Why businesses need to look at more than just gender when it comes to diversity

Discussions around diversity need to go beyond gender in order to ensure better levels of representation at a board level for minorities, according to a marketing entrepreneur.
Aisha Khan, founder of Consilio Marketing in Leeds.Aisha Khan, founder of Consilio Marketing in Leeds.
Aisha Khan, founder of Consilio Marketing in Leeds.

Aisha Khan, founder of Leeds-based Consilio Marketing, is a former marketing operations director for Jaywing.

She believes that everyone should be given equal representation at a board level regardless of gender, race, religion or sexuality.

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Ms Khan told The Yorkshire Post: “We are still having a debate on diversity from a gender perspective. It’s incredible that in 2020 we’re still having that dialogue.

“The case of even talking about ethnic diversity doesn’t come into it because we’re still at that fairly early stage of saying we need more diversity.

“More conversations need to take place around diversity being more than just gender. It has to encompass everything.”

The entrepreneur set up Consilio in 2018 and hopes her success can inspire other women from ethnic minority backgrounds to also break out on their own.

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The Leeds-based business employs four other people and Ms Khan set it up to be able to provide a more hands-on service to clients.

Consilio is focused on “go-to-market consulting” says Ms Khan, helping businesses that want to scale or change direction.

Ms Khan, who started her career at The Bayford Group, says running her own business has been an eye-opening but rewarding experience.

She hopes that as more women from ethnic minority backgrounds enter the marketing profession, more will end up breaking out on their own like she has done.

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“I didn’t realise how welcoming the community is when people start their own business,” Ms Khan said. “I’ve met some amazing people that have been so helpful.”

The entrepreneur added: “It’s never been easier to have your own business now. It’s a lot easier to have your own business and to get started because there’s so much support out there. There’s a lot of support and advice which is available to people.

“It’s about taking that first step. I do think an element of it is ‘I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it’ and I think people hearing from people that have been there and done that, it would really help.”

Improving diversity could see businesses unlocking potential that they previously didn’t have access to.

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Ms Khan said: “I’ve been in marketing a long time and I’ve worked in lots of different businesses. I’ve worked in businesses both in the UK and internationally.

“There was a common thread that there was a lack of diversity when it comes to ethnicities. That agenda needs to be played up a bit more.

“We’ve got so much fantastic talent in Leeds especially, we should be doing more.”

While large parts of the communications industry have been adversely affected by the coronavirus outbreak, Consilio has seen a “rush” of firms look at the disruption as an opportunity to kick-start business.

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Ms Khan said: “The last few weeks have probably been our busiest ever.

“It sounds really bizarre but we’ve had so many conversations with business about how to get their products to market quickly and effectively because everyone wants to be that first one to market.

“We’re speaking to a lot of tech businesses right now.”

A journey from medicine to marketing

A career in marketing wasn’t always on the cards for Aisha Khan, despite having spent two decades in the industry.

Ms Khan studied biomedical sciences and wanted to become a doctor. However, after three years at medical school, Ms Khan decided on a change of career.

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She said: “I’ve always been interested in meeting people and problem solving. I wanted to find a role that would help me do that.

“Marketing and communications came across as something that was really interesting so I ended up doing a masters in advertising and marketing at Leeds University to make that switch.”

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