Maria Menounos: A New Picture of Health

Posted on by Carla Kalogeridis

Maria Menounos says real leaders must be CEOs of their own health — and that means making health care one of your best skill sets.

By Carla Kalogeridis

After having an intracranial tumor removed in 2017 and successfully battling stage 2 pancreatic cancer in 2023 — both of which she attributes in part to an accumulation of poor health choices including not prioritizing her health — Maria Menounos is on a mission. Her message: Leaders must be CEOs of their own health.

Menounos is best known for her work in the entertainment world. She was a TV correspondent and host (Entertainment Tonight, Extra, E!News, Today, Access Hollywood), presenter (Miss Universe pageant, Eurovision Song Contest), actress, bestselling author, entrepreneur, award-winning journalist, and host of the daily podcast Heal Squad.

She describes her earlier life as a whirlwind of 18-hour days, driven determination, high stress, and poor eating. Taking care of herself was not on the priority list — until her body just couldn’t keep pace any longer. Her health traumas led her to what she considers her higher purpose.

For Menounos, it took a brain tumor to open her eyes.

“I knew I had to make changes; I just didn’t know how,” she tells Real Leaders. “I was trapped in an old dream. I wasn’t really happy anymore. I wasn’t fulfilled. But I was doing great.”

At the time, she was hosting E!News. “I was doing like 50 jobs at once,” she recalls. “The first thing I remember waking up from surgery was thinking, ‘What the f— was I doing? I was trying to keep up with people. I don’t need this. This doesn’t define me at all.’”

Menounos describes it as “a rebirth moment.”

“I knew it was my chance to make changes in my life. My body was screaming for help for so long, and I would just shush it, like, ‘Body, be quiet. I’ve got to go back to work.’ My priorities were not in place.” 

Menounos knows her story is not unique. “It’s a general issue with high performers. We must go from illiterate health kindergarteners to being CEOs of our health. Kindergarteners don’t know anything. They just do what their friends are doing. Likewise, we tend to follow what we hear about health without any research, and that’s just not serving us. With all the things happening to our air, our water, our food supply, that’s just not good enough anymore. Unfortunately, there is no health literacy, and we are farming out our health decisions to doctors without really understanding what they’re fully capable of and what their expertise is.”

Growing up, Menounos says she loved being with older people because she wanted to learn from their mistakes and avoid making the same ones. “Similarly, my goal is to affect people with what I’ve learned so they can start implementing little things in their life that will make a big difference down the road. Health trauma is so often an accumulation of poor choices. It’s trauma that takes us to the places where we are forced to learn, but I really want to help people find this message without the trauma.”

She points out that leaders hear all the time about work-life balance, but they don’t realize that the balance comes from taking care of themselves. “All we know how to do is win and succeed,” she says. “From the time we are little kids, we are taught to get good grades so that we can go to a great college, get a huge job, make a lot of money. But nowhere in that equation is anyone talking about your health and getting enough sleep, making sure your circadian rhythm is balanced, your hormones are balanced.”

Health Literacy as a Business Skill

Menounos says that to be a real leader and take the best care of your people, you need to develop health literacy as one of your business skills.

“Health literacy is so important because your people need to know that you care about them,” she says. “It’s not normal to do the job of 10 people just because computers have made it possible. We’re taking in so much, and our brains are exhausted and fried. You’re not going to get the best work out of people. Health is just one of those things that you can’t delegate — not anymore.”

Menounos says real leaders show people that succeeding isn’t the only thing. “What you need is 360-degree succeeding,” she says. “It’s really feeling fulfilled — achieving, of course, and doing something meaningful — but also taking care of yourself. If leaders show their people that it is OK to prioritize their health, and other people do the same, then we have a whole new health care system.”

Menounos recalls being terrified to take a day off from work, terrified to not be at the morning meeting. “Living like this, how are you supposed to fit health care into your life? Your employees will work so much harder for you if you give them the freedom and flexibility to take care of themselves,” she says. “Real leaders don’t say that productivity is the most important thing. This is a new area that leaders need to tackle, and they’re going to benefit from it too.”

Your Thoughts Are Your Body

One important step to being CEO of your health, she says, is to learn to manage your thoughts. “It’s a hard pill to swallow, but our thoughts become things,” she says. “As much as we want to avoid the idea that we are contributing to our health, from everything I’ve studied and everyone I’ve learned from, your brain doesn’t know the difference between perception and reality. So, you can tell the brain anything you want — good or bad — and that has a huge impact on what you’re going to experience. The relationship between mental and physical is one thousand percent real. Changing your thinking can change your reality.”

Menounos does a great deal of work on meditation and the mind-body connection, studying people like Dr. Joe Dispenza and Gabby Bernstein. “I want full mind-body-soul healing. I realize what a massive task and undertaking I’m asking of Dream Big Maria. But I’m learning that things bubble up to the surface to be healed. Sometimes you’re trapped in an old dream, and you don’t even realize it. You’ve got to listen and follow the breadcrumbs.”

