A Life in Black and White: How to Authentically Discuss Race in Business, with Paul Mitchell, Mitchell Sales Advisors (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 276)

“A Life in Black and White” is not just a random title for Paul Mitchell’s talks and webinars; it describes his own journey in business and his efforts to foster understanding and positive change around race in the workplace and in business. “The host of “North Fulton Business Radio” is John Ray, and the show is produced virtually by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta.

Paul Mitchell, President, Mitchell Sales Advisors

Paul Mitchell, is President of Mitchell Sales Advisors, a firm specializing in sales strategy, sales process, sales execution. Paul has a 25 year history of solving problems through these sales efforts. Paul’s goal is to use this experience and his unique life experiences to help primarily White leaders to learn more about the challenges facing the black community and how it affects their businesses through exposure, education, compassion and empathy.

“A Life In Black and White”

“What do I mean by that? Because of my life experiences, I have been uniquely positioned to provide information and understanding to people of power, primarily White people, to help support better communication and engagement with their employees, families, and expand opportunities to show empathy and compassion to the Black community. Our goal is to help provide information to those who authentically want to learn more about the challenges the black community face in the workplace and how we can develop a true partnership through genuine understanding and knowledge, to help make our workplaces more collaborative and productive. I am seeing interest from many White Americans who want to learn how they can help break the cycle of Black racism and social injustice. This is a key time for business leaders to educate themselves on how to have these meaningful conversations with their employees of all races. Due to my business and life experiences, I find that I am uniquely qualified to offer support in doing just that.”

Paul Mitchell’s LinkedIn profile

Mitchell Sales Advisors website

Questions/Topics Discussed in this Show

  • Why Paul is uniquely qualified to have this discussion
  • Race discussion in business
  • Why this important for business leaders to address now
  • “Getting into relationship” through mentoring black employees and colleagues
  • Why do Blacks feel the way they do in society and the workplace
  • What should White business leaders do to effect change in their organizations
  • How do we help educate the leaders to build organizations that are diverse and how this affects innovation and productivity.
  • How empathy as a learned skill helps in this work
  • How White people who want to help get over the concern of “what if I say the wrong thing?”
  • The problem with the statement “I’m color-blind”
  • What is our way forward and what will “A Life in Black and White” do to help and support that

North Fulton Business Radio” is hosted by John Ray and produced virtually from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, TuneIn, and others.

Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has grown to become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions with over $13 billion in assets and more than 190 banking, lending, wealth management and financial services offices in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. All of Renasant’s success stems from each of their banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way of better understanding the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.