Shannen Bornsen: 'Volunteering isn’t something you do in isolation'
Name: Shannen Bornsen
Connection to MBGA: SME in Marketing for Kobi Co, a luxury candle and wellness products company.
Q: What led you to volunteer with MBGA?
A: MBGA’s mission struck a chord with me because of work I had done both in the DE&I space and in consulting. Starting a business is tough and gutsy - and I love helping small businesses succeed.
Q: What other types of volunteer work have you done?
A: I’m a board member for the MN District Export Council and Women Impacting Storebrand Excellence™ (WISE), a non-profit professional development organization that champions the power of diversity and inclusion as a way to create profitable growth within the store brand industry.
Q: What have you taken away from your volunteer experience with MBGA?
A: I really admire the innovation of small business owners. Kobi Co isn’t just a candle company; they are focused on holistic self-care. From incorporating minerals in their products to including suggested playlists with their candles, they show that innovation comes from deeply understanding their customers’ needs. Innovation has always been a core focus of my work and I love seeing how MBGA business owners bring a fresh perspective to their industries.
Q: Can you share any surprising or unexpected discoveries you’ve made in the course of volunteering?
A: Volunteering isn’t something you do in isolation. The business I am partnering with not only has committed, passionate founders; it also has support from a wide network of people who want it to succeed. In order to get the most out of our work, we all have to coordinate and think of ourselves as members of Kobi’s extended team.
Q. What is a day in the life of a MBGA volunteer like?
A: Small business owners are extremely busy, so you value every opportunity you have to connect. We check in via phone, videochats, and email and discuss both strategic and tactical needs. Lately our time together has been focused on their web site as well as annual planning.
Q: Many volunteers joined MBGA to help advance the cause of racial equity. Can you recommend any resources (books, articles, podcasts, movies) that have helped you in your journey?
A: There are two books that stood out to me right away, Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man by Emmanuel Acho and Becoming Ms. Burton by Susan Burton. I also took part in an Intercultural Development Inventory program offered by my church, Westwood Lutheran. The IDI helped us recognize our own biases and discover ways to be better advocates for racial and cultural diversity. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is understanding the word “privilege”’ and being able to talk about what that really means.
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