If you’ve been following the news lately, you’ve likely seen headlines about major corporations scaling back their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
As the owner of a women-owned professional services agency, you might be wondering what this could mean for your business’s future. While not every company is making these changes, it’s smart to think about how such shifts might affect your agency if they become more widespread.
I’m hearing the following kind of “wake me up at 3:00am” questions from agency owners, like you…
- What If my biggest client cuts their supplier diversity program – will we lose their business?”
- Could these changes affect how potential clients view working with a women-owned agency?”
- Should I rethink my growth plans now, before these shifts potentially impact my revenue?”
- How do I protect the business I’ve built if more companies follow this trend?”
- What can I do today to make sure my agency stays strong, regardless of where these changes lead?”
These are the same type of questions, on this subject, that I may ask during an Operations Strategy Session – and these aren’t just passing concerns! They strike at the heart of the business you’ve worked so hard to build.
While we may not yet be able to predict how widespread these policy changes might become, we can take practical steps today to protect and strengthen all of our agencies’ futures.
Real Challenges You Might Be Facing
Revenue Uncertainty
If you’ve won clients through supplier diversity programs, you might be worried about keeping that business. This is especially concerning if these clients make up a significant portion of your revenue.
Changing Client Dynamics
Maybe your main contact, who’s been a champion for working with women-owned businesses, has mentioned their company is shifting priorities. Or perhaps you’re noticing subtle changes in how new projects are being awarded.
Growth Plan Questions
If part of your growth strategy previously involved targeting companies with strong diversity initiatives, you might be wondering if you need a new approach. This is particularly challenging if you’re in a growth phase or planning to scale.
Team Concerns
Your team might be asking questions about what these changes mean for their future, especially if they’ve been part of winning and maintaining client relationships through diversity programs.
Strategic Steps for Moving Forward
Many of the questions you are asking, I’m asking too. And, I’ll confess that with a bit of help from AI plus my own research – I want to share some of the growth strategy ideas that I plan to implement for myself and / or recommend to my clients – and I want to share them with you.
1. We Need To Focus On Our Proven Impact. Remember – Our clients work with us because we solve their problems effectively. Consider…
- Which client problems do we solve better than anyone else?
- What results make our clients stick with us?
- How does our unique approach lead to better outcomes?
Example: Instead of leading with ‘certified women-owned agency,’ …lead with ‘Our technical solutions have reduced client system downtime by 85% across all implementations’ – or – ‘We help B2B companies close deals 40% faster through our targeted marketing campaigns.’
2. Strengthen Our Position. Document and showcase our real value…
- Gather specific results we’ve achieved for clients
- Highlight innovative approaches that set us apart
- Show how our work impacts bottom-line results
Example: Our strategic media outreach helped our clients secure 15 top-tier industry features, leading to a 40% increase in inbound inquiries.
3. Diversify Our Growth Strategy. Let’s look for multiple ways to grow…
- Build relationships with decision-makers who need our expertise
- Package our services for specific industries
- Partner with complementary service providers
- Share our expertise through thought leadership
4. Deepen Client Relationships. We become indispensable by:
- Spotting problems before our clients do
- Proposing innovative solutions
- Regularly showing our impact on their business
- Making ourselves valuable beyond any single program or initiative
Moving Forward with Confidence
While these DEI policy changes might create uncertainty, they don’t change the fundamental needs our professional services agencies address. Businesses still need expert solutions and proven results – exactly what we provide.
Let’s focus on what we’ve always done best – delivering exceptional results that speak for themselves. Our success comes from the value we deliver, not from any corporate DEI initiative or program. That value remains as strong as ever.