The Servant Leader Mistake

Menounos says high achievers often think of themselves as servant leaders, and to them, that means putting themselves at the bottom of the list. “But are you going to be valuable to those people you serve when you go down?” she points out. “What are your employees supposed to do — keep pumping you for information while you’re in your hospital bed?”

She recognizes that coaching your people to take care of themselves can be a delicate conversation. “The message about how to take care of yourself must be applied to the right person at the right time. If you’re young and you want to succeed, you’re going to have to work hard. I’m a believer in working hard. But get your sleep, eat right, wear blue light glasses. Good health is an accumulation of choices.”

Menounos believes her health issues were the result of an accumulation of bad choices, extreme stress, and working in a toxic environment. “Now I’m accumulating so many more good choices, and I’m trying to turn that train back,” she says. “Young leaders today can start out making good choices. I thought it was cool to be a workaholic. What an idiot I was. Now, I prioritize my well-being at all costs. I don’t want another brain tumor to learn this lesson all over again.” 

Where to Start

Maria Menounos’ message for real leaders:

“You cannot lay your care at anyone’s doorstep but your own. You must become an expert who knows what each doctor you deal with is good at and what they’re not good at. It’s hard work to be healthy these days. But you must do this in a way that sets an example for your employees, and then allow them to follow your example.”

Menounos clarifies that she is more critical of the medical system than of doctors themselves. “Doctors are amazing, but most of them are amazing at a few things,” she says. “As Tony Robbins puts it, ‘Doctors can be sincere, but they can be sincerely wrong.’”

She underscores that the smart play is to take charge of your own health plan. “When you get an opinion, you’ve got to get another opinion. Get multiple opinions until you feel good. You need to know your surgeon has done this thousands of times — not one time, not 10 times.”

Menounos admits that asking questions is hard. “People come into doctors’ offices with their Google stuff, and doctors get really abrasive,” she says. “So now you’re fighting egos when all you’re wanting to do is to be an advocate for yourself. You have to ask the right questions: How many of these surgeries have you performed? How long have you been doing this? What possible things could go wrong? Their experience is the No. 1 thing, but you must ask about it in a nice way.

“Nurses and doctors are overstretched,” she continues. “They’re exhausted. By the time they see you, they’ve already dealt with a lot of cranky people who have been mean to them. So, you must find a way to massage egos and communicate and get what you want, which is a good outcome.”

Maria Menounos: A New Picture of Health

Posted on by Carla Kalogeridis

Maria Menounos says real leaders must be CEOs of their own health — and that means making health care one of your best skill sets.

By Carla Kalogeridis

After having an intracranial tumor removed in 2017 and successfully battling stage 2 pancreatic cancer in 2023 — both of which she attributes in part to an accumulation of poor health choices including not prioritizing her health — Maria Menounos is on a mission. Her message: Leaders must be CEOs of their own health.

Menounos is best known for her work in the entertainment world. She was a TV correspondent and host (Entertainment Tonight, Extra, E!News, Today, Access Hollywood), presenter (Miss Universe pageant, Eurovision Song Contest), actress, bestselling author, entrepreneur, award-winning journalist, and host of the daily podcast Heal Squad.

She describes her earlier life as a whirlwind of 18-hour days, driven determination, high stress, and poor eating. Taking care of herself was not on the priority list — until her body just couldn’t keep pace any longer. Her health traumas led her to what she considers her higher purpose.

For Menounos, it took a brain tumor to open her eyes.

“I knew I had to make changes; I just didn’t know how,” she tells Real Leaders. “I was trapped in an old dream. I wasn’t really happy anymore. I wasn’t fulfilled. But I was doing great.”

At the time, she was hosting E!News. “I was doing like 50 jobs at once,” she recalls. “The first thing I remember waking up from surgery was thinking, ‘What the f— was I doing? I was trying to keep up with people. I don’t need this. This doesn’t define me at all.’”

Menounos describes it as “a rebirth moment.”

“I knew it was my chance to make changes in my life. My body was screaming for help for so long, and I would just shush it, like, ‘Body, be quiet. I’ve got to go back to work.’ My priorities were not in place.” 

Menounos knows her story is not unique. “It’s a general issue with high performers. We must go from illiterate health kindergarteners to being CEOs of our health. Kindergarteners don’t know anything. They just do what their friends are doing. Likewise, we tend to follow what we hear about health without any research, and that’s just not serving us. With all the things happening to our air, our water, our food supply, that’s just not good enough anymore. Unfortunately, there is no health literacy, and we are farming out our health decisions to doctors without really understanding what they’re fully capable of and what their expertise is.”

Growing up, Menounos says she loved being with older people because she wanted to learn from their mistakes and avoid making the same ones. “Similarly, my goal is to affect people with what I’ve learned so they can start implementing little things in their life that will make a big difference down the road. Health trauma is so often an accumulation of poor choices. It’s trauma that takes us to the places where we are forced to learn, but I really want to help people find this message without the trauma.”

