In this powerful episode, Juliette Mayers engages in an enlightening conversation with Herby Duverné, President and CEO of Windwalker Group, and co-founder of RISE. Herby shares his remarkable journey to entrepreneurial success, delving into the trials and triumphs that shaped his path. Together, they explore the themes of leadership, responsibility, and the impact of positive workplace culture, offering invaluable insights for business professionals and entrepreneurs.

Herby talks candidly about his early days in the US, overcoming language barriers, and seizing every opportunity to learn and grow. His story serves as a testament to resilience and the importance of staying committed to one's goals, no matter the hurdles.

He also touches on his passion for closing the economic gap and creating housing opportunities through RISE, emphasizing the significance of giving back to the community. Additionally, Herby discusses his role as Chair of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts and the importance of supporting strong leadership within the organization.

Episode Highlights:

15:30 - Curiosity, which is a big thing for me, a big word that I would like to talk about,. Curiosity, that's something that's always kind of a part of me, feeling like I want to know more. I want to learn more.

21:45 - Five years ago, a former client of mine, who's my business partner right now, called me and said, "Hey, Herby. What are you doing? Can I come see you in the office?" I said, "Yeah." He came to see my office and he said, "Let's do a business together. I'll do construction because I know construction very well. You can do the development side, and then we call it RISE together," which is he has a RISE Construction part of the business, and I do the RISE Development side of the business. So that's how we come together. Part of it is, one, not just to close the wealth gap, but really to try to create, you know, we have a housing crisis in the state, how we can create more housing and opportunity for people.

23:03 - Without that opportunity, I would not be in this position that I'm in right now because I'm really able to get in, because I could not afford to pay the full rent. To be able to go to school, driving a cab, and then really pay as little as I can because I couldn't do that. So that's why development is always a big thing for me.

Contact

Connect with Juliette

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Website

Juliette's Books

Connect with Herby Duverné

LinkedIn

Rise Boston

Windwalker Group