Author Alex Temblador on addressing your biases to build an impactful business

Akua: Today in the podcast, we are making uncomfortable conversations more comfortable. Alex Templador, who is author of her new book, writing and identity, not your own, a guide for creative writers and is best known for her diversity, equity, and inclusion coverage in the travel and outdoor industry. She joins us for a very real conversation about how our biases can block impact and influence the In our business, Alex reminds us that being more inclusive can not only lead to more innovation in our business, but also more profit. So if you’re someone who wants to learn how to better address your bias so that you can build an impactful and profitable business, then you definitely want to tune into this episode. Now let’s get into it. Hey everyone. This is your host Akua Kanadu and you’re listening to the independent business podcast. More people than ever are working for themselves and building profitable businesses in the process. So on this show, I get to sit down with some of the most influential authors, entrepreneurs, and creators to break down the science of self made success so that you can achieve it too. Hello, Alex. How are we doing? I’m doing good. I just had a book come out. Yes, congratulations. Okay, first off, how, how, yes, how do we feel? How are we feeling? Alex: Feeling good. I’m just glad it’s out. Yeah. So that other people can take this conversation and go forth with it. And I’m, I just want to like sit back and watch and see what happens. Akua: Yeah. For a little bit. Oh yeah. I feel like so much magic and so much impactful conversation. And I think it’s just something that’s so needed because full transparency, I feel like, and I’m sure you can relate to like 2020, that was when people, obviously from unfortunate circumstances, devastating circumstances, where people now are willing to be more inclusive. And I feel like now that momentum has really just disappeared and you know, old habits die hard. And you know, they are coming back. And so I’m really, really excited for this, this conversation. So thank you. Thank you for being here. Me too. Thanks for having me. Absolutely. And so I’m really, I really want to know essentially what prompted you to focus on this topic of your book? Like what was there, was there like a defining moment or was it just kind of something that was an ongoing process where you were like, I know this is something I’ve, I’ve wanted to do now is the time to do it. Alex: Yeah. So writing an identity, not your own, it definitely came about mostly from 2020, but I’d been thinking about this topic. I’ve been a journalist since 2015. I’ve often covered historically marginalized communities. And even within the journalism world, I was getting pushback from editors or publications saying, well, that’s not really like mainstream. Or that’s like, they would say things like, well, that’s for an urban audience or things like that. And I’m like, Oh God, or we don’t want to cover that person because they’re this identity or whatever it may be. So pushback in the journalism communities. So I was. Finally was able to get kind of some stuff out there and really look at statistics about how diversity actually impacts a lot of industries that I was writing about, particularly travel and outdoors. And then as a creative writer, I was always kind of considering this topic for myself and my own books, um, and short stories that I was writing. And there was no resources out there for me. And in 2020, this book called American dirt came out. It was a big conversation right before the pandemic hit, but when the pandemic hit, we kind of had our focus elsewhere. Right. Um, and so because of that, I was asked to teach a class on writing an identity, not your own. Taught it. It was only a three hour class realized there were little to no up to date guides or books or resources. That weren’t like very focused. So maybe they only focused on race, but they weren’t like across multiple identities. And so I wanted to eventually over the next few years teaching it and working on my own stuff, I realized like, this would be so much easier if I just had a book that I could sit beside me as I’m working and other people could too. And so. really learn and think about all the things I’ve been thinking about for so many years and see how complicated it is. But it’s also simple when you just like boil it all down as I want to help highlight other communities with respect and care. And I think other people do too. We just don’t know how to go about it. And it’s such a scary topic that we sometimes don’t want to take that first step toward. Educating ourselves because we’re too scared. What will happen if we make a mistake? Akua: Yes I feel like that’s always such a common thing is that people are always afraid of making a mistake whenever it comes to Wanting to explore and learn about other identities other people other cultures, you know And I think you’re going to mess up like it is inevitable because number one We’re all human beings like that’s not I think a lot of the times when we make some of these mistakes We think that that’s a big defining moment of who we are and it’s It’s not. And I think again, it’s just, that is just a crappy moment in time, but that doesn’t mean that’s who you are. This is where that’s that moment is where you really want to pick up and really hold yourself accountable and lean in even more than you did before. And so I love that you brought that up as well. And a question that I really want to talk about, especially in regards to your book, right? Like it’s