Keya Grant, Constellation Brands and
Rachael Humphrey, Metro Records Management
TRANSCRIPT
Intro: [00:00:04] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia, it’s time for ABC Radio’s Open for business. Now, here’s your host.
Lee Kantor: [00:00:18] Lee Kantor here. Broadcasting live from the Georgia Aquarium Oceans Ballroom for the 2023 GWBC Lace Awards Gala, Ladies Achieving Continuous Excellence. Keya Grant and Rachael Humphrey here, the co-chairs of this great event. Welcome, ladies.
Rachael Humphrey: [00:00:36] Hello, hello, hello.
Lee Kantor: [00:00:38] So for the folks out there who aren’t familiar with the event, tell us what you got planned.
Keya Grant: [00:00:42] So this is a night to celebrate corporations and clubs who have done exemplary work in their respective companies and fields. So we are looking forward to celebrating those phenomenal people.
Lee Kantor: [00:00:57] And then there’s also a silent auction.
Keya Grant: [00:00:59] There’s a silent auction.
Lee Kantor: [00:01:02] Go ahead.
Rachael Humphrey: [00:01:02] Yes. No.
Lee Kantor: [00:01:03] Jump in there, Rachael.
Rachael Humphrey: [00:01:04] No, no, that’s exactly right. Us. But Keya and I are the co-chairs of the awards committee. So we’re a subcommittee of the subcommittee?
Lee Kantor: [00:01:15] Yes, but you’re co chairs.
Rachael Humphrey: [00:01:16] Yes.
Keya Grant: [00:01:16] Correct.
Rachael Humphrey: [00:01:17] Yes.
Lee Kantor: [00:01:17] And then so for people who aren’t familiar with an event like this, so they can expect awards for great work throughout the year, but there’s also a silent auction to raise money, correct.
Rachael Humphrey: [00:01:27] Yes. This is a non for profit. Right. So there are wonderful items up for auction and trips and trips. Trips. Yeah.
Lee Kantor: [00:01:36] And those power lunch power lunches right. Awesome. That’s awesome. Whose idea was that? The committee. Yes, I know, but you got great roster of folks to have power lunch with, correct?
Rachael Humphrey: [00:01:48] Yes.
Lee Kantor: [00:01:49] And how do you pull something like that off?
Keya Grant: [00:01:52] People are just really excited to support WBS and making sure that they are empowered and mentored. And what better way to do that than to have a power lunch now?
Lee Kantor: [00:02:02] How long have you been working with GWBC?
Rachael Humphrey: [00:02:06] Oh my goodness, I have been I have been a WBE, so I am a small business where Keya is a corporation right. So I’m a small business and I’ve been around for I’m just going to say many many many years.
Lee Kantor: [00:02:19] But what inspired you to get part of this great organization?
Rachael Humphrey: [00:02:22] I became a part because I wanted to network, I guess is a word which I don’t like the word network, but I wanted to be around women who are like minded, those who were looking for business just like I was, and the corporations that were looking for people like me. Right. So that is a partnership that you need, not just meeting people, but a partnership. You want to meet people who are looking for you and you’re looking for them. And that’s what this organization allows.
Lee Kantor: [00:02:50] And it’s it’s almost like a cheat code for a small business to get in front and build relationships with folks that would be very difficult to meet if they weren’t part of this organization.
Rachael Humphrey: [00:03:00] Exactly. And like you said, that there’s an opportunity for you to have lunches and to also partners. That’s one of the things that in the auction, people love that part of this, of this, this event, the event. Yeah. Right.
Lee Kantor: [00:03:13] Well it’s relationships now. Absolutely. Keya talk about from your lens about the importance of WBC. Yeah of course.
Keya Grant: [00:03:20] So I have been involved with GWBC for probably 18 years, and it has been through the capacity of working for a major corporations that support WBEs and this amazing organization. So I help to help my company, the companies I work for, find qualified WBEs to fulfill our goals and needs. Right. Yeah. And so and diversify our supply chain.
Lee Kantor: [00:03:49] And then how are you seeing, you know, being involved for so many years. Are you seeing an evolution of that women business owner. Sure.
Keya Grant: [00:03:56] Absolutely. I’ve mentored I can’t tell you how many women business owners in my career. And I can tell you what my my current company now, our largest spend is WBE spend.
Lee Kantor: [00:04:07] Wow. Yeah. So that’s inspiring to hear from a lot of the folks in this room, I’m sure. Yes.
