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OutBüro - LGBTQ Voices

OutBüro - LGBTQ Voices

Author: Dennis Velco

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OutBüro Voices - In each episode host Dennis Velco has engaging and casual conversations with LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the globe.
Let's chat, share, learn, grow, and be inspired. together.

We’ll explore their career path, inspiration, strategy, startup journey, successes balanced with insights from lessons learned. We’ll also talk with leaders in Diversity and Inclusion and community allies across many sectors with a keen LGBTQ perspective.

Join us on www.OutBuro.com – The online community for LGBTQ professionals and entrepreneurs.
98 Episodes
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In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with DJ Doran, a media entrepreneur, LGBTQ community organizer, 23 year US Airforce veteran, and long-time Chicago citizen.    Chicago News: Breaking DJ Doran announces his candidacy for Mayor of Chicago. (April 6, 2022).  The election is in February 2023.     Mayoral candidate DJ Doran has never held a public office, his background is well suited to tackle the big issues Chicago faces. In our conversation, Doran lists 7 key issues and the practical high-level steps he'd take toward improving life for everyone in Chicago. As he explains, the first step would be to assess the current situation by meeting with the 50 Alderman, and city key departments, auditing the city finances and auditing the city contracts, policies, processes, and systems. He will empower the great employees of the City of Chicago to work with him to make Chicago a well-run city where all have the opportunity to thrive in a safe environment.     For many, like myself, as soon as I hear "Chicago Politics" the first word that pops in my mind is "corruption".  I thought that maybe I'd seen too many movies. However, as Doran discussed the issues Chicago faces, that knee-jerk thought seems to unfortunately still be quite real.  Compounding the issues is Mayor Lightfoot who is ineffective at best.      The system is full of career politicians who generally have little business life experience only appear to have their egos in mind.  It would be nice to be proven wrong on that.  The city has contracts that no reasonable business owner would ever sign such as a 100-year parking meter contract.  WHAT? I'd love to see that agreement to pick it apart. How could any competent person working in good faith for the city do such a thing? It was a political hack job with only the crony politician who forced that through and the parking meter company's bank account benefiting.  DJ states that if he ran his business finances the way the City of Chicago currently does, he'd be in JAIL!  The people of Chicago deserve a city government and leaders that have the community at large best interests in mind.  DJ Doran is the right person for the job.   Learn more about DJ Doran and the issues Chicago faces at:  https://doran4mayor.com  https://www.facebook.com/doran4mayor  https://twitter.com/doran4mayor Read more on Windy City Times: https://www.windycitytimes.com/lgbt/POLITICS-Gay-media-owner-to-run-for-Chicago-mayor/72852.html Learn more about DJ Doran and the issues Chicago faces at https://doran4mayor.com.   Chicago deserves better than Mayor Lightfoot who said: 'I have the biggest d*** in Chicago' Mayor Lightfoot is being sued for defamation, accused of profane comments - see news story here -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpIQ2E4gXj0  Join us on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco via our site's Recommend an Interview Guest form.  https://outburo.com/recommend-a-guest/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Dr. Kelly. Today we are chatting about the need and importance of having wills and other end-of-life planning for LGBTQ persons.   Don't leave headaches, problems, burdens for others. Estate planning including a will ensures your wishes and desires are carried out as you would like. It can be slightly more complex for persons who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, asexual, intersex, transgender or queer in several ways.   First, if estate planning is not done, family members who may not support you for who you are may swoop in and take all your assets away from those you intended to have them if no current will is present.  Also, family members who acted/seemed like they supported you as LGBTQ, can change their tune once you are gone.    Why chance it?  With a little bit of time and planning, you can legally ensure your wishes are honored. Use a licensed attorney in the state you reside in and have assets in.    When someone passes away the ugliness and greed in others come out. In many US states having a will may allow your case to bypass probate court. In other states that require all estates to pass through probate court, having a will, will be the guide the judge uses and speeds up the process. Not having a will is a sure way to have all your assets tied up in a probate court where the judge then has no clue about your desires and intentions and then will distribute your assets solely based on blood family relations.    Estate Planning Tips: Fresh - Keep a current active will that is less than 3 years old. Plan - In planning, make a list of all your current assets, descriptions, location, value, etc.  No Assets? A will is still needed, consider if there may be a wrongful death lawsuit case awarded to your estate. Your Family as you Define It - As an LGBTQ+ person, you may have a life partner, have a family of choice, and community non-profits you'd like to support and give your assets to.    Designate Guardian for Minor Children - If you have minor-aged children, having a will is important to ensure the child will be placed in the care of who you choose and again that all decisions you want to make to care for the child after your passing is done.    Many LGBTQ persons choose to live with a life partner yet are not legally married. Note even if married, a will is smart, but LGBTQ persons who are in a long relationship yet not legally married definitely need to leverage the legal structure of a will.  A will is your last love letter to those you love. It lays out the distribution of your assets in the event of your death. Join us OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices. https://OutBuro.com Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco via our site's Recommend an Interview Guest form.  https://outburo.com/recommend-a-guest/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Martin Cowart, a spiritual and mindset coach helping clients heal personally and financially. Listen in or watch now or later on the video or audio apps you already use.    The summary below doesn't fully explain. Be sure to listen or watch the full episode.   Martin works with gay, bisexual, and transgender business owners. Previously he was a wealth manager at a large firm. He found himself in a toxic work environment which affected his performance.  He came close to bankruptcy and one day came to the point of owning it and surrendering the whole situation to his higher power - God.  At that moment a feeling of love, grace, and power enveloped him. He found a new perspective - that it all doesn't matter. He changed his perception and attachment to money.  Love and gratitude are the foundation of abundance.  Martin does what is called Shadow Work. That is helping others identity, address, and overcome their negative and scarcity mindset at the root cause.  He has a spiritual guide called Joy the Wise Woman. \ No matter how much money someone has if they have a mindset of scarcity and lack in their mind, it will never be enough. They must release their emotional attachments to money to be freed in order to feel their worth, accept themself and live a fulfilled and prosperous life with self-love and gratitude for the moment.  Martin's ideal clients are gay, bisexual, and trans men who are entrepreneurs and professionals who feel they've reached a plateau and want to break through and reach their full potential and earn what they desire and are worthy of. He also works with top corporate leaders who have given up their lives to reach their career goals. He works with them to love themselves enough and regain work-life balance.   For the LGBTQ+ community, this is amplified by the negativity and rejection unfortunately often still experienced from family and professionally.  Part of self-love is setting boundaries with others to limit the negativity projected from others. You cannot change others. You can only control and change yourself.  In his coaching, Martin takes a spiritual approach using the Wisdom Teachings of Jesus with the Hero's Journey moving from the beliefs in our heads to the love in our hearts.  Martin provides group and one-on-one coaching.    J oin us OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco via our site's Recommend an Interview Guest form.  https://outburo.com/recommend-a-guest/ Fd7Abq8hLcsnwWs7IQSi --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with out gay author Michael Dumlao regarding his new book "The Wisdom of Guncles" (gay uncles). Michael Dumlao (he/his) is an artist, author, and activist equipped with more than twenty-one years of advancing diversity, equity, and social justice through award-winning brand strategy, digital marketing, and creative storytelling in corporate, federal, academic, and non-profit environments. He led the rebrand of a Fortune 500 company as its first Director of Brand and serves as a senior advisor for leaders in defense and intelligence. Are you the black sheep in your family who chafes at traditions and seeks examples of how to redefine them? The Wisdom of Guncles is about queer people and their relationship with family — however, they choose to define it. Featuring a diverse pantheon of gay uncles (“guncles”) and other queer mentors, their stories offer unique perspectives about life, love, and personal empowerment. In our conversation, Michael shares a bit about a few of the stories. We also chat about his process of writing the book and how his passion for storytelling started as a teenager full of angst and his need to express it through writing.  The stories are human stories where any reader regardless of age, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation may connect with the story and perhaps learn a bit about themselves and/or others.  As a family "black sheep" bunking the expectations of others, we can find our own identity, passions, likes, dislikes, and so forth. With some family dynamics, it can take courage to break out and do your own thing.  Some people are completely rejected by birth families for being different, not the following conformity, and for being LGBTQ+. We can choose to view those past negative situations from a victim's perspective or change our mind's narrative into viewing it as a challenge that we dealt with and now is a superpower.  With those life lessons learned, the book is about sharing such wisdom with others so that we all may rise and be our true authentic selves. With each chapter, Dumlao examines what various LGBTQ+ experiences teach about disrupting norms, exploring identity, and creating chosen families that affirm one’s truth. Readers will ponder questions such as: How do I challenge and change traditions that hide those that are different?   If I choose to never dim my light, will I become a beacon for others lost in the dark?  How will recovering past stories and unsung heroes help us create a better future?   How can I leave a space more welcoming than how I found it?  The Wisdom of Guncles shares ten powerful journeys, each bearing knowledge honed through struggle and triumph, on living with audacious authenticity and compassion. While these narratives are unapologetically queer, they hold universal lessons about the human condition that, like all stories about family, are grounded in love. Michael was born in Manila, Philippines, raised in Sydney, Australia, schooled in Santa Barbara, California; residing in Washington DC with his Peruvian husband Daniel and their rescue dog, America. He is the proud guncle to more than fifty far-flung niblings and protégés to whom his debut book, The Wisdom of Guncles, is dedicated.   To learn more and find where to get your copy of the book visit: https://www.thewisdomofguncles.com Join us OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Jaco Kleynhans is a South African based technology business owner, NijaCo, and founder of the NGO A Community of Humans that provides technology support and training to other LGBTQ NGOs throughout Africa. In Jaco's early career he was in the South African Air Force where he was assigned a special project to learn web development and create websites for various South African Air Force divisions. He fell in love with web and software development. After his Air Form term, he launched his own technology and software development company NinjaCo. Working professionally in the space he realizes that LGBTQ NGOs in Africa lacked the support and skills they need to be successful. So, with passion and vigor, he created the NGO A Community of Humans to provide technology support and training for other LGBTQ NGOs throughout all of Africa. One of the most frequently requested support is to create reporting dashboard to demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of what the LGBTQ NGOs provide to their served communities. This reporting is critical in obtaining and maintaining grants.  The dashboards might include if the NGO is medically focused such as HIV treatment and prevention, things like, how many patients are seen, treated, followed up with, the efficacy of treatment, and so forth. Grant providers want to be certain that the funds they are providing is being used appropriately and making a real difference. Jaco and his A Community of Humans NGO have created partnerships with global leading software and hardware companies to provide the LGBTQ NGOs with the tools they need to operate and be effective in their communities.  It's not just enough to provide the tools, the LGBTQ NGO management, and team members also need to know how to use them.  So Jaco, teamed up with those providers to provide training and education.  As if that wasn't enough, Jaco has paid attention to the technology job market and like many reports and studies show, there is a global deficit of trained and certified technology professionals to fill all the talent needs spanning from small businesses, NGOs, and large corporations.  Jaco has expanded the training and education to include providing it to members of the community in where the LGBTQ NGOs he already supports are located. The technology partners provide the hardware and software. The LGBTQ NGOs provide the classroom space. A Community of Humans provides the tables, chairs, and in-person instructors to lead the students through the content providing guidance and the support the students need. Jaco even reached out to an internet provider to provide the students with internet access so that they can access all the training content online and perform their homework out of the classroom. Jaco also reached out to the school that he attended nearly 20 years ago and formed a partnership in where current students can internship on the A Community of Humans projects to gain real-world practical experience.  This experience will include but is not limited to, reporting dashboard development, website development, custom web, and smartphone application development, technology security, marketing, communications, strategic planning, and so much more.    Jaco is an entrepreneur and community leader who is reaching not only the LGBTQ community in Africa but cross-connecting beyond for true collaboration, community building, mentoring, skills development, and leadership development for LGBTQ NGO and youth in Africa in general. Join us OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace - https://www.OutBuro.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Sarah Lynn, an IT security professional focusing on LGBTQ+ owned small and midsized businesses and LGBTQ+ community non-profits.    Lynn has a 30-year career in technology with a significant portion of that career dedicated to information technology security. She is a partner in BPM CPA and leads the IT Security division.  Lynn stated that she started focusing on IT security for small and medium businesses because in that industry they were and still are very underserved. She further explained that LGBTQ+ owned businesses and non-profits are even more underserved and she aims to do her part to correct that.   Lynn and Dennis both share real-world examples of IT security breaches they have encountered. The threats are many including: Securing your communications: email, cell phones, chat boxes, and more  Securing your systems from automatic attacks and ransomware  Securing your databases: from both external forces and internal employees/contractors - theft mitigation  Securing your website and backup/recovery strategies  Securing cloud services you leverage Logging employee activities on company-owned devices or devices used on behalf of the company/organization Improve your  IT security strategy and monitoring  Lock your systems down and trust very few people.     Lynn is offering all viewers/listeners a complimentary 1 hours consultation phone call. Reach out to Lynn to set up your time to chat about your organization's technology security.  Connect with Lynn here:  https://outburo.com/profile/salynn/ Sarah A. Lynn IT Sechttps://www.youtube.com/redirect? https://www.linkedin.com/in/salynn https://www.bpmcpa.com/People/Sarah-Lynn Join us OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco via our site's Recommend an Interview Guest form. https://outburo.com/recommend-a-guest/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Dr. Kelly about legal issues LGBTQ+ persons should be aware of in 2nd parent adoptions building their family.   We welcome your comments and questions.  Join us on https://outbur.com and join the Out-Families group!   Family law throughout the United States and Canada can vary from state to state.  LGBTQ+ persons desiring to build their family by whatever means can face challenges not necessarily faced by heterosexual families. Many states have recently updated their laws to address the past challenges while other states still remain behind the times. At the moment you choose to build your family, it is important to gain a full understanding of the Family Laws in your state and seek a licensed attorney to help you protect your legal connection rights as a parent or guardian of a child you care for and love and the rights of the child.     Some issues to be informed about:  If unmarried yet have a life partner, do your state laws allow can co-adopt simultaneously?  Similarly, if unmarried and using an egg or sperm of the partner do your state laws allow both to be added to the birth certificate or not? If using an egg or sperm donor, what if any rights might the donor have or not?  What is your desire? Legally recognized parents or guardians bare the financial responsibility of the child.   Benefits of having the legal connection to the child:  Ability to make healthcare, education, wellbeing, and other decisions on behalf of the child.  Ability to pass assets to the child easily in the event of the death of a legally recognized parent or guardian.  Custody and visitation - If currently married or in a relationship and you have formed a bond with the child, yet the adult relationship dissolves having the legal right to continue a relationship with the child.  The ability to add the child to your health insurance plan.   Dr. Kelly is not an attorney, yet represents a vast network of licensed attornies throughout the United States and Canada. Reach out to Dr. Kelly to learn how for a low monthly subscription, you can have access to licensed attornies for both personal and business issues.   https://outburo.com/profile/kellyclark/   Join us OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com   Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco via our site's Recommend an Interview Guest form.  https://outburo.com/recommend-a-guest/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Kevin Huntting, a Leadership Coaching Centered on Your State Of Consciousness. If you are a professional or entrepreneur in either capacity and would like to up your leadership skills, make sure you watch/listen. Along the way, we'd love for you to drop a comment. What did you learn? What was new or interesting to you? What are your goals and what's blocking you? Kevin has had a long career in the large Fortune 500 corporate world in areas of eCommerce, digital marketing, social media management for brands like Banana Republic, GAP, and GE. He enjoyed the challenges and what they taught him about himself. The biggest change was when he met his spouse who is a career Mexican Diplomat. Due to his husband's government role that requires him to be resigned to new international or US locations to serve his country every 3-4 years, this caused Kevin to assess himself and reconsider his career. We discussed how relocating can allow you to reinvent yourself leaving the past behind. If coupled with a self-assessment and an intention to grow and change it can have a profound positive impact on your life. Also, how so many people fear the change, leaving a comfort zone (even if negative) and unknown and further we discuss how to deal with that. step into the possibilities, and make it a reality. Kevin's leadership coaching modality is founded on core energy or energy leadership. The idea is that every one of us is