really addressing a lot of our own biases and it doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from. We all have And so I really want to hear more about your own journey of addressing your bias and how has that led into you writing your book and also to just more into your work. Alex: Yes. Oh, I’m so glad that you brought that up. Within the book, I do share a bunch of examples of how my bias comes out in my creative writing. For instance, there was. There’s a book that I’ve written that hasn’t yet been published or sold yet, so I can’t really talk more about it. But I have a character who, uh, sleeps with people of any gender identity. And I had never written a character, a main character like that. I found somebody with the same identity. Who was able to like read the book and give me kind of feedback and there was Such a throwaway line and i’m talking like maybe a five word phrase That if you didn’t like come from that community, you might not have noticed I think most people went to notice. I didn’t notice it. Even when they pointed it out to me, I was like, what, what are, what are, what are you saying here? And what am I trying to say here? And realizing, oh, I made a big mistake. So, and I come from somebody, um, who the very first thing that I was writing in terms of journalism, I was covering queer communities. So it wasn’t like I hadn’t been educating myself on this for quite a long time, even before, uh, same sex marriage was legalized in the U S. I’ve been educating myself. My brother is queer. Like I have a lot of connections to the queer communities. And so growing up, definitely I come from a unique background. I’m half Mexican, half white. And so I have Mexican side, I have a white side. And I got to see how different races within like a very small community believe and interact and think about things. And so I was able to kind of observe a lot and see, well, what they say, how did they impact me, my white side? And how did my Mexican side impact me in the way I perceive things? I also have a sister who has intellectual and physical disabilities, and she is a non speaker, so she doesn’t communicate with English or is able to like point at things or sign. And such. So with her, I was able to really get connected to disability community, but also just having to observe her, to know what she needs and wants at different times, kind of allowed me to move about in the world. And when I’m watching media or I’m reading books going like, is that right? Like, is, is that right? Am I seeing what the author just wants me to see or what they perceive? Or am I seeing my own bias here? Is this actually accurate? And the only way I’m going to know is by being connected to these communities, by doing the research on the history in the background. Thankfully, I did get a history degree. I’ve always been obsessed with history and delving into the backgrounds and the cultural histories of different communities. That’s always been something I’ve been connected to. So I’ve kind of just like been building all of these things over time. Ironically, if like, you don’t know where to start in my book, I tell you, there is actually a test to learn about your biases called the IAT test. Harvard set it up, but it only shows you like race, sexual orientation, and I think gender identity. So it actually doesn’t go into. A ton of things. It’s still going to be limited. But it was important for me to kind of question myself about every little thing that comes up. And as a journalist, I’m kind of a little privy to be able to like see when these conversations are happening. Because I’m always researching them. I’m being asked to write about them. And I’m going, okay, well, how do I feel about This thing that’s happening in the news or pop culture and what does that say about me? And where did that thought and my initial thought come from and why do I believe that and do I need to look more into? Their background or read their histories or read books by people of that identity. So yeah, it’s it’s so complicated There’s not one like path for anybody to take for Exploring your biases and it’s also And the one thing I do want to stress is this is a lifelong thing. Yeah, this is not something you stop learning Akua: Yeah, I think too though to add to that i’m like, yeah, it’s complicated, but I also feel like it’s There’s more than one way to start, which I think is great. And I think that’s something I want to highlight with you. I’m just like, even talking about your journey, like you’ve had very many different starting points as you shared, just how you’ve addressed your biases, like where someone’s like family members, where you’ve been able to see it, like. personally, but also to where you have also gone out of like, okay, this doesn’t necessarily affect me. However, I’m going to learn more about it and have more empathy. Right. And I think that’s kind of the leading things that you can’t go wrong when you empathize with other people and take it a step further than, okay, I have empathy, but what do you do with that empathy? Right? Like we take it a step further and how do I connect more with this person? What research can I do to better understand them to make them feel more seen? And so even with you and your craft are just But even specifically for business owners, like, what are some ways that biases can show up in our business that may, maybe we just haven’t been? fully aware of. Alex: Yeah. Yeah. Well, like out this probably the easiest place to start is PR marketing and social media. How, and maybe your website too. I’m thinking about text a lot. So how accessible is your text and