By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A three-year-old business that provides data-driven consulting services ranging from equity training to leadership and professional development celebrated on Tuesday the grand opening of its new offices.
Ignite Change Solutions cut the ribbon on its offices at 5301 E. State St., suite 315 B. The new space also represents the company’s growth from a one-woman company focused on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to now employing three people and launching additional comprehensive workplace programs.
“This space not only says renewal for us, it also says we have more things to offer that you didn’t know when you first met us,” said Rebecca Francis, who leads the agency. “A lot of people know me as the DEI girl, which I still do, because I believe that equity is number one. However, I did go to school for other things outside of that and so I wanted people to know that as well.”
The grand opening coincides with the launch of Ignite, the company’s new comprehensive platform for professional development intended to guide participants through training at their own pace.
The practice was built from small beginnings. Francis launched the company three years ago, meeting with her first clients at a Starbucks.
“As the clients started to grow, so did the paperwork,” she said. “I got a space so I could house everything.”
Ignite Change Solutions focuses on helping organizations creating a people-focused culture, not simply enacting superficial equity gestures, Francis says.
Francis says many equity initiatives fail to produce measurable outcomes, leaving employees and institutions to feel disillusioned by DEI efforts rather than encouraged.
The practice has worked with numerous businesses and civic organizations in town, ranging from real estate firms to City Hall.
Mayor Tom McNamara said he appreciates the measurable goals that Francis puts forward.
“She does a great job of listening to people. She does a great job of creating measurable and actionable items,” he said. “Then she comes back and she circles back to you and shows you were you’re improving and where maybe you still need to improve a little bit more.”
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas