Podcasts about african american ceo

SRP Federal Credit Union stands as a significant financial institution in South Carolina, boasting a substantial $1.7 billion in assets and a long-standing commitment to serving its members. Headquartered in North Augusta, SC, SRP FCU has established itself as a cornerstone of the region's financial landscape, providing a comprehensive range of financial products and services to individuals, families, and businesses across its service area. As a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative, SRP FCU prioritizes the financial well-being of its members, reinvesting profits back into the organization through better rates, lower fees, and enhanced services. The credit union's history is rooted in serving specific communities or employee groups, fostering a strong sense of belonging and personalized financial solutions. Over time, SRP FCU has grown and evolved, expanding its reach and offerings while maintaining its core values of member service and community involvement. Its $1.7 billion asset size places it among the larger credit unions in the state, signifying its significant impact on the local economy and the financial lives of its members. This scale allows SRP FCU to offer competitive products, invest in technology and infrastructure, and support community development initiatives. At the helm of this robust organization is Liz Ponder, a trailblazing leader who has made history as the first African-American CEO of a credit union in the South. Her appointment marks a pivotal moment for both SRP Federal Credit Union and the broader financial industry in the region. In a sector where leadership has historically lacked diversity, Ponder's ascent to the CEO position represents a significant step towards greater inclusivity and representation at the highest levels. Ponder's role as CEO encompasses a wide range of responsibilities, including: Strategic Leadership: Charting the future course of SRP FCU, setting strategic goals, and ensuring the organization remains competitive and relevant in a dynamic financial environment. Financial Oversight: Managing the credit union's substantial assets, ensuring financial stability, and making sound fiscal decisions that benefit the members. Operational Management: Overseeing the day-to-day operations of the credit union, ensuring efficiency, compliance, and the delivery of high-quality services across all branches and digital platforms. Member Advocacy: Championing the needs and interests of SRP FCU's diverse membership, ensuring that the credit union's products and services are tailored to meet their evolving financial needs. Community Engagement: Fostering strong relationships with the communities SRP FCU serves, supporting local initiatives, and promoting financial literacy and well-being. Cultivating Organizational Culture: Leading and inspiring a team of employees, fostering a positive and inclusive work environment that prioritizes member service and collaboration. As the first African-American CEO of a credit union of this size and stature in the South, Liz Ponder carries a profound significance that extends beyond the operational aspects of her role. Her leadership serves as: A Beacon of Progress: It signifies a tangible step forward in breaking down racial barriers within the financial industry in a region with a complex history. Her presence demonstrates that leadership opportunities are becoming more accessible to individuals from diverse backgrounds. An Inspiration for Future Leaders: Ponder's achievement serves as a powerful role model for aspiring African-American professionals and other underrepresented groups in finance, showing them that executive leadership is within reach. A Catalyst for Change: Her leadership has the potential to influence the culture and practices within SRP FCU and potentially inspire other financial institutions in the South to prioritize diversity and inclusion in their own leadership ranks. A Voice for Inclusivity: Ponder's unique perspective and experiences can inform the credit union's approach to serving its diverse membership, ensuring that its products and services are equitable and meet the needs of all community members. SRP Federal Credit Union is a vital financial institution in South Carolina with a substantial asset base and a commitment to its members. Liz Ponder's leadership as the first African-American CEO of a credit union of this size in the South is a landmark achievement. It not only highlights her exceptional capabilities but also signifies a crucial step towards a more diverse and inclusive financial landscape in the region, offering inspiration and paving the way for future generations of leaders. Her role at SRP FCU has the potential to positively impact the organization, its members, and the broader communities it serves for years to come. Web: https://srpfcu.org/ Get to Know Ash: Imagine someone who just radiates good vibes and genuinely wants to see you shine – that's Ash Brown! This incredibly talented American wears many hats: she's a fantastic producer, a super engaging blogger, a captivating speaker, a natural media personality, and a fantastic host for events. Her energy is totally infectious, and you can tell she's truly passionate about helping everyone reach their full potential. What's Ash Up To? AshSaidit.com: Think of this as your VIP pass into Ash's world! Her blog is buzzing with exclusive invites to events, honest reviews of cool products, and all sorts of fun and informative stuff. It's the perfect place to stay in the loop and get a dose of Ash's personality. The Ash Said It Show: Get ready to feel inspired! Ash's podcast is a powerhouse of motivation, with over 2,000 episodes already out there and a whopping half a million listens worldwide! She has amazing conversations with inspiring people and dives into topics that really matter. Why We Love Ash: Ash isn't just talking the talk; she's walking the walk! What makes her truly special is how real she is. She connects with her audience on a genuine level, offering advice and encouragement that feels like a chat with a good friend. She doesn't shy away from the tough stuff but instead gives you the tools to tackle it head-on. Here's what makes Ash stand out: Sunshine Personified: Ash is a total optimist! Her positive energy is contagious, and you can't help but feel more empowered and ready for anything after connecting with her. Keeping It Real: Ash doesn't try to sugarcoat life. She gets that things can be tough and offers relatable advice that speaks to people from all walks of life. Turning Inspiration into Action: This isn't just about feeling good for a moment. Ash gives you practical tips and strategies to actually make things happen and turn your dreams into reality. So, if you're looking for a daily dose of inspiration, real-world advice, and someone who keeps it totally honest, Ash Brown is your go-to person! With her amazing positivity and genuine dedication to helping others, she's sure to become your favorite source for making the most out of life. ✨ ► Goli Gummy Discounts Link: https://go.goli.com/1loveash5 ► Luxury Women Handbag Discounts: https://www.theofficialathena.... ► Review Us: https://itunes.apple.com/us/po... ► Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/c/AshSa... ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1lov... ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashsa... ► Blog: http://www.ashsaidit.com/blog #atlanta #ashsaidit #theashsaiditshow #ashblogsit #ashsaidit®Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-ash-said-it-show--1213325/support.

When a mentor, and now friend, told Kenneth Chenault during a hiring process at American Express that he was "looking for catalytic agents of change," it struck a deep chord--because it's exactly what Chenault wanted to be. Kenneth Chenault learned early on to only worry about the things he could control; this helped him when life—and business at American Express—threw unpredictable events his way. In this 2020 interview, he tells Guy how he broke barriers as the company's first African American CEO and helped turn AmEx from a traveler's check company into a credit card powerhouse.

Small town girl living a legacy. At the young age of 15 she was managing a Dairy Queen. Hear how one question from her English  teacher changed the trajectory of her life. Kim leads her life out front. Kim has never settled for good because she believes  there is always more. A few days ago she runs into one of her first clients, you gotta listen in to hear what happened. Grab a Kleenex  and thanks  for listening to our #grittyglobalpodcast

Today's guest is a passionate founder and CEO of Purpose Brand, an award-winning PR, brand and digital marketing firm in Chicago. Diane Primo builds on a groundbreaking 30 year career leading some of the top marketing organizations in the country and she has set up her agency based on her own extensive experience in the corporate world. Diane is also the author of a book series that explores business culture, consumer attitudes, communication strategy, and workforce diversity. In today's episode, we talk a lot about her book ADAPT: Scaling Purpose in a Divisive World and what exactly the meaning is behind its title. Through this conversation, you'll learn the importance of purpose in a business, how to develop it over time, and the sad lack of women in color in the corporate world. And you'll hear it all from the organizational, team, and individual perspectives. What We Talked About in This Episode: Diane's background as the only African American CEO of a purpose driven organization The work done in Chicago for the homeless Scaling purpose in a divisive world Finding purpose and making it come alive Diane's book ADAPT and what the acronym means Alignment ESG and its importance Demographics in the corporate world The impact of Covid on the organization's purpose Going out of your way to connect employees Purpose makes you adaptable You have to have branding. It should be a brand you like. Becoming a catalyst for others in the industry Giving people opportunity Diversity and Inclusion Officers Looking at processes to restructure them with equity Training marketing and communications team members The importance of building a diverse network Diane's book recommendation and daily rituals About Our Guest: Diane Primo is the CEO of the Purpose Brand agency, an award-winning, Chicago-based public relations, branding and digital marketing firm. She is a best selling author of an award-winning book and the only African American female CEO of a purpose-driven communications agency. Diane's focus on impact marketing stems from the belief that brands must be relevant, purpose-driven and committed to consumers to be successful today.  Consumers' demand for meaning, transparency and authenticity has changed the nature and raised the stakes in all communications. Connect with Diane Primo:  Purpose Brand Website ADAPT: Scaling Purpose in a Divisive World by Diane Primo Connect with John Murphy: LinkedIn Twitter YouTube Facebook If you liked this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, tune in, and share this podcast. Thanks for tuning in!

Christopher Harrington is the first African American CEO in the theatre's 36-year history. He talks about his relationship with the community as well as upcoming performances. Harrington highlights a special connection with veterans which coincides with the Ordway's staging of A Soldier's Play.

