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OutBüro - LGBTQ Voices

OutBüro - LGBTQ Voices

By Dennis Velco

OutBüro Voices - In each episode host Dennis Velco has engaging and casual conversations with LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the globe.
Let's chat, share, learn, grow, and be inspired. together.

We’ll explore their career path, inspiration, strategy, startup journey, successes balanced with insights from lessons learned. We’ll also talk with leaders in Diversity and Inclusion and community allies across many sectors with a keen LGBTQ perspective.

Join us on www.OutBuro.com – The online community for LGBTQ professionals and entrepreneurs.
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DJ Doran for Chicago Mayor - Discusses Key Issues (2023 Race)

OutBüro - LGBTQ VoicesApr 06, 2022

00:00
40:49
DJ Doran for Chicago Mayor - Discusses Key Issues (2023 Race)

DJ Doran for Chicago Mayor - Discusses Key Issues (2023 Race)

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with DJ Doran, a media entrepreneur, LGBTQ community organizer, 23 year US Airforce veteran, and long-time Chicago citizen.   

Chicago News: Breaking DJ Doran announces his candidacy for Mayor of Chicago. (April 6, 2022).  The election is in February 2023.    

Mayoral candidate DJ Doran has never held a public office, his background is well suited to tackle the big issues Chicago faces. In our conversation, Doran lists 7 key issues and the practical high-level steps he'd take toward improving life for everyone in Chicago. As he explains, the first step would be to assess the current situation by meeting with the 50 Alderman, and city key departments, auditing the city finances and auditing the city contracts, policies, processes, and systems. He will empower the great employees of the City of Chicago to work with him to make Chicago a well-run city where all have the opportunity to thrive in a safe environment.    

For many, like myself, as soon as I hear "Chicago Politics" the first word that pops in my mind is "corruption".  I thought that maybe I'd seen too many movies. However, as Doran discussed the issues Chicago faces, that knee-jerk thought seems to unfortunately still be quite real.  Compounding the issues is Mayor Lightfoot who is ineffective at best.     

The system is full of career politicians who generally have little business life experience only appear to have their egos in mind.  It would be nice to be proven wrong on that.  The city has contracts that no reasonable business owner would ever sign such as a 100-year parking meter contract.  WHAT? I'd love to see that agreement to pick it apart. How could any competent person working in good faith for the city do such a thing? It was a political hack job with only the crony politician who forced that through and the parking meter company's bank account benefiting.  DJ states that if he ran his business finances the way the City of Chicago currently does, he'd be in JAIL!  The people of Chicago deserve a city government and leaders that have the community at large best interests in mind.  DJ Doran is the right person for the job.  

Learn more about DJ Doran and the issues Chicago faces at: 

https://doran4mayor.com 

https://www.facebook.com/doran4mayor 

https://twitter.com/doran4mayor

Read more on Windy City Times: https://www.windycitytimes.com/lgbt/POLITICS-Gay-media-owner-to-run-for-Chicago-mayor/72852.html

Learn more about DJ Doran and the issues Chicago faces at https://doran4mayor.com.  

Chicago deserves better than Mayor Lightfoot who said: 'I have the biggest d*** in Chicago'

Mayor Lightfoot is being sued for defamation, accused of profane comments - see news story here -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpIQ2E4gXj0 

Join us on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com 

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco via our site's Recommend an Interview Guest form.  https://outburo.com/recommend-a-guest/

Apr 06, 202240:49
Estate Planning Wills and More for LGBTQ

Estate Planning Wills and More for LGBTQ

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Dr. Kelly. Today we are chatting about the need and importance of having wills and other end-of-life planning for LGBTQ persons.  

Don't leave headaches, problems, burdens for others. Estate planning including a will ensures your wishes and desires are carried out as you would like. It can be slightly more complex for persons who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, asexual, intersex, transgender or queer in several ways.   First, if estate planning is not done, family members who may not support you for who you are may swoop in and take all your assets away from those you intended to have them if no current will is present.  Also, family members who acted/seemed like they supported you as LGBTQ, can change their tune once you are gone.    Why chance it? 

With a little bit of time and planning, you can legally ensure your wishes are honored. Use a licensed attorney in the state you reside in and have assets in.   

When someone passes away the ugliness and greed in others come out. In many US states having a will may allow your case to bypass probate court. In other states that require all estates to pass through probate court, having a will, will be the guide the judge uses and speeds up the process. Not having a will is a sure way to have all your assets tied up in a probate court where the judge then has no clue about your desires and intentions and then will distribute your assets solely based on blood family relations.   

Estate Planning Tips: Fresh - Keep a current active will that is less than 3 years old. Plan - In planning, make a list of all your current assets, descriptions, location, value, etc. 

No Assets? A will is still needed, consider if there may be a wrongful death lawsuit case awarded to your estate. Your Family as you Define It - As an LGBTQ+ person, you may have a life partner, have a family of choice, and community non-profits you'd like to support and give your assets to.   

Designate Guardian for Minor Children - If you have minor-aged children, having a will is important to ensure the child will be placed in the care of who you choose and again that all decisions you want to make to care for the child after your passing is done.   

Many LGBTQ persons choose to live with a life partner yet are not legally married. Note even if married, a will is smart, but LGBTQ persons who are in a long relationship yet not legally married definitely need to leverage the legal structure of a will.  A will is your last love letter to those you love. It lays out the distribution of your assets in the event of your death.

Join us OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices. https://OutBuro.com

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco via our site's Recommend an Interview Guest form.  https://outburo.com/recommend-a-guest/

Feb 09, 202232:11
Loving Yourself to Financial Abundance with Martin Cowart

Loving Yourself to Financial Abundance with Martin Cowart

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Martin Cowart, a spiritual and mindset coach helping clients heal personally and financially. Listen in or watch now or later on the video or audio apps you already use.   

The summary below doesn't fully explain. Be sure to listen or watch the full episode.  

Martin works with gay, bisexual, and transgender business owners. Previously he was a wealth manager at a large firm. He found himself in a toxic work environment which affected his performance.  He came close to bankruptcy and one day came to the point of owning it and surrendering the whole situation to his higher power - God.  At that moment a feeling of love, grace, and power enveloped him. He found a new perspective - that it all doesn't matter. He changed his perception and attachment to money.  Love and gratitude are the foundation of abundance.  Martin does what is called Shadow Work. That is helping others identity, address, and overcome their negative and scarcity mindset at the root cause.  He has a spiritual guide called Joy the Wise Woman. \

No matter how much money someone has if they have a mindset of scarcity and lack in their mind, it will never be enough. They must release their emotional attachments to money to be freed in order to feel their worth, accept themself and live a fulfilled and prosperous life with self-love and gratitude for the moment.  Martin's ideal clients are gay, bisexual, and trans men who are entrepreneurs and professionals who feel they've reached a plateau and want to break through and reach their full potential and earn what they desire and are worthy of. He also works with top corporate leaders who have given up their lives to reach their career goals. He works with them to love themselves enough and regain work-life balance.  

For the LGBTQ+ community, this is amplified by the negativity and rejection unfortunately often still experienced from family and professionally.  Part of self-love is setting boundaries with others to limit the negativity projected from others. You cannot change others. You can only control and change yourself.  In his coaching, Martin takes a spiritual approach using the Wisdom Teachings of Jesus with the Hero's Journey moving from the beliefs in our heads to the love in our hearts.  Martin provides group and one-on-one coaching.    J

oin us OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com 

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco via our site's Recommend an Interview Guest form.  https://outburo.com/recommend-a-guest/

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Oct 04, 202144:35
Hot New Book "The Wisdom of Guncles" from Gay Author Michael Dumlao

Hot New Book "The Wisdom of Guncles" from Gay Author Michael Dumlao

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with out gay author Michael Dumlao regarding his new book "The Wisdom of Guncles" (gay uncles).

Michael Dumlao (he/his) is an artist, author, and activist equipped with more than twenty-one years of advancing diversity, equity, and social justice through award-winning brand strategy, digital marketing, and creative storytelling in corporate, federal, academic, and non-profit environments. He led the rebrand of a Fortune 500 company as its first Director of Brand and serves as a senior advisor for leaders in defense and intelligence.

Are you the black sheep in your family who chafes at traditions and seeks examples of how to redefine them?

The Wisdom of Guncles is about queer people and their relationship with family — however, they choose to define it. Featuring a diverse pantheon of gay uncles (“guncles”) and other queer mentors, their stories offer unique perspectives about life, love, and personal empowerment.

In our conversation, Michael shares a bit about a few of the stories. We also chat about his process of writing the book and how his passion for storytelling started as a teenager full of angst and his need to express it through writing.  The stories are human stories where any reader regardless of age, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation may connect with the story and perhaps learn a bit about themselves and/or others.  As a family "black sheep" bunking the expectations of others, we can find our own identity, passions, likes, dislikes, and so forth. With some family dynamics, it can take courage to break out and do your own thing.  Some people are completely rejected by birth families for being different, not the following conformity, and for being LGBTQ+. We can choose to view those past negative situations from a victim's perspective or change our mind's narrative into viewing it as a challenge that we dealt with and now is a superpower.  With those life lessons learned, the book is about sharing such wisdom with others so that we all may rise and be our true authentic selves.

With each chapter, Dumlao examines what various LGBTQ+ experiences teach about disrupting norms, exploring identity, and creating chosen families that affirm one’s truth. Readers will ponder questions such as:

How do I challenge and change traditions that hide those that are different?  

If I choose to never dim my light, will I become a beacon for others lost in the dark? 

How will recovering past stories and unsung heroes help us create a better future?  

How can I leave a space more welcoming than how I found it? 

The Wisdom of Guncles shares ten powerful journeys, each bearing knowledge honed through struggle and triumph, on living with audacious authenticity and compassion. While these narratives are unapologetically queer, they hold universal lessons about the human condition that, like all stories about family, are grounded in love.

Michael was born in Manila, Philippines, raised in Sydney, Australia, schooled in Santa Barbara, California; residing in Washington DC with his Peruvian husband Daniel and their rescue dog, America. He is the proud guncle to more than fifty far-flung niblings and protégés to whom his debut book, The Wisdom of Guncles, is dedicated.  

To learn more and find where to get your copy of the book visit: https://www.thewisdomofguncles.com

Join us OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com

Aug 27, 202137:50
Technology Support and Education for LGBTQ African NGOs

Technology Support and Education for LGBTQ African NGOs

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Jaco Kleynhans is a South African based technology business owner, NijaCo, and founder of the NGO A Community of Humans that provides technology support and training to other LGBTQ NGOs throughout Africa.

In Jaco's early career he was in the South African Air Force where he was assigned a special project to learn web development and create websites for various South African Air Force divisions. He fell in love with web and software development. After his Air Form term, he launched his own technology and software development company NinjaCo. Working professionally in the space he realizes that LGBTQ NGOs in Africa lacked the support and skills they need to be successful.

So, with passion and vigor, he created the NGO A Community of Humans to provide technology support and training for other LGBTQ NGOs throughout all of Africa. One of the most frequently requested support is to create reporting dashboard to demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of what the LGBTQ NGOs provide to their served communities. This reporting is critical in obtaining and maintaining grants.  The dashboards might include if the NGO is medically focused such as HIV treatment and prevention, things like, how many patients are seen, treated, followed up with, the efficacy of treatment, and so forth. Grant providers want to be certain that the funds they are providing is being used appropriately and making a real difference.

Jaco and his A Community of Humans NGO have created partnerships with global leading software and hardware companies to provide the LGBTQ NGOs with the tools they need to operate and be effective in their communities.  It's not just enough to provide the tools, the LGBTQ NGO management, and team members also need to know how to use them.  So Jaco, teamed up with those providers to provide training and education.  As if that wasn't enough, Jaco has paid attention to the technology job market and like many reports and studies show, there is a global deficit of trained and certified technology professionals to fill all the talent needs spanning from small businesses, NGOs, and large corporations.  Jaco has expanded the training and education to include providing it to members of the community in where the LGBTQ NGOs he already supports are located. The technology partners provide the hardware and software. The LGBTQ NGOs provide the classroom space. A Community of Humans provides the tables, chairs, and in-person instructors to lead the students through the content providing guidance and the support the students need. Jaco even reached out to an internet provider to provide the students with internet access so that they can access all the training content online and perform their homework out of the classroom.

Jaco also reached out to the school that he attended nearly 20 years ago and formed a partnership in where current students can internship on the A Community of Humans projects to gain real-world practical experience.  This experience will include but is not limited to, reporting dashboard development, website development, custom web, and smartphone application development, technology security, marketing, communications, strategic planning, and so much more.    Jaco is an entrepreneur and community leader who is reaching not only the LGBTQ community in Africa but cross-connecting beyond for true collaboration, community building, mentoring, skills development, and leadership development for LGBTQ NGO and youth in Africa in general.

