If you’re ready to learn from one of the best in the industry and connect with like-minded professionals, join us for the next Straight Talk with Terrence Clark event.

About Straight Talk with Terrence Clark

Get personalized attention and build your business network

Here at The Council, we offer our certified-MBEs the opportunity to attend meetings with our President and CEO, Terrence Clark. During these virtual sessions, he shares his expertise and insights on wide-ranging business topics—covering everything from the “right” way to network to how to secure your first contract. The focus of each session is different, ensuring that attendees always leave with new knowledge and valuable takeaways.

At the end of each session, attendees are invited to introduce themselves and their business to the rest of the group. These 2-minute roundtable sessions are an excellent opportunity to perfect your pitches and connect with other professionals in our network—and perhaps in your own industry.

Each session is held virtually, allowing you to network and make new connections from the comfort of your office or home. Whether you’re a seasoned business professional or just starting out, you’ll leave feeling inspired and empowered to take your business to the next level.

Learn more about Terrence Clark →

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“Organizations do business with people they know, they like, and they trust.“

—Terrence Clark

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Join the Discussion

Straight Talk sessions happen once a quarter. Upcoming dates are available on our Events Calendar. But you can view past discussions online at your convenience through the NYNJMSDC YouTube channel.

As we approach Earth Day on April 22nd, I want to take a moment to emphasize the importance of recognizing this day for businesses. For over half a century, Earth Day has served as a reminder of the impact that we, as individuals and as business leaders, have on the environment. It is our responsibility to ensure that we are doing everything we can to reduce our environmental footprint. 

It is also crucial to acknowledge the disproportionate effects that climate change continues to have on minority communities. The impacts of environmental degradation are felt most by those who are already marginalized and vulnerable. We cannot address the issues of climate change without also addressing the issues of equality—they go hand-in-hand. The term climate justice was created to address the need to solve both issues. 

For decades, minority communities have been pushed into lower income housing and have had to face the effects of severe storms, weather related disasters, and pollution as a result of climate change. As advocates for diversity and inclusion, and business leaders, it is our duty to ensure that our business practices are not exacerbating these disparities and to work to create an equitable future for all. 

We want to give special recognition to the certified-MBE’s and corporate partners in our network who have already made sustainability a part of their business practice. By prioritizing sustainability, you are not only contributing to a healthier planet, but you are also demonstrating your commitment to being a responsible part of our community and recognizing the needs of all stakeholders. Sustainability in the diversity supply chain is a topic that The Council will continue to promote and include in our programming. Those who attended last year’s Sustainability Symposium know first hand that this is a subject near and dear to our hearts and we will continue to make every effort necessary to keep change moving forward. 

Let us all take time this week and every week to reflect on our business practices and find more ways we can sustainably reduce our carbon footprint. 

Mildred Tolentino has more than 20 years of experience in project and program management, design, and construction. While working at M TO Pros Development, she has been a dynamic leader in the construction industry with a “we can do it attitude”. Her current responsibilities include leading the company operations and account management. Mildred has an excellent track record for delivering complex projects within budget & schedule. Her diverse range of projects goes from the non-profit sector to commercial interiors, ground-ups, retail, residential, hospitality, industrial, healthcare and education. She prides herself in being an expert in baseline schedule development & resource allocation, financial planning, forecasting, and cost reductions strategies.

Before her work at M TO Pros Development, Mildred led the Cumming Construction New York office project management team of approximately 14 project managers and office operations. Previous to that Mildred was Vice-President of project management services at Jones Lang LaSalle. Mildred also worked at CBRE and was responsible for overseeing major renovations, new developments and new store openings for Bank of America. Previous to that Mildred worked at Leclere Assoc. Architects.

Mildred is a strong advocate for advancing women in the construction agency and serves on several boards of women-led organizations. Her passion is breaking down the barriers of entry for disadvantaged immigrants. Her uncompromising approach and advocacy are to ensure that we build young leaders through providing mentoring and leadership opportunities.

She currently resides in the New York/New Jersey area and enjoys spending time with family and friends both near and far.

About M To-Pros Development

M To-Pros is a Minority- and Woman-Owned Business certified in New York City, New York State, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Texas and Massachusetts. We provide Construction Management, Project Controls, and Project Administration services for the public and private sectors. Our portfolio includes commercial interiors, healthcare, education, housing, and more. We are a diverse company in our specializations and also our staff.  

What does being a minority business mean to you?