Recently, I was invited to speak at a big CEO Summit at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Hundreds of CEOs from across America and around the globe were in attendance, all gathered together to exchange ideas and develop relationships. The Dean of the LU School of Business, Dave Brat, did a masterful job of organizing, leading, and mc'ing the event. Newt Gingritch was a keynote speaker, as was the President of Ghana, Winsome Sears, Lt. Governor of Virginia, and others. We met some incredible leaders and made some powerful business connections as well as lifelong friends. If you haven't ever been to the Liberty University campus, I highly recommend you check it out. It's a beautiful, clean campus and the students we met were outstanding ... clean-cut, articulate, and happy they seemed. As the largest evangelical Christian college in the U.S., the whole experience was an impressive, even spiritual, event and I'm grateful my team and I were able to attend. One of the unique things, about this annual CEO Summit is that a large portion of the attendees come from Africa and/or are focused on increasing trade relations between Africa and the U.S. Among other things, the Summit is a remarkable collaboration between U.S. interests and African interests, a braintrust and bridge-building exchange that is inspiring to say the least. As part of this visit, my VoiceAmerica colleague, Frank Helring, host of BizZne$$ BuzZ, who attended with me, and I, met a gifted grouping of black American leaders who are bringing about change in Africa that will be felt for generations to come. Led by CEO and Founder of Ward Holdings, Lloyd Ward, the first African American CEO of a Fortune 500 company in the U.S., to say the group is impressive is an understatement indeed. You may not know this, but Africa is one of the largest continents on the planet and represents as much as 60% of global resources but, a shocking statistic we also learned was that it only accounts for TWO PERCENT of the world's GNP! Why is this? It's hard to believe but it's true, due largely to colonization, marginalization, mismanagement, corruption, and more. All that's about to change though. Mr. Ward shares his story today on Finding Certainty, of how he has been guided, prepared, and CALLED even, to spearhead this multi-trillion dollar development, about how he and his extremely talented team are well underway in opening the floodgates of Africa, and with them, new opportunities for prosperity and equity for the people of Africa and beyond. We talk about Ward Holdings' current pre-IPO and what it consists of, why it is paramount they make the movement (and company) public, and how he and his team's years of experience were, in fact, the missing piece for bringing it to pass. If you want to hear a truly inspiring story of business disruption, development, and even destiny, you don't want to miss this show. Learn more at https://youtu.be/LVZwS4Fn94A and https://wardholdingsintl.com/.

THE SPIRIT OF WOMEN is a female driven piece that takes an intimate look at the women paving the way for females in the male dominated world of whiskey and bourbon. The film will sit down with these trailblazing women, who are changing the entire landscape of the what the world thinks it knows about women and whiskey and most of them are the first in their field. This includes the first female bourbon taster in the world, the first female Master Distiller in Kentucky, the first female African-American Master Blender, the first female African-American CEO of any major spirit brand among others. We will also take on the important social issue of sexism, as well as how womens involvement in the alcohol industry has been buried throughout the ages.  We were lucky enough to talk to Leigha Kingsley, the woman behind this film.  For 15% off your order at ORCA Coolers, make sure to visit www.orcacoolers.com/bourbon  We're pushing our social media to Picks App! Make sure to visit https://picksshop.com/ and make sure to get the Picks App to get in on all the fun.

In this episode of Bourbon With Friends. The team sits down with actress, director and producer Leigha Kingsley to talk about the Spirit Of Women Film. Having signed on big names such as Peggy Noe Stevens, Marianne Eaves and Jackie Zykan. The Spirit Of Women takes an intimate look at the trailblazing women who are changing the entire landscape for females in the male-dominated world of whiskey and bourbon.THE SPIRIT OF WOMEN is a female driven piece that takes an intimate look at the women paving the way for females in the male dominated world of whiskey and bourbon. The film will sit down with these trailblazing women, who are changing the entire landscape of the what the world thinks it knows about women and whiskey and most of them are the first in their field. This includes the first female bourbon taster in the world, the first female Master Distiller in Kentucky, the first female African-American Master Blender, the first female African-American CEO of any major spirit brand among others. We will also take on the important social issue of sexism, as well as how women's involvement in the alcohol industry has been buried throughout the ages.Check out our sponsors!Kentucky Eagle INC. - Kentucky Eagle is growing and in need of talented people with a passion for wine and spirits. We are looking for sales positions and operational roles. We are a family owned and operated company that offers above industry average compensation, up to 7.5% 401K match, health-life-dental-vision-life insurance, car allowance, and cell allowance. Positions are available in markets around Kentucky. Please visit kyeagle.netcareers to apply.Check out their website - www.kyeagle.netBlind Barrels - Blind Whiskey Tasting Kit that was born to disrupt the whiskey industry by showcasing American craft whiskey that don't make their way to liquor store shelves due to distribution limitations. Blind tastings are all about discovery, education, and removing brand bias, and Blind Barrels hits home with whiskey communities by supporting the very best in smaller distillers who are making the most amazing, innovative, and delicious products that you can't get at your liquor store.Instagram - blindbarrelswww.blindbarrels.com

Do you operate your business around your purpose? Have you been paying attention to your customers, employees, or stakeholders? Having a company that focuses on its purposes is often the one that is successful. Your purpose will be your guide, a framework that will help you operate your business. Aside from that, you should also recognize the importance of your customers, employees, and stakeholders. You must take into account their thoughts and opinions when operating your business. In this episode, we have Diane Primo. She is an African American CEO of Purpose Brand Agency. It is a firm that focuses on public relations, branding, and digital marketing. Her interest and focus revolve around impact marketing which is centered on the idea that a business that is consumer-centric, purpose-driven, and relevant is most likely to succeed. Diane is also the author of the book entitled “ADAPT: Scaling Purpose in a Divisive World.” In today's episode, we are going to discuss being a purpose-driven business and how it helps in your path to success. Resources Purpose Brand SitePurpose Brand Agency Facebook PageDianne Primo Linkedin Personal Purpose Brand Linkedin PagePurpose Brand Youtube ChannelAdapt Scaling Purpose Divisive World Amazon

In Episode 77, we are joined by Brandon Dean Johnson, who has accepted the passing of the torch to be the new CEO of Create Now, founded by our late friend, Jill Gurr. An organization that has used arts to impact the lives of tens of thousands of at-risk youth, Aalia and Johnson discuss the challenges and joyous moments of being their first African American CEO. Discussing Create Now's focus on educating underprivileged youth, they emphasize the importance of art as we attempt to mitigate the effect of a global pandemic on our most vulnerable children. While talking to Aalia, Johnson drops some real gems that everyone needs to hear! Press PLAY!Like, comment, and subscribe! Stay connected with your host on IG: @aalia_unsugarcoated Stay connected to our guest on IG: @CreatenowartsUNSUGARCOATED Media is a 501c3 media enterprise, using podcasts, print publications, short documentaries, and more to tell stories of empowerment in the face of adversity and trauma. For more information on our goals, content, and sponsorship opportunities, please visit our website.

Frank Clark's story is not a fabrication for film. It is a reality saga that took him from the mailroom to the corner office. In this episode of the Lincoln Laureates, you'll hear what drove Frank Clark to become the first African-American CEO of the Fortune 100 energy company, ComEd. As a native of Chicago's Woodlawn and West Chatham neighborhoods, Mr. Clark lived the realities of racial division and injustice. In this dialogue, we'll get to the heart of that experience. You'll also hear what Abraham Lincoln's life has to teach us about educating equality. Our guest host for this conversation is award-winning broadcast journalist, Jim Bohannon.

Kenneth Chenault learned early on to only worry about the things he could control, this helped him when life—and business at American Express—threw unpredictable events his way. He broke barriers as the company's first African American CEO and helped turn AmEx from a traveler's check company into a credit card powerhouse.

Last month, the PACT Act went into effect in the US, which prohibits vaping products to be delivered through the U.S. mail. Although this rule was originally intended for nicotine products, it now also includes devices used for marijuana and hemp. To talk about how this new law will affect the vaping industry, I'm joined by Ricardo Willis, CEO of the vaporizer tech company Hanu Labs. Ricardo is also the first African American CEO of a cannabis vaporizer company. On the pod, he talks candidly about his rise to the top and how other minorities can succeed in the industry.

