council because it aligns with all of the above,” said Ivey. “I think the name, Demanding Diversity, might shake a lot of people up. It’s good, because I think, most of the time, if you’re in a group that’s underrepresented in an industry, you feel like you can’t make demands. “I can tell you that pretty much every time I was ever in a job interview in the B2B tech space, I never asked what their strategies were behind building and retaining diverse teams because I didn’t feel like I could without that reflecting poorly on me, as if I was troublemaker before I understood good trouble. This idea of demanding diversity and aligning it with where we are in the larger culture and where I am in my personal mission was something I couldn’t say no to.” Demand Gen Report: It's easy for diversity to be seen as a buzzword or simply window dressing for companies. What mistakes do organizations most frequently make with their initiatives that lead to this kind of outcome? Ivey: Diversity is the trigger. When a company looks at why they’re hiring a chief diversity officer or hiring anybody to look at culture, a lot of the time it’s in response to something happening in the larger culture or someone pointing it out in a way that they fear lack of diversity will the hurt brand. The rest of it is about, “What’s regulated,” so they want to make sure they’re in compliance. Basically, the theme of these mistakes is that they start their efforts from this point of, “How do we not get in trouble,” which sets them up to do the least they can do to prevent legal action or come under fire with their brand. Most times people who run businesses think in terms of ROI and risk, but when we shift our perspective and we start to think through the lens of people, lived experiences and really let ourselves believe that as practitioners in the B2B space that we can change the world. Yes, I said it — we can change the world when we start to think organically about these bigger things. DGR: What are some key results you’d like to see be brought to life by our Demanding Diversity Council? Ivey: There’s one big, blaring number with respect to diversity and B2B tech — only 7% of the folks employed in this space are Black, whereas we are 14% of the population in this country. We’re severely underrepresented. And that number is tech total. When you start to control for the different functions, you begin to understand that most of that 7% are isolated; there are not very many of them at their respective organizations. We must make the voice bigger, so the impact I’d like to see is to move away from that number. I know it’s a huge goal and I don’t expect it come solely from this Council, but as I mentioned earlier, the combination of this work with all the things I’m involved in and linking arms with other folks doing similar work, I believe that by the end of 2021, we can move that number by at least 1%. And that one won’t be any small thing — when we start to look at what the raw number is, we’re talking about hundreds of thousands of people. That’s what I’d like to see us do. DGR: What successful strategies have you seen or used to respond to diversity challenges — whether it's within your past organizations, current organization or external organizations? Ivey: The most thorough model that I’ve seen is NBC Universal, where diversity is its whole culture. The way NBC has its diversity function segmented out is where a team of people are really focused on specialized parts of this. No one individual is trying to do the job of attracting the people and handling the tricky people issues, or solely responsible for providing continuous education for the entire team on topics such as unconscious bias, making sure there is pay equity, and that people are being promoted in an equitable way. The heart of what they’re doing is accessible to every company no matter what their budget is or how big their organization is. So, NBC took the concept of ERGs and called them BRGs, with the B standing for business. What they’re doing is, from the beginning, having executive sponsorship of those groups. In a lot of cases, they’re tying bonus incentives for those executives into initiatives that have to do with that group. They’re giving those groups a budget to be able to do things like calling in speakers or having fun and empowering them. It’s one of the most successful instances that I’ve seen. To give some clarity to what I mean by successful, NBC is consistently seeing high marks when they ask their employees what it feels like to work there in terms of a sense of belonging, inclusion and fairness, and who was being treated equitably — I think that always has to be the measure. That’s what Emtrain does, we help people find a way to measure those things. The biggest mistake that people are making is that just as there are leading indicators in other parts of business, diversity and inclusion have these leading indicators. We’re typically coming from behind when it comes to addressing things and what to do moving forward. Most companies only address it when they get in trouble after someone’s left the company and points out, “Hey, big tech company, you put a black square out that says you stand by your Black employees, but it turns out you only have three.” DGR: What other initiatives, programs or organizations have you participated in (other than the Council) that you'd like to share and spread the word about? Ivey: I’d like to start with SDRDefenders and this mission to welcome 100 people from underrepresented groups into the sales profession in 2021. We’re doing that by looking in places where people don’t typically look for salespeople — or for folks who come and work in B2B tech, that is — so a lot of these efforts we’re going to do will take place outside of LinkedIn and B2B tech. Instead, we’re going to go out and find these people because a lot of the time, folks don’t know these opportunities exist and the people offering these opportunities aren’t aware of that. There needs to be a connector, and that’s part of what I’m doing with SDRDefenders. Sales for the culture overlaps with SDRDefenders, but it’s much more about encouraging and empowering people once they’ve entered this space because the number of Black folks in the industry is so low — for me in a career of more than a decade, I have been the only Black woman on the sales floor. That’s a problem, and so that’s what this organization looks to fill. I’m getting this opportunity to hear how people who want to recruit underrepresented groups are talking about the problem and then hear how people who are underrepresented are talking about the problem and act as a connector in that way. I’m so excited for what both of those groups and this Council are going to do throughout 2021 to try and move the needle on that number we talked about.
