Build Your Own Door: Interview with Entrepreneur Suki Sandhu OBE

I recently went one on one with Suki Sandhu OBE. Suki is the founder of Audeliss and INvolve and is the author of new book How to Get Your Act Together: A Judgement-Free Guide to Diversity and Inclusion for Straight White Men.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth? 

Suki: I got there with a lot of hard work and determination. Being a Founder, is one of the toughest jobs in the world, especially as a start-up founder as everything relies on you to begin with and you’re trying to spin a million plates. My biggest challenge has always been people, largely when hiring the wrong people, and then not moving quickly enough to manage the bad hire. On the flip side, the joys of being a founder is also the people! I get to work with some of the more amazing, talented and committed people and it motivates me to keep going. Being able to let go and delegate has been one of my biggest learnings as well as not being such a perfectionist. Sometimes good enough is enough. 

Adam: How did you come up with your business ideas and know they were worth pursuing? What advice do you have for others on how to come up with and test business ideas?

Suki: I was already working in the field of diversity and inclusion and thought that I could do it better by putting a business together to help accelerate representation and inclusion. I could see that the need for D&I was never going to go away and it needed a proactive, purposeful approach and framework that would support businesses to own it and drive it. We are still testing new and innovative solutions both at INvolve and Audeliss and have learned that feedback is a gift to help us refine our work, as we are always striving to grow and learn. 

Adam: What are the key steps you have taken to grow your businesses? What advice do you have for others on how to take their businesses to the next level? 

Suki: Staying focused on what our core business is, is critical as well as keeping it simple. My advice for others is making sure that clients understand what you do and how you can help. If they don’t see it, they’re never going to buy your product or service. Also, take your time in hiring people and once you have them, understand that you can’t do the work on your own so give them the space to deliver and make mistakes, while being present to support them. Thirdly, it’s great to be able to make successful sales, but the promise of delivery must also be met. Ensuring clients receive a high-level service also leads to more business and referrals, helping your business to grow. 

Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level? 

Suki: An effective leader is an inclusive leader. Some of the qualities that define being inclusive include objectivity and empathy, both being able to assess situations fairly while also being able to relate to and understand employees. Being approachable and an active listener is key, so that employees know that they can equally discuss their innovative ideas and any grievances easily helping to build rapport and strong working relationships. Also important is choosing to be egalitarian in nature and ensuring that all employees are treated fairly both in regards to promotion and opportunities but also holistically making sure that employees at all levels of a business have access to the same workplace benefits, regardless of their status within the organisation. 

Adam: What do you hope readers take away from your new book?

Suki: Unless you look at systems of oppression within society and can reconcile how you are inherently benefitting from this set up due to your whiteness, it’s not something you’ll be instantly aware of. I hope that readers can identify firstly, where they do have privilege, unearthing this alongside other concepts I break down like anti-racism, equity and the power in being an active ally, or accomplice. Secondly, I hope that the practical tools and guidance in this book, informed by my fifteen+ years working within diversity and inclusion and through Audeliss and INvolve, provides readers with the necessary Suki Sandhu. Adam Mendler interview. tools to take their learning forward. Ultimately, this book is meant to spur real action and not just another conversation.

Adam: What are your best tips for leaders on the topic of diversity and inclusion? 

Suki: The first is understanding that you won’t have all the answers, so educating yourself is key. Education isn’t a tick box either as the space is constantly evolving, thus its vital leaders keep on top of discussions within the space and are constantly adjusting their approaches to become more inclusive. Secondly, just as data informs projects and overall business plans, it helps to shape D&I agendas too. Having a robust data collection and reporting process in place is vital when forming a diversity and inclusion strategy as it forces business leaders to be accountable for real change. Both quantitative and qualitative data is important and can quickly unearth where a business’s weaknesses are, allowing for swift action. Thirdly, invest in your employees. This can be a combination of talent development programs such as mentoring and sponsorship or trainings and digital trainings for your employee network. All of these work to enhance your business and the skills and careers of those who work in it. 

Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading, and managing teams? 

Suki: I’m not a perfect leader and I’m learning every day, so leading by example is something I try to follow. Having regular check-ins (I do mine weekly) are important, especially in a remote working environment, and it’s important to reward your team for the work that they do, as well as being consistent with praise, encouragement and reinforcement. On a leadership level, we are very connected. For example, we have a leadership team WhatsApp group to motive each other, share wins and stories. I’m not always good at sitting back, reflecting and celebrating the wins so making space for this is something I want to give more thought too and I encourage other leaders to do so too. I do have a fear of failure, and as I don’t have investors it’s always my priority to ensure I can pay my team every month and this does keep my on my toes, but in the best way. 

Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders? 

Suki: Be resilient, love what you do and work hard. 

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received? 

Suki: If opportunity doesn’t knock, build your own door. I would say that I’ve built a corridor of them!


Adam Mendler is the CEO of The Veloz Group, where he co-founded and oversees ventures across a wide variety of industries. Adam is also the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one on one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. Adam has written extensively on leadership, management, entrepreneurship, marketing and sales, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities and non-profit organizations.

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