Protégé Podcast With Rory Verrett

On this week's Protégé Podcast, I’m talking with the first ever head of diversity at Hasbro, the legendary toy company. Bryony Bouyer and I talk about the secret to her longevity at one company, what Hasbro’s got to do with Wakanda, and why you should get to know your company’s chief diversity officer.  On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I rave about the sports documentary “After the Buzzer” about the exploitation within college athletics. 

On this week's Protégé Podcast, I talk with social justice attorney and advocate Mai Ratakonda of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. We discuss how Mai was able to choose a career in social justice right out of law school, why Planned Parenthood's advocacy includes access to quality health care, and the importance of diversity in the reproductive choice movement. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I discuss why Jim Collins' classic business strategy book "Good To Great" offers profound lessons for our career development. 

On this week's Protégé Podcast, I have an inspirational conversation with Dr. Edjah Nduom, a neurosurgeon at The National Institutes of Health (NIH). Edjah and I talk about the long and difficult path through medical school and his residency, the impact of mentors in his life, and how he brings hope to his patients during some of the darkest moments in their lives.   On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I rant about the college cheating scandal and the myth of meritocracy.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast, we talk with super-lawyer Cicely Reid, a top disability rights attorney and advocate, about how we can become effective allies on behalf of people with disabilities. Cicely discusses her career journey from trial lawyer to civil rights advocate, and the practical steps we can take to advance disability rights in the workplace. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I do a pre-Rant about the college admissions cheating scandal.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast, we discuss seven strategies to apply in your career to get you moving again. Whether it's a layoff, a return to the workforce after an extended absence, or a reinvention, finding the right opportunity with the right organization demands a well-executed strategy. Hear how facing some hard facts and learning to decipher your own career algorithm are a couple of the bedrock principles to getting you unstuck in your career. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I rant about where the real Wakanda might be. 

When she graduated from Howard University, Nicole Williams Black set her sights on a career in marketing. As she scaled the heights of one of the biggest companies in America, Nicole faced unforeseen events which would impact her career journey in powerful ways. Her husband's entrepreneurial dreams, her mother's illness, the demands of an active parent all challenged Nicole's assumptions about her life, her career, and balancing it all. This is not a story about having a plan B in your career. It's about making sure your plan A is flexible enough through the peaks and valley of your life. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I rave about diversity at this year's Academy Awards.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast, I have an engaging and frank conversation about race with my guest co-host, Justin Wilson, a rising star in public affairs. In particular, Justin and I dissect the blackface controversy with Virginia's governor and with Gucci, what to do if your company goes sideways on racial issues, the blackness test for presidential candidates, and how to balance racial integrity and commercial ambition.   

On this episode of Protégé Podcast, I discuss the Four Mistakes to Avoid in Your Job Search. Just like you wouldn't show up on a date in 2019 wearing a Coogi sweater and British Knights, you shouldn't use outdated techniques to land your next gig. Hear what actually works in an effective job search so you can land that amazing new role in 2019! Happy holidays and happy new year from Protégé Podcast!

On this week's Protégé Podcast, we re-launch our series "What It Takes," where I interview dynamic, diverse leaders at the top of their professions. Our Guest Mentor on this episode is Gary Hall, partner and head of investment banking at Seibert Cisneros Shank. Gary reflects on his life and career journey from the Cabrini Green housing projects in Chicago to his White House Fellowship to chairing one of the financial industry's most important and prestigious boards. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I rave about Nike's approach to board diversity.

This week on Protégé Podcast, I devote a full episode to reviewing Robin DiAngelo's bestselling book "White Fragility - Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism." Written by a white person primarily for a white audience, "White Fragility" is a powerfully honest and unflinching look at why and how white Americans deflect, deny, and disrupt most attempts at truth-telling about race. In my review, I analyze how DiAngelo's book also offers insightful perspectives about how professionals of color can navigate the sometimes treacherous racial landscape at work. 

In our third episode in our Workplace Wellness series, I talk with attorney and associate pastor Natosha Reid Rice about the importance of faith and time management on our emotional wellness. Natosha and I discuss managing the expectations and challenges in the various seasons of life, and why the arc of history does indeed bend toward justice. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I rave about the social and emotional value of attending school reunions.

