Explore the growing opportunity for non-traditional business owners to leverage existing funds - and fill current needs while generating wealth. Explore the misconceptions and hear real, day to day strategies from business owners who are establishing their foothold with Governments and Corporations at this session.
Waziri Garuba is Founder and CEO of Harlem Labs, a boutique advisory firm advising executives and entrepreneurs on strategy, and execution. Waziri serves as the “Leader’s Sherpa” to the visionaries, initiators, and teams he has navigated through roadblocks for the past 7 years. His work with key leaders in organizations led him to focus on defining the right team and culture needed for success.
Prior to his role in strategic leadership advisory, Waziri spent almost a decade working at Wall Street firms Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley. He received his MBA at Columbia Business School in 2009. After business school, he worked as a consultant on projects in Las Vegas and Sao Paulo, before eventually relocating to Austin, TX where he launched his advisory firm in 2013. Waziri serves on the board of the Austin Urban Technology Movement, Columbia Business School’s African-American-Alumni-Association, the National Black MBA (Austin Chapter), and the MLT Southwest Chapter.
Waziri keeps busy at home with a wife, a 6-year-old, and 4-year-old twins.
Archel studied business and finance at Boston University before earning his MBA from Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business in 2014.
As an alumnus of both The Consortium and Management Leaders for Tomorrow, Archel now combines his interest in finance with his enthusiasm for entrepreneurial strategy to operate the corporate development practice, Hyperion Advisory LLC. Hyperion works with its technology firm clients and their respective fund sponsors to grow revenue, increase profitability and reduce operational risks. These efforts produce positive outcomes that benefit varied healthcare, manufacturing and renewable energy companies that deliver value to the private and public sectors.
Past achievements include working alongside executive management teams at firms like Sika Capital Management, DOT Capital, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Theragen, New York City and New York State, among others.
Tahjar has chaired multiple boards and brings deep governance, risk, and compliance perspective to companies in highly regulated industries. She serves on multiple local and national boards and committees, including The Private Directors Association® of Austin and the Board of Trustees for The National University System, a role in which she helps oversee a $1.3B in operational budget. She is an entrepreneur driving the future of cybersecurity strategy for global public and private organizations.
She is the CEO, President, and Founder of Cyber Warfighters Group, a global cybersecurity consultancy, where she leads multibillion-dollar projects that ensure the sustained stability, security, and success of both the United States government and F100 clients. Tahjar founded Cyber Warfighters Group after serving as an Officer for over 22 years in the U.S. Army, where she developed and led innovative, mission-critical cybersecurity and technology strategies in the United States, Germany, Iraq, Kuwait, and South Korea.
Tahjar excels in leading large-scale cybersecurity projects in high-pressure environments. At Cyber Warfighters, she has managed an $8B procurement, provided oversight and governance project affecting 1.4M customers. Consulted as a trusted agent for processes, procedures, and reports for Army systems, Tahjar developed standards for connecting the communications of 42 military facilities in 36 states, including the Pentagon. As Chief Information System Analyst, she applied stakeholder security requirements for five Fortune 500 companies for over $2B in systems.
Rachel has over 10+ years of global experience working across various industries including Food & Beverage, Automotive, Tech, Healthcare, Music, Fashion, and Media. As Principal and Head of Operations, Rachel runs the VC ops and fund governance processes of the fund. This includes investor and partner relations, fund reporting oversight, impact metrics strategy, and all governance including legal and HR.
She also has a BA in Economics from Agnes Scott College and a MS in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech.
Based on you viewing this registration page, we assume you are interested in continuing your personal and professional development. As an alum, you have access to resources and services specifically designed with MLTers in mind. On the right-hand side of your screen, you will find some additional resources we thought would be helpful as your prepare to attend this event. If you have any questions or have wonderings about what other resources are available to you, please email Alumni@mlt.org.
Check out and support MLTers who expanded beyond their 9-5 or turned their entrepreneurial venture into their full-time role. The organizations included in the alumni business registry represent Black, Latinx, and Native American professionals who are creating success while serving their communities.
Are you an MLTer who has founded or owns a business? Add your company to the directory today!
Are you trying to start your own business? Consider purchasing MLT's personal clarity coaching package. Your coach will help you to make more informed career decisions by integrating your passions, interests, and purpose with your skills, professional background, and career goals. The MLT coaching packages offer personalized guidance from experienced, responsive, approachable coaches on topics of transitions, advancement, or pathway clarity. Invest in your future. Invest in yourself. Sign up for a coaching package today.
Want to learn more before signing up for a coaching package? Sign up for an informational meeting with our Professional Development Director, Victoria Hefty.