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Shonda Scott: Pioneering the World Through 360 Total Concept & the 12 New Things Challenge
In the realm of entrepreneurship, there are a select few individuals who not only possess a keen business acumen but also a profound sense of purpose. Shonda Scott, the CEO and Founder of 360 Total Concept, is one such visionary. A world traveler, entrepreneur, and advocate for personal growth, Scott has embarked on a transformative journey, leaving an indelible mark on both the business world and the lives of those she encounters. This article delves into the remarkable achievements of Shonda Scott, exploring her role as a CEO, founder, and the driving force behind the innovative 360 Total Concept and the inspiring 12 New Things Challenge.
A Visionary Entrepreneur:
Shonda Scott’s entrepreneurial journey is a testament to her visionary mindset. Recognizing the need for a holistic approach to problem-solving, she founded 360 Total Concept, a company that aims to provide comprehensive solutions for businesses and individuals alike. Scott’s relentless pursuit of excellence and her commitment to innovation have propelled her to the forefront of the business world.
Building Bridges:
As a world traveler, Shonda Scott has cultivated a unique perspective on cultural diversity and global connectivity. Her experiences have empowered her to bridge gaps between different communities, fostering understanding, and collaboration. Scott’s ability to build bridges is not only evident in her personal interactions but also extends to her business endeavors, where she strives to create inclusive environments that embrace diversity.
Empowering Through Education:
Recognizing the transformative power of knowledge, Shonda Scott is a staunch advocate for education. She believes that access to quality education is essential for personal and professional growth. Through 360 Total Concept, Scott has initiated various educational programs and mentorship opportunities, empowering individuals to reach their full potential and make positive contributions to society… READ MORE
Keeping it in the Family: Shonda Scott, Brother Comedian/Actor Kenté Scott, and Son: Rising Star Austin Carrington-Scott Shine Together
In the heart of Hollywood, where dreams are woven into the fabric of reality, a remarkable family trio (Shonda Scott, Kenté Scott, Austin Carrington-Scott) is making waves in the realms of entertainment, entrepreneurship, and comedy.
Shonda Scott, the visionary CEO and Founder of 360 Total Concept and the creator of the 12 New Things brand, joins forces with her son, Austin Carrington-Scott, a rising star in the commercial industry, and her brother, renowned comedian and actor Kenté Scott, to create an indelible legacy that inspires hearts and minds.
Austin Carrington-Scott: The Rising Star
Austin Carrington-Scott, in just 17 months since entering the commercial industry, has catapulted himself to the forefront of the entertainment world. His meteoric rise is marked by authenticity, versatility, and an entrepreneurial spirit that defies his age.
Austin’s magnetic presence has graced iconic national campaigns for brands like Gap Kids and Pottery Barn. His authenticity and the ability to infuse each role with a fresh perspective set him apart as a spokesperson, creating genuine connections with audiences nationwide.
Beyond commercials, Austin’s star power extends to national campaigns alongside renowned figures, including NBA superstar Steph Curry for Under Armour. His ability to resonate with diverse audiences has been showcased in high-profile collaborations… READ MORE
Race & Equity: Why tackling inequality is everybody’s problem
Shonda Scott comes from a long line of entrepreneurs, beginning with her great grandfather, who started a development company in the Rocky Mountains when he was freed from slavery.
Her own management consulting company, 360 Total Concepts, offers a wide variety of services from facility management to construction program management with an eye toward diversity and inclusion. Scott was selected as the chairman of Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce in 2019 and wrapped up her two-year term in January.
As an entrepreneur, Scott wouldn’t let the unprecedented events of the past year defeat her or the chamber. Instead she got to work aiding businesses in the community, including helping to launch a small business resiliency fund to support Black businesses.
How do the issues for Black-owned businesses compare between San Francisco and Oakland?
Nationally it’s many of the same issues involving not getting enough work, and in California we’re under Prop. 209, which limits affirmative action. We’re fighting the same battles so we shouldn’t fight them in silos. In Oakland, we work with the other ethnic chambers and the metro chamber. At the end of the day, most of our businesses are small businesses and our members are small business owners so we collectively have a lot of the same problems… READ MORE
We, as Businesswomen, Must Answer Our Civic Calling
As a fourth-generation business owner, I was raised with the understanding that business and civic duties were synonymous. And I think if we take an honest look at the essence of civic duties and business we find that, at the core, it's best when they both work in concert.
In the 1920s, when my great grandfather — son of an enslaved Black woman and a white slave owner — became a real estate developer in Colorado building homes for Black people in the segregated Rocky Mountains, his business passion fueled his civic duty to help those who had been disenfranchised to thrive. If not for business owners like my great grandfather and owners of Colorado's historic Winks Lodge (the only Black resort in the western United States during the middle of the 20th Century), many Black people, including celebrities, would not have had a safe place to stay during their travels in the Jim Crow era. It was through their businesses that many people of color were able to create and promote their political agenda.
