By Sherri Cajuste
Special to the Reporter
Claudel Jean-Louis has been selected for the prestigious “Business Growth Visibility Campaign,” an initiative funded by the Eastern Bank Foundation and designed to level the playing field for entrepreneurs from traditionally underserved communities.
The campaign will provide System Custom Consultants with individualized public relations and media services, business-to-business purchasing and partnerships with supplier diversity programs this year,
As the co-founder of System Custom Consultants, an Information Technology consulting firm based in the Boston area, Jean-Louis, 40, has demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation in the tech industry.
A first-generation Haitian American tech entrepreneur, Jean-Louis says he takes pride in helping major corporations and government organizations build their IT infrastructure and Program Management processes.
“As a small minority company, it's great to have someone assist us to curate our message so it can go beyond the people that we are one or two degrees from,” Jean-Louis told BostonHaitian.com. “We're taking full advantage of it and super psyched for this journey.”
As a child, Jean-Louis drew inspiration by watching his father and business partner Ascencio Jean-Louis earn a degree in Computer Engineering from Northeastern University and start his own career.
“My dad came from Haiti in the late 70’s. He taught my sister and I to build PC’s and sell them to the community and it's something we try to carry on in our daily lives, whether it's through my work at System Custom Consultants or simply sharing that knowledge with others. His hands-on approach to problem-solving and technology laid the foundation for our passion and career in IT, and it’s something that continues to inspire us to this day.”
Being an entrepreneur comes with many setbacks and challenges, Claudel said.
“A part of it is access and capital that is meaningful. We try to find people that can provide us with capital and understand what we're trying to build so that they can give us the leash to build it and not turn things in the wrong direction,” he told BostonHaitian. “What we usually see is the companies and people getting access to the same customers and they aren't able to see there are other organizations such as us, we just want people to know who we are and also another option as well.”
What’s Claudel’s advice for people of color who want to break into entrepreneurship and the IT space?
“The one thing is to reach out and have conversations with other organizations like mine,” he said. Build a network, ask questions, and never be afraid to seek guidance. There are so many resources and opportunities out there, but you have to be proactive in finding them and connecting with others who can help you along the way. Don’t let fear or uncertainty hold you back, take that first step and surround yourself with a supportive community.”
Many businesses measure their growth based on financial increase, we wanted to know if System Consultants used other metrics to measure success. “The amount of clients and type of employees we have is super important. Some clients are here to stay while some may not need you after a certain period of time. In terms of the type of employers we do want to work with more people of color, women and minorities which is what we try to target and seek that may not have the opportunity to partner in a project and give them that opportunity.”
With Diversity Equity and Inclusion being removed from a lot of businesses we asked Mr. Jean-Louis on his thoughts on how businesses can better navigate the push back against DEI. “While DEI has provided opportunities for talented individuals who just needed a chance to showcase their abilities. DEI was also intended to generate jobs and serve underserved communities, promoting economic mobility. It’s important that even if the public sector tries to suppress it, DEI should still be a part of your messaging and everyday work.”
Jean-Louis expects that System Custom Consultants will expand its client base thanks in part to the Eastern Bank Foundation’s support.
“We've been doing well working in the commercial space, and now we want to explore opportunities in the government sector, starting with local and state opportunities, and eventually working our way to the federal level. We’ve been subcontracting at thr state level recently, and we believe there is significant potential in these sectors. Expanding into government contracts would allow us to grow while continuing to provide top-tier IT solutions.”
Nancy Huntington Stager, President and CEO of Eastern Bank Foundation, said the assistance offered to 25 business this year is an intentional response to the Trump administration’s rollback of programs intended to help people like Jean-Louis.
“At a time when DEI programs are under attack at the federal level, we are proud to continue our long-standing commitment to build equity in the small business ecosystem by supporting entrepreneurs of color as they grow their businesses,” said. “Working together at the Business Growth Task Force and supporting this campaign, we are serving to increase visibility, strengthen networks, and forge connections for new contracts for some of the region’s most innovative and growing companies.”
Members of the task force include the Asian Business Empowerment Council, Associated Industries of Massachusetts, BDC Community Capital, Black Economic Council of MA, Builders of Color Coalition, Center for Women & Enterprise, Commonwealth Kitchen, Emerald Cities Collaborative, Foundation for Business Equity/MCCI, Interise, Lawyers for Civil Rights Boston, LEAF, LISC Boston, MA LGBT Chamber of Commerce, New Majority Capital, Pacesetters, Small Business Strong, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, Women Of Color Entrepreneurs (WOCE), and Eastern Bank Foundation as founder.
Sherri Cajuste is the founder of the Haitians of Boston platform. The Reporter and Haitians of Boston share content through a media partnership. Follow her on Instagram.