It means breaking down barriers of entry and providing opportunities for those that are disadvantaged to enter the construction industry.  It’s supporting fellow minority businesses in familiar ways to provide for a stronger network of professionals.

How has being certified with The Council helped your business?

It will provide an opportunity to network with the other corporate members and to gain an understanding of increased awareness for black owned businesses through various learning channels.

What is one thing you wish you had known when you were starting out in your career?

I wish I had known the value of networking and relationships. If I was aware of the magnitude of how leveraging relationships would be significant in building my career, I would have been more advantageous now in my business.

For more information on M To-Pros, please visit: mtopros.com or follow them on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, & Instagram.

As the President of Tough Leaf, Wissam ensures that minority-owned businesses are winning more projects and growing their capacity. Wissam oversees the Tough Leaf matching platform, which pairs MBEs with bidding opportunities at no cost to them. 

Founded by CBS MBA graduates Amir Zahlan and Wissam Akra, Tough Leaf’s mission is to empower minority-owned businesses to grow and enable contractors/developers to exceed their diversity goals.  To date, Tough Leaf has awarded over $40M to diverse firms through the platform, with a goal of increasing awards rapidly to more users. Additionally, Tough Leaf connects minority-owned businesses to capacity-building services such as: access to capital, insurance, surety, payroll, health benefits, 401ks, etc. 

Wissam is a professional engineer with more than 15 years of managing major infrastructure projects around the country. He is a holder of an MBA degree from Columbia University and an MS in Construction & Engineering Management from Columbia University. Wissam is also a certified Design-Build Professional (DBIA) and a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

Wissam has been involved with over $10B of infrastructure projects, including the $4.5B second avenue subway in New York City and the $3.6B Hampton Roads Bridge and Tunnel Project in Norfolk, Virginia. During that time, he has awarded more than $600M of contracts to minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, disadvantaged business enterprises, and service-disabled veteran-owned business enterprises.

In recognition to his contribution to the construction industry in general and to diversity procurement , Wissam was voted as one of the Top 100 leaders in Construction & Real Estate nationwide in 2021.

About Tough Leaf

Tough Leaf empowers minority-owned businesses to grow by matching them with opportunities and capacity-building services. “This is a fantastic platform, I am glad someone is finally doing it. I spent years in government and never seen a platform as helpful as this Tough Leaf,” said Wayne Lambert, Chief Diversity Offer at Turner & Townsend.

Tough Leaf allows General Contractors to meet and exceed their minority-owned business requirements on projects by providing the first centralized database of over 75,000 certified diverse firms (MBE, WBE, DBE, SDVOB, LBE, DBE, VOB, SBE & more). Contractors and developers can save time using Tough Leaf with our comprehensive data on qualified diverse firms. With Tough Leaf, users can seamlessly share their project requirements and receive a list of vetted diverse firms that meet their qualifications, have the capacity to do the work, and can provide a quote by the deadline. Our centralized database comprises data about diverse companies including their certifications, NAICS codes, union affiliation, bonding capacity, insurance, yearly revenue, and past projects performed.

What does being a minority business, or supporting minority businesses, mean to you?

It is Tough Leaf’s mission to empower minority owned businesses. Every dollar that is awarded through our platform to MBEs counts as a win for the Tough Leaf team. 

For more information on Tough Leaf, please visit: toughleaf.com or follow them on social media: LinkedIn & Twitter

The Council recognizes the significance of the start of March, as it marks the beginning of Women’s History Month. During this month, we take the time to reflect and celebrate the vital role women play in both American history and modern culture, and recognize the lasting impact that many historic women have left through their dedication, work, and passion. 

Countless women have pioneered their way into the world of business, opening doors for generations of females to come after them. In recognition of Women’s History Month, we wanted to highlight a few lesser known—but no less noteworthy—women and explore how they shifted the business paradigm to be more equitable and inclusive for all. 

• Anna Sutherland Bissel was the first female CEO in the United States. After her husband passed away in 1990, she took over the Bissell Sweeper Company. By 1999 she grew the company to become the largest organization of its kind in the world. Anna Bissell was also the first business owner to provide her employees with pensions and other benefits, and lead the movement to change the way workers are treated. 

• Thasunda Brown Duckett is the President and Chief Executive Officer of TIAA. While holding a high ranking position, she also serves several boards of well known companies like Nike. Despite her busy work life, she has also founded the Otis and Rosie Brown Foundation to recognize and reward people who empower and uplift their community. She is passionate about helping to close the gaps in wealth creation, educational outcomes, and career success for communities of color.