During the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a very close confidant — a successful businessman in Atlanta, Herman Russell. The late Herman Russell was the owner and founder of one of the largest minority-owned construction companies in the world. At the time of Mr. Russell's passing, it was reported that"When history catches its breath, Mr. Russell's life work will place him among the most significant heroes of the Civil Rights Movement because of his unwavering contributions and commitment to the progress of Atlanta and the nation. No one man has done more to make Atlanta a place where people of all races and backgrounds can bring and build their dreams."
Mr. Russell, like my parents, Art and Frazier Scott, understood that the responsibility of business — especially that of small businesses — was to give back to the local community both economically and through civic contribution. My parents, along with several other successful business owners, helped to transform the landscape of Oakland's business and civic community in the 1980s. Employing over 600 people, mostly people of color, my parents' business was instrumental in launching the next generation of Oakland's small business owners as well as supporting the city's African-American politicians whose ideologies were in line with their own. At that time, Oakland had become known as "California's Chocolate City" because of the opportunities available to Black people in both business and civic arenas… READ MORE
CEO Shonda Scott on BLM, Covid, and Working with Obama
Shonda Scott is a CEO, civic leader, TV and podcast host, producer, and philanthropist. Her company “360 Total Concept” has a portfolio of projects totaling over $1.7 billion, which has included giants such as BET, Uber, Comcast, Kaiser Permanente, major transit agencies, and several international airports. 360 has provided support services such as creating diversity spending strategies, which has helped generate over $100 million reinvestment back into historically underserved communities and increase the utilization for small businesses. We caught up with Shonda to discuss business, BLM, Barack Obama, and more.
In 2006 you created your company 360 Total Concept. Can you share with us some of the trials and tribulations that you went through as a minority business owner building your companies project portfolio?
Being a black woman in business, you are often the only person at the table that looks like you. With this being the case, it is important to me that I use this privilege and my voice to represent my community and culture. I always carry the responsibility that I am at the table to make room for others who look like me. I also realize that I am at the table to represent to others in the room the value I bring, so they understand the importance of having diverse voices at the table… READ MORE
Even In A Global Pandemic, RacismIs Still America’s Greatest Disease
Someone jokingly tweeted that COVID-19 lost a 28-3 lead to racism in America. The analogy is based on the infamous Super Bowl 51 when the frontrunner, the Atlanta Falcons, lost a 28-3 lead over the New England Patriots and, as a result, lost the Super Bowl in the last few minutes of the final quarter. This sentiment is still being stated after everything the African American community has endured in America. From 400 years of slavery to the Jim Crow system. From racial profiling leading to the New Jim Crow's mass incarceration of African Americans to the disproportionate cases of police brutality. To the murders of African Americans, with the most recent incident occurring in the midst of a global pandemic that is also disproportionately impacting the African American community. No, this is no joke at all and is even more evidence that racism still exists.
Once again, African Americans are fighting dual battles: the battle against COVID-19 health disparities and the one against social injustice caused by racism. To be frank, when COVID-19, also known as coronavirus, first hit the shores of America, African Americans thought for a moment that it would be the one crisis they could escape. Many African Americans thought that this time the melanin in their Black skin would act as the protective shield needed to combat the virus. That for the first time in American history, Black skin would not relegate Black people to immediate judgment and discrimination. That this time, just maybe, their Black skin would spare the entire African diaspora of this injustice. But it did not take long for this fantasy to be revealed as untrue. Shockingly, what was revealed instead was that over 60% of the deaths caused by COVID-19 were suffered by African Americans. The irony of this is that this data served to shed a glaring light on the disparities that have existed for centuries for the descendants of enslaved Africans since their ancestors were first brought to America… READ MORE.
CEO Shonda Scott Gives Historically Underutilized Businesses a Voice
Serving on President Obama’s Platform Committee has been one of the greatest achievements of Shonda Scott’s life. In 2006 she founded her company 360 Total Concept to provide management services for organizations needing support in public relations, monitoring and compliance, logistics, and facilities management. 360 is headquartered in San Francisco/Bay Area, with an office in Los Angeles, projects nationwide, and an international footprint. She’s a fourth generation entrepreneur, has over two decades of business experience that she leverages to assist her firm’s extensive client list, and has a portfolio of projects valued at over $1.7 billion, which includes industry giants like BET, Uber, Comcast, Kaiser Permanente, and international airports. We recently caught up with Shonda to discuss her business, her civic work, her new podcast, and more.
What was the catalyst for starting your company (360tcpr.com)?
