At Epitec Inc., diversity is built into the company’s DNA.
When Jerry Sheppard founded the company in Detroit in 1978, he found that, as an African American business owner, he couldn’t even get a business loan. Despite the challenges, he went on to build a highly successful staffing business. And diversity is at the heart of that business.
Epitec places contract, contract-to-hire and direct-hire talent in a range of industries, including financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, insurance, retail, technology and government. Many of the company’s clients are Fortune 500 companies. Epitec has staff in 30 states across the US and in Canada and is exploring international expansion.
Originally called Comprehensive Data Processing, the firm had outgrown its name by the late 1990s. Sheppard recalls his mother telling him, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak,” a phrase that originated with Greek philosopher Epictetus. Thus the company was renamed Epitec, in keeping with staff’s emphasis on listening to its clients and, in the words of its slogan, “Placing People First.”
“We work with our clients on understanding their needs,” says Chief Sales Officer Rebecca Bray. “Many of them are big companies with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, and some have specific D&I targets. We tell them that diversity is not just about the numbers. We don’t see if from a metrics perspective; you can’t send everyone to D&I training and be done. It’s about being involved in the community. How do we include people from different groups? How do we create an environment where they can be successful?”
Epitec walks the talk by working with community organizations and educational institutions to ensure that opportunities and support are available to underserved populations, especially vulnerable young people.
“It’s one thing to say we’ll help them earn a high school or college diploma and get a job,” says Bray. “But how do we give them a peer group that they can learn from, grow with, and talk about their unique challenges? We help by participating in organizations that target those nuances.”
Epitec also extends a hand to other businesses that are struggling to overcome obstacles. Sheppard says, “We use our 42 years of experience in staffing to support and lift up other minority-owned businesses who may be navigating challenges we have overcome in the past. We offer our guidance, support and industry knowledge to help them move to the next level in their business.”
Epitec holds several diversity certifications, including NMSDC, MMSDC, DFWMSDC, and CAMSC. “That is important because it shows where we came from,” says Sheppard. “It highlights our diversity of thought, of culture, of experience, and it places us in front of companies as a diversity supplier.”
Bray believes that one of the company’s assets is its diverse leadership and staff. The leadership team is primarily composed of women and represents a range of races, sexual identities and ages. Even after four decades in the industry, Epitec has an eye on the future. Succession planning is a top priority; company leadership is committed to remaining under minority ownership and keeping the doors open for future generations.
One way the company remains relevant is by staying flexible. In early 2019, the leadership team began allowing corporate staff to work remotely two days a week. The policy helps to attract and retain the best talent, making the workplace attractive for people who need flexibility as to work schedule and location. And the company was ready when the Covid-19 pandemic made remote work a necessity for some staff.
“At Epitec, part of our mission is to build a company that will last by being a healthy and profitable organization that continues to grow,” Sheppard says. “Working with and being part of a company that has strong values is something that people are looking for, especially today. But we also know that clients are focused on working with a company that delivers. We deliver the best product and service to our clients, and our diversity certification is an added bonus that highlights our integrity, values and commitment to our work.
“We are always listening, seeking to understand, and leading by example.”