She points out that leaders hear all the time about work-life balance, but they don’t realize that the balance comes from taking care of themselves. “All we know how to do is win and succeed,” she says. “From the time we are little kids, we are taught to get good grades so that we can go to a great college, get a huge job, make a lot of money. But nowhere in that equation is anyone talking about your health and getting enough sleep, making sure your circadian rhythm is balanced, your hormones are balanced.”

Health Literacy as a Business Skill

Menounos says that to be a real leader and take the best care of your people, you need to develop health literacy as one of your business skills.

“Health literacy is so important because your people need to know that you care about them,” she says. “It’s not normal to do the job of 10 people just because computers have made it possible. We’re taking in so much, and our brains are exhausted and fried. You’re not going to get the best work out of people. Health is just one of those things that you can’t delegate — not anymore.”

Menounos says real leaders show people that succeeding isn’t the only thing. “What you need is 360-degree succeeding,” she says. “It’s really feeling fulfilled — achieving, of course, and doing something meaningful — but also taking care of yourself. If leaders show their people that it is OK to prioritize their health, and other people do the same, then we have a whole new health care system.”

Menounos recalls being terrified to take a day off from work, terrified to not be at the morning meeting. “Living like this, how are you supposed to fit health care into your life? Your employees will work so much harder for you if you give them the freedom and flexibility to take care of themselves,” she says. “Real leaders don’t say that productivity is the most important thing. This is a new area that leaders need to tackle, and they’re going to benefit from it too.”

Your Thoughts Are Your Body

One important step to being CEO of your health, she says, is to learn to manage your thoughts. “It’s a hard pill to swallow, but our thoughts become things,” she says. “As much as we want to avoid the idea that we are contributing to our health, from everything I’ve studied and everyone I’ve learned from, your brain doesn’t know the difference between perception and reality. So, you can tell the brain anything you want — good or bad — and that has a huge impact on what you’re going to experience. The relationship between mental and physical is one thousand percent real. Changing your thinking can change your reality.”

Menounos does a great deal of work on meditation and the mind-body connection, studying people like Dr. Joe Dispenza and Gabby Bernstein. “I want full mind-body-soul healing. I realize what a massive task and undertaking I’m asking of Dream Big Maria. But I’m learning that things bubble up to the surface to be healed. Sometimes you’re trapped in an old dream, and you don’t even realize it. You’ve got to listen and follow the breadcrumbs.”

The Servant Leader Mistake

Menounos says high achievers often think of themselves as servant leaders, and to them, that means putting themselves at the bottom of the list. “But are you going to be valuable to those people you serve when you go down?” she points out. “What are your employees supposed to do — keep pumping you for information while you’re in your hospital bed?”

She recognizes that coaching your people to take care of themselves can be a delicate conversation. “The message about how to take care of yourself must be applied to the right person at the right time. If you’re young and you want to succeed, you’re going to have to work hard. I’m a believer in working hard. But get your sleep, eat right, wear blue light glasses. Good health is an accumulation of choices.”

Menounos believes her health issues were the result of an accumulation of bad choices, extreme stress, and working in a toxic environment. “Now I’m accumulating so many more good choices, and I’m trying to turn that train back,” she says. “Young leaders today can start out making good choices. I thought it was cool to be a workaholic. What an idiot I was. Now, I prioritize my well-being at all costs. I don’t want another brain tumor to learn this lesson all over again.” 

Where to Start

Maria Menounos’ message for real leaders:

“You cannot lay your care at anyone’s doorstep but your own. You must become an expert who knows what each doctor you deal with is good at and what they’re not good at. It’s hard work to be healthy these days. But you must do this in a way that sets an example for your employees, and then allow them to follow your example.”

Menounos clarifies that she is more critical of the medical system than of doctors themselves. “Doctors are amazing, but most of them are amazing at a few things,” she says. “As Tony Robbins puts it, ‘Doctors can be sincere, but they can be sincerely wrong.’”

She underscores that the smart play is to take charge of your own health plan. “When you get an opinion, you’ve got to get another opinion. Get multiple opinions until you feel good. You need to know your surgeon has done this thousands of times — not one time, not 10 times.”

Menounos admits that asking questions is hard. “People come into doctors’ offices with their Google stuff, and doctors get really abrasive,” she says. “So now you’re fighting egos when all you’re wanting to do is to be an advocate for yourself. You have to ask the right questions: How many of these surgeries have you performed? How long have you been doing this? What possible things could go wrong? Their experience is the No. 1 thing, but you must ask about it in a nice way.

“Nurses and doctors are overstretched,” she continues. “They’re exhausted. By the time they see you, they’ve already dealt with a lot of cranky people who have been mean to them. So, you must find a way to massage egos and communicate and get what you want, which is a good outcome.”

Elephants Delicatessen: Serving Up Sustainability

Posted on by Real Leaders

This specialty food store is pioneering a better way forward.

