The F Factor, LLC. (DBA “Nikki Groom”) is committed to building an equitable and anti-racist business.

The persistent inequities across the United States and elsewhere in the world underscore an urgent need to address and alleviate racial, ethnic, and other tensions and to promote Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB).

As a small business owner, I manage a team, hire contractors, and regularly communicate with thousands of social media followers and subscribers. I play a critical role in ensuring that inclusion is core to the way I run my business and am fiercely committed to catalyzing further conversations and actions around DEIB, as well as better engaging and supporting women from all underrepresented (and underestimated) communities of identity - whether that be on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, or other visible or invisible diversity dimensions.

Here’s our pledge

Last Updated: December, 2020

• We will continue to make our business a trusting place to have complex, and sometimes difficult, conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion: We will create and maintain programs, platforms, and community forums where people feel comfortable reaching out to their peers and co-workers to gain greater awareness of each other's experiences and perspectives. By encouraging an ongoing dialogue and not tolerating any incongruence with these values of openness, we intent to build trust, encourage compassion and open-mindedness, and reinforce our commitment to a culture of inclusivity.
  

• We will invest in our education on an ongoing basis: Inclusion is not a destination, it is an ongoing commitment. By investing time, money, and energy into surfacing our unconscious biases and addressing our knowledge gaps, we aim to facilitate more open and honest conversations and reduce harm wherever and whenever possible.
  

• We will share best practices: We know that many small business owners are still developing equitable business strategies. We commit to helping other business owners evolve and enhance their current DEIB strategies and will encourage them, in turn, to share their successes and challenges with others. We will freely share resources whenever we think they might support other business owners on their journeys to becoming more inclusive leaders.
  

• We will hold ourselves accountable. We will continue to work with DEIB experts to develop and evaluate concrete, strategic action plans that prioritize and drive accountability around diversity and inclusion. We also pledge to create accountability systems within our business to track our progress and to share regular updates with each other in order to strengthen our existing programs and commitments.

We recognize that this pledge is not the complete answer, but we believe it is an important, concrete step toward building a more equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist business. We welcome suggestions on how we can do better. Reach out here.

*Special thanks to Rachel Rodgers at Hello Seven, Alice Karolina at The Ethical Move, and PwC for inspiring and supporting the creation of this pledge.