Growing up, Brooklyn native Mika Pryce was enamored with the entertainment industry. When the TV Guide would come with the Sunday paper, she would read – and re-read – it so often her grandmother nicknamed her “TV Guide.” While following a pre-med education track at Cornell University – a path that was highly encouraged as a first-generation American – she started exploring cinema and realized she wanted to follow a different path. After interning for documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock and film production company Screen Gems and working at an investment bank to make ends meet, she took the leap into the entertainment industry and moved to Los Angeles.

Mika is now a Senior Vice President of Production at Paramount Pictures, where she leads feature projects such as the live-action remake of Your Name, the recently announced Vertigo remake, and the film adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling novel, Children of Blood and Bone. Mika joined Paramount from Don Cheadle’s production company, This Radicle Act Productions, where she served as head of development. 

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. This interview originally published on November 13, 2023. This has been re-published to showcase one of our top past features as we celebrate Women’s History Month 2026.]

We sat down with Mika to explore her journey, her experience as a Black woman in the entertainment industry, and the work she is doing to create space in the film industry for those underrepresented voices.

Her Agenda: What was the transition from the world of pre-med to the entertainment industry like for you?

Mika Pryce: My parents had very high hopes for me and I remember vividly telling my dad that I was going to take time off and, if at the end of two years, I felt like I want to go back into medicine, I would do a post-bacc and take the MCAT and then I’d go back to it. I felt that, strategically, it’s hard to start medicine and then figure it out after that. With movies, I can always start over because it’s a series of internships and apprenticeships. I ultimately decided to go to graduate school for film in Los Angeles and gave myself a certain amount of time to figure it out and make inroads. My grad school took in only 25 people a year so we got very close. Even though I moved across the country and was living by myself, I had a core group of people around. When I was in school I met as many people as I could: I had internships during the day and attended classes at night. Having interned and worked in New York kind of didn’t matter when I moved to LA. I was 25, on the older end of assistants, who are typically right out of college, and I needed to figure it out because my parents were not supporting me. I realized I could not afford to not work during the summers so I was one of the first people in my class to get an internship at WME [one of the largest talent agencies]. 

Her Agenda: When it comes to shifting gears  – whether it’s within a specific industry or into a new one – what are the things you consider when deciding whether it’s time to make a move?

Mika Pryce: I certainly understand folks who are reluctant to pivot into their dream thing because they’re worried about where that next paycheck is going to come from or how they’re going to sustain themselves. I tried to strategically think: how can I do both? For me, it was a question of: am I learning and growing? Am I being best utilized in this position? If not, then I should look elsewhere or should move on. There were certainly jobs that I liked, but I felt like I wasn’t getting mentored or encouraged in the way that I might have wanted by my bosses. 

The other thing I tried to think about, especially in those early years, was how to educate myself as much as possible about the state of the business. This was during the 2008 economic crisis and the state of the movie business was shifting. Folks were relying a lot more on foreign sales for movies, you couldn’t just finance these huge movies on your own, and studios were – sort of similar to now – making less movies.[The state of the entertainment industry]  was something that I saw a lot of folks, especially older folks who grew up with the business moving a certain way, were very worried about, so I wanted to learn about that. I wanted to buttress my knowledge with more than just understanding story and understanding how to sort of parse a script.

Her Agenda: What challenges did you face throughout your career and how did you overcome them?

Mika Pryce: There are lots of times when it’s tough being a woman, and also a woman of color, in this business. Even a few short years ago before these DEI arms came up at studios — that’s when I was a junior executive — it was less acceptable – whether it was said or not – to articulate how one might feel othered or siloed. I recall being the only Black face there and certainly the only Black woman there and that was the case at every company until I started This Radicle Act Productions with Don Cheadle. There was also reticence to articulate that feeling because it wasn’t something folks talked about. Feeling like “the only” can sometimes be a very tough place to be. You always need folks in your corner to remind you that you’re not crazy or to bounce ideas off of. I feel as a woman, and sometimes as a woman of color, you feel like you can’t take up space. Finding those people who believe in you, and who can articulate how you should be doing things differently, is helpful. 

Her Agenda: You speak about needing to take up space – how does your experience tie into the work you are doing now to create space in the film industry for those underrepresented voices?

Mika Pryce: When I was presented to start [This Radicle Act Productions] with Don [Cheadle], I didn’t know that I necessarily felt like I could do it. I spoke with Don for many months, very actively about what the role was what the position was, and what the ethos of the company would be. I think that helped in terms of us being on the same page when we ultimately pulled the trigger, but I realized at some point that some of that was me being afraid. I was 34, maybe 35, years old and was sort of afraid of what it might mean for me to step into the role of development. The ethos of the company was also utilizing his platform as an incredible person, a well-liked, accomplished actor, and utilizing that platform to give a platform to up-and-coming historically marginalized peoples. That, for me, was incredibly exciting because it was very much where I was in that place in my life. I understood how we might put it all together such that buyers, whether you’re at a network or a film studio, might feel comfortable with these younger and newer names in a package. For example, having first-time showrunners packaged on a show that Steven Soderberg is also producing. Don and I would often talk about how we would hide the medicine in some of the stories that we were putting together. We asked ourselves: what’s the message and how do we make it not feel like vegetables? How does it not feel like homework for someone to show up and also be entertained by this thing, but also be getting these other things from it?

Her Agenda: What are you most excited to be working on now?

Mika Pryce: In moving from Don’s company to Paramount, some of the reasons I did that was to take that same personal mission and have a bigger platform with which to also tell diverse stories. Not every story’s makeup is going to be inherently that, but much of the reason I left this thing I had been building and moved to this bigger company was because it felt like it was an even bigger platform in which to tell those stories and perhaps reach even more individuals. 

I’m working on “Children of Blood and Bone” right now, which is an Afro-futuristic series based on the wildly popular book series and it is something that we hope to make for a few years from now. It’s incredibly dear to my heart because to make a story like that and have the push of a major studio behind it will have more eyeballs on these sorts of stories, but pushed through a commercial lens. 

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. This interview originally published on November 13, 2023. This has been re-published to showcase one of our top past features as we celebrate Women’s History Month 2026.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Mika Pryce was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Rebecca Warfield is your backstage pass to success.

She grew up in a log cabin in Montana knowing she’d work in entertainment. It wasn’t a dream. It was a given. So she studied film and TV at Montana State, broke into award shows with Dick Clark Productions, and worked her way up from talent coordinator to talent producer. Then the writer’s strike happened. Shows got canceled. Someone told her she should be in artist management. She listened.

Nearly two decades later, she’s built a career managing some of music’s biggest names. Her real education came from Larry Rudolph, the man who discovered Britney Spears. She worked on his team during the Circus era, learning what artist management actually looks like when you do it right, how to operate with integrity, and how to make the call that’s best for your client every single time. He taught her strategy, and she’s been applying those lessons ever since.

She went on to manage Steven Tyler for five years while co-managing Aerosmith, launching his solo career and his first ever solo album. She created his charitable organization Janie’s Fund, which raised over seven million dollars in its first three years for vulnerable girls. She’s currently the manager and business partner of Julian Lennon, guiding him through a record deal with BMG for his first commercial album in twenty years while amplifying his work as a photographer, filmmaker, author, and entrepreneur.

In 2012, she founded the Chicane Group, an artist management and consulting firm where she served as CEO. She was also the Global Head of Strategic Partnerships at Looped, helping build the tech company into a preferred virtual venue platform. She operates at the intersection of music and technology, always looking ahead to where the industry is going rather than where it’s been.

What makes Rebecca different is how she moves. She makes decisions fast, stays calm when everyone else is spiraling, reads the room, and trusts her gut. It’s a skill set that comes from experience, from knowing you’re making the right call in the moment when everyone’s depending on you to do exactly that.

She’s navigated bias by putting herself in the right rooms with the right teams, by staying confident in her strengths, and by refusing to let it drag her down. In our chat, Rebecca offers a peek into the strategies and insights that have made her a force in the industry.

Her Agenda: So how did you end up going into this field or getting this job?

Rebecca Warfield: So I grew up in a little log cabin in the middle of the woods in Montana, and even as a little girl, I always knew that I was going to be working in entertainment in some way. I [always knew] that. So I think it was really about finding the path to how to make that happen and how to move to Los Angeles. I just always knew that that’s what I was going to do. So I went to college at Montana State University. I studied film and TV there, and that kind of opened a door for me to start working on award shows when I was still in college. I started with Dick Clark Productions on the Academy of Country Music Awards, and I broke in that way. I didn’t know anyone at all. That story is kind of an interesting story of how that came together, but I wound up working on many, many award shows as a freelance talent coordinator and then talent producer, and then during the writer’s strike one year, all the shows were getting canceled, and someone said to me, ‘You should really be in artist management.’ And so I wound up pursuing that, and making the shift into management, which I’ve been doing for about 13 years now. So it’s kind of just been one thing leading to the next. 

Her Agenda: Who or what is your biggest influence in your journey as a manager?

Rebecca Warfield: I think my biggest influence has been the person who really taught me how management was to be carried out, or what the relationship with your clients should look like, and how to operate with integrity on a day to day basis, and do the best thing for your clients, and the strategy around that. The first person that I worked for when I was in management, when I made that shift, was Larry Rudolph, who is very well known for discovering Britney Spears. I wound up working on that team back in the Circus era, which was 2009 to 2012. He really mentored me and taught me artist management on the highest level. So I think that would be probably the most influential person. 

Her Agenda: How does working with female and male clients differ?

Rebecca Warfield: It’s so different. It is so, so different. I have always found myself working more so with male clients, and male artists, I think that there is a real complimenting relationship there with sort of the feminine and masculine energy, and creativity, and carrying out the business around executing marketing campaigns and creative projects, and I think with the male-female balance, you can really lean on each other’s natural strengths and abilities to achieve different levels of success. With female clients, there’s just a lot of different things that they have to think about where, even just coming down to glam, and timing, and scheduling, and motherhood, and there’s all of these other things that come into play with female clients versus male clients. So it is very, very different, I would say. 

Her Agenda: What’s a skill you need in your job people wouldn’t expect is necessary?

Rebecca Warfield: I think everyone expects that managers should have some level of psychological skill set in well-being and being able to use a higher level of intuition and making decisions very quickly. That would be my best answer is making decisions very quickly, very confidently, and that comes from experience, that comes from knowing that you are making the right decision in that given moment for your client, and everyone is depending on you to make the right decision.

Her Agenda: How do you deal with bias against women?

Rebecca Warfield: You deal with it on a daily basis, you deal with it every time you start with a client, you deal with it with different relationships on the team. I think, first off, the best way to deal with it is putting yourself into the right rooms and the right teams to work with. Be confident in your own strengths and your own abilities and don’t let that drag you down. 

Her Agenda: How do you handle things under crisis?

Rebecca Warfield: Don’t react. Be very non reactive, and always be calm. Think about things before you respond. And if you have to respond really quickly, make sure that you have insights from the whole team before you make the decision. 

Her Agenda: What’s one aspect of the music industry that you really want to change, and one that you hope never does?

Rebecca Warfield: One aspect of the music industry that I would like to see change would be [that] I would love a simpler process in licensing music and artists’ music being discovered to license for films, TV, movies…it would be great to be able to do that in a simpler manner, than it’s done today. I think it’s a very cumbersome process, and it takes a lot of back and forth with different team members to license music. So I’d love to see that simplified. One thing I hope doesn’t change, obviously, we’re dealing with such a revolution right now, with AI and AI music production and AI artists. There’s no stopping that, but I hope that the connection with humans and that ability to connect and be relatable, I hope that doesn’t lose value. I hope the human creation will keep its value. 

Her Agenda: Can you give advice to girls looking into this industry?

Rebecca Warfield: Yes, I would say really spend some time getting to know yourself and what your true, unique skill sets and natural gifts are, and lean into those and don’t look around at what everyone else is doing. Pave your own way, pave your own path, and diversify your strengths into different areas that you really are passionate about and that will lead to your success in your career. 

Her Agenda: What are your future goals? 

Rebecca Warfield: My future goals would be to continue doing what I’m doing, always finding projects and clients that inspire me and that motivate me. I am excited to expand my team and expand the level of knowledge of my team and just diversify there as well.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Rebecca Warfield was originally published on HerAgenda.com

When Margaret Cho started doing comedy in the 1980s, there were no Asian American performers to look up to, no queer women on stage, no blueprint for the path she was carving, so she created her own. Now, decades into a career that’s earned her five Grammy and Emmy nominations, she’s still building opportunities where none exist and speaking to experiences of being “othered” that she lives daily. She continues to refuse to soften her voice for anyone’s comfort.

You’ve likely seen her  on HULU’s “Fire Island” or HBO Max’s “The Flight Attendant” and “Hacks,” or caught one of her Netflix comedy specials where she dissects sexism, racism, and homophobia with the precision of someone who navigates all three constantly. Her film “All That We Love” drew acclaim at the Tribeca Film Festival, and Vogue has placed her among the top female comedians alongside Joan Rivers. It’s a recognition that feels both overdue and exactly right.

Margaret’s wearing even more hats lately: she’s got roles coming in Disney’s “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” and the thriller “I Want Your S*x,” and through her production company, Animal Family Productions, she’s developing new stories to tell. Right now, though, she’s on the road with “Choligarchy,” a show that tackles the current political moment head-on because, as she puts it, talking about what you know as an artist isn’t optional.

In this interview, Margaret opens up about building a career from scratch when the industry offered her nothing, why she avoids reading criticism to protect herself from her own harsh internal critic, and her advice for young women entering entertainment: try everything, but know that success belongs to those who can keep going without immediate reward. Her advice to those who dare to enter the comedy space: dedication outlasts talent every time.

Her Agenda: As a pioneering Asian-American comedian, what are the challenges you faced breaking into this industry?

Margaret Cho: Well, mostly it’s just invisibility, because when I started, there were no Asian American performers, no other Asian American women, there were no queer women. There were really no people that I could look to for community, so it was just about being alone, and then later, when I became more involved in it, there were just no projects to get into. There were no roles I could audition for. There was nothing in the 1980s and ’90s, there was just nothing there that I could get involved in. I would have to create everything on my own. And so it was just mostly the lack of opportunities, but because of that, I created my own because I was just doing comedy, and that was fulfilling for me.

Her Agenda: How has your Asian-American heritage influenced your comedic style?

Margaret Cho: I think that my heritage helped me to just talk about being other-ed, like the way that my comedy is mostly talking about coming from the outside going in. So to be the being of other, the performing of other, the experience of other, was sort of created itself into a style of performance. And so that’s how it benefited me. Of course, I don’t know how else I would have gone about it just because I don’t have any experience being white. I don’t have any experience being a man. I don’t have any experience being straight. I don’t have any experience of these things that are kind of universally accepted as being kind of normal. And so I’ve always identified as other. 