operating from a place of 7 core levels of consciousness in any given situation, context, or interaction in our day-to-day lives. Kevin assists his clients in understanding where they are showing up energetically or consciously speaking. He works with leaders to help them build that awareness and emotional intelligence that allows them to tap into higher levels of consciousness which results in more effective leadership, overall satisfaction, and productivity. It sounds a little metaphysical, but level one is a victim mentality. If someone is operating in this level with their thoughts, emotions, and actions life is happening to them, not for them. Energy attracts like energy. Kevin helps his client's break the mold or lens to see the potential of raising their consciousness and provide a wide range of tools to see what is holding them back, see what you maybe cannot see from an outside objective perspective, and make positive change in a short period of time - usually just 3 months. Kevin's ideal clients are change-makers, envelope pushers, innovators, social entrepreneurs, anyone who is looking to make a positive impact in the world, and maybe the employer they work for to increase their leadership and performance. He starts off with each client using the Energy Leadership Assessment Index which measures the client's attitude to gauge where they are today. Taking the client's stated desired goals, he creates a systematic plan and then works with the client over a typically 3 month period to achieve their desired change. He creates a gap analysis potentially covering attitude, skills, behaviors, characteristics to gain to reach their goals. Connect with Kevin: Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/2stepsforwardcoach Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/2stepsforwardcoaching/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinhuntting/ Website:   https://www.stepsforwardcoaching.com Join us OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Joseph Barb founder of the LGBTQ+ Family Connections Center located in South Dakota to support LGBTQ+ homeless youth.  Joe has a career background in corporate human resources and had a moment of realization that turned his life to focus on the underserved LGBTQ+ community in South Dakota. Growing up in Connecticut where he had 3 LGBTQ+ community centers all nearby. However, where he, his husband and their son (pictured with him in the thumbnail/feature image) now live in South Dakota and throughout the Mid-West has very few if any community resources.  This became blatantly apparent when one day he was at his barber. His barber shared that his transgender son was kicked out of his biological father's home with just a trash bag of clothes and dropped on the doorstep of his barber and his wife, the son's mother. Joe learned that the barber was having a difficult time finding supporting counseling for his family. From that, the non-profit was born. As of mid-2021, there are 1,764,000 homeless youth ages 13-24 in the United States.  The housing and economic insecurity is so great within our community (supported by studies), especially for youth. Youth today are more comfortable with who they are at much earlier ages than past generations. If they come out or show signs of being LGBTQ+ they still face rejection by family and can face getting kicked out of their family homes. They often are unprepared to live life on their own lacking basic life skills, work skills, and support resources.  Sometimes their families make it even harder by not providing documentation such as their birth certificate or social security card leaving them unable to obtain driver's license or state-issued ID cards. Without the basic documentation, they cannot get a job or if they can afford it, cannot rent a place to live.   Some find temporary shelter surfing couches. This, however, is not home security. Joe though the LGBTQ+ Family Connections Center non-profit has started providing virtual counseling with a growing team of volunteer social workers, referral to LGBTQ+ supportive counselors, and other services. He wants to provide stability and towards doing so, he has identified a property that has fully equipped private cabins with living space, a small kitchen, and a bedroom. The center also has buildings for a community center and counseling center.  The LGBTQ+ Family Connections Center will be doing more than providing a roof over the rejected LGBTQ+ youth's heads. They will be providing counseling, job skill training to set them off on a career - not just a fast-food restaurant job, casual and work clothing, internship opportunities, and job search guidance. Remember, Joe is a past corporate HR professional. Joe has established a strong working relationship with HUD and completed the first HUD grant application. All grants however can take 18-months to several years to be awarded.  Joe is seeking business/corporate sponsorships as well.  Not only will they accept personal clothing donations, but he hopes to gain corporate sponsors for technology, food, clothing, shoes, and all other basics the non-profit and these young people will need to exist, grow, and thrive into healthy, active, and successful people. If you happen to have a contact within a business/corporation that you feel might be open to helping, he'd love to chat with you. Grants and corporate support take quite a bit of time to acquire. Therefore, Joe and the LGBTQ+ Family Connections Center are seeking to raise funds to purchase this beautiful property and are calling on the LGBTQ+ community everywhere to please donate. Learn more here:  https://lgbtqfamilyconnectionscenter.net --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices host, Dennis Velco chats again with our friend Gurchaten "Nanoo" Sandhu who is the LGBTQ Global Leader at the United Nations about being LGBTQ and Sikh.    OutBüro Voicesfeaturing LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world.    During the recording of our initial interview (link below) at the tail end, I asked Nanoo about being gay LGBTQ, and being Sikh.  His response was rather surprising to me stating that, unlike several other prominent world religions, the Sikh faith has no mention of homosexuality in its scriptures at all.  Many LGBTQ persons around the world have grown up and have been hurt by family and faiths that believe, whether, right or wrong, or even long ago mistranslation. I find it refreshing to hear the Sikh faith speaks nothing about it.   Would you like more facts?  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikhism...  Would you like to connect with other LGBTQ Sekh from around the world?  Sarbat - Sikh LGBTQ Group main website at: http://www.sarbat.net/ And it on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/lgbtsikh/  Check out our past episode with Nanoo here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M24H0... In the past episode, we discussed his LGBTQ leadership role at the United Nations.   Join us on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco via our site's Recommend an Interview Guest form.  https://outburo.com/recommend-a-guest/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Stephen Crawford a Business Coach who focuses on the end game.   