I founded 360 Total Concept to be a part of the solution to increase awareness of the importance of inclusion and diversity on major projects and cities in America. It was important to me to help government and private corporations succeed in increasing their workforce and reinvest in communities that have been historically under-utilized. I felt as an entrepreneur, I could control the narrative and use my resources to bring awareness and the voice of the historically under-utilized businesses to the room.
Who do you look to for inspiration?
In business, Oprah is my inspiration, as building a multi-faceted empire is my goal. In politics, Michelle Obama inspires me with her grace, elegance, and ability to use her platform and authentic voice. In life, my mom is my inspiration forever. She is my MVP in life. The awesome thing is that I have personally met and spent time with each of these women. I have touched each of them, so know they are real, and so are the possibilities they represent.
Can you tell us a bit about how you market to your clients?
In the space my firm provides services for, I have built a reputation over 20 years to now be considered a subject-matter expert. My advice is sought nationally, and often passed onto potential clients by current and former clients. In addition, I do a great deal of business development through forecast and budget projections advertised by agencies. I use our social media, local radio and our website as platforms to market my firm. I also am involved in philanthropy and politics in communities where my firm does business. Being involved in communities that you serve helps to connect you with community, and also gives your business a footprint as well… READ MORE.
Reinvention – It Starts with Changing Yourself
by Shonda Scott
Just as the lyrics to the song that was made popular by Quincy Jones goes “Everything Must Change,” yes, indeed everything must change. We accept that the seasons change, fashions change and even cars change. But one mention of changing one’s self and the anxiety turns into fear, causing a feeling of mental paralysis that takes over your whole disposition.
For some reason the last thing most people want to do is change. But changing self is often the most important thing for us and the only thing we have control over. For those of us who are self-employed, changing self is sometimes more challenging than starting the business itself. As the employer, you feel as if you are the master of your universe: you re-engineer change for your company, hire and fire staff in the name of change- management. Yet you often miss the
most pivotal change, which comes with changing self. If there is an adjustment to be made because something is going wrong or perhaps not as right as you’d like, guess what is the first thing that needs to change? That’s right, the answer is YOU.
In life, and in business, if you want things to change you must start with the person you see every day in the mirror. It doesn’t have to be drastic, it can be as subtle as changing how you see things. Often we overlook the little things in our lives as we wait for the big life altering, monumental shifts. We stop taking time to be grateful for the simple things like being able to continuously make payroll, for example, which has a huge impact on the lives of those who work for your company.
Being an employer means you have created an environment that enables others to thrive. You may do it with ease but this is no small feat. According to the National Women’s Business Council, there are 9.8 million women-owned businesses in the United States, and only 10.5% of those firms employ people other than themselves. Thus, you are in the top 10% if you have to meet a payroll. Now how does it feel that something you do so effortlessly is only being accomplished by 10% of your peers? Celebrating one’s accomplishments as the head of their own business also can be the impetus for continued change.
Reinventing yourself is not just about changing when things are going wrong, it is about always evolving to create opportunities that can expand yourself and your business far beyond you can imagine. If you have been doing the same thing for the past five years, good or bad, it is time to change. If you have been doing the same routine, workout, regime in business or otherwise for the past five years, do something different. It can start with something minor like instead of taking the elevator every day, take the stairs. If you usually go to sleep on your business flights, on your next trip remain awake and take the time to meet the person sitting next to you. Your next business partner or a new friend might be sharing an armrest with you.
Recently, to avoid traffic and shorten my commute, I started taking the scenic route into the office. A simple route change allowed me to take time to appreciate the rolling hills and beautiful bay views, which I missed during my bumper to bumper freeway commute. Also, I now use my drive time to listen to inspirational messages instead of music or morning radio shows. Not only has this shift in my commute allowed me to arrive at my office feeling refreshed, inspired and less stressed, it has given me the chance to ponder new ideas for my business that have manifested additional revenue streams... READ MORE
Passionately Creating Opportunity With 2016 Stevie Award Winner, Shonda Scott
I love the freedom to create and control my destiny. The freedom to create makes being an entrepreneur a labor of love for me. Through the freedom of being an entrepreneur you learn lessons that increase your faith and inner...
Shonda Scott won the International Stevie Awards’ Female Entrepreneur of the Year 2016.
She is a recognized business woman, civic leader, and philanthropist. Scott served on The White House Council for Women and Girls inaugural committee of community leaders, after being appointed to President Obama’s Platform Committee in 2012, and describes the ability to create opportunities for her team as one of the most exciting part of being a woman in business.
What did you eat for breakfast?
Glass of water, banana, and a spoon of peanut butter for protein.
What’s your workout?
If I am unable to swim, I will workout with a trainer when I can, or walk the lake.
What picture is on your phone’s home screen? Share it with us. ?