Her Agenda: How do you handle criticism and trolling?

Margaret Cho: I don’t handle it very well. I kind of just avoid it if I can, because I have such a critical mindset. I have such a very developed and loud internal critic, so I don’t want to give that any more energy than I need, because I already have a self-silencing mechanism, which is really destructive, and so the more I can avoid any kind of negativity, the better. So I generally don’t look at criticism, I don’t look at trolling, I try to avoid it. You know, there’s not a lot you can do about stuff that just comes in, and you just have to deal with it, but in general, I find avoidance is key. 

Her Agenda: How do you manage to balance the different careers that you have and your personal life too?

Margaret Cho: Well, a lot of my career is my personal life. A lot of my career [is] very social being in comedy clubs and doing tours and being around comedy, doing podcasts, it’s very social. So, a lot of it sort of blends into my social life. Also, I make music, it’s all with friends, so that sort of counts as my social life, and then getting to be an actor in projects a lot of the time, I’m working for people who I’m close friends with. So I’m lucky enough to be able to balance out my work life with my social life. I think that happens a lot in art. You end up working with people that you’re friendly with, and that’s because I think art is so all-consuming that if we didn’t have the ability to kind of collaborate, we wouldn’t necessarily have a social life. 

Her Agenda: How has your perspective on comedy and what you like to comment on changed over the years?

Margaret Cho: I don’t think it’s changed a lot. I think that I’m always really focused on talking about the experience of others and being othered. I think that what continually finds itself in my comedy is talking about sexism, talking about racism, talking about homophobia. All those things together, and they’re amplified now with the current administration and what’s going on. 

Her Agenda: You’re vocal about social issues that matter to you; why is it important to use your platform for advocacy?

Margaret Cho: I think it’s important just because I’ve always done that. It’s because it’s my preference. It’s because I experience racism and sexism, and homophobia daily. It’s because I see it happening to others constantly. And so for me, it’s meaningful, I think it’s important to talk about it. I think it’s a valid felt experience. It’s what I know. And as an artist, it’s important to talk about what you know.

Her Agenda: Are there projects in the new year you’d like to tell us more about?

Margaret Cho: I’m just touring. I’m on the road right now with my show Choligarchy, which I’m proud of. It is talking a lot about the current administration and what we can do about it, and how I feel about it. And so I think that’s really valid and important. There’s a lot to say. So I’m doing that, and that’s going to take up most of my year. 

Her Agenda: What is some advice you can give girls looking to go into entertainment?

Margaret Cho: Comedy, it’s all about going and doing what you want. There’s so many ways to break into this particular profession. Of course, now there’s social media, which is really important too. So just get out there and do it. What it feels like to do it isn’t always the perception of what we think it’s going to be like. So, really try everything, see if you like it, see if you want to devote yourself to it, because the thing about it is it’s all-consuming. If you want to do this, you have to do it for a long time, and you have to do it really in a very dedicated way to find success. You will find it. Everybody becomes successful as long as they stick with it, you know? That’s what I’ve noticed about people. I’ve noticed people who are really talented and who are really, really skilled, but they don’t have the dedication because it takes a long time to really build that, and the people who have dedication are the ones who succeed in the end. So I want people to try it and see if they like it, and if it’s something that you can continue to do without apparent reward for a long time, then you’ll be rewarded in the long run.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Margaret Cho was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Known as the internet’s ‘it girl,’ content creator and entrepreneur Allyiah Gainer has become the crown jewel of the YouTube scene. Referred to as Allyiah’s Face on her channel, Allyiah has garnered a loyal fan base of 2 million+ followers across all of her platforms and over 900K subscribers. Since starting her brand in 2015, the former FAMU student has become a staple in the digital beauty and fashion community, inviting viewers into her world and her life through her weekly vlogs. At the beginning of her YouTube journey, Allyiah began to amass her following by filming content such as fashion hauls and GRWMs. Now, years later, the influencer has expanded her reach into luxury and fashion spaces, working with brands such as Jimmy Choo, Tatcha Beauty, Amazon, and Marshalls. Most recently, Allyiah turned her love for fragrance into a collaboration with perfume brand Dossier to create two of her very own fragrances, ‘Better Days’ and ‘Of the Hour.’ The duo sold out within 24 hours, with Allyiah herself describing them as the perfect daytime and nighttime scent. In this interview, Allyiah shares her journey with YouTube, the challenges she’s faced, and what it was like partnering with Dossier.

Her Agenda: Tell us how you got started with vlogging and documenting your life, and what was that like in the beginning?

Allyiah Gainer: I did a chit chat, get ready with me. And everyone was like, oh, you need to talk more. We like that. That was very entertaining. We love your personality. From there, I kept doing that. Then Vlogmas came around in my second year on YouTube in December. And I was like, okay, cool, I’m gonna do Vlogmas. I vlogged, I did one episode, and people were like, we need more of this. I did Vlogmas that entire month. The feedback that I got was so great. I realized I really liked it. I used to vent. It just used to be kind of like a personal diary, if you will. I would get on my camera and say whatever. This was way back before anybody cared a lot about what I had to say. People were a lot kinder and treated it like they were talking with their homegirl. From there, I just kept doing it, and more and more people loved it. That’s really how it started. It was people telling me to do it, so I did it. They loved it, so I kept doing it. Now here we are.

Her Agenda: What was the moment that you realized being a content creator could be a sustainable career for you? 

Allyiah Gainer: It was when I quit my job to do it full-time. However, that would be a lie, because I wasn’t really making that much money from it at all. I think I was maybe making $1,200 a month, which is not a lot to live on. I’m a very rebellious person. I was working at MAC, and they wouldn’t give me the time off that I wanted, so I quit. And I was like, okay, well then I quit. You would think that I would say that my social media career was lucrative, which it was not. Three and a half years in, I realized that this would be lucrative for me when I got a 12-month contract with a hair company back when I used to wear wigs. I used to do hair influencing heavily on YouTube. That would always be a part of my vlog. I would usually start the vlog off with a new wig. I got a year-long contract that was gonna pay me basically around five to seven grand a month just to talk about wigs. I thought, oh, I’ve made it, and I can make money doing this for real. In that moment, that’s when I moved to Atlanta. I was like, yeah, like we’re going big time.

Her Agenda: What challenges have you faced as a content creator, and how did you overcome them?

Allyiah Gainer: One of the really big challenges that I faced was from being online for so long; your digital footprint is very real. You look back at young you and you’re like, I cannot believe I wore that, or that I said that. Having it on video or photo for years, when you go back and look, you’re like, yo, what the h*ll? I think it’s important learning boundaries on what to post because young me didn’t have any. Anything and everything would get posted. I didn’t care because I didn’t realize the amount of people who had access to it. While I have created such a beautiful community online, it isn’t gated; anyone can join. Anyone can take, perceive, and do with whatever I post online as they wish or will. So, being a lot more conscious of just making sure that whatever I’m posting, I am comfortable with it being representative of me to any and everybody that comes across it. I think every content creator will tell you about the hate comments and criticism. I’ve been in this for so long, I truly have built what they call tough skin. I genuinely feel like people don’t think they’re talking to Allyiah. When I think about it like that, it alleviates any anxiety or negative feelings that come with criticism.

Her Agenda: What would you say has been the most rewarding part of your journey so far? 

Allyiah Gainer: I would say something for me that’s extremely rewarding from my journey is that some of the people who were watching me in 2015, before I even ever posted a vlog, are still watching me to this day. I can recognize them, and they still comment. I’ve been doing YouTube for over 10 years, and I don’t have a million followers. I don’t have a million followers on any platform. I truly believe that my platform is an example of slow and steady wins the race. While my growth number-wise is “slower,” the level of connection that I’ve built with my audience is so immense. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I feel like being a place where people can come to just simply relax, enjoy, or just have a moment of disconnection from whatever they’re going through is valuable. I’ve had people express to me how I’ve been able to get them through dark places just by posting my silly videos and just feeling like they have someone there with them. 

Her Agenda: Most of your life is mostly on camera, but what are some ways that you de-stress when you need a break from vlogging? 

Allyiah Gainer: I sleep. I love a good old nap, a good old sleep. For me, it’s about finding boundaries of what works for me online and what doesn’t, so that I don’t experience that kind of burnout. I really do save a lot of things in my life for offline, such as romantic relationships and family. I feel like it helps to keep work and personal life separate because in content creation or influencing, especially [for] lifestyle creators, the overlap is heavy. At this point, we’ve gotten to where the authentic life that you live has now become your content. Sometimes you have to put in strong boundaries to separate the two so that you can have a moment to decompress and relax.

Her Agenda: Within the next five years, what are you hoping to accomplish with your career? 

Allyiah Gainer: I feel as long as I have a platform that people are interested in tuning into, and it’s still fun for me, I would absolutely love to continue creating content until it’sn’t fun anymore. As far as my brand, we have some things in the works. That’s all I can say for now.

Her Agenda: You’ve been a Dossier girl for many years. What was it like in that moment to find out you’re getting a Dossier collab?

Allyiah Gainer: It was actually really shocking for me because I’m not an expert; I just love good-smelling perfumes. When I brought fragrance into my channel, it was just me kind of exploring. I was never technical with terminology. I’ve never researched deep into the back ends of perfumes. When they came to me, I was like ‘oh no, I think you guys need a professional.’ They were like ‘no no no no we want you.’ My manager was like ‘girl, stop thinking like that. They want your nose, and they want your vibe, your feel, to create something that they can’t do on their own.’ It felt surreal. I do experience a little bit of imposter syndrome sometimes. I used to think that was a bad thing, but I watched a Mel Robbins podcast the other day. I’m tuned into her podcast, and she said, imposter syndrome is a good feeling because it’s showing that you’re trying something new. I was like, you know what? She’s right. Screw it. I feel good about this. It felt crazy. I was excited, but nervous, because this was my first product adventure; however, it was really fun in the end. That was a complete 360 moment, considering that Dossier used to sponsor me when I first started. I feel like Dossier is a lot of Black girl vloggers’ first sponsorships. They were a brand that invested in our community. It was really, really nice to be able to create something with them. 

Her Agenda: What was the inspiration behind your Dossier fragrances? How did you go about picking the scents? 

Allyiah Gainer: When they first approached, the idea was that we were just going to do one perfume. I was like, love that, but I would really like to do two. I asked [if] I could do two perfumes because I’m a multifaceted person. My interests in life vary. Like my taste in perfume, style, and food, everything is just so multifaceted that I felt I could not conjure myself up in one bottle. Even two was hard. I wanted to channel my bubbly personality, that aspect of myself, in my daytime scent. Obviously, you can wear it at any time of the day or any part of the year, but it is marketed as a daytime scent. It’s a bit lighter, flirtier, and very inviting. It’s such a breath of fresh air in my opinion. That was for that first fragrance.

For the second one, I really wanted to channel the sexy, almost baddie-esque moment. I feel like if you see me by day, you’re like, oh, she’s such a sweetie cutie patootie. Then at night, I mean, a girl’s going out, you’re like, oh, I didn’t know you had that in you. That’s what I wanted my perfumes to be. I wanted them to be complete opposites, but they work so well together.

Her Agenda: What advice would you give to us as young women who want to get into starting a YouTube channel? 

Allyiah Gainer: They’re not going to like this, but my big piece of advice is that you need to figure out what your why is. What I mean by that is with the emergence of social media, in all of these new forms, we are seeing that people are getting rich from this. There are different motivators as to why you want to be a content creator.

When I started, we didn’t know people were rich. I don’t even think people were rich yet in 2015, off of social media. Quote me if I’m wrong, but we didn’t know that. So our whys back then were truly out of just having a hobby or a talent or maybe a lack of community to share your interests with. That’s what mine was. For the girls who are starting now, you have to be honest with your why, because I feel like sometimes people aren’t honest about their why. If your why is because you just like to create, then you won’t really find any difficulty in anything. If it’s going to become lucrative, especially on YouTube, it’s going to be slow. It took a minute for me. You have to play the long game, girls.

If you’re doing this because you’re like, you know what? I’m seeing that people are making money. I want a cut of the pie. Then I think that there are a lot of strategic ways that you can do your content and your platform so that you’re able to monetize very quickly and effectively. If you’re someone who wants to garner a true community and share whatever it is you want to share, whether it’s your personality, makeup, hair, whatever, do it and have fun with it. It takes time, but it’s worth it. Whatever comes of it, you have to be grateful for it. 

Her Agenda: Who is Allyiah in a nutshell?

Allyiah Gainer: What I would say is, one thing about me, I’m always going to be okay, and I’m always going to do what I want to do. That’s just what I do.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Allyiah Gainer was originally published on HerAgenda.com

As we all prepare for the new year, there’s probably a laundry list of things you’re thinking about. New routines, habits, goals, and more prompt us to consider tangible ways to effect change. But trying to figure out where to start and what to prioritize can be tough. 

With so many people giving out advice all the preparation can feel daunting, and you might just give up before you start. This year we’ve spoken with a ton of founders, executives, CEOs, all of whom have been in your shoes, maybe not feeling the most confident about their next step. 

We’ve compiled a list of some of the best advice to help you with your fresh start. So here’s a list of seven things you should be thinking about going into 2026. 

Don’t wait, start today

Going into a new year is all about feeling good about what can come. Dana Hork, Founder and CEO of Beers With Friends told Her Agenda that we all have something special that only we can offer, so start today! 

“Go for it. Don’t wait for permission. The world is waiting for you to articulate your vision. It’s like the subway rule—if you see something, say something. If you see a better way of doing things, lean into that. Start small if you need to, iterate as you go, but trust your instincts.” 

Find your tribe

Having a good support system makes all the difference in all facets of life. By having a solid sounding board, it can keep you celebrated through the good times and carried through the bad. 

When Her Agenda chatted with Sally Kim, President and Publisher; Little, Brown and Company, she gave this advice to fellow writers trying to break through the industry. It’s solid advice we can all use. 

“Find the people who can support you and lift you up and also give you the tough love you need to make your work better,” she shared.

Be prepared to put in the work

Being an ambitious woman comes with a lot of hard work and sacrifice. Many women are starting their own businesses with the new year, which requires even more work. Julie Cartwright, President of Pvolve, was asked by Her Agenda about going into entrepreneurship, and she said that tenacity is key. 

“You need to be able to network, you need to be able to get out into your community…So don’t be afraid of the hard work. Don’t do it if you don’t want to work hard, to be honest. It’s incredibly rewarding, but it certainly takes you really putting yourself out there.” 

