Navigate polarizing landscapes and "cancel culture" traps.

Businesses wanting to stay relevant and do the right thing are asking questions such as “What is ‘woke’ and how can a business be it?,” and “ How can you avoid a mistake that could get you ‘cancelled’?” While social justice issues dominated the headlines, author and disability advocate Alison Tedford realized business owners were asking these questions and often didn’t know how to sell with sensitivity, share their stances on social justice issues, or even what their audiences wanted or expected from them. Did they need to take a stand, and if they did, what if they said the wrong thing? Was recovery possible?

This experience saw Tedford develop a program that is, in a nutshell, social justice education for owners of businesses big and small. Stay Woke, Not Broke explains how to create diversity statements, develop content plans for ongoing social justice topics, and moderate your communities to let important conversations take place.

With more than a decade in cross-cultural communication and education in the public sector, and several years in the private sector creating content for public education on social history affecting Indigenous people, her experience navigating sensitive topics lends itself to this book.

Tedford has been struggling with chronic pain for a number of years as a result of her diagnosis of joint hypermobility syndrome (Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.) She has appeared on Sick Biz Buzz and Mom Camp podcasts to discuss life as an entrepreneur with chronic pain. She has also been a patient advocate with Pain BC in their collaborative care consultation and they have shared her content in the past. Tedford is an advocate for health issues, historically around mental health, serving as a Shoppers Drug Mart ambassador for their Run for Women and in-store fundraising events, and also around Indigenous health issues, having presented at a regional nursing conference on disparities in health experiences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous women.She has created Stay Woke, Not Broke: a program for business owners to learn what woke is, and how to avoid being cancelled in today’s environment.

Alison Tedford's profile page

Testimonials from the author’s Stay Woke, Not Broke program:

“I joined Alison's program Stay Woke, Not Broke in the summer of 2020. I had already begun my journey of unpacking the systemic racism and injustice that society had ingrained in me.

I had no idea how to incorporate this into my business from a logistical standpoint and Alison made it all so simple.

My site, and social media all have explicit statements on where I stand as an advocate for anti-racism. This has given me the confidence to weave my stance into my podcast episodes, posts and community in general.

It goes so much further than just a values statement though. The way Alison facilitated this program allowed me to tangibly lay an expectation for myself, and my community.

I felt supported in figuring out how to articulate my stances on a subject that can be very delicate. She answered my questions with care, and when I had some uncomfortable situations arise in my community she gave her honest feedback in how to handle it.

I learned so much in this space that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. It was so much more than a history lesson, or what I "should" be doing. It was the space and direction to turn my business into a vessel for what I hope to be a significant part of the puzzle that moves our generation forward in finally committing to anti-racism, and beyond that true inclusion.

I don't think I have all the answers now, but Alison instilled so much belief in myself to trust my gut, research when needed and take action when necessary.

I'm forever grateful to have heard about this course from a friend and to have taken it!

If you are a business owner and need tangible steps to create an anti-racist and inclusive business, this is for you.”