Evolving with technology can present several issues for people in the workforce. For example, when it comes to upskilling and training, workers may not have the time or money. Sinead Bovell, the founder of WAYE, believes that the rapid growth of technology will force many people to turn to entrepreneurship.

WAYE, which stands for “Weekly Advice for Young Entrepreneurs,” is an organization that teaches people about the intersection of tech and business through panel discussions and workshops. 

“As technology continues to automate, a lot of us are going to have to pivot into an entrepreneurial lane,” Bovell said. 

According to a recent study by McKinsey, the push toward automation could have some negative impacts on Black workers. More African American workers are in slow-growing, low-paying support roles compared to the rest of the general American population. Support roles will most likely be replaced by automation, making African Americans most vulnerable to the technology’s impact. 

“Automation is absolutely going to disrupt the workforce, and it’s going to force people to reskill, but I think that’s a very good thing,” Bovell said. “We’re going to have to focus on the skills that are uniquely human. It will probably create more jobs than it will displace, it’s just hard to picture what those are.”

Bovell launched WAYE in 2018, after working as a management consultant and model in New York City. She noticed a gap in the speed at which technology advanced and people’s ability to use it. To solve this problem, she began hosting panel discussions with industry experts on topics including budgeting for a business, how to network, and the impact of algorithms.

“My big focus is changing the narrative on who should be talking about tech,” Bovell said. “And who better than to challenge that than a Black model?”

WAYE also provides business consulting services to its community members. The private sessions give members insight into strategy, tools, and resources that they can use to build their brands. 

Although the organization is currently based in NYC, Bovell hopes to expand her work nationwide.