Through the first ten years of my career, I wasn't getting where I wanted to go in the way I wanted to get there. And over the last ten years, I’ve been obsessed with discovering how I might improve this reality for myself and other Black professionals. I’ve infused Bleeker with this obsession and there are now few organizations better equipped to advance the careers of Black professionals across every industry than Bleeker. Here’s why:
Understanding: Our team has spent the better part of the last decade listening to the challenges and aspirations of Black professionals across every imaginable industry. These are not academic exercises in understanding; our goal is to convert understanding into action and over the years Bleeker has evolved accordingly.
Community: In 2015, when it became clear to our team that Black professionals greatly benefit from access to a cross-functional, multi-dimensional community where they could access advice, mentorship, and inspiration from a diverse collection of peers and allies, we created the Bleeker Collective (our free, private talent community).
Partnerships: In 2016, when we realized that we could not achieve our desired impact without the partnership of influential business leaders who are similarly committed to advancing the careers of Black professionals, we sought to share our insights with companies. We’ve since collaborated with a growing list of blue-chip companies to increase our impact with Black professionals.
Coaching: In 2017, when we recognized the outsized influence of effective coaching on professional growth and career advancement - and the degree to which Black folks too rarely have access to coaching - we established a thinking partner practice. We’ve since trained dozens of Bleeker Thinking Partners and incorporated coaching into all aspects of our business, especially programs in support of Black professionals.
Recruiting: In 2020, many members of our community were experiencing the same acute sense of professional dissatisfaction as folks across the country. Working for companies that shared their values, appreciated their gifts, and advanced their careers was no longer a nice-to-have but a must-have. In response to this need, Bleeker launched our recruiting practice. We intend to make it easier for Black professionals to identify the right open roles at the companies that best fit their career trajectory; getting them where they want to go, how they want to get there.
Team: We’ve assembled a powerhouse collection of team members - growing 4x in the last year - who are similarly committed to advancing the careers of underrepresented professionals.
As our understanding of the needs of Black professionals continues to evolve, so will our business. Bleeker is committed to putting traditionally marginalized talent into the driver’s seat of their careers, and we’re not stopping until our job is done.