the things that you put out online and your website, or if you do podcasts, how accessible is it to different communities? And I’m talking like the disability community, is it accessible in terms of having. Like a, a very clear, distinct text on the back of like white, a white background. Is that easy to read for people who have, um, difficulties with their eyesight? Is there a transcript that people who are English, like English is their second language, being able to. See that transcript or hear it in an audio version because that’s able to help them to better understand what you’re trying to sell or the service that you’re providing. Definitely thinking about the audiences that you’re engaging with. So, are you only targeting certain audiences and why is that? There’s so much data these days I feel like that businesses can access. in terms of like the race, sexual orientation, gender identity of the people that you service. And it kind of does connect with your marketing materials. Are you only showcasing people of one, uh, race or ethnic identity, or are you doing the other thing and tokenizing somebody of a certain historically marginalized identity and, but not actually engaging with that community through the business that you have. So those are a ton of great questions to ask yourself and good starting out. I definitely just see, and I would encourage business owners to try to connect with different audiences, make their services or their products As equitable to different communities as they can, um, we’re talking about like financial, uh, equitability because we know that certain identities and communities don’t have the same financial access because of history and privilege and discriminatory laws, et cetera. So, There’s a billion different ways that you can do this, but that, that’s just kind of a start. Akua: Yeah. I, I love that you shared that. Cause I know as business owners, one of the biggest things that is the foundation to a successful business is really knowing who your target audience is. That is absolutely still important. But I think to even add to that of like, you’re still targeting your audience, but not being exclusive, right. Towards people. And so I think that’s, you know, That’s the difference. And that’s something too, that I just want to highlight as business owners, that it’s still important to have your target audience, but also to like, you don’t have to be exclusive in the language that you’re using. Like you can still target somebody with who you specifically want to work with without being exclusive to other, other groups of people. And so, and I think that sometimes that there’s that misconception, but I also think to a lot in our industry where, uh, we struggle, which I’m just going to call it out. We don’t do enough to meet people where we are. They’re at, right. And I think that is a heavy, that’s a huge thing, especially with conferences that we have in our industry, a lot of speaking events. I mean, it’s time and time again, that the speaker lineup will come out and is literally very cohesive. Yes. Very cohesive. Or Alex: it’s the tokenization. Or it’s the tokenization. One black man. Yes, Akua: usually. And that’s it, right. And so even in our industry, it’s always we’ll have one black individual, um, one black person. And so I think, you know, even to talk to that of just adding to that of like, we don’t do enough to meet people where we are at. And so that is something I would kind of want to also lead into that question with you is a lot of the times I always hear of, well, I don’t know where, right? Like, I don’t know where to go and this and that. And I just don’t think that’s a viable excuse anymore. I’m tired. Okay. And I know a lot of us are very tired, but I really want to add to that of even like, Where, where do you visit? Where can business owners go to meet people where they are at? Right? Even in their marketing, they, uh, how are they showing up? Because even, uh, conferences when they’re like, well, the speaker lineup is not inclusive because no person of color applied. Okay. So where are you going then to find them? And so that is where I really want to add to that, that there’s like multitude of layers I kind of went through, but when you hear that, Where do you think business owners need to be doing better in order to make, you know, their speaker, their conferences, or their marketing more inclusive? Alex: Yeah. Um, so I’m also a travel journalist. I travel on behalf of tourism destinations, hotels to different places. And I went to Barbados and Barbados as a tourism board is really trying to connect with black travelers. And they had a great PR team, particularly they had a woman who was Afro Latina. working for them who told her PR team, Hey, if we want to connect with black travelers, we have to go where they’re at and we have to meet them. So they invited a whole group. of black media people from media that is specifically focused on black communities and cultures. It wasn’t travel media per se. I was the only travel media person actually on the trip. And it’s because I do cover a lot of black traveler, uh, industry news and such, but everybody else. Was working for black media that are directly connected with black audiences. Mm-Hmm. . And I think they absolutely got black travelers to come out there. They also worked with an HBCU alumni festival, the very first one to bring all these HBCU people out to Barbados or at least get the word out to the people who weren’t able to come to that effect. Go where? The me go to these communities where they’re media. They have media within their communities. Um, I would