• Annie Malone was a daughter of formerly enslaved people. She developed a chemical straightener for coarse hair. She herself was worth millions, but used her wealth to donate land and cover a portion of the building costs for the St. Louis Colored Orphans’ Home, now known as the Annie Malone Children and Family Service Center. 

• Estée Lauder created the well-known cosmetics company that is still highly prosperous today. In 1998, she was included on the annual list of the 20 most influential business geniuses of the 20th century, notably the only woman listed among this prestigious group. 

• Christine Poon was the vice chairman of Johnson & Johnson and their former worldwide chairman. During her time there, she built Johnson & Johnson’s medicines to the leader that it is today. In 2004 she was named the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association “Woman of the Year” and in 2008 she was listed in Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women. 

While this is only a small portion of women who made a positive impact in the business field, the leadership of this group—and many others—have encouraged women of all ages to find their place and their voice in today’s working market. The Council recognizes these and all womens’ achievements, honoring the hard work and dedication that it takes to live by your morals and stand out against your peers. 

We encourage you all to get to know our list of Council-certified women-owned businesses and reach out to those listed to create new business relationships. Our goal is to help create more opportunities for minority women-owned businesses to find success, no matter what time of year it is. 

The New York and New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council is proud to announce the celebration of our 50-Year “Golden” Anniversary in 2023. As we reflect on the amazing milestone that is 50 years of serving our local business community, we think about all the progress we have made in empowering minority suppliers and connecting them to corporate members in need of their services. Not only is The Council able to help suppliers get recognized and certified as minority-owned, but we also help build and grow these suppliers through development programs and by offering ample opportunities to network and connect with other suppliers or corporate members. 

We have no plans of slowing our efforts this year —or any of the years to come— and are excited to embrace The Council’s 2023 theme: Amplifying Capabilities, Fostering Growth. 

This year’s theme is both a reflection of the core message The Council has strived to embrace since our inception in 1973 and a poignant reminder of the work still to be done in creating truly diverse, accessible supply chains for all. As we move into the 50th Anniversary year of the NYNJMSDC, we look forward to new ways we can amplify the message of our organization and build a greater connection between MBEs and new business opportunities. We hope that everyone can take time this year to explore new business opportunities, build connections that will enhance your goals, succeed beyond your expectations, and celebrate your successes. 

No matter where life takes your business this year, remember that you always have the support of the NYNJMSDC. We offer a range of networking opportunities and special events, providing the perfect opportunity for all of The Council’s constituents to create long-lasting connections to propel their businesses forward. This year’s Signature Events will take place on the following dates:

• Business Opportunity Exchange: May 18, 2023
• Biz Connect: August 10, 2023
• Networking for Scholarships: September 20, 2023
• Partnership Awards Gala: October 12, 2023

There will be plenty of other development and networking events in the coming months, and we invite you to stay tuned to our regular email newsletters and social media updates to make sure you don’t miss out on some great opportunities for your business. 

As always, we’re looking forward to continuing the advocacy, partnership, and mentorship relationships with our MBE suppliers and corporate members as we work to foster lasting, meaningful connections all year long. We strive to enable everyone involved with the NYNJMSDC to reap the benefits of connection and recognition offered through our past, present, and future efforts. And we look forward to amplifying the capabilities and fostering the growth of our members and community for another 50 years… and many more!

Udayan Bose, Founder and CEO of NetElixir, started the company with a vision to help retail businesses succeed online. As CEO, he has led the way in building NetElixir into a premier digital marketing agency, using smart, data-driven solutions to deliver exceptional performance for retailers across industries. Udayan’s exclusive focus on the digital retail space has helped NetElixir become a leader in the search marketing landscape while partnering with industry leaders like Google and UPS.

Prior to NetElixir, Udayan was the Director of Business Development at PartyGaming. He regularly lectures MBA classes at Cornell University, Baruch College, and the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, India, in addition to being an Innovation Fellow at Lang Center of Entrepreneurship at the Columbia Business School. Udayan has been featured in many of the most prominent online journals, including The New York Times, Forbes, AdWeek, eMarketer, and Media Post, among others.

Albert Einstein is one of Udayan’s biggest inspirations and, in fact, Einstein is the reason that NetElixir’s headquarters are in Princeton, NJ. Udayan prides himself on structuring NetElixir as a learning organization, both internally and externally. He leads with the notion of fail faster, which encourages his team to try new things, experiment, and learn from their mistakes or successes without fear holding them back. An open dialogue between himself and his employees is crucial to fostering creativity and collaboration. A hallmark of Udayan’s leadership style is his Sunday CEO notes that share the team’s recent accomplishments, new innovations in the e-commerce landscape, and thought-provoking ideas to keep the team connected. 