By Real Leaders

Among the first specialty food stores in the U.S., Elephants Delicatessen was founded in 1979 in Portland, Oregon. Within 45 years, the company expanded into eight retail locations, a catering and events company, and a wholesale division. 

Elephants Delicatessen, a 2024 Real Leaders Top Impact Company, also prides itself on pioneering sustainable practices.

In 2011, it became Oregon’s first business to invest in an electric vehicle; and in 2015, the company earned B Corp certification. In 2020, it enrolled in Energy Trust of Oregon’s Strategic Energy Management program and since then has received over $18,000 in incentives for reducing its energy use and thousands of dollars more to pay for equipment and lighting upgrades. The company cut its electricity and natural gas use by 25% and committed to reach net-zero emissions by 2030. 

“Restaurants have the unique ability to help the communities we are part of,” co-owner and CEO Anne Weaver says. “We have the opportunity to showcase our values through our business. Restaurants can lead in a significant way.”

Elephants Delicatessen opts to share an annual sustainability report on its website, which looks at the company’s use of water, electricity, natural gas, and fleet vehicles, as well as refrigerant loss, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste management. Its latest summary reads, in part, “Elephants saw significant increases in production, staffing, and revenue. … And yet, with a few exceptions, increases in resources and emissions lagged the increases in productivity and revenue.” 

Weaver says, “We never settle for ‘good enough’ – in our food, our business, or our sustainability practices. We’ve learned the wins are worth it — to sustain both our business and our environment.” 

Pictured Above is one of their Catering Entree’s, Chicken Peperonata and Northwest Salmon

Net Zero by 2030

In its latest sustainability report, Elephants Delicatessen identified the following initiatives to mitigate its environmental impact and help reach its goal of net-zero emissions by 2030.

  • Continue participating in Energy Trust of Oregon’s Strategic Energy Management program and reconsider existing goals.
  • Establish a comprehensive water management plan with revised focus, goals, and practices.
  • Establish a comprehensive refrigerant management plan to initiate a transition to less emissions-intensive operations.
  • Establish a fleet management plan to guide reduction and mitigation efforts through 2028.
  • Conduct waste audits for all locations to better understand the scope and challenges of its waste disposal practices.
  • Expand its food donation and diversion efforts to better mitigate the negative social and environmental impacts of food waste.
  • Translate existing and future policies and plans into Spanish to expand accessibility for employees and stakeholders.
  • Implement more consistent tracking of its actions and practices to better understand and measure their impacts.
  • Perform a material environmental impact assessment for the entirety of its operations.

Elephants Delicatessen: Serving Up Sustainability

Posted on by Real Leaders

This specialty food store is pioneering a better way forward.

By Real Leaders

Among the first specialty food stores in the U.S., Elephants Delicatessen was founded in 1979 in Portland, Oregon. Within 45 years, the company expanded into eight retail locations, a catering and events company, and a wholesale division. 

Elephants Delicatessen, a 2024 Real Leaders Top Impact Company, also prides itself on pioneering sustainable practices.

In 2011, it became Oregon’s first business to invest in an electric vehicle; and in 2015, the company earned B Corp certification. In 2020, it enrolled in Energy Trust of Oregon’s Strategic Energy Management program and since then has received over $18,000 in incentives for reducing its energy use and thousands of dollars more to pay for equipment and lighting upgrades. The company cut its electricity and natural gas use by 25% and committed to reach net-zero emissions by 2030. 

“Restaurants have the unique ability to help the communities we are part of,” co-owner and CEO Anne Weaver says. “We have the opportunity to showcase our values through our business. Restaurants can lead in a significant way.”

Elephants Delicatessen opts to share an annual sustainability report on its website, which looks at the company’s use of water, electricity, natural gas, and fleet vehicles, as well as refrigerant loss, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste management. Its latest summary reads, in part, “Elephants saw significant increases in production, staffing, and revenue. … And yet, with a few exceptions, increases in resources and emissions lagged the increases in productivity and revenue.” 

Weaver says, “We never settle for ‘good enough’ – in our food, our business, or our sustainability practices. We’ve learned the wins are worth it — to sustain both our business and our environment.” 

Pictured Above is one of their Catering Entree’s, Chicken Peperonata and Northwest Salmon

Net Zero by 2030

In its latest sustainability report, Elephants Delicatessen identified the following initiatives to mitigate its environmental impact and help reach its goal of net-zero emissions by 2030.

  • Continue participating in Energy Trust of Oregon’s Strategic Energy Management program and reconsider existing goals.
  • Establish a comprehensive water management plan with revised focus, goals, and practices.
  • Establish a comprehensive refrigerant management plan to initiate a transition to less emissions-intensive operations.
  • Establish a fleet management plan to guide reduction and mitigation efforts through 2028.
  • Conduct waste audits for all locations to better understand the scope and challenges of its waste disposal practices.
  • Expand its food donation and diversion efforts to better mitigate the negative social and environmental impacts of food waste.
  • Translate existing and future policies and plans into Spanish to expand accessibility for employees and stakeholders.
  • Implement more consistent tracking of its actions and practices to better understand and measure their impacts.
  • Perform a material environmental impact assessment for the entirety of its operations.