QUANTUM NURSE LIVESTREAM https://www.quantumnurse.life/ presents Sept 21, 2021 Tuesday @ 1:00 PM EST 6:00 PM UK 7:00 PM Germany Guest: Kevin Jenkins https://www.urbanglobalhealthalliance.com/ Topic: God is On Our Side. Stay Strong! Bio: Kevin Jenkins, the African American CEO of Urban Global Health Alliance . Urban Global Health Alliance will partner with communities to empower and engage on the issues of Health & Wellness. Urban Global Health Alliance recognizes that in an increasingly urbanized world, health issues present new challenges that go far beyond the health sector and require action at the global, national, community, and individual levels. In response to the current critical times, Kevin has naturally evolved into a true warrior and endeavors to level the global playing field by exposing the hidden agendas, lies, corruption, and distorted versions of truth that continuously divide our communities. He shines a light in the dark corners of psyops that oppress society and the world – today now more than ever. Not only does he bring to attention injustices that are being perpetrated right under our noses but he provides more than rhetoric. He shares “methods to action” in order to defeat modern-day slavery of ALL races. Interview Council Grace Asagra, RN MA Podcast: Quantum Nurse: Out of the Rabbit Hole from Stress to Bless https://linktr.ee/GraceAsagra www.quantumnurse.life www.graceasagra.com Hartmut Schumacher Podcast: GO YOUR OWN PATH https://anchor.fm/hartmut-schumacher-path John Katsavos Podcast: The Fitness Oracle https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fitness-oracle/i Steve Podcast: Awakened Mind https://anchor.fm/steve-fierro

“When I think I can make a difference, I try making a difference.” These are wise words from Alma Clayton-Pedersen, this episode's special guest. She is the CEO of Emeritus Concsulting Group, LLC., and she attests that her career journey is focused on public engagement and public service. In this podcast, Alma talks about what equity means to her, explaining about USC's Equity Research Insitute. Check it out to hear about how Alma dealt with stereotypes, and how she faced profiling and racism. Podcast Editor: Sade Proctor

Quantum Nurse www.quantumnurse.life presents Freedom International Livestream www.freedombroadcasters.com (affiliate website) Tuesday May 4, 2021 @ 12:00 PM EST 5:30 PM UK 6:30 PM Germany Guest: Kevin Jenkins https://www.urbanglobalhealthalliance.com/ Topic: Find Your God Courage: Join the Freedom Movement Bio: Kevin Jenkins, the African American CEO of Urban Global Health Alliance . Urban Global Health Alliance will partner with communities to empower and engage on the issues of Health & Wellness. Urban Global Health Alliance recognizes that in an increasingly urbanized world, health issues present new challenges that go far beyond the health sector and require action at the global, national, community, and individual levels. Interview Panel Dr. Jayne Marquis, ND Podcast: INpowered Mind Body Integration https://linktr.ee/INpoweredhealth Dr. Mary Elizabeth Mansfield, PhD Podcast: Mindful Empowerment https://linktr.ee/MindfulEmpowerment Grace Asagra Podcast: Quantum Nurse https://linktr.ee/GraceAsagra www.quantumnurse.life Steve Fierro Podcast: Awakened Mind https://anchor.fm/steve-fierro Donate to support Quantum Nurse Podcast Production. Mabalos. Thank you.

Show: QUANTUM NURSE LIVESTREAM https://www.quantumnurse.life/ presents MARCH 26, 2021 FRIDAY @ 3:30 PM EST 7:30 PM UK 8:30 PM Germany Guest: Kevin Jenkins https://www.urbanglobalhealthalliance.com/ Topic: Are You Ready to Cross the River Bio: Kevin Jenkins, the African American CEO of Urban Global Health Alliance . Urban Global Health Alliance will partner with communities to empower and engage on the issues of Health & Wellness. Urban Global Health Alliance recognizes that in an increasingly urbanized world, health issues present new challenges that go far beyond the health sector and require action at the global, national, community, and individual levels. Host Grace Asagra, RN MA Podcast: Quantum Nurse https://linktr.ee/GraceAsagra www.quantumnurse.life Co-host Hartmut Schumacher Podcast: GO YOUR OWN PATH https://anchor.fm/hartmut-schumacher-path Broadcasting to Quantum Nurse YouTube and Grace Sunga Asagra Facebook Donate to support Quantum Nurse Podcast Production. Mabalos. Thank you.

FREEDOM BROADCASTERS LIVESTREAM INTERNATIONAL www.freedombroadcasters.com When: Saturday February 27, 2021 Guest: Kevin Jenkins, CEO, Urban Global Health Alliance On: “The Great Awakening” Kevin Jenkins, the African American CEO of Urban Global Health Alliance . Urban Global Health Alliance will partner with communities to empower and engage on the issues of Health & Wellness. Urban Global Health Alliance recognizes that in an increasingly urbanized world, health issues present new challenges that go far beyond the health sector and require action at the global, national, community, and individual levels. Since 2020, he has expended his work to awakening his people of the truth on the relentless, unconstitutional and inhuman strategies of human modern enslavement. The Three Pillars of the Urban Global Health organization: 1. Educate 2. Advocate 3. Address Public Policy Contact info: https://www.urbanglobalhealthalliance.com/ FAFTA Freedom Airway and Freedom Travel Alliance https://www.freedomairway.com/ What we Discussed: - Urban Global Health Alliance - New World Order - How to Build a New World - Current Situation with Vaccines - Eugenics - If You Comply You Die - Black Lives Matter Movement - We are Currently The Great Experiment - Transhumanism - How the Pharma companies are not liable for side effects - Flying in Freedom - Corrupt NGO's and more FREEDOM BROADCASTERS Chris Ryan Podcast: MINDWARS https://linktr.ee/mindwars https://www.mindwars.uk/ Grace Asagra Podcast: Quantum Nurse https://linktr.ee/GraceAsagra Hartmut Schumacher Podcast: GO YOUR OWN PATH https://anchor.fm/hartmut-schumacher-path. Roy Coughlan Podcast: THE AWAKENING https://linktr.ee/awakeningpodcast Steve Fierro Podcast: Awakened Mind https://anchor.fm/steve-fierro

FREEDOM BROADCASTERS LIVESTREAM INTERNATIONAL www.freedombroadcasters.com When: Saturday February 27, 2021  Guest: Kevin Jenkins, CEO, Urban Global Health Alliance On: “The Great Awakening” Kevin Jenkins, the African American CEO of Urban Global Health Alliance . Urban Global Health Alliance will partner with communities to empower and engage on the issues of Health & Wellness.  Urban Global Health Alliance recognizes that in an increasingly urbanized world, health issues present new challenges that go far beyond the health sector and require action at the global, national, community, and individual levels. Since 2020, he has expended his work to awakening his people of the truth on the relentless, unconstitutional and inhuman strategies of human modern enslavement. The Three Pillars of the Urban Global Health organization: 1. Educate 2. Advocate 3. Address Public Policy Contact info: https://www.urbanglobalhealthalliance.com/ FAFTA Freedom Airway and Freedom Travel Alliance https://www.freedomairway.com/ What we Discussed: - Urban Global Health Alliance - New World Order - How to Build a New World - Current Situation with Vaccines - Eugentics - If You Comply You Die - Black Lives Matter Movement - We are Currently The Great Experiment - Transhumanism - How the Pharma companies are not liable for side effects - Flying in Freedom - Corrupt NGO's and more FREEDOM BROADCASTERS Chris Ryan Podcast: MINDWARS https://linktr.ee/mindwars https://www.mindwars.uk/ Grace Asagra Podcast: Quantum Nurse https://linktr.ee/GraceAsagra Hartmut Schumacher Podcast: GO YOUR OWN PATH https://anchor.fm/hartmut-schumacher-path. Roy Coughlan Podcast: THE AWAKENING https://linktr.ee/awakeningpodcast Steve Fierro Podcast: Awakened Mind https://anchor.fm/steve-fierro THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.HERE’S how you can help. LIKE, COMMENT, SUBSCRIBE, SHARE, COPY AND PASTE LINKS

Earlier this year it was announced that in addition to his busy schedule running a successful business, as well as renovating a historic home, that North Carolina native Robert Hartwell would also be taking on a key role with North Carolina Theatre. Hear what he has to say about coming home, reframing history, and finding his calling. About the Guest Robert Hartwell is the Founder and Artistic Director of The Broadway Collective where he is training the next generation of Broadway. As the only African American CEO in the professional musical theatre education space in NYC, his passion lies in making Broadway stages more diverse and inclusive starting at the educational level. Robert holds a high school diploma from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts: School of Drama and a BFA in Musical Theatre from The University of Michigan where he graduated with summa cum laude honors and the Willis Patterson Diversity Award. He has performed in five Broadway shows and two national tours: Dreamgirls, Memphis, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Cinderella, Motown, and Hello, Dolly! starring Bette Midler. He has performed on the Tony Awards three times and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade twice. Regionally he has performed at The Muny, Sacramento Music Circus, Hangar Theatre, Music Theatre Wichita, and the Fulton Opera House. As a Director/Choreographer his work has been seen at Lincoln Center, Music Theatre Wichita, North Carolina Theatre, Naples Performing Arts Center, and The University of Michigan. He is the creator of Broadway Quick Change, Hello Broadway - Broadway’s Online Academy, Gathered NYC, Prescreen Prep, and Hello Broadway Live. He is a member of Actors Equity Association, SAG-AFTRA, and the Tony Award-winning Broadway Inspirational Voices. He recently served as the Assistant Director on the National Tour of the Tony Award-winning revival of Once On This Island. He is featured in Pharrell and Jay-Z's latest hit single - Entrepreneur.   Links https://nctheatre.com/ (North Carolina Theatre) https://bwaycollective.com/ (Broadway Collective) https://blackmanwhitehouse.co/ (Black Man White House) Connect with RDU on Stage Facebook – @rduonstage Twitter – @rduonstage Instagram – @rduonstage Web http://www.rduonstage.com/ (www.rduonstage.com) RDU on Stage is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of RDU on Stage must be made payable to “Fractured Atlas” only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/rdu-on-stage/general_support (Make an Online Donation to RDU on Stage now.) Support this podcast