Rachael Humphrey: [00:04:13] And he is being modest because I’ve been around a long time. And even if you’ve been around a long time, if you have someone like Keya in your corner, she’s going to introduce you to somebody and that’s what you want, right? And if it’s not something that I’m doing, then I know somebody who is doing something that she might need. Right? So continuous apart, like you said, not only mentoring but partnering, but also just referring each other. And that’s what it’s all about. You know, just people doing business. I tell people all the time, I may not know somebody, but I know somebody who knows somebody.
Lee Kantor: [00:04:45] And that’s that’s just as good.
Rachael Humphrey: [00:04:47] That’s important.
Lee Kantor: [00:04:48] Yeah. And a lot of folks get impatient. I think they think that, oh, I’m here for. Here’s my business card. Where’s the money? And it’s not like that. This is about relationships. And it takes time.
Keya Grant: [00:04:58] Exactly. And I try to I try. To mitigate expectations. And it is about timing and it’s divine timing. Right. And it is about just and I always tell people just because you’re certified does not guarantee you business. Yes, you have to be involved with the organization, right. You have to come to events, show.
Lee Kantor: [00:05:18] Up and volunteer here. Absolutely. Yeah.
Rachael Humphrey: [00:05:20] Exactly. Exactly. Because it’s not like Keya, you know, people like to pass out the card and think, oh, I’m gonna get new business. It doesn’t happen like that, right? I was with Coca-Cola and some other big names that that I had, but it took years right before it was my time. Right.
Lee Kantor: [00:05:37] Years to be an overnight success, right?
Rachael Humphrey: [00:05:39] Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. So. And you have to be patient.
Lee Kantor: [00:05:43] So let’s talk about your businesses for a minute. You want to talk about your firm.
Keya Grant: [00:05:48] Sure. So I work for Constellation Brands. We are the number one beer company now in the world. We are based in Rochester, New York. In Chicago, our portfolio includes modelo, Corona, Pacifico, Svedka vodka, we’re Bridge Wine, Robert Mondavi, Meiomi. We have a huge portfolio of brands.
Lee Kantor: [00:06:08] And then so folks can talk to you at GWBC you’re involved in hiring, like, what are the typical hires?
Keya Grant: [00:06:16] No, do not call me.
Lee Kantor: [00:06:17] Don’t call you.
Keya Grant: [00:06:18] I’m not hiring. But of course we’re looking for a WBE right.
Lee Kantor: [00:06:22] Like to partner with correct. There are certain niches that you look for.
Keya Grant: [00:06:25] So logistics marketing and it good stuff.
Lee Kantor: [00:06:30] Yeah. And then Rachel yes.
Rachael Humphrey: [00:06:32] Well I’ve been in business since 1998. It’s woman owned minority owned and I do mail copy print I do it managed services. I have a partner. And having a partner allows you to expand what you do. So I have a managed service partner that I’ve been with for over 14 years. And we do equipment. We do like we we are the ones who do the excuse me, your office, if you need an equipment to do your copiers and your right.
Lee Kantor: [00:07:04] So yeah, any type of equipment.
Rachael Humphrey: [00:07:06] Any type of equipment, we can do that. And we do phone services as well. We do what you get when your phone. So it’s been a good partner. But I learned in this and not only just as a person in a business, it’s good to partner with people. That’s right. And it’s not only in as a corporate but also a WB. I partner with WB because I may not be able to fulfill with the right partner.
Lee Kantor: [00:07:30] You can do anything correct.
Rachael Humphrey: [00:07:31] You can expand what your needs and it helps to build capacity and scale. Right. Exactly, exactly.
Lee Kantor: [00:07:37] All right. So before we wrap up website for Constellation Brands.
Keya Grant: [00:07:40] W-w-w dot C brands.com.
Lee Kantor: [00:07:42] All right. And Rachel?
Rachael Humphrey: [00:07:43] WW dot w metro records management.com.
Lee Kantor: [00:07:48] All right. Well thank you both for participating. You’re doing important work and we appreciate you know thank.
Rachael Humphrey: [00:07:53] You for having us.
Keya Grant: [00:07:54] Thanks for having us.
Lee Kantor: [00:07:55] All right. This is Lee Kantor back in a few at 2023 GW BC Lace Awards Gala.
About GWBC
The Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC®) is at the forefront of redefining women business enterprises (WBEs). An increasing focus on supplier diversity means major corporations are viewing our WBEs as innovative, flexible and competitive solutions. The number of women-owned businesses is rising to reflect an increasingly diverse consumer base of women making a majority of buying decision for herself, her family and her business. 
GWBC® has partnered with dozens of major companies who are committed to providing a sustainable foundation through our guiding principles to bring education, training and the standardization of national certification to women businesses in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
