It is difficult being a small business and also having to keep up with the latest social trends. I get that. One topic that has been trending online the past couple of years is Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, a.k.a. DEI.

I’m sure you’ve seen those same articles and posts on your LinkedIn feed. It can be overwhelming and with so much on your mind, you wonder if you should even be considering this for your business. After all, like most of us, you probably didn’t major in Ethnic Studies in college.

To give this some background, DEI is more than words, it is a framework that helps you see and understand the importance of difference. Diversity in the workplace brings new ideas and new perspectives. Equity is when everyone gets what they need to succeed, and it will be different for different people. Inclusion allows for those who are ordinarily excluded from important tasks to be represented accurately and included intentionally.

The emphasis should be on accuracy and intention. It recognizes that things were not fair before, but that this is not the way it needs to stay. It asks everyone to work together to make things fairer for everyone else in the workplace.

You’re probably wondering what it has to do with you and your small business. You might think that your business is very small, maybe just a family business, a micro business with just a few employees. You may even be a one person operation. So why should DEI matter?

Well even for the one-person operation, you still have clients, referrals, and fellow contractors (i.e. a bookkeeper, a graphic designer, a coach, etc.) that are necessary for specific tasks for your business. No matter how small your business, you still deal with other people. Those people aren’t always going to look just like you, have the same religion, or be of the same gender.

Let me give you a few specific reasons why I think you should care:

Reason 1:
You don’t want to stay small forever, right? You want to grow, innovate, and expand. You want your ideas/products to not just exist in your little corner of the world. You want to expand so that the rest of the world sees and hears what you have to offer. To do that, you must understand and embrace DEI.

Reason 2:
You and your company are part of a society… at the very least you are part of your local community. If you are an ethnic, racial, or religious minority, you don’t want to be excluded from opportunities outside of your own community. Sometimes this happens because someone forgot you were even there or didn’t think you should be included in the first place.

Reason 3:
We all run out of ideas at some point. Adopting a DEI framework gives you the mindset and understanding to hire or consult with different types of people knowing that your interactions will lead to mutually beneficial outcomes. Why? Because you are also an integral part of the DEI framework that creates a mutually beneficial outcome.

I hope I’ve convinced you to see how DEI is not just important for others, but for you! One of my pet peeves is when people use the term “common sense”. It assumes we all are the same: same history, same background, same, same, same. That’s boring. As a small business you excel because you are unique and bring a different perspective to the marketplace. In essence, you could embody DEI.

Difference, diversity, inclusion, equity… all these terms are vitally important to small businesses, especially those who want to excel in the 21st century marketplace of ideas. DEI provides a source for innovation, creativity, and passion. So, if you want to ensure you don’t stagnate and get left behind, learn about DEI and make it a central part of your business plan.

When it comes to DEI, be intentional, be strategic, and you will thrive!