In our second episode in our Protégé Podcast series on Workplace Wellness, I welcome back fitness and nutrition expert Brenda Sillas. Brenda and I discuss how to avoid stress-induced binge eating and how to create exercise habits that stick. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment I rave about the diversity of new political leaders coming to Washington and review Spike Lee's movie "BlacKKKlansman."

This month on Protégé Podcast, we launch a series helping you manage stress both inside and outside of the workplace. On this first episode, our resident Guest Mentor Shaunna Jones and I discuss how to survive a toxic workplace. We provide practical tips to help you determine whether you are actually working in a toxic environment, or whether it's standard-issue corporate politics. Shaunna and I also break down when it's time for you to leave and/or launch your job search. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I review the music documentary series "Hip Hop Evolution."

This week we launch a special series - Lessons on the Links - where I talk with extraordinary leaders over a round of golf. This week our Guest Mentor is Norman Jenkins, the CEO of Capstone Development, a real estate development company headquartered here in the DC area. Capstone Development owns and manages 30 Marriott and Hilton hotels across the country. Over a competitive round of golf at Norbeck Country Club, Norman and I discuss making the transition from corporate to entrepreneurship and the secret to successful mentor/protégé relationships. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I offer a reflection after a tragic week of domestic terrorism in the U.S.

This week on Protégé Podcast, we have our third episode in our series “Side Hustle Success - The Remix,” and check in with superstar entrepreneur Chris-Tia Donaldson. Chris-Tia is the founder and CEO of Thank God It’s Natural, a hair care and beauty products company based in Chicago. She's also an author, a Harvard grad (twice), and a breast cancer survivor. Chris-Tia breaks down how her status as both survivor and entrepreneur helped her overcome challenges in each situation, and why you don't have to travel across the world to find peace and tranquility in your life. We also debut a new segment on the podcast - The Great Debates. This week's Great Debate: what is the best Eddie Murphy movie of all time? Here's a hint about my pick: the movie also has some seriously insightful career advice.

Real estate developer Harold Foley was one of the few African-American men with a Ph.D in computer science, but traded his academic life for the entrepreneurial path. On this week's Protégé Podcast, I check back in with Harold to discuss the good, bad, and ugly of the last two years. Harold and I discuss why good execution is more important than great ideas, and what mistakes he sees younger entrepreneurs make. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I rave about the Netflix documentary on Quincy Jones.

This week on the podcast, we launch a series “Side Hustle Success (the Remix),” where we revisit some of the entrepreneurs we interviewed over two years ago. These are entrepreneurs who built successful businesses from their day jobs and share the lessons they’ve learned along the way. On today’s podcast, I check in with Marni Barron, president of education technology firm SoulTree, LLC. Marni talks about overcoming your fears as an entrepreneur, and how not to fall into the trap of a high consumption lifestyle. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I revisit Jim Collin’s book “Good to Great” and discuss why this business strategy book has important insights for our career strategy as well.

On the fourth episode in the Protégé Podcast series on Beltway Insiders, I talk with presidential advisor and attorney Broderick Johnson, partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, about his extraordinary career in Washington. Broderick advises young professionals to focus on the jobs they're in before strategizing about future opportunities. The Chairman of the White House's My Brother's Keeper Task Force, Broderick also encourages public policy advocates to be flexible about career assignments and open-minded about mentor relationships.  On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I encourage men to be better allies in the movement to eliminate sexual assault. 

In our third episode in our series on Beltway Insiders, I talk with accomplished government affairs executive Nicole Venable. "The Lobbyist Lady" and I talk about surviving scandal, the benefits of bipartisanship, and the importance of social equity in your career. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I rave about the comeback of Tiger Woods.

As part of our series on "Beltway Insiders," I talk with Don Calloway, the founder of Pine Street Strategies, a leading DC public affairs firm. In addition to representing private sector clients on the Hill, Don and his colleagues have been the brains and groundwork behind some of the impressive young political talent emerging on the national stage. Don and I discuss the importance of having a true north in your career and the impact of a stable marriage on your professional life. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I rave about The St. James, a truly unique fitness and entertainment destination.