"This idea of demanding diversity and aligning it with where we are in the larger culture and where I am in my personal mission was something I couldn’t say no to."
Chaniqua (Nikki) IveY
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Roderick Jefferson is a former sales bag carrier, practitioner and keynote speaker in the sales enablement space. He recently authored the book, “Sales Enablement 3.0: The Blueprint to Success,” which focuses on the future of sales enablement. For the past 20 years, Jefferson has built award-winning sales enablement organizations within some of the world’s most successful companies, including Marketo, Oracle Marketing Cloud, Salesforce.com, 3PAR/HP, Business Objects, NetApp, PayPal, Siebel Systems and AT&T. His numerous awards include: 2021: Sales Enablement Lifetime Achievement Award (Selling Power Magazine) 2020: Top18 Major Leagues Sales Coaches Award (Lessonly) 2020 Sales Influencers to Follow (Morning Brew Media) 2019 Top 10 Sales & Marketing Influencer (LinkedIn) 2019 Top 15 Social Media Influencer (Brainshark) 2019 Top 10 Sales Enablement Consultant (Sales Hacker) 2015 Sales Onboarding Program of the Year (SiriusDecisions) Jefferson most recently joined Netskope as VP of Sales Enablement, and is responsible for providing executive strategy, scope, vision and leadership of cross-functional teams from sales, sales operations, marketing, channel and product to our sales as well as channels and alliances organizations. “I have been fortunate to be a part of a small number of African Americans that I saw in B2B leadership positions throughout my career. I believe that there is equity in talent, but not in opportunities and access. The Demanding Diversity Council gives me an opportunity to be a part of a group of likeminded individuals focused on providing more access and opportunities for those currently being underserved and marginalized. It is my way of sharing the ‘blueprint to success’ that I wish that I would have received as I progressed in my career!” Demand Gen Report: Why do you believe so many businesses (especially in B2B) have not successfully put diversity into action within their organizations? Roderick Jefferson: Unfortunately, too many B2B companies are focused on “doing the right things” for the sake of diversity statistics rather than “doing things the right way!” What I mean by that is that companies should be focused on the value of diversity in thought, background, dissimilar experiences, etc. This shift in approach must also include casting a wider net during college recruiting. There are a number of Historically Black Colleges (HBCUs) that are not currently on the radar of a lot of B2B companies. This shift would be a “game changer” and tremendous move in successfully putting diversity into action within their organizations! DGR: What is preventing Black individuals from getting new employment opportunities in B2B sales and marketing? What is needed to close the gap there? Jefferson: The biggest issue that I see preventing Black individuals from getting new employment opportunities in B2B sales and marketing is the proverbial focus on “diversity,” which I equate to being allowed to sit at the table versus “inclusion,” which I equate to being able to order anything off of the menu. Both of these must be teamed with “belonging,” which I equate to being brought into a welcome environment where you are sat at the table and allowed to order off the menu. More specifically, it is time for B2B sales and marketing groups to change the definition around what success really looks like. It is time to focus on people rather than KPIs and diversity statistics. DGR: It's easy for diversity to be seen as a buzzword or simply window dressing for companies. What mistakes do organizations most frequently make with their initiatives that lead to this kind of outcome? Jefferson: There are three common mistakes that I’ve seen organizations make over and over that can easily be addressed and fixed if a company is serious about deploying, executing and modeling a positively diverse culture: DGR: What other initiatives, programs or organizations have you participated in (other than the Council) that you'd like to share and spread the word about? Jefferson: I was taught, “You can’t move forward, not until, but unless you give back!” With that in mind, there are a number of initiatives, programs and initiatives that I’m honored to be a part of:
Rework Training: Their mission is to make our workplaces look more like our neighborhoods… but what does that mean? Based in the multicultural city of Chicago, it means making meaningful employment equally accessible to all residents regardless of zip code or skin color. The program is unique because it uncovers the relationship between the job hunt, interviewing and selling principles. By making the connection between self-advocacy and being an effective sales professional, our candidates come away with a deeper understanding of both processes than if they had learned either discipline alone by giving motivated individuals the opportunity to learn marketable skills, access to our extensive network of hiring partners and exposure to tech industry professionals and leaders who serve as mentors and coaches. Inclusion in Sales and Sales Enablement Roundtable Podcast: This podcast was created in hopes of not simply talking about challenges, but to truly create change. It focuses on both sharing their thoughts on equity, inclusion and belonging, but also by sharing why this matters so much now. The goal of the podcast is to create a better world together by collaborating and facilitating these changes in our lives, our businesses and in the world around us. Sales for the Culture: This community’s mission is to build a community of, by and for Black tech sellers. Together, we will manifest the reality that Black people belong in the tech sales community, creating the Black-inclusive and Black-empowering tech sales world of tomorrow. This budding community will attract Black people into the tech sales profession, empower Black people with the belief that we belong in it, enable Black people to succeed as tech sellers and work for our inclusion in both this profession and the broader corporate world.
