Meet Nichole Pitts

Published in Canvas Rebel Magazine

(Excerpt)

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

It was never my desire to be an entrepreneur. My focus was to become a C-suite executive with all the money and all of the things. As I was climbing the corporate ladder, I realized it wasn’t really about talent — it was about politics.

After becoming an executive, it was less fulfilling than I thought. In fact, it was more stressful, and I didn’t find the work personally rewarding. I had no work/life balance and ended up burned out. In those dark moments, I had the idea to start my own company. So, after talking it over with my therapist and identifying effective coping mechanisms for the reality of not having that direct deposit hit my bank account every two weeks, I tendered my resignation.

As I started my business, I quickly learned that being a subject matter expert was only part of what was needed to succeed. I had no idea how to run a business on my own. This created a feeling of inadequacy and imposter syndrome that I had to work through while figuring out all of the administrative aspects of the business (i.e., strategy, accounting, business filings, visas, marketing, etc.).

I began networking with other entrepreneurs at various stages in their businesses. This helped me to understand what to expect as seasoned entrepreneurs would share lessons learned. And it also helped me develop a tribe of entrepreneurs at the start of their journey where we would work together to figure it out.

Over the years, I’ve realized that entrepreneurship is full of peaks and valleys. I’ve had to learn to be more flexible and comfortable in a constant state of learning. Your “to-do” list is never done, but finding new things to enhance your business is exciting!

 

Click here to read the full article.

Black Women Leaders to Watch During Black History Month and Beyond

Published on Nasdaq

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Nichole Pitts

Founder and CEO of Ethintegrity LLC, a consulting firm empowering forward-thinking organizations and professionals to solve complex ethics and compliance and DEI problems.

My advice: Take time to get to know who you are. Corporations and society like to tell us who we should be, and sometimes we conform for so long that we don’t know who we are anymore. Take a step back and figure out what makes you happy—when do you feel authentically you? Then embrace that as a superpower. Use your uniqueness to connect with, embrace, and disrupt spaces to create equitable and inclusive services and products.

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Female Disruptors: How Nichole Pitts of Ethintegrity is Shaking Up Workplace Cultures

Published in Authority Magazine on Medium

(Excerpt)

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48 Women to Watch on What They’re Doing Differently to Ensure Success in 2023

Published in Nasdaq

(Excerpt)

Nichole Pitts

Founder and CEO of Ethintegrity, a boutique consulting firm focusing on a culture-based approach to diversity, equity and inclusion, and ethics and compliance.

I spent most of 2022 re-evaluating who I am at this chapter in my life and what I really wanted to achieve with my business. After a significant brand refresh and identifying and creating a new foundation more aligned with my core values, 2023 is focused on externally showing up in different formats that increase the reach and impact of my messaging. For example, Ethintegrity is all about creative solutions to complex problems. Therefore, I am moving away from traditional messaging formats to connect with my audience more effectively. Not only will I be launching Season 2 of The Ethintegrity Podcast, but I am excited to be rolling out my new online course series, The Conscious ChangeMaker Academy. Its purpose is to share knowledge globally about the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion and ethics, and what those things truly mean in a thoughtful and engaging way.

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Episode 109: The Impact of Inclusion in the Film Industry with Jeanell English

S1, Ep 109: The Impact of Inclusion in the Film Industry with Jeanell English

Thank you for joining me for Episode 9. In this supersized episode, my guest and I discuss how diversity, equity & inclusion impacts, empowers, and affects the world of film.

My guest today is the outstanding Jeanell English. In this episode, Jeanell talks with us about:

  1. Viewing DEI from a global perspective based on her experience living in Europe and Asia;
  2. How #OscarsSoWhite impacted DEI at The Academy of Motion Arts & Pictures (The Academy);
  3. Current DEI initiatives at The Academy;
  4. How Hollywood and the film industry are working to be more inclusive & less exclusive; and
  5. Tips for DEI practitioners

If something resonates with you while enjoying our conversation, share it with us on social media using the hashtag #ethintegritypodcast

Jeanell English bio:
Jeanell English is the Executive Vice President, Impact and Inclusion at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In this role, she leads the Academy’s initiatives designed to address underrepresentation across the industry and to discover, empower, and advance the work of emerging and diverse film artists. As part of this portfolio, Jeanell oversees the Academy’s talent development programs, known as Academy Gold.