Join us OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace - https://www.OutBuro.com

Aug 25, 202133:53
IT Security For LGBTQ+ Owned Businesses & Organizations

IT Security For LGBTQ+ Owned Businesses & Organizations

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Sarah Lynn, an IT security professional focusing on LGBTQ+ owned small and midsized businesses and LGBTQ+ community non-profits.

   Lynn has a 30-year career in technology with a significant portion of that career dedicated to information technology security. She is a partner in BPM CPA and leads the IT Security division.  Lynn stated that she started focusing on IT security for small and medium businesses because in that industry they were and still are very underserved. She further explained that LGBTQ+ owned businesses and non-profits are even more underserved and she aims to do her part to correct that.  

Lynn and Dennis both share real-world examples of IT security breaches they have encountered. The threats are many including:

Securing your communications: email, cell phones, chat boxes, and more 

Securing your systems from automatic attacks and ransomware 

Securing your databases: from both external forces and internal employees/contractors - theft mitigation 

Securing your website and backup/recovery strategies 

Securing cloud services you leverage Logging employee activities on company-owned devices or devices used on behalf of the company/organization Improve your 

IT security strategy and monitoring  Lock your systems down and trust very few people.    

Lynn is offering all viewers/listeners a complimentary 1 hours consultation phone call. Reach out to Lynn to set up your time to chat about your organization's technology security. 

Connect with Lynn here:  https://outburo.com/profile/salynn/

Sarah A. Lynn IT Sechttps://www.youtube.com/redirect?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/salynn

https://www.bpmcpa.com/People/Sarah-Lynn

Join us OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco via our site's Recommend an Interview Guest form. https://outburo.com/recommend-a-guest/

Aug 23, 202137:48
LGBTQ+ 2nd Parent Adoptions - What You Need to Know

LGBTQ+ 2nd Parent Adoptions - What You Need to Know

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Dr. Kelly about legal issues LGBTQ+ persons should be aware of in 2nd parent adoptions building their family.  

We welcome your comments and questions. 

Join us on https://outbur.com and join the Out-Families group!  

Family law throughout the United States and Canada can vary from state to state.  LGBTQ+ persons desiring to build their family by whatever means can face challenges not necessarily faced by heterosexual families. Many states have recently updated their laws to address the past challenges while other states still remain behind the times. At the moment you choose to build your family, it is important to gain a full understanding of the Family Laws in your state and seek a licensed attorney to help you protect your legal connection rights as a parent or guardian of a child you care for and love and the rights of the child.    

Some issues to be informed about: 

If unmarried yet have a life partner, do your state laws allow can co-adopt simultaneously? 

Similarly, if unmarried and using an egg or sperm of the partner do your state laws allow both to be added to the birth certificate or not? If using an egg or sperm donor, what if any rights might the donor have or not? 

What is your desire? Legally recognized parents or guardians bare the financial responsibility of the child.  

Benefits of having the legal connection to the child: 

Ability to make healthcare, education, wellbeing, and other decisions on behalf of the child. 

Ability to pass assets to the child easily in the event of the death of a legally recognized parent or guardian. 

Custody and visitation - If currently married or in a relationship and you have formed a bond with the child, yet the adult relationship dissolves having the legal right to continue a relationship with the child. 

The ability to add the child to your health insurance plan.  

Dr. Kelly is not an attorney, yet represents a vast network of licensed attornies throughout the United States and Canada. Reach out to Dr. Kelly to learn how for a low monthly subscription, you can have access to licensed attornies for both personal and business issues.   https://outburo.com/profile/kellyclark/  

Join us OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco via our site's Recommend an Interview Guest form.  https://outburo.com/recommend-a-guest/

Aug 22, 202118:38
Leadership Coaching Centered on Your State Of Consciousness

Leadership Coaching Centered on Your State Of Consciousness

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Kevin Huntting, a Leadership Coaching Centered on Your State Of Consciousness.

If you are a professional or entrepreneur in either capacity and would like to up your leadership skills, make sure you watch/listen. Along the way, we'd love for you to drop a comment. What did you learn? What was new or interesting to you? What are your goals and what's blocking you?

Kevin has had a long career in the large Fortune 500 corporate world in areas of eCommerce, digital marketing, social media management for brands like Banana Republic, GAP, and GE. He enjoyed the challenges and what they taught him about himself. The biggest change was when he met his spouse who is a career Mexican Diplomat. Due to his husband's government role that requires him to be resigned to new international or US locations to serve his country every 3-4 years, this caused Kevin to assess himself and reconsider his career.

We discussed how relocating can allow you to reinvent yourself leaving the past behind. If coupled with a self-assessment and an intention to grow and change it can have a profound positive impact on your life. Also, how so many people fear the change, leaving a comfort zone (even if negative) and unknown and further we discuss how to deal with that. step into the possibilities, and make it a reality.

Kevin's leadership coaching modality is founded on core energy or energy leadership. The idea is that every one of us is operating from a place of 7 core levels of consciousness in any given situation, context, or interaction in our day-to-day lives. Kevin assists his clients in understanding where they are showing up energetically or consciously speaking. He works with leaders to help them build that awareness and emotional intelligence that allows them to tap into higher levels of consciousness which results in more effective leadership, overall satisfaction, and productivity.

It sounds a little metaphysical, but level one is a victim mentality. If someone is operating in this level with their thoughts, emotions, and actions life is happening to them, not for them. Energy attracts like energy. Kevin helps his client's break the mold or lens to see the potential of raising their consciousness and provide a wide range of tools to see what is holding them back, see what you maybe cannot see from an outside objective perspective, and make positive change in a short period of time - usually just 3 months.

Kevin's ideal clients are change-makers, envelope pushers, innovators, social entrepreneurs, anyone who is looking to make a positive impact in the world, and maybe the employer they work for to increase their leadership and performance. He starts off with each client using the Energy Leadership Assessment Index which measures the client's attitude to gauge where they are today. Taking the client's stated desired goals, he creates a systematic plan and then works with the client over a typically 3 month period to achieve their desired change. He creates a gap analysis potentially covering attitude, skills, behaviors, characteristics to gain to reach their goals.

Connect with Kevin:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/2stepsforwardcoach

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/2stepsforwardcoaching/

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinhuntting/

Website:   https://www.stepsforwardcoaching.com

Join us OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com

Aug 20, 202149:57
Creating Services for LGBTQ+ Homeless Youth in South Dakota

Creating Services for LGBTQ+ Homeless Youth in South Dakota

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Joseph Barb founder of the LGBTQ+ Family Connections Center located in South Dakota to support LGBTQ+ homeless youth. 

Joe has a career background in corporate human resources and had a moment of realization that turned his life to focus on the underserved LGBTQ+ community in South Dakota. Growing up in Connecticut where he had 3 LGBTQ+ community centers all nearby. However, where he, his husband and their son (pictured with him in the thumbnail/feature image) now live in South Dakota and throughout the Mid-West has very few if any community resources. 

This became blatantly apparent when one day he was at his barber. His barber shared that his transgender son was kicked out of his biological father's home with just a trash bag of clothes and dropped on the doorstep of his barber and his wife, the son's mother. Joe learned that the barber was having a difficult time finding supporting counseling for his family. From that, the non-profit was born. As of mid-2021, there are 1,764,000 homeless youth ages 13-24 in the United States. 

The housing and economic insecurity is so great within our community (supported by studies), especially for youth. Youth today are more comfortable with who they are at much earlier ages than past generations. If they come out or show signs of being LGBTQ+ they still face rejection by family and can face getting kicked out of their family homes. They often are unprepared to live life on their own lacking basic life skills, work skills, and support resources.  Sometimes their families make it even harder by not providing documentation such as their birth certificate or social security card leaving them unable to obtain driver's license or state-issued ID cards. Without the basic documentation, they cannot get a job or if they can afford it, cannot rent a place to live.   Some find temporary shelter surfing couches. This, however, is not home security.

Joe though the LGBTQ+ Family Connections Center non-profit has started providing virtual counseling with a growing team of volunteer social workers, referral to LGBTQ+ supportive counselors, and other services. He wants to provide stability and towards doing so, he has identified a property that has fully equipped private cabins with living space, a small kitchen, and a bedroom. The center also has buildings for a community center and counseling center.  The LGBTQ+ Family Connections Center will be doing more than providing a roof over the rejected LGBTQ+ youth's heads. They will be providing counseling, job skill training to set them off on a career - not just a fast-food restaurant job, casual and work clothing, internship opportunities, and job search guidance. Remember, Joe is a past corporate HR professional.

Joe has established a strong working relationship with HUD and completed the first HUD grant application. All grants however can take 18-months to several years to be awarded.  Joe is seeking business/corporate sponsorships as well.  Not only will they accept personal clothing donations, but he hopes to gain corporate sponsors for technology, food, clothing, shoes, and all other basics the non-profit and these young people will need to exist, grow, and thrive into healthy, active, and successful people. If you happen to have a contact within a business/corporation that you feel might be open to helping, he'd love to chat with you.

Grants and corporate support take quite a bit of time to acquire. Therefore, Joe and the LGBTQ+ Family Connections Center are seeking to raise funds to purchase this beautiful property and are calling on the LGBTQ+ community everywhere to please donate. Learn more here:  https://lgbtqfamilyconnectionscenter.net

Aug 19, 202131:17
Being LGBTQ and Sikhism with Gurchaten "Nanoo" Sandhu

Being LGBTQ and Sikhism with Gurchaten "Nanoo" Sandhu

In this episode of OutBüro Voices host, Dennis Velco chats again with our friend Gurchaten "Nanoo" Sandhu who is the LGBTQ Global Leader at the United Nations about being LGBTQ and Sikh.   

OutBüro Voicesfeaturing LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world.   

During the recording of our initial interview (link below) at the tail end, I asked Nanoo about being gay LGBTQ, and being Sikh.  His response was rather surprising to me stating that, unlike several other prominent world religions, the Sikh faith has no mention of homosexuality in its scriptures at all.  Many LGBTQ persons around the world have grown up and have been hurt by family and faiths that believe, whether, right or wrong, or even long ago mistranslation. I find it refreshing to hear the Sikh faith speaks nothing about it.  

Would you like more facts?  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikhism... 

Would you like to connect with other LGBTQ Sekh from around the world? 

Sarbat - Sikh LGBTQ Group main website at: http://www.sarbat.net/

And it on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/lgbtsikh/ 

Check out our past episode with Nanoo here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M24H0...

In the past episode, we discussed his LGBTQ leadership role at the United Nations.  

Join us on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco via our site's Recommend an Interview Guest form.  https://outburo.com/recommend-a-guest/

Aug 11, 202104:18
An Exit Strategy is a MUST have to Grow Your Business

An Exit Strategy is a MUST have to Grow Your Business

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Stephen Crawford a Business Coach who focuses on the end game.  

Stephen Crawford throughout his career has been a teacher and/or coach in some manner. For the bulk of his career, he was a vocal coach helping his clients and students be pitch-perfect while performing and guiding their careers. He has owned two successful vocal studios and has clients who have gone on to reach prestigious positions.  

Stephen focuses on the end game of what the client is wanting to achieve and then works systematically with them to help them shift their mindset to remove the stumbling blocks that are holding them back. Stephen has taken his past and realized his skills, knowledge, passion, and expertise can help small businesses. He launched Infinite Symmetry Business Strategies as an independent small business consulting agency under a national Business Services company that provides a researched methodology to structure his consulting practice with tools and resources.    

One of those tools is a comprehensive business survey that helps Stephen and the business owner uncover underdeveloped or missing core business structures, processes, marketing channels, and key business documents. There are over 40 areas of insights in this survey and its personalized report. From completing it, along with the businesses owners' stated goals, Stephen can then make prioritized recommendations.   

In our conversation, Stephen provided an example of how a business owner due to a family unexpected health issue had to sell her business. She was not prepared and basically had to walk away from all her years of working to build and sustain it. Had she previously worked with Stephen, gotten prepared with the legal documents, documented business processes, a growth plan, a solid marketing plan, insurances, clear accounting, and an exit strategy, she would have been in a much better place financially and emotionally.  

Having a business exit strategy is not just a single document. Think of it as an athlete whose goal is to compete in the Olympics.  Writing on a piece of paper, "I want to compete in the Olympics" is great. But it won't get you there. An effective business exit strategy relies on all the areas of the business to be strong, documented thoroughly, and in place right now.  Waiting until you need or want to exit is likely too late.

Do you think you are leaving your business to your child/ren?  Have they worked in the business long enough to know how it fully operates? A great exercise would be to have them assist in the forming of the exit strategy. As they assist in process documentation and all the other aspects they'll gain a fuller knowledge and understanding along with being able to contribute to some of the decision makings.  Having an exit strategy also prepares a business to raise capital from investors or secure a good business loan.    

www.infinitesymmetrybusinessstrategies.com 

www.infinitesymmetrysymmetrycoaching.com  

You owe it to yourself to have your business as strong and ready as it can be.  Reach out to Stephen today to set up an initial conversation.  

