Big 2Go, an organizational consultancy that helps businesses implement effective inclusion and workplace well-being strategies, is marking 10 years of guiding leaders, teams, and organizations to uncover what makes them thrive.
Founded by Robert ‘Big’ Louis-Charles in 2014, Big 2Go was conceptualized as a solution to create opportunities for diverse talent to flourish in an increasingly complex world. Since his youth, Robert has been passionate about personal development, not only for himself but for those around him. Born to a Haitian immigrant family, he witnessed first-hand the various challenges his parents encountered to provide a better life for their children. At the tender age of 11, Robert picked up his first self-help book, The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale, which was influential in his personal philosophy and outlook on life.
Big 2Go may be celebrating its 10 year anniversary but the principles behind this organization started to form far earlier. Robert was interested in designing and creating workshops throughout high school and college, helping others develop themselves and adjust to unfamiliar situations. During his time at Union County Magnet High School (UCMHS), he spearheaded a cultural learning initiative where the school dedicated half a day to various workshops that taught students about different countries and cultures. In college, he was a dormitory resident assistant and moderator, assisting in the well-being and learning of several of his peers.
“I was responsible for making sure everyone was okay, and we had weekly meetings, which I designed as learning experiences,” Robert says. “At the end of that year, I told myself that I wanted to be paid to do this for the rest of my life.”
After graduating, Robert honed his skills within various industries and positions Including spending time as a workforce development trainer, a tenner as a college advisor to over 500 students, as well as working in HR-related roles within the nonprofit sector.
“I learned a lot throughout my professional career and this knowledge was further exemplified through my formal education. The two master's degrees I obtained taught me very different, yet very important aspects regarding the business and leadership development landscape. My first showed me that it is possible to be successful. Yes, you need a strategy, roadmap, message, and a strong team around you but when you fight for this, the rest will follow. The second showed me the complexities of the workplace. We spend our whole lives learning about the workplace and the disciplines it takes to survive within them but there is one key thing that is forgotten. The person. We don’t learn what it takes to not only survive but thrive by utilizing the art of self-mastery.”
Throughout Robert's first master's degree, he learned how to establish a successful business but in the second, he truly learned why this work is so important. By combining both the how and the why Big 2Go was born.
Big 2Go leads organizational change and strategy while facilitating both individual and team transformation. One method the company uses to achieve this is its personalized learning programs, but these programs are unlike your average. Instead, they teach elements such as how to lead with an inclusion mindset, what is the true meaning of collaboration, and how to embrace empathetic listening.
During the formative years, the company focused on training and development for the workplace, such as improving team members' skills, bringing a human-centered approach to work, intercultural communication, and other management best practices. In 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, Big 2Go saw the need within organizations for DEIB and at the same time was bombarded by clients who had realized the same. Through this work, the company gained far more than clients, they gained an understanding. An understanding of how to close the gap between inclusion and well-being.
Big 2Go works with clients in person or virtually, focusing on three key pillars – leader well-being, team well-being, and organizational well-being – providing strategic consulting, learning tools, and coaching. By partnering with HR leaders and executives, Big 2Go can help improve the employee experience and overall organizational health. Using its research-based methods, Big 2Go customizes its solutions to deal with specific organizational needs. By doing this they are able to help clients relieve stress and burnout, improve belonging, and navigate through uncertainty and change.
Robert shares one case study, where an executive at a high-profile media company was fired after saying some inappropriate things to her team. Big 2Go worked with her and gave her a space to pause and reflect, and it turned out that she wasn’t taking care of herself, resulting in high levels of stress and anxiety. Big 2Go's coaching program helped her recenter herself and find her 'core', which allowed her to return to the industry, and become an executive producer for several prominent shows, all while leading inclusive teams.
“The most important piece was that she found work that was in alignment with who she wanted to be, versus who the business needed her to be,” Robert says. “This was incredibly important to her, and the results of finding this alignment left her happy and thriving.”
According to Robert, Big 2Go still has a long way to go after 10 years in terms of his vision. However, he also makes sure to acknowledge how far the company has come since its founding.
“Looking back on the past 10 years, I believe what carried us forward was discipline, holding on to our vision while bootstrapping the business, and going against what the doubters thought of us as entrepreneurs of color,” he says. “My best friend, who's an executive at a major company, told me: 'Big, I don't know if I could do what you did. You bet on yourself, and that's a huge game changer.' That really stuck with me.”
Moving forward, Robert seeks to grow Big 2Go and its brand to fill a greatly needed niche in the market. He points out that there is a shortage of People of Color, among the top level of executive and business coaches, and he aims to be one of the pioneers in that space.
“There’s great talent among those that are underrepresented, and I hope to show them that it can be done, you don't have to become something you aren't, and we can help forge a path towards success in this industry,” Robert says.
Media contact:
Name: Robert Louis-Charles
Email: [email protected]