A picture of my son and me with President Obama in the White House. Historic moment for my family and son, who was a college freshman at the time. He was on the track team and had to get permission from head coach and professors to attend the event with the President at White House. He had to bring one professor a photo, as proof he actually met President.
Tell us about your work. What inspired you to start your business? Where did you start and where are you now?
I wanted to be the link to between small business community and multi-billion dollar projects. I started my business to be a part of the solution and to help resolve the lack of inclusion issue, and also be a voice to tell the story of why diversity is America’s best success story... READ MORE
How to Make Your Morning More Productive
See 7 pro tips on how to make your mornings more productive.
Whether you’re in school, working, or perhaps a little bit of both, the way you start your day can be crucial to how the rest of it turns out. Do you hit the snooze button countless times before finally dragging yourself out of bed, or grab your phone from your nightstand and immediately scroll through every social media app for half an hour? Do you sleep in as late as you can and then rush to get ready, or wake up early to eat breakfast and zone out? And which of those things are good, bad, or in between as far as setting yourself up for success? Everyone has her own, unique morning routine — but if you look at the mornings of some of the most successful people in any industry, there are definitely some common threads. Here, we talked to some women who are pros at mastering the early hours for seven of the best strategies for maximizing your mornings.
Pump yourself up and prepare for the day. On the same token, it’s important to start your day with positivity. It may seem cheesy, but reminding yourself that you’re a badass, envisioning yourself acing a test, or making a plan to let the little things go, can have a real effect on your day. “If I have a meeting...I write affirmations about how I want the meeting to go,” Shonda Scott, CEO of 360 Total Concept and former member of President Barack Obama’s Platform Committee and The White House Council for Women and Girls inaugural committee, tells Teen Vogue. “[I write things like,] ‘Today's meeting will be productive, filled with positive connections, and extraordinary outcomes.’” READ MORE
Simple Steps to Overcome Fear and Manifest Dreams
The fear of success is a hurdle many have to conquer to live out their dreams. It is often derived from feelings of unworthiness, which leads to anxiety. One develops beliefs that their dreams are too big, that they don’t deserve such joy, happiness, or success.
If you are ready to release this mindset and begin fulfilling your dreams, I will share a few simple steps to achieve the success YOU deserve.
Is it because as a child you were told your dreams were unrealistic?
That you didn’t fit the typical mold of someone who is holding that position?
Or is it because you were never encouraged to have the faith to dream big?
Whatever the reason or circumstance, in order to move past the fear, you must first identify it, unravel, and reduce its relevance in your mind. To do this, you must reduce the fear to its minimal level by confronting it... READ MORE
A Seat at the Table
In business and in life, I have a mantra that has given me the courage to succeed in a world that was not initially inclusive. And that mantra is: Take (or make) a seat at the table.
Being an African-American woman who is also a single mother puts me into the category of a multiple-minority business owner. And let’s be honest, the business world has a difficult enough time accepting singular minorities; so having to face numerous levels of judgment upon entering a room has never come as a surprise to me. But it has never sat well with me either, which is why I amended my mantra to: Always take a seat at the table, even if you do not believe you belong.
Who Will Define You?
Half the battle here is not allowing others to define what you should be, who you should be, what you should do, where you should go, etc. and to move beyond the barriers, beyond the mental noise that blocks your progress. Having a spirit-filled mind as well as a commitment beyond your own agenda is what will ultimately allow you to soar. In order to be heard and respected, you have to learn to be comfortable taking your seat at the table. You have to own it, believe it – even when others don’t... READ FULL ARTICLE HERE
Shonda wins Stevie Award
Shonda is awarded "Woman Entrepreneur of the Year 2016" at the 13th Annual Stevie Awards.
The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honor women executives, entrepreneurs, employees, and the companies they run —worldwide. The Stevie Awards have been hailed as the world’s premier business awards. Winners were announced during their annual gala event at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York on Friday, November 18, 2016.
Nominated women executives and entrepreneurs from the US and several other countries are also expected to attend. More than 1,500 entries were submitted this year for consideration in more than 90 categories, including Executive of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Company of the Year, Startup of the Year, Women Helping Women, and Women Run Workplace of the Year.
Shonda Scott founded 360 Total Concept in 2006 in Oakland, CA to provide a solution to organizations looking to solve complex issues in the public and private sectors related to public relations, contract compliance, and general management support. Today, 360’s client list ranges from television networks to school districts to real estate developers. 360 Total Concept now has offices in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
“I’m incredibly humbled and honored," said Shonda, "The nomination is coming on the heels of 360 Total Concept’s 10th Anniversary and I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate all of the hard work our team has accomplished.”
Finalists were chosen by more than 110 business professionals worldwide during preliminary judging. Members of five final judging committees determined the Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award placements from among the Finalists.