Stephen Crawford throughout his career has been a teacher and/or coach in some manner. For the bulk of his career, he was a vocal coach helping his clients and students be pitch-perfect while performing and guiding their careers. He has owned two successful vocal studios and has clients who have gone on to reach prestigious positions.   Stephen focuses on the end game of what the client is wanting to achieve and then works systematically with them to help them shift their mindset to remove the stumbling blocks that are holding them back. Stephen has taken his past and realized his skills, knowledge, passion, and expertise can help small businesses. He launched Infinite Symmetry Business Strategies as an independent small business consulting agency under a national Business Services company that provides a researched methodology to structure his consulting practice with tools and resources.     One of those tools is a comprehensive business survey that helps Stephen and the business owner uncover underdeveloped or missing core business structures, processes, marketing channels, and key business documents. There are over 40 areas of insights in this survey and its personalized report. From completing it, along with the businesses owners' stated goals, Stephen can then make prioritized recommendations.    In our conversation, Stephen provided an example of how a business owner due to a family unexpected health issue had to sell her business. She was not prepared and basically had to walk away from all her years of working to build and sustain it. Had she previously worked with Stephen, gotten prepared with the legal documents, documented business processes, a growth plan, a solid marketing plan, insurances, clear accounting, and an exit strategy, she would have been in a much better place financially and emotionally.   Having a business exit strategy is not just a single document. Think of it as an athlete whose goal is to compete in the Olympics.  Writing on a piece of paper, "I want to compete in the Olympics" is great. But it won't get you there. An effective business exit strategy relies on all the areas of the business to be strong, documented thoroughly, and in place right now.  Waiting until you need or want to exit is likely too late. Do you think you are leaving your business to your child/ren?  Have they worked in the business long enough to know how it fully operates? A great exercise would be to have them assist in the forming of the exit strategy. As they assist in process documentation and all the other aspects they'll gain a fuller knowledge and understanding along with being able to contribute to some of the decision makings.  Having an exit strategy also prepares a business to raise capital from investors or secure a good business loan.     www.infinitesymmetrybusinessstrategies.com  www.infinitesymmetrysymmetrycoaching.com   You owe it to yourself to have your business as strong and ready as it can be.  Reach out to Stephen today to set up an initial conversation.   To connect with Stephen you can find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/stephengetsmorecash4u/  Join us on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online networking community for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com   Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/recommend-a-guest/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with the United Nation's LGBTQ+ personnel leader Gurchaten "Nanoo" Sandhu. His reach incorporates 70 UN organizations in a unique personnel bargaining way. This is just the text description is just a brief overview, so be sure to listen or watch and post any questions you might have for Nanoo in the comments. Nanoo who is a British citizen by birth, his parent immigrated comes from Northern Indian with Punjabi heritage and a with a Seik spiritual upbringing. See the separate short video of our discussion on being LGBTQ and Sikh by upbringing and faith which was an educational lesson for me. Nanoo, which is what people close to him call him, started out as an intern at the United Nations.  When he arrived in Switzerland 15 years ago it was just for that 6-month internship. Yet he hasn't left - other than for holiday. He converted to a full-time employee of the United Nations International Labor Organization (ILO) in where he's had the opportunity to work on the policy of international labor rights and equality. His early career at the United Nations was fraught with homophobia and being specifically told by another gay colleague to stay in the closet, this is not a place you will thrive and be out as gay.  Like all organizations, change happens over time. One of the additional challenges of working at the United Nations as personnel is that all policies and benefits for each of the 70 organizations are reviewed and fate determined by its operational board which consists of the member state/country representatives.  So, if those happen to be countries that criminalize same-gender relationships, it can be difficult to achieve complete LGBTQ inclusive policies and benefits in those organizations. As Nanno described, the United Nations GLOBE is quite interesting. It is not a traditional Employee Resource Group like what is found in many for-profit companies around the developed world. It operates on a completely voluntary basis with ZERO funding from the United Nations or any of its 70 organizations.  It is a personnel lead, managed, and self-funded organization. It operates somewhere between an employee resource group and a staff bargaining union. Anytime there is any discussion of human resource policy or benefits within any of the UN 70 organizations, the UN GLOBE demands a seat at the table to ensure for the benefit of all personnel that the needs of LGBTQ personnel are addressed, often to the benefit of their heteronormative colleagues as well.  Being a truly global organization has presented many challenges. For example, when a staffer is offered a post in a country that is not LGBTQ+ friendly or it is criminalized in the potential destination country, what are the options the UN can achieve. In some cases, if the staffer chooses not to take the assignment it can be a career-limiting choice. We all have tough choices to make, but living as one's authentic self as safely as possible is of course the best choice. There will be other job advancement opportunities in the future. I am fascinated by this model and feel it can be an inspiration to others. Regardless of the employer's buy-in, organize, educate, connect, and create change on your terms. Your and the UN Globe are an inspiration. Join me and Nanoo on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Jennifer Henius and Zander Keig founders of the LGBTQ Caregiver Center.   Jennifer has a long history of working in the caregiving space at the national headquarters for the US Veterans Affairs where she was in a leadership role within the caregiver support program. In that role, she worked on public policy including LGBTQ policy and the caregiver education and training curriculum where she worked to integrate LGBTQ awareness and sensitivity into the training curriculum. She is a licensed clinical social worker and healthcare consultant.    