Protégé Podcast With Rory Verrett

This is the first episode in our series on understanding organizational culture. This week we talk with culture change expert Kate Terrell, the Chief Human Resources Officer at Driscoll's, the world's leading berry company, about navigating organizational culture. Kate discusses what questions to ask when you are interviewing, what culture clues to look for as you advance in your job, and how you can impact your organization's culture. In the episode's first segment - "Rants, Raves and Reviews," host Rory Verrett reviews Angela Duckworth's book, "Grit" and the important insights it contains for your career development.

This is the year to get that promotion, join that fast-growing company, or start that new business! Let's start the year off right with understanding how we can maintain and maximize our professional brand. In this episode, find out how your resume, social media profiles, and other elements create your digital footprint, and what you can do to make sure you show up smart and professional no matter who the audience might be.  

As the third episode in our Protégé Podcast series on "Workplace Harassment - A New Way Forward," I have an illuminating conversation with Linda Seabrook, general counsel of Futures Without Violence, a leading nonprofit focused on eliminating gender-based violence. Linda and I discuss how to positively change workplace culture, the Tavis Smiley controversy, and why accountability and power must be inextricably linked if organizations want to eliminate gender-based workplace harassment.

You can be a senior male executive and have a positive, productive relationship with a woman at work. As we continue our national conversation on sexual harassment in the workplace, let's hope that positive male/female, mentor/protégé relationships continue to flourish. On this week's Protégé Podcast, we continue our series on Workplace Harassment - A New Way Forward - and talk with Rachana Bhide, founder of the Corner of the Court Project. Rachana and I discuss the importance of male allies for women leaders, and outline best practices in developing and sustaining these powerful workplace relationships.

What do you do when you are sexually harassed at work or face racial discrimination? What are your rights as a professional? How can we all prevent sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace, and foster positive professional relationships among men and women?   This week on Protégé Podcast we begin our three-part series focused on "Workplace Harassment (The New Way Forward)." We will have insightful conversations with three Guest Experts: an employment attorney; a victims' rights advocate; and an expert on male/female mentoring relationships.   This week I have a conversation with employment attorney Greg Chiarello, who breaks down when and how to use an attorney to secure your workplace rights.

Though many see it as a glamorous life, a career as a public servant can feel like you are scaling the rough side of the mountain. On this week's Protégé Podcast, our Guest Mentor is Houston City Council member Amanda K. Edwards, a rising star in local and national politics. Amanda provides a candid testimony about what you should expect when you enter the political arena, from being accessible nearly 24-7 to constituents to helping senior citizens recover from their flood ravaged homes. It's a behind the scenes look at fulfilling your purpose from one of the rising stars in the Democratic party.

For our 100th episode, we are honored to welcome former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick to Protégé Podcast. Governor Patrick and I talk about being an outsider looking in, balancing work and family, the privilege and pain points of a life in public service, and so much more. It's a rare career interview of a living American legend, a legal and political trailblazer who speaks candidly about the highs and lows of his extraordinary career. 

As the third and final episode in our series on Marriage and Careers, I talk with DC power couple Will and Michele Jawando. The Jawandos talk about how they are managing two hard charging careers in policy and politics, raising three young daughters, and supporting two sets of parents. They share advice on how to collaborate and not compete with your spouse, as well as tips on staying organized and focused when there are so many competing priorities. On The Breakdown, I discuss why it's so important to align your values in your career and marriage. 

This week on Protégé Podcast we continue our series on Marriage and Careers! Jeanine Hays, a social justice advocate, and Bryan Mason, a budding theologian, never thought they'd be in the careers they're in now. Yet, here they are: the owners of Aphrochic, a highly successful home decor company which has been featured on HGTV, Better Homes & Gardens, Elle Decor, and Good Morning America. Jeanine and Bryan discuss what it means to be "all in" in marriage and business, and how the clues to their major career shifts were always right in front of them.

It's the first episode in our series on Marriage and Careers! This week we profile Winston and Wendy Burns, the owner-operators of Westwin, an airport concessions company. Winston and Wendy discuss the challenging moments after 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, raising their daughter despite a hectic work schedule, and the mentors on their career journey who made a difference. It's an inspirational story about shared sacrifice, the power of faith, and the unbreakable trust between partners in business and life.

