130 PROFESSIONAL WOMAN'S MULTICULTURAL MAGAZINE WWW.PROFESSIONALWOMANMAG.COM
LGBTQ+
ALEX MAGNUSON
EV EQUITY:
Elevating Equality through EV Solutions
By Sarah Jester
A
t NGLCC, we certify LGBT-owned businesses that operate in every industry you can imagine. As our planet's climate crisis deepens in severity, uif!fmfdusjd!wfijdmf!cvtjoftt!jt!fnfshjoh!bt!b!fme! that is more important than ever. Portland-based FW!FRVJUZ!MMD-!gpvoefe!boe!dfsujfe!uijt!zfbs-! is a rising star in electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions. "EV EQUITY is a woman-owned and Portland- based consultation and charging solution provider that makes EV readiness simple for forward-thinkers in Oregon and beyond who need guidance in a time when the climate crisis drives us to consciously change the way we travel," explained founder & CEO Jaime Duyck. EV EQUITY's practice is also dedicated to nbljoh!uifjs!fme-!jodmvejoh!uifjs!pxo!dpnqboz-! more diverse and equitable. Duyck said that choosing to certify EV EQUITY through NGLCC was an easy choice for her. "I wanted to show up for myself as an LGBTQ individual, grow my network of diverse entrepreneurs and have the opportunity to be introduced to businesses committed to supporting LGBTBE's that I otherwise would not have access to," she said. "NGLCC is the conduit that helps to open doors to opportunities that otherwise would likely not happen due to the size and scale of small businesses like mine." Before founding EV EQUITY, Duyck worked for about a decade in the IT hardware and software industry. She partnered with many companies to supply servers, storage, enterprise software, and more. Five years ago, after learning more about the potential of electric vehicles and EV charging, she chose to pivot her career to sustainability efforts. "We have to, for the sake of our planet, lower carbon emissions in order to try and correct the damage we've already done, which has resulted in catastrophic climate change," she explained. "We believe in zero emission transportation with 100 percent renewable energy fueling, for everyone, through equitable social and economic development resulting in a thriving green planet." The COVID-19 pandemic has caused tremendous strain for many new businesses around the country, jodmvejoh!FW!FRVJUZ/!Ipxfwfs-!Evzdl!ibt! worked to continue securing consulting contracts and EV charging sales throughout this time, and wants to keep connecting with others to plan for what lies ahead. "I'm proud of not giving up, adapting, and for seeking pep talks from friends and colleagues," she said. "Pep talks are great. Pep talks are underrated." As EV EQUITY continues to rise in the EV charging industry, Duyck has set numerous goals for her business that focus on elevating EV infrastructure, as well as socioeconomic equality. "My goal is for EV EQUITY is to continue to help guide individuals and businesses through consultation and solutions for years to come," she fyqmbjofe/!Xjuijo!wf!zfbst-!uif!hpbm!jt!gps!FW! EQUITY to be a pinnacle driving force enabling folks in disadvantaged communities to make the switch to Electric Vehicles and ensuring EV jogsbtusvduvsf!jt!jo!qmbdf!up!qspwjef!dpoefodf/! Cbuufsz!tupsbhf-!fmfdusjd!wfijdmf!dbs!tibsjoh-!ffu! services, dedicated support for School Districts and more are just some additional areas we are excited about pursuing." As the founder of the only woman-owned AND LGBT-owned business in the EV industry (and the only one who has been featured in episodes of Portlandia! ), Duyck had valuable advice to offer to aspiring LGBT entrepreneurs: 1. Bring your unwavering drive, mission and passion to every conversation. 2. Always be authentic. 3. Seek advice from people you respect and look up to. Don't accept advice from people you don't. 4. Never be afraid to ask for help - it's impossible to be good at everything. 5. Give and receive pep talks. 6. Take breaks, drink lots of water and get 8 hours of sleep. 7. Inspire another LGBT person starting a business. EV EQUITY is dedicated to partnering and working with minority-owned businesses and individuals. We are always growing our network of dfsujfe!fmfdusjdjbot!boe!tfswjdf!ufdiojdjbot!up!jotubmm! and maintain charging equipment. We'd love to hear from you so we can put equity at the forefront along with the environment and our economy as triple bottom line principles for a shared wealth model in usbotqpsubujpo!fmfdusjdbujpo/ Source: NGLCC
"We are committed to hiring, partnering with and uplifting women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, veterans and people living in underserved communities. When you partner with us, you're subscribing to a more equitable future."
-Jaime Duyck
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