From Global Citizen to Innovative Culture Trailblazer: Breaking Barriers ~ The Inspiring Journey of an Organizational Culture Trailblazer
In some ways, I have the quintessential American immigrant story – wrapped in a love story. I’m originally from Bombay, India, but haven’t spent much of my life there. My parents moved to Lagos, Nigeria, when I was around a year old. They ended up living there for 25 years, and I spent my elementary school years in Lagos. I briefly moved back to Bombay, where I lived with my grandparents for middle school. I was a fish out of the water, and my grandmother, with whom I was very close to, felt very strongly that I needed to “spread my wings.” So, she managed to convince my parents that I would be better off in England where I went to high school. After wrapping up high school, I planned to take a gap year and learn languages while returning back to Lagos to live with my parents again. Well, you know what they say about best-laid plans…soon after moving back to Lagos, I met my husband, a Puerto Rican US Marine, from the Bronx, stationed in Lagos. We fell in love, moved to Greece, lived for about two years, married and then moved to the US. We’ve raised two fabulous young adults - a daughter and a son – both of whom I am incredibly proud of and love and admire deeply.
I worked my way through my undergraduate degree in business and fell into the HR profession. I worked with some amazing people, and had incredible experiences at world-class companies that were going through transformation and change, and got my MBA in International Business from Georgetown University along the way. I quickly moved up the corporate ladder wherever I worked, taking on bigger, more complex roles dealing with organizational culture and people strategy at companies like CGI, Fannie Mae and Visa. I ended my corporate career as a Senior VP of HR at a large trade association and began my career as an entrepreneur in 2016.
As a former CHRO and experienced global people and culture expert, and now an entrepreneur an author, I’ve built an award-winning consulting business advising leaders on solutions at the intersection of people, culture and the future of work. I excel at helping companies that are at inflection points that are looking to grow, scale and govern the risks and opportunities that are at the heart of talent and culture. I am passionate about changing the way organizations engage their people and work with CEOs, CHROs and other C-suite leaders to help them create healthy workplaces and cultures.
My global upbringing has given me insights into different professional and personal cultural norms, and I bring this perspective to my work and my speaking. I have contributed my HR, culture, and leadership expertise in Forbes, SHRM, CEO World, Lattice, GovExec, USA Wire, HR Executive, Authority Magazine and others. I’ve also been a guest on several top tier podcasts including What’s Working in Washington, Everyday Leadership, Partnering Leadership, Sticky from the Inside, Authentic Change with Mike Horne and Kevin Eickenberry’s Remarkable Leadership to name a few. I’m a sought-after speaker on workplace culture, the workforce of the future, and leadership for organizations such as the National Association of Corporate Directors, the American Institute for CPAs, Athena Alliance, Georgetown University, various SHRM chapters, and national and regional leadership conferences.
What inspired or motivated you to embark on your entrepreneurial journey?
Frankly, it was a lack of enthusiasm about my work as a Chief People Officer and a deep-seated entrepreneurial itch that drove me to start my business in 2016 so that I could fully live my passion – to create work environments that foster growth, creativity, and inclusivity, allowing businesses to thrive and employees to reach their full potential. As someone who lived and studied in four different countries before I was 20, I knew from personal experience that belonging mattered, and in my corporate leadership roles saw time and time again how a majority of employees felt disconnected, disengaged and disenchanted with their leaders and company culture. Going out on my own allowed me to combine my passion and purpose as a consultant and executive adviser to help companies of every size and industry create thriving Workplaces.
Following the footsteps of many entrepreneurs in my family, and through those stories, I learned that if you follow an idea with your whole heart, you can be successful and take care of those around you. Our clients, who are striving to transform their workplaces, complement me and the team for the invaluable transformative culture and leadership expertise that positively impacts their organizations.
Can you recount a pivotal decision or risk you took that significantly impacted the trajectory of your business, whether positively or as a learning experience?
One pivotal decision that significantly impacted the trajectory of our business was the decision to publish a book. I don’t usually feel intimidated by things, but I never considered myself an author and writing a book felt like a very vulnerable act. There were often times that I was fearful people would hate the book and think I was crazy for even attempting to write it! But as a regular keynote speaker, I was often asked if I had a book and encouraged by many of the audience members to write one. So, I took the plunge in 2019 and started to explore what publishing a book might look like.
In September 2022, my book, The Conscious Worplace: Fortify Your Culture to Thrive in Any Crisis was published! Writing and publishing the book stemmed from a desire to share our insights, experiences, and expertise with a broader audience. I recognized that we had valuable knowledge and lessons learned from my journey as an immigrant, corporate leader and entrepreneur, and I saw an opportunity to contribute to the broader business community, and women of color in particular, by sharing my story. In fact, when I began researching comparables for my book, I discovered that all of them had been written by white men. The voice of a woman, and a woman of color, was not in the forefront in culture transformation.
There are inherent challenges and uncertainties associated with writing and publishing a book. However, I made the strategic decision to move forward with the project even though it required a significant investment of time, resources, and effort, including research, writing, editing, and publishing. Nonetheless, it was the right decision both for the business and for my personal and professional growth. I learned a ton doing the research, and I also got to reconnect with former clients and colleagues to recap some of the stories I share in the book. The book provided a platform for me to showcase our expertise and thought leadership, enhancing our credibility and visibility within our industry. It also opened up new opportunities for speaking engagements, media appearances, and collaborations, further amplifying our reach and influence.
Overall, I believe the decision to write and publish The Conscious Workplace has positively impacted the trajectory of our business, serving as a catalyst for growth, innovation, and personal development. It reinforced the importance of taking calculated risks, embracing new opportunities, and leveraging one’s unique lived experiences and expertise to create value and make a meaningful impact in the world.
