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Create an Inclusive Culture where everyone can Win

As leadership and culture experts, we help you build an inclusive, adaptive and communicative company culture, where collaboration and innovation thrive and win-win is in your DNA.

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Daphne Magna, founder of Tough Convos

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welcome to tough convos!

You made it here for a reason. I’m Daphne Magna, founder and inclusion & culture specialist. For the past 15 years, I’ve worked with people leaders, entrepreneurs, and global professionals to shed the protective layers that prevent real conversations. Together, we unearth ways to easier connect and build stronger bonds. And yes, we confront the uncomfortable as we share, learn, and unlearn through tough conversations and custom educational experiences.

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It's not run of the mill work. But it's worth realizing how much improved communication and a winning culture make a difference in your life, especially at work.

"If Communication is King, Culture is Queen."

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FREE RESOURCES

Get inspired and take advantage of our free resources that guide, help, and hasten your growth to greater cultural awareness and improved leadership skills.

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It all starts with a Tough Convo

Ready to uncover what is holding your team culture back from greatness? We’ll help you build genuine inclusivity, capitalize on cultural diversity, and embody cultural intelligence principles in your company culture. Start with a complimentary call or check out our solutions below.

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CURATED CONTENT AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

Interactive Digital Content & Supplemental Materials (Workbooks, Online Courses, Company Codes, Cultural Content, Posters, etc.)

Get ready to learn (and unlearn). Our comprehensive online content provides engaging, practical tools to enhance communication skills, increase cultural awareness and improve your ability to be a better multicultural leader or ally.

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Tough Convos Quarterly Series, Team Building Workshops, Leader Retreats & Cultural Events

The Tough Convos workshop series will help you gain insight, challenge your biases and learn how to build a better workplace culture.  We facilitate open and respectful dialogue that gives your team room to explore challenging topics and biases holding them back from greatness.

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informed and supportive leaders, 

employees, and allies

Leadership/Management support with Brand alignment, DEI Strategy and Implementation

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We’re stronger together. We partner with your leaders, DEI Managers or People & Culture department to offer companies insights and implementation strategies that foster inclusive cultures and equitable practices that align your employer brand with your talent brand. 

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Client experiences

Ashley Happy client
“Daphne is an incredibly talented speaker—professional and detail-oriented. The feedback from my attendees was extremely positive. She led a fantastic Q&A session at the end of her presentation, where every single attendee felt they were in a safe and supportive environment to learn. From the time I met her, I knew I had to have her speak at my Women in Business Conference. Thank you, Daphne, for making a big impact on my community of female entrepreneurs.”

ASHLEY MEADAHL,

Founder of GLOW GETTER

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Build inclusive, collaborative cultures through curated resources and stories that spark conversation.