To connect with Stephen you can find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/stephengetsmorecash4u/  Join us on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online networking community for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/recommend-a-guest/

Aug 08, 202142:12
OutBüro Podcast Trailer

OutBüro Podcast Trailer

OutBüro - Let's chat, share, learn, grow, and be inspired together. In each episode, we'll have casual and informative conversations with interesting LGBTQ professionals. We'll chat with LGBTQ entrepreneurs about their inspiration, strategy, startup journey, successes balanced with insights from lessons learned. We chat with LGBTQ non-profit leaders about their organization, their mission, and their impact on the community. We’ll also talk with leaders in Diversity and Inclusion and community allies across many sectors. Please subscribe to the podcast and join the online community at www.OutBuro.com.

Aug 05, 202100:25
United Nations Globe President Gurchaten "Nanoo" Sandhu - LGBTQ+ Leader

United Nations Globe President Gurchaten "Nanoo" Sandhu - LGBTQ+ Leader

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with the United Nation's LGBTQ+ personnel leader Gurchaten "Nanoo" Sandhu. His reach incorporates 70 UN organizations in a unique personnel bargaining way.

This is just the text description is just a brief overview, so be sure to listen or watch and post any questions you might have for Nanoo in the comments.

Nanoo who is a British citizen by birth, his parent immigrated comes from Northern Indian with Punjabi heritage and a with a Seik spiritual upbringing. See the separate short video of our discussion on being LGBTQ and Sikh by upbringing and faith which was an educational lesson for me.

Nanoo, which is what people close to him call him, started out as an intern at the United Nations.  When he arrived in Switzerland 15 years ago it was just for that 6-month internship. Yet he hasn't left - other than for holiday. He converted to a full-time employee of the United Nations International Labor Organization (ILO) in where he's had the opportunity to work on the policy of international labor rights and equality.

His early career at the United Nations was fraught with homophobia and being specifically told by another gay colleague to stay in the closet, this is not a place you will thrive and be out as gay.  Like all organizations, change happens over time. One of the additional challenges of working at the United Nations as personnel is that all policies and benefits for each of the 70 organizations are reviewed and fate determined by its operational board which consists of the member state/country representatives.  So, if those happen to be countries that criminalize same-gender relationships, it can be difficult to achieve complete LGBTQ inclusive policies and benefits in those organizations.

As Nanno described, the United Nations GLOBE is quite interesting. It is not a traditional Employee Resource Group like what is found in many for-profit companies around the developed world. It operates on a completely voluntary basis with ZERO funding from the United Nations or any of its 70 organizations.  It is a personnel lead, managed, and self-funded organization. It operates somewhere between an employee resource group and a staff bargaining union.

Anytime there is any discussion of human resource policy or benefits within any of the UN 70 organizations, the UN GLOBE demands a seat at the table to ensure for the benefit of all personnel that the needs of LGBTQ personnel are addressed, often to the benefit of their heteronormative colleagues as well.  Being a truly global organization has presented many challenges. For example, when a staffer is offered a post in a country that is not LGBTQ+ friendly or it is criminalized in the potential destination country, what are the options the UN can achieve. In some cases, if the staffer chooses not to take the assignment it can be a career-limiting choice. We all have tough choices to make, but living as one's authentic self as safely as possible is of course the best choice. There will be other job advancement opportunities in the future.

I am fascinated by this model and feel it can be an inspiration to others. Regardless of the employer's buy-in, organize, educate, connect, and create change on your terms. Your and the UN Globe are an inspiration.

Join me and Nanoo on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Jul 20, 202146:54
LGBTQ Caregiver Center - New Resource for Information and Support

LGBTQ Caregiver Center - New Resource for Information and Support

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Jennifer Henius and Zander Keig founders of the LGBTQ Caregiver Center.  

Jennifer has a long history of working in the caregiving space at the national headquarters for the US Veterans Affairs where she was in a leadership role within the caregiver support program. In that role, she worked on public policy including LGBTQ policy and the caregiver education and training curriculum where she worked to integrate LGBTQ awareness and sensitivity into the training curriculum. She is a licensed clinical social worker and healthcare consultant.   

Zander and Jennifer initially met through LinkedIn and soon realized their common interests. As covered in our past interview with Zander, we discussed his past military experience, and his past work at the US Veterans Affairs as well. Both Jennifer and Zander are caregivers for family members who are also US Veterans.    

The LGBTQ Caregiver Center provides resources, education, and services to empower LGBTQ Caregivers and those who care for LGBTQ people to improve their health, mental health, and wellness. The LGBTQ Caregiver Center is founded and directed by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals, advocates and allies.  Caregiving is a major public health concern that impacts more than 53 million adults in the USA. Caregiving is far more common among LGBTQ individuals than cisgender or heterosexual adults. Caregiving can be physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially exhausting. Maintaining your health and wellness is essential.  

Their mission is to raise awareness of the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ Caregivers and those who care for LGBTQ individuals, empower LGBTQ Caregivers to live with pride and dignity, and serve as a conduit for education, wellness, training, and research. The Center provides information and resources, delivers training and innovative services to enhance the health and wellness of LGBTQ Caregivers.  

Learn more at https://lgbtqcaregivers.org/ 

Jennifer shares that past studies have not been inclusive yet recently organizations that conduct studies have realized the need to be fully inclusive and are now taking great measures to include the LGBTQ community. Further, advisory board members of the LGBTQ Caregiver Center are medical doctors who are experts on LGBTQ healthcare disparity.  

We chat about some of the unique needs of LGBTQ caregivers such as having to be a caregiver for a loved one that does not accept them for who they are. Zander shared his personal situation of caregiving for his father who has dementia and as a transgender person having to share his personal information with personnel at the assisted living facility in case his father starts to inquire about his daughter.  

Jennifer shares how many LGBTQ seniors who need assistance in-home or at care centers often return to the closet out of fear of discrimination, harassment, and the potential of care refusal. We discussed the need for LGBTQ training and certification for those organizations.  

Be sure to check out your Caregiver Rights: https://www.caregiver.org/resource/caregivers-bill-rights/ 

To connect with Zander find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/zanderkeig/  

Join me and Bruce on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Jul 17, 202144:41
Richard LaMay - Executive Producer, Director, Screenwriter, and Author

Richard LaMay - Executive Producer, Director, Screenwriter, and Author

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Richard LeMay. He is an executive producer, director, screenwriter, screenwriting instructor, actor, and author.  

If you have questions or comments for Richard or Dennis, please add them to the comments.  

Richard's career started out as a physical therapist. His current career started out when he was discovered and asked to be in some commercials. He's made several LGBTQ films, most notably "Children of God" that he produced. It went on to win 27 international film festival awards. Another great LGBTQ film he wrote, produced, and directed is "Naked as We Came" which may be currently watched on Amazon Prime, Hulu, and other streaming services. Watch or listen to the conversation to hear Dennis' review and recommendation of "Naked as We Came".  

Other film titles currently on Amazon Prime included "Whirlwind", "200 American", and Blood Bound". He was the director of the remake of Francis Ford Coppola's first firm "Dementia 13" for Universal, also currently on Amazon Prime.   

www.rlemay.com 

www.nakedaswecamethemovie.com 

Link to his profile on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0501165/ 

Connect with Richard on OutBüro: https://outburo.com/profile/richardlemay/  

We chat about how fear of asking for help can hold you back in your career. He learned by doing many roles in filmmaking. By doing so he has an understanding of all roles and the process. On projects, Richard is open to considering ideas from others. As the film director, he wants the best possible outcome and has to make the decisions in a timely manner. As he states, "the best idea wins".  

Richard's first gay novel is "All The Way to Wrightsville" is a coming-of-age story. Who says you can’t run away from your problems? Twenty-one-year-old Pete plans to do just that: run away from his blue-collar, Massachusetts upbringing, his anger issues, and most importantly, Jackson, his overbearing twin brother. And while he’s at it, he’ll take his deepest secret with him.  A recent college graduate, Pete moves to North Carolina to start his new job and his new life. After years of being compared to his gregarious and lovable twin, he needs to create an identity of his own and not be seen as the “angry one” or “Jackson’s brother.” What he finds are the same problems that have always held him back.  That is until he has an affair with his boss, who is married with two kids. 

What starts out as a dream come true begins to take a darker turn, until Jackson shows up in North Carolina to—once again—upend Pete’s life.  Although Jackson’s intentions are pure, his help is reckless. He drags Pete out of the closet and tries his hardest to point him in the direction of real love.  Wickedly funny, sexy, and deeply touching, ALL THE WAY TO WRIGHTSVILLE is the story of one man’s journey to find himself…and maybe even true love along the way. 

Join me and Richard on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Jul 16, 202139:02
The HPV Pandemic - What You Need To Know - HPV Global Action

The HPV Pandemic - What You Need To Know - HPV Global Action

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Teresa Norris and Anthony Lombardi from the HPV Global Action registered charity. Be sure to listen or watch this episode packed full of great information.  

https://hpvglobalaction.org/ 

Teresa founded HPV Global Action in 2002 after her best friend died of cervical cancer the year earlier. There was not much awareness of HPV and Teresa changed her career plans to provide information and awareness of HPV (human papillomavirus). The organization is based in Montreal Canada with team members in other countries. In Canada, HPV Global Action is key for providing sexual and reproductive health information in a sex-positive and inclusive evidence-based educational manner. Teresa and the team travel around the globe to conduct training starting with 12-year-olds through to health professionals sharing programs and best practices.  Anthony had a career education and currently lives in Europe. After meeting Teresa, they formed an organizational partnership. 

Anthoney became more involved through volunteering at HPV Global Action and thereafter accepted his current role as Chief Operating Officer.  

There are over 180 strains of HPV. Over 40 strains are pervasive and can cause 9 different cancer and genital warts. The cancers include tonsil, vocal cord, tongue, throat, anal, penis, vulva, vagina, and cervical. Over 75% of all humans around the world will contract at least one strain of HPV in their life.  HPV is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact within the waste (bathing suit) region. It does not require full-on sexual intercourse like many other sexually transmitted diseases. It is acquired through any skin-to-skin sexual contact below the waistline with fingers, mouths, or other body parts, including genital-to-genital contact, anal intercourse, and oral sex. Condoms do not protect against acquiring HPV.

Persons with vaginas can have an HPV test as part of their cervical health screenings through a specific HPV screening. Unfortunately, there is no HPV test for persons with penises. HPV lives in the cell within the pelvis area. They do not flow through the blood like other viruses. The body does not create anti-bodies which is why tests for persons with penises are not available. The only way they will know they have HPV is if they show signs of it such as genital warts (which can also be in the mouth) or they have one of the 9 cancers associated with HPV. HPV can live dormant in the body for as long as 40 years and signs may at any time after infection. A person can transmit HPV without showing any signs or symptoms.  

HPV vaccination is key to prevent HPV and the associated cancers. There is a focus on providing HPV vaccines to youth prior to sexual activity. However, there is typically no upper age limit so anyone at any time can receive the vaccine to prevent future HPV acquisition. HPV vaccination is a cancer prevention tool. Many health insurance plans will cover the cost.  

Join us on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com Would you like to be featured like this? 

Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Jul 15, 202145:26
Curtis Danskin-Ainslie: Virtual Assistants for Entrepreneurs & Life Purpose Coaching

Curtis Danskin-Ainslie: Virtual Assistants for Entrepreneurs & Life Purpose Coaching

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Curtis Danskin-Ainslie: Helping Entrepreneurs with Virtual Assistants & Life Purpose Coaching.  

In this lively, open, and candid conversation, we cover quite a bit - so be sure to listen in.   

Curtis started his career in music as a became musical director of a church. He lived oppressing his own identity to fit in marrying his best female friend. He came out as gay at the tender age of 42. He started the virtual assistance business to help other entrepreneurs focus on running and growing their business taking on many of the back-office tasks for clients. He also provides entrepreneur coaching. He has several contractors with various skills around the US that he leverages to support entrepreneurs in many aspects of their business. Entrepreneurs are typically not great in all aspects of running a business. OCR Virtual allows business owners to as needed add incremental help. 72% of small businesses fail within the first 3 years trying to do everything themselves. Often, small business owners will look at the cost of getting help failing to realize hiring someone who is an expert at those tasks can do it better and that frees up the business owner to focus on customer/client growth. Curtis says to bring on support when you feel all things are crazy. They can help to give the business owner relief.  

In his life purpose coaching, he helps people find their place in the world. As an ordained minister, and having lived in the closet for many years, he knows what that feels like and trying to reconcile faith and identity. In his life coaching, he focuses on helping LGBTQ+ people come to terms with past religious-induced rejection and trauma.  Curtis believes that what happens to us shapes us and we can put things in the past into perspective and draw strength from it to grow and prosper. We chatted about setting boundaries with others and living in self-love.   

