Meet Savanna Flakes | CEO of Inclusion for a Better Future- Inclusive Practices Consultant- Special Education Advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Savanna Flakes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Savanna, how does your business help the community?
One of my favorite quotes is, ” Use ‘accept’ more often that ‘except,’ and you are one step closer to establishing an all-inclusive society.” Riddhi Joshi

This is my company’s vison: Inclusion For a Better Future is dedicated to creating sustainable learning opportunities on inclusion, equity, and shaking up special education for organizations, school districts, and non-profits that serve children with disabilities. We design and customize meaningful and interactive learning experiences based on each client’s needs and intended outcomes.

I started my career as a “Nation Builder”, aka a teacher. After teaching and working with parents of children with disabilities, I noticed an important need to empower schools, organizations, and communities with inclusive practices to reach ALL learners (students with special needs, at-risk students, children of color, and Multi-lingual learners). Thus, I started an education consultation company dedicated to supporting school communities learn and utilizing effective instructional and inclusive practices to successfully include ALL students. In ten years, I’ve been able to provide affordable and meaningful professional development sessions, teacher coaching, and planning services for school improvement plans for school communities around the world. I have presented Keynote addresses and professional development on instructional topics for many organizations and countries such as: Guyana Ministry of Education, European Union, The Association of American Schools of Central America, Colombia-Caribbean and Mexico, South Africa Ministry of Education, Department of Defense Dependents Schools, International Literacy Association, and locally with Columbus City Schools. Since the creation of Inclusion for a Better Future, I’ve consulted with school communities, non-profits, national conferences, think-tanks, Department of Juvenile Justice systems, impacting over 530,000 teachers and 2,750,000 students’ lives.

In my TED Talk, Inclusion and Fast Food: Designing a Meaningful Learning Experience ( please link- https://youtu.be/J2ESoC3NSWs?si=gT-c2faCGLq8I3Rb), I share that a fundamental goal in education is to design positive and inclusive learning experiences that ensure ALL students are equipped for 21st Century success. We have lessons to learn from innovative fast food companies about designing meaningful experiences that engage and inspire all of our learners.

One of the most salient aspects of our brand is “servant leadership.” We serve to lead with compassion through the entire process, from onboarding, consultation, delivery of services, and debrief. We thoughtfully include all stakeholders in the process, intentionally create a space for belonging, deliberately ensure equity of voice and the value of everyone’s contributions in creating a remarkable learning experience for teachers that will touch the heart in addition the mind, resulting in meaningful inclusion for students with special needs.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Our vision of providing all children with the opportunity to have meaningful access to rigorous curriculum and providing adults meaningful professional development to include ALL children guides my companies’ philosophy.

I believe, “Give everyone a voice, whomever they are, the world needs it.” Everyone has something to learn and something to contribute. My philosophy is that all students have gifts to share and the power of collaboration is essential to unlocking All students’ academic and emotional achievement. Inclusive Practices is a mindset then, that drives your resources, professional development practices, schedules, and overall school community. As such, in strong inclusive and equitable school communities, differences are not just expected, but celebrated. Therefore, develop an asset-based mindset, give everyone a voice, an opportunity to contribute, and share their gifts…we all benefit!

My latest book, Shaking UP Special Education: Instructional Moves to Increase Achievement is something I am proud of to share. This book was a labor of love, 2 years in the making, after many postpones, rewrites, I finally embraced one of Brene Brown’s compliments, “Our Best is Good Enough” and released my need of perfectionism and released it. Once I let go… my book made a debut on the “2020 Top Books” list for education and the publication has
been named, “One of the Best Special Education Books of all time.” This book is full of instructional resources for school communities and teachers! (please insert link from routledge- https://www.routledge.com/Shaking-Up-Special-Education-Instructional-Moves-to-Increase-Achievement/Flakes/p/book/9780367478902) . Be on the lookout for my next children’s book to support families with children with special needs!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am still relatively new to Columbus, but my backyard has some of the most serene and peaceful views of soy and corn fields. We would start there. Two chairs with a view and lots of tacos from the staple Ohio Brewdog Brewhouse!

Relaxing and getting lost in great conversation, nowhere to be, but there in that moment, enjoying each other’s company.

No thrills but lots of stillness and epic sunsets!

And then maybe later, we can visit a local farmers markets and grab some of our famous Ohio buckeye chocolates!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
As business owners quickly learn, success is the sum of super intentional steps towards a goal and the resilience to learn from failures that will arise while maneuvering through those steps. At the start of my entrepreneurial journey, I was advised to say, “Yes” to every client, job, and request. This was well-intended and terrible advice. Can we do everything? Maybe. Is it wise to try to do everything, Probably Not. We can not do it all. Quality of life, relationships, and emotional priorities take a disastrous toil when our business model doesn’t prioritize a work/ life balance.

Reading Greg McKeown’s book “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less,” which features practical tips on how to discern what’s most important and eliminate the trivial was a defining turning point for me. I embraced the beauty of “No/Not Yet,” asking clients if there is flexibility in timelines, contracting out services that don’t align with my business mission, and referring clients to other companies that can better support them. This philosophy that falls under minimalism has supported me in serving more organizations successfully and simultaneously prioritizing my spiritual work and emotional self-care.

Thus, answering these 2 important questions, “What is most essential to me as a business owner? and, “How I can be my best to serve my clients in the best way?” has contributed to my success.
Note: 5 minute overview of Greg McKeown’s book “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less is here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9x6D09AKBU).

Website: https://www.savannaflakes.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/savannaflakes

Twitter: Savanna Flakes

Facebook: Inclusion For a Better Future

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKBLHokt5XSuM9aQxUk8jOw

Image Credits
Visual 14 https://www.visual14.com/