FAQs
  • What is Tough Convos?
    Tough Convos is an educational platform focused on creating inclusive company cultures and developing global citizens with digital content and live learning experiences. We create custom DEI content, facilitate training and workshops, and guide professionals on their cultural intelligence journey. We also work directly with leaders to tap into their power skills and build company cultures they are proud of. We help them develop and execute DEI strategies that incite behavioural change and align their company values with anti-racist and inclusive principles.
  • How did Tough Convos start?
    Daphne Magna, a multilingual culture and communications specialist, founded Tough Convos as a direct response to the tensions felt in the Black community in 2020 and the dire need for a safe space to discuss issues we had previously not felt able to discuss openly such as anti-Black racism. Tough Convos was an extension of the cross-cultural work Daphne was doing at Professional Passport R, heavily centered on race, DEI and human rights.
  • Who is the founder Daphne Magna?
    Daphne Magna is an educator first and foremost, specializing in culture, inclusion and professional development. She is also a passionate speaker, documentary producer, and human rights advocate. She has facilitated 1000’s of tough conversations and learning experiences for global companies, non-profit organizations, post secondary institutions and local community groups. To know more about her, go over to www.toughconvos.com/our-story
  • What sets Tough Convos apart in the DEI landscape?
    Tough Convos takes pride in its unique perspective as a Black, woman-owned company whose content and services are built on the beliefs that cultural intelligence is a superpower, relationships are at the heart of everything, and change is possible. This perspective adds depth to our approach, emphasizing a global perspective with diverse voices and experiences driving these meaningful conversations, propelling your personal growth and creating deeper relationships.
  • Is Tough Convos suitable for small businesses as well as larger corporations?
    Absolutely! We have worked with fortune 500 banks, engineering and telecommunications firms, while at the same time working with industry associations, post-secondary institutions, not-for profits and entrepreneurs. Tough Convos tailors its services to meet specific needs of the organizations that want to grow to become more inclusive and culturally competent.
  • What do we do?
    We take complicated subject matter and find easier ways to break it down to bite-size relevant pieces that people can confront, digest, and then apply to their lives. Our specialties include creating interactive user-friendly digital content such as workshops, workbooks, and online courses. We also greatly value the role of the leader and offer leadership development through retreats, DEI strategy and brand alignment. Finally we facilitated team dialogues, training to understand the Black experience, online experiential workshops, conscious informed messaging, emboldened brand values, and custom code of ethics.
  • What are the most common topics discussed?
    We create custom content for every Tough Convo so that we can engage in deep conversation around topics that matter to us such as challenges, biases, situations, questions that come from our community of allies, leaders and individuals who want to know more, learn more and continue on their journey to being an anti-racist. By creating a safe space we can uncover false information and address uncomfortable topics that will bring us closer together with the Black community so we can dismantle racism, colourism, police brutality and everything anti-Blackness.
  • How can Tough Convos help enhance cultural intelligence within our team?
    We understand the importance of cultural intelligence, and provide experiences that go beyond surface-level understanding. Expect programs that empower individuals to look beyond their blindspots and teams to improve how they navigate a diverse workforce.
  • Can Tough Convos help address specific challenges our organization is facing regarding diversity and inclusion?
    Absolutely. Our approach is highly flexible, and we will work closely with your organization to address specific challenges you may be facing in the realm of cultural awareness, inclusive leadership and diversity and inclusion programs.
  • Who are the community Tough Convos for?
    Everyone who cares to grow and learn. You may be a professional, an educator, an executive of a company, a team leader, a community, or an individual who’s interested in knowing more about diversity, inclusion, unconscious bias, anti-racism or simply being a better Black ally.
  • What success stories can Tough Convos share from previous engagements?
    Tough Convos takes pride in the impact it has had on diverse organizations. We have highlighted a few of our client experiences on our Solutions page. Feel free to check them out there.
  • How can our organization get started with Tough Convos?
    Initiating the process is straightforward. Reach out through our contact channels, and we'll work closely with your organization to understand its unique needs, tailoring a program that aligns with your corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. Contact us directly at info@toughconvos.com to inquire about custom sessions for leadership or teams or book a free initial consultation call with our founder, Daphne Magna, here.
  • Is there a free trial or consultation available to see if Tough Convos is the right fit for our organization?
    We offer a free initial consultation to understand your organization's needs and discuss how Tough Convos can support your journey toward building a more inclusive workplace and more culturally intelligent employees. Our community Tough Convos are also free for anyone to join.
  • How can individuals within our organization access and engage with Tough Convos' learning resources?
    Accessing all of our learning resources has been streamlined on our website. We have a Free Resources tab where you can download any of our digital resources and we have secure membership pages for custom company programs, ensuring individuals can engage seamlessly with the content. Check out our ally resources that have many actionable items and best practices you can use.
  • Does Tough Convos offer resources or guidance for individuals looking to initiate DEI conversations within their own communities?
    Absolutely. We provide resources and guidance for individuals who want to initiate tough conversations within their communities. Whether it's workplace discussions or community outreach, we're here to curate, facilitate or host courageous sessions for those looking to grow and connect.
  • How can individuals or organizations stay informed about upcoming Tough Convos events, workshops, or new content releases?
    Subscribe to our newsletter and follow our Instagram, LinkedIn or Facebook pages for regular updates on upcoming events, workshops, and new content releases. It's the best way to keep learning, get useful tools, and advance on your journey as an ally.
  • How can I join a Tough Convos session?
    To join our Tough Convos, you may click the booking link on the homepage. If you happened to miss the last one, no worries, we got you covered! Our Tough Convos sessions are usually held quarterly. Go to our homepage to join the next one.

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