Zander and Jennifer initially met through LinkedIn and soon realized their common interests. As covered in our past interview with Zander, we discussed his past military experience, and his past work at the US Veterans Affairs as well. Both Jennifer and Zander are caregivers for family members who are also US Veterans.     The LGBTQ Caregiver Center provides resources, education, and services to empower LGBTQ Caregivers and those who care for LGBTQ people to improve their health, mental health, and wellness. The LGBTQ Caregiver Center is founded and directed by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals, advocates and allies.  Caregiving is a major public health concern that impacts more than 53 million adults in the USA. Caregiving is far more common among LGBTQ individuals than cisgender or heterosexual adults. Caregiving can be physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially exhausting. Maintaining your health and wellness is essential.   Their mission is to raise awareness of the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ Caregivers and those who care for LGBTQ individuals, empower LGBTQ Caregivers to live with pride and dignity, and serve as a conduit for education, wellness, training, and research. The Center provides information and resources, delivers training and innovative services to enhance the health and wellness of LGBTQ Caregivers.   Learn more at https://lgbtqcaregivers.org/  Jennifer shares that past studies have not been inclusive yet recently organizations that conduct studies have realized the need to be fully inclusive and are now taking great measures to include the LGBTQ community. Further, advisory board members of the LGBTQ Caregiver Center are medical doctors who are experts on LGBTQ healthcare disparity.   We chat about some of the unique needs of LGBTQ caregivers such as having to be a caregiver for a loved one that does not accept them for who they are. Zander shared his personal situation of caregiving for his father who has dementia and as a transgender person having to share his personal information with personnel at the assisted living facility in case his father starts to inquire about his daughter.   Jennifer shares how many LGBTQ seniors who need assistance in-home or at care centers often return to the closet out of fear of discrimination, harassment, and the potential of care refusal. We discussed the need for LGBTQ training and certification for those organizations.   Be sure to check out your Caregiver Rights: https://www.caregiver.org/resource/caregivers-bill-rights/  To connect with Zander find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/zanderkeig/   Join me and Bruce on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com   Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Richard LeMay. He is an executive producer, director, screenwriter, screenwriting instructor, actor, and author.   If you have questions or comments for Richard or Dennis, please add them to the comments.   Richard's career started out as a physical therapist. His current career started out when he was discovered and asked to be in some commercials. He's made several LGBTQ films, most notably "Children of God" that he produced. It went on to win 27 international film festival awards. Another great LGBTQ film he wrote, produced, and directed is "Naked as We Came" which may be currently watched on Amazon Prime, Hulu, and other streaming services. Watch or listen to the conversation to hear Dennis' review and recommendation of "Naked as We Came".   Other film titles currently on Amazon Prime included "Whirlwind", "200 American", and Blood Bound". He was the director of the remake of Francis Ford Coppola's first firm "Dementia 13" for Universal, also currently on Amazon Prime.    www.rlemay.com  www.nakedaswecamethemovie.com  Link to his profile on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0501165/  Connect with Richard on OutBüro: https://outburo.com/profile/richardlemay/   We chat about how fear of asking for help can hold you back in your career. He learned by doing many roles in filmmaking. By doing so he has an understanding of all roles and the process. On projects, Richard is open to considering ideas from others. As the film director, he wants the best possible outcome and has to make the decisions in a timely manner. As he states, "the best idea wins".   Richard's first gay novel is "All The Way to Wrightsville" is a coming-of-age story. Who says you can’t run away from your problems? Twenty-one-year-old Pete plans to do just that: run away from his blue-collar, Massachusetts upbringing, his anger issues, and most importantly, Jackson, his overbearing twin brother. And while he’s at it, he’ll take his deepest secret with him.  A recent college graduate, Pete moves to North Carolina to start his new job and his new life. After years of being compared to his gregarious and lovable twin, he needs to create an identity of his own and not be seen as the “angry one” or “Jackson’s brother.” What he finds are the same problems that have always held him back.  That is until he has an affair with his boss, who is married with two kids.  What starts out as a dream come true begins to take a darker turn, until Jackson shows up in North Carolina to—once again—upend Pete’s life.  Although Jackson’s intentions are pure, his help is reckless. He drags Pete out of the closet and tries his hardest to point him in the direction of real love.  Wickedly funny, sexy, and deeply touching, ALL THE WAY TO WRIGHTSVILLE is the story of one man’s journey to find himself…and maybe even true love along the way.  Join me and Richard on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com   Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Teresa Norris and Anthony Lombardi from the HPV Global Action registered charity. Be sure to listen or watch this episode packed full of great information.   https://hpvglobalaction.org/  Teresa founded HPV Global Action in 2002 after her best friend died of cervical cancer the year earlier. There was not much awareness of HPV and Teresa changed her career plans to provide information and awareness of HPV (human papillomavirus). The organization is based in Montreal Canada with team members in other countries. In Canada, HPV Global Action is key for providing sexual and reproductive health information in a sex-positive and inclusive evidence-based educational manner. Teresa and the team travel around the globe to conduct training starting with 12-year-olds through to health professionals sharing programs and best practices.  Anthony had a career education and currently lives in Europe. After meeting Teresa, they formed an organizational partnership.  Anthoney became more involved through volunteering at HPV Global Action and thereafter accepted his current role as Chief Operating Officer.   There are over 180 strains of HPV. Over 40 strains are pervasive and can cause 9 different cancer and genital warts. The cancers include tonsil, vocal cord, tongue, throat, anal, penis, vulva, vagina, and cervical. Over 75% of all humans around the world will contract at least one strain of HPV in their life.  