We have made it a priority since the inception of the DEC to incorporate diversity into all that we do. We have hired a diverse workforce. We have created programs focused on diverse audiences including gender, age, religion, ethnicity, political affiliation, and more. We have made all of this a priority not only because it is the right thing to do, but also because a more diverse workforce and program offering has made our organization a better run and more relevant organization based upon our desire to best serve the entrepreneurs in North Texas. Diversity should not be a thing that you do to check off the list to satisfy a survey, political requirement, or even public pressure, but rather something you do because you know by creating a strategic approach to diversity you are making a more successful business.
[Editor’s note: To tap the wisdom of our network of Xconomists, we asked a few of them to answer questions heading into 2017 about the most pressing issues facing the innovation community, such as: “Given the political climate around diversity in tech and innovation, do you plan to change any of your programs or hiring practices? Why?” You can see other questions and answers here.]
Author: Trey Bowles
Trey Bowles is a serial entrepreneur, social capitalist, and educator. Trey helped establish the Dallas Entrepreneur Center (DEC), a central location for entrepreneurs to learn how to start, build and grow businesses through training, education, mentorship, promotion, and capital investment. As Co-Founder and CEO, Trey leads strategy, vision, and drives the overall planning and development efforts for the DEC. Trey oversees the day-to-day operations of the DEC, including management of all areas of the business. Trey also works closely with the DEC staff to engage executives, mentors and other valuable experts within the Dallas community and across the country to maintain a strong and robust resource offering for DEC startups/members).
In addition to his work with the DEC, Trey works closely with the Startup America Partnership, a non-profit organization started by Steve Case and the Kauffman Foundation, leading a team of entrepreneurial experts across the state to help high-growth startups find greater success through Startup Texas. Trey also helped launch the Arts Entrepreneurship Department in the Meadows School of Arts at Southern Methodist University and currently serves as an Adjunct Professor on staff teaching Social Entrepreneurship.
Trey has spent his career starting and building companies in both the for-profit and non-profit space with an expertise in strategy, operations, and marketing. Bowles has held key leadership roles in the industries of music, entertainment, and disruptive technology including running the popular peer-to-peer file-sharing site, Morpheus. He most recently led the turn-around and sale of Big Jump Media Inc. to Salem Communications (NASDAQ: SALM) in 2010.
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