Building Paths to Partnership

XBE: An inclusive moniker for certified firms to help recognize the evolving list of potential certifications. Comprises state and federal certifications, including but not limited to: ESB/SBE, MBE, DBE, VBE, WBE, WOSB, ACDBE, EDWOSB, SEDBE, PWSBE, SDVBE, 8(a), HUBZone, etc.

People First

Säzän Group’s philosophy is rooted in diversity – that the culmination of multiple backgrounds and life experiences creates well-rounded teams and thoughtful, human-centered designs. Our coworkers are the beating heart of our organization, and they, along with our valued industry partners, create a supportive and inclusive network that is of paramount importance to our leaders.

Säzän Group was founded in Seattle and is a City of Seattle-recognized minority-owned company and a federal small business. Our commitment to all our communities is inherent in our culture. We pride ourselves in being part of a movement that encourages diversity and partnerships within our industry, and we empower our team leaders to build meaningful connections with XBE certified firms.

We continue to develop these connections through bi-annual XBE Outreach Events – virtual events that allow firms from any region to get face time with our leaders and discover new opportunities. Our first event was held in January 2025, and we are thrilled to announce our second event on September 23, 2025. Continue reading for a recap of our January event and what to expect in September.

January 2025 – Event Recap & Results

We were honored with the presence of 38 firms across three states, who were connected through this event with several of Säzän Group’s discipline leaders. Our team shared our company history and expertise, then opened the floor to discussions with our participants. We held small breakout sessions — each led by one of our leaders — to learn more about how we can support our partners. Key questions we asked were:

• What are your specialties, and how do they align with or supplement ours?
• Tell us about some of the barriers you face in the market today – as a firm or as an individual.
• How can we – as individuals or as a firm – help break down those barriers?
• We actively mentor smaller firms. What qualities of a business mentorship are most advantageous to you?

These conversations taught us about the roadblocks our partners face and opportunities where we can come together as an industry to grow and thrive. Whether it be leveraging our XBE partners to help extend our technical team bench depth, delegating portions of work where they bring specific and unique capabilities, including them in client project meetings to facilitate building those relationships, sharing office space and physical resources, or providing them assistance in developing marketing materials for their pursuits, there are many ways we can support our community while effectively serving clients.

We have had several follow-up meetings with XBE firms that attended this event and are always looking to find opportunities to add them to our project teams.

What to Expect in September

Säzän Group strives to empower our clients’ success through the services we provide, and we know a strong network enhances our ability to do just that. Our team is excited to hold our second XBE Outreach Event this fall, and we encourage firms that could not attend our first event to participate in September and learn about our firm’s mission and goals.

We will share a small bit about our company history and markets served, and once again open the discussion to our partners. This event is designed for us to listen to and discover ways we can help each other succeed. It allows us to meet emerging or smaller firms and learn about their specialties, informing our consultant database. When there are niche scope items to address or work in areas where a local consultant is preferred, we refer to this database to find firms that fit the bill.

If you would like to attend our virtual event on September 23, 2025, @ noon, please register using the following Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fall-2025-xbe-outreach-virtual-event-tickets-1568128166559?aff=oddtdtcreator

If there are specific topics you would like discussed, please reach out to Taylor Jenkins, our XBE Outreach Virtual Event Planner, at tjenkins@sazan.com to share your thoughts.