Jeanell has made it her mission to learn and grow through global cultural immersion. She has lived, worked, and traveled the world, spending more than seven years in Europe and Asia. She is also the founder of Elizabeth, an independent publisher established to amplify the voices and stories of women and marginalized communities.

Website: www.oscars.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanell-english/
Instagram: @jeatothenell @theacademy

Episode 108: The Perfect Harmony: Music & DEI with Shani Gonzales

S1, Ep 8: The Perfect Harmony: Music & DEI with Shani Gonzales

Thank you for joining me for Episode 8. In this supersized episode, my guest and I discuss how diversity, equity & inclusion infuses, affects, relates to the world of music. My guest today is the phenomenal Shani Gonzales.

In this episode, Shani talks with us about:

  1. Growing up first generation American and navigating 3 cultures (Jamaican, Trinidadian, and American);
  2. Her career journey in A&R and as the new MD of Warner Chappell;
  3. The differences in music culture between the US, the UK, and Europe;
  4. Key DEI challenges in the music industry; and
  5. Current trends (i.e., AI, the impact of streaming, etc.)

If something resonates with you while enjoying our conversation, share it with us on social media using the hashtag #ethintegritypodcast

Shani Gonzales’s bio.
Shani is the Managing Director of Warner Chappell UK & Head of International A&R. She got her start in the industry at BMI, a leading music rights management company.  Shani then joined Warner Chappell’s A&R team in 2004, going on to work for Epic Records and Def Jam, before becoming Co-Head of A&R for the UK and U.S. at BMG.  She returned to Warner Chappell in 2019 to take on the new role of Head of International, EVP of U.S., A&R, and was promoted to MD of the UK company in 2020.

A seasoned music executive, Shani has spent her career signing and developing many of today’s leading artists, songwriters, and producers, including Bibi Bourelly (Camilla Cabello, Rihanna, Selena Gomez) Claude Kelly (Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars), DJ Khaled, JUICEWORLD, Travis Scott, Justin Bieber & Labrinth.

Website: https://warnerchappell.com
Instagram: @Shani927 @warnerchappelluk

Episode 107: Key Lessons for Ethics & DEI in the Insurance Industry with Michael Blackshear

Thank you for joining me for Episode 7 where my guest and I discuss the world of ethics & compliance as well as diversity, equity & inclusion as it relates to the insurance industry.

My guest today is Michael Blackshear. In this episode, Michael talks with us about:

  1. His career journey from broker to Chief Compliance Officer
  2. DEI initiatives to create a pipeline into the insurance industry for youth of color at HBCUs and partnering with the Rise Foundation;
  3. Key DEI challenges in the insurance industry; and
  4. Key lessons learned for ethics & compliance in the insurance industry

If something resonates with you while enjoying our conversation, share it with us on social media using the hashtag #ethintegritypodcast

Michael Blackshear’s bio.
Michael serves as senior vice president, chief compliance and privacy officer for Ryan Specialty with responsibilities for maintaining and growing an effective compliance and regulatory risk framework. He recently assumed additional responsibilities in leading a newly created Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion function with the strategic mission to promote DEI at the firm, along with building strong alliances within the insurance industry and communities in which Ryan Specialty colleagues live and work.

Website: https://ryanspecialty.com
LinkedIn: Michael Blackshear

Episode 105: The Expat Experience and DEI in France with Sandra Camacho

Thank you for joining me for Episode 5 where my guest and I discuss our expat experience as two Americans living in Paris as well as how DEI is perceived and practiced in France.