Stay true to who you are and what you want

Sometimes it can be easy to push aside your individuality to conform to what other people think is best. But your individuality makes you special, so hold onto that. Her Agenda spoke with Nina Magon, Luxury Interior Designer and CEO, about the advice she has for up-and-coming designers that can apply to everyone wanting to be true to themselves in 2026. 

“You just have to do whatever style you love, and people will catch on eventually. Don’t change your style for someone else. You have to love what you do, because if you don’t, you’re in big trouble.”

Be kind to yourself

Sometimes it can be so easy to be nice to everyone but ourselves. We let negative self-talk, self-doubt, and a lack of confidence take over, and sometimes it stops us from greatness. Binta Niambi Brown, Sports and Entertainment Lawyer and Founder, chatted with Her Agenda about navigating life after loss and what it looks like to give herself compassion. 

“There are going to be moments in our lives where we have to give ourselves grace, and we have to give ourselves time to grieve, and to rebuild, and to reheal, but in healing, and grieving, we have to also have a sense of hope, and a sense of what’s possible.” 

Make time for you

Many women find themselves taking care of others: kids, partners, aging relatives, etc. When you add work on top of that, sometimes making sure that we’re taken care of isn’t a priority. Karonda Cook, Head of Global Marketing at KISS Colors & Care, gave us this gem about hair care when she spoke with Her Agenda about how to make sure you put yourself at the top of the to-do list. 

“If you have to take that time, make it a moment of self-care and give yourself a deep treatment mask to replenish your hair, give that hair an extra dose of love, an extra boost of moisture.” 

Have an open mind

You never know where this new year will take you, so be open to whatever comes your way. You never know where an unexpected opportunity may take you. Mina Haque, Attorney and CEO of Tony Roma’s, spoke with Her Agenda about this key piece of advice she’s held on to through her career. 

“Keep an open mind, especially when you’re trying to consider a career path. Don’t think of a job as your goal. Think of skill sets. Don’t pay attention to the dream job. It’s the skill set that’s [prepared] your mind [for] the career that you will have.”

This article 7 New Year Strategies From Top Women Leaders was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Christie Marchese is the founder and CEO of Kinema, a technology platform redefining how films are distributed and experienced. With Kinema, Christie empowers independent filmmakers to connect their stories directly with audiences, turning film screenings into community spaces. Born and raised in Valencia in Southern California’s Santa Clarita Valley, Christie studied international relations at San Diego State University before moving to New York in 2011. She went on to launch Picture Motion, a leading social impact agency that built campaigns and community screenings to amplify films’ social influence, and later co-founded Kinema to scale that same community-first approach through technology.

Fast Company named Christie one of its Most Creative People in 2021, and Fortune recognized her as a Rising Female Founder in 2023, celebrating her innovative approach to film distribution and her commitment to empowering creators. Beyond her entrepreneurial success, Christie champions women and believes deeply in the power of authentic relationships and storytelling. In this Her Agenda interview, Christie shares insights on the evolution of film distribution and the mantra that keeps her grounded as she builds the future of independent cinema.

Her Agenda: Looking back, what first sparked your belief that storytelling and film could drive social change?

Christie Marchese: I have always loved movies. I’ve always loved entertainment. I still see movies as therapy. It’s a way to [help] understand yourself better through someone else’s story. It’s a way to understand other people’s stories. It’s the great connector. 

As human beings, we’re built on stories. We’re built on gathering around a campfire and telling stories and connecting, and having shared narratives and understanding people through their narratives. Genuinely, the first time I saw a movie where I was like ‘oh [wow] I knew nothing about this’ it was in college. I saw Hotel Rwanda. In one of my courses, we studied the Rwandan genocide. I had gone in to study film but ended up studying international relations, and we were learning about the Rwandan genocide mostly through textbooks and written history. I rented the movie from a local video store in San Diego, watched it, and was like, ‘[wow], now I understand it.’ I could finally feel and grasp what we’d been studying. There are scenes with Don Cheadle that are still seared in my mind. That was the first time I looked at film as [a way of] understanding something that happened in history and realizing the power it can have in just two hours.

Her Agenda: You co-founded Picture Motion in 2012 and Kinema in 2020. What lessons did you carry from one to the other?

Christie Marchese: Picture Motion was built to help filmmakers translate a movie’s message into real-world change through impact campaigns and community screenings. Over time, we noticed that even with streaming taking over, audiences still craved shared, in-person viewing experiences. That led to Kinema: a platform that lets anyone, anywhere, host screenings of meaningful films. It automates everything, licensing, payments, scheduling, and connects hosts directly with films. The biggest lesson I carried over was to hire smart people and get out of their way. But shifting from a mission-driven agency to a tech company required a new mindset. Picture Motion ran on human effort, while Kinema needed capital, engineers, and scalability. We had to raise money, sell future potential, and bring in specialized skill sets engineers, finance experts, and a different type of salesperson. The two companies are very different. Picture Motion relied on a playbook for impact campaigns, training other producers, and running hands-on projects. Kinema is a tech platform that requires iteration, systems, and specialized management. Still, both were born from the same belief: storytelling is essential to culture.

Her Agenda: What exact moment made you realize, ‘This needs to exist, I have to build Kinema?’ Was it a lightbulb moment or a series of events that led to it?

Christie Marchese: I wish it were a lightbulb moment. I really wish I was one of those founders who was like, ‘I’m a genius, I found something different and unique.’ Even when starting Picture Motion, I wish we could have had that. It was more of a logical series of steps. When I left and moved to New York, I started consulting for independent filmmakers, and we (Wendy Cohen and I) saw the need was immediate. There were filmmakers releasing independently or with distribution who wanted to do an impact campaign, and the studio wasn’t giving the resources. So we took everything we learned at Participant [Media] and applied it here. We just kept iterating. For Kinema, when we started, it was a different time. We launched in 2020, thinking we were solving one problem: how do we have an automated process, how do we make it available to other filmmakers, and these films aren’t getting a theatrical release, and they should have a communal experience. Then we had a pandemic, and everything went online, and all these great films lost all in-person screenings. Then we had a strike, and films weren’t getting released. Then budgets dropped, and then post-pandemic, the streamers condensed. And then this last year, the presidency, fear around supporting potentially political content, and a big divestment from DEI programs. What we’ve done at Kinema is respond to each of these. At the end of the day, we really believe in the power of story. There are global stories everywhere that should be shared locally. That’s what we’ve been trying to do.

Her Agenda: Community seems central to Kinema’s storytelling model. Can you share a story that shows how powerful that community element can be?

Christie Marchese: What we are seeing on Kinema is that about half, and sometimes more than half, of the screenings are still in person, which is incredible. People are still coming together to watch a movie and have a shared story. There is also a loss of community and a loneliness epidemic, and by being so individualized, we are desperate to connect and see people in person. Almost everybody feels the film is going to be available for streaming at some point, so why are they coming out? They are coming out for the community part of it. The film is the thing at the center, but they actually want the community and the connection.

Her Agenda: You co-authored The Distribution Playbook with Emily Best of Seed&Spark. If filmmakers could take away just one golden rule from it, what would it be?

Christie Marchese: So what we did with The Distribution Playbook is we poured all those resources in there and then distilled it down to six steps. Like, okay, you don’t have time to read the whole thing, just read these six steps of how to build your distribution plan. The first thing we put in there, because it’s the number one, is to be very specific about your goal. I don’t know if this is a golden rule, but it’s a good place to start: really knowing in your heart what your actual goal is. We give filmmakers four goals to pick from: do you want to make impact, do you want to drive revenue, do you want to build your career, or do you want to connect and find audiences? All those are completely equal. They are all valid, there’s no hierarchy. What matters is what your number one goal is. Once you pick one goal and only one, that’s gotta be your north star because everything else falls into place afterwards. 

Her Agenda: You wear many hats—founder, CEO, board member etc. How has this influenced your leadership and approach to balance?

Christie Marchese: I think it is about building a full life. There was a period of time where we were told life’s about balance, like divide your life, [as if] these are two separate things. And to me, it’s just creating a full life. And so what are the things that help me do my job well, and how does my job help me do my life well? Now, I’m forty-one, so I’ve made mistakes, I’ve lived a little bit, I feel like I have perspective to be able to say why I feel this way. So all those boards they serve two roles: one, I genuinely believe in those organizations; I wouldn’t give my time if I didn’t believe in the work of those organizations. Second, they’re very much a part of my work world because tthey help expose me to filmmakers as they have films in development, they help expose me to what grant makers are thinking, what is important to fund at that time, and how they evaluate different films. And it’s great to have a range of perspectives on that. And then I have something that I’m very specific about: I [have to] work out at seven in the morning. I don’t do it every day, but if I’m [going to] work out, [it’s] at seven a.m., and I’m a nicer, happier person if I get some exercise. And on Friday mornings, we do this boxing club, and this is something that I fully credit my husband for because he’s been boxing forever, and I’m not. I was never a boxer. I don’t fight, like it’s not my personality, but a few years ago he kind of convinced me to start going with him. Now I think we’ve had it for about three years. And I actually credit that a lot to [the strength of my] mental health.

Her Agenda: What’s your biggest lesson about success and failure?

Christie Marchese: If you’re not failing, you’re not trying. It’s like the silly saying that everyone says, but it’s actually true. You have to be willing to fail. You really have to be willing to fail, and it’s really hard. It’s really, really hard. I am constantly afraid of failure, constantly mitigating risk because I want to. It’s so difficult to take big swings. Failures are everywhere. I’ve had lots of small failures. We’ve had campaigns that didn’t work, things with employees I didn’t realize were happening, there are so many small failures along the way, it would take forever to document. The big failures, I’m trying to think, like, the big failures are when (this is like therapy) but [the moments] I haven’t really trusted myself to take the big swing, and I’ve had a missed opportunity. My failures have been not jumping in, not taking the big risk, not betting on myself, and not putting myself in the scary place. I should be doing that more. 

Her Agenda: Where do you see the future of film distribution heading and how is Kinema shaping that vision?

Christie Marchese: So I think there are a couple trends. Data shows that there’s never been less trust in institutions. One shift is the growth of a new independent film industry from the creator community. Hollywood still feels like validation, everyone wants to be on the big screen but we should watch these creator studios like Creator Camp. They constantly give updates, show vulnerability, show how hard it is to raise money, and launch campaigns to involve audiences. Now, distribution: people still want Hollywood deals, but creators are going direct to their audiences. They know their audience, they help inform the product, and why give up revenue when they do all the work? We are that platform, offering in-person and digital experiences in a premium environment. Creators control pricing, get audience data, own their rights, and build direct relationships. So we sit between Hollywood, which is centralized, and the creator community, which is decentralized.

Her Agenda: Beyond Kinema’s success, what impact do you hope to leave on the film industry and its communities?

Christie Marchese: I guess my existential fear is from a creative standpoint, we’re not going to get like the Greta Gerwig’s or the Ryan Coogler’s who make these powerful stories that cost a lot of money. You need a strong ecosystem for filmmakers to learn their craft, find their audience, and know their voice. I’d be happy if we could help contribute to a system that supports the next generation of great storytellers. On a more micro level, I want to counterbalance the big institutions. The big streaming platforms decide what gets distribution, often influenced by politics. I want to create another space for great storytellers to find their audiences, especially for politically driven or socially conscious stories.

Her Agenda: Finally, what’s your personal mantra?

Christie Marchese: I have two. The first: You have everything you need. It’s a reminder that even when things feel chaotic, the tools, instincts, and relationships to figure it out are already within you. (Marika Frumes gave me that one!) The second: Something is better than nothing. Whether it’s working out, writing, or leading a company, just start. Do something small. Progress beats perfection every time. Trust yourself, and take the next step.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Christie Marchese was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Binta Niambi Brown knew what she wanted to be from a young age, which fostered the clarity of understanding that guided her in carving her own unexpected non-linear path. From becoming a partner at a top global law firm to managing Grammy-winning artists and advising some of the top people in the entertainment industry, she’s built a nontraditional career combining multiple industries.

An Entertainment Partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, she brings more than two decades of experience spanning corporate law, music, sports, and media. Before entering the entertainment world, she began her career at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP and later became a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where she advised global media companies. Over the course of her career, Binta has advised on more than $100 billion in transactions. Early in her career, she was often the only woman, and often the only Black person, at the table. Instead of shrinking, she built her confidence through focus and consistency, and she’s not shy about sharing what goes into that. 

After years of structuring billion-dollar deals, Binta founded omalilly projects, a management, development, and production company representing music artists, authors, and creative.  She also served as Head of Operations and Strategy at Keep Cool/RCA Records and helped lead Chance the Rapper’s recorded music and publishing business. 

She is also active in creating space to generate equity in the industry beyond her immediate roles. She is a founding co-chair of the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC), and serves on the Barnard College of Columbia University Board of Trustees, America Media Board of Trustees, Finance Council at Parish of St. Vincent Ferrer and St. Catherine of Siena in New York, as well as on Law360’s Sports & Betting Editorial Board. Binta is also on the faculty at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Her past board memberships include serving on the American Theatre Wing, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and Merit School of Music. She is also a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Despite the variety of industries in her career, discipline is the throughline of her journey. In our conversation, Binta reflects on preparation as the key to progress and shares advice on navigating spaces where you may be ‘the only one.’

Her Agenda: You’ve had a career that spans corporate law, talent management, and entertainment leadership fields, where women, and especially women of color, are still underrepresented. How have you learned to navigate spaces where you might be the only one at the table, and what do you wish more women knew about showing up with influence in those rooms?

Binta Niambi Brown: The thing that I want all women to know is to be really clear on why we’re doing what we’re doing, and to be really clear on what our intentions are, because the clearer we are on our intentions and the clearer we are on our purpose, the more likely that is to buoy us when the going gets rough, and the more likely it is to be our guide in general. 

Nothing in life is guaranteed, and regardless of what platform we’re pursuing, regardless of what kind of career we’re pursuing, there’s always going to be challenges, and there’s a lot of really great and instructive guidance that can come both from the world of sport as well as the world of entertainment, especially when you’re talking about artists and athletes who are operating at absolutely elite levels. There’s nothing to say that they’re going to necessarily win the race. There’s nothing to say that they’re going to become a best-selling author, or that they’re going to become a top artist, but for people who are disciplined and who are focused and who are intentional about their work, and for people who don’t quit, and for people who don’t get obsessed with what everybody else is doing, what everybody else is saying, the chances go up exponentially. 