To connect with Curtis find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/orcvirtual/ 

Join Curtis' Group on OutBüro titled Entrepreneur Mindset Support: https://outburo.com/community/groups/entrepreneurial-mindset-support/   

Join me and Curtis on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Jul 13, 202143:15
Jennifer & Stephanie: Science and Loving Yourself Toward Great Relationships

Jennifer & Stephanie: Science and Loving Yourself Toward Great Relationships

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Jennifer and Stephanie of Enchanted Awakenings - they are holistic relationship coaches.

Listen in to learn more. Jennifer and Stephanie are a warm, open, and giving couple that immediately makes anyone feel comfortable and safe. Jennifer and Stephanie both have long careers in service to others. Stephanie has long been a social worker focusing on victim support while Jennifer, along with her past career and education in psychology, recently became an ordained minister. They have taken their past and built upon their strengths mashed up with their own personal relationship experiences as a couple to form Enchanted Awakenings as holistic relationship coaches.

In our discussion, they clarify that they support clients in all relationships of any kind, with yourself, friendships, professional, family, and of course romantic. They stress that the most important relationship is with yourself first and foremost. Having a good relationship with yourself allows you to then be open and available for relationships with others. They focus on mind, body, and spirit helping clients peel back layers to live their full and authentic self and as needed set boundaries to ensure respectful interactions with others.

Does the word holistic immediately make you think of woo woo stuff like burning incense, lots of pillows, and tie-dye fabric? In our discussion, we chat about the science of trauma triggers, quantum mechanics, magnetic fields, neuroplasticity, brain function, and neuron cells in the heart. All this comes together with their expert guidance to help others lead a rich and fulfilled life of first loving and respecting yourself and then being open to others while maintaining you first.

Listen in to how Jennifer and Stephanie use natural language to share when the other unknowingly step on a trigger of past emotional baggage and how they use that to broaden their own self-discovery and deepen their emotional bond together. Jennifer and Stephanie work with individuals and couples providing one-on-one and group sharing. They offer weekly free guided sessions via a Facebook group and recently started a group on https://outburo.com.

Here is a link to the group: https://outburo.com/community/groups/out-relationships-2/

Join me, Jennifer and Stephanie on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices. https://www.OutBuro.com Would you like to be featured like this?

Contact the host Dennis Velco. https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Jul 12, 202143:01
Ella Slade - IBM's LGBTQ+ Striving for Authenticity Report

Ella Slade - IBM's LGBTQ+ Striving for Authenticity Report

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Ella Slade who is the LGBTQ+ Global Leader at IBM. We discuss the recently completed LGBTQ+ Striving for Authenticity report by IBM with support from LGBTQ+ organizations Out&Equal and Workplace Pride (link below). Be sure to watch or listen to this lively and insightful conversation.  

Ella started her career at IBM first as a college intern working in recruitment marketing covering Europe. They have been very involved in the LGBTQ+ and were active in the IBM LGBTQ+ employee resource group. They loved IBM's culture and was able to return to IBM after completing their degree entering the global recruitment team. Within that role, they began focusing on diversity in its full spectrum yet with a keen interest in LGBTQ+ talent. Ella spearheaded getting IBM involved in Pride Month to market career opportunities. In doing so, Ella saw their future dream job which they now hold. They support all LGBTQ+ issues and groups for IBM around the globe. Listen in for their full description.  

Link to full the full report: https://www.ibm.com/thought-leadership/institute-business-value/report/lgbt-inclusion 

In creating the LGBTQ+ Striving for Authenticity report, IBM conducted a survey and a jam. Ella explains that a jam is like a musical jam where musicians play their instruments and through the chaos, a beautiful melody emerges. It's taking that concept and applying it to other things. The jam was an online advanced forum with different threads including people from all over the world over a 34 hour period. It provided a deep level of contextual understanding layered with the survey.  

The report reconfirms what other studies have indicated that 45% of LGB employees still face discrimination base on sexual orientation. This is coupled with only 46% of LGBTQ+ employees are out at work.  9% of all Jam participants communicated that they do not represent their gender authentically at work. 65% of LGB respondents felt they had to work harder than their coworkers to succeed. the COVID-19 pandemic has placed an outsized burden on LGB caregivers. 43% of LGB respondents say they have struggled balancing working from home with taking care of other family members, compared with 34% of non-LGB people. More than two-thirds of LGB people say they don’t feel equipped to overcome professional challenges, which speaks to a need for stronger support and enablement networks.  The report provides clear actions employers can do to foster an inclusive work culture that benefits all employees. These included policies, benefits, employee training, use inclusive language, using pronouns of choice, and using the brand for good.  

Join me and Ella on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com 

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Jul 11, 202133:39
Michael Grey - Holistic Spiritual Life Coach for the LGBTQ Community

Michael Grey - Holistic Spiritual Life Coach for the LGBTQ Community

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Michel Grey, a holistic spiritual life coach for the LGBTQ community and great allies.  

Michel is a non-binary queer professional that has past experience as a youth soccer coach and was always the person that others depended on for advice. As an entrepreneur, you are taking a risk on yourself and your ideas. Having support is so important. Michel believes, like me, that positive thought is not enough. What you think about you bring about. According to Michel, they like to help individuals explore their darkness and bring it to the light. What are the negative beliefs they have, how did they originate, how they are protecting you and holding you back from becoming your full self. Michel helps clients get to the root of their core beliefs. Then peel back those beliefs that are not in good service and build new beliefs that allow the individual to grow into their full self. They help clients accept the positive that is often resisted due to the comforts of past negativity.  

Life coaches are not mental health counselors although they may be a resource to help you look at situations with an objective view. I wholeheartedly believe that seeking natural advice from a professional counselor is a positive step. It can provide other views and insights that on our own we may not see and in that help us in our work with a life or business coach.  

Michel helps clients discover what they want to do with their life and/or gain the courage to go after what they want to do with the clarity of who they are and what they want. They help clients learn that they are already worth, lovable, valued and shift from actions striving to seek approval from others into knowing who they are and owning it and moving forward from a placing of feeling their own worthiness, their own self-love, and their own self-value and acting to achieve what they truly want verse peddling in the base need of seeking approval from others.  

Michel helps clients understand more than goal setting, they help get to the feeling of what clients are striving to achieve. Feelings are a huge driver in life. When you align your feelings with your actions you are able to accomplish so much because you are happy, passionate, and feel good about what you are doing.  

Clients often seek help from Michel for issues such a burnout, health, job/career, relationships both professional and personal. Recently due to COVID relationship issues has been a huge surge since people are forced to be together more and it's testing their past dynamics.  In order to receive anything in your life, you must feel worthy of it.  Be aware of when things don't work out is it is a bridge of clarity of moving you toward what you want and deserve.  

To connect with Michel find them on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/michelgrey/ Join me and Mechel on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://OutBuro.com 

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Jul 10, 202135:00
Bob Witeck - Pioneer in LGBTQ Marketing Communications

Bob Witeck - Pioneer in LGBTQ Marketing Communications

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Bob Witeck, a legend in the LGBTQ marketing space. He founded the first LGBTQ marketing communications agency helping brands connect with the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer community.  

Bob grew up in the Washington D.C. area. For 10 years he was the Press Secretary to a US Senator. After his time there he became a vice president of the global marketing communications firm. Hill+Knowlton. He was very active as a volunteer in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and plus community. He always believed corporations were natural allies of the LGBTQ+ community and sought to bridge his passion for the LGBTQ+ community with his skills and professional life.   

He and a good friend launch Witeck+Combs in 1993. Their first client was American Airlines. Witeck has always taken a full consultative approach. Early clients needed diversity and inclusion consulting going beyond just marketing and communications. At #AmericanAirlines one of his suggestions creating employee resource groups which were not common then. Witeck further assisted with policies and employee benefits to be inclusive. Companies had to remain grounded in their integrity to live through the right-wing threats of boycotts. 

Witeck has served numerous other brands such as #Ford and #IBM. Companies wanted to understand the business case and also how best to deal with the anti-LGBTQ backlash.  

#Disney was the host of the very first employee resource Group of Groups in the mid 1990's that became #Out&Equal.  Witeck was instrumental in taking the very unknown Coming Out Day to a national and international day on October 11th each year. They worked with several actors and public figures to help create buzz for this now commonly known event. Oct 11th was chosen because it was the date of the 1987 March on Washington. Many LGBTQ organizations were spawned at the first march and many thereafter.    

Witeck helped the MTV Logo network launch. He often had to attend meetings with broadcast networks to explain the business case for airing the new channel. Their goal for the day of launch was to reach 10-million households. They surpassed that reaching 18-million which launched #RuPauls media career. Witeck wrote and recorded customer service scripts for all the broadcast networks to use when answering customer's questions about Logo. Those scripts and recordings are now housed at the #Smithsonian as an archive record.   

Witeck was also the marketing and communication agency representing actor Christopher Reeve to help him get coverage for his spinal cord injury recovery efforts  

Join me and Bob on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com 

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Jul 05, 202153:42
Andy Cramer - LGBTQ Community Pioneer - Now Creating a Safe Space for All Caregivers

Andy Cramer - LGBTQ Community Pioneer - Now Creating a Safe Space for All Caregivers

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders worldwide, host Dennis Velco chats with Andy Cramer, retail entrepreneur, founder of the gay.com network, ROIgenius™, and his newest venture with his husband, Al. It’s called ExtendaTouch.com.

Growing up in the 1950's he was closeted in an era where Allan Turing, arguably the father of computers, was castrated for being homosexual. Andy attended the University of Pennsylvania at the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce. After college, Andy headed out West and opened his first retail store in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Andy remained there for 4 years before moving to San Francisco, where he opened the first stores in 1977 in the heart of Polk Street and the Castro District. Over the following 20 years, he grew to 10 stores and became a local attraction with great music, LGBTQ products, clothing, and home furnishings. The stores were an icon in the LGBTQ community.

As the HIV/AIDS epidemic began in 1981, the stores became a refuge and provided services to those in need. Working with numerous HIV/AIDS organizations, they took care of thousands of individuals during the epidemic. It was a difficult time for all. Andy explains that there was practically no outside help until the AIDS quilt was displayed on the National Mall, Rock Hudson became sick, and Elizabeth Taylor got involved - all bringing awareness to this epidemic. 40 years into the HIV/AIDS epidemic, scientists still have not developed a vaccine.

From Andy's experience in retail with customers from all over the world and his experience in the early years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, he realized the need for the LGBTQ community to connect. Before the World Wide Web was public, Andy launched gay.net. Serving members with dial-up modems., Andy and his team built the first LGBTQ bulletin board. Members would dial in directly using long-distance calls to this bank of modems. He partnered with 10 of the largest LGBTQ newspapers to publish their news. They started with 8 modems, then 16. In the first year, they grew to 10,000 monthly subscribers. It was a huge hit.

By 1999 they merged Gay.com and Gay.net merged with over 4-million members. In 2004 the company went public - the first LGBTQ business to do so. Several years later, it merged with Here Media. Those internet properties combined with other sites and now those URLs redirect to the Los Angeles LGBTQ Community Center.

In 2020 Andy and his team launched ExtendaTouch.com. It is an anonymous online platform for caregivers to seek advice and support. A person may sign up seeking help or sign up offering assistance - or both. It's an opportunity to connect with others who have experienced similar situations. There are over 30 categories topically focused, such as dementia, Alzheimer's, Veterans, PTSD, and many more. It's 100% free to use. It is not a medical or social platform. It's a network to get help and access over 10,000 non-profits in 250 cities to provide ongoing support. They are building a foundation in the United States and plan to roll out the network globally to a caregiver community ever more in need of help.

To connect with Andy, find him on LinkedIn here. https://www.linkedin.com/in/andycramer100/

Join Andy and me on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices. https://OutBuro.com


Jun 14, 202146:56
Scott Seitz - SPI Marketing Helping Brands Reach the LGBTQ+ Community

Scott Seitz - SPI Marketing Helping Brands Reach the LGBTQ+ Community

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Scott Seitz of SPI Marketing. SPI Marketing was one of the first LGBTQ-focused marketing agencies founded in 1996. Early on SPI Marketing was able to attract beverage and spirits companies. Seitz's past career in those industries proved useful. They've also worked with RuPaul's Drag Race for its first six years. Seitz explains they've also have worked with pharmaceutical companies and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Other key clients have been Absolute Vodka, Miller Coor's, Chase and many others.

Seitz shares one of the most exciting and emotional experiences spanning their currently 25 years in business happened in 2004 when they got the opportunity to work with Gilbert Baker who created the original Rainbow Flag in 1978. SPI Marketing was tasked to support the 25 year anniversary of the flag's creation.

