GoDaddy is furthering DEI by empowering entrepreneurs of all kinds.
GoDaddy may be a domain registrar, but accessibility matters to them.
Back in late April, the company released two reports, on sustainability and diversity and pay parity. As is the case for many other tech companies, the documents are designed to highlight GoDaddy’s progress in meeting its so-called ESG goals—its environmental, social, and governance commitments. They detail the company’s strategies, metrics, and performance in the aforementioned areas in the last year.
“Like any objective, it’s an ongoing process, but we are making steady progress,” Ebony Janelle, GoDaddy’s corporate sustainability and ESG senior specialist, said to me via email in a late April interview.
Janelle described the reports as “a large umbrella” encompassing GoDaddy’s work in the DEI realm, adding the results are a way of holding the company accountable for their actions and be transparent with the public. When asked to explain GoDaddy’s views on diversity and inclusion, Janelle responded by saying the company “firmly believes” a diverse group of people working together towards a common goal is what ultimately fuels innovation. She cited GoDaddy’s many employee resource groups, including for the Latinx and LGBTQIA+ communities. “When we create an environment that empowers everyone, that’s when we can make meaningful impact,” Janelle said.
Regarding to pay and parity report, Janelle reiterated the same ideals. “As a company that publishes its representation and pay parity results yearly, we are proud to affirm that we continue to achieve pay parity for women and underrepresented communities in almost all areas of our business,” she said. “We conduct training about unconscious biases and are continually working to reduce its impact within our organization. Additionally, we are making significant inroads when it comes to increasing consistency in performance reviews, promotions and pay.”
Janelle didn’t explicitly mention disabled people, but the relevance should be obvious to anyone who fancies themselves an ally. “Our customers—entrepreneurs from all walks of life—should be reflected in the diversity of our workforce, demonstrating our dedication to creating a culture of equal opportunity and supporting customers who help our communities thrive,” she said. “The more voices and representation we have at GoDaddy, the more we can reach and empower entrepreneurs around the world to pursue and achieve their dreams.”
One of GoDaddy’s initiatives in their continuing efforts to further DEI is something called Empower by GoDaddy. The project, which falls under Janelle’s watchful eye, is described on its website as “equipping entrepreneurs with training, tools and peer networks to accelerate their journeys.” The company works with local non-profit organizations to help identify aspiring entrepreneurs from underrepresented groups, and give them tools and mentorship in order to be successful and realize their dreams, whatever they may be. Janelle said Empower, which began in 2017, has “grown to a global scale.” The work on Empower in particular is a deeply personal endeavor of Janelle. She cited her grandmother, Johnnie Pearl, who opened a restaurant specializing in soul food. The business only lasted two-and-a-half years because, Janelle said, the harsh reality was her grandmother “couldn’t sustain it.”
“I think about how I could have been a third-generation business owner if only she had the tools and resources to succeed,” Janelle said of her grandmother’s business. “I am so proud of the work I do through Empower by GoDaddy, and I continue to be driven by my grandmother’s story to be a leader and advocate for microbusiness growth.”
Janelle’s shoutout of so-called “microbusinesses”—side hustles, if you will—are a focus on another GoDaddy-fronted initiative in GoDaddy Venture Forward. Founded a year after Empower, Venture Forward is billed as a “multi-year research initiative” that quantifies the impact of the more than 20 million microbusinesses that exist in the United States. According to GoDaddy, 95% of these enterprises have fewer than ten employees and subsequently do not receive the kudos they deserve for helping spur economic growth in their local area. Information gleaned by Venture Forward is free and publicly available with the purpose of assisting entrepreneurs and the lawmakers who support them.
Janelle said GoDaddy is “constantly listening to our customers and what they need in order to succeed.” She shared the story of Chong Mi Land. A costume designer and founder of Land of Moon, Land participated in the Empower program and found it incredibly beneficial. Janelle shared the feedback Land sent to GoDaddy afterwards, with Land saying in part “I learned a lot about marketing and search engine optimization [and] I’m glad I went through with the program because it was also a way to network with other small business owners who experience a similar journey as yours and know the types of situations you may encounter.”
“Feedback like this is common among our Empower by GoDaddy alumni community,” Janelle said of hearing stories like Land’s. “It fills my heart with joy to know that the program is bringing together a community of microbusiness owners to not only relate in their shared experiences, but also to grow and learn from one another.”
Looking towards the future, Janelle said she intends to push on with her work in furthering DEI at GoDaddy, and is optimistic about how things are trending in the long-term. She also is hopeful more community leaders will see that more equitable entrepreneurial opportunities can be major drivers in spurring economic growth, particularly in light of Venture Forward. “My hope is that policymakers will see the impact of supporting local entrepreneurs of all backgrounds through our data and create programs and policies to further microbusiness growth,” she said.
