SCORE Helps Entrepreneur Pivot from Academia to DEI Consulting

Eden-Reneé Hayes doesn’t just want humans to be the best they can be. She leads companies of all sizes in implementing strategies to ensure staff reach their full potential.

“Keep your best people longer. That’s really what you want,” said Hayes, of Wayland. “What may be leading to them to being disengaged? What kind of barriers may be in place? You want to identify any bias that’s happening in promotion processes. You want people to be able to thrive in their positions. Where are you now and where can you build?”

These are just some of the ideas Hayes, through her 15 years of experience in talent acquisition, retention and inclusion, uses to guide companies in undertaking diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives as part of her business, Pluralism Solutions. She founded the business in 2020 following a career in academia and administration.

“For me, it really was just trying to figure out how I could use all the knowledge and expertise I gained in getting a PhD to have a meaningful, measurable impact on businesses,” she said.

On the heels of companies including Meta and Amazon announcing cuts to DEI efforts, Hayes said that while businesses “may not want the negative attention” associated with DEI, “most companies do believe in DEI.”

“There has been a lot of ebb and flow with DEI,” Hayes said. “DEI evolves. Our thinking about culture evolves. The backlash is really overstated. A lot of it is focused on the word ‘dismantling’ DEI.”

In a TEDx Talk, an entertaining Hayes used Star Wars characters, including Luke Skywalker and Yoda, to demonstrate how people often judge people by their looks.

“We need to unlearn to unlock our potential,” Hayes told the crowd.

Hayes prepared for the talk with help from SCORE, a nationwide nonprofit supporting small businesses through free mentorship. She has worked with SCORE mentors Cary Morrill and Malli Gero for about two years.

“They’re wonderful, wonderful, wonderful women,” Hayes said. “They want to see you do well and they have expertise to share. You have your thought partner right there.”

Morrill has a human resources background, which provided great insight on Pluralism Solutions and its trajectory.

“She’s very open to other people’s ways of doing things. She listens and gives it full consideration,” Morrill said. “She’s fun to mentor.”

Her mentors recently provided guidance as Hayes was selected to participate in SCORE’s 60th Anniversary Pitch Competition. More than 2,200 small businesses applied to compete in five pitch events. Contestants were pared down to 60 contenders who presented their pitch live before panels of judges. Of the 60 chosen to participate, 15 winners were selected.

Hayes was one of 45 finalists.

One of the greatest benefits of SCORE for Hayes is that “you don’t just get one mentor. You have a team.” Hayes, likewise, collaborates with companies to build the strongest teams possible.

“DEI truly is there for everyone,” she said, adding that it empowers individuals to “Learn more about the humans that they work alongside and innovate in the best way that we can.”

Looking ahead, Hayes intends to pay it forward.

“I love SCORE,” she said. “When I retire, I’ll definitely be a SCORE mentor.”

To learn more about SCORE, request a mentor or volunteer to be one, visit score.org.

About SCORE

Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 17 million entrepreneurs start, grow, or successfully exit a business. SCORE's 10,000 volunteers provide free, expert mentoring, resources, and education in all 50 U.S. states and territories. Visit SCORE at score.org.