From Stereotype to Success: Maya Ford’s Journey in Entrepreneurship and Inclusive Data Practices
Release Date: 09/12/2023
SheVentures
Imagine your significant other dies unexpectedly from a heart attack. In the midst of grief, you must find the resilience to go on while raising children and deciding how to move ahead professionally. This week’s guest — Sejal Lakhani-Bhatt — shares her story of the unexpected and how she managed to balance her family, her health, and her profession. Lakhani-Bhatt speaks candidly about her global banking career and how mentorship helped her climb the ladder at Deutsche Bank. Her husband, a tech entrepreneur, supported Lakhani-Bhatt when she decided to leave her banking job. Though...
info_outlineSheVentures
Named one of Inc. magazine’s top 100 female founders to watch, Maggie Adhami-Boynton is well-versed in the pivots required for an early-stage company to morph into a viable, scalable business. A 15-year startup veteran, she understood earlier than most the rapid evolution of digital apps and e-commerce and hit the ground more than a decade ago. Adhami-Boynton helped grow Canada’s Plastic Mobile, an award-winning mobile app agency, to acquisition in 2015. In 2019, she soft-launched , one of North America’s first live video commerce apps, which quickly amassed hundreds of...
info_outlineSheVentures
Kimberley Nixon tells it like it is. Yes, she is a Los Angeles–based venture capitalist and the founder and managing partner of . Yes, she is passionate about increasing access to investment for women of color, who we know raise less than 1 percent of all venture capital. Nixon is also keen to share the human side of her life. Health is a topic she knows intimately as she overcame cancer in her late 20s after a misdiagnosis. Today, she is balancing, like many of us, her passions with being a wife and mother to two tweens. If you are looking for a relatable, smart, hip role model, Nixon is...
info_outlineSheVentures
If you’re feeling stuck in your pursuit of success in the music industry despite all the hard work and effort you’re putting in — you’re not alone! Karla Ortiz, founder of , delves into her struggles and victories as a woman of color in the entertainment industry. Early in her career, Ortiz shaped digital marketing campaigns for megastars like Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, and Nelly Furtado. Decades later, she founded Monark Entertainment, an agency focused on streaming and digital marketing, with a particular emphasis on supporting women of color. Ortiz shares her experiences as a...
info_outlineSheVentures
Ever wondered how one woman can impact racial wealth and investment equity as well as advancements in women’s health? In two decades, Erika Seth Davies transitioned from a career in development and fundraising to becoming the CEO of , a groundbreaking fund that secured an impressive $44 million (in 2022) to revolutionize the U.S. women’s health market through impact investing. But wait, there’s more! Davies isn’t stopping at women’s health. She’s also the mastermind behind the , an impact investing venture tackling the persistent racial wealth gap. Tune in as we explore the...
info_outlineSheVentures
From Nigeria to London to Paris to the United States, Pauline Idogho’s journey has taken her on a whirlwind tour of different cultures and experiences. But it’s her ability to adapt to change that has made her a successful entrepreneur. As the founder of Mocktail Club, an innovative line of elevated non-alcoholic beverages, not only does Idogho take pride in offering delicious, natural drinks, but she also dedicates 1 percent of her sales to support clean water initiatives around the world. She tapped into an ever-evolving market — and has learned to diversify her distribution...
info_outlineSheVentures
Becoming a parent is a seismic pivot in itself. Add the societal pressure to breastfeed — with virtually no support and sleepless nights — and you have a rocky six months. But it doesn’t need to be this way. Andrea Ippolito, CEO of , created a community to help women navigate everything from finding an insurance-covered lactation consultant to exploring different formulas to scoring the best-quality breast pump. Ippolito offers free classes and directories of allies and providers and works with workplaces and insurers to help parents get the support they need. As a mom...
info_outlineSheVentures
Divorce is a life pivot that touches many, and it can be civil or act as a wrecking ball. You may know Kenya Duke from her BET+ show The Gary Owen Show, with her now ex-husband and their three children. Duke, an entrepreneur, real estate investor, and host of the podcast Truly Kenya, shares her experience of divorce, as well as its emotional and financial impacts. The pain of financial instability and the struggle to make ends meet can be overwhelming. But there is a way to regain control and find empowerment. Duke tells her story from childhood to what it means to be a Black woman in the...
info_outlineSheVentures
Have you ever considered opening a spa, but the number of unknowns stopped you? Not Crystal Bethea, founder and CEO of , who pivoted from Army veteran to licensed massage therapist, cosmetologist, and entrepreneur. Bethea is passionate about massage, acupuncture, and other wellness modalities. Coming from a family of veterans, she’s passionate about helping vets maintain their health and to help them pursue their entrepreneurial dreams and find fulfillment in their post-military lives. That’s why C3 Wellness Spa is a franchise and ready to expand! Bethea works with her husband, Marus...
info_outlineSheVentures
Imagine rising through the ranks of the Federal government for three decades until one day a sudden heart attack forced you to reevaluate your life priorities. , is an Army veteran, former U.S. Postal Service employee, and a U.S. Department of the Treasury human resources manager. By all accounts, she built a stable career while raising two children, going through a divorce, and taking every opportunity possible to educate/upskill herself, tireless in her pursuit of knowledge. While building her career, Owens was often asked by friends or family about how to navigate the Federal government....
info_outlineMaya Ford cares deeply about truth in marketing. As the founder of Ford Momentum!, she challenges stereotypes, ignites innovation, and is conquering the business world with a diverse mentorship style and a strategic mindset.
Nearly all marketing consultants champion their data prowess, so what makes Ford stand out (in addition to her two decades of experience in marketing, communications, and operations)? Her hunger for knowledge and penchant to challenge the status quo cause her to break free from the conventional narratives that surround various societal groups. Ford is not afraid to call a spade a spade.
Ford uses a new proprietary data-led methodology called STOLO (Standard of Love) that helps communities address unique regional or local problems accurately and compassionately. STOLO, backed by MIT’s Data, Economics and Development Policy program, is quickly becoming the go-to process for accurate data collection.
Why is STOLO so powerful? Historically, data has been used to confirm a theory instead of being used to offer new considerations. STOLO incorporates five pillars to guide data collection and analysis:
- Literacy
- Economic power
- Values
- Self-esteem
- Justice
Ford uses these pillars to inform data collection (surveys, gamified mobile apps) with the end goal of driving equitable results that are true to what people want and need, not only of benefiting those in power. STOLO is a radical way of helping the historically under-represented own their data and their voices — and leverage their assets for change. Listen to Ford describe STOLO in action, provide case studies where STOLO is already creating change, and why she believes this methodology will be embraced by more communities.
If you are a corporate leader, a parent, or a community member who desires change and isn’t afraid to tackle problems head-on, this episode is for you.
Key Highlights
- Unravel the importance of inclusive data compilation and storytelling in fostering societal advancement.
- How has traditional data aggregation fallen short of addressing the entire community
- Gain insight into Maya Ford’s entrepreneurial arc and her efforts to confront systematic challenges as she pivots to entrepreneurship as a small business owner.
- Understand the pivotal role diverse mentorship and strategic planning play in every entrepreneur’s journey.
- Learn about a STOLO case study in Houston, the process and costs of STOLO projects, and how the goal is to create more inclusiveness by representation.
- Realize the power of collaboration with skilled people in stimulating business success.
- Explore how technology is altering human relationships, influencing mental health, and reaching marginalized communities.
- Connect with Ford on LinkedIn to stay updated on her work and insights in marketing, communications, and operations.
- Consider hiring FordMomentum! to implement its data-driven approach in your own organization or community.
- Join the STOLO community and use its model to identify and prioritize the standards and values that are important to you and your community.
- Support FordMomentum!’s goal of creating justice, fairness, peace, and economic power by engaging with its services or spreading awareness about its work.