also suggest local grassroots organizations. Oftentimes they are very connected to their community in a smaller setting. They know who to connect with. They know who to talk to. They know who their allies and. Activists are in, uh, like the news stations and the newspapers of that area connect on a smaller scale to the people who are already connected with that community. They’re going to get the word out for you, or at least are able to partner with you and consult with you on how to best connect to those communities with your business and your services and your products. I mean, I think those are kind of the two, two of the best ways Akua: to kind of start out. 1000%. And I even just think as well, even within that, like I respected this so much. Cause back in 2021, it was a client of mine at the time. And she had, you know, reached out to me because, you know, her conference at the time definitely got, definitely got some heat. You know what I mean? For just, unfortunately, just not being very inclusive. And so she reached out to me and she said that she would love to meet, to speak at her conference. And, you know, I’m like, Speak a lot of, and she was very honest about it, about where she was currently at, how she’s trying to do better. And I, because of that was more inclined to say yes to it. Right. And I think a lot of the times when people are like, okay, I’m very afraid that I’m going to be judged in this and that will you now have to be okay with being uncomfortable because a lot of us are uncomfortable on a regular basis. Okay. And so. Every day. And so my thing is, I think if when you lead with honesty and just say like, Hey, this is what I would really like to do, I would really love to be more inclusive and going to these specific groups and being like, Like how can I connect with your community to where we can collaborate, right? I think going in in those ways I think are so so key and I think it’s okay Just being very honest that you don’t necessarily know but this is you figuring it out I really want people to think about like think about when you first started your business, right? You had to figure it out It’s the same thing when you’re starting new you have to figure things out and you’re going to mess up and you’re going to fall But the thing is if this is something that you value and you really do want to make it more of a priority into your business, you’re going to figure it out. So don’t be afraid to reach out and just say, I would love to figure out how we can collaborate together to where I can meet people where they’re at so that I can bring them more into my community. I can bring them more into my spaces, my conferences, because that’s going to lead to such a rich community where you have just such an amazing conversation and really impact your business. in ways that you never thought of when you have people from different parts of life and areas that can really just offer perspectives that you never thought of. And so that’s something that I just even wanted to just add to that as well, of that you can figure it out. Everything’s figureoutable. I think that was Marie Forleo. Alex: And also, people are going to suggest, if you don’t have like a diverse set set of speakers We know people who are willing to go and talk at those conferences I if somebody came to me and I get this often like hey, do you know somebody who can write this article? Yes, I do here. Let me give you five different names seven different names. Do you know we’re an organization? Yes, I do like I’m happy to share that. Yeah, because as people from historically marginalized identities We want to see ourselves raised up and given opportunities and be service So we have no problem when you come in and avert in like a vulnerable way and say, Hey, I’m, I’m still learning, but I want to connect. We’re happy to help. Akua: Absolutely. And I think we have to throw away of like that fear of not being liked. I I’ll respect you. You know what I mean? And I think that’s where a lot of that comes off this fear of like, not being like what people are going to think. And I’m not going to act like it’s easy. It’s definitely not. We all get caught up in it all the time, but I think again, that’s just so, so key of like, I think again, leading with. honesty, vulnerability about where you’re at. And if like, I would like to meet people where I’m at, it just, it just, it takes a lot of humbling. You have to let your ego go and you have to toss that aside. You have to just really humble yourself. And as a business owner, I find myself humbled every day and I’m addressing my own biases every day and I’m not perfect either. Yeah. And I think that’s just something that’s so, so important to, to really highlight. And so now that we’re in 2024, right? 2020 and 2024. How do you see the future work of DEI, especially impacting, uh, business owners? Alex: Look, I, I know we’re talking about small businesses here. But I do think that as your small business grows into a medium or to a large business, it is important that you integrate DEI from the get go. Like, it’s not something that you want to come back to. Because what I tend to find is that people don’t want to do it. Once they are established type of success or established, it’s not a practice and you go, well, it’s too hard to find somebody. It’s too hard to get a consultant. It’s too hard. There’s so many excuses because yes, you’re busy with like profits and revenue and marketing and all these things. So if you build it in from the beginning, it’s going to be easier. But let’s say that like, you’re pretty established, you’re medium sized, or you’re