Mike Michalowicz found that being the only white male at women and Black entrepreneur events makes him a novelty. Audiences ask for his perspective and offer guidance. Once another person like him shows up, the curiosity dies and skepticism sets in. He keeps the advantage by tailoring his talks to each audience's specific challenges.
I went to female organizations and entrepreneurial events and presented myself or offered myself as a presenter. And I got picked up by a few. What was interesting is when you are a minority of one, like the only one person of your type in a community, you're usually embraced. So if I'm the only white male in a female audience, they're like, oh, how do you feel being here? And I'm like, I feel like this weird perv that just walked in, help me. And they give you guidance. But the second there was a second male there, now we were the pervs. Like, who are these 2 guys and what are they doing? So you want to be a minority of one. I started to learn that. I've had the opportunity to speak with Black audiences, and if I'm the only white dude there, received so well. Perhaps my favorite audiences. The second there was a couple white folks, it's like, oh, what are you here for? You lead some kind of coalition, you know? Position yourself if you can as a speaker as a minority of one, and the audience will support you, embrace you. But once there's a little cohort of people just like you, it's not going to work as well. When I started speaking to the female audience, I also catered my presentation more and more to that audience because that's the audience I was speaking to. And they're like, wow, you really get it. It's because I was learning about them. And that elevated my status in that community. So I spoke with some very significant events, and it was atypical for female entrepreneurs and women entrepreneur groups to bring in a male speaker. I was given this really unique opportunity. They in turn carried me on their shoulders to the greater audience, and then I started speaking at different events with a diverse set of entrepreneurs and massive events.