Lack of diversity in their external website content. If everyone has the same haircut or look, you’re telling diverse candidates that they are not welcomed or valued at your company. No amount of “marketing” collateral, graphics or intermittent photos will override that perception. Lack of diversity in their internal marketing content. This shows an intentional or unintentional disregard for the value of diversity beginning with the company pitch, sales collateral, etc. If a company is serious about putting diversity into practical application, it will ensure they reflect the value that they put on every employee, not just by highlighting a select few. Lack of diversity in their leadership and board positions. I’ve always believed that “You can’t be what you don’t see!” It important to show diverse employees that diversity of thought is important at every level of the company, not just in individual contributor roles. This will not only inspire, but confirm that the company is committed to diversity, inclusion and belonging — beginning with the highest positions across the organization.
"I believe that there is equity in talent, but not in opportunities and access."
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Brandi Starr is a mother, a taco lover, a social butterfly and a lifelong learner. As the Chief Operating Officer at Tegrita, her role is multi-pronged. Starr is responsible for overall operational efficiency in the consultancy, including marketing strategy. She is both a marketing strategist and technologist supporting some of Tegrita’s largest clients. “As a Black woman executive in an industry with a very low minority population it is my goal to do my part to help open doors in marketing and marketing technology for other BIPOC people; Demanding Diversity Council is an awesome opportunity for me to do that.” Demand Gen Report: What successful strategies have you seen or used to respond to diversity challenges — whether it's within your past organizations, current organization or external organizations? Brandi Starr: Statistically, Black job candidates are less likely to have graduated from college or to have had internship opportunities, and they are more likely to take non-linear paths through their career. Implementing hiring practices that account for the many roads to success is critical in opening doors for Black job candidates. There are several things that we do at Tegrita to foster diversity in our hiring process. First, we don’t include education requirements or arbitrary number of years’ experience in our job requirements. Instead, we evaluate each candidate experience and talents individually. Also, as a remote organization, we have the luxury of being able to recruit from across the U.S. and Canada, and in doing so, we make sure to target our job postings in cities with large Black and minority populations. Third, our talent-screening approaches eliminate unconscious bias because they’re based on mathematical scoring and are conducted in blinded collection, meaning that gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, disability etc. are not known in the initial evaluation. Lastly, our hiring process includes an opportunity to demonstrate ability to do the job and we use a “decision by committee” approach to which candidates move forward from various stages of the process. All of these things aim to attract Black and minority job candidates and remove any unconscious bias from the hiring process. DGR: What is preventing Black individuals from getting new employment opportunities in B2B sales and marketing? What is needed to close the gap there? Starr: Most sales and marketing jobs that are posted, even the entry level roles, have both education and experience requirements. As I mentioned, many Black job candidates don’t attend college and for those that do, a disparity is often created between the experience on their resume compared to their white (and sometimes other minority) counterparts. A large portion of Black college students need to work in order to pay their way through college. They don’t have the luxury to take unpaid internships, which is often the start of relevant sales and marketing experience. I also think that many Black students don’t have resume writing experience, interview practicing and potential career paths. They also don’t have a strong network to help them navigate the job market and learn how to play “the game.” For someone early in their career company politics, joining organizations to network, getting on the right projects to gain visibility and having champions within the organization (or industry) makes all of the difference. In my opinion, to close the gap, we need more paid internship opportunities, mentorship programs and changes in the way recruiters and hiring managers evaluate education, experience and talent. DGR: What do you believe are the most significant challenges facing Black professionals in the B2B world today? How do challenges vary based on whether executives are looking for new job opportunities or are looking to