Seitz explains how brands can effectively work with an advertising agency like SPI Marketing through the often changing marketing team. He goes on to say that approaching the clients with a fresh view as if it is their first time there has been a key factor in SPI Marketing's success. Also after a marketing plan is set, it's important to be adaptive along the way. He explains a challenge for brands is measuring the effectiveness of marketing to the LGBTQ community. This is in large part due to the lack of retail insights not being able to tell when a product is sold that it was to an LGBTQ person. This problem exists regarding other demographics as well. This led SPI Marketing to partner with the market research company Barra who has over 90,000 self-identified LGBTQ persons in the panel to gauge attitudes about companies and brands from the LGBTQ community perspective. It provides the ability to track a brand over time as well as compare different brands against one another.

To connect with Scott find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/scottseitz/

Join me and Scott on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices. https://www.OutBuro.com 

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco. https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Jun 10, 202141:01
Jacob Kneip: Building LGBTQ+ Community Support

Jacob Kneip: Building LGBTQ+ Community Support

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Jacob Kneip who saw a need to create an LGBTQ+ community support center in a conservative suburb 45 minutes outside of Chicago - Wheaton, Illinois.   

I apologize for my mis-introduction.  Neither caught that to rerecord.  

Watch or listen to Jacob share his ah-ha moment and his journey so far in creating a safe and welcoming space for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, asexual, intersex, queer, and questioning youth.    

01:30 Jacob shares his background and how never thought he was going to be an activist or community leader and how he need up in the Chicago suburb that is predominantly conservative. 

04:00 One door closes and another opens. 

06:00 A young person comes out to him and shares their fear of parents knowing.  This was his ah-ha moment that a need for an LGBTQ+ support group/center existed. 

08:00 How it got started, a grassroots effort. 

10:00 The local library immediately, rejected his space request.  He moved on to the Parks and Recreation Center immediately jump on to host the group on a regular basis. 

14:30 Jacob describes his first meeting where a Mom attended and strategy for growth. 

17:00 Regular programs are now in place both in-person and virtual. 

18:30 COVID actually helped the organization grow and they started offering virtual support groups every day. 

19:00 Beers with Queers spawned allowing the group to meet outdoors in a COVID-safe way and support a local business. 

19:20 The group spans three communities with a combined population of around 100,000 people. We chat about recent studies showing 15.9% of Americans between 18-23 self-identify as LGBTQ.  How to acquire the area general population and leverage that in grants and other fundraising efforts 

25:00 Jacob shares how the group was initially funded and his amazing response from local businesses. 

27:00 Jacob describes the benefits of getting business support. 

28:00 Leveraging CenterLink's resources, education, development, programming curriculum guidance, curated funding lists, and cross-country network of other center leaders to mentor and support each other.  https://www.CenterLink.org 

38:00 Jacob shares projects such as the area's Pride is in planning that will be a hybrid virtual and in person.  

45:00 Jacob offers to chat with you if you are considering starting a community resources center/group in your area no matter where you are in the world.  

To connect with Jacob find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/outspokenil/ 

OutSpoken Illinois: https://www.outspokenil.org/  

Join me and Jacob on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com 

Would you like to be a featured guest on the show? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Mar 15, 202150:01
Alfred Verhoeven: Marketing the Rainbow - Corporate LGBTQ Advertising

Alfred Verhoeven: Marketing the Rainbow - Corporate LGBTQ Advertising

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Alfred Verhoeven, marketing consultant and Marketing Ph.D. candidate.    

01:15 Brief intro by Alfred 

02:30 Alfred's background includes a law degree and initially stubbled into marketing and has worked in corporate financial institutions yet has been in private practice for around 20 years so far. 

04:20 In the military, Alfred was a language specialist where he learned Russian working in the military intelligence realm.   

06:00 We discuss how both sales and marketing are areas where training helps to hone natural skills and abilities 08:00 Dennis shares a common connection via language learning, military intelligence, and a related story 

15:00 How to lose someone following you using 3 modes of transportation 

17:00 Alfred shares his inspiration to work on a Marketing Ph.D. and its focus titled Marketing the Rainbow - No one has done this study before 

19:00 How the stereotype of high wealth, disposal income, dual income no kids come from and how the original niche study has been incorrectly used and referenced.  See interview with Todd Evans of Rivendale Media.  https://outburo.com/spanning-95-of-lgbtq-print-online-media-rivendell/ 

26:00 Alfred discusses how and how the LGBTQ community became a focus for corporate marketing 

27:45 How LGBTQ persons often become caregivers due to often not having kids 

30:00 Alfred's research is large and still growing but has focused the Ph.D. thesis to be manageable while providing the larger set of research articles through his website. https://marketingtherainbow.info/ 

31:00 Alfred discusses how companies stand for equality and how being inclusivity supports corporate profitability. 

34:50 The dangers of right-wing backlash and how it can turn around and benefit the company and has changed over time through social and legal advances 

36:00 How LGBTQ inclusive marketing is now pretty much mainstream and companies are pretty much foolish to not adopt inclusive marketing 

39:00 We chat about the evolution of LGBTQ equality acceptance. 

44:00 Alfred is taking the research content and creating articles outlining a company's LGBTQ marketing history and journey.  See the website and YouTube channel listed below.   

51:00 We chat about past marketing mistakes and learning from them. 

To connect with Alfred find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/tawv/ 

Website: https://marketingtherainbow.info/

Check out his YouTube channel featuring LGBTQ marketing commercials.  

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AlfredVerhoeven 

Join me and Alfred on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality-focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com 

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Feb 27, 202101:02:08
Brian Sims: Pennsylvania State Lawmaker Announces Running for Luitenent Governor

Brian Sims: Pennsylvania State Lawmaker Announces Running for Luitenent Governor

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with out gay Pennsylvania State Lawmaker Brian Sims, who just days after this recorded chat wherein I asked about political aspirations, he announced that he is running for Pennsylvania Lutienent Governor.   Sly devil.  

Here is his announcement.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejiy3kNTI6g

At 29:00 Brian shares what his calendar looks like today, an average day.  Oh goodness, I needed another coffee just hearing that.  After a week of that schedule, a good date night and massage soundPennsylvaniasupport in order.  😜  

Son of two Army Luitenent Colonels, Brian moved around quite a bit as most military families do.  From an early age, he knew he wanted to become a lawyer with a focus on equality and women's issues.  His parents with his twin brother, older brother, and younger sister settled in Pennsylvania where he attended high school and undergraduate school. After law school in Michigan, he returned to Philadelphia.  At this point, he was aware of sexuality and realized he was moving back to a state with zero LGBTQ equal rights.    

To this day, Feb 2021, if not for the Federal Workplace Nondiscrimination at the Pennsylvania state level they still, despite a continued effort often led by Sims, Pennsylvania cowardly Republican lawmakers choose to force all state citizens to live in fear of LGBTQ legalized discrimination due to their lack of humanity, civility, and common sense. As Sims describes, Pennsylvania Republicans hold power, not by popular democratic vote but rather manipulate the district lines to suit their whim.  Elected officials such as Sims is striving to restore fair representation and instill human dignity values in the state.    

See Brian Sims impassionately beg Pennsylvania State Republicans to support LGBTQstate level equality.  See his speech here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV-tAnpQ2cA

The real rub is that many of those lawmakers personally support equality, yet due to the corrupt Republican Party, they had to toe to line and vote as they were told to vote else suffer the political schoolyard style bullying.    

What is the answer?  REPLACE them. Run for office.  Support diverse candidates including out LGBTQ political candidates at all levels.  Learn more about The Victory Fund here: https://victoryfund.org/  

Get to know Brian a bit as we chat about his coming out while the captain of his college football team.  We continue on discussing how diversity matters in politics and the corporate workplace.  We round out the conversation chatting about being on PrEP where I give a shout out to the great care I have received at the Veterans Affairs getting my PrEP through the VAcfor two years and now through http://www.HeyMistr.com.  See the interview with Tristan the founder of Mistr here for all the infohttps://outburo.com/hey-mistr-are-you-on-prep-hiv-aids-prevention-online-prescription/ 

Join us on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Feb 15, 202139:27
Romy Newman: Social Entrepreneur - Empowering Careers of Women

Romy Newman: Social Entrepreneur - Empowering Careers of Women

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Romy Newman a social entrepreneur with a focus on advancing workplace gender equality, career opportunities for women, and corporate transparency.   

Romy brings a long and rich career background in marketing and business development to Fairygodboss.  Co-founded with Georgene Huang, Fairygodboss is a community network centered on career women, employer branding, and job marketplace aiding employers to reach the female demographic supporting their workplace equality strategy.  Women may anonymously rate recent past and current employers.  This provides insights for the employer on how they are doing while providing the female job seeker employer information not found anywhere else so she may make an informed decision if the employer has the benefits and policies that will allow her to thrive as a valued employee team member.    In our casual conversation Romy shares how the idea for Fairgodboss was sparked and how she and co-founder Georgene leverage each of their skills that have resulted as of Feb 2021 to a community of over 2 million members supported by 50 staff at Fairygodboss.   

We discussed challenges and opportunities presented in the workplace due to COVID.   

Join OutBüro today, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com 

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Feb 12, 202144:42
Darren Loli: Creating LGBTQ Content with Passion and Vigor

Darren Loli: Creating LGBTQ Content with Passion and Vigor

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Darren Loli, Founder/CEO and Executive Producer of Happening Out Television Network providing an LGBTQ perspective and programming.    

Based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Darren has a long and rich career background in business operational efficiency consulting via his company, the Loli Group.  The Loli Group focuses on operations consulting specializing in turnaround and new division management. It has cross-industry experience guiding high-level management in developing business vision and overall strategy. They design and build human and IT resources to meet larger vision and strategy.  Darren leverages this experience in Happening Out Television Network.   What started as one show in a View like pannel discussion format, within its two year time has sprung into 4 district show as of Feb 2021 with new shows being launched and more on the horizon.  All shows are broadcast live with recordings available for watching or listening at later times. Darren shared that around 30% of the traffic listens to the broadcasts.    

Its current line up includes: 

It's Happening Out: Where it all started, is a weekly panel discussion with regular and guest panelist fully representing the LGBTQ+ and ally community.  The topics are wide with a brisk pace and witty commentary.  It's Happening Out, the World's Most Popular LIVE gay TV Show started in Nov 2018 with less than 1,000 viewers. Darren is responsible for business strategy, overseeing content production, and managing show growth. The show has grown to over 600,000 unique weekly viewers and has established strategic partnerships for continued expansion. (Ex. Human Rights Campaign, Worlds Aids Museum, Prides across the country).  

QNews Tonight: Is a nightly news broadcast featuring prime news from the LGBTQ perspective. Larger mainstream news outlet partners include CNN and NBC news for content and media.    

Gay Town Hall:  In an effort to deepen and broaden the LGBTQ perspective the weekly 

Gay Town Hall has numerous regular and guest panelists, often in the 15-25 range.  It further encourages live audience participation through view comments that get incorporated in the live dialogue.    

Sunshine Cathedral - is a Sunday weekly live broadcast of the Metropolitan Community Church LGBTQ affirming service.  This community service broadcast launched in March 2020 and as of February 2021 has on average 30,000 weekly viewers with the majority of those viewing live each Sunday morning.   

HAPPENING.fun, South Florida's Most Popular Source for "Things to Fun." Started late august 2019 has grown to over 20,000 unique weekly viewers per episode and continues to grow.  

To connect with Darren find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/darrenloli/  

Join me and Darren on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Feb 08, 202143:01
Wesley Smoot: Unleashed LGBTQ - Virtual Showcase

Wesley Smoot: Unleashed LGBTQ - Virtual Showcase

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Wesley Smoot, Marketing Director for Unleashed LGBTQ.  

Located in Dallas, Texas Unleashed LGBTQ is an expo and due to COVID a virtual event featuring brands, talent/entertainers, apps, films, fresh music from LGBTQ artists, virtual tours of LGBTQ travel destinations, tutorials, virtual fashion show, panel discussions, keynote speakers such as Pennsylvania State Representative Brian Sims, and more.  They tout it as brands, services, and campaigns entering the LGBTQ market.  

The 2021 event will be held March 25-27th.  https://www.unleashedlgbtq.com/  

On their website, they provide cocktail recipes so viewers can sip the same beverage as those on screen.    

If you missed the March 2021 virtual event get on their email list to be informed of future events.  

To connect with Wesley find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/unleashedlgbtq/  

Join me and Wesley on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Feb 05, 202119:19
AJ Mizes: 80% of Jobs are Filled Through Connections

AJ Mizes: 80% of Jobs are Filled Through Connections

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with AJ Mizes a career coach, leadership coach, and HR consultant.   

