Phyllis James, Chief Diversity Officer, MGM Resorts
Jan 13, 2026
Kelly Fidel sits down with Phyllis James, Chief Diversity Officer of MGM Resorts, about diversity in procurement and positioning your business to get and retain clients. This was a great fireside chat done live at the No Glass Ceiling Event.
Here is some of what happens: Kelly gets Phyllis to share how MGM Resorts invests in women-owned businesses as well as how to approach, set a meeting, and close a deal with a HUGE corporate client such as MGM Resorts.
Phyllis shares some insider knowledge of how a multi-billion dollar company operates. Plus, what goes on internally when corporations are contacted by business owners like you and me.
We take a deep dive into how MGM Resorts screens potential business owners before MGM partners with you.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- MGM Resorts is committed to diversity & inclusion which they practice at every level of the business operations, internally and externally.
- Not only is supporting women-owned businesses the right thing to do, but it also benefits MGM Resorts.
- Phyllis introduces Kenyatta Lewis, the Executive Director of Supplier Diversity & Sustainable Procurement at MGM Resorts, and shares an example of a popular product they sell from a woman-owned business that Kenyatta found.
- Be honest about your product and what it has to offer in the current marketplace.
- Find what you are passionate about, that your product or service offers that differentiates it from other options in the marketplace.
- MGM Resorts does not have just one initiative, they are constantly on the lookout for new products and services to improve the experience at their resorts.
3 Key Points
- Preparation is necessary to make sure you are presenting your best self and best business.
- Do your homework and know something about the client you are trying to market your product to.
- Approach interviews to sell your product with a long-term view to build a relationship rather than making a one-time sale.
Famous Quotes
- “Just the fact that you’re women-owned is not persuasive. If it was at one time, it no longer is. Because believe it or not, there are many women-owned businesses out there and there’s keen competition.” –Phyllis James
- “We’ve had people not know the basics of doing business, like how do you present a proposal, how do you conduct yourself in an interview, how do you show up looking & acting at the interview? We’ve had people flunk all of those tests, meaning they did not prepare.” –Phyllis James
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