{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Diversifying The Financial Services Industry with Choir","description":"Brian chats with Sonya Dreizler and Liv Gagnon, the co-founders of Choir, a business dedicated to lifting the voices of people of color, women, and non-binary professionals in industries historically represented by white men. Sonya and Liv share why they started with a focus on the financial services industry. They also discuss how they\u2019ve adapted to meet the needs of their customers while staying true to their company\u2019s mission. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses look inward and outward. Like other guests on the podcast, Liv defines a mission-driven business as one that balances doing good with making a financial impact for those involved with the business. Sonya expanded on that definition by noting that mission-driven businesses can also apply their mission within the company itself. At Choir, that means not only helping other companies diversify people speaking at conferences and in the media but also hiring internal professionals and contractors from diverse backgrounds. \u201cWhat\u2019s the mission you\u2019re accomplishing with the business, and what are you doing inside of the business as well?\u201d Sonya asked. \u201cThe financial impact is going to go back to people who have been underpaid, underserved,\u201d Liv added. Being aware of a problem is powerful. Part of Choir\u2019s mission is to use data to make organizers aware of how conferences lack diversity. A recent analysis by the company showed that men of color, in particular, are lacking in the financial services conference circuit. It\u2019s a data point that may be surprising but is a good starting point for change. \u201cJust knowing and understanding the challenge makes next year a lot easier to increase representation \u2014 not just for representation\u2019s sake but to make it a more interesting event and draw more people,\u201d Sonya said. Successful businesses adapt. Liv and Sonya set out to connect professionals from underrepresented backgrounds with conference circuits and media. But how they\u2019re achieving that aim has already changed a few times based on client needs. For instance, the platform they had initially wanted to build, Voices, got pushed back to launch the Choir certification first. They also iterated their pricing structure for Choir based on client feedback. \u201cYou become so much more emotionally tied to your ideas and your business model, so it is a challenge every time you have to pivot because you\u2019ve put so much heart into it,\u201d Liv said. \u201cPeople have a lot of opinions about what we\u2019re doing,\u201d Sonya added. \u201cWe have changed things because of people\u2019s suggestions and made what we offer better, and we\u2019ve also looked at feedback and said, \u2018It doesn\u2019t fit with our mission.\u2019\u201d Resources + Links Choir: Website, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube Sony\u2019s Social Media: Website, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn Liv\u2019s Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn Brian\u2019s Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast  Brian Thompson, JD\/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too. ","author_name":"Mission Driven Business","author_url":"https:\/\/btfinancial.com\/podcast","html":"