What: FREEDOM BROADCASTERS LIVESTREAM INTERNATIONAL www.freedombroadcasters.com When: Saturday February 27, 2021 @ 12:00 PM EST 5:00 PM UK 6:00 Germany Guest: Kevin Jenkins, CEO, Urban Global Health Alliance On: “The Great Awakening” Kevin Jenkins, the African American CEO of Urban Global Health Alliance . Urban Global Health Alliance will partner with communities to empower and engage on the issues of Health & Wellness. Urban Global Health Alliance recognizes that in an increasingly urbanized world, health issues present new challenges that go far beyond the health sector and require action at the global, national, community, and individual levels. Since 2020, he has expended his work to awakening his people of the truth on the relentless, unconstitutional and inhuman strategies of human modern enslavement. The Three Pillars of the Urban Global Health organization: 1. Educate 2. Advocate 3. Address Public Policy In his interviews, Kevin Jenkins confidently says “ We should fight back in the black community and not allow our children to be commoditized by big tech and big pharma.” Contact info: https://www.urbanglobalhealthalliance.com/ FAFTA Freedom Airway and Freedom Travel Alliance https://www.freedomairway.com/ FREEDOM BROADCASTERS Chris Ryan Podcast: MINDWARS https://linktr.ee/mindwars https://www.mindwars.uk/ Grace Asagra Podcast: Quantum Nurse https://linktr.ee/GraceAsagra Hartmut Schumacher Podcast: GO YOUR OWN PATH https://anchor.fm/hartmut-schumacher-path. Roy Coughlan Podcast: THE AWAKENING https://linktr.ee/awakeningpodcast Steve Fierro Podcast: Awakened Mind https://anchor.fm/steve-fierro https://linktr.ee/GraceAsagra www.quantumnurse.life Donate to support Quantum Nurse Podcast Production. Mabalos. Thank you. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.HERE'S how you can help. LIKE, COMMENT, SUBSCRIBE, SHARE, COPY AND PASTE LINKS below

Kelly talks with Shellye Archambeau, high tech’s first female African American CEO about her new book Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success on Your Own Terms. 

Mark Meadows, former Congressman and Chief-of-Staff (Trump) critiques Biden's blitz of executive orders https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJFIAXTImfYTwitter is now fact-checking through a new program called "Bird Watch" and labeling it a "community" approach (or narking on people and pointing fingers)State Representative Kevin McCabe / Juneau Report (Starts 00:11:49 to 00:21:15)U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) The impeachment efforts against Trump are unconstitutional and sketchy  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dmwSHr-odgPortland mayor macing a protestor and his hypocrisy in Oregon https://www.foxnews.com/us/pepper-sprayed-portland-mayor-lawyer-heir-to-dairy-company-reportsWalgreens taps Starbucks COO and former Detroiter Roz Brewer for CEO and first African American CEO in the Fortune 500 https://www.freep.com/story/money/business/michigan/2021/01/27/walgreens-starbucks-roz-brewer-new-ceo/4279856001/

On this 240th episode of "Marketing Today," host Alan Hart speaks with Rodney Williams, president and CEO of Belvedere Vodka. With a bevy of experience leading successful marketing campaigns across a plethora of industries, Williams is truly an expert when it comes to closing the gap between a product and its consumers. To start our conversation, Williams discusses his business school experience and the nonprofit sector before he began his journey to become a marketing expert. In school at Northwestern, Williams quickly learned that "you have a strong chance of getting a good grade by joining a group with people that don't think like you." This experience helped him understand a simple fact of life; to truly be successful, you must be open to the perspectives of others. We then dive into Williams's experience working for large companies like Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble. It was his success at these companies that taught him both "the element of brand-building where you're really fundamentally problem-solving" and not only the importance of "really tapping into what was already there." Williams then takes us into his induction into the Wind and Spirits industry, which eventually led him to his current position at Belvedere. To end the conversation, we discuss how "the push for social justice has opened up brands in a big way" and how "the need for brands to take a stand and stand up for values that they believe in has never been more important." Williams touches on how the views of different cultures in the corporate business world have changed since he entered the workforce. "We're not there yet, but we're making progress!" Highlights from this week's "Marketing Today": Before business school, Rodney ran a direct mail business in Chicago that hired disadvantaged employees.1:53 Rodney has stayed in-tune with how the business world affects the communities that it is in. 3:03 Growing up in Evanston, Illinois, it was a natural fit for Rodney to attend Northwestern's business school. 3:35 After business school, Rodney worked for J&J and Procter & Gamble in a pursuit to learn sophisticated marketing. 5:32 Figuring out how to get the brand in the right position where it can connect with its customers is like a game to Rodney. 6:20 In his time at J&J, Rodney learned the ins and outs of working in an intrapreneurial environment. 6:55 Over time, Rodney slowly developed into an enhance-growth guy that has been able to take companies over the top. 8:47 J&J required that 25% of each business under its umbrella's revenue had to be from new products in the last three years. 9:15 When Rodney arrived at Band-Aid, he was able to take it from stagnant to The New York Times by using Barry Manalo's jingle. 10:22 The ability to understand the essence of a brand and what it means to the consumers allows a brand to enhance its imagery. 12:26 A former colleague's call about a dot-com opportunity led Rodney to quit his job and head to the West Coast. 13:04 Rodney's time working with OnStar eventually led to his entrance into the Wine and Spirits industry. 14:41 It was the health benefits of wine that initially drew Rodney to interview with his first wine company. 15:58 Robert Mondavi taught Rodney the importance and value of presentation. 17:20 Kendall Jackson, the number 1 chardonnay over $10, presented Rodney with an opportunity to launch the biggest product in company history. 18:37 In 2011, more women than men graduated from high school for the first time in history and saw the gender gap begin to grow. 20:28 Since coming to Belvedere, Rodney has seen that vodka takes people back to experiences they have outgrown. 21:30 Belvedere aims to add some class and flavor to an alcohol category that has become stagnant. 22:30 Just before the pandemic, Belvedere ran a study that showed people in different markets around the world valued the same things in nature. 25:12 Being the nerd that he is, Rodney used to love reading the American Demographics magazine because social culture absolutely fascinates him. 27:05 A person's lifestyle or desired lifestyle is usually reflected in the brand of alcohol that they prefer. 28:47 Due to the emotion attached to alcohol brands, they can build community, unlike other consumable products. 29:50 Nas's background as an incredibly successful venture capitalist has allowed Hennessey to include inspirational voices in their campaign. 31:22 With Rodney's vision, Belvedere has been able to connect with many demographics while also crossing borders. 34:05 Rodney's time at the direct-mail business had a huge effect on who he is today because it gave him the opportunity to change lives. 35:54 Looking back, Rodney would have been bolder and taken more risks with the opportunities that were presented to him. 38:54 Since the death of George Floyd, Belvedere has supported Race Forward, an institution that seeks to rid society of institutional racism. 42:00 As a successful African American CEO, Rodney uses his position to support diversity and spark change. 45:23 Rodney believes that social media and brands have a dark side in their ability to distort the truth. 48:30 Resources Mentioned: Belvedere Vodka Procter & Gamble Johnson & Johnson Pampers Band-Aid Band-Aid Jingle and Antibiotic on the pad OnStar / pivot from tech to benefit drove a huge increase in unaided awareness – 1999 Ad Robert Mondavi Wines (the man) Kendall Jackson, Jackson Family Moet Hennessy USA Hennessey What's your wild rabbit? Campaign – never stop, never settle. Playlist of Videos | Marshall "Major" Taylor Manny Pacquiao – fighter, Philippine Senator | Ad Campaign Nas, Campaign Ad Rye Belvedere Made with Nature Belvedere RED Campaign American Demographics Magazine Race Forward (cause) Burberry Campaign Singing in the Rain Vodka is gluten-free, so are all distilled spirits   Subscribe to the podcast: Listen in iTunes (link: http://apple.co/2dbdAhV) Listen in Google Podcasts (link: http://bit.ly/2Rc2kVa) Listen in Spotify (Link: http://spoti.fi/2mCUGnC ) Connect with the Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rkw1115/ https://twitter.com/belvederevodka Connect with Marketing Today and Alan Hart: http://twitter.com/abhart https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanhart http://twitter.com/themktgtoday https://www.facebook.com/themktgtoday/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketing-today-with-alan-hart/   Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/marketingtoday See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, I had the honor of talking to Shellye Archambeau, one of Silicon Valley's leading African American CEO and author of the book, Unapologetically Ambitious. She got candid about why she wrote the book, what it means to have sustainable growth, and discussed the need for companies to prioritize inclusion and diversity as a goal from the very beginning. Shellye Archambeau is the former CEO of MetricStream, a GRC company based in Palo Alto, California. She has held executive positions for numerous companies, including a 15-year career at IBM where she became the first African American woman at the company to be sent on assignment internationally. She is a Board Director at Verizon Communications, Okta Inc, Nordstrom, Roper Technologies

