—
In 2013, Sophia Harris took a bold leap, leaving a secure job in the corporate world to become an entrepreneur. Armed with $500 and a vision, she “put together a plan on how to grow a multimillion-dollar consulting firm from nothing,” says Harris, CEO of Organizational Development Resource Group, LLC (ODRG). “No investors. No handouts.”
Growing up the oldest of five siblings in a low-income New York community, Harris knew the only way to get ahead in life was to dream big and do the work. “I was willing to do whatever it took to shoot for the moon and land on the stars,” she says. “As the oldest sibling, I had to be the role model.”
After studying industrial and organizational psychology in college to understand people’s behavior in the workplace, Harris began her career at consulting firms, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Accenture. She quickly climbed the ladder into consulting roles, providing services for the federal government.
Before long, Harris realized she wanted to be in control of her own destiny. That’s when she founded ODRG, a boutique firm providing people-centric professional consulting services and advisory support.
“Our goal is to be mission focused to help customers make informed decisions to achieve their strategic initiatives,” she says.
Next Octave: A Bold Vision
For its first 10 years, the company worked solely in the federal and Department of Defense sectors, focusing on organizational development, human capital management, training, strategic communication, mission operations, acquisition support, and grant management. But as Harris looked toward ODRG’s next decade, she knew she needed to strategically grow the company and pivot into technology integration, mission support, program operations, and research and development to enable exponential growth. Through acquisitions and emerging tech partnerships, ODRG provides extraordinary emerging technology solutions to its customers and strategic partners. A bold vision, target execution, new branding, and a new facility aligns with the anticipated exponential growth.
“ODRG delivers inter-scalable technology and operations that drive efficiencies and build capacity for government customers,” says Harris. However, ODRG’s biggest differentiator is its people. Harris’ leadership team is deliberate about incorporating diverse backgrounds and perspectives into the workforce. “We’re intentional about understanding what our people value,” she says. “We look at our employees as not only family, but as our internal customers. If our internal customers are happy, our external customers are happy.”
Harris credits her advisors, mentors, and two groups with helping her strategically position the company to reach its “Next Octave”: The BOW Collective—a supportive community of Black women business owners who encourage members to “scale their businesses by working together,” and Ernst & Young, which recently selected her and 35 others from over 800 applicants to become a member of the Entrepreneurs Access Network (EAN). She says, both organizations support minority-owned small businesses by providing them with resources, networks, access, and capital that are pivotal in helping entrepreneurs to reach their full potential.
Harris has accomplished much, gaining accolades such as an Inc. 5000 2023 fastest-growing companies in America ranking, two-time BOW Knows Growth Awardee, a showcase on Times Square’s Nasdaq Billboard, 2023 NVTC CFO Finalist, 2023 Enterprising Women of the Year, and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Advocate and Sponsor to eradicate cancer. But she has not forgotten the importance of paying it forward through her mentorship with new entrepreneurs.
“There are a lot of barriers as an entrepreneur,” she says. “You must remember to focus on your faith to enable fearless confidence, have a huge vision of what the end looks like, and execute with intentionality! This is what I tell future entrepreneurs when they ask me the key to success.”
Contact Info:
Name: Sophia Harris, CEO
Email: Send Email
Organization: Organizational Development Resource Group, LLC.
Address: 2500 Wilson Boulevard Arlington, VA 22201
Phone: 703-992-6299
Website: https://www.odrgllc.com
Release ID: 89132733
If there are any errors, inconsistencies, or queries arising from the content contained within this press release that require attention or if you need assistance with a press release takedown, we kindly request that you inform us immediately by contacting error@releasecontact.com (it is important to note that this email is the authorized channel for such matters, sending multiple emails to multiple addresses does not necessarily help expedite your request). Our reliable team will be available to promptly respond within 8 hours, taking proactive measures to rectify any identified issues or providing guidance on the removal process. Ensuring accurate and dependable information is our top priority.