progress/move up in their organizations? Starr: The greatest challenge for Black professionals, in my opinion, is mental fortitude and strength of soul. Whether on the job or in our personal lives, there is a disproportionate impact of essentially every societal ill for black people in America. It is a heavy weight to manage. I had a conversation with a peer, and she stated, “For those Black professionals in a role seeking advancement or looking for the next opportunity; it is a weighty burden if one's search experience shows we aren't as far along as they might have thought.” And beyond experience, there are organizational cultures where even with comparable experience, Black employees are overlooked. Having the fortitude to keep moving forward in a positive mindset regardless of past experience, consumes energy that ideally would be better spent elsewhere in one's career trajectory. DGR: What are some key results you’d like to see be brought to life by our Demanding Diversity Council? Starr: There are three key results I’d like to see come out of the Council:
Change the hearts and minds of leadership: That may sound “mushy,” but too many times I have listened to stories of hypocrisy within organizations. Some of the companies with the biggest and most publicized diversity initiatives have created workplaces that are horrible places for their Black employees. I would like the Council to develop initiatives that foster real conversation that leads to intrinsic change within leadership teams. When diversity, equity and inclusion become important to leaders they act and govern differently. Career path direction and support: There are so many different roles and career paths in sales and marketing that I don’t believe most Black high school and college students are aware of. For example, someone who is highly analytical, and data driven, may not know that there are high paying career paths in marketing for their interest and skillset. I would love for the Council to find a way to address this and to be able to showcase the vast opportunities in sales and marketing. Corporate commitment and accountability: As a small Council, our reach is limited. However, if we are able to get large companies to commit to diversity and hold them accountable, we can impact the careers of the greater BIPOC community.
"it is my goal to do my part to help open doors in marketing and marketing technology for other BIPOC people."
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Jeff Davis is an award-winning author, keynote speaker and B2B growth expert. Davis is also the Founder and CEO of JD2 Consulting Group, where he specializes in helping companies accelerate revenue growth by strategically aligning their sales and marketing teams. “I was inspired to join the Council because I believe that as a Black professional, it’s my responsibility to engage those that are ready and willing to have a real conversation that leads to action when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion. My hope is that this forum will contribute to making that happen in a growing number of B2B organizations.” Demand Gen Report: Why do you believe so many businesses (especially in B2B) have not successfully put diversity into action within their organizations? Jeff Davis: Most organizations struggle to significantly increase diversity because they lack specific and measurable goals related to it. In the same way we apply S.M.A.R.T. goals against business deliverables, today’s companies must do the same when it comes to attracting and retaining diverse talent. Diversity has become a catch-all phrase and lacks specificity in most organizations. Without specifically identifying what group(s) the organization is targeting, the company ends up wasting time on bland tactics targeted at multiple groups each with their own unique and often different needs. The end result is a lot of busy people working to produce mediocre results. In addition to having goals that are both measurable and achievable, leaders also need to ensure that everyone understands why doing the work to increase diversity is worth it. We’ve all seen the statistics that show that diverse teams perform better, but how does that impact what I do on a day-to-day basis? This is where training and transparent conversations about diversity in the organization can be extremely helpful. Lastly, goals are not real until they have a timeline associated with them. While that timeline might have to be more than a quarter or two, organizations that are serious about developing a diverse workforce must put pen to paper and show their commitment to making real change happen by setting clear deadlines and milestones. DGR: What do you believe are the most significant challenges? How do these challenges vary based on whether executives are looking for new job opportunities? Or are looking to progress move up in their organization? Davis: I think one of the top challenges is sponsorship for higher level opportunities, or opportunities in general. I think there’s a lack of clear road-mapping or development, and a hesitancy to give Black professionals candid feedback. I think it’s holding them back because they only know the surface answer that has been given to them. They haven’t been approached from someone in the organization that can give them hard truths in a non-judgmental way that helps them understand how to navigate the culture in the organization. In addition to that, I think it’s important to not assume that you know why Black professionals act in a certain way that may not be in line with the culture of the organization. And if they do good work, invest the time