Thriver Blog
  • Categories
    • Company Culture
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • For employees
    • News & updates
    • Providers corner
  • Podcast
  • About
Thriver Blog
  • Categories
    • Company Culture
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • For employees
    • News & updates
    • Providers corner
  • Podcast
  • About
  • About
Blog home » Company Culture » Making Connections & Building Communities
image of a Black female entrepreneur
Blog home » Company Culture » Making Connections & Building Communities
  • Company Culture

Making Connections & Building Communities

  • Thriver Blog
  • February 19, 2021
  • 3 minute read
Total
3
Shares
3
0
0

The past year we’ve seen many beloved indie businesses that relied on in-person transactions shutter their windows due to COVID-19 — this has been a tragic blow not only to the people behind each business, but also to the communities that house and support them. Insert Phoebe Tagoe, a trailblazing tech entrepreneur who leveraged her unique perspective into the creation of Sohlo.

In conversion with Phoebe in Episode 06 of Thriver Podcast, we learn about how, even in unprecedented moments, it’s possible to spearhead creative tech solutions that support businesses and inspire others to invest in their communities. Here’s why she’s amazing. 

About Sohlo

When Phoebe was in her early 20s, she saw a friend losing a scheduled makeup artist last minute on prom night. “Prom for a young girl is everything,” Phoebe says. “We were trying to rack our brains, trying to find [an artist] who does makeup who’s actually near us,” she says. It shouldn’t be this difficult to find someone, she thought, especially when she knew first-hand that in every community there are many talented people providing freelance services. This is when the idea for Sohlo really started to grow in Phoebe’s mind. Having launched last year, Sohlo now connects people with home-based and mobile beauty talent near them. The platform houses talent specializing in everything hair and beauty, allowing clients to find them via an easily-navigable platform. 

Connecting communities

It’s no secret by now that diversity drives growth — a greater number of employees from intersectional ethnicities within a company makes for an environment that is more accepting of creative ideas. In tech, however, women are few and far between: Pinterest made headlines a few years ago for employing the most women of colour in executive roles, but even then this number sat at just 8% of all employees. This is something that contributed to Phoebe’s biggest challenges in creating Sohlo. When searching for supporting software engineers, “one of the biggest problems is getting someone to relate to this problem.” With numbers like 8%, the challenge is finding someone who not only relates, but believes in Sohlo and is more willing to be on board long term.“One of the biggest problems is getting someone to relate to this problem.”

The service providers Sohlo works with are from diverse backgrounds.  Many have experienced adversity when applying for bank loans and/or renting retail spaces. This is where Sohlo shines, empowering at-home and mobile businesses by connecting them to clients in a far more efficient way than word of mouth or hashtag-surfing.  

Ways you can support local businesses

One of the best ways to support local is by consuming local, but given the current conditions of 2021 this might not always be feasible. Support can look like buying gift cards for various friends, promoting small businesses on your social media, purchasing merch with the business’s logo on it, and even giving all your favourite stores a follow on Instagram. And make sure to leave a review if you had a positive experience!

Supporting communities looks different for everybody, but at its core, this support is all about empowering and encouraging. For more ways to support Black-owned businesses and Black talent, have a look through Official Black Wall Street, the largest #BlackOwned business discovery app that helps you search and discover thousands of Black-owned businesses near you. Also have a look at Support Black Art, an organization that works for the exposure of Black artists no matter where they are in the world. And finally, if you’re in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), and looking to get beautified, visit Sohlo to find your incredible local talent.

Follow Thriver Podcast to keep up with the latest in what drives a thriving workplace culture and check out our post on the many resources out there to help you start supporting Black-owned businesses today.

Share 3
Tweet 0
Pin it 0

Share

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Total
3
Shares
Share 3
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
You May Also Like
Women smiling while chatting in the office
View Post
  • 4 min

6 Ideas to Celebrate International Women’s Day at Work in 2023

  • Thriver Blog
  • March 1, 2023
View Post
  • 5 min

6 Steps to Launching an Employee Meal Program

  • Thriver Blog
  • January 10, 2023
View Post
  • 5 min

Ways to Celebrate Women’s History Month at Work

  • Thriver Blog
  • January 10, 2023
View Post
  • 7 min

Want Meaningful Employee Appreciation Gift Ideas for 2023? Try These 27 ideas

  • Thriver Blog
  • January 7, 2023
Image says Culture Calendar and lists several dates and celebrations like Valentine's Day and St.Patrick's Day
View Post
  • 1 min

Your Company Culture Calendar for 2023

  • November 9, 2022
three women hugging each other
View Post
  • 4 min

Meaningful Recognition of National Day for Truth & Reconciliation at Work

  • Thriver Blog
  • August 17, 2022
View Post
  • 6 min

16 Activity Ideas for Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at Work in 2022

  • Thriver Blog
  • August 3, 2022
Team of employees holding hands and laughing
View Post
  • 9 min

15 Unique Spirit Week Ideas for Work in 2022

  • Thriver Blog
  • July 19, 2022
Expert section
  • Team yoga challenge in the office

    12 Office Fitness Challenge Ideas to Try with Your Team

    View Post
  • 33 Office Party Ideas To Welcome Your Team Back

    View Post
  • Ways to Celebrate Women’s History Month at Work

    View Post
Subscription Form

Sign up for our newsletters and get notified of the best deals.

Trending Posts
  • Image says Culture Calendar and lists several dates and celebrations like Valentine's Day and St.Patrick's Day 1
    Your Company Culture Calendar for 2023
    • November 9, 2022
  • People celebrating in the office 2
    The Return of the Company Holiday Party in 2022
    • November 8, 2022
  • 3
    27 Fun Virtual Team Building Activities for Your Remote Team in 2022
    • October 6, 2022
  • 4
    34 Return to Office Gift Ideas to Welcome Employees
    • January 10, 2023
  • Sashimi rose with sliced cucumbers on a wooden plate 5
    20 Company Lunch Catering Ideas for Your Office
    • October 27, 2022
About
Thriver is the trusted marketplace to get inspired, plan, and manage your workplace services.
Learn more
Services
  • Catering & Pantry
  • Team Activities
  • Professional Development
  • Health & Wellness
  • Gifts & Swag
  • Office Space
  • Health & Safety
  • Offsites & Retreats
Newsletter

Get industry insights and ideas to keep your team engaged.

Company & Resources
  • About us
  • Careers
  • Contact us
  • Culture expert
  • Press
  • Help Centre
  • Podcast
Customers & Product
  • Features
  • Our providers
  • Why Thriver
  • Browse now
  • Customers
  • Success stories
  • Communities
Providers
  • Become a provider
  • Provider certification

Input your search keywords and press Enter.