The Only 3 Meetings You’ll Ever Need

Posted on by Scot Chisholm

By Scot Chisholm

I’ve been a founder and CEO for nearly 20 years, and I’ve read countless books on management and leadership. My conclusion? Most meetings are a waste of time and money — but there are three meetings you shouldn’t operate without.

1 All-Hands Meeting

This is your most important meeting. Don’t waste it.

Who: Include everyone on the team. No one should be left out.

Why: It aligns the entire team on direction and progress.

When: Convene monthly (one hour) or quarterly (two hours).

Agenda

Where you’re going: Find ways to talk about the longer-term vision and goals.

How you’re doing: Share progress against monthly, quarterly, and annual goals.

Why it matters: A customer story shows the impact you’re having. A team member demonstrates your values.

2 Top-Goal(s) Meeting

Schedule a meeting to review progress against your annual goals (three maximum). You can also break it up into three separate meetings.

Who: Invite key people who are responsible for the goal (fewer than seven).

Why: It tracks progress against your top three most important items.

When: Meet biweekly (one hour per goal).

Agenda

How you’re doing: Each goal should have one main owner who leads the update to the group. 

If you’re behind: Dedicate the meeting to creating a plan to get back on track.

If you’re ahead: Talk about upcoming risks and how to mitigate early –– or just end the meeting early.

3 One-on-One Meeting

Plan a meeting with each person on your team. If you have a large team, it’s only with your direct reports.

Who: Have just you and the person.

Why: It tracks progress against individual goals and offers help.

When: Meet biweekly, or weekly if you feel it’s necessary (30 minutes to one hour).

Agenda

How you’re doing: The person should start by giving an update on their goals.

If they’re behind: Offer help. Create a plan together in the meeting to get back on track.

If they’re on pace: Use the time for other items, but let the person set the agenda.

Scot Chisholm founded software company Classy (acquired by GoFundMe), serving as CEO for over 10 years and leading it to 300+ people and billions in platform donations. More recently he founded Haskill Creek, a new spin on the traditional pharmacy. He coaches founders/CEOs, helping them transition to high-impact leaders.

The Only 3 Meetings You’ll Ever Need

Posted on by Scot Chisholm

By Scot Chisholm

I’ve been a founder and CEO for nearly 20 years, and I’ve read countless books on management and leadership. My conclusion? Most meetings are a waste of time and money — but there are three meetings you shouldn’t operate without.

1 All-Hands Meeting

This is your most important meeting. Don’t waste it.

Who: Include everyone on the team. No one should be left out.

Why: It aligns the entire team on direction and progress.

When: Convene monthly (one hour) or quarterly (two hours).

Agenda

Where you’re going: Find ways to talk about the longer-term vision and goals.

How you’re doing: Share progress against monthly, quarterly, and annual goals.

Why it matters: A customer story shows the impact you’re having. A team member demonstrates your values.

2 Top-Goal(s) Meeting

Schedule a meeting to review progress against your annual goals (three maximum). You can also break it up into three separate meetings.

Who: Invite key people who are responsible for the goal (fewer than seven).

Why: It tracks progress against your top three most important items.

When: Meet biweekly (one hour per goal).

Agenda

How you’re doing: Each goal should have one main owner who leads the update to the group. 

If you’re behind: Dedicate the meeting to creating a plan to get back on track.

If you’re ahead: Talk about upcoming risks and how to mitigate early –– or just end the meeting early.

3 One-on-One Meeting

Plan a meeting with each person on your team. If you have a large team, it’s only with your direct reports.

Who: Have just you and the person.

Why: It tracks progress against individual goals and offers help.

When: Meet biweekly, or weekly if you feel it’s necessary (30 minutes to one hour).

Agenda

How you’re doing: The person should start by giving an update on their goals.

If they’re behind: Offer help. Create a plan together in the meeting to get back on track.

If they’re on pace: Use the time for other items, but let the person set the agenda.

Scot Chisholm founded software company Classy (acquired by GoFundMe), serving as CEO for over 10 years and leading it to 300+ people and billions in platform donations. More recently he founded Haskill Creek, a new spin on the traditional pharmacy. He coaches founders/CEOs, helping them transition to high-impact leaders.

The Case for DEI: A Pathway to Innovation 

Posted on by Artika Tyner

A journey from advocacy to action, and the imperative of building inclusive leadership in a changing world.

By Artika Tyner

Where My DEI Journey Started

When I started my career in DEI nearly twenty years ago, I remember pleading with my boss and other business leaders to invest in DEI through time, resources, and talent. I hoped that they would recognize the transformative power it holds for organizational success and societal impact. As an attorney, I stood ready to advance my case for the importance of inclusion. My opening statement focused on the necessity of evolving from diversity being viewed as a moral imperative of being well-intentioned to a business imperative of strategic action. 