This week on Protégé Podcast, we launch a new series of mini-episodes called the Exit Interview.   Exit Interview is a platform for professionals to reflect upon, applaud, vent or otherwise share their perspective about their work experience. We ask that the Guest use an anonymous name and not mention their previous employer for many obvious reasons.   Today's Exit Interview is from "David," a 40-something African American male who worked in corporate America for over a decade.   If you are interested in doing an Exit Interview on Protege Podcast, please inbox me here on Facebook.  

For the fourth and final episode in our series "The International Professional," I talk with attorney, human rights leader, and social entrepreneur Kim Robinson, president of Renaissance Strategic Solutions, an advisory firm which helps bridge relationships between the U.S. and Africa. Though bullish on business opportunities on the continent, Kim gets candid about the regulatory, financial, and cultural challenges to launching a small business in Africa. Our conversation is about being a witness to history, taking a non-linear path in your career, and getting comfortable with ambiguity. 

In our third episode in our series on Protégé Podcast "The International Professional," I talk with United States Foreign Service Officer Kali Jones. Kali and I discuss how she's hosted a radio show on safe sex in Madagascar, helped wounded Haitians get medical attention after an earthquake, and helped identify the remains of U.S. soldiers in Vietnam. It's an episode about representing the best of American values abroad, finding your professional tribe and, ultimately, finding yourself.  

In the second episode of our series "The International Professional," I have a lively and insightful conversation with Donielle Johnson, who leads regulatory affairs for Johnson & Johnson in Europe, the Middle East and Canada. Donielle reveals the salary premium she commands as an international executive, what European work/life balance means, and why recruiters can't stop calling her, even at 3 am.  

As part of our series on living and working abroad, I have a fascinating conversation with an American working in South Africa's corporate sector. Herman Warren has been a consultant, entrepreneur, and corporate executive in Johannesburg for the past 20 years and has never looked back. On the first interview in our series "The International Professional," Herman and I discuss navigating the cultural landscape in South Africa, what "maybe" means in corporate negotiations, and how to build a rich and meaningful life in your adopted country. 

As part of our month-long series "Diversity in Tech: Obstacles & Opportunities," we will have candid conversations with dynamic leaders of color about their careers in the tech sector. This week, I talk with StubHub executive Bärí A. Williams about her path to senior leadership in Silicon Valley, the connection between gentrification and corporate diversity, and why meritocracy in the tech sector is more myth than fact.

As the final episode in our series "Diversity in Tech: Obstacles and Opportunities," I talk with Michael Nation, Senior Director of Technology at Nike. Mike and I discuss the importance of building relationships in the workplace, the value of bringing your personal passion to your functional role, and the challenges of corporate relocation. We also talk about Mike's insane Nike collection, including an original pair of Yeezy's he copped from a co-worker. 

Can you build a multi-million dollar cyber-security firm on faith? As part of our series "Diversity and Tech: Obstacles and Opportunities," I talk with Danyetta Magana, CEO of Covenant Security Solutions, about how she's incorporated her abiding faith and her technology brilliance into a leading cyber-security company. As CEO of an INC 5000 fast growing company, Danyetta discusses the signs God provides for us, standing up for yourself in the workplace, and the power of forgiveness in your career.

A $4 billion venture capital fund, IVP has invested in over 300 companies, including Netflix, Twitter, Snap, Dropbox, and Walker & Company. This week, as part of our series "Diversity in Tech: Obstacles and Opportunities," I talk with Saydeah Howard, Senior Vice President for Talent and Venture Services at IVP. As a recruiter for successful tech startups, Saydeah discusses what it takes to succeed at a venture backed company, and what Silicon Valley's most successful entrepreneurs have in common.

After acing undergrad, medical school, and the early years of her residency, Dr. Bonnie Simpson Mason fully expected to spend the rest of her career as an orthopedic surgeon. But God had other plans. An unexpected medical diagnosis would change Bonnie's life and career forever. On this week's Protégé Podcast, Bonnie provides a testimony about creating new dreams, about the power of grit and grace, and about elevating the voice of God above her own.