When Skye Blanks addressed international leaders at the United Nations MSME Day, he brought a perspective rarely found in global policy forums—one informed by firsthand experience across multiple business sectors and a personal journey of overcoming systemic barriers to opportunity.
“Economic development policy often misses crucial ground-level realities,” says Blanks, who serves as Chief Operations Officer of the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) while simultaneously leading Herman Todd Consulting Group and co-founding Premo Cannabis Company. “My goal is bringing practical business insights to international policy discussions to ensure solutions actually work for entrepreneurs facing real-world challenges.”
This bridging role between policy and practice has established Blanks as an influential voice in global small business development. As Director of ICSB Knowledge Hubs Program, he manages an international network dedicated to accelerating progress for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises—work that directly informed his contributions to the Annual Global MSME Report.
What distinguishes Blanks’ approach is his unusual background. Prior to his international leadership roles, he put himself through college without clear guidance, earned an MBA with financial management certification, and served as a Treasury Scholar in the U.S. Department of Treasury—experiences that gave him both formal expertise and firsthand understanding of systemic barriers to economic mobility.
“I experienced the challenges of accessing opportunities without inherited connections or family guidance,” Blanks explains. “That perspective makes me particularly focused on how global economic policies translate to real opportunities for underrepresented entrepreneurs worldwide.”
This focus shapes his work at ICSB, where he advocates for policy frameworks that address not just business regulations but also underlying access barriers to education, capital, and networks. His speaking engagements at international forums emphasize how small enterprises create pathways to inclusive economic growth when supported by appropriate policies.
Beyond his global policy work, Blanks extends this mission through his leadership roles at Yale’s Tsai Center for Innovative Thinking, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund’s Advisory Council, and as an interviewer and evaluator for The Gates Scholarship. These positions allow him to directly influence educational pathways while connecting academic institutions with international business development.
“Global policy and local education systems are interconnected parts of the same opportunity equation,” notes Blanks. “My work across these environments helps ensure that innovations in one area inform approaches in others.”
This integrated perspective has particular value in addressing complex economic challenges that cross traditional boundaries. During his participation in GW Hacking for Defense Program, Blanks worked with the U.S. Space Force and the National Security Innovation Network to enhance space launch mission risk assessment—experience that further broadened his approach to complex problem-solving across different sectors.
His contributions to international business development have earned recognition including the ICSB Global Excellence Award: Future Leader Award and the ICSB President’s Award. These honors acknowledge his exceptional leadership in advancing global small business policy and entrepreneurship.
Looking ahead, Blanks aims to strengthen connections between global policy frameworks and local implementation through expanded knowledge networks and leadership development programs. “My vision is creating more accessible pathways that connect global economic opportunities with local entrepreneurs, particularly those from underrepresented communities,” he shares.
For international organizations seeking to enhance economic development initiatives, Blanks emphasizes the importance of multi-level approaches: “Effective policy requires understanding both macroeconomic trends and microeconomic realities. The most valuable solutions emerge when we connect these perspectives through leaders who can translate between different contexts.”
It’s a perspective that positions Blanks as more than a business leader—as an architect of economic opportunity systems that work across geographical, sectoral, and social boundaries. By bridging global policy with local implementation, he’s helping redefine how international institutions approach economic development in increasingly complex environments.