A.J. is a talent and human potential aficionado with over a decade of experience within Career Coaching and Human Resources--and has been featured in NBC, CBS, FOX, The International Business Times, and Yahoo! News.  Most recently, though, AJ left Facebook as a Global HR Leader where he supported an international team and launched many innovative leadership programs under his guidance--that are still in full swing at Facebook today.  He’s supported global teams of over 3,000 people and currently serves as the CEO of The Human Reach--a human potential institute guiding high-achieving professionals to land their dream careers in record time and coaching silicon valley leaders to be thoughtful, effective leaders.  His career stems from a foundation in training and development at KSL Capital, where he coached leaders on how to select, coach, and retain top talent at some of the world’s most prestigious luxury resort properties.  A.J. also served as a leader @ Premier Staffing where he worked alongside well-known tech giants in organizing talent strategy and recruiting tactics.  Before Facebook, AJ was the Vice President of Talent and Engagement at Sungevity—the world’s leading platform technology for residential solar—where he led an HR team that spanned across the United States.   

To connect with AJ find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/ajmizes/ 

Join me and AJ on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com 

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Feb 05, 202101:00:27
Chris Rollins: A Coach for LGBTQ+ HR, People, and Culture Professionals

Chris Rollins: A Coach for LGBTQ+ HR, People, and Culture Professionals

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Chris Rollins who is a coach for HR, people, and culture professionals.

Chris Rollins is a Leadership and Executive Coach for HR, People, and Culture Leaders, especially in the LGBTQ+ community, yet not exclusively. He does this work to deepen the commitment to his purpose: to hold safe space so that people have the courage to find and live their truth. His purpose-driven approach to coaching helps his clients connect more powerfully with who they are, what they want, and the courage to bring it to life.  Prior to working as an independent coach, he spent a decade climbing up the leadership ranks in corporate America. He started in an entry-level sales role and spent almost 8 years in various individual and leadership roles driving revenue in new business and account management. During that time, he made the largest impact coaching and mentoring people around him and building strong teams. And that’s what he loved the most.   This led him to a career pivot out of sales into organizational development to scale his impact on people and culture internally. Most recently, he was the SVP of Organizational Development for a 150 person company. As part of the executive leadership team, he was a trusted thought partner to the CEO and was leading high impact company-wide initiatives. 

To connect with Chris find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/chrisrollins/  Join me and Chris on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Feb 04, 202147:56
Lisa Geason-Bauer: Environmental and Sustainability Consulting

Lisa Geason-Bauer: Environmental and Sustainability Consulting

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Lisa Geason-Bauer based in Wisconsin is an entrepreneur focusing on environmental and sustainability consulting.  

01:30 Lisa describes her career started as a sociologist putting that background into practical use in sustainability.   

02:00 She aids her clients to Implement sustainability actions, practices, and protocols within their business.   

02:30 She works at the intersection of corporate responsibility, employee engagement, and marketing communications.   

03:20 How do Sustainability and Employee Engagement and Equality fit together? 

04:00 Definition of Sustainability 

05:00 The Tripple Bottom Line also called the Three Pillars of Stainability k

05:30 Social responsibility is a broad category including how a company treats its employees, suppliers, customers, and community.   

08:00 Sustainability organizations  

11:00 Wisconsin Women in Sustainability Leadership Series - Empowering the Female Green Changemakers https://www.wisconsinsustainability.com/wis For the March 7, 9, and 16, 2021 event register here.  It's free to attend.  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wisconsin-women-in-sustainability-leadership-program-for-iwd-2021-tickets-122259554619 

18:15 What is a B Corp? For more I formation: https://bcorporation.net/ 

22:00 Free learning and planning resources for sustainability and B Corps.   

1. https://www.wisconsinsustainability.com/greenmasters 

2. https://www.wisconsinsustainability.com/getting-started 

3. https://bcorporation.net/certification 

4. https://bimpactassessment.net/ 

29:30 Download the tools. Start small and build habits.  

Lisa Geason-Bauer is the president of Evolution Marketing, a Wisconsin-based woman-owned Certified B Corporation specializing in the area of global sustainability consulting and storytelling, environmentally responsible creative design, and ethical marketing.  When Geason-Bauer founded Evolution Marketing in 2007, she made the strategic decision to operate the firm in a triple bottom line manner. Since then, she has publicly shared the challenges and unique opportunities presented when one implements systems thinking within a professional service business.  Over the last decade, Lisa has played an active role in shaping the discussion within the business world regarding the adoption of strategic sustainability strategies and the inclusion of corporate social responsibility programs into day-to-day business operations. As a practitioner of sustainability initiatives and a leader in the business for good movement, Evolution Marketing is proud to offer its professional services in a carbon-neutral manner.  Geason-Bauer was recently recognized (June 2020) as one of seven Regional (hailing from the West North Central region) “Sheroes for Mentorship” by the U.S. Green Building Council, because she exemplifies what it means to be a mentor.

To connect with Lisa find her on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/lisageason-bauer/ 

Website: https://greenmkting.com/  

Join me and Lisa on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Feb 02, 202140:14
John-Manuel Andriote: Exploring Resilience of the LGBTQ Community

John-Manuel Andriote: Exploring Resilience of the LGBTQ Community

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with John-Manuel Andriote, freelance health/medical-focused journalist for the likes of The Atlantic, Psychology Today, and others and author.   

In his early journalist career, he focused his reporting on HIV/AIDS and then broadened it to the wider health and medical topics.  Over the past 10 years, he has focused on psychological and emotional resilience.  He is currently training to become a personal resilience coach to help others build their own resilience.

John shares that in 2005, after reporting on HIV/AIDS, he received an HIV positive diagnosis.  This rather shocking diagnosis caused John to reflect on his life, the challenges, and assessing his ability to reach a positive outlook thriving and surviving life's storms.  Exploring his own resilience made him keenly interested in the topic.  Stonewall Strong is not a self-help book perse, but rather a collection of personal stories that demonstrate resilience so that the readers may connect with authentic stories and glean insights.

In our engaging conversation, John discusses his book titled Stonewall Strong that focuses on resilience told through his own personal story from a Journaling archive stretching over 30 years to one on one interviews with notable gay figures like Bishop Eugene Robinson, Larry Kramer, Congressman Barney Frank, and others from many walks of life.  We chat about how members of the LGBTQ community face many obstacles and challenges others don't yet still find ways to be resilient and thrive.  John found that we need to tell our own stories in our own ways versus allowing others to define us.  Too often still today LGBTQ people are bombarded with the negative message that they are not worthy, they don't belong, they are not loved for who they are.  One must overcome these messages that can become deeply ingrained causing emotional, mental, development, relationship, self-loathing, and potential substance abuse issues.  Resilience is reframing that message internally from a state of the victim to a mindset of a survivor, a hero for overcoming.

This mindset shift is very important because negativities attract negativity likewise positive attracts positive.  I share my personal story of having to put boundaries in place with people who after years of trying never accepted me for who I am and vehemently kept throwing mystical dogmatic religion in my face.  It was difficult, but I had to distance myself from them out of love and respect for myself. 

John developed a stand-alone course on developing resilience which he offers for free.  It is found on his website at http://stonewallstrong.com/ 

To connect with John-Manuel find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/jmandriote/  

Join me and John-Manuel on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Jan 31, 202142:10
Zander Keig: Trans US Veteran Mental Wellnes Coach

Zander Keig: Trans US Veteran Mental Wellnes Coach

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Zander Keig, a US military veteran, a trans man who has dedicated his career in service to others.

After a military medical discharge, his career took a slightly winding path yet always with a focus on being of service to others. He became a local police officer, achieved a degree in conflict resolution with a focus on corporate merger and acquisition.  But he then attended seminary focusing again on service to others achieving a Masters in Theology.  Afterward, he began working in career services working for the State of California working with US Veterans.  An economic downturn led to being laid off. and took the opportunity to relocate to Orlando, Florida to be close to family.

During COVID he was led into his current role of providing consulting and coaching services virtually.  Zander provides services through an Employer Assistance Program (EAP).  Check to see if you have an EAP as part of your benefits.  Familiarize yourself with their offerings and take advance of them.  For example, many offer mental health services up to a set number of appointments.  Many are now providing special services in response to COVID helping employees cope with stress, anxiety, depression, financial concerns, life coping, relationship coaching, sleep hygiene, and more.  

Zander is also through consulting helping to establish wellness and inclusion oriented webinars for companies.  There is a gap between policy and practice.  Due to COVID, there is a huge burnout issue.  All the additional home and at-home care responsibilities and issues resulting from COVID while working remotely from home has made many to feel isolated, disconnected, and burnt out.

Zander shared that he is working on a new educational service exploring childhood adverse experiences, their impact on adulthood health, outlook, and lifestyle, and how to deal with such adversity in a healthy way.  He explains the strong study based research that correlates trauma to addiction, homelessness, obesity, diabetes, heart health.

We chatted about how the LGBTQI community member due to social stigma and family ignorance, religious intolerance dogmatic beliefs, bullying, being shunned, being harassed, and so much more are an adverse experience which also can, and often do affect, the LGBTQ persons.    

We chat quite a bit about the US Veteran Administrative Health services and in general how great they are.  Zander shared how the US VA has two policy directives for the LGB veterans and the second for transgender and intersexed veterans.  These policies outline all the rights and entitlements for LGBTQI+ veterans have as medical patients.  In addition, all VA centers have at least one LGBTQI+ Patient Care Coordinator who is like a patient advocate.  The Affordable Care Act ACA) aka Obama Care opened the VA up to provide Healthcare to all US veterans who qualify based on income.  All US veterans are encouraged to check out the VA's website to learn all the facts and see if you may qualify.

To connect with Zander find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/zanderkeig/

Join us on OutBüro. LGBTQ Corporate Equality Ratings and LGBTQ Professional & Entrepreneur Community (outburo.com)

Jan 30, 202149:31
Art Smith: Documenting LGBTQ Community History Through Bygone Bars

Art Smith: Documenting LGBTQ Community History Through Bygone Bars

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Art Smith, artist, promoter, entrepreneur, and founder of Gay Barchieves.  

Art shares his story of working for two local LGBTQ community local print media companies starting in the mid-'80s.  This forced him to both be out as gay but also out and active in the community calling on businesses of all sorts.  Through this, he formed relationships with many bar and club owners who wanted to advertise their business and events.    

In 2019 he was chatting with a bar owner in Atlanta who asked him to create a 45 year since opening commemorative design, although now close for ten years  Soon others were reaching out interested in his then one-off project asking about other bars that had closed and should be remembered.  He started doing research on LGBTQ bars that once thrived yet no longer open.    

Once COVID hit, he threw himself completely into this project and as of January 2021 has around 1200 bygone bars documented, logos redesigned, and on the GayBarcheives website.  He is gathering information and stories from the bar owners when possible. Throughout the decades, many bars were very discrete. They didn't advertise and often didn't even have signage on their building or door. It was all word of mouth.   

Gay Barcheives Mission: To build the world's largest archive of the logos and stories of gay bars from the past, preserving the memories of the places that were so significant to the growth and development of the LGBTQ+ community.  

Art shares a few stories to illustrate the importance of gay bars in the LGBTQ community as places of building friendships, feeling a part of a community, getting information, and even health services throughout the years.  He also shares a few stories including police attempts to raid a popular gay hangout donut shop in Los Angles during the mid-'50's as well as a tragic arsine attack on a gay bar in New Orleans.    

Notable bars already featured on Gay Barchieves: 

Chicago Eagle 

Eagle's Nest 

Kok Bar San Fransico 

CircusDisco 

Tradesman LA 

CooperDonuts 

Russian River Eagle 

Man Handler 

Pulse Orlando 

Lost and Found DC 

The Pier 

Apex DC 

The Copa 

Jackhammer 

Steel Score 

Jocks Atlanta 

The Other Side 

Lipstix 

The Anvil 

The Vault 

Roxy 

Badlands 

Crowbar 

And since there is currently over 1200 (as of Jan 2021) there are just too many to list here.  

Use these links to connect with Art to suggest additional venues.   

http://GayBarchives.com  website 

http://facebook.com/GayBarchives  Facebook 'like' page 

http://facebook.com/groups/gaybarchives  Facebook group  

To connect with Art find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/gaybarchives/ 

Join me and Art on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com 

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Jan 25, 202144:49
Building Business and Life from Opportunity and Passion

Building Business and Life from Opportunity and Passion

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Dëv Ramsumair, out gay entrepreneur, fashion event producer, museum curator, foster parent, and much more.  

Warning! When Dëv and I have the opportunity to chat we cover lots of ground.  This interview conversation is no different.  What I love about this is the openness and vulnerability demonstrating the width and breadth of us all as humans in where we have so many facets to our lives.  I hope you enjoy this conversation.  Leave a comment below about yourself, maybe topics you'd like me to explore in future episodes.    