Tracy Wood knows what it's like to go from grave to great - and now she helps others do the same. After the death of her son, she was absolutely devastated - but she knew life had to go on for her family, and she learned how to keep showing up in the hardest of hard times. In today's episode, Erica has an honest, heartfelt conversation Tracy - the host of Grave to Great podcast and the first female, African-American CEO of Alleo Health Systems - about how to reframe the dialogue around end-of-life (and other tough talks), a mistake that women in leadership make today, and her advice on authentically building your career. GET YOUR COPY OF CAFFEINATE YOUR SOUL: 52 MONDAY MANTRAS HERE:AmazonBarnes and Noble CONNECT WITH TRACY:InstagramGrave to Great PodcastWebsite FOLLOW ALONG:Coming Up Roses the blogTHRIVE Podcast InstagramErica's InstagramFacebook

Shellye Archambeau is a dynamic leader in the business community.  One of the first female African American CEO’s in the high tech realm, she shares her life story and solid advice on success in business and life in her new book, “Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success on Your Own Terms. Jordan Rich is Boston's busiest podcaster, appearing on over 400 podcast episodes and currently hosting 16 shows. To connect with him, visit www.chartproductions.com.

Getting back to business after the COVID episode of life’s drama with Angel Neal the African American CEO of Fashion Magazine Disrupshion Magazine. She talks about Rihanna, Anna WINTOUR, Andre Leon Tally, the most recent Madam C.J. Walker movie and does a bit of venting

Dr. Dudley discusses with Michelle D. Tucker how she succeeded in corporate America rising to the level of CEO.  Michelle is the President and CEO of United Way of Greater St. Louis.  To volunteer with the United Way go to www.helpingpeople.orgFull Bio of Guest:  Michelle D. Tucker is the United Way of Greater St. Louis' President and CEO where she leads one of the number one annual fundraising campaigns across the country raising over $76.3 million dollars in 2019 to help impact our region.  She joined United Way from Epworth Children and Family Services after serving as their first female and African American CEO in its 156-year history. Prior to Epworth, Michelle was a senior vice president at Bank of America for 20 years providing leadership and oversight to key units.  She was most recently responsible for the strategy and execution of the company's multi-million-dollar local grant-making and community impact efforts.Michelle has been actively engaged with United Way for more than two decades as a member of its community investment committee and Women's Leadership Giving Society. She previously held voluntary leadership positions as a cabinet member of United Way's African American Leadership Giving Society (called the Charmaine Chapman Society), campaign chair of the Charmaine Chapman de Tocqueville Society and co-chair of the 20th anniversary Charmaine Chapman Society GalaOriginally from East St. Louis, Michelle is a certified Six Sigma Greenbelt professional and earned her bachelor's degree in English from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and a master's degree in business from Webster University.  She is a 2010 recipient of the St. Louis Business Journal's Diverse Business Leader Award, a 2011 recipient of the YWCA Leader of Distinction Award, a 2013 recipient of the Professional Organization of Women's Leader of Distinction Award, a 2013 recipient of the St. Louis American's Excellence in Business Award, a 2014 recipient of Webster University's School of Business Alumnus of the Year Award, a 2016 recipient of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis' Women in Leadership Award and was featured in the 2017 Oprah Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine and Fortune Magazine.  She was recently recognized by the E. St. Louis NAACP with the 2018 Game Changer Award for her outstanding community impact across the region.Michelle is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Christian Hospital and a member of The Archway Chapter of Links, Inc and The International Women's Forum.  She serves on the Nine Network Community Advisory Board and Brown School's Dean's Professional Advisory Committee at Washington University.  She is a graduate of the St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative Fellows Program and the FOCUS Leadership St. Louis Program.   Michelle currently resides in Fairview Heights, IL .  She's been married for over 20 years to Kennard Tucker and is a longtime member of New Life Church in O'Fallon, IL.Support the show

Stocks staging yet another rally today, one strategist tells us why small caps are the next big thing. And Franklin Raines, former Fannie Mae CEO and the first African American CEO of a Fortune 500 company, weighs in on what corporate America needs to do to help heal the country during this time of social unrest. Plus, the CEO of Silicon Valley Bank discusses whether IPOs are set to stage a comeback and what the tech landscape will look like post-pandemic.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"The African American CEO of a money management firm publicly criticizes the Fortune 500 for paying lip service to diversity. His board urges him to stop. What should he do? Harvard Business School professor Steven Rogers and protagonist John Rogers discuss a new case study about the risks of speaking up, and the importance of black empowerment in the investment sector." - Cold Call Podcast, Black Business Leaders Series, Feb 13, 2018

Meredith Moore Crosby's mission in life is to create opportunities. That means she's always looking for connections to bring resources, information or inspiration to a situation. She learned how to think this way during her career leading brand and reputation initiatives for some of the world's largest companies like McDonald's, 3M and Comcast. Now as President of Leverette Weekes she's running her family owned communications and coaching company helping corporations connect with comprehensive resources to support their development and advance women in the workplace. She's lives in the Twin Cities, and recently wrote her first book to share the battle-tested lessons to help everyone advance at work in Getting Unstuck: A Guide to Moving Your Career Forward. Her career started in finance, and she found myself writing for the chief operations officer for McDonald's USA. Meredith had the pleasure of supporting the most diverse senior leadership in the history of McDonald's including the historical rise of the first African American CEO. During her time at the largest fast food restaurant in the world, she led award-winning global initiatives and external brand engagement resulting in McDonald's recognition as a diversity leader and talent developer.

