Outlines six principles and best practices for hiring and retaining women with challenging backgrounds Recently, business leaders have shifted their focus from a profit-only mindset to considering the impact of their businesses on all stakeholders. At the same time, the United Nations set aggressive Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) to improve our world by 2030. These SDGs address all major needs facing our world today, such as: eradication of poverty and hunger, access to clean water, gender equality, and decent work and economic growth. These are significant problems facing the world that have in the past largely been left to nonprofit organizations and governments to solve. Investors and customers have higher expectations for companies to make a positive social and environmental impact. They want to know business can do good. Following suit, today's business leaders are starting to recognize we will never fill the gap between where we are and where we want to be if businesses do not also do their part to contribute sustainable solutions to these enormous social problems. This book provides a guide for businesses to make a significant positive impact while also benefiting their businesses. Business Doing Good outlines six principles business leaders can implement to effectively hire women who have experienced incarceration, poverty, addiction, and/or engagement in the sex trade. While making a difference to both these women and communities, businesses benefit from the women's resourcefulness, resilience, ability to motivate, and other unique skills and perspectives only available to someone who has overcome difficulties. Investments in women, in general, are exponential as they are more likely to return that investment to future generations. The impact is endless. If we are going to end poverty and create economic development, women who have overcome challenging pasts cannot be excluded.
Shannon Deer, PhD, has fourteen years of experience as a professor and administrator in one of the top business schools in the country. Currently the assistant dean for graduate programs in Mays Business School at Texas A&M University, Deer has remained connected with industry through consulting, teaching executive development, and teaching in programs for working professional. Deer has served many roles at Mays Business School, including as the director of the full-time MBA program and clinical assistant professor teaching a variety of accounting and finance courses to undergraduate and graduate students. Before returning to Texas A&M University as a faculty member, Deer worked in public accounting auditing large SEC filers in the upstream oil and gas sectors. Deer was on the team that founded the Women's Leadership Initiative conference, where 450 women gather each year for encouragement, inspiration, and information that will make them more successful in business. Deer is the recipient of numerous teaching awards, including the Association of Former Students Distinguished Teaching Award, the Ernst & Young Teaching Excellence Award, and the Baggett Teaching Award. She is also an entrepreneur and advises individuals considering starting a business or in the early phases of business development. Deer serves on the board of Mercy Project, a nonprofit organization with a mission to end child slavery in Ghana. Deer and her husband live in College Station, Texas, on ten acres with their dogs and chickens. Cheryl Miller has years of experience working in mediation, restorative justice, and community development. She has been married to Leslie Miller for 31 years, and they have four children and four grandchildren. Miller is the owner of Quantum Circles Consulting and Training. She provides training on topics that increase opportunities for transformation in three areas: economic development for the marginalized, effective communication focusing on the facilitation of conflict, and restorative justice. Miller was the executive director of Perpetual Help Home in Victoria, TX, for eighteen years. She was instrumental in launching the Center for Peace, a social enterprise run by the women of Perpetual Help Home. She is a credentialed advanced mediator through the Texas Mediator Credentialing Association since 2001. She is also a member of the Texas Mediator Trainers Roundtable for individuals facilitating standard mediation training. Miller also served on the board of the Christian Community Development Association for six years and was the vice-chair of that board for the past two.