Udayan travels extensively to speak at trade shows and conferences, visit the team in person at our India office, and meet with clients. He’s excited about the near limitless opportunities available in the e-commerce industry and the chance to help more businesses succeed online!

About your company

NetElixir is an independent growth marketing agency for leading retail, DTC, and B2B brands. We have been driving profitable growth for e-commerce businesses since 2004, by combining a high-tech and high-touch approach to digital marketing. Leveraging our AI-powered digital marketing platform, LXRInsights, we predictably identify, engage, and win high-value customers through targeted demand generation campaigns on search, social, programmatic display, and retail media channels. Our strategic insights empower brands to humanize their customer relationships and draw the line between invasive and inventive marketing.

Currently, NetElixir is one of 27 agencies (and the only New Jersey-based agency) invited to sit on Google’s Leadership Circle.

What does being a minority business, or supporting minority businesses, mean to you?

Most importantly, being a minority business leader sends out a strong message about what my team and I stand for. We champion diversity and equal opportunity for all — these are in fact two core values I built NetElixir on. 

Being a minority leader means it is important to ensure my voice is heard. Recently, I sat on an agency executive committee at one of the top five tech companies and I was the only minority leader present. 

I work hard to build a community and a family, both personally and professionally, that constantly champions inclusion, openness, and diversity. At NetElixir, I am proud to facilitate a one global team mentality, where no matter our background or geographic location, we help one another, uplift each other, and dream big together.

How has being certified with the NMSDC helped your business?

I am a recent member of NMSDC, but I already feel the impact. Being certified strengthens our profile for larger brands who are looking for an agency that aligns with their diversity initiatives to complement and amplify their brand values. Most importantly, being certified means my team’s efforts toward greater diversity are being recognized and acknowledged.

What is one thing you wish you had known when you were starting out in your career?

I wish I had known more about the range of opportunities available to me. When I first started, I didn’t even know that such organizations existed or that I could make a career in search and build my own search marketing organization. If I had known the strong partnership ecosystem that is available to me, I could have tapped into this ecosystem earlier knowing that I have strong support systems in place and people to continually gain inspiration from.

For more information on NetElixir, please visit: netelixir.com or follow them on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, & Instagram

Perry Wilson is a dynamic energy executive with 15 years of cross functional experience in wholesale and retail markets who has managed trading, pricing, risk, product development, asset management, acquisitions, marketing, and forecasting. He has a robust and working knowledge of all U.S. gas and power markets with a broad range of deep functional disciplines in IT and automation. 

While working at Northeastern Power, Perry is an outside-the-box thinker who is extremely driven and a candid individual that leads by demonstration and welcomes challenges. When not thinking of ways to increase Northeastern Power’s footprint in a mission to become the leading clean energy supplier, Perry enjoys traveling abroad and long distance running. 

Northeastern Power provides clean energy services and solutions to residential, commercial and industrial customers in all New York State markets. The Company is a customer focused ESCO, delivering clean economical and sustainable products that positively impact the community.

Northeastern Power, Inc. started as an energy consulting firm in 2015, offering sustainable solutions and automation to energy service companies in New York. In 2020, Perry realized the most efficient way to make a significant impact was becoming an energy service company (ESCO) to directly serve the community with clean energy and set higher standards for deregulation in underserved communities. The New York Public Service Commission approved Northeastern Power and Gas LLC as an ESCO in September 2021. Northeastern Power is currently serving thousands of customers throughout New York State – providing customers with renewable and reliable energy which enables them to manage their energy costs and make a clean impact in their community. 

About your company

Northeastern Power is a licensed, integrated clean energy provider offering electricity, natural gas, and sustainability solutions to residential, industrial, and commercial customers. Our mission is to empower communities with innovative and sustainable solutions through integrated energy services.

Innovation

To ensure data transparency and integrity, we centralize data from multiple sources and employ proprietary technology. We provide our customers with detailed information about energy supply components, forecasted energy trends, and the impact of the product on the community.

Integration

We create unique structures with renewable generators, microgrids, and other energy companies, driving added value back to the customer

Sustainability

We focus on multiple aspects of sustainability including social-economic improvement, environmental impacts and ethical responsibility.