Marty Rodgers of Accenture stops by the show to discuss the concept of lifting as you climb. He also tells us his career journey, from the beginning all the way to his current job at Accenture, and talks about the difference between mentorship and sponsorship. Check out Marty on LinkedIn and Twitter!TRANSCRIPTZach: What's up, y'all? Look, I got a question for y'all. I'm kind of talking to--I'm talking to us right now, recognizing that we have allies listening in, we have various types and hues of melanin who check out the podcast, but I'm kind of talking to us right now. Have y'all heard of the phrase "all skinfolk ain't kinfolk?" Have you ever heard of that phrase? Okay, so if you haven't heard of that phrase--this is education for everybody now, so shout out to everybody who listens and checks in with the podcast, but the idea of all skinfolk not being kinfolk means that just because someone looks like you doesn't mean that they're actually out--looking out for you, right? And the whole idea of all skinfolk not being kinfolk is really illustrated and articulated well in corporate America. You know, for me, I think because I am one of the few if--I mean, arguably the only person in my family really actively in corporate America doing what I'm doing, coming into these spaces, and I see other folks who look like me. Initially, early in my career, I would run up on 'em and be like, "Oh, what's going on, man? Da-da-da-da-da. What's going on, brother?" And they'd hit me with, "I'm not your brother. I'm not your pal, buddy. Go find something else to do," right? Like, they hit you, and you'll be like, "Whoa, what is this?" All skinfolk not kinfolk, and so as I had those experiences and disappointments in my professional journey, finding folks who were actually kinfolk became all the more satisfying, right? And so I'm really excited because even though this Black History Month has been trash, with Jussie and Gucci and whoever else making blackface clothes and folks just wiling in general, people having actual--putting on blackface in 2019 or acting as if the '80s was, you know, 89 years ago. This episode is really powerful for me, man. And yeah, Ade isn't here this week. She'll be back next week. So I'm kind of sad, but this is a silver lining, because I got to actually have a conversation with someone who really epitomizes the concept of lifting as you climb. This man, his name is Marty Rodgers. Marty Rodgers is a managing director out of the D.C. offer at a firm called Accenture. Great man. You're gonna hear about his profile, hear about his story, and so I'm really excited for y'all to check this out, okay? So don't go anywhere. The next thing you're gonna hear is us getting into this interview with Marty Rodgers. Now, look, the computer crashed and we had to redo the interview, but I want y'all to know--and I say it in the conversation--he did actually show us mad love at the top of the interview about Living Corporate. He actually checked out the platform and stuff. He's actually a fan. Shout-out to you, Marty Rodgers, and shout-out to all the folks listening. I want y'all to check this out. Talk to y'all soon. Zach: So for those of us who don't know you, would you mind telling us a little bit about yourself?Marty: Sure, absolutely, Zach. So in terms of my background, I've always wanted my career to go back and forth between for-profit, non-profit, and government. I very much believe that all three sectors would be required to come together, to work together, to understand each other, to understand the respective, you know, why each sector exists, what their purpose is, how they're incorporated, what their incentives are, and then all three would have to figure out a way to work together on the greatest issues and challenges of our time. So whether that's the environment or civil rights or education or health care, we've got to find a way to get all three of these sectors to come together to tackle those great challenges. And so when I was coming out of undergrad--I went to the University of Notre Dame, and as I was getting ready to graduate, a guy named Dr. Cliff Wharton became the first African-American CEO of a Fortune 500 company. He became the CEO of TIAA-CREF, and Dr. Wharton had a distinguished career at the UN and also in non-profits before assuming that position, and also as an educator as well, and so he kind of embodied kind of what I wanted my career to be, and so that's very much what I set about the course of doing. So my first row and assignment I started working with Aetna Life and Casualty. I was doing economic research and economic portfolio analysis for a big real estate investment--holdings that the insurance company had. That was really awesome and great, because it happened at a time and a moment in our--in our country when the SNL crisis was happening and properties were getting dumped and affecting our portfolios, and so I'd have to do lots and lots of research on the impact of those--of what government was doing and its impact on the private sector, and so I did that for a while, and I had an opportunity to go to work for one of my mentors in the non-profit space, a woman by the name of Dr. Marian Wright Edelman. She was the president and founder of the Children's Defense Fund, and I originally started and worked for her as her--on her staff as her assistant. That was an awesome experience for me. I got to work directly with her, learn from her, and here was a person that had and is still changing the country. She was the first black woman lawyer in the state of Mississippi and had worked to help create Head Start and a whole variety of other programs for children. That was a great experience. It was the first time I was working really on helping her launch a race-specific campaign for African-American kids called the Black Community Crusade for Children, and we launched that in a whole series of freedom schools all across the country. And then I left there--I kind of had the advocacy bug at that point and went to Capitol Hill. In fact, that was another great experience where I got to work for another mentor of mine, somebody who I'd always looked up to and respected. I went to work for a guy, senator Harris Wofford, who--he's a white guy who had gone to Howard and became one of if not the first graduate of Howard Law School. He went on to work with Dr. King. He went to work with Robert F. Kennedy and John F. Kennedy. He headed up civil rights in the Kennedy administration and [inaudible] the Peace Corps and was the college president of a couple universities, and so, like Cliff Wharton, he was somebody who I had looked up to and wanted to be more like, and so it was a great opportunity to go work for him and with him. He was very passionate, having co-founded the Peace Corps, about the idea of bringing the Peace Corps home to serve American families and American communities, and so that's very much [what we did together?] was--we worked together. I was in charge, as his staff person, of working on the Americorp legislation and creating a program called Americorp to allow young people a chance to make a difference through full-time national community service efforts, and then we also worked together to create in turn--since he was a friend and an adviser to Dr. King, we worked with congressman Louis to turn that holiday into a national day of service, and so that was my time on the Hill, learning, you know, how does legislation work, how does politics work? How do you get things done on the Hill? And then after that, after spending, you know, almost 5 years trying to convince people about the importance of service and giving back and making a difference, I thought it was quite hypocritical that I hadn't served myself, and so I went and I did a stint serving Native-American kids out in New Mexico and then went to grad school, and then it was after grad school that I joined Accenture, and I've been at Accenture for 21 years, and the great thing about Accenture is it's allowed me to continue to do those things that I was passionate about, and that is, again, moving back and forth between for-profit, non-profit, and government. So I started my career at Accenture in the for-profit space, working in our financial services group. I moved over and joined our government practice, then I started our non-profit practice and launched that literally 10 years ago, almost to the month, and then after that I've now moved into our health and public service group, which is a little bit of a combination of both.Zach: So first of all, that's amazing, all of the things that you shared. Of course there's a clear pattern of service and partnership, and I also, think, Marty, what's really interesting about when you share your story and just your introduction, a lot of us, we have a perspective on one of those three spaces, if it's, like, the legislative space or the non-profit space or the for-profit space, but--and I'm certain that you've heard this many times before. I think your perspective in having such dynamic and deep experiences in each of those spaces gives you a unique perspective, especially when it comes to effectively actualizing change and supporting and lifting as you climb. And so as you know, today we're talking about mentorship versus sponsorship. And, you know, before we started recording the call, and we didn't get--we didn't get this because the computer crashed, but, you know, you said a lot of great things about the podcast, so thank you for that. But everywhere I go--so when I joined--when I started with Accenture, and I've been to some other firms, but everyone has either heard of you or they've worked with you or they aspire to work with you, and so I'm excited to talk to you about this topic, because when your name comes up, often times, especially within the black consultative community, there's a desire for you to be a mentor to them or a sponsor for them, and so I'm curious, could you explain a bit in your mind about the difference between mentorship and sponsorship?Marty: Sure, absolutely. And there really are--it's critical to know the difference between the two and to understand the difference between the two, especially as you're navigating your career. So as I think about mentorship versus sponsorship--and they're both important, but again they're both very different--I think it's important to kind of realize that at different points of your journey you're gonna need mentors, and at different parts of your journey you're gonna need sponsors, and in some cases they can go back and forth. You know, you can have a mentor that can be a sponsor and a sponsor that eventually becomes a mentor, but they are fundamentally different, and if I can take a second just to kind of delineate how I think about that. Let me go through that. So first--and again, just for you and the audience, Zach, it's just I think helpful to think of it just really quickly in a couple of kind of compare and contrasts. So first, mentorship is someone who speaks with you, and sponsorship is someone who speaks about you and for you. Mentors advise. Sponsors advocate. Mentors support. Sponsors steer. Mentors are folks that can help you think about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that can include work, but it doesn't have to exclusively be about work, whereas sponsors talk about career and work, right? Like, that's the purpose of a sponsor. Mentors help you translate kind of the unwritten rules, whereas sponsors are the rules. Mentors have mentees. Sponsors have employees. Mentors talk about paths. Sponsors talk about trails. And then a couple other last ones as I was kind of quickly thinking through this, mentors are someone you look up to, right? And they're folks you want to be like. So for me it was senator Wofford, it was Marian Wright Edelman, it was Johnneta Cole. It's Cliff Wharton. It's all of those folks, you know, that have shaped who I am and who I want to become and who I want to be like and who I look up to, aspire to be like. Sponsors, that's not a requirement, right? But a requirement of sponsorship is power, right? So my mentors have been my heroes and my sheroes. Sponsors don't have to live up to that high of a status. And then lastly, as I described in the beginning, mentors can be sponsors and vice versa. So that's sort of, like, how I quickly kind of think through the compare and the contrast of all of those.Zach: No, absolutely. You know, I'm curious, what do you think are some of the biggest misconceptions around mentorship? So a lot of times--I rarely ever in conversation, when we have our conversations about our careers and career management with my colleagues and even folks that are non-managers and things of that nature, do I hear people say, "Man, I really want him to be my sponsor." Like, most times we're like, "I need somebody to mentor me." What do you think are some of the largest misconceptions when it comes to black and brown professionals? Or just professionals in general of course, but what you think when you say the word "mentorship" and the expectations. What do you think are some of the largest misconceptions around that?Marty: Well, especially for mentorship, right? Well, let me just actually start with both. So both mentorship and sponsorship are two-way streets, and I think a popular misconception is, you know, it's kind of a one-way relationship, but both--the key thing is that it IS a relationship, right? And there are costs and risks and investments of time, of capital, of attention, on both sides, and both sponsorship and mentorship require kind of nurturing care and feeding, and you can't have a mentorship or a sponsorship relationship where all of the value is going in one direction. It's got to be--it's got to be both ways, and so that for me is the biggest misconception. Like, there's this perception that, "Hey," you know, "I'm gonna get something from my mentor," versus, you know, what are you gonna give your mentor? Or "Hey, I'm gonna get something from this sponsor," versus what are you gonna give your sponsor? I talked earlier about, you know--one of the things I like to say is, you know, mentors can help guide you on a path, right, and talk about paths. You know, like--and again, like, that whole notion of life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Your path is a bigger thing than just your career and just your--you know, your work and your job, and a path is--it's something that you're cutting yourself. It's your way of moving forward, and a mentor can talk to you about the ups and downs of that journey and how that happens. A sponsor is really about the trail, right? And when you talk about trails, you're following after someone that's already blazed that trail. You're going--you know, with a sponsor you're sort of the protege. You're the person that they're investing in, that they're expecting something from, that you're gonna be a reflection on them. And again, that's the notion that--for a sponsor, you're an employee, right? And you're somebody that they are investing in 'cause you're gonna do something for them and for the firm, and it's a--it's a transaction. And again, that's not--that's not the same type of relationship that you would have necessarily with a mentor, where a mentor is more somebody you're gonna--you're gonna want to be like and look up to.Zach: That's just so perfect, man. And first of all, Marty, it's 4:00, so are we okay to go for another 10 to 15 minutes?Marty: Yeah, yeah, yeah. We're good. We're good.Zach: Thank you so much. So let me ask you this. What was a moment for you--'cause you talk a lot, again, when you kind of talked through your journey just before grad school and before joining Accenture, you mentioned your mentors a lot and the multiple mentors that you've had. Did you ever have a moment where the difference between mentorship and sponsorship impacted your early career?Marty: Yeah. I mean, I think the story, Zach, that really kind of brings home the difference between mentorship and sponsorship would actually be when I first was made a partner--and maybe we will come back to that at the end, right? But when I was made a partner--now we call them managing directors--you know, I was sort of, to be blunt, kind of clueless. I was potentially--there's far too many of us, as black and brown folks, that--you know, my attitude was not what it should be, and what I mean by that is I was of the mindset of, you know, "Hey, I'm doing what I need to do. They should make me a managing director or a partner, and if they don't, you know, it's not why I get up in the morning, so, you know, their loss," right? Somebody, one of the folks that I was reporting to who, you know, now I would call more of a mentor, said, "You know what? That's probably not how you want to think about it, and if you want to accomplish a lot of the things you want to accomplish for other people, for other causes, for other things you say you believe in, then I need you to care about making it to partner, to managing director." When I started on that journey, I had no clue, you know, what was the process was. I was sort of, to be blunt, almost disinterested in the process. I just kind of figured--again, it would happen if it happened. When I was first up for managing director, for partner, I got what we call the paperwork without even knowing that I was up that particular year. I filled out the paperwork. Not even--you know, kind of rushed. Didn't even really think much about it, and went through the process, if you will, and Zach, the crazy thing was I was brought into meet with one of our executives, who told me that particular year I was not going to make managing director, that I was--hey, I had a good run. Glad I was part of the process, but I wasn't going to make it. And hey, you know, it was one of those things where I was like, "Okay," you know? "No big thing." I wasn't--I didn't even know this process existed. I wasn't sure of the process. I wasn't gonna lose sleep about it, right? 