One of my favorite things about being on the blogger team for the 2022 SHRMAnnual Conference & Exposition is chatting with speakers and vendors to learn more about them and create some pre-conference buzz! Leading up to #SHRM22 June 12th-15th, I have a few blog posts lined up to introduce you to speakers and vendors! I can’t wait to #CauseTheEffect in New Orleans this year. Will I see you there? (:
When looking through the speaker list and choosing who I wanted to feature for my pre-conference blogs, I had two criteria. 1) First time speaker at the SHRM annual conference or 2) The focus of their session is about supporting emerging professionals. This is the first time Christine Michel Carter is both attending AND speaking at the SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition, so I’m so excited to introduce you to her!
I’ve worked at organizations who have done employee resource groups really well, and at others where having them would have been an amazing benefit for their employees to help engage and retain them. Christine’s session “The Most Critical Metric Employee Resource Groups Can Share with HR Teams to Combat the Great Resignation” will be on Sunday as a pre-conference workshop. Read on below to learn more about Christine!
Tell us about yourself and how Minority Woman Marketing, LLC came to be!
I started my consumer marketing firm 15 years ago; back then it helped small business retailers reach a growing consumer: generation Y! We now of course call this group “millennials.” Over the years, my company’s focus evolved with each life stage millennials entered. Now, while I still consult, I also help women navigate the significant impact of motherhood on their professional careers. I elevate the honest truths of working motherhood as a Senior ForbesWomen Contributor, the author of the children’s book Can Mommy Go To Work?, and the author of the adult novel MOM AF. My passion for ERGs comes from believing in the importance of diversity and allowing underrepresented groups (like women, multicultural professionals, and working parents) to bring their authentic selves to work.
What does the company specialize in and what do you love to help people with?
Over the years I’ve refined a signature mental health talk that helps people find out how to care for their mental health at work and how to reach out to their employer for help. I love reminding people that they are people first, employees second. I think this is why employees have ranked my signature mental health talk the best corporate programming event of the year. As a thought leader in multicultural marketing strategy, when I consult companies I’ve perfected an “art and science” approach. My approach includes art because it requires personal experiences, raw honesty, real understanding, and forethought. Science refers to the insights, marketing analytics, big data, brand positioning, case studies, best practices, psychology, and sociology involved.
What is your favorite part of owning your own business?
My favorite part of owning a business is having the opportunity to make an impact at so many different organizations. Many years ago when I was the director of marketing for a retailer in Baltimore, I enjoyed advising the CEO, director of operations, and other stakeholders on effective communication strategies and messages so much, that I decided to open a retail marketing firm. I didn’t want to just help one company, I wanted to help as many as I could!
Without giving too much away, please share a bit more about your session “The Most Critical Metric Employee Resource Groups Can Share with HR Teams to Combat the Great Resignation” and what attendees can expect!
You can expect actionable takeaways. As a speaker, I provide a unique perspective to workshops, webinars, podcasts, panels, university discussions, and global conferences, but no matter the audience, I know your presentation is nothing without the “so what?” I look forward to showing just how important ERGs are to companies, by using examples in corporate America- and beyond.
This is your first year speaking at the SHRM annual conference. What are you excited for most at #SHRM22?
This is my first year speaking and my first year attending a SHRM conference. I’m thrilled to hear the other speakers, quite honestly! I rarely have the opportunity to connect with others passionate about diverse talent and bringing human elements to corporate America. I embrace diverse thoughts, so this should be exciting!
Claire is Coaching 