to have a conversation so that they have clarity around how those behaviors are barricades or roadblocks to them progressing in the organization. Then they can make a decision whether or not they’re willing to do what it takes. DGR: It's easy for diversity to be seen as a buzzword or simply window dressing for companies. What mistakes do organizations most frequently make with their initiatives that lead to this kind of outcome? Davis: I think most times, an organization assumes what the problem is. If an organization wants to be truly effective and make an impact, they need to take the time to truly understand what those issues are. That starts with listening first; listening to Black employees and all employees across the board, because you’re not really able to execute a solution if you don’t understand the problem. Once the problem is understood, then we need to have real conversations about what solutions really look like and enact long-standing solutions, not just band-aids. That may include some culture change and include uncomfortable conversations, but if organizations are really committed to making a change when it comes to the issues they’re seeing around equity and inclusion for not just Black employees, but all employees in general, they’re going to have to take a long-term approach. I would also like to add that organizations have to treat it as if it were a business transformation issue and have some strong metrics around increasing a specific representation. But are those metrics indicative of a high-performing organization that’s highly diverse and equitable? Companies have to use those as the benchmarks as opposed to just saying, “Do we have more of X, Y or Z?” DGR: What are some key results you’d like to see be brought to life by our Demanding Diversity Council? Davis: I think it would be helpful for the industry is for the Council to go back and listen to organizations and help them identify the key issues that Black employees face. And not just on a macro level, I mean really taking the time to listen to folks that are in these situations so that we as an industry can start to have conversations and help each other tackle these issues in a way that’s open, honest, transparent and collaborative, because I don’t think this is an issue that people want to compete on. I think every organization wants to get better at inclusion because at this point, there’s not really an option. It’s not competing for the best or fastest widget; this is something that leaders have collectively identified that we’re struggling with and want to help. Managers and leaders might need some type of material to have crucial conversation with their Black employees, whether it’s in the form of resource kits of books, TED Talks or any other events. If an organization doesn’t have a D&I leader, at least they have some type of resources where they can say, “Hey, let’s start here.”
"as a black professional, it’s my responsibility to engage those that are ready and willing to have a real conversation that leads to action when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion."
Hana Jacover is passionate about the orchestration of connecting people to things that help solve their problems. Better known as marketing or demand generation, which she is currently responsible for at MadKudu. You can also find her teaching sales operation science classes to GreenFig University learners, as well as using her voice to advocate for and uplift BIPOC and women in tech. She is an active Women In Revenue committee member. “Joining the Demanding Diversity Council was a simple decision, but one I don’t take lightly. Defending and uplifting Black lives is an absolute requirement. But the inspiration to join came from within; only after recognizing that my experiences have meaning beyond myself — that my voice has power outside of my mind; that I have the potential to change the trajectory for even just one Black person that comes after me. My inspiration is always Black liberation.” Demand Gen Report: Why do you believe so many businesses (especially in B2B) have not successfully put diversity into action within their organizations? Hana Jacover: The simple, most straightforward answer is always going to be white supremacy. That may trigger some people, but let’s call it what it is. The question shouldn’t steer towards B2B in particular, but society as a whole, because it’s all the same. Businesses struggle to put diversity into action because there are spiderwebs of politics, egos, traditions (do what’s always been done) and whiteness that prevents a deviation from “the norm.” Until we put leaders in charge that value empathy and authenticity over power and tradition, we won’t be able to make collective change. DGR: What do you believe are the most significant challenges facing Black professionals in the B2B world today? How do challenges vary based on whether executives are looking for new job opportunities or are looking to progress / move up in their organizations? Jacover: Living while Black requires many different versions of yourself, which is both mentally and physically exhausting. I don’t really think code-switching begins to cover the lifetime of chameleon-ing that Black people have to do. I think it takes a toll that isn’t always obvious because it’s just what you’ve always done to be accepted. In that sense, the challenges in a professional setting whether B2B or any other industry are no different than a 6th grade classroom. Trying to be accepted, proving your worth and finding the people that guide and root for you. B2B companies have a lower incentive to diversify the workforce due to a