Emiliano Void is a social entrepreneur based in Vermont, and he’s the founder and CEO of nuwave Equity Corporation—a business consultancy helping companies build stronger, more inclusive workplaces through data, strategy, and a whole lot of emotional intelligence. He has a lens-shifting view of what’s possible when businesses embrace identity, curiosity, and culture—not as buzzwords, but as strategy.

Originally from Montreal, Emiliano landed in Vermont in 2016, and quickly became a force for positive change. With a background that bridges corporate life and community-building, he understands both the cost of exclusion and the untapped value of inclusion. His organization, nuwave, is built on the premise that collective intelligence—when harnessed thoughtfully—can create workplace cultures where people want to show up and do their best work.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: What DEI Stands for Is Important

“You can’t just solve for culture once,” Emiliano told me. “It’s something you build into the DNA of an organization.”

Identity shapes performance in more concrete and measurable ways than many people expect. Emiliano points out how subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) forms of social exclusion are costing businesses far more than they realize. When people feel unsafe or unseen, their potential becomes smaller automatically; but when leadership leans in with self-awareness, and teams are encouraged to recognize unconscious bias and engage in their own self-education, the results ripple far beyond the office walls.

One of the most energizing things Emiliano emphasized is risk. “Life is short,” he said—and business leaders can’t afford to operate from a scarcity mindset when it comes to culture. 

“The most powerful shifts come from being willing to challenge what we think we know,” he told me. 

That’s where curiosity comes in.

Curiosity, in Emiliano’s view, is the fuel for cultural transformation. It’s what allows people to approach DEI, not as a checklist or compliance box, but as an opportunity to become better versions of themselves—both individually, and as organizations. That kind of shift is both deeply human and refreshingly strategic.

Soft Skills Can Create Hard Results

Emiliano also gets into some of the nuts and bolts of what makes a workplace truly work. Spoiler: it’s not ping-pong tables or free snacks; it’s things like psychological safety, clear expectations, and leaders who model vulnerability and inclusivity. He highlights how essential it is for organizations to focus on so-called “soft skills” if they want to attract and retain talent—especially now, as younger generations prioritize purpose and belonging in their own lives.

“Investing in culture is not a feel-good move. It’s a smart business decision.” 

Emiliano backs that statement up with numbers and experience, talking about the Accelerate Auto Initiative—one of the projects he’s helped lead—which is working to increase Black representation in Canada’s automotive industry. It’s not just about representation for its own sake; it’s about unleashing talent and building better-performing teams through diversity of thought and lived experience.

Especially striking was Emiliano’s insistence that real change can’t be driven by consultants alone. External experts can light the path, sure—but it’s the internal champions within an organization who keep the lights on. 

“We need to create coalitions inside of companies that will outlast us.” 

That’s the secret to sustainability—whether you’re talking about environmental goals, inclusive hiring, or culture change.

Go Forward With a More Inclusive View

Emiliano wants to leave the message that doing the right thing and running a profitable business are not mutually exclusive. In fact, the more businesses lean into their values, the more success they’re likely to find—not just financially, but in terms of impact, innovation, and resilience as well.

If you are a leader, a changemaker, or just one of the many, many everyday folks who want to build something that lasts, Emiliano Void is a rare kind of guide—clear-eyed, hopeful, and unapologetically real about the work it takes to build equitable systems. He’s helping organizations turn intention into action, and action into culture.

In a world where so much feels divided, Emiliano reminds us that inclusion isn’t just about fairness— it’s about unlocking the full brilliance of human potential. That right there is the kind of good news we need a lot more of.

• Website: www.nuwaveco.com
• Email Emiliano: [email protected]
• Call Emiliano at (774) 262-9353
• Darrin Tulley’s Cog Episode #186

• 00:00 – Intro & Welcome
• 03:45 – The Reality of DEI: More Than a Buzzword
• 08:40 – Emiliano’s Journey: From Sports to Social Impact
• 12:30 – How nuwave is Revolutionizing DEI Consulting
• 18:00 – The Cost of Social Exclusion in Business
• 24:40 – Practical Solutions for Inclusive Workplaces
• 32:35 – Break
• 34:54 – The Future of DEI: Beyond Labels
• 45:50 – Accelerate Auto: Representation in the Automotive Industry
• 54:29 – Closing