Letter to DC Council from Barbara Lang
Dear Mr. Chairman: Re: Sports Betting & the DC Lottery Contract As you know, I have a strong history advocating for small businesses in this city. As Vice President & Chief Procurement Officer at Fannie Mae for 10 years and more than 12 years as President & CEO of the DC Chamber of Commerce, I […]
Reflecting on Five Years of Lang Strategies
With change comes opportunity. But the uncertainty that comes with change can often cause anxiety and even fear, yet no one I know has ever succeeded without some discomfort along the way. When I left the DC Chamber of Commerce more than five years ago, I felt some of that discomfort as I packed up […]
Creating a Culture of Women’s Empowerment Beyond March
I am a woman, and proud of it. I say that not in a defiant way, but it happens to be a fact of which I am very proud. The challenges and obstacles set before me as a minority woman throughout my life have not discouraged me, but empowered me to be not the just […]
Partnerships Are Built on Trust, Loyalty, and Difficult Conversations
Contrary to popular belief, the customer is not always right. Sure, when it comes to partnershipsand building relationships with clients, it is vital to align with their business goals and objectives.But they hired you to work with them on what is the right course of action, and that is whatrelationship management is all about.They key […]
Only You Can Determine Your Success as a Leader
2,017! That was the magic number. The DC Chamber of Commerce’s membership was stagnant. We had 1,400 members and we were bleeding. For every member brought in, we must have lost three or four. That was not a sustainable business model. I was the new President and CEO. It was my job the plug the […]
DC’s Light Shines Bright for Those That Live and Work Here
As I sat on the city bus headed to school, I knew I was in the “wrong” seat. There was no way a little black girl should betaking up space in the front of one of Jacksonville, Fla.’s, most popular modes of transportation. But I didn’t care. I hadas much right to that seat as […]
When You Start Your Own Business, You Write Your Own Story
I turned off the light and refused to look back into the dark, empty office I spent thousands of hours in over the past 10 years. There were several reasons I closed the door gently and quietly walked out with two of my longest tenured employees. It was surreal, and I felt a mix of […]
My Faith Restored
After last week’s election, my faith in the American people has been somewhat restored! Like many Americans, particularly women and those of color, I had become increasingly concerned and despondent at the threats, vitriol, and divisive rhetoric we saw during the 2016 presidential campaign and the first year of the Trump Administration. The name calling […]
How Personal Branding through Customer Service – Can Be an Anomaly or an Impact
In American society today, we have opportunities to leave an indelible mark. We are fortunate. In some societies, people must focus on mere survival, worried about securing life’s bare necessities. Among the most impressive ways to leave a mark is through personal branding. Customer service is not synonymous with personal branding, but it should be. In a word, customer […]
Leading from the front
We have all witnessed over the past year an absence of strong leadership, effective communications, and compassion for others – whether it be the national dialogue on race relations in our country, the heighten saber rattling in our interactions with North Korea, or just dealing with colleagues on the ups and downs of running an […]