Protégé Podcast With Rory Verrett

As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week and reflect on what we're grateful for, I'm reminded of Desiree Robinson's incredible story of resilience. What do you do when your Plan A in your professional and personal lives don't work out? Desiree's story is a reminder that we are stronger than we know, and that miracles can come from simple acts of kindness by our friends and family. It's a special encore episode of Protégé Podcast for Thanksgiving 2019!

On this episode, I'm joined by Guest Co-Host Shaunna Jones to take a humorous journey through the various segments of the black middle and upper middle classes. Does bourgie mean snobbish or successful? Which bourgie type are you? We break down the differences between the Afro-Bourgie and the Bourgie Fabulous, as well as the other major bourgie categories. Our goal is to help you with the code-switching we do at family gatherings, with understanding how to find your tribe in your dating life, and with finally realizing why your uncle is always paying for funerals in your family (he's Blue Collar Bourgie and that's what they do). On the Motivation segment, I mention a simple, but powerful quote from Oprah about how to stay grounded on your journey to success. 

On this episode of Protégé Podcast I’m joined by Guest co-Host Justin Wilson and we talk about two important workplace topics: open architecture offices and how to ask for a raise. Are open seating offices good for collaboration and bad for more focused work? Justin and I also discuss effective techniques to help you get that raise. On the Lit & Quit segment, we talk about the movie Harriet, politics, and the Oscars. On the Motivation segment, I ask you to consider what value should really drive your career decisions.

It's a Throwback Thursday episode of Protégé Podcast where we revisit my conversation with former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. Governor Patrick and I talk about working as an insider when you feel like an outsider and why your commitment to serve is more important than the career platform you use. It's insightful career advice from the man who could be president one day.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast, I devote the entire podcast to giving you a behind the scenes look at hiring from the recruiter/headhunter's perspective. Learn why patience is a virtue and why you should probably not call the recruiter to remind them you're still interested in the job. It's five principles to keep you confident and grounded when you're a candidate for that next big job. On the Motivation segment, I pay tribute to the brilliance and generosity of Harvard Law professor Charles Ogletree.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast, I talk with guest co-host Saydeah Howard, the Chief Talent Officer at IVP, one of Silicon Valley's top venture capital firms. We have a candid conversation about this week's Big Question: what do you do if you have to quit your job abruptly? How do you exit gracefully? On the Motivation segment, I encourage you to commit to a core set of values in your career, while remaining agnostic about the specific jobs you might have along the way. On the Lit & Quit segment, Saydeah and I talk about track and field heroes, Tyler Perry, vaping, and Kanye West's bbq invitation. 

On this special Howard Homecoming edition of Protégé Podcast, I talk with media superstar Depelsha McGruder, the interim CEO of New York Public Radio. The Howard and Harvard Business School graduate talks about her humble childhood in Georgia, her rapid rise through Viacom, and why she started a nonprofit to help protect black boys. On the motivation segment, I encourage everyone to keep the magic going when they experience rough patches in their careers.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast, Guest co-host Shaunna Jones joins me to discuss this week’s big question: how do you manage issues of integrity and ethics when it comes to reporting malfeasance in your workplace? Should you report an ethics issue above your boss? And what should you consider before you blow the whistle?  On the Motivation segment, I encourage everyone to, in the words of Prince, make heart decisions in business. On the Lit & Quit segment, Shaunna and I tackle cancel culture and free speech and racial solidarity within communities of color.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast, Guest co-Host Justin Wilson and I talk about the vital information you need to know about your workplace. We talk about how to access information and data about your organization's strategy, its operating model, and the disruptive threats it faces, and how to use this information to propel your career forward. We also debut the Lit & Quit segment about what inspires us and tires us about what's happening in the world of work and culture. 

Protégé Podcast Season 4 launches with our 10-part series, "Inside the C-Suite," where I interview senior leaders from diverse backgrounds who are part of executive leadership at leading companies and organizations. On this episode, I have a powerfully inspiring conversation with the insightful and accomplished April Miller Boise, senior vice president, chief legal officer, and corporate secretary of Meritor. April talks about the importance of sponsors, the elements of executive communication, and how to build relationships with your professional colleagues.