And the other aspect of that is preparation. The more we prepare ourselves, the more organized and disciplined we are in our approach, the more we keep focusing on improvement every day and learning from ourselves, the more we can engage in practices of humility as opposed to pride or egotism. Sometimes people don’t think that they’re being egotistical, [but they] absolutely are. Like, I find that a lot of us who think of ourselves and can think of ourselves as coming from backgrounds where the world is against us, so to speak, because of our perceptions of history or actual history, I find that there can be a lot of egotism in that response, and we have to be very careful about the danger of egotism. 

So, it’s preparation, it’s discipline, it’s self-belief, it’s self-confidence, and then, in my own case, it has a lot to do with my faith, and what my faith gives me day in, day out, as I prepare and think about everything that I’m trying to accomplish, because this is all a challenge for everybody.

As I’m thinking about this, and I’m talking to you, there’s something else that I think gets in a lot of our way, which is that [when] we look at something, and we think that it’s hard, or that the cards are stacked against us, and we focus on how hard something is, it will only ever be hard. But if we start to focus instead on why we’re doing what we’re doing, and the idea of serving others, and picking ourselves up, and walking in purpose, then we are more likely to be successful, and to find success. It means getting up every day, and going at it anew, and refusing to give up, refusing to be defined by our failures, or our mistakes, refusing to be defined by whether the people say or think about us, but instead having the humility to study, to learn, to keep going after each failure, to use each failure as a guide point, to use each failure as an opportunity, and to not become obsessed with why we can’t, but to instead be obsessed with why we will, and why we can.

Her Agenda: For young women aspiring to become leaders in law, music, or media, what mindset or strategies have been most pivotal to your success?

Binta Niambi Brown: I’d like to think this is borrowing from some popular science today, or popular psychology, but I have a bit of a growth mindset, and I look at the world, and I look at opportunities, and my mindset is more why not, than I can’t. Maybe I’m sometimes guilty of being too optimistic, and so that’s where the discipline has to come in, and the planning, and the strategy really need to come in, and come together. That’s certainly a danger for me, is that I tend to be relentlessly optimistic, and I think that everything is possible. I feel like if I do the work, and I do everything that is within my power to affect the outcome that I desire, I’m confident that if it’s meant for me, then it will be. That’s how I’ve tried to guide, and to lead my life from the time I was a teenager through now. 

I’ve certainly had moments in my life where I’ve been less certain, or less secure, [like] when my father passed away seven years ago. My confidence broke completely because so much of my confidence was rooted, I didn’t realize, in his faith, in his belief in me, and it took me a while to remember all of his sage advice, and also to continue to listen to my mother’s advice, who fortunately is still with us, and to be able to move past that. But when my father was very ill and then when he passed, and I was in that period of mourning, it was extremely difficult for me so, there are going to be moments in our lives where we have to give ourselves grace, and we have to give ourselves time to grieve, and to rebuild, and to reheal, but in healing, and grieving, we have to also have a sense of hope, and a sense of what’s possible. 

I referenced that only because nobody’s life is perfect, and even people who give the appearance of being tremendously successful go through moments that are excruciating for them, and some people are very public about them, which I don’t necessarily endorse for a variety of different reasons, especially in the current environment, and some people they try to bury them. The middle ground is knowing when to ask others for help, and having the confidence that others will help you, and the humility to ask for help in the first place. 

Her Agenda: You’ve worked at the intersection of entertainment, tech, and law, even writing your college thesis on the early impact of the internet. What excites you most about where music and media innovation are heading, and where do you see the biggest opportunities for creators to build and protect their work?

Binta Niambi Brown: The internet is still very exciting to me. Artificial intelligence is extremely interesting to me, but the reason why it’s interesting to me is different than the internet was interesting to me 30 years ago. The reason why artificial intelligence is interesting to me is because there are a variety of legal and ethical and moral implications that I think we are compelled to think about and it’s the wild wild west. We have this extraordinary opportunity, not only to embrace a truly transformative technology, but we have an extraordinary opportunity to create the rules and to create the legal infrastructure and environment rooted in some sense of values and morality and ethics that will guide us for the foreseeable future. And that was one of the things that compelled me to return more truly to law practice from my entrepreneurial adventures, that I saw the world changing and I thought this is an incredible opportunity to have a voice in how things are structured and also to make sure that it’s structured in a way that is inclusive of a particular set of values that are grounded in the historic time old values. Since the beginning of time, whether you’re looking at what the Greeks or what the Eastern philosophy or the major religions, I believe that to some degree share something in common in terms of what they say about how we should treat one another and about human dignity. So I find that to be an incredibly inspiring opportunity.

I’m also really excited by what’s happening in college sports. There are a lot of people who are afraid and wary of the changes in college sports, but again, this is an opportunity for us to create the rules and the infrastructure and the standards that are going to guide us for the foreseeable future. While at the same time, putting in systems into place that are going to protect people, that are going to enable them to continue to generate substantial wealth that can be helpful for them and their families. At the same time, celebrating the importance of the college part of being a college athlete or the student part of being a student athlete.

Her Agenda: Throughout your journey, you’ve negotiated and closed billions of dollars in transactions. What’s one decision-making principle you rely on in high-stakes situations that other women in leadership could adopt in their own careers?

Binta Niambi Brown: My one decision-making principle? I don’t know if I can distill that too easily. Whatever my one decision-making principle is, it’s a whether I’m aware of it or not, it’s a culmination of all of the data and experiences I’ve had at this point now over the course of my 30 years that enable me to make decisions quickly and confidently and to see, and to be able to see things ahead of me. I suppose one principle I try to adhere to is patience.

I try to be patient. I try to be thoughtful and to be considerate. I think the way my mind works [is] that I usually [am] pretty swiftly able to break down something that seems complex into constituent parts. The best way I can liken it is that if I’m driving, and if God forbid, suddenly an emergency is happening on the road in front of me, maybe cars are crashing or somebody is moving into my lane, like there are a bunch of very quick decisions that I make. I’ve been in this case a bunch of times where it’s sort of like I slow down time in order to guide the car and the people in the car to safety. But that’s a consequence of having a lot of experience with driving. And deal-making is the same way, where you have certain instincts, but you also have a will and an intellect that you’re adhering to. The more experience you have, the easier it is for you to break down things very quickly. I’m not calling myself humble because it’s the thing that I have struggled with most in my life and in my career is being rooted in a form of humility. But I am able to admit when I’m making a mistake or if I’m going too fast and pull back.

Sometimes I am guilty of impatience. I’m guilty of speaking over somebody or not hearing them correctly, or my mind is focused on something else. But when I’m locked in, I’m focused, my decision-making, my ability to guide my clients is really a function of a culmination of so many different experiences. The other strength that I have is that I have such a wide array of experiences and, or not even experiences, but a wide area of interest. I pursue my interests. I’m an incredibly curious person. I read constantly. I read every day. I try to read as many books as I possibly can. I read articles. I read about other people’s careers. I read scripture.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Binta Niambi Brown was originally published on HerAgenda.com

With a career spanning over two decades and a catalog that includes both bestselling books and a Disney Channel movie adaptation, Julia DeVillers creates worlds her readers want to live in by exploring nostalgic experiences from the awkward feels of having a first crush to the culture shock of getting one’s first job. 

Though she studied journalism, Julia’s creative direction shifted when a graduate professor recognized her love for children’s literature. A stint in educational publishing taught her how kids learn and think, which later enriched her fiction. Since then, Julia has continued to center young voices in her work, especially girls navigating awkward firsts and the hilarity of adolescence. Her newest upper middle-grade rom-com, Meet Me at Wonderland, is a prime example: a lighthearted story rooted in Julia’s personal experiences. It explores working an embarrassing job as a tween, drawing from her real-life stint as Chuck E. Cheese, and reflects on her journey as a cancer survivor.

In this interview, Julia DeVillers opens up about the evolution of her career, from her early love of writing to the surreal experience of seeing her characters on screen. She discusses her post-cancer return to fiction, the importance of writing worlds she wants to live in, and her chaotic creative writing process.

Her Agenda: Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? Was there a specific moment that you knew this would be your career? Especially because I know you started from journalism, but you have different modes of journalism—so when did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Julia DeVillers: So in first grade, when I was about six years old, my teacher used to let me (when I finished my work) write stories. She would take the stories and Xerox them, and pass them out to my classmates. She’d hand out my little books around the classroom, and I would write and illustrate the stories. My classmates would come to me and say, ‘Oh, I loved your story.’ That was such wonderful feedback for me when I was little.

But I remember asking, ‘What did you think of the pictures?’ and everyone kind of looked away and said, ‘Well… maybe not so much the art.’ So it was back then that I discovered my strength could be in writing stories.

Her Agenda: So, how did you pivot from journalism? Did you ever work in journalism, or did you start writing as soon as you got your degree? And if you didn’t work in journalism, how did you pivot to writing your first children’s book, and what inspired you to continue in this industry?

Julia DeVillers: Thanks. I do love what I do, but originally, I thought that authors of novels and fiction were not human. They were, in my mind, icons and legends. And how could anybody get their story published and become a novelist? I grew up thinking that was just a wild, wild dream.

I went to school for journalism and took a class in children’s literature because I’ve always loved children’s books. I had been a huge reader growing up. In that class, the teacher would say, ‘We’re going to be reading this book next,’ and I’d raise my hand and say, ‘Oh, I love that book because of this and this.’ And she’d say, ‘Alright, what about this book?’ and I’d raise my hand again. She called me aside and said, ‘You’ve read everything.’

I laughed and said, ‘I think I have.’ And she said, ‘You might want to consider making children’s literature a more important part of your life.’ I ended up getting a concentration in children’s literature. When I graduated, I worked in educational publishing with textbooks. I was an editor, and I would edit textbooks, but I found myself rewriting a lot of things. So I thought, maybe I could write a nonfiction book.

I pitched an idea to a publisher for a nonfiction book and it sold. That was my very first book. It was called GirlWise: How to Be Confident, Capable, Cool, and in Control. I interviewed women about what they would have wanted to learn or know when they were teenagers.

Flash forward a little, and I sat down one day and decided, Maybe I can write a novel just for fun. So I started writing, and it really poured out. I’ve been writing all my life and writing stories, but this one really felt like it was my voice. I wrote a whole story and turned it in to my agent, and she called me and said, ‘Dutton wants to buy your novel. You have an offer on your book.’

So that was how I kicked off my career as a novelist. That book was super special, not only because it was my first, but also because it became a Disney Channel movie called Read It and Weep.

Her Agenda: Your first one was the movie?

Julia DeVillers: Yes! It’s been hard to top that ever since. Disney Channel bought it and put it on the air. I actually got to go to the set with my daughter, and we have a cameo in the movie. So, I mean, yeah, glory days.

It wasn’t the first thing I ever sat down to write. I’d written a million things that weren’t good, but this one just felt really authentic to who I was. The character was kind of a little bit of me, and wish-fulfillment of what I would have liked to have happened as a teenager.

I’ve been writing mostly fiction for tweens and teens ever since.

Her Agenda: That leads to my next question: How was your experience of turning your book into a Disney movie? And what did you learn from it, especially as a writer?

Julia DeVillers: It was such a fabulous experience. Just think of the concept: you make up these characters in your head and put them on paper, and then suddenly there are actors and directors and sound people and production people all taking the world you’ve created and bringing it to the screen.

Her Agenda: That sounds like an incredible experience. Let’s talk about your new book, Meet Me at Wonderland. From my research online, I saw that your experience with cancer inspired this book. Can you also talk more about that?

Julia DeVillers: Yes! Think back to one of your most embarrassing moments when you were a teenager. Maybe think back to your first job, your first crush, those are all incorporated in my new book.

There are some real-life moments, and the way they meet is something that actually happened to me. Meet Me at Wonderland is about a girl, Coco, and a boy, Henry. It’s their first job, and they’re working at an amusement park. On Coco’s first day, she has to dress up as the moose mascot for the park, and it’s a sweaty, stinky, terrible costume.I knew how to describe that perfectly because, in high school, I worked at Chuck E. Cheese as Chuck E. Cheese. So, I was in a sweaty, stinky, smelly rat costume for my first job.

One of the things that happened to me at work was that I was in the costume, and again, you get very smelly. It’s rough there, and I went into the employee break room. I walked in, and there was a very cute boy sitting there filling out a job application.

My first thought was, ‘Oh no, he’s cute,’ and my second thought was, ‘Oh no, I’m dressed as a rat.’ And that’s how I had to meet somebody. That actually became the meet-cute or moose-cute, in this case, in Meet Me at Wonderland. Coco meets Henry while in the moose costume. They become frenemies, rivals, and then fall for each other, a classic first crush.

Her Agenda: I love how one moment in your life basically snowballed into this huge story.

Julia DeVillers: It’s true! I remember I was at my publisher, Simon & Schuster, with my fabulous editor, Allison Heller. She asked me, ‘What’s an embarrassing moment that happened to you in high school?’ And when I told her the story, she said, ‘Wait, that’s your book.’

Her Agenda: I also saw that in your book, Coco’s mother had cancer, but you framed it in a hopeful way. She already went through treatment and recovered. Why did you choose to focus on the joy of overcoming cancer rather than the usual journey through treatment?

Julia DeVillers: This book was such a joy for me to write, not only because it was fun and funny and based on my own experience, but also because I actually wasn’t going to put cancer in the book at all.

When I began writing, I was still traumatized from a cancer battle. Chemo brain left me foggy, and I feared my writing career was over. As I healed, I tried again and drafted Meet Me at Wonderland, a joyful book without cancer. In revision, I realized kids might face similar experiences—if not themselves, then through loved ones. Since I was in NED (No Evidence of Disease), I reflected that in Coco’s mother: in remission, working, moving forward. Writing about cancer, instead of being painful, was cathartic. It gave me comfort, joy, and a chance to highlight resilience.

Her Agenda: You overcame such a great challenge, that’s really inspiring. So, what has over a decade of writing female characters taught you about being a woman?

Julia DeVillers: When I first started, like I told you, my first book was GirlWise, and it came out in the early 2000s when ‘girl power’ was a big topic. It was the era of Mean Girls, and there were growing conversations around girls supporting girls.

That theme, women uplifting women, is something I’ve always held onto. In my books, I always write strong female friendships.

Even in Meet Me at Wonderland, there’s a girl who also likes Henry, Coco’s crush, but I didn’t want her to be a stereotypical ‘mean girl.’ Instead, they work it out maturely. Henry ends up liking Coco, but it’s not about pitting one girl against another.

Empowered girls, healthy friendships, and authentic crushes are consistent themes in my work. I want my characters to be confident, passionate, and supportive of one another.

Her Agenda: What are you most proud of in Coco’s development in the story? 