getting to medium size and large, you have to diversify from the top down. It does not work from the bottom up. It just doesn’t. When you have people in the C suite, you have people in managerial positions who will come from those different backgrounds and those different identities. They’re going to give you different perspectives. They’re going to give you an insight into the audiences that you might not have tapped into. And in fact, like research and studies show that it not only leads to more innovation to have a racial and ethnic and gender identity, diverse managerial positions or above, um, it gives you more innovation, but it actually results in better profit and more success. So if you are here as a business owner, And you want to make money. That is your goal to live well, to have a successful business. It only benefits you to diversify in terms of DEI and to integrate it into all aspects, not only within your business, but also, um, how you meet your customers, how you. Um, market to them, how you connect with them, how you speak to them. Akua: 1000%. I love that you brought that up. Cause I was like, yeah, also more money. Like, you know what I mean? Cause I think that’s kind of what a lot of like, especially, I love how you said to implement it as early as possible. And it doesn’t have to be these big things. I think it can be small. Like you said, looking at your website, really breaking down and looking at the language. Like, are you using inclusive language? You know what I mean? Of just those small things. But then as you love, and you’re like, Hey, I think I’m now ready to Um, hire a V. A. Right? Of course, you’re gonna ask people that you know, and naturally we all know the same people, right? So you’re already gonna get certain type of applicants. Okay, well, let me go to somebody that I don’t know and let me ask them, right? Somebody that I made, like I follow, like building those relationships and just be like, Hey, I’m interested in hiring a V. A. Do you happen to know anybody, anybody that looks very different than you or you know? It’s just the way that they live their life is differently. Like so many different things, right? Factors that are just very different from how you see the world that they can also bring you people that you can look through because again, innovation, right? And that is so key with entrepreneurship. Things that has evolved so quickly since 2020 and we’re now in 2024, and that’s not going anywhere. Like things are going to keep moving at a very, very fast pace and being innovative is also key to being able to have a sustainable business. And so I love that you just shared that. I’m like, okay, like if you’re looking to expand and grow in those ways, doing that early as possible. Because when you do get to a certain point, I absolutely agree. It’s way harder to do that because you have to, you had a model that worked and you’re like, okay, well this is still working. Why would I change it? It’s harder to change it. Right. And so like, I just like to encourage business owners to really try to have this at the forefront in some capacity, because I think it’s going to be really just be very, very helpful for you in the end and make you more profitable. So I love, love that you shared that. Alex: Yes. And, and then, and here’s another thing to think about is in terms of business owners, By 2044, the population, the majority of the population in the United States is going to be black, indigenous, or people of color. If you are not connecting with them and we’re talking 20 years from now, Akua: you’re Alex: not connecting with them now. I don’t know if you’re going to be able to survive, be able to grow. And let’s, I mean, 2044 is an estimate. Like this could happen sooner. So start it now, get into those communities. Um, connect with those audiences. It’s going to help you. It’s going to create the sense of trust that people are going to go, Hey, I’m going to tell my cousin and I’m going to tell my family members and my friends. And we’re going to stay with you because you clearly have thought about how you speak to us. You’ve made sure you’ve used the right terminology. You’ve made sure to hire your accountant with us or your tax person with us and your web designer, um, through us. Um, all of those things are going to create like that circle of trust that is very important I think for business owners. Akua: One thousand percent. And I think, I just love whenever I cause I love to connect with people that are very different from me, and cause I don’t know everything. And I just love, How I’m able to let go of certain things to like learn new things and how it just molds and shapes me as a person And gives me such a much more deeper Outlook on life that I just never thought which then translates into also into my business like it truly is like a beautiful thing So I always love to connect with people That are very different than me because you just never know what you’re gonna learn ever you and it’s And that’s what, that’s what I love it. That’s, that’s a gift to me to be able to be able to have something new. So that’s just something I like to encourage business owners. I will always go out and seek people from different walks of life. And I love it because I learned so much more about myself and others. And it just makes me feel more confident in showing up in spaces that I’d naturally wouldn’t be in. And it’s like, you know, especially if I go to some place, I’ve been to places by myself and networking events by myself. And I love it because you learn, you meet the most fascinating people that way. So I just want to encourage