5 Things / Pain Points
In a week in which federal DEI came crashing down (we lost the FDA as a client), I was grateful for distractions: the graduation show for my comedy class (I performed a 5 minute bit on pickleball and diversity); and a keynote at a national sales conference for a financial services firm. The keynote was about how to build authentic relationships with increasingly diverse clients.
5 Things / Empowered
Crain’s Chicago Business asked, “Bernadette, what’s your take on the current state of DEI?” I was honored to write an OpEd in this week’s edition if you’d like to check it out.
5 Things / Absurdity
The heartbreaking fires in the Los Angeles area compound what feels like a quickly intense year. I’m grateful to have something fun to look forward to each week: a standup comedy class for women.
5 Things / Breaking Bread
I live in Chicago but spend every Thanksgiving week in New York City with my family and friends. Like many of us, I’ll break bread on Thanksgiving with some family members who voted differently than me. And yet, I know they love me and would be there if I needed help. They’ve proved it. Still, the dichotomy is tough to reconcile.
5 Things / Client-Facing
I’ve recently booked several keynotes for audiences of sales professionals. I love this particular work because these are the people who are the face of the brand, yet often miss out on inclusion programming because they’re on the road or in the field.