I asked them to imagine the results outlined by research from A Great Place to Work for All.

  • Greater Profitability: Inclusion could increase your company’s revenue by more than 24%. 
  • Greater Productivity and Improved Employee Recruitment and Retention: Becoming more ethnically diverse increases the likelihood of outperforming your competitors by 35%.

I built the momentum for an unassailable closing argument by reiterating the data on the benefits of inclusion. My case was met with a passive shrug and dismissive nod. I was undeterred and committed to becoming an expert in advancing DEI.  

Fast forward to today, I am now in key leadership roles and reaping the benefits of my fervent commitment to mentoring young professionals from marginalized groups and unwavering faith in building inclusive workplaces. I have built teams where belongingness is a core value that drives strong performance, fuels innovation, and activates collaboration. 

What will you do to tap into the power of inclusion?

The rich diversity of the United States is one of our greatest strengths. We are the very essence of: E pluribus unum (“out of many, one”). 

Did you know today we have the most diverse communities in this Nation’s history? 

As we near the 2040s in the United States no racial group will represent the majority of the population (according to U.S. Census). Meaning the United States has evolved into a rich multicultural tapestry where not one single group will be the majority (over 50%). This also reflects that diversity coupled with equity and inclusion will help to strengthen our community as talented people of all colors, experiences, and backgrounds work to build a more perfect union and sustainable economy. 

Diversity tends to be mischaracterized as a conglomeration of people from different backgrounds. Or it is a declaration manifested by stating “all are welcome” through policy statements and colorful posters. For many organizations, diversity and inclusion may begin simply with representation, by bringing a woman’s or maybe a person of color’s perspective to the table. Often, this is seen as the first step in creating a melting-pot recipe of ideas, thoughts, and perspectives. Cultural assimilation is the broth and diverse individuals are the ingredients. Simmer on low for two or three years, and diversity will miraculously emerge. The challenge with cooking stews, however, is that the flavors are all absorbed into the broth, which means each employee is not valued for his or her unique contributions and individual attributes. Is this diversity? Another metaphor is the mixed salad, with each person representing a distinct vegetable, be it a crisp carrot, a vibrant beet, or lush romaine lettuce. Then the magic occurs when the salad is doused with dressing and all flavors become one—ranch, french, or a light balsamic vinaigrette. Once again, the dressing of choice masks the complexity and the very essence of diversity and inclusion. This still leaves us begging the question: Is this diversity? And where is the equity and inclusion? Inclusive leaders, like you, help to ensure that we move beyond words to deeds. You not only steer the ship by setting your organizational goals, but you also chart the course across the difficult tides of modern business practice.  

What will you do to serve as an inclusive leader?

Your commitment to serve as an inclusive leader is needed now more than ever as the future of diversity initiatives may feel uncertain as mounting legal cases emerge challenging DEI education, alleging discrimination by venture capital firms focused on serving minority business owners, and eliminating contract programming for minority-owned companies. CEOs are quietly disinvesting in DEI commitments and removing DEI positions. Yet, challenging times can serve as an invitation for you to lean into change and redefine the path forward. 

Inclusive leaders embark on a lifelong learning journey in these four key areas:

Intrapersonal: Engage in self-discovery by exploring your leadership story which is shaped by your cultural values, socialization, and beliefs. This self-reflection will aid you in gaining the insights needed to connect your leadership story to building an organizational culture of inclusion.

Interpersonal: Build and strengthen effective teams by challenging organizational barriers like stereotype threat, cultural taxation, and microaggressions. 

Organizational: Align your equity goals with strategic impact. Help your team define how inclusion advances business priorities, productivity, and engagement. 

Societal: Promote the values of our shared humanity and common destiny by addressing some of the most pressing social justice challenges of our time.

Diversity is needed to bring together the brightest minds to create solutions to business, economic, and social challenges of the 21st century and beyond. Diversity creates an atmosphere where inclusion can be unveiled as people come together and exchange ideas from diverse perspectives, life experiences, and cultural backgrounds. It empowers teams to see through the eyes of ingenuity and creativeness. This lays the foundation for future business success through the transformative power of innovation.

The Case for DEI: A Pathway to Innovation 

Posted on by Artika Tyner

A journey from advocacy to action, and the imperative of building inclusive leadership in a changing world.

By Artika Tyner

Where My DEI Journey Started

When I started my career in DEI nearly twenty years ago, I remember pleading with my boss and other business leaders to invest in DEI through time, resources, and talent. I hoped that they would recognize the transformative power it holds for organizational success and societal impact. As an attorney, I stood ready to advance my case for the importance of inclusion. My opening statement focused on the necessity of evolving from diversity being viewed as a moral imperative of being well-intentioned to a business imperative of strategic action. 

I asked them to imagine the results outlined by research from A Great Place to Work for All.

