From the military to the music world, Paula Boggs has made her mark by bravely navigating new spaces and pioneering career paths for herself. After serving at the Pentagon and in the White House as an army officer, she spent a decade at Starbucks as its Chief Legal Officer before leaving to write and perform music with the Paula Boggs Band.As you listen to our conversation, you’ll be inspired and in awe. Her story is one of resilience, adaptability, and breaking barriers. And she inspires oth...

There’s something magical about anyone who not only understands their magic but taps into it, risks and all. Janinah Burnett has always been led to stand in her power with the gift God gave her, regardless of anyone else’s reservations.She’s an internationally renowned Broadway and Metropolitan opera soprano who has played the role of Carlotta Giudicelli in Phantom of the Opera and Mimi in Baz Luhrmann’s La Bohème. Recently, she released an album featuring collaborative arrangements that fuse...

In a world where personal branding and negotiation are essential skills, Damali Peterman stands out as a trailblazer. With her diverse background as a lawyer, mediator, and CEO of Breakthrough ADR, Damali brings a unique perspective to the table. Her new book, Negotiating While Black: Be Who You Are to Get What You Want, delves into the intricacies of negotiating with authenticity and confidence, especially within the Black community. In it, she has taken her experience and years of stud...

With the right communication skills, you can bring who you truly are with you wherever you go. But if you’re not a natural conversationalist (or even if you are), you need the appropriate tools and strategies to help you feel seen, heard, and valued by those around you.That’s where Dr. Amber L. Wright comes in. She’s a communications expert, a speaker, and an executive life coach. Amber’s also a great model herself for demonstrating wonderful communication skills for relationship building. Sh...

Get in line. Stay in your lane. Don’t color outside the lines.My guest Olga Mack developed an aversion to lines that has shaped not just her as a person but her career journey as a tech lawyer as well. She’s joined me on the podcast to talk about how her determination to find other entry points away from standard lines has helped her level up and move through life.In this episode of the Branding Room Only podcast, you’ll hear about how living outside the lines of other’s expectations can put ...

You deserve the opportunities you want, and others can provide the keys to get you there. But if you don’t talk about yourself and your successes, how will they know to open the door and let you in?Too many people have a hangup about self-promotion. For some, it feels like boasting, which gives off an “icky” feeling. So they tend to shy away when someone, like my guest Lisa Bragg, advocates for bragging about our work. Lisa is a speaker and professional mentor who coaches, advises, and consul...

You’ve probably heard the stereotypes of different generations in the workplace, including millennials just wanting trophies and more seasoned workers being averse to technology. These are the signs of some of the generational friction that exists in (and out) of the workplace. These challenges can be mitigated through a better understanding of the narrative identity each generation has of work (and the world) and why these narratives exist.My guest Chris De Santis is a speaker, podcaster, an...

Ben Wilson is truly, truly the definition of a trailblazer, and if you joined us for part one, you've already experienced a glimpse of his incredible journey. Ben’s dedication to advancing diversity and inclusion, environmental advocacy, coupled with his strategic vision for leadership offer so many invaluable lessons for all of us. I hope that his stories and the strategies he shares inspire you to think about your own impact and how you can contribute to positive change in your communi...

A. P. Tureaud. Donald Hollowell. Constance Baker Motley. Those are just some of the Black men and women who have helped forge important change through the legal system in the U.S. Many people, however, aren’t aware of these pioneers and the impactful reach of their work to this day. That’s why my guest Ben Wilson often makes a point to "say their name" so that history doesn’t forget them.  Ben is a trailblazer in environmental law who gives gratitude to the pioneers who paved the way and...

Regardless of recent attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), moving forward is an inevitability. Organizations that want to thrive are going to have to get on board or get left behind. And they could use the help of someone like my friend Kori Carew. Kori is a former litigator turned speaker, writer, and consultant who advocates for (among other things) diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). Through her work, she helps bridge differences and facilitates learning and...

Allyship is an ongoing journey, not a destination. There are best practices that’ll help you build your brand and reputation as an inclusive leader and true ally (and some not-so-best practices you’ll want to avoid). My guest David Sarnoff has so many stories about experiences and lessons that have forged an awareness of the importance of inclusive connections. He’s taken what he’s learned--from his childhood to his current work as an executive coach and consultant--to build a brand of...

Feeling like an outsider and attempting to conform to societal norms can lead to a loss of self-identity and a longing for true belonging. Ritu Bhasin, a child of immigrants, has navigated her own journey of self-acceptance and emerged as a leading voice in equity, empowerment, and belonging.She’s also a passionate advocate for authenticity and helps others stand in their power in high-conformity workplaces. Her books, The Authenticity Principle and We’ve Got This, provide strategies and a...