In our third and final episode in our Career Launch series, I talk with the best career coach anywhere, Coach Pamela Mitchell, the founder and president of The Reinvention Institute. Coach Pamela and I talk about the value of misery in your career, the difference between an ego and spirit led career, and how faith can guide you to career nirvana. On the Rant, Rave and Review segment, I review Coach Pamela's best-selling book, "The Ten Rules of Career Reinvention."

In Part II of our Career Launch series, I talk with communications and personal branding guru Henry Stewart, the founder of Emerson Street Strategy Group. Henry and I discuss how your social media profile, communication style, attire and etiquette help form your professional brand. Henry provides expert techniques he's used with his celebrity and corporate clients to help you maintain a polished professional brand. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I review the Netlix documentary "The Black Godfather" and rave about the stress-relieving benefits of yoga.

This is part one of our multipart series "Career Launch" about entering and reentering the workplace. What are the pitfalls, common mistakes, and unwritten rules we should be mindful of as we begin a new phase in our careers? Justin Wilson, a returning Guest Co-Host, and I discuss how to manage your time, your money, and your emotions in those critical first few months and years of your career launch or relaunch. On the Rant, Rave, and Review segment, I rave about the legacy and spirit of the incomparable Leah Chase.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast, I provide five simple techniques to get your career in shape for summer. From networking to social media, summer is actually a perfect time to think and act strategically about advancing your career. And don't worry: you can do all of these techniques from the beach with a margarita in hand.

This week on Protégé Podcast, I talk with master networker Dale Favors, the founder of Adaptive Growth Leadership, a consulting firm focused on business development training. Dale and I talk about leveraging our entrepreneurial skills to build and sustain professional networks. Hint: it's all about favors. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I Rave about Robert Smith's astonishing act of generosity to the Morehouse College Class of 2019.

On this week's Protégé Podcast, we talk about what’s next after the #MeToo movement. What changes can we make within our workplaces to make sure everyone is treated fairly and with respect? Linda Seabrook, the General Counsel of Futures Without Violence, the nation’s leading violence prevention advocacy organization, joins me to talk about what we can do as individual employees to change workplace culture for the better.   On the Rant, Rave and Review segment, I review "Knock Down the House," an inspiring documentary about four women who launch long shot bids for public office.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast, I talk with one of the nation’s leading experts on cities, Chris Tyson. Chris and I have a spirited conversation about fusing your many interests and skills into one career, the challenge of managing family and professional duties, and why we’re fighting gentrification all wrong.  On the Rant, Rave and Review segment, I Rant about an interesting trend that I’m seeing in the diversity and inclusion space.

On this week's Protégé Podcast, I have a fascinating conversation with a dynamic leader in one of the fastest growing industries on the planet. Johanna Faries, the Head of Call of Duty Esports at Activision Blizzard, and I talk about how to take calculated risks in your career, the impact of women in the eSports industry, and the power of focusing on short term goals over the long arc of your career. On the Rant, Rave and Review segment, I Rave and Reflect on the legacies of two giants who recently passed: film director John Singleton and federal judge Damon Keith. 

This week on Protégé Podcast, I’m talking to Carolina Espinal, a leading diversity crisis communications expert in Washington, D.C. Carolina and I talk about what companies get wrong in a diversity crisis, and the first few things they should do when they get into a quagmire.  On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I rant about and review how companies can learn about diversity and inclusion from the PGA Tour and Tiger Woods.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast, I talk with innovation and efficiency expert Whitney White, the founder of Afara Global, about time management. Whitney and I talk about how effectively managing your time can make you a happier and more productive professional. You'll hear tips about strategically managing your calendar, avoiding procrastination, and prioritizing the company you keep. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I pause to thank you, our listeners, for supporting the show over the past three years.