HPV is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact within the waste (bathing suit) region. It does not require full-on sexual intercourse like many other sexually transmitted diseases. It is acquired through any skin-to-skin sexual contact below the waistline with fingers, mouths, or other body parts, including genital-to-genital contact, anal intercourse, and oral sex. Condoms do not protect against acquiring HPV. Persons with vaginas can have an HPV test as part of their cervical health screenings through a specific HPV screening. Unfortunately, there is no HPV test for persons with penises. HPV lives in the cell within the pelvis area. They do not flow through the blood like other viruses. The body does not create anti-bodies which is why tests for persons with penises are not available. The only way they will know they have HPV is if they show signs of it such as genital warts (which can also be in the mouth) or they have one of the 9 cancers associated with HPV. HPV can live dormant in the body for as long as 40 years and signs may at any time after infection. A person can transmit HPV without showing any signs or symptoms.   HPV vaccination is key to prevent HPV and the associated cancers. There is a focus on providing HPV vaccines to youth prior to sexual activity. However, there is typically no upper age limit so anyone at any time can receive the vaccine to prevent future HPV acquisition. HPV vaccination is a cancer prevention tool. Many health insurance plans will cover the cost.   Join us on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com Would you like to be featured like this?  Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Curtis Danskin-Ainslie: Helping Entrepreneurs with Virtual Assistants & Life Purpose Coaching.   In this lively, open, and candid conversation, we cover quite a bit - so be sure to listen in.    Curtis started his career in music as a became musical director of a church. He lived oppressing his own identity to fit in marrying his best female friend. He came out as gay at the tender age of 42. He started the virtual assistance business to help other entrepreneurs focus on running and growing their business taking on many of the back-office tasks for clients. He also provides entrepreneur coaching. He has several contractors with various skills around the US that he leverages to support entrepreneurs in many aspects of their business. Entrepreneurs are typically not great in all aspects of running a business. OCR Virtual allows business owners to as needed add incremental help. 72% of small businesses fail within the first 3 years trying to do everything themselves. Often, small business owners will look at the cost of getting help failing to realize hiring someone who is an expert at those tasks can do it better and that frees up the business owner to focus on customer/client growth. Curtis says to bring on support when you feel all things are crazy. They can help to give the business owner relief.   In his life purpose coaching, he helps people find their place in the world. As an ordained minister, and having lived in the closet for many years, he knows what that feels like and trying to reconcile faith and identity. In his life coaching, he focuses on helping LGBTQ+ people come to terms with past religious-induced rejection and trauma.  Curtis believes that what happens to us shapes us and we can put things in the past into perspective and draw strength from it to grow and prosper. We chatted about setting boundaries with others and living in self-love.    To connect with Curtis find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/orcvirtual/  Join Curtis' Group on OutBüro titled Entrepreneur Mindset Support: https://outburo.com/community/groups/entrepreneurial-mindset-support/    Join me and Curtis on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com   Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Jennifer and Stephanie of Enchanted Awakenings - they are holistic relationship coaches. Listen in to learn more. Jennifer and Stephanie are a warm, open, and giving couple that immediately makes anyone feel comfortable and safe. Jennifer and Stephanie both have long careers in service to others. Stephanie has long been a social worker focusing on victim support while Jennifer, along with her past career and education in psychology, recently became an ordained minister. They have taken their past and built upon their strengths mashed up with their own personal relationship experiences as a couple to form Enchanted Awakenings as holistic relationship coaches. In our discussion, they clarify that they support clients in all relationships of any kind, with yourself, friendships, professional, family, and of course romantic. They stress that the most important relationship is with yourself first and foremost. Having a good relationship with yourself allows you to then be open and available for relationships with others. They focus on mind, body, and spirit helping clients peel back layers to live their full and authentic self and as needed set boundaries to ensure respectful interactions with others. Does the word holistic immediately make you think of woo woo stuff like burning incense, lots of pillows, and tie-dye fabric? In our discussion, we chat about the science of trauma triggers, quantum mechanics, magnetic fields, neuroplasticity, brain function, and neuron cells in the heart. All this comes together with their expert guidance to help others lead a rich and fulfilled life of first loving and respecting yourself and then being open to others while maintaining you first. Listen in to how Jennifer and Stephanie use natural language to share when the other unknowingly step on a trigger of past emotional baggage and how they use that to broaden their own self-discovery and deepen their emotional bond together. Jennifer and Stephanie work with individuals and couples providing one-on-one and group sharing. They offer weekly free guided sessions via a Facebook group and recently started a group on https://outburo.com. Here is a link to the group: https://outburo.com/community/groups/out-relationships-2/ Join me, Jennifer and Stephanie on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices. https://www.OutBuro.com Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco. https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Ella Slade who is the LGBTQ+ Global Leader at IBM. We discuss the recently completed LGBTQ+ Striving for Authenticity report by IBM with support from LGBTQ+ organizations Out&Equal and Workplace Pride (link below). Be sure to watch or listen to this lively and insightful conversation.   Ella started her career at IBM first as a college intern working in recruitment marketing covering Europe. They have been very involved in the LGBTQ+ and were active in the IBM LGBTQ+ employee resource group. They loved IBM's culture and was able to return to IBM after completing their degree entering the global recruitment team. Within that role, they began focusing on diversity in its full spectrum yet with a keen interest in LGBTQ+ talent. Ella spearheaded getting IBM involved in Pride Month to market career opportunities. In doing so, Ella saw their future dream job which they now hold. They support all LGBTQ+ issues and groups for IBM around the globe. Listen in for their full description.   