  • Greater Profitability: Inclusion could increase your company’s revenue by more than 24%. 
  • Greater Productivity and Improved Employee Recruitment and Retention: Becoming more ethnically diverse increases the likelihood of outperforming your competitors by 35%.

I built the momentum for an unassailable closing argument by reiterating the data on the benefits of inclusion. My case was met with a passive shrug and dismissive nod. I was undeterred and committed to becoming an expert in advancing DEI.  

Fast forward to today, I am now in key leadership roles and reaping the benefits of my fervent commitment to mentoring young professionals from marginalized groups and unwavering faith in building inclusive workplaces. I have built teams where belongingness is a core value that drives strong performance, fuels innovation, and activates collaboration. 

What will you do to tap into the power of inclusion?

The rich diversity of the United States is one of our greatest strengths. We are the very essence of: E pluribus unum (“out of many, one”). 

Did you know today we have the most diverse communities in this Nation’s history? 

As we near the 2040s in the United States no racial group will represent the majority of the population (according to U.S. Census). Meaning the United States has evolved into a rich multicultural tapestry where not one single group will be the majority (over 50%). This also reflects that diversity coupled with equity and inclusion will help to strengthen our community as talented people of all colors, experiences, and backgrounds work to build a more perfect union and sustainable economy. 

Diversity tends to be mischaracterized as a conglomeration of people from different backgrounds. Or it is a declaration manifested by stating “all are welcome” through policy statements and colorful posters. For many organizations, diversity and inclusion may begin simply with representation, by bringing a woman’s or maybe a person of color’s perspective to the table. Often, this is seen as the first step in creating a melting-pot recipe of ideas, thoughts, and perspectives. Cultural assimilation is the broth and diverse individuals are the ingredients. Simmer on low for two or three years, and diversity will miraculously emerge. The challenge with cooking stews, however, is that the flavors are all absorbed into the broth, which means each employee is not valued for his or her unique contributions and individual attributes. Is this diversity? Another metaphor is the mixed salad, with each person representing a distinct vegetable, be it a crisp carrot, a vibrant beet, or lush romaine lettuce. Then the magic occurs when the salad is doused with dressing and all flavors become one—ranch, french, or a light balsamic vinaigrette. Once again, the dressing of choice masks the complexity and the very essence of diversity and inclusion. This still leaves us begging the question: Is this diversity? And where is the equity and inclusion? Inclusive leaders, like you, help to ensure that we move beyond words to deeds. You not only steer the ship by setting your organizational goals, but you also chart the course across the difficult tides of modern business practice.  

What will you do to serve as an inclusive leader?

Your commitment to serve as an inclusive leader is needed now more than ever as the future of diversity initiatives may feel uncertain as mounting legal cases emerge challenging DEI education, alleging discrimination by venture capital firms focused on serving minority business owners, and eliminating contract programming for minority-owned companies. CEOs are quietly disinvesting in DEI commitments and removing DEI positions. Yet, challenging times can serve as an invitation for you to lean into change and redefine the path forward. 

Inclusive leaders embark on a lifelong learning journey in these four key areas:

Intrapersonal: Engage in self-discovery by exploring your leadership story which is shaped by your cultural values, socialization, and beliefs. This self-reflection will aid you in gaining the insights needed to connect your leadership story to building an organizational culture of inclusion.

Interpersonal: Build and strengthen effective teams by challenging organizational barriers like stereotype threat, cultural taxation, and microaggressions. 

Organizational: Align your equity goals with strategic impact. Help your team define how inclusion advances business priorities, productivity, and engagement. 

Societal: Promote the values of our shared humanity and common destiny by addressing some of the most pressing social justice challenges of our time.

Diversity is needed to bring together the brightest minds to create solutions to business, economic, and social challenges of the 21st century and beyond. Diversity creates an atmosphere where inclusion can be unveiled as people come together and exchange ideas from diverse perspectives, life experiences, and cultural backgrounds. It empowers teams to see through the eyes of ingenuity and creativeness. This lays the foundation for future business success through the transformative power of innovation.

Reimagining Sustainable Building Practices

Posted on by Real Leaders

Mass Timber Home by Green Canopy Node revolutionizes construction and advances sustainable building practices.

By Real Leaders

For the last several decades, the U.S. housing supply has not kept pace with demand, leaving America short millions of homes today in a gap that continues to widen. To help address that problem, Green Canopy NODE, a sustainable construction technology company, developed a Mass Timber Model Home Assembly Kit that provides developers a path to deliver housing twice as fast with greater predictability.

“Green Canopy NODE’s Mass Timber Model Home is a game-changer for developers,” Co-CEO Bec Wilder says. “We all want to solve the housing market’s pains, but we get stuck in long development timelines and traditional construction schedules. Our model home will help cut out a lot of hurdles and risks we all have traditionally struggled with and help us all simply deliver more housing.”