2 weeks later I was called back into that same person's office and was told, "Hey, guess what? You actually are gonna make it." And the difference between that and two weeks later was a sponsor had got the list, didn't see my name on it, and had decided, "Hey, nice list, but it's missing somebody," and that's the difference between a mentor and a sponsor.Zach: Wow. And that's just so powerful, because I've--you know, from mentors that I've spoken with about--the higher that you climb on these ladders and levels of leadership, you know, the more of that type of support you're going to need, right? And that there needs to be more and more consensus on who makes that list. So that's a powerful example. Marty: Absolutely, and in this particular case, right, and this is something more and more corporations are wrestling with, dealing with, and trying, and we do it formally here at Accenture, but this was a person who had been named as my sponsor that I didn't know that they were my sponsor. So they had--they had been kind of assigned to be my sponsor, and I didn't know until much later that they had been formally assigned to be my sponsor.Zach: Wow. And that's also particularly amazing, and I would imagine humbling for you, Marty, in that, to your point, you weren't even super invested in the process at the time, right? Like, your attitude was not one of, you know, "I need to get this." You know? And so for that to be the case, that's just--that's incredible, but I think it also speaks to your earlier piece when you were talking about people being invested in you that sometimes--I know for me, at least in my career, there have been people who have been more invested in me, in me getting to a certain place [that I was?] at a time because they had the insight and wisdom to know what me getting there meant, and that's invaluable.Marty: And that's the key thing for a sponsor, right? A sponsor has to decide, "Hey, I'm going to give some of my capital to you, and the reason I'm going to give you that capital, the reason I'm going to invest in you, the reason I'm going to sponsor you, is because you in turn are gonna be a good reflection on me," and/or "You're gonna be a good reflection on the firm, and net/net." Normally what that means is, in for-profit firms, you're gonna help us make money.Zach: Yeah. So, you know, in my career, I've seen--the folks who go the furthest, they have sponsors, right? Of course. And frankly I've seen people of color attempt to build sponsor relationships and fall flat a little bit, and so I'm curious, what are some tips that you have for black and brown professionals--particularly millennials, but of course Gen X and baby boomers as well--who are seeking sponsors, and what advice do you have for senior leaders and executives who may not be used to engaging professionals that don't look like them and really establishing those types of relationships?Marty: So [that was?] kind of a two-part question there, Zach. So if I take the first part, right, in terms of the black and brown folks that are seeking sponsors. Well, the first should be, again, to remember that it's a two-way street, and there has to be mutual value shared in both directions, right? And you have to know that when you enter into that relationship, you are a reflection of your sponsor, and that bears with it certain responsibilities, right? And you have to help them, and they have to help you, so to speak. Second thing is you have to ask the question, you know, "Where do I find a sponsor," right? And a sponsor ultimately, going back to those original definitions, right, has to have power. They have to have a seat at the table. They have to be in the room when decisions are being made, and that usually means you've got to look at the org chart, and you've got to look at, you know, who has the budget, and who has the chair, and who has the--you know, the P&L statement to--or, you know, who's filling out the final performance reviews, and how high up in the ladder are they doing that, right? So that would be kind of a second point. Like, you've got to know where to look, and make sure that you're actually identifying folks that are at the table. And then the last part of that is--I always encourage folks to--just like with mentors, you've got to have more than one, and you've got to look for multiple sponsors, because--especially in a lot of organizations nowadays, folks are moving around all of the time at the top, and so you never know, you know, who's gonna shift where when, and the worst-case scenario is, you know, you're planning and investing in a certain sponsor that then moves, and that person no longer has influence where you need them to have influence and you don't have any fallback. So you want to have multiple sponsors in multiple different places, multiple different folks that can speak for you at the table and can be at the table as things move and change. And my last thought in terms of our folks as they seek sponsors, I think it is incumbent upon young professionals in particular to put themselves out there and to realize that that takes courage, but you've got to put yourself out there in terms of being willing to sign up for assignments that you might not--you know, that are stretch assignments that have risk in them. You're gonna have to do a lot of networking and additional relationship development above and beyond kind of your day job. The table stakes, the price of admission, is that you're gonna, you know, perform exceptionally well and what you're doing day in and day out. The last part of that is your sponsor is going to--in terms of that relationship, they're going to be helping you remove obstacles and barriers. They're gonna be helping pick you out for certain assignments, and they're gonna in some cases be helping--they'll help you get that promotion, but you're then responsible, not just for what you were doing before. Now you're responsible for achieving in that new role, and that--you know, that's sort of your next test case, and then that relationship will continue to develop or evolve based on how you perform after that, that kind of first reach-back or reach-in. So it's an ongoing evolution, and that relationship and that dynamic will change over time, and so I think sometimes we get into these relationships and we think they're sort of--they're always the same and they're always sort of static in terms of the relationship. What you'll find is those things actually change, especially as you climb and as your relationship and the proximity sometimes between you and the sponsor, that gap, closes. In terms of the second part of what your question--and sorry for being a little bit long-winded, Zach, but in terms of the second part of your question, senior leaders that are--you know, in terms of how they can best engage with young professionals that don't look like them, I always talk about the opportunity to create space and to have grace. So space and grace, and there's really a need for both, whether it's our employee resource groups or it's our offices or whatever profession you might be in, or if it--or even sometimes those senior leaders themselves, to create the space to come together to get to know folks, to have an opportunity to interact with folks and see who those folks that have that promise, that have that ability to rise, are and can be. And so in the case of folks that don't look like them, that creation of space is really essential, where both a person of color, but also they themselves can feel comfortable in that interaction, and then the grace is, you know, there are gonna be some moments where neither of you feel comfortable, but that's okay. It takes a little bit of courage, but that's part of the price of being a leader at your firm.Zach: Right, right. So I'm a new manager at my company, and I've been recently promoted to manager--Marty: Congratulations, that's awesome.Zach: Thank you, Marty. I appreciate it. It's been about--Marty: You see, man? You just keep climbing. It's awesome. And you keep giving back, which is this podcast. Represent.Zach: Right? Man, you're gonna make me blush on this podcast, man. They're gonna see it through the app, man. Thank you. But it's been about a year, but let me be honest. In my career, often times--and I'm gonna have a bit of an inside conversation outside the house, but often times when I see folks that look like us--and this is has been my experience--they're more--they more often act like referees than they are true avenues of support, and so--and interestingly enough, some of the most prominent mentors that I've had, they've shared that some of the biggest roadblocks have been from them being at a junior level and from people who were at a senior level that do look like them, and so I'm curious, you know, what advice do you have for black and brown leaders to better lift as they climb? And what, if any, roles do non-minority leaders play in helping to support that culture? And I know I'm giving you a lot of, like, two-parter questions, but the reason why I'm asking that second part is because I do believe that there's some type of--there's a reason why we don't always lift as we climb. There's some type of factor in that, and so I'm curious to know if there's a greater cultural influence at play for that. So that's the purpose of the B part of my question.Marty: Yeah. So it's a great question, so let me just kind of unpack it. So first, I love the expression "lift as you climb," which comes from Mary McLeod Bethune, right? And ultimately, right, that's what life should be about. I always talk about the difference between ambition and aspiration, and in our world and our society and in way too many of our corporations we talk about them as though they're the same thing, and they're fundamentally different. Ambition comes from the Latin, and it literally--"Ambit" means to walk around, and what it meant, Zach, was back in the day, you were gonna walk around and you were gonna buy votes. You know, you were gonna, like, literally pay people off to vote for you, and it had a very negative connotation. And aspiration is also from the Latin, but it comes from the Latin word that means to breathe, to give air to, to give life to, to give oxygen to, and we have to be people of aspiration, and we need our firms and our companies to be companies of aspiration, right? And fundamentally what that boils down to--when you're ambitious you believe kind of in a scarcity model. You believe "I've got to hold you down so that I can lift myself up," whereas aspiration is about lifting as you climb. It's about abundance. It's about saying, "Hey, I only get lifted up by those coming after me, and it's my responsibility to reach back, give back and make a difference, to pay it forward." And so--and that I'm only there as a result of others that made my being there possible. And so with that mindset it becomes incumbent upon all of us to, you know--especially as leaders of color--to realize that we're sitting in chairs and we're occupying chairs as a result of others that came before, and sometimes we get in those chairs, and there's this sense of, "Well, hey, I'm the only one, and if there's another then they're gonna have to knock me out or knock me down." And again, that's a scarcity model. That's an ambition model. That's not an aspiration model, and we have to realize that, you know, we have to be about the business of lifting others and making a difference in that way. In terms of advice and roles for non-minority leaders, I think the simplest thing can sometimes be just an expectation of something that simple. You know, sometimes there's this whole idea of, you know, "Well, gee, if I'm here--" You know, when I first started and took on a leadership role at Accenture and was leading several of our accounts here, I very consciously wanted to have the most diverse accounts, right? And I believed if I could create the most diverse accountsand if I could create accounts that were the best accounts at the firm that people would be fighting, you know, against each other trying to get on these accounts, and if I had the best talent, then the rest would take care of itself, and some of that has to be the same spirit and ethos that non-minority leaders would have in terms of creating a culture that rewards people that recognize diversity, that bring in diversity, and say to minority leaders themselves, "You know what? You are diverse, and if you bring in more diversity, that's a good thing. And if you're helping advance other diverse leaders, that's a good thing, and we're gonna reward that." And that's a positive thing. It's not a negative thing. It's not a scarcity model. It's an abundance model.Zach: Marty, this has been a great discussion. Before we go, do you have any parting words or shout-outs? In fact, and I don't want to put you on the spot, but I know that--I know that I have a colleague who--this is from years ago, and you might not remember saying this, but she made mention of the fact that you said something like we as a people--that black people, we're, like--we're the blue note. Do you recall that statement? I wasn't there, but she said you had a statement--Marty: I have lots of statements, but yes.Zach: Man, could you just wax poetic on that please? Because--and I don't--the reason why I ask is because I wasn't there, and she wasn't even able to fully articulate what you said, but her eyes glowed when she said it, and I was like, "Man, when I speak to him--" And this was literally 4 years ago. I said, "When I speak to Marty, I'm gonna ask him to talk about this."Marty: Hm, okay. Well, the concept of the blue note comes from jazz, right? And so there's this idea that--and it's something that, you know, in our firms nowadays, and Accenture is no exception, we talk all the time about the need for innovation, right, and the need for creativity and the need for--you know, as things are going along, there might be a disruption, or there might be something that comes along that creates dramatic change, and so really that's the idea of the blue note in jazz, right? It's the moment of improvisation. It's the moment when you don't know where or how the story's going to--the music and the story is going to unfold, and really that is--you know, whether you read Cornel West or Eric Dyson or others, that's really been our history, right? That's our story, of every time we've been on a journey as a country we have served in the role of the blue note, the improvisation that moves our story forward around the realization of those very first principles that were first embedded in the Declaration of Independence and in the Constitution. And so, you know, whether it was--you know, our battle, originally as enslaved people or later in terms of the Civil War and fighting for freedom or the battles for reconstruction or through civil rights, or now even today as we move forward with Black Lives Matter and other movements to more fully recognize the process of more fully recognizing our humanity and more fully recognizing our citizenship has been one that has caused the country to confront and to look at itself and its values in the mirror, and we've been that blue note to help the country evolve its definition and its story as we've gone along.Zach: Man, I love that. I love that, and now it's captured on this podcast. Marty, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us today. I'm beyond honored. I appreciate your time. We definitely consider you a friend of the show, and we hope to have you back.Marty: All right. Well, thank you, Zach, very much for having me. It's been an honor to be a part of it, and if I can ever be of help to folks on a journey, feel free to hit me up on LinkedIn or Twitter or otherwise. Happy to be of help.Zach: All right, Marty. Appreciate it. Peace.Marty: Take care. Bye-bye.