business owners again, to just step outside of your comfort zone, be okay with being uncomfortable and just walk through that. So anything else, this is, I think this conversation has just been so impactful. And is there anything else that you would like to share with independent business owners today? Alex: I mean, I think we kind of touched on this a bit, but if you You can realize that discomfort is the best place for you to be in. You only learn when you’re uncomfortable, when you’re in places of discomfort, you grow through those aspects. So this is going to be an uncomfortable journey. It’s going to be an emotional one. You’re going to make mistakes, give yourself some grace, go into it authentically. And, um, like we said, be vulnerable. All of those things are going to help you out. Even though I wrote this book for writers and editors and creative types, I do think it will be helpful for you. I have, um, resources in there in terms of like best identity terms up to date. Like as of right now, those identities always change and those terms always change. Um, I have things like stereotypes and tropes that do appear in, in visual aids or in social media descriptions, things like that. So there’s a lot of resources in here. There’s a lot of other texts and other books that you might want to check out, but it also talks about biases and discrimination, all of these things that I think could be helpful. And so if you do have a chance to pick it up, I I’ve had people who are not writers, creative, uh, writers or in the publishing industry, pick it up and go. Oh dang, I can just take this and Akua: utilize it in my day to day life. 1, 000%. Absolutely. Which is why we wanted you to come on, right? And so that’s why I just am so excited for your book. And even what you just said earlier, which I just realized this, because it’s, we are, we naturally just, Everything that we watch and see and visualize, like it literally alters the way that we think. And even, again, that also translates into our business, even down to the type of content that we made. Because I remember just seeing like, there’s this huge content creator, um, and his content is funny. And, um, he decided to change it up and bring his spouse into the content. And she definitely leaned into stereotypes. And I was like, this is the problem. What are you watching? What are you watching? You know what I mean? And I think again, the, how that can really easily translate into your business that you just never thought of. And so even I always think of myself as like, I question everything that I watch. I’m like, okay, I’m watching this, but like, again, and I’m a storytelling strategist. So I’m always like looking for holes and the stories and plots and this and that. And so, but even, even then I’m like, okay, but why am I thinking this way about this character? Right. Even if this is a villain, right. Cause you remember like even Disney channel, like all the villains are naturally darker skin, darker features, you know what I mean? Those types of things. Alex: Maybe they’re bigger, like Ursula. Yeah. Right. So like those types of different types of identities Akua: that you just don’t even realize. And then you get older and you’re like, Oh, wait. Right. So now that bad, right. Alex: Why is Maleficent, why are they picking on her? Akua: I’m just saying there’s certain villains. I’m like, I rock with you, you know? And I think now that I’m an adult and addressing my biases, I’m like, yeah, nah, like that’s. So I’m always like adulting is realizing that this person who was really supposed to be the hero is unhealthy. Like, you know, that’s me. That’s what I say all the time. But I think again, I think just wanting to encourage business owners. Like I always just kind of question of like what I’m watching and, you know, and, and things for sheer entertainment, of course. But I always make sure to check in with myself. Like, is this something that I’m actually starting to internalize now that’s starting to become a bias? Right. And I think those are things that, Again, it can unexpectedly show up in all areas of our life and our business. So I just love that you brought that up. So definitely everybody check out her book. Um, and one more question that we always love to end with is what do you think is the biggest differentiator between the businesses that succeed and the ones that fail? Alex: Diversity. Akua: Yeah. Alex: Diversity, diversity brings innovation. And so if you’re not, if you’re not being innovative, you’re not going anywhere. You’re just going to stay in one spot. You’re going to fall behind. Yep. Exactly. That’s not me saying it. That’s studies and scientists and researchers. Akua: Yes. Yeah. Well, I love that you kept it short and sweet. And for anybody that can connect with you, where can they find you? Alex: Yeah, then go to alextemplador. com or writingandidentitynotyourown. com. Um, I will have some more like blogs and resources coming up on there. That’s not in the book. And then also on social media at Alex underscore Templador. Akua: Oh, well, thank you. Thank you so much, Alex, for being here. And for everybody listening until next time. That ends our episode of the independent business podcast. Everything we’ve discussed today can be found at podcast. honeybook. com. Head to our website to access for show notes, relevant links, and all of the resources that you need to level up. And if you’ve enjoyed today’s episode, be sure to subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss our future content. Drop us a review and leave our guests some love on social. And thank you again for listening.