Pictured Above is Bec Wilder (Chapin) Co-CEO of Green Canopy NODE

From Months, Not Years: Building Better & Faster for Communities

The model home was designed as a turnkey housing unit and completed it in March 2023 in partnership with Mercer Mass Timber. They controlled costs with pre-planned and streamlined construction, delivered it faster through simultaneous manufacturing and site prep, and avoided weather delays in construction through off-site manufactured modular installation.

“Addressing the housing crisis with the same solutions we’ve been using for the last 100+ years simply isn’t going to achieve the outcomes we need,” Co-CEO Aaron Fairchild says. “We are excited to bring the power of manufacturing to help regenerate communities and environments all while reducing waste and minimizing embodied carbon.”

The Mass Timber Model Home is a 1,200-square foot, two-story modular home with a rooftop deck, two bedrooms, and one-and-a-half bathrooms. It was built using precision-engineered mass timber components manufactured offsite, demonstrating the power of prefabrication, installation, and logistics. 

Game-Changer for Developers: Speed & Sustainability

The modules for the home were assembled offsite in Spokane, Washington, and were ready for shipping in two days. Onsite assembly for the entire home occurred in two days during a blizzard, further testing the company’s process and capabilities to build under extreme conditions.

“Building with mass timber delivers increased efficiency, enhanced sustainability, health benefits, and unparalleled aesthetics, making it an ideal choice for developers and investors interested in low- and mid-rise residential construction technology,” Fairchild says. “One of our bigger goals is carbon negativity. I think that we will crack the code and we will be able to have people housed affordably, humanely, and with dignity.” 

Benefits of Mass Timber Homes

  • Increases efficiency and is 44% faster to complete than traditional construction (under 100 days from project start to completion)
  • Controls costs with pre-planned and streamlined construction
  • Avoids weather delays through off-site manufactured modular installation
  • Enhances sustainability by reducing embodied carbon footprint and waste 
  • Stores 6.6 times more carbon than a stick frame home and offsets two-and-a-half stick frame houses with carbon storage
  • Lasts longer than standard code-built homes and can be deconstructed and reused

Reimagining Sustainable Building Practices

Posted on by Real Leaders

Mass Timber Home by Green Canopy Node revolutionizes construction and advances sustainable building practices.

By Real Leaders

For the last several decades, the U.S. housing supply has not kept pace with demand, leaving America short millions of homes today in a gap that continues to widen. To help address that problem, Green Canopy NODE, a sustainable construction technology company, developed a Mass Timber Model Home Assembly Kit that provides developers a path to deliver housing twice as fast with greater predictability.

“Green Canopy NODE’s Mass Timber Model Home is a game-changer for developers,” Co-CEO Bec Wilder says. “We all want to solve the housing market’s pains, but we get stuck in long development timelines and traditional construction schedules. Our model home will help cut out a lot of hurdles and risks we all have traditionally struggled with and help us all simply deliver more housing.”

Pictured Above is Bec Wilder (Chapin) Co-CEO of Green Canopy NODE

From Months, Not Years: Building Better & Faster for Communities

The model home was designed as a turnkey housing unit and completed it in March 2023 in partnership with Mercer Mass Timber. They controlled costs with pre-planned and streamlined construction, delivered it faster through simultaneous manufacturing and site prep, and avoided weather delays in construction through off-site manufactured modular installation.

“Addressing the housing crisis with the same solutions we’ve been using for the last 100+ years simply isn’t going to achieve the outcomes we need,” Co-CEO Aaron Fairchild says. “We are excited to bring the power of manufacturing to help regenerate communities and environments all while reducing waste and minimizing embodied carbon.”

The Mass Timber Model Home is a 1,200-square foot, two-story modular home with a rooftop deck, two bedrooms, and one-and-a-half bathrooms. It was built using precision-engineered mass timber components manufactured offsite, demonstrating the power of prefabrication, installation, and logistics. 

Game-Changer for Developers: Speed & Sustainability

The modules for the home were assembled offsite in Spokane, Washington, and were ready for shipping in two days. Onsite assembly for the entire home occurred in two days during a blizzard, further testing the company’s process and capabilities to build under extreme conditions.

“Building with mass timber delivers increased efficiency, enhanced sustainability, health benefits, and unparalleled aesthetics, making it an ideal choice for developers and investors interested in low- and mid-rise residential construction technology,” Fairchild says. “One of our bigger goals is carbon negativity. I think that we will crack the code and we will be able to have people housed affordably, humanely, and with dignity.” 

Benefits of Mass Timber Homes

  • Increases efficiency and is 44% faster to complete than traditional construction (under 100 days from project start to completion)
  • Controls costs with pre-planned and streamlined construction
  • Avoids weather delays through off-site manufactured modular installation
  • Enhances sustainability by reducing embodied carbon footprint and waste 
  • Stores 6.6 times more carbon than a stick frame home and offsets two-and-a-half stick frame houses with carbon storage
  • Lasts longer than standard code-built homes and can be deconstructed and reused
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