What does being a minority business, or supporting minority businesses, mean to you?

Being the first 100% African American owned energy supplier in New York means a lot to me, as it relates to social responsibility and much more. Supplying one of the largest and most important commodities while giving underserved communities access to clean energy gives me a sense of pride and responsibility. I feel uniquely positioned to positively impact my community on a large scale.

How has being certified with the NMSDC helped your business?

Being certified with NMSDC has helped in a number of ways including being provided a network of large corporate members that make a significant effort to support minority owned businesses, a NMSDC board that cares and are always looking for ways to drive our businesses forward – putting us in a position to succeed, and neighboring minority businesses supporting one another as we grow together. 

What is one thing you wish you had known when you were starting out in your career?

I wish I had known the full value of networking and taken more risk earlier in my career. Initially, I assumed the best way to succeed professionally was to follow the provided corporate structure/career path for growth; however, strategically aligning yourself within the company for visibility can be key. Driving value throughout departments outside of your own and regularly communicating with decision makers is also key to growth. 

For more information on Northeastern Power, please visit: nepower.com or follow them on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, & Instagram

The beginning of February marks the start of Black History Month. What started out as a week-long event has expanded into a full month of celebrating the achievements of African Americans whose accomplishments have gone unnoticed for too long in history.

In recognition of African Americans’ fight toward ending historic and ongoing oppression, this year’s theme for Black History Month is “Black Resistance.” For hundreds of years, minorities in this country have had to fight for the same rights as other Americans, breaking through barriers to have their work recognized in the same light as their colleagues. Despite the progress we’ve made as a country, African Americans and other minorities are still met with barriers and setbacks that make it harder to achieve the American dream. 

As we reflect on what the Council can do to help, we continue to promote the importance of creating a diverse supply chain. We recently named the winners of the 2022 Corporate Awards, an initiative that highlights standout members in their field for their commitment to creating a diverse supply chain. Employing people from all walks of life creates new ideas and different perspectives that can serve a business well; it also shows prospective employees and consumers that your organization values and celebrates differences among its people. 

We continue to see businesses grow and prosper as a result of the many events and programs we hold in our ongoing effort to increase the number of minority-owned businesses. We also proudly offer MBE and Corporate Spotlight recognition on our website to showcase different minority businesses and promote them to our members on both sides of the supply chain. And of course, we offer a variety of networking events to help businesses build connections, including Networking for Scholarships, the Partnership Awards Reception, Biz Connect, our Matchmaker events, and many others. We look forward to continuing these events and promoting businesses to find success in their fields. 

While we are continually motivated by the progress that we have seen in ending inequality, there is always room to grow and work to be done. This work can not be done by one person or organization alone — we must all continue to chip away at these inequalities to finally have equal opportunities for all in this country, no matter the color of their skin. 

We want to say thank you to all of our MBEs and Corporate Sponsors for your continued support of The Council and our initiatives. We are excited for what the future will bring and will continue to reflect on progress, assess our challenges, and make strides toward a powerful minority business community that benefits every member of our diverse nation.

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

What would have been a celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 93rd birthday is now a day of remembrance of his contributions to the advancement of minority communities everywhere. With every year that passes, we become closer to achieving the American dream that Dr. King so passionately and bravely fought for. Despite the progress that still needs to be made, we want to take today to look back on all that has been accomplished so far as a result of Dr. King’s leadership. 

From his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” to his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, Dr. King was, and still remains, a household name when it comes to the Civil Rights Movement. His advocacy for the use of peaceful tactics to bring attention to and spur change regarding inequalities occurring through the United States resonated around the country and world. He became a leader who inspired people of all demographics to stand up against injustice and strive for a better life. 

Today The Council recognizes the sacrifices that Dr. King and many others like him have made for us to have the lives and opportunities that we see today. We aim to show our appreciation for this sacrifice by building and uplifting minority businesses to create more opportunities for otherwise marginalized peoples and communities to prosper and grow. 

It has been a long road to gain the rights and freedoms that we enjoy today, but the fight to end racial injustice is far from over. Take today to reflect on all that you have been able to achieve because of Dr.King’s work and the success of the Civil Rights Movement. Think about the future – how can you help others to see the success that you have achieved? Whenever possible, we should be reaching out and helping those around us so one day everyone will have equal opportunity to achieve the American Dream. Keep in mind that progress will not always be linear, but don’t get discouraged. 

As Dr. King said, we must, at all costs, “Keep moving forward.”