Throughout 2023, WBENC is recognizing and celebrating WBEs who have demonstrated remarkable resilience and capacity to reinvent themselves. The 2023 WBE Stars are being honored for perseverance and excellence through reinvention and innovation, despite the unprecedented challenges of recent years.
Meet Chanel Christoff Davis, Founder of Davis Davis & Harmon LLC—a leader within the Women’s Business Council Southwest and also an influential figure in her local community, fostering growth and empowerment in the business sphere. Chanel’s firm has faced severe challenges in recent years due to significant contracts being withdrawn, driving Chanel and her team to assess major aspects of their business and expenses.
Witness Chanel’s resilience and stay tuned for our 2023 WBENC Stars article series throughout 2023!
Each WBENC WBE Star has been selected by one of 14 Regional Partner Organizations (RPOs), who lead the world-class WBENC Certification of women-owned businesses throughout the country. The 2023 WBE Stars were honored during the 2023 WBENC National Conference, a gathering of more than 3000 entrepreneurs and business leaders taking place March 20-23, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee, and throughout the year. WBENC will be featuring the 2023 WBE Stars in many ways, including this article series and in WE USA Magazine feature articles this summer.
MEET THE RESILIENT CHANEL CHRISTOFF DAVIS, FOUNDER OF DAVIS DAVIS & HARMON LLC
Davis Davis & Harmon LLC (DDH) is an award-winning tier-one woman and minority-owned sales tax consulting firm with a unique focus on transaction tax advocacy throughout the United States and Canada. They service global multinational corporations by delivering innovative tax solutions that return money to their client’s bottom line. As sales tax experts, the firm provides a broad range of sales/use tax services, including audit defense, audit representation, refunds, training, research, and avoidance strategy planning. They know sales tax law, how to interpret it, and how to advocate for their clients. At DDH their core business principle is “We Create Peace of Mind.”
Davis & Davis Professional Services Firm LLC faced a setback when negotiations for lucrative contracts collapsed due to corporations retracting from new deals, leading to reduced revenue projections. To offset the impact, Chanel promptly renegotiated expenses and cut overhead costs, aiming to retain employees amidst the pandemic while national competitors resorted to pay cuts and furloughs. Chanel also sought new opportunities through their network and formed strategic alliances in other to pursue growth and double revenue.
A Champion for WBEs and the WBENC network
Chanel’s firm demonstrates a strong commitment to supporting Women’s Business Enterprises (WBEs) by actively seeking them as vendors for various aspects of their business. For instance, they have engaged one WBE to provide temporary staffing services for front desk coverage, company events, and tradeshow booth setups at different business conferences. Additionally, WBEs have been instrumental in creating tradeshow table covers, floral arrangements, employee recognition awards like trophies and plaques, as well as tradeshow promotional items.
In a significant step towards supporting WBEs, DDH transitioned their bookkeeping and payroll processing to a WBE in 2022, despite it being a substantial expense. This move is projected to increase their spending with WBEs by a remarkable 300%, further exemplifying Chanel’s dedication to promoting and empowering women-owned businesses in their industry.
Read on to be inspired even more by Chanel!
Chanel, what does resiliency mean to you? How do you practice resiliency as a woman leading a business?
“I define resiliency as seeing infinite possibilities during a crisis or in the face of adversity. Even when those who surround you are feeling defeated or beaten back, a resilient leader can rally the troops and transform their angst into action so that the organization can stay on track and win.”
When and how was your business started?
I founded Davis Davis & Harmon LLC – Sales Tax Experts in 2001 to provide specialized and highly skilled sales tax expertise to medium to large corporate entities throughout the United States.
What does resiliency mean to you? How do you practice resiliency as a woman leading a business?
I define resiliency as seeing infinite possibilities during a crisis or in the face of adversity. Even when those who surround you are feeling defeated or beaten back, a resilient leader can rally the troops and transform their angst into action so that the organization can stay on track and win.
I utilize my God-given talent of resiliency and the strong vision that I have for my life to guide me every day. My constant connection to the vision that I have for my life gives me the power to transcend any obstacle.
What is a challenge or opportunity your business faced because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, and how did you face it?
Early in the pandemic, March 2020, DDH faced numerous business challenges. We were not deemed essential; therefore, I implemented a work-at-home plan for all employees to continue to serve our clients safely.
Our firm was in the middle of negotiating several large contracts that would have put our firm on a path to doubling our revenue. All those pending contract negotiations ended due to corporations pulling back on new contracts. Additionally, several of our existing clients pulled back on their spending and several of our engagements began to slow pay our invoices. Our projected income was cut in half.
Provide an example of how innovation helped you overcome a challenge, pivot, or adapt to a crisis.
We entered new joint ventures with accounting firms that do not offer sales tax consulting services. This was groundbreaking for my firm and led to new opportunities in the fourth quarter 2020 with a Fortune 50 technology company. In 2021, we entered a strategic alliance with a global Big 4 accounting firm to bid on a multimillion-dollar/multi-year sales tax project. We won that engagement and began working on the project in 2022.
I single-handedly brokered this deal with the supplier diversity team and introduced the idea of forming a strategic alliance with a Big 4 firm to deliver the services.
What have you learned about yourself as a leader from mentoring or coaching others?
My foundational belief is that I will be successful at whatever I pursue. I don’t suffer from self-doubt or imposter syndrome. When I mentor/coach others, I often have to address their fundamental beliefs before we can work on developing their business. You cannot build a business on a foundation of uncertainty or negative self-talk..
What do you view as benefits of being part of the WBENC network? How has your company grown and changed since its inception and since becoming certified?
Four elements of the WBE network have transformed my business. WBENC addresses the needs of the whole woman and focuses on how to best help you succeed. WBENC has been a critical addition to my business tool kit. WBCS has provided professional development, leadership opportunities, business growth, and networking opportunities. There aren’t many organizations that create an environment conducive to growing professionally while positively impacting your bottom line. In addition, WBENC has successfully created a network where women business owners can continuously grow and thrive. I have found genuine camaraderie amongst the WBEs, and I have experienced consistent growth in my knowledge of corporate sourcing.
What guiding words would you like to share with a newly certified WBE who is looking to get involved in the WBENC community?
Get involved as soon as you are certified. The certification doesn’t work if you put your certificate on the shelf and return to business as usual. I challenge every WBE to bring their full selves to the network and volunteer their time. Contribute in whichever way that will help you shine. If you seek out opportunities to be involved in the network, there is a place for you.
What areas of innovation do you foresee for women entrepreneurs over the next few years?
Strategic alliances with larger organizations will help women entrepreneurs in the 21st century in beyond. It is supplier diversity 2.0. Smaller companies partnering with large corporations to bring supply chain innovations to the marketplace will become more commonplace. This model is prevalent in the government sector and replicate-able in the corporate sector.
Davis Davis & Harmon LLC (DDH) is an award-winning tier-one woman and minority-owned sales tax consulting firm with a unique focus on transaction tax advocacy throughout the United States and Canada. We service global multinational corporations by delivering innovative tax solutions that return money to our client’s bottom line. As sales tax experts, the firm provides a broad range of sales/use tax services, including audit defense, audit representation, refunds, training, research, and avoidance strategy planning. We know sales tax law, how to interpret it, and how to advocate for our clients. At DDH our core business principle is “We Create Peace of Mind.”
