As part of Pride month programming earlier this summer, Social Driver co-founders Anthony Shop and Thomas Sanchez participated in a Pride month event with the American Marketing Association titled "Strengthening Our DEI Voice: A Conversation with Social Driver," hosted by Ran Borgenson of Freddie Mac. During the virtual event, Borgenson asked questions on a range of topics, including DEI, allyship, inclusivity, and best business practices for companies looking to support the LGBTQ+ community beyond Pride month. 

While Sanchez and Shop co-founded Social Driver together and are married, they rarely have a chance to appear on panels together. It was an exciting opportunity for them both to speak at the same talk, jokingly saying they were breaking some "Zoom rule" by appearing in the same frame for the virtual event.

The conversation led to several unique insights from Shop and Sanchez that can help any company create a more inclusive culture and marketing strategy. They also discussed how and why they started Social Driver, what it's like to be married and LGBT co-founders, and how the significance of being able to show up at work authentically yourself.  

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A few key insights from our co-founders: 

Inclusion, community, and culture are at the heart of building an innovative business your customers and employees are proud to be a part of. 

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Prioritize your company values and mission to profoundly impact your business, your clients, partners, and employees.

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Furthermore, creating an inclusive culture is critical.

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Creating inclusive marketing strategies will garner more visibility and support from your target audience.