Julia DeVillers: I love how Coco starts off the book thinking that she has to be perfect, that she has to be the best. Everything is going to go exactly as she plans, and everything is going to be happy and perfect.

And as we know in life, that’s not the way it goes.  So, I love the fact that Coco’s emotional arc isn’t just about connecting with Henry and becoming boyfriend and girlfriend. It’s also that Henry helps her become confident in herself, but confident that she can make mistakes, that she doesn’t always have to be the best, that she’s worthy even if she messes up.

Her Agenda: Okay, so can we talk about your writing process in the next few questions? How would you describe your creative or writing process, and how has it developed over the years?

Julia DeVillers: Chaotic.

I get up, have my coffee, and the first thing I really do is sit down to write. But sometimes it’s research. Sometimes it’s linear, you know, what’s the next chapter?

So I give myself grace not to have to write every single day. I take time to recharge in between. Sometimes the advice is to write every day so you don’t get writer’s block, and I understand that if you’re away from it too long, sometimes you sit down, look at the blank page, and think, ‘Oh no, I can’t do this. I can never do this.’

But I get up, have my coffee, and I create worlds I want to live in. So I really look forward to it.

Oh, another tip is when I’m done writing for the day, I try to leave it not on a stressful note where I don’t know what’s coming next. If I’m in the middle of a scene that’s going really well, I’ll actively stop. So the next morning, I get up and I know what I’m going to do. It makes it a little less stressful because I get in and say, ‘Oh, I know what’s going to happen next.’ That’s one way I alleviate writer’s block.

Her Agenda: What are you looking forward to or excited about next?

Julia DeVillers: I get to write another upper middle-grade rom-com, which I’m so excited about. Yeah, I got another book deal, which is thrilling. 

Her Agenda: Congratulations! 

Julia DeVillers: Thank you! Every book deal is a celebration.

It’s about two teenagers who are taking their driver’s test. They distract each other, both fail the test, blame each other, and then end up having to spend the summer in a remedial driver’s ed class together.

Her Agenda: Wow. I love that! Lastly, what is your personal motto?

Julia DeVillers: ‘A rising tide lifts all ships.’ It’s the idea that when you support other people and you’re all in it together, your success begets other people’s success.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Julia DeVillers was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Poet and Yale University Lecturer Richard Deming describes his colleague and award-winning New York Times Magazine staff writer Susan Dominus as “one of the finest journalists working today.” Susan joined the Times as a Metro Columnist in 2007, tackling topics in journalism that deal with gender issues, women’s health, and family dynamics. Her impactful reporting has led Susan to write powerful stories on major cultural shifts, one of her biggest accomplishments being that she worked on the 2018 team that won a Pulitzer Prize for their reporting on workplace sexual harassment issues. This reporting was a part of a larger effort that addressed the #MeToo movement, which helped individuals come forward about powerful figures who have committed sexual misconduct. 

Her 2023 cover story, “Women Have Been Misled about Menopause,” focuses on the argument that women suffering from menopausal symptoms are often overlooked due to outdated research and a lack of concern. This story sparked widespread discussion regarding women’s health and earned Susan a National Magazine Award in 2024. 

In 2022, Susan added educator to her resume and began lecturing at her alma mater, Yale University, teaching the next generation of reporters how to use their voice and go out to hunt for stories.

Her latest achievement encouraged her to explore her longstanding curiosity about the nature of family and superachieving siblings. She penned her first novel, ‘The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success.’ 

Susan’s longevity can be credited to her approaching every article she writes with a curious and open mind. Her ability to be empathetic while still being transparent with the facts is the core of her journalistic ethics, which she strongly adheres to.

Her Agenda spoke with The New York Times writer about her journey as a journalist, her accomplishments, and what it’s like guiding the future of reporters.

Her Agenda: Tell me about your journey as a journalist and what made you choose this path. 

Susan Dominus: I’ve always been one of those kids whose best friends were books. It was always so obvious to me that I wanted to be part of the world of writing, and I thought I would be a fiction writer because that’s my first love, reading fiction. However, it turns out I have no imagination. In college, I worked up my nerve to get involved in a student magazine. That perfectly suits my personality because I had the pleasure of writing, which I love. Still, I’m also a naturally very curious person, and to have permission from the role of journalist to ask all the questions I’d want to be asking anyway felt like a natural fit for me. 

Her Agenda: What led you to work at the New York Times, and how has that impacted your life? 

Susan Dominus: When I started in publishing, I had a mentor who said to me, If you want to be a writer, be an editor first, because you will make friends with the people who are in a position to assign you pieces, and they will know you and trust you if you do a good job as their colleague. I followed her advice, and I have to say it is exactly how it played out. I was an editor until I was 30. When I started freelancing, I did have friends and colleagues who were eager to assign me work because they knew I was professional and they knew I understood how things worked. They’d see me rewrite stories from top to bottom. I don’t think it was just cronyism. I think it was an assurance that I would not leave them high and dry. I would get things in on deadline in reasonable shape. I’d been freelancing for the magazine for some time when, eventually, they were looking to hire a columnist for the Metro section, and that was how I became an employee of the New York Times. I would say that the best thing about the New York Times is the access it gives you to incredible colleagues. To be part of an institution that big, packed with that many talented, generous, ethical, hardworking people, has been a joy.

Her Agenda: What is your approach when you’re starting a new piece?

Susan Dominus: I try to go in very open-minded. People sometimes ask me: What is your angle? I usually say if I had an angle, I wouldn’t be asking these questions. You read as much as you can about the topic before you head in. Then I think you just know, depending on the kind of article it is. You either approach it head-on or you circle your way in. There are many different ways to approach an article depending on the genesis, the goal, and how people will feel about it when it’s done.

Her Agenda: What is the most fulfilling piece of journalism you’ve ever written? 

Susan Dominus: It was a tremendous privilege to be part of the team that continued reporting on sexual harassment in the workplace after Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey broke the news of Harvey Weinstein’s ongoing harassment and abuse of women. The team of people was so incredible, and I learned so much from them, but also felt like a small part of a history-making and culture-changing moment. I do emphasize a small part, but that was extremely gratifying. Also, my real devotion at the New York Times is to the New York Times Magazine. A cover story I wrote about menopause that went fairly viral has also been very gratifying because so many women have told me that it was helpful to them. Many doctors have told me that it helped change the conversation around menopausal hormone therapy. Fewer women feel they have to suffer for years and years rather than get the treatment that they need. 

Her Agenda: What type of pieces do you gravitate towards?

Susan Dominus: One of the things I have found is that no matter what the assignment is that I’m given, I tend to be very interested in family dynamics in that story. If I’m writing a piece about longevity, it ends up being a piece about how family life has shifted when people who are the matriarchs or the patriarchs of the family are still in a position to make decisions and have some control when they’re like 100 years old. If I’m writing about young girls returning to school in Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban, and it ends up being a story about an Afghan family of daughters and how they all interact together. It’s this basic unit of our stories, and it’s probably why the first and only book I’ve written is called ‘The Family Dynamic.’ I’m fascinated by how families shape our lives. 

Her Agenda: What led you to write ‘The Family Dynamic’ and what is it about?

Susan Dominus: It’s a book that is comprised of six almost nonfiction novella-like chapters about six different families with very high-achieving siblings. Those chapters alternate with social science about psychology and developmental psychology, genetics, and the nature of research. It combined two things that we’re all kind of interested in, which are the nature of success and the nature of family. I, as a kid, always wondered about those families where so many siblings achieved and wondered whether there was some message they were getting at home or some kind of empowerment that they were getting. It was when I started digging into the research that I realized that the sibling component was quite powerful in these families. That became a whole area of research that has been understudied, and that I was very happy to tackle in my book. 

Her Agenda: What is it like switching from journalist to author in terms of the writing process? 

Susan Dominus: You’re just holding so many more ideas in your head. Sometimes I would step away from the book for a month or two because I was very busy with another assignment. I would probably spend another month avoiding the book because I knew it was going to take me so long to be able to master all the material that I had already reported or started to write. Writing a book is juggling a huge amount of information. In the case of this book, I was weaving various themes throughout the chapters. I was weaving… stories of the Bronte family, [who are] the ultimate high-achieving family throughout. I was calling on social science. So it was holding it all together, so you can make the structure work. It’s harder the longer it is.

Her Agenda: Who is someone who has been a mentor to you in your career, and why? 

Susan Dominus: I have many, and many of them I’m lucky enough to call my closest friends. There are my editors, Elena Silverman and Rachel Poser, who give me incredibly thoughtful advice about my work, and in the case of Elena, who I’ve just known so much longer in my life. I also have friends like Jodi Rudoran and Jennifer Senior, and Ariel Kaminer, who are brilliant thinkers and amazing sounding boards, and Jodi Kantor as well. They are not officially mentors, but they’re like a team of consigliere that I feel very lucky that I can call upon. 

Her Agenda: You’re a lecturer at Yale. What have you learned about teaching the next generation? 

Susan Dominus: I mean, what thrills me about my students is that they get it. They get the desire for integrity and fairness, and independence. They are hungry. They make me feel great about the future of journalism. They’ll find a way to get their work into the world. I feel confident. Some of them are incredibly gifted writers, and some of them are incredibly gifted reporters. Some of them are both. I feel like journalism is in good hands. I see my job at Yale as much as being a recruiter as it is being a teacher. I want kids to learn to do the job as long as they can. I also feel it’s my job to get them excited about journalism and all that it can be and all that it can do, and for them to see what they’re capable of. To watch them improve draft after draft has been very rewarding. 

Her Agenda: When you’re writing a story, do you know that you have something impactful or that can change someone’s viewpoint? 

Susan Dominus: Well, first of all, you don’t even know that’s the funny thing. Sometimes you think a story is going to rock everyone’s world, and then there’s some big news announcement that happens that day, or some other hugely influential article publishes simultaneously. There are all kinds of reasons why really good journalism sometimes doesn’t have the impact that you think it’s going to. It’s also almost inconceivable to imagine that your work will have the impact that, for example, the menopause piece did. I didn’t think in my wildest dreams the piece was going to have so many women talking and circulating it, and engaging in it. I don’t have the kind of ego that lets me imagine. You hope that whatever you do will have an impact, but you don’t ever really think it’s going to.

Her Agenda: What piece of advice would you give to young girls who dream of just making it in the journalism world? 

Susan Dominus: If you find a question that needs answering and you get an answer, [there] will always be an audience for your work. Don’t let people tell you it’s too hard. If you’re a young woman and you want to be a journalist, you can always give up if you want to, but there’s no reason to give up before you try. You’re young, you don’t have a mortgage, you’re not putting your kids through college. By hook or by crook, follow your dreams and don’t let anybody tell you they’re too unlikely to pursue.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Susan Dominus was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Carla Zanoni is a truth seeker. As an award-winning journalist, writer, poet, media strategist, and now head of the Engagement Journalism program at CUNY’s Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, her work has always centered around that pursuit. 

“Journalists and poets might define truth differently,” she told us, “But at the end of the day, they’re both looking for answers about human behavior, human emotion, and making sense of what is happening in this world.”

Carla has always wanted to be a writer. In graduate school, she grappled with the decision between pursuing an MFA in poetry and a master’s degree in journalism. Ultimately, she chose journalism. Though she’d been writing poetry since childhood, she was hesitant to call herself a poet— to claim that more vulnerable part of herself. 

Years later, while working in the highly structured, professional environment of The Wall Street Journal, she began writing a deeply personal literary memoir. That’s when she realized there was space for all facets of who she is. 

“When I’m around people who fully own the darkness and the light of who they are,” she said, “I feel so optimistic and hopeful about what we can accomplish as people, and as a society.”

Her Agenda spoke with Carla about what it means to live and work in authenticity. Here’s what she told us. 

Her Agenda: You’ve described yourself as having a “poet’s heart and a journalist’s brain.” Poetry and Journalism are often seen as opposites, yet your life seems to bridge many such dualities: born in Argentina, raised in New Jersey, now based in New York; both a cat and a dog person. How do you reconcile these contrasts in your writing and sense of identity?

Carla Zanoni: I’ve always been aware that I share a creative brain that thinks in a non-linear manner with an inquisitive, curious brain. For a long time, I thought that was a problem I needed to fix, but then I started to understand that there were great benefits to having this duality. 

My brother passed away on January 3rd, 2020, and then COVID hit just a few months later. At that moment, I realized that creativity isn’t separate from professional life; it’s actually what sustains it. The poetry flowing out of me (See her book: Knowing / Saber) allowed me to process that loss while also showing up as a leader, with empathy for what my team, the organization, and the world were going through. That healing informed who I am as a professional and as a creative today. I came to understand that you can’t compartmentalize being human. We try so hard to put ourselves in a box. That keeps us from giving the most that we’re here to give.

Her Agenda: Your memoir-in-progress explores how what once felt like your greatest mistake became a path to self-love. As an advocate for a post-shame era, what do you think people most need to understand when struggling with self-loathing and forgiveness?

Carla Zanoni: I’ve come to understand that living life in the mold of what others (i.e., society, our families, our friends, the critic that lives in your brain) want from us is a recipe for disaster. It’s so limiting. A lot of what drives that is shame: shame that we’re not enough, that we’ve made mistakes that can’t be forgiven, that we can’t forgive ourselves. Living in that shadow keeps us from the full amazingness of what can be. By telling this story, my hope is that people will take that lesson: that we can experience the darkest things, but it’s coming out into the light that changes everything.

Her Agenda: You’ve been a first many times: The Wall Street Journal’s first global audience and analytics editor, the first Latina to be named to the newspaper’s masthead, and the first head of audience, marketing, and analytics at TED. How have you handled the pressure of breaking new ground in such high-profile spaces?

Carla Zanoni: I am an immigrant, I grew up in an immigrant family, and I don’t come from a place of great privilege, so one of the most important things I needed to do was build a community for myself. That meant being courageous and asking for help, for mentorship. 

I started saying yes to different things, even if I didn’t fully understand them and even if I was scared, and that led to a lot of professional opportunities. In the early 2010s, I joined a very impressive women’s networking group, which I credit quite a bit with my career ascent. At the time, I was like: Oh my God, what have I gotten myself into? Like, who am I to be in this group? Fortunately, I had enough support around me to say: You belong there just as much as anybody else. 

In addition to support from family and friends, I also have an incredible network of mentors who are women, who are men, who are non-binary, who provide me with lots of different perspectives. We can get into this bubble, so it’s incredibly important for me to have lots of different perspectives to inform my thinking, not just in my immediate industry, but in lots of different industries as well.

Her Agenda: As Director of the Engagement Journalism program at CUNY’s Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, how do you define engagement beyond clicks and shares?

