Empowered is 1 of 10 diverse startups currently participating in the Cox Social Impact Accelerator powered by Techstars program. For the length of three months, Cox Enterprises and Techstars works with each of the founders to provide them with capital investment, executive mentoring and networking opportunities to help them achieve their business goals faster. For 2021, each of the participating startups has a focus on creating solutions to curb social injustice and have a positive impact on diverse communities around the country.
Horace Williams, founder of EMPOWRD Apps, and the companies chief engagement officer Greg Clay are corralling resources and data to enhance the work of those engaged in manifesting change. EMPoWRD Apps essentially arms those inspired to impact Black lives with relevant information to affect change in community and government.
Williams staunchly supports a remarkably simple and sincere single philosophy – that government should be simple and accessible to anyone and everyone.
Williams’ partner and EMOWRD chief engagement officer Greg Clay, supports the mission of the organization by engineering civic engagement and advocacy initiatives through political and civic collaborations.
Williams and Clay, visionaries for the public good spoke with rolling out recently about the business of making change through connecting with individuals and connecting with influencers.
Please describe your leadership style.
Williams: Servant leadership – I prefer to be an enabler of those who are working hard to support EMPOWRD’s goals. I see leadership as a role amongst many roles necessary to push any business or initiative forward. My role is ultimately to fill in gaps, inspire a culture of service across our team and remove blockers that interfere with the efforts of other teammates.
Clay: When working on many community issues and with so many stakeholders, you have to have relationships where you get things done, by being [a] resource to others. The team’s success is all a part of how we all work together.
What is your mission statement?
Williams: Our mission is to become the standardized pathway by which anyone from any economic circumstance can learn about and participate in … civic engagement as part of their day-to-day lifestyle. [EMPOWRD] is ultimately enabling anyone who chooses to participate to benefit from the rewards of living in a democratic society.
How do you utilize technology to benefit your organization?
Williams: Technology allows us to turn segmented parts of civic engagement into a consolidated, easily accessible, guided process that leverages complex technological advances to simplify the ability for anyone to have an impact. Technology brings logic and convenience to an otherwise very confusing and time-consuming process.
What are you reading now? Name your two favorite books (with the authors ‘names).
Williams: Right now, I am reading Mindsight, [a book] about self-transformation in the capacity of having an outlook on life that gives your life more value and makes you more productive. My two favorite books are Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek and Art of War by Sun Tzu.
Clay: Currently reading Compassionomics by Stephen Trzeciak as I dive deeper into social and emotional IQ. My two favorite books are We Speak for Ourselves by D. Watkins and the Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley.