reduced level of personal, emotional attachment tied to sales (it is a group decision, after all). While we have seen data support favorability among B2B buyers and brands that support social causes, it’s still technically a business’s bottom line, not a personal bottom line. Which leads us back to businesses doing things the way they’ve always been done, which unfortunately means excluding the majority of the Black population. And that directly impacts the effort dedicated to increasing diversity. The difference between new job opportunities and navigating progression within a company you’re already embedded in is expectations. At an existing company, you already have a baseline of what to expect and how to work with leadership to accomplish your goals. You already know which version of yourself jives with your surroundings, and if you’re lucky, it’s the version you like best. While you can ask the right questions, research and trust your gut; you’re learning as you go with a new company. DGR: What successful strategies have you seen or used to respond to diversity challenges — whether it's within your past organizations, current organization or external organizations? Jacover: Unfortunately, many strategies continue to center and benefit whiteness; these strategies only force Black employees to take 100 steps back on their journey and be subjected to a lot of triggering interactions. Strategies that work aren’t “strategies,” they are mind and power-shifts that a leader has actively committed to. It’s the difference between simply saying “let’s hear out Black employees” vs. actually giving them the training, the promotion and the raise. Then doing it again. Companies who are making an impact are those with leaders at the top that throw out the rulebook and lean into empathy. That can look different for different leaders. A more pointed strategy that works well is to tie what leaders care about most (usually money) to efforts aimed at increasing diversity and paving a path to equity. DGR: What other initiatives, programs or organizations have you participated in (other than the Council) that you'd like to share and spread the word about? Jacover: There are so many amazing organizations to call out! Just a few I’d love to share: Black In SaaS, Black Marketers Association of America, Blacks In Technology, Black Girls Code, Sistas in Sales, Women In Revenue and SV Academy.
"Defending and uplifting black lives is an absolute requirement."
Jeff Pedowitz is the President and CEO of The Pedowitz Group, a consulting firm that makes digital revenue happen. The events of 2020, including racial injustice, police brutality, economic disadvantage and disproportionate health issues related to the pandemic caused Pedowitz to think about how the company could take meaningful action to make a difference. The Pedowitz Group launched its own diversity program in 2020, including an internship for minority and disadvantaged youth. This is part of multiple initiatives they are taking. “This Council is a perfect opportunity for us to extend our reach and accomplish more than we could on our own.” Demand Gen Report: Why do you believe so many businesses (especially in B2B) have not successfully put diversity into action within their organizations? Jeff Pedowitz: I don’t think they actively think about it. Running a business is hard enough and the focus is typically on generating more leads and revenue and making money. Many businesses have charity and service programs for their employees, but with so many options to choose from, diversity is not often top of mind. DGR: What is preventing Black individuals from getting new employment opportunities in B2B sales and marketing? What is needed to close the gap there? Pedowitz: There is a big gap in awareness, skill and opportunity. Many Black individuals are just not exposed to the available opportunities. They don’t know what is possible. They don’t receive the education or the building blocks to succeed, so they already start off at a disadvantage. Black people are disproportionately underrepresented in technology and marketing. Commitment to education, youth outreach programs, internships and commitment to diversity hiring at B2B companies will all play a role in changing the trajectory. DGR: What do you believe are the most significant challenges facing Black professionals in the B2B world today? How do challenges vary based on whether executives are looking for new job opportunities or are looking to progress / move up in their organizations? Pedowitz: In addition to having less opportunities, Black people are also typically starting at lower salary points than their white peers. They can have similar degrees and backgrounds but still make less money. Overall advancement opportunities are less. Black people are not only disproportionately underrepresented in B2B companies, but they are also even less represented on senior management teams and boards. DGR: It's easy for diversity to be seen as a buzzword or simply window dressing for companies. What mistakes do organizations most frequently make with their initiatives that lead to this kind of outcome? Pedowitz: Most of the efforts are centered around education for diversity, awareness, policies, etc. But very little is done structurally to change the underlying conditions. Job creation and skill training are just some of the tasks companies can commit to doing for minorities and the disadvantaged. Rising tide lifts all boats. DGR: What are some key results you’d like to see be brought to life by our Demanding Diversity Council? Pedowitz: Job creation, internships, pay raises and education programs for youth.
