Ep. 67 - Retaining Diverse Talent in Corporate America with Michele Heyward

Nov 1, 2022

In this episode, Michele Heyward discusses her experience as a woman in the technology field. She discusses the numerous challenges in her career due to discrimination and stereotypes that she's faced. Michelle also discusses her company, Positive Hire, which uses people analytics to connect black, Latina, and indigenous women who are scientists, engineers, or technology professionals with management roles. Listen as she explains how her company is working to help retaining these talented individuals in the technology field.

 

Here’s a bit about Michele’s passion:

Michele Heyward is the founder and CEO of PositiveHire, a tech company engineered to connect Black, Latinx and Indigenous women who are experienced scientists, engineers and technology professionals to management roles. As an experienced construction project manager in the energy sector, Michele is armed with technical sales and technology transfer experience.

 

Michele’s vision is to not only help underrepresented women in STEM find inclusive workplaces, but to also prepare business organizations to retain them.

Michele holds a BS degree in Civil Engineering and MS degree in Industrial Management, both from Clemson University.

Let’s dive in!

[00:01 – 11:00] Women on the Struggle with Limited Resources and Exclusion 

• Michele’s childhood love of science and technology - pursuing a career in engineering
• Founding Positive Hire - connecting women in the science and tech industry
• The different impact between men and women in corporate America

 

[11:01 – 30:21] The Focus on Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion

• Helping medium size manufacturing companies retain diverse talent
• How retaining this talent can prevent lawsuits and recruitment costs
• Sponsors vs. mentors on power and influence in both the department and industry

 

[30:22 – 33:51] Closing Segment

• Bring the human into what you do
• Connect with Michele! (links below)
• Parting Notes

 

You can learn more about Michele Heyward by visiting her website https://positivehire.co/. You may also connect with her on Linkedin and send her an email at [e-mail]

Sponsors:

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Let’s connect! Find me on my LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. I’d love to hear from you.

You have the strength of a hero within you. Check out my website https://betteryou4u.com/ and learn how to unlock your potential and achieve success both in business and in life.

 

Important Resources to Note:

• Click here https://sleekbio.com/jbryant for important resources mentioned on this podcast.

 

Tweetable Quotes:

“Oftentimes, women are regulated to scheduling the meeting, taking notes in a meeting, nobody's even asking them their thoughts. They are often spoken over during the meeting, and people taking what they said when they do speak as their own.” - Michele Heyward

“You have what you need to succeed…  What you should be focusing on is understanding the culture of that organization… Find a sponsor that removes barriers for you to move ahead in your career.” - Michele Heyward

“[Your] preference must not be navigated by society. You define what success looks like.” - Dr. James Bryant