What future trends or changes do you foresee impacting the B2B industry, and how are you preparing your business to adapt to or capitalize on these shifts?
I see five key trends and changes that are and will continue to impact the B2B industry in the coming years, and we are proactively preparing our business to adapt to and capitalize on these shifts:
Digital Transformation: The ongoing digital transformation of B2B processes and operations is expected to accelerate, driven by advancements in technology and changing customer preferences. Where it makes sense given our size and scope, we are investing in digital capabilities, such as digital marketing strategies and data analytics to enhance our online presence, streamline our operations, and deliver a seamless customer experience.
Continued Shift to Remote Work and Virtual Engagement: The widespread adoption of remote work and virtual engagement models, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, is likely to continue reshaping how B2B businesses operate and interact with customers. During the pandemic and after, our consulting and coaching work includes advising leaders on managing remote teams and fostering cultures of belonging, even when teams are geographically dispersed. As a team, we have always embraced remote work technologies, such as virtual collaboration tools and digital communication platforms, to facilitate seamless collaboration, communication, and engagement with our team members, customers, and partners, regardless of location.
Rise of AI and Automation: The adoption of AI and automation technologies exploded last year and is only expected to increase across various B2B functions, including customer service, marketing, sales, and supply chain management. Candidly, we are still exploring opportunities and trying to figure out how to leverage AI and automation to further streamline our processes, enhance decision-making, and improve operational efficiency. Where we are engaged is advising leaders on workforce transition and transformation as they integrate AI into their workspaces.
Sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) Initiatives: The growing focus on sustainability and ESG initiatives is reshaping the B2B landscape, with businesses facing increasing pressure from their boards and other stakeholders to adopt sustainable practices and demonstrate social responsibility. The work we do around culture and DEI very naturally supports organizations who are focused on the “S” within ESG. Many of our clients have a younger workforce and they often want to work in organizations that are actively committed to social justice and DEI. I feel that our work helps to advance ESG initiatives.
Focus on Health and Wellness: The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened awareness of health and wellness, particularly mental health, considerations in the workplace, leading to increased demand for products and services that support employee well-being. The essence of our organizational culture work is to advise leaders on fostering cultures where all employees can thrive. As a result, we are well positioned to meet the evolving needs of our customers and support the health and productivity of their workforce.
The team and I continue to stay informed and proactive in our approach and we are confident that we can successfully navigate these future trends and changes, positioning the business for continued growth and success in the dynamic and competitive B2B landscape.
Can you share a specific obstacle or setback you encountered early on and how you overcame it?
“Entrepreneurship isn’t for the faint of heart.” I heard this statement many times in my career, but as a founder of an 8-year-old company, I have lived it! I made the courageous and risky decision to leave my lucrative executive job, which did not align with my values, to start my own business with the intention of making a positive impact and assisting small to mid-sized companies. I did not have access to capital and knew that I would have to bootstrap my business utilizing my own financial resources as well as using my passion to fuel my determination. But bootstrapping is just the first hurdle.
As an entrepreneur there are often many headwinds to navigate. The biggest hurdle I’ve faced is the need to innovate and adapt to the ever-changing business landscape, which is particularly challenging because some leaders don’t see the work we do as a place to invest for the long term – they often want quick, and cheap, fixes. And, when you couple that with economic and political instability, it makes running a services business quite challenging.
How do you spend most of your time?
Founding and running a business is an all-in endeavor and you don’t often get nights and weekends off. Even if I am not on my laptop working, my brain is constantly churning. I love what I do and the impact we have so it doesn’t always feel like work. As an entrepreneur, my days don’t always go as planned! There’s always something that pops up every day whether it’s a client who needs help navigating a crisis or a colleague who needs some guidance working through a project. Most days, I spend a lot of time in meetings whether it’s with clients, the team, prospective clients, and networking. I typically have at least one meal or coffee out of the house as I am connecting with my network, generating new business, or reconnecting with people. It’s so great to be able to meet up with people in person again. I also carve out time to pay it forward whether it’s through mentoring students from my alma mater or young professionals or hopping on a call with a prospective entrepreneur.
Aside from running my business, I am also active in other areas of the community. I am an Advisory Board Member for two start-ups: Enabled Intelligence an AI and data labeling firm and One Village, a virtual care platform. I am also on the board of the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington, an advisor to Georgetown University’s Master’s in Human Resources program, and an adjunct faculty member teaching DEI and HR related programs.
I belong to some formal networking groups centered around empowering entrepreneurs, women leaders and business owners, as well as several informal groups of ‘power’ women who believe in supporting and elevating each other.
Tell us a little about your family and what you do for fun.
I currently live in Arlington, Virginia, right outside of Washington, DC with my husband, our two Gen Z kids, and our two adorable doodles – an Aussiedoodle and a Cavapoo. Not that I am biased, but they are the cutest, most loving and adorable pups. My oldest is in college and my youngest is on his way this fall, so gone are the days of attending our daughter’s dance recitals or watching our son play soccer most weekends. That time has been replaced with taking walks with my husband and our pups, as well as working hard to stay fit and strong, particularly as I get older!
I also love to travel and recently returned from an extended trip to India, the Netherlands, and Belgium. I am a fan of the theatre, particularly musicals, as well as art museums and galleries. During football season you can often find me yelling at the TV, as I am a rabid NY Giants fan. And I am no stranger to Netflix and other streaming services where I love a good binge–whether it’s a drama, comedy, or romance.
To connect with Shaara, visit:
shaara.roman@silverenegroup.com
