Thank you so much for coming on this journey together with us in the past few months to go backstage to learn more about our team and their creative journey. This has been just as heartwarming process for me to create as it has been for you to read and learn about our team. What I love the most about the work we get to do at InnovatorsBox is the amazing people I get to work with every day and I’m so happy you got to go behind the scenes and meet some of the incredible people we have at InnovatorsBox.
When I started InnovatorsBox in 2016, I spent a lot of time thinking about what I liked and what I felt was lacking at the places where I previously worked. The most essential thing to me, regardless of where I was employed, was to be acknowledged and regarded as a whole person. Regardless of what I did or what title I had, when people and the environment treat you as a human being instead of a name tag that is at the helm of getting a certain task done, you are more likely to show up fully as yourself.
I knew how different it had felt, especially as a junior team member in my early days. Even taking a lunch break felt more like a breeze instead of it being a time I had to monitor to ensure my boss wasn’t going to be upset about taking a lunch break early or be asking if I had done my work before lunch. I dreamed of what it would be like to work at such a place where everyone feels heard and I thought, unless you work in a tech company or a big firm, it may not be possible. I’m glad that’s far from true. Yes, more budget and resources may mean you have more wiggle room to experiment but that doesn’t mean you can’t build a powerful inclusive, and diverse team as a small company.
6 years is not a short amount of time but in business, it’s also not a lot. This is why, having the opportunity to feature 24 of our people in the past five months has been a gift that I don’t want to take for granted. As an entrepreneur, the people we get to work with, grow with, meet, and serve have been one of the best gifts I could ask for. I don’t ever want to forget this time and what continues to be the backbone of who we are – people who care about making this world a better place.
So as we wrap up our IB Backstage series that we have been running for the last several weeks in celebration of InnovatorsBox’s 6-year birthday, I thank you all for also coming on this journey with us. Without your support, cheering, encouragement, and feedback, we wouldn’t be here!
I hope you’ll continue to push us, encourage us, and walk with us on this journey to making this world a more equitable, inclusive, and creative workplace for all. In our strive for excellence, we look forward to continuing to dive deeper into curiosity, courage, curiosity, and resilience to serve you.
Thank you for being you, and we wish you happy holidays. We are excited for what more is to come in 2022 and walk into a new year with the feeling of gratitude, abundance, and possibilities.
Yours sincerely,
About the Author
Monica H. Kang
Monica H. Kang, Founder, and CEO of InnovatorsBox® and Author of Rethink Creativity is transforming today’s workforce through the power of creativity. She helps companies rethink culture, leadership, and team development by making creativity practical and relatable regardless of industry or job title. She has worked with clients worldwide including Fortune 500 companies, higher education, government, and nonprofits. Monica’s work has been recognized by The White House, Ashoka Changemakers, National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), and Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Prior to InnovatorsBox®, Monica was a nuclear nonproliferation policy expert. She holds an M.A. from SAIS Johns Hopkins University in Strategic Studies and International Economics and a B.A. from Boston University.
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