We are proud that Chanel Hampton serves on the Membership Committee and Executive Team at Detroit Young Professionals. Founder and President of Hampton Consulting Group, Chanel is Detroit born. Before moving back with her husband last year, Chanel lived in St. Louis for eight years.
We could go on and on about Chanel's accolades and honors. Before her consulting career and transitioning to her role at TFA, Chanel was a middle school teacher for three years. At TFA, Chanel founded a diversity initiative which still exists at in all 50 regions. While teaching, Chanel earned Masters degrees in Secondary Education and Education Administration. At the University of Michigan, Chanel earned undergraduate degrees in African American studies, Psychology, and Anthropology.
Chanel started Hampton Consulting just 4 months ago. Even as Chanel was climbing the ranks at Teach For America to become the Managing Director of the National Recruitment Team in the Midwest, she was doing lots of volunteerism with organizations. Chanel was conducting workshops and seminars to groups of all sizes. Her attendees would ask her, "is there any way you can do this more?" Whether with K-12, college level, or companies and professionals, Chanel thought to herself:
“As a woman and as a black woman, why can’t I see myself owning my own company and building my own empire?”
Chanel found DYP while google-ing.Chanel went to an event and became involved soon after. Membership aligned with her passion coming from a recruiting background.
“DYP is connecting me with professionals throughout the city. Having been gone for 8 years, a lot has changed so I’ve had to relearn a lot of things. It’s really encouraging to see that we are telling our own narrative about the city. A lot of people across the country have misconceptions about Detroit.”
With DYP, it’s been great for Chanel to get to know different parts of the city. Places that have been renovated and places that didn’t exist altogether. “It’s been a really good social network for people coming here and bringing in talent.”
Chanel Consulting focuses on 5 key areas:
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Education (PreK-12 and Higher Education)
- Leadership Development and Performance Management
- Operations Optimization
- Recruitment (with additional expertise in Diversity Recruitment)
If your organization is working on a mission-driven vision, Chanel will work with you. The majority of Chanel's clients are Michigan-based, although they range from east to west coast.
“It’s very humbling to hear from clients that they did not know there was so much talent right here in Detroit and Michigan. It’s been a wonderful whirlwind for us.”
What has kept Chanel going? “It’s the hustling and grinding mentality of Detroit,” she tells DYP. Chanel explains that entrepreneurship is not always as it seems. “People don’t think about the hundreds of hours you put into your business plan, creating content for your website, and building your brand. You’re in a coffee shop staring at your screen for 12 hours and taking breaks to get coffee.” It’s not always glamorous and that’s what people often overlook, Chanel explains. There is a lot going on behind the scenes, Chanel explains, whether it’s creating processes, establishing systems, or acquainting herself with the law as it relates to her business. “It’s not sexy but once you have all of the deliverables done for your client, it’s all worth it.”
Chanel set first quarter goals for her company and has already tripled them. With this unexpected growth, Chanel is looking to bring on new hires and expand to serve the entire state of Michigan and use her initial clientele to demonstrate how her firm has achieved success.
“I came home to directly impact Detroit”
To be an entrepreneur in Detroit, “You must have resilience and you must have a vision. You have to be able to bounce back.” Many more resources are available to Chanel now as opposed to 10 years ago, in the form of grants and city initiatives to accelerate the revitalization of Detroit. “If you want to do something, now is the time but your heart has to be in the right place,” Chanel advises.
A lot Chanel’s clients are educational institutions. Chanel emphasizes that it starts with people believing that equitable education is possible instead of believing that things are going to be as they were for the last 30 years. When Chanel is traveling around the country, people often say, “You’re throwing your career away.” As a Detroiter, Chanel wants to change the national narrative that’s being told.
She does this one student at a time. Here is a video about Briahna and Chanel. Briahna is a freshman at the University of Michigan and "she is phenomenal," exclaims Chanel.
“She is doing a major that did not exists when I was there. I talk with her family and they are so proud. It’s the future that she always envisioned for herself. It’s making sure that these things happen.”
Briahna is majoring in Social Theory and Practice, as well as American Culture.