Supplier Diversity is an evolving set of processes that has grown over decades. And because the practice has grown in size and scope, it is easy to miss or overlook some of its roots. This course explores the history of supplier diversity and its origins in minority business development.

In 2004 Drucker said, “The CEO is the link between the Inside that is ‘the organization,’ and the Outside of society, economy, technology, markets, and customers. Inside there are only costs. Results are only on the outside.”  This course describes the fundamental responsibilities of the CEO of a minority business enterprise.

Business relationships are fundamental to what we do as business leaders. Business relationships with FORTUNE 500 corporations is key for diverse companies looking to grow to scale.  This course offers a roadmap to success with Corporate America.

Having a second set of eyes and ears to review your business strategy as it develops is important. Having other executives to provide advice (and sometimes to make decisions) grows ownership of the results throughout the organization.  An Advisory Board provides support, guidance, and connections.

Demographic and economic trends continue to show a significant shift in population mix and buying power. Leveraging supplier diversity initiatives based on a sound business strategy is no longer an option. It's a necessity. Your capabilities, coupled with an understanding of the supplier diversity ecosystem, can literally take years off of your sales conversion timeline.

The American Marketing Association defines marketing as the activity, a set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. Understanding marketing is critical  because your customers have specific needs that only diverse-owned businesses can address. 

Capacity building refers to those activities that fortify the knowledge, abilities, skills, and behavior and processes by which a company can efficiently (and profitably) meet its mission and goals in a sustainable way.  In this course, you will learn why diverse supplier capacity building is essential to the supplier diversity value proposition now and in the future.

Many diverse suppliers assume that capacity building starts with potential customers. This is not correct. Capacity building starts with the diverse supplier recognizing its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT Analysis). This self-reflection starts with customers, advisors, and mentors becoming resources for development.​