Welcome to the Hustle Unlimited podcast, a place where dream chasers can hear wisdom and insights from entrepreneurs and leaders who forged their own path to success. Hustle Unlimited's host is Donald Thompson, a successful African-American CEO of Walk West, a fast-growing strategic communications firm in Raleigh, North Carolina. People who have reached a certain level of success in their industry, always want to share what they’ve learned with the next generation and want others to learn from their success and their failures. Hustle Unlimited provides a platform for successful leaders to give back and for aspiring leaders to learn. From radio show hosts and business leaders to lawyers and creatives, our guests share a common desire to give their knowledge and insight back to the next generation of leaders.

The African American CEO of a money management firm publicly criticizes the Fortune 500 for paying lip service to diversity. His board urges him to stop. What should he do? Harvard Business School professor Steven Rogers and protagonist John Rogers discuss a new case study about the risks of speaking up, and the importance of black empowerment in the investment sector.

Michael Imhotep host of The African History Network Show on 8-14-17 discussed Donald Trump attacking Kenneth C. Frazier, the African American CEO of Merck Pharmaceuticals.  Frazier resigned from Trump's Manufacturing Council behind his initial comments of the White Supremacist attack on Charlottesville, VA on 8-12-17.  (WATCH VIDEO) https://youtu.be/0OmDlMeaI_o Donald Trump on Monday, 8-14-17 finally denounced the KKK, Neo Nazis and other White Supremacist organizations but this was 2 days after the Charlottesville, VA Attack that left 1 woman dead and 19 injured.  It was still a weak condemnation. Michael Imhotep gives an update on the "Unite The Right" rally that took place in Charlottesville, VA. Did you know that White Supremacists organizations commit more terrorist attacks in the U.S. than Muslims? Listen to The African History Network Show with Michael Imhotep, Sundays, 9pm-11pm EST and on “Wake Up With Steve Hood” Thursdays, 7am – 9am EST on 910 AM in Detroit or around the world online at http://www.910AMSuperstation.com or by downloading the 910AM App to your smartphone or at http://www.AfricanHistoryNetwork.com and listen to the podcasts.  Watch on Facebook LIVE at “The African History Network”. Listen to The African History Network Show with Michael Imhotep, Thursdays, 8pm-11pm EST at http://BlogTalkRadio.com/TheAfricanHistoryNetworkShow and listen to the Podcasts. Visit http://www.AfricanHistoryNetwork.com for a complete list of our DVDs, documentaries, Podcasts, articles, Online Classes.

In episode 17, we discuss the news surrounding our society NOW. We take a look at a summer camp closing its doors due to the drowning of a 5 year old boy. We also look at Tesla’s decision to add a female African American CEO to their board of directors. Plus, Usher is all over the news with his STD scandal. All of this and more on #SocietyNOW!

In episode 17, we discuss the news surrounding our society NOW. We take a look at a summer camp closing its doors due to the drowning of a 5 year old boy. We also look at Tesla’s decision to add a female African American CEO to their board of directors. Plus, Usher is all over the news with his STD scandal. All of this and more on #SocietyNOW!

  Special Guest: Roslyn Y. Rogers Collins is President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan New Jersey (PPMNJ) in Newark.  The centers serve nearly 20,000 men, women, and adolescents and the education department, called the Family Life Institute, presents workshops to almost 9,000 individuals. Currently the only African American CEO of a Planned Parenthood affiliate in the country, Rogers-Collins is keenly aware of the need to be culturally competent in delivering services. PPMNJ is a leading non-profit provider of quality healthcare services and education for Essex, Passaic and Hudson Counties. PPMNJ is hosting an Open House,Thursday, May 2, 2013 at The Chubb Center-PPMNJ, 151 Washington Street, Newark, NJ as the kickoff to its 85 Anniversary.