Dëv at the age of 14 started his first company which was a media business focusing on arts, entertainment, and fashion with a focus on diversity and inclusion.  At age 16 he started producing events at Fashion Weeks off-site around the world such as in Londo, Milan, Paris, New York, Toronto, and some emerging cities like Berlin with a keen focus on diversity.  He was a pioneer and instrumental in bringing diversity awareness to the fashion industry focusing on race, ethnicity, gender, ability, sexuality, and body size/type.   

Throughout his life, he has seized opportunities to build a business, his career, and create his life based on seeing opportunities, grading the moment, and running with it.  This is about his journey and current projects, and life. Dëv inspires me and I hope he inspires you.    

It started at the age of 14 when he was looking at a magazine ad and thought that it is targeted at him and his friends get no one looked like the model.  He picked up the phone and called the advertiser and his message was heard by the right people.  They asked for his input and from there, his company was formed.  Amazing, since most 14 year-olds are more concerned with skateboards and video games.   

Currently, he is an art curator at a major Toronto museum again focusing on bringing in and displaying art that represents the full spectrum of diversity.  In addition to that and raising a child, he is also launching DestiGaytions, an internet platform for the LGBTQ community to plan those amazing lifetime destination travel tours while remaining safe in all locations.  The idea for this was sparked when some friends asked him to go on a once in a lifetime trip to a location.  His response was he couldn't because that place has laws where they could arrest him just based on his skin color, faith, or sexual orientation.   DestiGaytions aims to inform LGBTQ globe trotter on how to remain safe wherever they go and provide listings of services and accommodations that are safe and friendly that will service you be is attractions, bars, medical facilities, and more.  He draws comparisons to the historic Green Book that was used by persons of color during the times when it was not safe for them to travel in all locations. DestiGaytions plans to launch in the Summer of 2021.  

We further chat about how he became the guardian of a baby boy and raising him, for now, seven years.  As an adoptive parent myself we chatted about the benefits and life changes of raising a child. Consider being a foster parent for an LGBTQ teen.  You can provide a safe, loving home and be a mentor giving that teen a new perspective and opportunity in life.    

To connect with Dëv find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/dev/

Join me and Dëv on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com

Jan 18, 202152:38
Kevin Shah: Learn Empathy in Just 6 Minutes a Day with Jaago

Kevin Shah: Learn Empathy in Just 6 Minutes a Day with Jaago

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Kevin Shah.  Kevin is an out gay entrepreneur, product manager with an engineering background, immigrant, filmmaker, startup founder of Jaago, and so much more.  

I listed many things that Kevin identifies as, an illustration of intersectionality.  Kevin and I discuss what is intersectionality, the buzzword that has become quite popular in the realms of diversity and inclusion over the past few years.  It is key to understanding yourself and others to build empathy.  Empathy is the ability to deeply listen and understand another person's point of view.    When a person has empathy for themselves and others communication is greatly improved.  

Improving one's empathy can have significant benefits in both personal and work relationships by increasing your emotional intelligence.    Jaago is a free to download and use smartphone app you can use to learn empathy for yourself and others in just 6 minutes a day.  Jaago users create a profile that after answering some questions deduces the user's intersectional profile and current empathy score.  Jaago is committed to user privacy and vowed to never share user information with any entity outside of Jaago.  Users then use the smartphone app to watch short videos that are no longer than 3-minutes each.  It is recommended to watch 2 a day.  Users are capped at 6 videos a day to not burn out and ensure optimal retention.  Users answer a few short questions after each video that capture their understanding of the video and how they felt about it.  Over time these answers are used to gauge the user's empathy score where personal growth is is the goal.  Users may further participate by uploading short videos sharing their own personal stories for other Jaago users to view.  Anyone may use the Jaago app.  

Kevin shared that his early goal is to target corporations and businesses of all sizes to offer Jaago as an employee benefit.  Kevin explained that empathy supports diversity and inclusion which is a key focus for most businesses.    Kevin shares his background and how working as a product manager for technology companies that put interactive screens and the internet on airplanes, his own interest in film making, and working as a product manager in body cameras for police set him on his path to founding Jaago.  

Jaago is a self-improvement app.  Download it today and give it a try.    

To connect with Kevin find him on OutBüro here.   https://outburo.com/profile/kevinshah/ 

Join me and Kevin on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Jan 16, 202149:30
Christopher Clawson-Rule: Writer's Block is Bullshit!

Christopher Clawson-Rule: Writer's Block is Bullshit!

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with  Christopher Clawson-Rule, publisher, author, out gay entrepreneur.    

Christopher, who has several books published himself turned publisher with over 150 authors he represents says writer's block is bullshit.  He elaborates that writer's block is just laziness.  In our discussion, we explore his journey from starting his first book, ways to overcome writer's block, and how he became a publisher.  Christopher started writing after his 16-year-old daughter challenged him when after reading a book he said, "I could write better than this.  Her reply was, "Well then why don't you?".  When he completed his first manuscript she further challenged him to get it published.  He was disappointed that the publisher simply handed him is now bound book and basically said, "Here you go.". At the time Christopher was living in New York City.  Eager to get his book out into the world he had an idea to gorilla market it by placing 100 copies in the subway stations.  Passengers picked up his book and started reading it on their commute.  Other passengers saw several people at the same time reading it and therefore thought it had to be good.  This low budget marketing campaign paid off.  It resulted in over 17,000 copies sold in a short time.    

By the time Christopher finished his third book other authors began seeking his advice on how he was selling so successfully when the publishers offered little to no help or guidance.  He realized that he wanted to help those authors in a professional way and so Breaking Rules Publishing was born.   Watch or listen for his full story and examples of authors who break the rules to stand out.  

To connect with Christopher find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/breakingrulespublishing/  

Join me and Christopher on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  


Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Jan 16, 202145:55
Tyler Davis: New America Awakenings - Author Chat

Tyler Davis: New America Awakenings - Author Chat

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Tyler Davis author of the book titled "New America Awakenings".   

"New America Awakenings" is a fictional tale of a world where the United States grapples with divisive factions of radical extremists who burst into a full civil war and foreign invasion all leaving the country ripped apart.  The government creates wards separating and grouping people base on faith, race, and other factors where citizens must wear a color stripe to signify what group they belong to.  

Listen in as author Tyler Davis sharing the motivation, inspiration, and major plot points.  

After a polarizing election, America breaks into a civil war, followed by a failed foreign invasion. Winning is not the end! New America divides into projects based on race and religion. Citizens who protest or break the laws are labeled an "enemy of peace." An enemy of peace quickly loses their head to the guillotine.

Colt Jenkins resides in the New Bethlehem Project, where New American youth must navigate between Country, God, Survival, Love, Family, and Friends. Surviving daily attacks from Broken Mecca is not the only challenge. Katherine Shay, New Bethlehems keeper of the law, terrorizes citizens using the red phone, turning them into the government as enemies of peace. In a world with intermittent electricity, the President makes decrees from the television. The government controls the news and all information.

The rising tension in the country and the Project puts Colt in Katherine’s and the government's crosshairs. After being publicly humiliated by Katherine, Colt discovers the government is not what it appears. Colt will have to decide what kind of man he will be and what he will choose to leave behind in his race to save his family and his love.

To connect with Bruce find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/tylerdavis/  

Join me and Bruce on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Jan 14, 202140:50
Michael Johnson-Ellis: Building LGBTQ Families

Michael Johnson-Ellis: Building LGBTQ Families

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Michael Johnson-Ellis gay dad and entrepreneur helping the LGBTQ community be informed on family building and family life.   

When Michael met his partner, his partner had a daughter from a previous marriage with a female. Michael had worked for some time in the fertility industry marketing to prospective parents.  Early in their relationship they talked of having kids together and started their research to find information tailored to a gay couple. It became apparent that there was not much.  They began documenting their journey creating a following on, Instagram and Facebook with the handle of TwoDadsUK.  While attending a family planning expo they saw a transgender couple who appeared shy to approach information booths due to the unwanted attention they received.  Michael warmly invited the transgender couple over and shared all the information he could with them.   

After that event, Michael and his husband decided that there needs to be a family planning expo specifically for the LGBTQ community that is welcoming to everyone.  The Modern Family Show was born.  Through his past work contacts, he began contacting businesses and speakers.  The interest was strong leading to all booths and speaker spaces being booked in a short 4 months. Due to COVID, the event has been postponed and currently due to take place in September 2021.  There is already interest to expand the event to the United States in 2022.  The event and websites cover all family planning methods from fostering, adoption, surrogacy, and more.

Websites:  

http://www.TwoDadsUK.com 

http://www.themodernfamilyshow.co.uk/ 

http://www.mysurrogacyjourney.com/ 

To connect with Michael find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/twodadsuk/  

Join me and Michael on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Jan 12, 202132:18
Scott Ballina: Diversity and Inclusion in Practice

Scott Ballina: Diversity and Inclusion in Practice

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Scott Ballina, Senior Director, Diversity, Belonging & Giving for a global technology company.

Scott learned the value of diversity while serving in the US Navy as an officer leading a diverse group of sailors from all walks of life.  It was also in this role where he experienced living double life hiding his sexual orientation through avoidance, double-speak, and living if needed to keep his identity a secret.  While working as a technology consultant at Deloitte, Scott started working on diversity and inclusion in a part-time capacity.  His passion for the work and its impact grew and he moved into the role full-time as soon as he was able.  

The role of diversity and inclusion can be challenging since it is dealing with all employees who have their conscience and unconscious biases.  Scott shares how in his current company they wanted to provide all employees the ability to self-identify their sexual orientation and gender identity.  He explains that he had to partner closely with the legal team to assess each country's laws where they operate.  That process took just over a year to complete. Having this data will allow him an analyze promotions, attrition, how engaged the employees are and how their sexual orientation and gender identity may be impacting their experience and allow the company to have metrics around their efforts to improve the culture.  

Towards improving the culture, Scott and the company worked on having out gay employees who are in leadership positions.  When employees see persons in leadership who they identify with it provides strength to all employees.  Studies have demonstrated that when there is more diversity in leadership, it fosters a culture of support for all. 

Scott offers advice for organizations starting on their path to creating an inclusive work culture including reaching out to him. To connect with Scott find him on OutBüro here. 

https://outburo.com/profile/sballina/

Join me and Bruce on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Jan 08, 202134:59
Max Appenroth: Transgender Experience Focused Healthcare Consultant

Max Appenroth: Transgender Experience Focused Healthcare Consultant

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Max Appenroth: Transgender Experience Focused Healthcare Consultant based in Berlin, Germany.

Max is a male of transgender experience and has had to navigate the public medical system of Germany where doctors are assigned.  The assigned doctors were generalists with little to no experience with transgender patients.  This led him to have in most cases to educate his doctors on what he needed and how to best treat him.  Max is striving to educate the health care and pharmacology community on how to best be inclusive and respond to the sensitivities and needs of the transgender community as patients.  His education is inclusive helping companies and organizations be wider and fuller in their diversity, equality, and inclusion.

Gender Identity is the feeling of self whereas sexual orientation is the desire towards.   https://outburo.com/understanding-gender-identity-expression-101/

Building your gender-neutral language may seem odd at first, but like all things, the more it is used the more natural it will be.  

Max and I discuss how languages that are gendered such as German in where a table is masculine e and a door is feminine creates boundaries for the transgender community.  In many cases, the neural term "their" is used.  However in German "their" is "Sie" and she is "sie".  It is spelled and sounds exactly the same.  The only difference is the capitalization.  Language shapes reality and can I fluence how one perceives themselves.  In languages that use verbs gender, they must take extra care to form inclusive language. 

LGBTQ persons are less likely to receive the care they need due to fear of discrimination.  The LGBTQ community experiences life struggles at a greater level and may need more self-care time than other employees.  This was in part the reason Max formed his own company to set his own schedule to have the flexibility to be his healthiest self.  Employers could implement flexible schedules that would benefit all employees and the employer-supported by numerous studies.

To connect with Max find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/max/

Join me and Bruce on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Dec 29, 202044:34
Ashley Brundage: Empowering Differences Author and Transgender Activist

Ashley Brundage: Empowering Differences Author and Transgender Activist

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Ashley Brundage, author, transgender activist, and VP of Diversity and Inclusion for a national financial institution.  

Ashely's journey is remarkable and inspiring.  When faced with homelessness and a family of four counting on her she was pretransition trying to find a job.  Frustrated with seeking employment while presenting as male not being true to herself, one day she said enough.  From that point forward with her family's support she started the job search for a new career being authentically Ashley.  During that period she realized the additional struggles of seeking a job as a transgender person but leaned into it educating the potential employers on how she could be a bridge to the LGTBQ market.  

After landing a part-time bank teller position she leveraged transgender conferences to prospect customers.  She quickly became one of the top producing banking agents in the entire company.  We chat about the burden of being an out transgender person working in the public sphere and how to leverage the 10 steps to empowering difference to grow professionally.  Additionally how she created relationships with peers and mentors within the company to coach her.  Ashley understands mentorship well, she says, "mentorship is a two-way street.  Both should be getting something out of it". I couldn't agree more.