Carla Zanoni: Engagement journalism is not just about learning what’s relevant in the field today; it’s also about developing a mindset that’s focused on innovation and understanding where journalism is heading. 

In the old days, you had a journalist who kind of stood at the top of the mountain, and there was no discussion. It was just: I know what’s best for you. And one of the most important cornerstones of engagement journalism is that it’s a conversation with the audience, a constant back and forth, focused on serving that audience. 

Some people have said to me: Isn’t that just what good journalism is? And yeah, I would say that’s what good journalism is. But the reality is that things have not developed in that way. So when thinking about journalistic rigor, we emphasize listening and outreach. I’m not just teaching students how to build an audience; I’m teaching them how to connect with that audience in a deeper and more meaningful way. 

Her Agenda: Your career is deeply rooted in local journalism, from helping launch City and State to running a neighborhood blog spotlighting underreported communities in Washington Heights and Inwood, to being part of the founding team at DNAinfo New York and Chicago. What role do you think local journalism plays in today’s complex media environment?

Carla Zanoni: Local journalism is one of the most important types of journalism that exists. We have gone through many years now of the decline of local journalism and the belief that it’s not that important, but all important change, information, connection, community, comes from a local lens. They say it takes a village, and what is that village but your backyard, your town square? All change happens on the local level and then ripples out.

Her Agenda: You call yourself a “media therapist,” which is remarkably compelling. What are some of the most common emotional or mindset blocks you see media professionals and creators facing? How can they work through those challenges?

Carla Zanoni: When asking different individuals and media organizations what their biggest challenges were, one of the things I kept hearing was: ‘I’m doing all these things: TikTok, Instagram, a newsletter, etc, but I have no idea what I’m doing.’

A lot of them were on the road to burnout, and as somebody who had long struggled with imposter syndrome, I was able to hear them clearly and realize that it wasn’t just about: What should my digital/media strategy be? The core of the issue was fear and insecurity. By slowing down and having authentic conversations, you can cut through that and become more discerning.

Part of what I aim to do in the conversation is inform a mindset that’s open to change. If you’re not someone who builds the muscle to respond to change while knowing who you truly are, as a brand, as an individual, etc, then you will not be ready to respond. You want to be able to respond, not just react. The world moves quickly, and you need to know what your unique value proposition is, what your ethics and boundaries are, and where you already have established loyalty with your audience(s). If you are not having a back and forth with that audience, then you are locked in an echo chamber that is not malleable and can lose the benefits that come from your audience: relevance, revenue, and relationship. 

Her Agenda: Given your trailblazing career, your navigation of complex personal and cultural identities, and your work guiding others through emotional and strategic challenges, what’s the most important piece of advice you’d offer to readers who want to embrace their full selves?

Carla Zanoni: A good friend of mine taught me many years ago this saying: ‘Data, not drama.’ After experiencing real loss in my life, this evolved into something much deeper: how do we use data to form meaningful human connections? How do we cut through the drama to get to what’s real, that truth that I’ve been talking about? The numbers tell you what’s working, but your humanity tells you why it matters and how to sustain it. That’s the part that I would want people to take away from this: that it’s not an either-or, lean into the duality. None of us is just one flavor. The secret sauce of who we are comes from our multi-flavor wonderfulness.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Carla Zanoni was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Finding your way as a woman in the entertainment industry can be difficult, whether you’re seeking a career behind the scenes or in front of the camera. The world of TV, film, and media is constantly in flux, so everyone’s route to success will look different. Yet looking toward women who have made strides in these fields is a good way to start planning a road map.

Over the years, Her Agenda has hosted interviews with dozens of trailblazers in entertainment, from executives at major networks to actresses and presenters who shine onscreen. We’ve gathered some of their most inspiring pieces of advice here. 

Read on for snippets of wisdom that you can apply to your own career path.

1. Alexis Kerr, Vice President of the Mahogany Brand & Multicultural Marketing at Hallmark Cards

“Imagine yourself once it’s done…it could be daunting to start. You’re going to hear a lot of no’s… But if you’re determined to imagine yourself when it’s done, you will just keep going. Obstacles and roadblocks shouldn’t be the end of you. They are just part of the journey.” —Alexis Kerr

Alexis Kerr is the Vice President of Mahogany, a Hallmark brand that celebrates Black voices. Since joining the Mahogany team as an executive, she has spearheaded a podcast, launched a website with editorial content, and expanded the brand into TV and film storytelling. 

In our interview with her, she discussed the necessity of representation and the importance of lighthearted, healing entertainment geared toward women of color.

2. Connie Orlando, Executive Vice President of Specials, Music Programming, and Music Strategy at BET

“The biggest moments in my career happened because I was ready when they came. Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.” —Connie Orlando

Connie Orlando is the Executive Vice President of Specials, Music Programming, and Music Strategy at BET. She oversees specials such as the NAACP Image Awards, Soul Train Music Awards, and BET Awards as well as news coverage. 

In our interview with her, she talked about crafting iconic cultural moments and being confident enough to take up space.

3. Tracey Baker Simmons, Owner/Executive Producer – Baker Simmons Media

“If you want to be in TV, watch TV. If you want to be making movies, go to the movies a lot.” —Tracey Baker Simmons

Tracey Baker Simmons is an Emmy-nominated producer and owner of Baker Simmons Media. She created the reality TV series “Being Bobby Brown” and has since founded Reality TV Decoded, which demystifies the industry for aspiring professionals. 

In our interview with her, she talked about dedicating yourself to mastering your craft through research and experience.

4. Kamie Crawford, Television Host and Producer

“You could follow somebody’s exact path to the tee and still not get exactly what they got. The best thing that you can possibly do is work on what your thing is and hone in on that.”
—Kamie Crawford

Kamie Crawford has hosted several reality series on Paramount+ and MTV as well as her own podcast, Relationsh*t with Kamie Crawford. Her podcast was named a top podcast for women, by women on the Today Show, alongside shows by Oprah and Keke Palmer. In our interview with her, she discussed the importance of connecting authentically with your audience and believing that you have something unique to offer.

5. Darian Symoné Harvin, Beauty Reporter and Editor

“I have learned that coolness and being ‘that girl’ is actually about the rituals and routines that you establish through growth and learning in your own life… If I say something is cool, something is cool. If I think about it from my compass, no one can tell me what is and is not cool. I can determine that in my life.” —Darian Symoné Harvin

Darian Symoné Harvin is a beauty influencer, journalist, and former Beauty Editor at Large for Los Angeles Times IMAGE. With a strong social media presence, she has shown the world that she doesn’t have to limit herself to reporting. 

In our interview with her, she discussed knowing your worth as a freelancer and being the main character in your own life.

6. Cari Champion, Host ESPN

“You have to realize that when you’re doing well and you’re speaking truth to power, and when you have a platform, people purposely come after you. If I were sitting in a corner and not affecting anything, then nobody would be writing a paragraph with pushback.” —Cari Champion

Cari Champion is a broadcast journalist known for her role as an ESPN host. She is also the founder of Brown Girls Dream, a mentoring program for young Black women interested in the entertainment industry. 

In our interview with her, she discussed listening to your gut and choosing collaboration over toxic competition.

7. Vanessa James, CEO, Vanessa James Media

“I do believe in the philosophy of, ‘What are the three things I need to get done today? …And then what does the week look like? And what does the month look like?’” —Vanessa James

Vanessa James is a voiceover actress who has worked for various networks and brands (including Michelle and Barack Obama’s Ada Twist, Scientist), succeeding in an industry where only 42% of voiceover roles are held by women and only 17.3% by people of color. 

In our interview with her, she talked about checking in on yourself and staying true to your goals.

8. Mika Pryce, SVP of Production at Paramount Pictures

“You always need folks in your corner to remind you that you’re not crazy or to bounce ideas off of… Finding those people who believe in you, and who can articulate how you should be doing things differently, is helpful.” —Mika Pryce

Mika Pryce is the SVP of Production at Paramount Pictures, where she is leading feature projects such as the live-action remake of Your Name and the film adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s bestseller Children of Blood and Bone. In the past, she served as Head of Development from Don Cheadle’s production company This Radicle Act Productions. 

In our interview with her, she discussed shifting gears from one industry to another and overcoming challenges while often existing as the only Black woman in the room.

9. Debra Lee, Chairman Emeritus, BET Networks

“You cannot get all your satisfaction from work. It’s great to do charitable work and be active in your community.” —Debra Lee

Debra Lee is Chairman Emeritus at BET Networks. She currently serves as a Board Member for AT&T, Burberry, Marriott, and Procter & Gamble; she is also the author of the memoir I Am Debra Lee, in which she opens up about losing her son at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In our interview with her, she talked about surrounding yourself with community and making space for self-care as you pursue your passion.

10. Tamera Mowry-Housley, Actress, TV Personality, Author

“We can either go down a hill or we can peddle our way uphill; it may be a little bit more challenging, but eventually, we get to the destination that we want.” —Tamera Mowry-Housley

Tamera Mowry-Housley is a NAACP award-winning actress and Emmy award-winning television host known for past roles on Sister, Sister and FOX Talk show The Real. She is also the author of You Should Sit Down for This: A Memoir About Life, Wine, and Cookies. 

In our interview with her, she shared her thoughts on dealing with criticism and learning from challenges.

This article 10 Best Pieces Of Advice For Women In The Entertainment Industry was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Dana Hork, a seasoned brand marketer and storyteller, is disrupting the media industry with her creative agency, Beers With Friends. She helps ambitious and challenger brands solve high-stakes problems in just five days. Together with her cofounder and clients, she delivers fast and impactful brand solutions by creating expert-driven strategy without the bureaucracy of traditional agencies.

Dana has built out meaningful marketing strategies for a range of brands, including Walmart, a global company, and Wonder, a food tech startup. She innovates in each position by building a tailored and community-based brand. In these roles, she produced tangible results, increased customer engagement, built a reputable online presence, and created reliable momentum for the brand. 

In this interview, Dana Hork discusses the inspiration and concept behind her agency, Beers With Friends, the story behind its unique name, and how it influences the overall agency branding. Dana also shares what she’s learned being an entrepreneur, how previous roles prepared her for this, and emphasizes the importance of adaptability in their marketing process. She shared the idiosyncrasies of her agency’s marketing approach, which include delivering work in a sive-day sprint called a beer run and the importance of fast, focused, and firepower solutions. She also touched on the challenges of marketing with the success from their previous roles and the significance of human intuition in reactive work.

Her Agenda: What inspired you to start Beers With Friends, how did you come up with the name, and how did you come up with the idea for the agency?

Dana Hork: I’ve been a brand-side marketer throughout my career. I was an early hire at Jet.com, where I led the brand and retention marketing teams. After we were acquired by Walmart, I moved over to lead social media for Walmart U.S. Most recently, I served as SVP of Marketing at Wonder, a company building a ‘super app’ for mealtime.

Across all those roles, one thing I noticed is that ambitious marketers often have aspirations that exceed their available resources — whether it’s budget, time, or talent. The traditional ways to solve this are either hiring more in-house staff or partnering with a big agency of record. But those options aren’t always flexible or fast enough.

What I felt I needed — and what I believed others needed — was an ‘agency on call.’ A model where you can access top-tier creative talent when you need it, but not carry the cost when you don’t. I wanted something nimble, where I could bring in outside perspective and senior thinkers for focused, efficient collaboration.

That’s what sparked Beers With Friends: a creative agency on call that delivers ‘creative firepower on tap’ for ambitious marketers.

As for the name, it came out of a long process. Naming a creative agency is tough; there are so many great names already taken. During a conversation with my co-founder James Wood, I said something like, ‘I just want beers with friends. I want our agency to feel as collaborative and constructive as sitting down with friends over a beer.’ That stuck, and it perfectly captured our ethos.

Her Agenda: Before starting Beers With Friends, you held marketing positions in a couple of companies in the marketing industry, and you entered an independent space where you had to take the reins of your own career. What was that transition like? What skills and mindsets were you able to transfer from that industry, and what is the difference between the two sides?

Dana Hork: Even when I was working within large organizations, whether a fast-moving startup like Jet or a giant like Walmart, I’ve always brought an entrepreneurial mindset to what I do. For example, at Jet.com, I led an initiative called Jet Cares. One of our programs was the Community Diaper Program, which aimed to provide lower-cost diaper packs for families in need. We collaborated with the Obama White House on it, which had been seeking private sector solutions for the country’s diaper gap challenge.

That initiative involved setting a vision, aligning cross-functional teams, and launching a new product with limited resources. So even within a big company, I was flexing entrepreneurial muscles. Moving into a fully independent role with Beers With Friends felt like a natural progression. I brought that same spirit, vision-setting, problem-solving, agility, to building something new from the ground up.

Her Agenda: Could you give a brief rundown of your marketing process? How do you start when marketing a brand? How do you describe the creative process? And how do you execute?

Dana Hork: At Beers With Friends, we tackle all types of marketing challenges using a consistent, sprint-based process we call a Beer Run. Each Beer Run is tailored to a specific problem, but the framework stays the same. We start with divergent thinking, looking outside for inspiration, and identifying what great looks like in creative execution. Then we move into convergent thinking, aligning ideas with business goals and creative briefs.

One core belief we have is that you should never pretend to be a mind reader. We build in key alignment points with the client throughout the five-day sprint, so we’re always checking in, gathering feedback, and ensuring we’re on track. On the first day, we focus on reframing the business problem into a clear consumer problem. That clarity sets the direction for the rest of the sprint.

Another key principle is the value of an outside perspective. We don’t just bring in whoever’s available; we bring in the right experts based on the project. That might include people with unique life experiences or niche industry knowledge. We want to complement what the client already has in-house and bring something fresh to the table.

Her Agenda: What would you say is the most interesting marketing brand/project you’ve worked on and why so?

Dana Hork: One project that stands out is our work with Dig, a restaurant concept in the Northeastern U.S. Their CMO, Jessica Serrano, is a true partner and visionary. What makes it exciting is that they’re not just promoting seasonal menus, they’re weaving their brand into broader cultural narratives.

We help Dig develop campaigns that speak to consumer insights, not just product features. It’s about connecting menu innovation to real-life moments and making sure their messaging feels relevant and human. It’s been rewarding to support Jessica’s larger brand transformation vision and see our creative work drive real impact.

Her Agenda: Is there an example of a time when there have been challenges and how you’ve overcome them throughout your business?

Dana Hork: One early challenge was figuring out how to market ourselves without relying on past case studies from other companies. We had done great work at previous jobs, but we didn’t want to take that work and repackage it under our new agency. Instead, we decided to demonstrate our creativity through every part of the customer experience. Our website is playful and engaging. Our emails include GIFs, emojis, and a strong personality. We wanted every client interaction to feel refreshing, and that’s the word we kept hearing.

