Allyship in Business: Navigating Diversity & Continuous Learning at The Boutique COO
As I was thinking about how to kick off our blog here at The Boutique COO, I really wanted to write about something that represents who we are as people and as a company.
I’m Makena, the Founder of The Boutique COO.
Allyship is a core tenant of how I personally aim to live my life. As I’ve been focused on building out The Boutique COO (TBC) brand, I’ve always known this part of my personal core would influence how we approach our approach to team and client relations at TBC.
Acknowledging my own privileges as a white, cis, queer woman, I approach allyship with humility and a thirst for knowledge.
Here are the main ways I plan to instill allyship in The Boutique COO and navigate diversity, transparency, and continuous learning as we grow.
1. Treating Clients with Respect and Empathy
While it may seem straightforward, treating all clients with respect and empathy requires intentional efforts due to internalized biases.
The Boutique COO team will follow clear discovery, onboarding, and operating procedures consistently, ensuring every client receives the best experience, regardless of identity.
A medium-term goal involves offering business support programs in marginalized communities with limited access to services like ours due to societal and business biases.
2. Prioritizing Diversity in Team Building
We’ll keep diversity top of mind while looking for new team members.
As I actively source project manager applications, I’ll welcome applicants from a variety of outlets. My aim is to have The Boutique COO be composed of diverse individuals - with diversity in gender identity, sexuality, ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, and beyond. We’ll also welcome applicants with non-traditional backgrounds, such as those who pursued their degrees later in life.
3. Transparency About Our Values
Not everyone shares our values, and that's okay.
Transparency about our principles is crucial. It’s possible that not everyone shares our values, and I’m ok that those folks may not be the clients for The Boutique COO.
As our platform of influence grows, it’s important to me to leverage our voice for the greater good, advocating for values we believe in.
4. Taking Tangible Actions to Foster Change
Advocacy isn't just about words—it's about actions.
This can mean something as simple as resharing information about fundraisers or protests, or can mean getting our team out for volunteering several times per year.
It’s important that we don’t just say what we believe, but that we put our resources and voice behind it day-to-day.
5. Cultivating Humility and Continuous Learning
The Boutique COO will always have an attitude of humility and constant learning about how to be an ally.
Recognizing my privilege and biases, I acknowledge that being an ally is an ongoing journey of learning. Open conversations about these topics with friends, clients, colleagues, and neighbors are welcomed.
Our Goal? Each interaction contributes to our continuous improvement as individuals and as a team.
I’m looking forward to learning from you as we grow together.
All my best,
Makena
Founder, The Boutique COO