In Ashely's new book, Empowering Differences, she has outlined her 10 steps to empowering differences starting with empowering yourself with confidence and knowledge.  Further, she states that the book is well suited for persons in a sales role.  After all, sales are about relationships.  

Connect with Ashley find her on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/ashleytbrundage/

Join me and Ashley on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Dec 28, 202052:09
Donna Williams: LGBTQ Authentic Stock Images on LibertiPix

Donna Williams: LGBTQ Authentic Stock Images on LibertiPix

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Donna Williams, out lesbian entrepreneur and co-founder of LibertiPix.

LibertiPix is a new online stock photography site that is authentically LGBTQ from A to Z.  Co-founder Donna Williams has years of experience in the marketing media industry.  In that role she became frustrated with the limited selection of stock images and video represent, or trying to represent the LGBTQ community.  She discusses some of the negative stereotyping as well as images that clearly misrepresent completely. She cited an example of what clearly was a mother and daughter yet it was categorized as a "lesbian couple".  Having worked in the marketing industry for years she knows first hand that there is a need and demand for images and video that authentically represent the LGBTQ community.  This lack and need sparked Donna along with her wife as co-founders to launch LiberiPix.  

On LibertiPix, all photographers, videographers, and models identify as LGBTQ.  The startup has a small yet strong base of photographers and videographers in the UK and seeking others from around the world to join and submit images and short videos.  LibertiPix is offering an unusual 50% commission share.  

Do you know an LGBTQ photographer?  Tag them in the comments below or share this video on social media and tag them.

LibertiPix is seeking images that move beyond the stereotypical to breathe authenticity into LGBTQ marketing.  Currently, site customers pay for each image however they are making site enhancements to offer a subscription model in early 2021.  

Join LibrtiPix today.  Fing great images to freshen your marketing campaigns. 

In my usual conversational approach, we interject lessons for entrepreneurs with stories of our own startup journey.  

Connect with Donna on OutBüro at: https://outburo.com/profile/donnal/

Join me and Donna on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Dec 23, 202040:16
Tyler DeSouza: Fashion Pioneer for the Transgender and Cross-Dressing Community

Tyler DeSouza: Fashion Pioneer for the Transgender and Cross-Dressing Community

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Tyler DeSouza, CEO of enFemme.

Tyler is an out sexually fluid entrepreneur who grew up with his mother being a stylist for crossdressers.  The business started in their living room over 25 years ago when his mother started helping predominately heterosexual Men fulfill their desire to dress as a female.  Being a bit of a high fashionista herself she helped the men pull together outfits and accessories that suited them. A few years ago mom retired.  Tyler not only remained in the business he has transformed it into a fashion house and rebranded it as enFemme.  In the cross-dressing and trans community when one dresses as a female it is commonly called enFemme so the name is a strong connection with its customers.  enFemme caters to the unique needs of the cross-dressing and male to female transgender community to be a leader in clothing designed to fit a biologically male body dimensions while feminizing in appearance. Further enFemme has designed the industry's widest line of body-shaping undergarments that conceal the male private parts comfortably and provide breast augmentation.  

Tyler relies heavily on customer feedback to develop and hone his product lineup. EnFemme's customers are an integral part of the full process.  Valuing the community, enFemme has an extensive online resource center where site visitors can read stories on inspiration and encouragement through learning from others who share their perspectives and experiences.  

Tyler is very passionate about his business and his customers.  He feels great satisfaction that he and his company has a role in helping people feel confident in being their authentic self.  For many, it is who they identify as while for others it is fulfilling a fantasy.  All are welcomed and appreciated at enFemme.  

We were wanting to provide images of the enFemme products within the video but experienced a video editing bug.  So visit enFemme's website to view their full range of offerings at https://enfemmestyle.com/

To connect with Tyler find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/tydesouza/  

Join me and Tyler on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com  

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/


Dec 23, 202046:11
Wendy Weiss: The Queen of Cold Calling

Wendy Weiss: The Queen of Cold Calling

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Wendy Weiss: The Queen of Cold Calling.

Wendy started her career as a ballerina dancer.  She moved to New York City to pursue that dream.  Like most, she had to work a day job to make ends meet.  After getting tired of waiting tables she started a job with a telemarketing firm where she received training and mentoring.  She found that she enjoyed the job and was quite good.  After some time she ventured on her own founding her own direct telemarketing company.  Working with many companies in diverse industries she and her team honed their approach and found commonalities that could be leveraged.  

This insight sparked the idea to take her company further launching a sales training division which is the bulk of her business today, Cold Calling Results, a sales training consultancy.  In sales training, Wendy works predominantly with small and midsized companies to hone how they effectively communicate their value proposition to prospective clients typically over a 6-month in-depth hands-on approach.  So often sales agents and business owners torpedo their own efforts unknowingly by not positioning their product or service effectively.  Wendy provides several examples in our conversation.  

Every entrepreneur has to have sales.  It is the lifeblood of the company.  No one is a born sales guru.  Like everything, being great in sales is a skill you can learn.  Wendy believes it is crucial to have a sales foundation before hiring a sales representative so that the basic expectations, tools, methods, and processes are present to get the most from every lead.  All too often salespeople will blame other things for the reason they aren't closing business when in fact the reason is a lack of clear effective communication from the sales rep to the prospect.  Wendy's training addresses this in a holistic manner.  Get the most out of your sales team.

Not quite ready for one-on-one training?  Wendy has written the following books:

The Business Owners Guide to Setting More Appointments When Your Prospects are Completly Freaking Out

The Sales Winner's Handbook: Essential Scripts and Strategies to Skyrocket Sales Performance

Word-for-word scripts you need to reach highly-qualified prospects, book more appointments, follow-up, and close more sales with less stress.  

Use this OutBüro link for your discount:  https://wendyweiss.isrefer.com/go/SWHPDF/OutBuro/  

Get your free copy of "The Cold Calling Survival Guide - Start Setting Appointments in the Next 24 Hours" by signing up to receive sales tips from Wendy at https://coldcallingresults.com/

12 Steps for Finding Sales Opportunities Today

Free download here:  https://wendyweiss.isrefer.com/go/owners-guide/OutBuro/  

Reading is great, but you may find that you will benefit from coaching.  Wendy and her team can work with you and your unique business to perfect your sales skills.  Check out her site to explore the options she provides for sales coaching and support.  https://coldcallingresults.com/

Connect with Wendy on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/wendy/

Join me and Wendy on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Dec 21, 202050:06
Gina Battye: Fostering Psychological Safety in the Workplace

Gina Battye: Fostering Psychological Safety in the Workplace

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Gina Battye, out lesbian entrepreneur in corporate diversity and inclusion with a keen focus on psychological safety.

This short description nearly does this robust and in-depth conversation justice.  This is a must-watch or listen to casual interview chock full of insights, examples, and personal stories you might relate to.  

Gina spent significant time and effort reaching and developed her cornerstone 5 Pillars to Psychological Safety in the workplace. 

The 5 Pillars Of Psychological Safety

PILLAR 1 - SELF

SELF refers to you. Who you are. What influences your thoughts and behavior. How you cope with life. How you show up in the workplace. The first pillar centers around Gina's signature Authentic Self Process. The Authentic Self Process is a powerful 3 step system to release the masks you wear and the stories you have created – so you can bring ALL of who you are to work and life.

PILLAR 2. SOCIAL

SOCIAL explores how you interact with colleagues, managers and leadership teams. Imagine everything you have just uncovered about your SELF. The person at the next desk to you has all that going on within them too! Now you know all this, SOCIAL takes you through what is going on behind the scenes of your interactions with others, what influences how you respond and react in conversations and how to use this knowledge to strengthen your interactions and connection with other people.

PILLAR 3. COLLABORATION

COLLABORATION delves into the nuts and bolts of team working and how to cultivate trust and work in collaboration with others. In COLLABORATION you explore the environment, the culture of the organization, and how to empower and enable effective collaboration in teams. Gina takes you through safe spaces, ground rules, conflict resolution plans, the 4 steps to effective communication, and the foundations for exceptional team working – all of which are integral to powerful COLLABORATION.

PILLAR 4. CURIOSITY

CURIOSITY. Didn't kill the cat. It made the cat wiser. Gina delves into how to create a culture of experimentation, contribution, and reflective questioning. Here mistakes are made and lessons are learned. Constructive and active feedback is sought and received and there is a willingness to learn, both professionally and personally. This is not only actively encouraged but positively practiced - creating a culture of innovation.

PILLAR 5. CREATIVITY

CREATIVITY. "I can't draw". No worries, you don't need to be able to. Everyone is born with innate creativity. But over the years you have been told to "keep your ideas to yourself" and to "not make a fuss." Hearing these messages you suppress your creativity and don't speak up. In CREATIVITY you explore how to create a culture where new ideas and alternative perspectives are welcomed. One where everyone has a voice and all ideas are valued, considered, and discussed openly.

Connect with Gina on OutBüro at https://outburo.com/profile/ginabattye/

Join me and Gina on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Dec 19, 202001:01:02
Michael Stephens: Discovering Who Am I

Michael Stephens: Discovering Who Am I

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Michael Stephens, founder of Create Space.

In this candid conversation, we share some personal experiences that led us both in different ways to arrive at the same destination: ourselves.

We discuss the struggles so many LGBTQ persons have with deeply identifying with themselves. Rooted in a need as growing up to hide our true self, we can put forth a fake facade striving to fit in, to not be bullied, to be accepted by our friends, family and coworkers. This can result in many things from isolation, lack of connection with self and others, escapism through substance abuse that can lead to addiction, overachiever syndrome that can lead to burnout along with its associated mental and physical distress.  

Who am I?  

What do I want?  

What do I need?  

Am I content?  

Am I happy?  

Really happy right now?  

How do I define happiness?  

How do I define success?  

Do I have people in my life I trust and can count on?  

Am I a person that others really know or a facade of a projection?  

Do I allow my emotions to race and explode due to other people's learned or ignorant comments or behaviors?  

Do I have triggers that others love to ignite?  

Do I trust others?

Do I trust myself?

Do I take care of myself?

Do I value an active healthy lifestyle?

Profoundly and honestly answering these and many more questions in a safe and supportive environment is the key to living an authentic life where you connect with yourself, discover who you are, appreciate, respect, and yes, love yourself.  Then from that core foundation, you can be there for others.  

Michael's Create Space is a program for you to learn to create space for yourself to learn, heal, grow, and experience the fullness of life and the world around you on your terms.  

To connect with Michael find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/michaeledwardstephens/

Join me and Michael on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Dec 14, 202048:11
Martin Stark: World Gay Boxing Championship

Martin Stark: World Gay Boxing Championship

In this episode of OutBüro Voices featuring LGBTQ professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from around the world, host Dennis Velco chats with Martin Stark, founder of the World Gay Boxing Championship based in Sydney, Australia.  

After a medical condition with Addison's disease nearly took Martin's life, he searched for ways to improve his overall health and strength.  Once he came across boxing classes he was hooked.  Boxing classes involve whole-body strengthening, cardio, flexibility, coordination, endurance, and emphasizes a good healthy diet.  Martin found that through the foundation of boxing he also gained confidence on many leaves.  He was feeling great, eating well, looking fit, and knew that if he was forced to he could hold his ground.  Martin says, "In boxing, the idea is not to hurt another person, but if pressed you have the training, skill, and confidence to diffuse a situation."  Within just 3 years of starting the sport, Martin found a current lack of organized boxing clubs for the LGBTQ community.  His newfound passion and lack of resources ignited a spark to create the World Gay Boxing Championship.  Martin has been actively reaching out to LGBTQ boxers around the globe and welcomes anyone interested in the sport to connect with him.  

Part of the goals of the organization is education.  First to partner with gyms that offer boxing to offer education on the LGBTQ community.  Martin wants to provide gym certification so LGBTQ people know a gym is welcoming and safe.  He recently partnered with the boxing governing association for Australia.  They were eager to begin collaborating.  Martin believes this is a good step in setting the foundation with such ties. As the WGBC expands similar partnerships will be sought in other countries. 

Martin has been pleasantly surprised how many boxers identify as part of the transgender community and how eager all are to help build the organization regionally and globally. 

Do you own or work at a gym that offers boxing classes?  Reach out to Martin to learn how your gym can become a member to promote boxing within the LGBTQ community.

To connect with Martin find him on OutBüro here. https://outburo.com/profile/martinstark/

Join me and Martin on OutBüro, the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices.  https://www.OutBuro.com 

Would you like to be featured like this? Contact the host Dennis Velco.  https://outburo.com/profile/dennisvelco/

Dec 13, 202029:43
Paul Lorenz: Painter, Composer, Architect, Renaissance Man
Dec 07, 202014:04