Safety First: CEO Grows Organization, Leads Communities By Doing The Right Thing

Soyini Chan Shue is CEO and founder of City Safe Partners in New York, and expanding across the country.

Born and raised in the Bronx, not far from New York’s Yankee Stadium, Soyini Chan Shue always knew she wanted to be in a profession to give back to her community.

“Born and raised in the Bronx, not far from New York’s Yankee Stadium, Soyini Chan Shue always knew she wanted to be in a profession to give back to her #community. #womenleaders”

Though after graduating high school in 1989, she says she initially planned to become a nurse. But her plans changed and she spent 22 years with the New York Police Department and is now founder and CEO of City Safe Partners, a Harlem-based elite security firm. She was named a U.S. Small Business Administration 2022 Woman Small Business Champion of the Year and one of the country’s 50 fastest growing women-led companies by Women’s Presidents Organization and JP Morgan Chase.

Her studies at Bronx Community College were interrupted in 1991 when Chan Shue’s father had a stroke. “I stopped going to school to take care of my dad. I take care of everyone,” Chan Shue says. “They call me Mother Teresa.”

While she did later return to earn a bachelors in sociology from College of New Rochelle and a masters in nonprofit and organizational management from Maris College School of Management, Chan Shue joined the NYPD in 1993.

Even as police TV shows grow in popularity, Chan Shue says, “It is not at all what it is like on TV.”

Chan Shue worked with the Organized Crime Control Bureau, rising to the rank of Sergeant Special Assignment, before her retirement in 2015.

“I had an awesome career there. I went to different bureaus, divisions and had 10 careers in one,” she says. “The camaraderie and friendships were something you don’t get outside of NYPD.”

Going to school to complete her undergraduate and graduate degrees while working, and raising three children, Chan Shue says, “It wasn’t easy. But I pushed myself, worked really hard doing big projects, developing policies and procedures.”

After a conversation with her first boss at NYPD, Chan Shue says she thought she could be a consultant, and in 2015 bought his security company and rebranded it to City Safe Partners. She has grown the company from the original 10 employees to now more than 400.

City Safe provides armed and unarmed security professionals to protect government, residental and commercial sites. As the only Black woman signatory for the 32BJ Service Employees International Union, Chan Shue is also providing a drop-in hub for academic and career mentorship for students and employees and sponsors local sports teams.

“As the only Black woman signatory for the 32BJ Service Employees International Union, Chan Shue is also providing a drop-in hub for academic and #career #mentorship for students and employees and sponsors local sports teams. #blackwomenlead”

“The NYPD taught me how navigate spaces where I’m the only. It taught me a sense of resilience and that is priceless.”

Women in law enforcement in the U.S. are still under-represented, and particularly Black women, data shows.

“Women in #law #enforcement in the U.S. are still under-represented, and particularly #Blackwomen, data shows. ”

Maryville University reports, “While the number of women working in law enforcement has increased significantly in recent decades, a gender gap persists — only 12% of sworn law enforcement officers at police agencies nationwide are women, according to Police1. At the leadership level, just under 3% of police chiefs at local police departments are women, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics.”

Maryville University reports, “The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data projects 5% growth in police and detective employment from 2019 to 2029. Recruiting and hiring more women for law enforcement roles can help meet the growing demand.

Additionally, increasing the number of women in law enforcement can help address contemporary law enforcement concerns in areas such as community relations, use of excessive force, and crimes against women. According to Police Chief magazine, more women in policing can translate into better relationships with communities served, including improved trustworthiness and increased cooperation. Research also indicates that women are less likely to use excessive force, a primary issue in the area of police reform.”

With barriers often called the “brass ceiling” for women in law enforcement, Chan Shue’s successful career at NYPD and beyond is noteworthy.

“With barriers often called the “brass ceiling” for women in law enforcement, Chan Shue’s successful career at @NYPDnews and beyond is noteworthy. #lawenforcement #womenleaders”

As she has grown her company, Chan Shue says, she continues to grow her skills, graduating from the Goldman Sachs SBA program for emerging leaders and taking classes with the Women’s Enterprise Development Center.

“I had to learn how to look at the numbers, look at cash flow, profitability, cost of goods,” Chan Shue says. “I also have to trust my intuition and even when you have a tough day, you keep going.”

“Being a Black woman, you are used to it. I am persistent and reliable and keep pushing through. I don’t allow stereotypes to get in the way,” Chan Shue says. “I keep pushing through. One person says no, I say I belong here and am not waiting for someone to give me a seat at the table. You create your own.”

The recent McKinsey’s and LeanIn 2022 Women In the Workplace Report of 40,000 employees surveyed shows that Black women especially face barriers and challenges.

“The recent @McKinsey and @LeanInOrg ‘s 2022 #WomenIntheWorkplace Report of 40,000 employees surveyed shows that #Blackwomen especially face barriers and challenges. ”

“Black women leaders are more ambitious than other women at their level: 59 percent of Black women leaders want to be top executives, compared to 49 percent of women leaders overall. But they are also more likely than women leaders of other races and ethnicities to receive signals that it will be harder for them to advance,” the report finds, according to Forbes.

“Compared to other women at their level, Black women leaders are more likely to have colleagues question their competence and to be subjected to demeaning behavior—and one in three Black women leaders says they’ve been denied or passed over for opportunities because of personal characteristics, including their race and gender.”

The report states that 55% of Black women leaders experienced “having your judgement questioned” compared to 39% for all women and 28% for all men. Additionally, 38% of Black women leaders experienced “being mistaken for someone at a lower level” compared to 26% for all women and 13% for all men. Another 20% of Black women leaders experienced “having someone say or imply that you’re not qualified” compared to 12% for all women and 6% for all men.

Having successfully expanded City Safe in New York, Chan Shue says the company is licensed in Texas and Georgia, and she is working on expanding to New Jersey and Florida. “We are looking to become a national company and are looking to start in Texas by the end of 2023. I never turn down an opportunity to grow.”

Chan Shue’s advice to other entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses and expand is simple. “I don’t have a special sauce, I just use my sauce often. It is OK to be rejected. They will remember me,” Chan Shue says. “I don’t make excuses and I’m not afraid to ask.”

“Chan Shue’s advice to other #entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses and expand is simple. “I don’t have a special sauce, I just use my sauce often. It is OK to be rejected.” #careeradvice”

Being in the security space, Chan Shue says COVID ushered in new challenges and difficulties with high crime and homelessness is some urban areas.

“You have to change the way you work at security,” Chan Shue says. “We had to change our approach with a hybrid of cameras and patrols and reassess safety plans.”  

As for women’s personal safety and security, Chan Shue has key advice. “Look at your travel routine. Change it up so you are not predictable. I think you always have to stay vigilant, always reassessing.”

For women business owners and entrepreneurs, Chan Shue suggests, “Do not close up after hours by yourself. Make sure your cameras are working. Do not post where you are on social media and do not mix personal with business on your posts and Instagram.” She adds, “People are watching.”

As for safety and security in the workplace, Chan Shue says these are HR issues. “#MeToo showed us a lot about women’s issues and workplace harassment. Women are reporting more and that is a good thing. I always encourage women to report and to careful of relationships at work. Do not overshare personal information.”

“As for #safety and security in the #workplace, Chan Shue says these are HR issues. “#MeToo showed us a lot about women’s issues and workplace harassment. Women are reporting more and that is a good thing.””

As a security company, Chan Shue says her mantra is, “We care. It is part of our core values along with dedication, doing the right thing, making the impossible possible, being humbly confident and serving our clients best because we put employees first.”

Chan Shue adds, “I don’t cry over spilled milk. I learned to push forward.”