"This Council is a perfect opportunity for us to extend our reach and accomplish more than we could on our own."
Sheri Butts is the Director of Demand Generation + Growth Marketing at G3 Communications, an Emerald brand and parent company of Demand Gen Report, ABM in Action, Channel Marketer Report and Retail TouchPoints. "My desire to help get this Council up off the ground was born of many reasons, a good amount of them having incrementally mounted over the past four years until they finally just boiled over in 2020. To put it simply (and bluntly), the game is rigged, and it always has been. The fixed odds are not only evident in business but deeply ingrained in our society. Race, socioeconomic status and the disturbingly persistent link between the two have always impacted opportunities for success. For Black individuals, that impact has been disproportionately negative. As a society, as human beings, we need to take a much more honest look at exactly why that is. That truth is a difficult, complex and uncomfortable reality to face. The systemic issues that underlie inequality are so pervasive they are almost paralyzing. So instead of focusing on what I could not fix, I wanted to channel my energy and intention into an area I have the potential to impact. As part of a media brand with the ability to influence awareness, thought leadership and professional development through our publication’s events, multimedia coverage and mentoring programs, we can help amplify the voices of Black professionals and advocates and facilitate pivotal person-to-person connections. The right career opportunity can be transformational. But all too often, those who do not fit the familiar mold get left behind. As a woman in business, I’ve heard the excuses before: Minorities “just don’t apply,” “aren’t interested,” or “lack the skills and experience” to rise to leadership roles. But who’s writing the spec on what a leader should be? If the singular image of success is based upon what it’s always been, defined by those same personas and extracted from the same limited pool of prospects, the model will never change. That is how the game gets rigged. Through the work of the Council, I want to help even the playing field, to normalize Black leadership in business. My aim is to help create a future in which no one has to struggle to find an example of success that looks like them. By collaborating with smart, successful and impassioned professionals from the space to form this Council, I hope we can inspire others to prioritize and embrace more diverse perspectives and experiences in business and in life"
sheri butts
Alicia Esposito is the Director of Content + New Media for G3 Communications, an Emerald brand and parent company of Demand Gen Report, ABM in Action, Channel Marketer Report, Retail TouchPoints and Content4Demand. Over the past year, we as a media company have challenged ourselves to take a hard look at the impact we make not just on the B2B industry, but on the world. Our mission has always been to cultivate community, bring people together and share ideas, inspiration and best practices. But we have learned that we need to do more to bring in diverse voices and experiences into our world and present more opportunities for Black professionals to get their time in the spotlight and to be positioned as the experts and thought leaders they are. The fact that we need to do better as an organization came at a time when I myself learned that I needed to do better to break down the echo chamber in my own media consumption habits. The outlets I read, the authors I supported, the people I followed on social media, all had similar profiles and experiences. I was surrounded by carbon copies of people and stories. It is my hope that with the Demanding Diversity Council, we will inspire thought-provoking (and at times difficult) conversations that lead to positive personal and professional change. That we will successfully expand our community of writers, practitioners and speakers, and even present new opportunities for our members to connect, learn from each other and present each other with new opportunities. It is still very early days for a continuous journey, but I am so excited to see where it will lead.
alicia esposito
Klaudia Tirico is the Editor of Demand Gen Report, an online publication that caters to B2B marketing and sales professionals and host of the B2B Marketing Exchange and B2B Sales & Marketing Exchange. I've noticed the glaring lack of diversity in the B2B marketing industry for quite some time, but it wasn't until the civil unrest of 2020 that it actually hit me... hard. It made me realize — as an editor, content creator and event planner — just how white our resources, speakers and general B2B talent at Demand Gen Report are... and that it is my responsibility (being in the position that I am in) to shake things up and take action. That's why the Demanding Diversity Council is so near and dear to my heart. Meeting with these Black professionals and having real, candid conversations about their and their peers' struggles in the industry opened my eyes even wider and it's been a pleasure learning from and working with them to finally bring our Council and our ideas to life. I'm so excited to help open doors and provide a platform for young Black marketing and sales professionals to win in their roles. I hope our peers, partners and supporters get inspired to help in any way they can so we can grow this community and make it thrive in this digital-first world.
klaudia tirico