You should authentically embody your personal brand, regardless of who you interact with. Your personal brand should also reflect your values and evolve based on your experiences.     Your brand should show up in your advocacy.  This is why I invited Aliza Shatzman to be on the podcast. Her personal experiences in clerkship drive her authentic advocacy. Now, as the founder and president of The Legal Accountability Project, she aims to ensure that law clerks have positive clerkship experiences...

Many of us have had the boss from hell at some point--that person calling the shots who was absolutely horrible to work for. And while many in this situation just quit, walking away from the job isn’t your only course of action. You can practice the art of managing up instead. As the author of Managing Up, Mary Abbajay literally wrote the book on it. So, if you want to move up, win at work, and succeed with any type of boss, then listen in as she talks about what it means to manage up and how...

Having a child impacts you not just personally but professionally. As an expecting or new parent, you have access to plenty of information about planning for and taking care of your child. And you’ve probably heard that you’re not the same person after their arrival. But there’s still something that gets left out of the conversation too often. After having two sons, Lori Mihalich-Levin knew there was a missing piece--something essential to the identity of new parents: how do you shift from...

Sometimes, the best career and life advice you receive comes from your family. My guest can certainly relate since she has received pivotal advice from her Dad that has helped her throughout her career! From Zabrina’s upbringing to her love for sports and spontaneity, we explore how her personal interests and family values have shaped her approach to leadership and personal branding. Zabrina’s fundamental belief is that your personal brand should echo your core values, a philosophy that has...

Are you dissatisfied, ready to move on, or to pivot in your career? Perhaps you have a dream career or business in mind or don’t really know what you want to do. You just want to make a change, and as smoothly as possible. And while a strong personal brand helps make that transition more seamless, building one doesn’t just start when you decide to pivot. Michelle Ifill made the kind of career pivot that others dream of. But she’s also always been very aware and consistent with prioritizing...

Have you ever felt like a deer in the headlights at a fancy dinner? You look down at your table setting and don’t even know where to begin when you see a dozen or so forks, knives, and spoons! So you look around to see if you can follow along with someone who knows the correct way to proceed. While it might not look like it on the surface, there’s a parallel between table etiquette and your personal brand. When you’re networking, you want to follow certain protocols so that you look like you...

Your voice is a significant part of your brand. But what is the impact of not having a voice in the workplace? Many Black and Brown women feel unheard and undervalued at work. Their stories of experiencing unfriendly, biased, and/or disadvantageous environments are often ignored or discredited. As someone who was never the most boisterous in the room, Minda Harts used to feel like she lacked a voice. Her profound brand has continued to grow and evolve as a workplace and equity consultant,...

“I’ll keep in touch!” You’ve likely said something like that to someone and meant it at the time. But then... life gets in the way, time flies by, and you haven’t spoken to that person in years. Yet the idea of reaching out and reconnecting gives you pause, and you can’t put your finger on why. Relationship-building expert Jason Levin, knows why! He’s even written a book on it backed by academic research. And he’s here to help us reframe what we think we know about networking, building...

Is there something missing or a little off about your life, your work, your brand, or anything else you do? Like many who grew up as first-generation immigrants, Anjli Garg was outwardly focused on a certain level of success and got a secondary degree--in her case, from law school. But at some point, an unexpected shift in perspective brought her inward and caused her to connect with what really made her feel fulfilled and happy. That shift now has her on a mission to empower high achievers...

Paula T. Edgar is an attorney, speaker, and CEO of PGE Consulting Group LLC, a strategy firm specializing in professional development and diversity, equity, and inclusion solutions for organizations. She is an expert in personal branding, leadership, networking, leveraging social media, and business development. In the last year, Paula delivered keynote speeches and facilitated workshops for over 10,000 attendees. Paula has written for and been featured in publications such as the New York...

Nicole Lester Arrindell is an attorney, trusted strategic advisor, TEDx Speaker, sought after moderator and thought partner. She serves as Government Relations Counsel and Chief of Staff to the Chief Legal Officer at Equitable, a Fortune 500 financial services company. Nicole also serves as President-Elect of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association in New York City. For show notes and more information, visit paulaedgar.com/podcast. In this episode… Being a moderator is a pivotal role to...

Laurie Robinson Haden is an accomplished corporate attorney and leader with extensive experience advocating for diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. She is the Founder and CEO of Corporate Counsel Women of Color (CCWC)—and the author of It's Time To Shine: A Guide For Professionals of Color on How to Advance Their Career. Recognized by Savoy magazine as one of the country’s "Most Influential Black Lawyers," Laurie has fostered a community of over 5000 members (and growing)! Join...

Laurie Robinson Haden is an accomplished corporate attorney and leader with extensive experience advocating for diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. She is the Founder and CEO of Corporate Counsel Women of Color (CCWC) and the author of It's Time To Shine: A Guide For Professionals of Color on How to Advance Their Career. Recognized by Savoy magazine as one of the country’s "Most Influential Black Lawyers," Laurie has fostered a community of over 5000 members (and growing)!  ...