We’ve extended the beer metaphor throughout our brand experience. Our five-day creative sprint is called a “Beer Run.” Clients can purchase a 4-pack, 6-pack, or 12-pack of Beer Runs. Our website is built on Shopify, and clients can “add Beer Runs to their cart.” Final deliverables are called a “Blueprint.” It’s a fun, cohesive branding experience — and it’s been really well received.

That approach helped us stand out, even before we had a large track record under Beers With Friends. And now, of course, we do have that portfolio, but the mindset of being innovative and “refreshing” continues to guide us through every challenge.

Her Agenda: How did you and your co-founder meet, and what led you to build the agency together?

Dana Hork: James and I met while I was leading social at Walmart and he was at Publicis. I hired his agency as one of our social media partners, and we worked together closely for several years. We developed new content ideas, built a scalable content ecosystem, and had a strong collaborative partnership. When I was starting Beers With Friends, we caught up and started reminiscing about the work we’d done. We talked about what worked, what didn’t, and realized we shared the same vision for a better agency model — more nimble, more collaborative, and built on shared values. That conversation became the foundation for Beers With Friends.

Her Agenda: What is one thing you look for in the brands you represent? What stories do you like to tell?

Dana Hork: We definitely see it as a two-way partnership. We’re not just being selected — we’re selecting our clients too.

The brands we love working with tend to have two things in common. First, ambition. They’re trying to build something new, challenge the status quo, or transform an old brand. They’re not just chasing small wins; they want to make a bold impact.

Second, adaptability. Many of our clients are already working in agile ways, and those who aren’t are open to trying our sprint-based model. That willingness to move fast, give real-time feedback, and be collaborative is essential for the way we work.

Her Agenda: What else do you think sets Beers With Friends apart from other creative agencies?

Dana Hork: We think about our point of difference through the lens of three Fs: Fast, Focus, and Firepower.

Fast – we’re designed to get to great answers quickly. While you’re waiting for documents and meetings to be scheduled by other agencies. We can make progress in five days for you, which is meaningful to fast-moving businesses

Focus – We only work with one client at a time at Beers With Friends, so you’re getting our full focus and attention. And this makes a meaningful difference for the ability to make progress for brands. 

Firepower – it’s impossible to have all the right brains for all of the potential projects you have coming up inside your brand. So to know you have an on-call resource that can bring the right people, not just the available people, to a problem you’re trying to crack is really valuable to brand leaders. You’re not going to be able to break through by doing the same thing you’ve done. So, bringing fresh perspectives, mixing them together in interesting ways, and valuing all perspectives enables breakthrough outcomes and creativity.

Her Agenda: How do you see the marketing industry changing in the next couple of years, especially with AI?

Dana Hork: AI will absolutely play a bigger role in how marketing and creative teams operate. Right now, it’s a great tool for sparring, for generating first drafts, and for accelerating certain tasks like copywriting or research.

But what AI can’t do is ask the right questions. It’s built to generate answers, but true innovation still comes from human intuition, experience, and insight. I’m very bullish on the role of humans in creativity,  especially in strategy, ideation, and asking the bold questions that lead to meaningful breakthroughs.

Her Agenda: What advice would you give other entrepreneurs looking to build a successful business in today’s competitive landscape?

Dana Hork: Go for it. Don’t wait for permission. The world is waiting for you to articulate your vision. It’s like the subway rule—if you see something, say something. If you see a better way of doing things, lean into that. Start small if you need to, iterate as you go, but trust your instincts. Entrepreneurship is as much about momentum as it is about ideas.

[Editor’s note: This article has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Dana Hork was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Meet Lizzie and Wendy Molyneux, the dynamic sister duo whose creative genius has left a remarkable imprint on the world of television and film. As the masterminds behind the hit animated series The Great North, they serve as creators, showrunners, and executive producers, orchestrating a delightful blend of humor and heart. Their impressive storytelling skills have also shone brightly on FOX’s beloved series Bob’s Burgers, where they not only captured an Emmy Award in 2017 but also secured ten Emmy nominations. Their talents further garnered them three Writers Guild Award nominations and a coveted Annie Award for the unforgettable episode ‘The Hormone-iums.’

On the feature side, they recently adapted the novel ‘The People We Hate at the Wedding’ into a movie starring Allison Janney, Kristen Bell, Ben Platt, and Cynthia Addai-Robinson. 

Her Agenda engaged in an inspiring conversation with the Molyneux sisters as they discussed their commitment to creating diverse, empowering stories and navigating the animation industry as women creators.

Her Agenda: Tell me how you got into film and animation.

Wendy Molyneux: I’m older, so I was out of college first, and was working, but not working. Improv cannot be necessarily called working, but I had gotten into the improv comedy scene. And I’d done a little bit of writing, and then even actually before Lizzie graduated, we wrote a screenplay together that was never made, but we realized that we liked working together. When she graduated, that’s when we started trying to get into the business. We got a manager and spent a few years unemployed, and then wound up getting read for Bob’s Burgers and hired there. And that was our first job together. I had other media jobs, but that was our first one we had together.

Her Agenda: What’s it like working so closely with your sister?

Lizzie Molyneux: It’s great. The thing about a writing partnership is you really need to have a similar sensibility. Obviously, we have such a big shared experience in our lives. So I think there’s just a shorthand for us that makes it really easy and fun to work together. We get that question all the time, but there are two other siblings in between us. So we have a little bit of a buffer, we didn’t grow up competing or going to school at the same time, things like that. So for us, it’s really easy and fun. Also, we can’t break up as a partnership because imagine how awkward Christmas could be. So we have a high incentive to stay together as a team.

Her Agenda: What inspired ‘The Great North’ and why set a show in Alaska?

Wendy Molyneux: What inspired ‘The Great North’ came from thinking about the cast, because we knew we wanted to work with Nick Offerman. We have a long history of working with Megan Mullalley and Nick Offerman. So we really wanted to work with Nick on something. Megan, at that time, was busy on the Will and Grace reboot. So we were really targeting Nick. Then Jenny Slate, who we’ve worked with on Bob’s Burgers, we started to think of them as a father-daughter, because of their energies just seemed to be interesting because she’s got such a sort of active, excitable energy and Nick has this very stolid, kind of more thoughtful energy, or not more thoughtful, just a solid kind of, more deliberate energy, and we thought there could be an interesting pairing. And then we thought, okay, how do we make this father-daughter a little bit different? And we also wanted to get a geographically far feel from where Bob’s Burgers takes place, because we were coming off of a decade of working on Bob’s. And that’s where the Alaska piece came into it, really generated by Liz.

Lizzie Molyneux: Yeah, I had this experience. I have recently visited Alaska when we were starting to come up with the show and start to really develop it. It’s such a cool experience to go there and sort of see how truly different it is from any other state in the U.S., it is so vast and so enormous and there is so much nature just right outside your doorstep, no matter where, even if you’re in like a city like Anchorage, it’s just a very different experience. We had this idea for Judy, for Jenny Slate’s character, kind of being a kid in a small town and wanting something bigger and having this big imagination and these big dreams. It felt like a lot of small-town America has been explored on various TV shows and movies. That felt to us like something a little different and a little interesting, like for ourselves to sort of picture ourselves, up in that area, trying to make it out and out into the world, even though it’s such a large place, it’s a big place full of small towns. It just felt very interesting as a jumping-off point.

Her Agenda: ‘The Great North’ is currently the only adult cartoon made/produced by mainly women since Tuca and Birdie was cancelled. So what are some struggles and biases you’ve felt in this industry?

Wendy Molyneux: We’ve been really lucky in a lot of ways. The ‘Bob’s Burgers’ environment was always insanely positive for women. From day one, it started with two male showrunners, Loren Bouchard and Jim Dauterive, who could not have been more encouraging. It was like there was no difference. Like, everything was very chill. And now Loren has, as his two showrunners, Holly Schlesinger and Nora Smith, who are both women. And so that environment for women couldn’t be more positive. Because we’re an all-female creative-led show, obviously, we’ve tried to replicate that for women in our show. 

I think the only times we’ve encountered [bias] are outside of this environment. We’ve heard, at times, you hear some things that almost make you gasp, like someone who said, like, well, can they write male characters? The show is called BOB’s Burgers. Occasionally, you just hear something that almost takes your breath away, but not from inside our animation bubble that we’ve been in, but we have encountered that outside when we’ve gone out for other jobs. Then I do think there are sometimes people who assume that just because you’re writing it, some things’ sensibility is female. Of course, de facto, we are women, writing the show, so it has to be female sensibility, in a way, but it’s also just a particular comedic sensibility. Everything written by a man, you don’t go, oh, that’s automatically a male sensibility for men or whatever. Sometimes that comes into play. The struggle is always to be viewed in some ways at the same time, as a woman writing for women, wanting women to be really interested in what you’re writing, of course, and never screwing women over. But also because this is our job. We work in Hollywood. We’re the same as men. What we write is also for everyone. When people want to pigeonhole it as if we’re writing things that men can’t possibly identify with, that feels strange because, of course, we’re professional comedy writers. We’re writing it for everyone. Hopefully, the biggest audience possible.

Lizzie Molyneux: There’s always times where you’ll butt up against a little bit of a struggle or pushback. I don’t think we’ve experienced it really in our career at Bob’s or on the Great North, but we’ve gone out for other things and it’s always, as a woman, when you feel that feeling of like a little pushback or a little bit of extra scrutiny, I think it’s wild to believe that you’re imagining it. It exists in the world, but we’ve been really lucky. At the end of the day, both shows are truly family shows. They’re for anyone who’s had a family, grown up in a family, and that’s our focus is always, as Wendy said, a show for everyone. There are a lot of different angles to it. The younger characters, older characters, kids, and parents. That’s our focus, trying to appeal to that comedy of everyday life.

Her Agenda: Besides the award-winning episodes, what do you think is a special episode from your resume?

Wendy Molyneux: Oh, from our resume? Well, we wrote the upcoming finale of ‘The Great North’ Season 5, and I think we really put our heart and soul into that. And then what else from Bob’s that are close to? Well, I would say Art Crawl, which is the first one that we wrote. For me, Art Crawl where Gail paints animal anuses. It was our first year on Bob’s. It was the first episode of television that Lizzy and I ever wrote together that aired. It kind of embodies what we like to do and how we like to write, and is just a special memory for us sisters.

Her Agenda: Which female characters are you the most proud of and their development? 

Lizzie Molyneux: I’m very proud of Judy Tobin as a character. There was something in creating the show and developing that character; there are elements of both of our personalities in her. That teenage girl who can be really ambitious and funny and smart, there’s many examples of it, but I think just to be another show that can sort of put a character like that forward front and center, is really great because that is a type of character that I related to when I was that age, when I was in high school. Jenny Slate is just on, she’s so funny, and I think to allow Judy to sort of take on pieces of just who Jenny is too, and what she finds funny and how she expresses herself, she’s hilarious, so to allow Judy to be the character that can burp and fart and laugh at everything and just be very sort of vocal with everything she wants, I think it’s fun. It’s been a really great experience to get to bring her to life and see her on TV.

Wendy Molyneux: In the Bob’s world, I think the two characters that I feel proud of having introduced in our episodes are, of course, Gail from Art Crawl. I think Gail is insane in the best possible way.  I’m kind of like Gail in some way, so I enjoy writing for Gail because Gail is afraid of everything, and so am I. And we moved to work with Megan Mullally, and she plays Gail, and so it just feels very close to my heart. And then the character of Nat the limo driver, who’s played by Jillian Bell. Nat is so, she lives her life the way that she wants. She’s a single lady who drives a pink limo around town and doesn’t take shit from anyone, and always has new interesting things to discover about her. We’ve just written another episode with her that will be in season 15. So we literally just recorded Jillian like last week for that one. Those are two of the female characters that I enjoy writing. I enjoy writing odd women, that’s like my number one thing, I love those two kooky gals.

Her Agenda: How does animation influence people’s perceptions of gender and gender roles?

Wendy Molyneux: I have a non-binary child who goes by he/they, and he just really identifies with a lot of the characters on Great North. He absolutely loves Aunt Dirt, who has a bit of a sort of androgynous spirit. It’s been cool to see that in real time. I think Bob’s was one of the first primetime animations to really have female characters who were super centered and were not there to be made fun of. In fact, they were funny. That’s an important difference. That was why Lizzie and I were so excited to get a job on that show and then to create Great North where people across all kinds of genders and sexualities are represented and get to be funny and are not there as objects of fun. It just feels like the proliferation of animation, and that more streamers, et cetera, are doing animation. 

There’s a chance for everyone to see a reflection of themselves. That hopefully then will encourage more women, more non-binary people, just more people from all kinds of backgrounds to go into animation because the more people that go into animation with different backgrounds, the more we’re going to see shows and characters, and a deepening of what types of animation we’re seeing. The really cool thing about animation, specifically as a medium for people to really connect with characters, is when you find that person that really speaks to you, there’s something with animation because the characters are so permanent. They don’t change. They don’t age. There’s something sort of almost like mascoty about them. When you find a character that you truly connect with in that way, especially for younger people, it can feel like a big sort of support system and backing. There’s this ability with animation too, if you find your character or your show or whatever it is that truly connects for you, there’s a world sort of built out from it because animation is so, in a lot of cases, cute and fun, and there are memes and products. There’s this sense of sort of belonging to you, and your belonging to it can be kind of impactful for a lot of people when you find that thing that you truly love.

Her Agenda: Are there any special messages that you hope to send female audiences in particular when watching your shows?

Wendy Molyneux: It’s okay to be funny. That wasn’t a path when I was growing up. Like, there wasn’t, like, oh, here’s something you can do with your life, is you can be in comedy. I’m older. And I don’t think it felt as wide open. And so I think there are those girls out there who are maybe watching these shows. I just hope that some of them choose to go into the field because by the time they’re adults, I’ll be too old to make it anymore, and I want something to laugh at when I’m on my deathbed. Please create something funny for my deathbed. That’s my message to all girls everywhere. No pressure. But you must make me laugh as I ascend to heaven.

Her Agenda: How have African American women and other minority people responded to characters like Honey Bee?

Wendy Molyneux: I think Honeybee has been pretty universally beloved. If anyone knows the actress behind Honey Bee, Dulce Sloan, she’s just a volcano of comedy. When she hops on to record, she’s talking about her life, and everyone is laughing so hard, we can barely get to recording the episode. She really shines as a standout in the cast. The response has just been universally positive. A lot of that comes from Dulce herself because she’s strongly and unabashedly herself and brings that to the screen. I think people just love it.

