Supplier Diversity and Business Growth Lessons from Marc Winston

What You’ll Learn from This Blog:

1. Why certification is just the first step in supplier diversity, and how businesses can turn it into real growth opportunities.
2. How access, advocacy, and relationships open doors in corporate supply chains and position diverse suppliers for long-term success.
3. What corporations and entrepreneurs both gain when supplier diversity is prioritized from stronger supply chains to thriving communities.

Introduction:

Supplier diversity is no longer a side conversation in corporate supply chains. It’s a proven strategy that drives innovation, resilience, and growth for both corporations and the diverse businesses they work with. In a recent episode of the Product and Packaging Powerhouse Podcast, host Megan Young Gamble sat with Marc Winston, Senior Director at the National Minority Supplier Development Council Inc.® (NMSDC®) and founder of Marc Winston Enterprises, to learn about practical insights from his career in corporate supply chain and supplier inclusion.

Here are five key lessons leaders and entrepreneurs can take away.

1. Certification Is a Passport, Not a Guarantee

Winston explains that becoming a certified diverse supplier, whether minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, or otherwise is like getting a passport. It gives you entry into spaces you couldn’t access before, such as corporate supplier programs and industry networking events. But certification doesn’t automatically secure contracts. Success comes when businesses pair certification with competitive pricing, compliance, and a clear value proposition.

2. Access and Advocacy Drive Opportunities

Supplier inclusion is about more than filling out a form or joining a database. It’s about access to decision-makers, procurement managers, and supplier diversity professionals who can advocate for you inside corporations. Winston emphasizes that every business needs someone speaking for them in rooms they aren’t in. Organizations like NMSDC exist to create those points of access and ensure diverse suppliers are not overlooked.

3. Building Relationships Is a Long Game

Minority-owned business growth doesn’t happen overnight. Winston shares how some suppliers spent years refining their offerings before landing corporate contracts. The key is relationship-building: staying in touch, sharing progress, and turning early feedback into improvements. A “no” today doesn’t mean never,  it can be the first step toward a “yes” tomorrow.

4. Scalability and Compliance Are Non-Negotiable

For diverse suppliers, winning contracts with large retailers or corporations requires being ready to scale. That means more than producing at higher volumes, it includes meeting supply chain compliance standards, packaging requirements, and onboarding processes. Winston urges businesses to study supplier checklists, prepare capability statements, and position themselves as ready partners for corporate supplier programs.

5. Supplier Diversity Strengthens Communities

Beyond corporate KPIs, supplier diversity has real community impact. Diverse suppliers create jobs, reinvest locally, and represent voices often excluded from traditional supply chains. Winston’s own consultancy, Marc Winston Enterprises, focuses on equipping minority-owned businesses with the knowledge and tools to grow sustainably. Through access, advocacy, and advancement, supplier diversity becomes a catalyst for both business success and community development.

Conclusion

As Winston put it, certifications, access, and relationships are only part of the journey. True success comes from resilience, improving after setbacks, scaling responsibly, and staying intentional about growth. For corporations, investing in supplier diversity means building stronger, more innovative supply chains. For entrepreneurs, it’s a roadmap to long-term opportunity.

🎧 Listen to the full podcast episode HERE

For entrepreneurs, supplier diversity is a roadmap to long-term opportunity. For corporations, it’s a chance to build stronger, more innovative supply chains.

If you’re looking to put these lessons into practice, whether by strengthening supplier relationships, meeting compliance standards, or preparing for growth, GLC can help.

📩 Schedule a Discovery Call to explore how the right packaging, project management, and operational strategies can position your business for success.

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