Business Doing Good unmasks horrifically beautiful stories of marginalized women longing for a better way of life. Their uncensored truths are laid out like dandelions in an unkempt field and demand a clear call for empowerment. The practical principles woven throughout the pages allow for a better understanding of the importance of how wholistic approaches are the key to restoring communities. Once I picked it up I couldn't stop reading. I cried with heartache, sadness, and joy.--Elia Moreno, executive director, Texas Christian Community Development Compassion changes us. Action changes the world. If we will but integrate the power the pages of this book contain--through Cheryl and Shannon's plucky experience and stimulating insight--we will fall forward into both, improving our businesses and transforming our communities.--Kimberly Smith Highland, author of "Passport through Darkness" Deer and Miller's work is one of the finest resources for genuine and lasting change. There is a spirit of hopeful realism pervading every sentence and story. Obstacles to flourishing are met with optimism of what can happen when there is alignment of intention, integrity, and intense commitment. The life stories shared touch every part of my soul. I experienced anger as I read of the exploitation of my sisters. There was frustration as some found it hard to change. There were many tears as the agony of reorienting life toward flourishing was described in detail. And there was joy as businesses, nonprofits, and the women themselves worked together for change. The blueprints presented here are applicable in any cultural, economic, or social context. The authors avoid the extremes of hyper-individualism and hyper-collectivism that pervade our public discourse. Restoring agency to victims and reforming the structures for access, equity, and opportunity are both vital. I challenge leaders of all traditions and vocations to read this carefully and allow it to change the way you see people and systems, including your particular work. Please buy several copies and share them with your networks and organizations. If we all take deliberate steps forward in personal action and the pursuit of partnerships, many more lives can be redeemed and restored.--Charlie Smith, PhD, director of learning communities, Made to Flourish Investing in marginalized women is good for everyone. Cheryl Miller and Shannon Deer have done an outstanding job of demonstrating the importance of this for our society. They have presented us six principles that are not only affective but also refreshing for our culture today. Business Doing Good is an excellent book with wonderful practical insights for our world. I was not only inspired but motivated to implement these principles in my personal context. I highly recommend this book to all. It is good to do good!--Wayne "Coach" Gordon, pastor, Lawndale Community Church, president emeritus, Christian Community Development Association, professor of urban ministry, Northern Seminary As a woman of color who has experienced generational poverty throughout childhood and my adult life--in addition to the racism, sexism, harassment, etc.--I'm so excited this book is being birthed into the world!--Nilwona Nowlin, writer/speaker Business Doing Good: Engaging Women and Elevating Communities provides a multi-layered approach to helping women from hard places and organizations who work with them to find opportunities that provide a hand-up in life, skills for employment, and employability. Connections are imperative for individuals and agencies to find corporations that are willing to analyze their own values and to raise the standards of internal culture. Corporations can learn to meet the needs of employees even as it may require a shift in their capacity to see human dignity, value, and worth for each individual. This book provides guidance to all three partners in the process outlined. Real case examples and corporate assessment tools are included to improve culture from within. This "Sherpa"-style guidebook for engaging women and elevating them as individuals also elevates the corporation and their capacity, ultimately elevating their communities.--Tomi L. Grover, PhD, author of "Compelled" Deer and Miller have crafted a powerful guide weaving together compelling stories of women overcomers and well-researched principles. Readers will be captivated by the real-life stories of women featured in each chapter. Through the inspiring stories, they provide readers with a path for making a significant difference like we have worked to do at Televerde by hiring formerly incarcerated women who are mothers, survivors, and overcomers who will change the world.--Michelle Cirocco, executive director of Televerde Foundation and the chief social responsibility officer for Televerde This book captures the essence and incredible strength that women bring to the world. Miller and Deer give us a glimpse of this power through story. The principles are presented in the narratives of struggle and resilience of remarkable women. This is a deeply inspiring book that captures the imagination and fans the fire of hope.--Leroy Barber, PhD, co-founder and president, The Voices Project, and director of innovation, Great NW Area of UMC Transformed for Impact--The authors write, "women who are overcomers can have a positive impact on your organization." Whether you lead in a nonprofit organization, traditional business, social enterprise, church, community ministry, denomination, or para-church ministry, the management principles in this book will catapult your success in meeting your goals through investment in the professional development of women who are survivors of significant life challenges. Survivor leaders can be a significant asset in your organization, department, or ministry...this book will show you how.--Rev. Ramelia Williams, director of ministry initiatives, Evangelical Covenant Church, Love Mercy Do Justice
