Leading the Herd with Pride

Employee profile: Chad Smith, CMO, Moomoo Technologies Inc.

As the Chief Marketing Officer at Moomoo, I am proud to be a part of a growing young company that values and celebrates diversity. Being a gay man in an executive position, I bring my personal values and connection to the communities to which I belong to everything I do. I also feel a sense of responsibility to make sure that the people within our organization know they have the freedom to share and celebrate their background and lived experiences with each other. Everyone has a day job, but we all have a role in and outside of our workplace to help make others feel seen, welcomed, included, and heard.

Every June, Pride month is recognized - that is usually accompanied with wins and losses for the LGBTQAI+ communities around the globe that often not only affects the community, but anyone who is close to someone in the community.

Someone you know may have just been granted the right to marry the person they love in one place, while during this same time others are being stripped away of this right by having an existing union nullified against their will. Precarious times like these can often impact how people present themselves and feel in their personal lives and in the workplace. As someone in a leadership position, I feel a sense of urgency and importance to recognize that this does not just affect the LGBTQAI+ community. Most people in my organization are faced with forces in society based on their gender, sexuality, race, and ethnicity that influences how they carry themselves in the office and how they focus on their work. I believe it’s my responsibility to listen, learn and support my colleagues in any way that brings out the best in them, recognizing where they are in their lives and where they want to be. In turn, that effort will help create better lives for individuals and thriving companies.

Pride is not just a day or a month or a season. It is every day. At Moomoo we value everyone’s background, and experiences, and we embrace the differences that make us who we are, which always impacts what we can do and accomplish together. I am proud to have survived the experiences that have made me who I am. Every day, I reflect on having the opportunity to help foster a workplace culture and environment where others have not only the freedom to be their authentic selves and grow without fear of being judged, excluded, or limited in their potential, but to feel proud of it.