Known Unknowns | Marvyn Harrison

KNOWN UNKNOWNS IS A SERIES THAT PROFILES MOVERS AND SHAKERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

TO DRIVE BETTER, MORE SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS PRACTICES.

Meet Marvyn Harrison - the Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of BELOVD Agency - a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion agency with the goal of culturally transforming business around the world to become fairer and more sustainable.

Marvyn’s leadership experience extends to his role as the driving force behind Dope Black Dads, an educational and healing platform designed to improve the outcomes of black people, has seen him become the voice of the Black community across the UK, US, and African continent. Marvyn has been listed by Forbes, HSBC and Black British Business Awards as one of the top Black Business people to watch and follow. Most recently, Marvyn became an author of the children’s book; I Love Me!: A First Book to Build Confidence and Self-esteem

Can you describe what Belovd does in a few sentences?

BELOVD supports organisations through culture change. We focus on improving relationships, processes and systems between people in your organisation, the business, the products and services that you provide, and your community. We want to make sure your wages are fair, that women feel safe and we want class to no longer be the biggest reference point for success or failure. At the centre of all those elements we are trying to disrupt - is mindfulness. 

What was the turning point in your career that inspired you to start the company?

When I was in the advertising industry, I started a male parenting group called Dope Black Dads - a digital safe space for fathers wishing to discuss their experiences of being black. We were doing education and training inside workplaces and it became apparent there was no legacy to that work. We decided to create a framework, not just from the perspective of race but from a full human experience. This led us to BELOVD, which is centred around all the people showing up in our workplaces, and normalising their presence, their gifts and their lived experience in order to try and create better outcomes. 

I love this phrase, the advancement of all interjections of humanity in the workplace. Can you describe what you mean by intersections?

The idea is in our name, BELOVD. Behind the community is a mindfulness philosophy. It connects to the idea that our differences should not come at the cost of humanity and shouldn't impact people to the extremity. As an example -  I may be Christian.  Now, if I use that lens as the basis of how to treat people, it then becomes problematic because if you are not Christian, then you can be impacted by the worldview of someone who is. We want to make sure that your personal computer does not become the motivation for how you influence.

What are the specific skills or competencies that your facilitators must have in order to provide education and training for your clients?

There is an academic element of how we deliver a culture transformation in an organisation. We also lean on people who are experts in their respective fields because their worldview and level of education is deeper, and more organic than most. We partner exclusively with nonprofits, charities, activist community leaders, and train them up. Once we give you the (mindfulness) framework, and we amplify your education with more formal training, you then become indispensable because the principles of mindfulness are about you -  not about the world. The cost of me being a black man in 2021 is unique - and I can academically tell you but I can also anecdotally tell you. Between the two and with the right balance, young can enrol anyone to change.

That's where our approach differs; you can Google much of the academic content but you cannot Google mindfulness. Mindfulness does not land until you are taken on an experience and have done the work. We can only move as far as fast as our awareness.

What skills are you hoping to empower your client with that they didn't have before?

Actionable insights. Mindfulness leaves you open to education; education gives you the tools; and the tools are implemented at different points of your organisation to propel change.

Do you have a standout project or clients that may be sent out to you as one of your favourites?

In many ways, it is like trying to pick your favourite child -  you just can't. Every breakthrough is one of the best feelings in the world. It’s beautiful when that epiphany happens.

What is the biggest misconception you've come across about driving greater inclusivity?

People think inclusivity is academic. People think they can watch a webinar and everything will be ok. People have to understand that this is a big shift that we're asking and it will require a certain amount of time, effort, energy and budget to achieve. It is really important that you don't waste time and effort doing it incorrectly. Humanity doesn't evolve because you did a panel about black people. There are no cutting corners to sustainable change.

What do you think are some of the biggest barriers to driving greater inclusion in workplaces? 

Money and internal biases.  

How do you spread your message and get more people in tune with BELOVD’s cause ?

I believe that my state of being is what creates everything around me. So at BELOVD, it is not what we say, it is your experience of us - how make you feel. For us, success is being consistent in our thoughts and actions, maintaining integrity and having good values. When you communicate those values, people will be attracted to you, and they will want to enrol you in the things that they're doing. That is how you go from nothing to something. Many people try to fight the laws of nature with money, or sex -  none of those things will deliver success. So our work is internal and keeps us closer to the truth, to the education- which we can then interpret into solutions for businesses going forward.

If you weren't in DEI, what would you be doing?

I think I would be in strategy. I love advertising strategy, I had so much fun. I built some incredible things that I really enjoyed being a part of. 

For more information about BELOVD’s work, visit https://www.belovd.agency