In this episode, Sandra talks with us about:

  1. Her journey as a “double expat” moving from Colombia to the US as a child then from the US to France as an adult
  2. The difference in how she feels DEI is perceived, understood, and practiced in France versus in the US
  3. The importance of cultural humility
  4. The fascinating national discussion on whether French should be modified to become a gender-neutral language.

This is part 1 of a 2-part series. During our conversation, Sandra graciously shares her lived experience in a very open and transparent manner and provides insight into the world of DEI outside of the US but through a US lens.

If something resonates with you while enjoying our conversation, share it with us on social media using the hashtag #ethintegritypodcast.

Sandra Camacho bio:

Sandra Camacho (She/Her) is a multicultural Inclusive Design strategist, educator, and advisor based in Paris, France. She’s also the founder and lead of the Inclusive Design Jam, a global learning community committed to making the use and access of products, services, and environments equal to all. She started her career at Google, where she spent 8 years working in product, innovation, and learning & development in the U.S. and Europe. She left in 2018 to pursue her dreams of designing for social impact under the alias Sandra By Design. Today, she helps product and design teams around the world build thriving work cultures and socially impactful solutions with the power of inclusive design.

Websites: Sandra by Design and Inclusive Design Jam

Instagram: @Sandra.bydesign

Twitter:  @sandrabydesign

LinkedIn: Sandra Camacho

YouTube: Sandra by Design Channel

Episode 4: How to Use Storytelling & Branding to Create an Engaging Compliance Program with Nichole Pitts

Season 1, Episode 4: How to Use Storytelling & Branding to Create an Engaging Compliance Program

Thank you for joining me for Episode 4. This will be a solosode where I’m pulling together key points and concepts from the first three episodes to discuss how you can use branding and storytelling to create an inclusive and engaging compliance program. 

I’ll be providing tips on:

  1. How to cut through the noise & get your workforce to want to engage with your program
  2. How to leverage Hilary Hartling’s MAGIC Formula (which is based on key things that Disney has done right to protect & expand its brand) to create your own compliance brand
  3. Brand deposits vs. brand withdrawals

About Nichole Pitts:
From global film companies & major music labels to intergovernmental organizations and some of Inc. Magazine’s Fastest-Growing Companies in America, Nichole Pitts, CEO & Founder of Ethintegrity and Host of The Ethintegrity Podcast with Nichole Pitts: A Safe Space for Brave Conversationshas helped countless organizations gain accelerated success through the world of  DEI and Ethics & Compliance. With more than 15 years of Ethics & Compliance and DEI  experience, serving most recently as a VP of Compliance & Ethics of a high 8-figure industry  disruptor, Pitts has been recognized as one of Ethisphere’s Attorneys Who Matter and  shortlisted as Chief Compliance Officer of the Year – Large Company. Nichole is a citizen of the world, having lived in Paris, London, Atlanta, and Washington, DC. 

A featured expert and speaker for EQS Group, AllBright, Convercent by One Trust, the Society of  Corporate Compliance & Ethics (SCCE), Ethisphere, Lead360, the International Bar Association,  and Jindal Global Business School, Nichole’s expertise has also been featured in the Anti Corruption Report Ethisphere Magazine, the EQS Group blog, Interactive Compliance Training blog, the Compliance Podcast Network, and on virtual and live event stages alike. 

In 2018, Nichole founded Ethintegrity to establish an innovative and inspiring brand that empowers professionals and organizations to exponentially expand their awareness and impact to create more diverse & ethical workplaces. Influenced heavily by creativity and living abroad, Nichole is passionate about helping organizations and professionals create workplace environments that embrace and promote ethical behavior and embed diversity, equity, inclusion  & belonging into their cultural DNA. 

Nichole holds a BA in both History and African American Studies from Indiana University – Bloomington and a Doctorate of Jurisprudence from Indiana University’s Mauer School of Law, where she served as president of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA). 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholepitts/
Instagram: @Ethintegrity
Website:
https://ethintegrity.com