Link to full the full report: https://www.ibm.com/thought-leadership/institute-business-value/report/lgbt-inclusion  In creating the LGBTQ+ Striving for Authenticity report, IBM conducted a survey and a jam. Ella explains that a jam is like a musical jam where musicians play their instruments and through the chaos, a beautiful melody emerges. It's taking that concept and applying it to other things. The jam was an online advanced forum with different threads including people from all over the world over a 34 hour period. It provided a deep level of contextual understanding layered with the survey.   The report reconfirms what other studies have indicated that 45% of LGB employees still face discrimination base on sexual orientation. This is coupled with only 46% of LGBTQ+ employees are out at work.  9% of all Jam participants communicated that they do not represent their gender authentically at work. 65% of LGB respondents felt they had to work harder than their coworkers to succeed. the COVID-19 pandemic has placed an outsized burden on LGB caregivers. 43% of LGB respondents say they have struggled balancing working from home with taking care of other family members, compared with 34% of non-LGB people. More than two-thirds of LGB people say they don’t feel equipped to overcome professional challenges, which speaks to a need for stronger support and enablement networks.  The report provides clear actions employers can do to foster an inclusive work culture that benefits all employees. These included policies, benefits, employee training, use inclusive language, using pronouns of choice, and using the brand for good.   Join me and Ella on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Michel Grey, a holistic spiritual life coach for the LGBTQ community and great allies.   Michel is a non-binary queer professional that has past experience as a youth soccer coach and was always the person that others depended on for advice. As an entrepreneur, you are taking a risk on yourself and your ideas. Having support is so important. Michel believes, like me, that positive thought is not enough. What you think about you bring about. According to Michel, they like to help individuals explore their darkness and bring it to the light. What are the negative beliefs they have, how did they originate, how they are protecting you and holding you back from becoming your full self. Michel helps clients get to the root of their core beliefs. Then peel back those beliefs that are not in good service and build new beliefs that allow the individual to grow into their full self. They help clients accept the positive that is often resisted due to the comforts of past negativity.   Life coaches are not mental health counselors although they may be a resource to help you look at situations with an objective view. I wholeheartedly believe that seeking natural advice from a professional counselor is a positive step. It can provide other views and insights that on our own we may not see and in that help us in our work with a life or business coach.   Michel helps clients discover what they want to do with their life and/or gain the courage to go after what they want to do with the clarity of who they are and what they want. They help clients learn that they are already worth, lovable, valued and shift from actions striving to seek approval from others into knowing who they are and owning it and moving forward from a placing of feeling their own worthiness, their own self-love, and their own self-value and acting to achieve what they truly want verse peddling in the base need of seeking approval from others.   Michel helps clients understand more than goal setting, they help get to the feeling of what clients are striving to achieve. Feelings are a huge driver in life. When you align your feelings with your actions you are able to accomplish so much because you are happy, passionate, and feel good about what you are doing.   Clients often seek help from Michel for issues such a burnout, health, job/career, relationships both professional and personal. Recently due to COVID relationship issues has been a huge surge since people are forced to be together more and it's testing their past dynamics.  In order to receive anything in your life, you must feel worthy of it.  Be aware of when things don't work out is it is a bridge of clarity of moving you toward what you want and deserve.   To connect with Michel find them on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/michelgrey/ Join me and Mechel on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://OutBuro.com  Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Bob Witeck, a legend in the LGBTQ marketing space. He founded the first LGBTQ marketing communications agency helping brands connect with the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer community.   Bob grew up in the Washington D.C. area. For 10 years he was the Press Secretary to a US Senator. After his time there he became a vice president of the global marketing communications firm. Hill+Knowlton. He was very active as a volunteer in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and plus community. He always believed corporations were natural allies of the LGBTQ+ community and sought to bridge his passion for the LGBTQ+ community with his skills and professional life.    He and a good friend launch Witeck+Combs in 1993. Their first client was American Airlines. Witeck has always taken a full consultative approach. Early clients needed diversity and inclusion consulting going beyond just marketing and communications. At #AmericanAirlines one of his suggestions creating employee resource groups which were not common then. Witeck further assisted with policies and employee benefits to be inclusive. Companies had to remain grounded in their integrity to live through the right-wing threats of boycotts.  Witeck has served numerous other brands such as #Ford and #IBM. Companies wanted to understand the business case and also how best to deal with the anti-LGBTQ backlash.   #Disney was the host of the very first employee resource Group of Groups in the mid 1990's that became #Out&Equal.  Witeck was instrumental in taking the very unknown Coming Out Day to a national and international day on October 11th each year. They worked with several actors and public figures to help create buzz for this now commonly known event. Oct 11th was chosen because it was the date of the 1987 March on Washington. Many LGBTQ organizations were spawned at the first march and many thereafter.     Witeck helped the MTV Logo network launch. He often had to attend meetings with broadcast networks to explain the business case for airing the new channel. Their goal for the day of launch was to reach 10-million households. They surpassed that reaching 18-million which launched #RuPauls media career. Witeck wrote and recorded customer service scripts for all the broadcast networks to use when answering customer's questions about Logo. Those scripts and recordings are now housed at the #Smithsonian as an archive record.    Witeck was also the marketing and communication agency representing actor Christopher Reeve to help him get coverage for his spinal cord injury recovery efforts   Join me and Bob on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outburo/message
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