Her Agenda: Do you have any specific advice for people interested in screenwriting?

Wendy Molyneux: I mean. Just start.

Lizzie Molyneux: I will say for myself, I didn’t ever take any screenwriting classes in college. I knew it was a career, but it wasn’t something that was really on my radar as something that might work for me or something that I should look into. I was a little aimless as I think a lot of people are when they’re in college or first starting out, but I think if it’s an interest, just starting is great, watching a lot of things that are sort of [the] area you want to go into, whether it’s comedy or drama or horror whatever, there’s so much. 

That’s the thing about film and TV right now, there’s just so much of it, and there’s so much good stuff to watch and to learn from, from extremely independent things to obviously huge blockbuster movies. There’s just so much of it out there. There are so many more voices that can be expressed. There’s a need for even more of it. It’s just kind of figuring out which way you want to go and starting out and giving it a try. From my own experience, once I dipped my toe into it, I was like, oh, I love this, and I want to keep doing it. And the more you do it, you’re always learning, you’re always getting better at it, hopefully. There’s nothing really, there’s no other way to learn it but to start doing it.

Wendy Molyneux: Yeah. Don’t be afraid to write something that you will eventually throw away. Lizzie and I have thrown away, and I’m not kidding…thousands and thousands and thousands of pages of material over the course of our career. And we’re not done. We plan to throw more away in the future. It’s just that’s part of the writing process, you have to make one thing as a stair step to making the other things. And any failure that you have is just there to show you, okay, well, that wasn’t the one, but keep going. If somebody comes with me, they’re like, but I’ve written three scripts and nothing sold. I’m like, yeah, baby, you’re going to write 12 more because that’s what we have had to do. You have to kind of stay in the game and keep learning and growing. The best thing for this profession is that the homework is watching television and movies, which, let’s be honest, that’s all I want to do. Again, I want to lay in bed and watch television and movies. That’s my number one goal. I have four kids, so I don’t get to do it that often. But it’s the best homework in the world. And so you’re in a profession where the work that you have to do, it’s not like being a boxer where you have to go hit the heavy bag. You just have to binge a series in one day. It’s pretty terrific.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Wendy and Lizzie Molyneux was originally published on HerAgenda.com

From NBA documentaries to science journalism, Danielle Elliot’s career path has been anything but linear. In fact, it’s a journey of discovery that has offered personal insights into her own neurodivergent mind, which entails both the thinking process of each next career move and actions taken once in the role. Now, as host of Climbing The Walls, a podcast giving a full scope into the world of ADHD, Danielle is exploring why ADHD diagnoses among women have surged since the pandemic and having candid conversations about moving through life after a diagnosis.

Drawing from her background in health and science journalism, combined with her own experience of late-diagnosis ADHD, Danielle highlights these stories by bringing on mental health experts and other women with their own diagnosis to spark a deeper discussion through other individual journeys and medically backed insight. In a conversation with Her Agenda, Danielle shares how understanding ADHD has transformed her career perspective and why she’s passionate about expanding the conversation beyond medication to holistic approaches. 

Her Agenda: I’d love to start out with an overview of your career journey, what it’s entailed so far, and how it has shaped you today.

Danielle Elliot: I started out with NBA Entertainment. I was in their documentary unit, so we were working on things about all of the NBA teams.

And then from there, I started doing two different things. I started writing for local news websites through a startup called Patch.com. And then I also started working with NBC Olympics and the USTA for all sorts of sports production. I did that pretty consistently for a few years.

And then I went into content with a couple of different Fortune 500 companies. And then from there, I went to grad school. I studied health and science journalism, and I was the science editor at CBSnews.com. I was a sports editor at Yahoo Sports. 

I freelanced writing long-form science and health pieces. And then I became a travel editor for a year. Then I went to the Atlantic and was on the branded content team for two years.

Then, I went back to documentary television and worked on a couple of series for two years. Now, I continue to produce documentaries and podcasts. I still write.

Her Agenda: You’ve described yourself as juggling a million things at once. And with your background in health and science journalism, how has that shaped both your personal and professional understanding of ADHD?

Danielle Elliot: When I was first diagnosed, I would say looking back at what I had done, because I always felt like even in everything I just described, it was sort of a lot of lateral moves, but I wasn’t moving up in a career. I was doing a lot of entry-level things for almost 10 years. 

Once I understood ADHD, it was more so that understanding ADHD helped me understand what I had done throughout my career, rather than vice versa. Just being able to look at it, I can see how much I enjoy jumping around and how much I enjoy new challenges and new stories all the time. 

I love working on [a] series because you get deep into them. But within a year or two, you’re moving on to the next subject. So it’s helped me understand that with ADHD, it’s not that you can’t focus. It’s not that you can’t stay organized; it’s that you have to be interested in something to be motivated enough to keep organized, to stay focused, to get things done.

And that’s helped me. It’s given me a lot more, I guess you could say self-forgiveness for how much I jumped around when I was younger. It’s helped me figure out how to channel that and channel what my brain does best as I’m moving forward.

Her Agenda: Can you tell me how you got involved with Understood.org and why you chose to do the podcast Climbing the Walls?

Danielle Elliot: When I was first diagnosed, I had a lot of questions as I got into episode one of the podcast. Something I’ve always done is just start asking questions and trying to figure out kinds of big cultural phenomena. And this felt like one of them because so many people were being diagnosed. And I started working on a book proposal. 

And the stories were rich in the women’s voices. It just felt so important that their voices be heard more so than chipping them into a book. And it just so happened that Understood.org wanted to make a narrative podcast because I certainly was not the only person asking why women, why now? Understood.org was also looking to answer those questions. 

And it just happened to line up that someone I had worked with previously introduced me to someone she had worked with previously, who worked at Understood.org. And it all came together perfectly.

Her Agenda: Why do you think conversations about women and ADHD have been historically underrepresented and how is that changing now?

Danielle Elliot: These stories have been underrepresented for a whole host of reasons. One of the simplest ways to explain it is that there weren’t a lot of women in positions to do well-funded research studies. And no matter how much anecdotal evidence we have, or even clinical evidence, psychiatrists and therapists are talking to patients and noticing things when treating them in a clinic. 

We didn’t have research. And if the information isn’t rooted in research, it’s not going to be considered science in the same way. 

That’s one of the initial reasons. Then it has to do with how much experts believe women, honestly, and listen to women. And we now have women in those positions who are doing the studies and are moving this along. 

There are many men who have also studied ADHD. But I think that to me, it’s really also social media. It’s the ability for information to travel faster and further to more people than ever before, like an ability to overcome the gatekeeping of information. Throughout the series, we get into a whole host of other reasons why the conversations are happening now.

Her Agenda: ADHD diagnoses have surged among women since the pandemic. Why do you think that shift is happening now? And what do you think it tells us?

 Danielle Elliot: I think the shift really picked up steam. Like you can see, the shift sort of started even pre-pandemic, but the numbers started doubling in 2020. And I think that has a lot to do with what we’re seeing about ADHD in general, which is that, like when I think of adult life, even if you’ve gone undiagnosed your whole life, you have found ways to cope and to function as an adult.

But the pandemic presented a completely new set of challenges that many women with undiagnosed ADHD, as well as women with diagnosed ADHD, had never encountered. And I think the combination of information being available through social media and kind of right there in your pocket at a time when a lot of women were saying, I don’t understand what’s happening. 

That’s actually where the name of the podcast Climbing the Walls comes from. One of the clinicians who treats ADHD was receiving more emails from women than she had ever received. And they were all saying, ‘I want to talk to you about ADHD.’ Like she was saying, they were all climbing the walls. And it was because the structures, the support systems, and, if they were parents, the school systems were closed. 

Everything they had relied on with the school system to help with their kids was out the window really. And then also with work, with everything, like all the routines were gone. So that’s a big reason why these conversations are happening when they’re happening right now.

Her Agenda: For women who are just starting to explore an ADHD diagnosis, what advice would you give to help them navigate?

Danielle Elliot: One piece of advice that I wish I had known when I was seeking a diagnosis a few years ago was that I sometimes feel like I sought the diagnosis because my understanding was that medication is the only form of treatment for ADHD. And I think what we’re starting to lean into more and understand more, and understood.org has so many resources about this online. 

I wish I had known that medication is one tool within an entire toolbox of approaches to ADHD and ways to make life work best for you. Knowing that treatment is often multifaceted, I think that if you’re considering pursuing a diagnosis and it seems somewhat overwhelming with wait lists to get on to get an appointment with a doctor or the cost of treatment, or any of that, something to know is that there are so many ADHD life coaches. Understood.org has a true wealth of information available on the website. There are so many resources available that could help you begin to understand everything. 

In pursuing the diagnosis, if cost is a major hurdle, or time and scheduling are a major hurdle, I would want everyone to know [that] a lot of the resources are available, and medication is not the only approach to ADHD.

Her Agenda: What makes Climbing the Walls different from other podcasts in the mental health space?

Danielle Elliot: My goal, in part, was to let the women be themselves and not edit them into women who sound like they don’t have ADHD. I didn’t want everyone in this show to sound neurotypical and cleaned up. 

Part of what I would love to see coming out of this rise in ADHD diagnoses is normalizing behaviors that aren’t considered ‘normal.’ For example, I don’t expect everyone to speak perfectly linearly when answering questions or telling stories. One thing that’s different is that I very intentionally did not edit them in a way that you might hear interviews traditionally edited. 

Everyone in this story has a story to tell. I’m going to say this not to knock podcasts that speak to experts as experts, but the experts on our show are also prominent figures in the history of ADHD, especially the understanding of ADHD in women. 

So everyone in the show has a personal story to tell within this much larger story of the rise of ADHD among women.

Her Agenda: As you look ahead with the podcast, what themes and stories are you most excited to explore?

Danielle Elliot: I’m interested in continuing to explore how symptoms are. I’m interested in exploring the severity of symptoms in different situations that women find themselves in and what helps to mitigate those symptoms or the severity of those symptoms.

I’m also really, really interested in episode six. The final episode of the series touches on research into hormones and ADHD, and I think that’s nascent research right now. 

We need so much more of it. And I’m excited to continue following that, and I’m interested in seeing what comes out of that research, as hopefully more of it is published and funded.

Her Agenda: As more women are diagnosed with ADHD later in life, what systematic changes in healthcare, education, or media do you believe are the most urgent?

Danielle Elliot: The most urgent are two that have been urgent throughout the last 40 years, but are finally beginning to have their moment. And that’s one, believing women and what we say about how we’re feeling, and adjusting to situations.

I think a second one is funding the research that will inform policy decisions that relate to the support systems that are available to women and also the support systems that are available not just to women, but to everyone with ADHD and how to figure out support systems that are just part of life so it doesn’t always have to be on. I guess something I’m hoping is that the onus isn’t always on the person with ADHD to adjust [and] for society to somewhat adjust to the fact that there is absolutely more than one type of brain. Everyone is functioning and capable and supported and not having to take on extra burden just because their brain isn’t what’s considered neurotypical. 

Her Agenda: What advice would you share with young women who are navigating ADHD, but are also looking to lead change within the media, health, or even culture?

Danielle Elliot: I think the advice would be to continue working the way that works best for you and advocating for yourself, and also trying to find work situations that allow you to maximize your intelligence and your potential, and rather than exhausting you, they will enable you to maximize your potential. 

The way to create change is by proving your capability and your success by doing things slightly differently and also voicing how you’re doing things differently so that you’re sort of in the workplace voicing that I’m not forgetful, I’m just doing this in a different order because that’s the order it all has to be done in. I think there’s ways of continuing to point out, like I’ve pointed out to many bosses, but it’s sort of like I work on these four-month projects most of the time, so four to 12-month projects, but I’ll often speak to my managers and talk about the fact that I’ll get things done very quickly, but I’m not good with busy work. I think I owe that to my ADHD, but I don’t say that in conversations. 

So it doesn’t mean please fill my time, like I will use my time very, very efficiently and get things done and that’s very common with ADHD, but if I’m going to get eight hours of work done in two or three hours, it doesn’t mean that a manager should feel obligated just because that’s the traditional way of thinking about a work day. 

It’s just constantly advocating for yourself and pointing out your strengths to a manager. If you’re in a management position and allow people to work to their strengths rather than just following rules and standards, then this is how it’s been done.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Danielle Elliot was originally published on HerAgenda.com

While some people master one role in the filmmaking industry, Ashley L. Canfield has found her niche in three, with writing, directing, and producing serving as powerful outlets for telling stories that matter. Born and raised in The Bronx, New York, her goal has always been to blend her passion for storytelling with her commitment to uplifting underrepresented voices in the film industry. Now billed as a producer, director, and lead writer, she’s finally making an impact. Her journey from the theater stages of New York to the collaborative sets of independent films is a testament to her versatility and dedication.

Her career began in theater with her play, Dirt is Where Flowers Grow. It premiered in 2017 at Teatro La Tea and this debut marked the beginning of a series of successes. Just a few years later in 2021, her award-winning short play Papi, took first place at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe Theatre Festival. Her ability to capture the nuances of the human experience, especially from the Latin perspective as a Puerto Rican woman, has made her a standout in both the theater and film communities. Her heritage provides a fresh perspective to what is most often shown in popular films today. While more Latin actors are finding success on screen, there is still room for improvement with Latin representation behind the camera. According to the 2023 UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report, only 4.5% of directors and 5.7% of screenwriters were Latin. This data underscores the ongoing need for greater inclusion and opportunities for Latin creatives in the film industry. 

Transitioning from acting to writing and directing, Ashley has navigated the challenges of limited budgets and tight schedules with ingenuity. Her work in film, including the critically acclaimed Papi and the upcoming film Closure, premiering at the Big Apple Film Festival this month, showcases her talent for creating compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences. Through her production company, Wyld Child, which she co-created with her husband, Producer Edward F. Canfield, she continues to push the boundaries of storytelling, exploring universal themes like resilience, grief, family, and love that connect us all.

Beyond her creative endeavors, Ashley is also a dedicated advocate for diversity in the arts. As the co-founder and Executive Director of Blended City, she provides workshops, mentorship, and performance opportunities for underrepresented artists in New York. Her commitment to fostering a more inclusive industry is evident in every project she undertakes, making her a true trailblazer in the entertainment world. 

Her Agenda chatted with Ashley L. Canfield to delve into her remarkable journey into independent filmmaking, how her Puerto Rican heritage has influenced her storytelling, and her drive to make a difference in the film industry. 

Her Agenda: Your work spans various genres and media, from stage plays to films. How do you approach storytelling differently in each format, and what challenges do you face in adapting your vision across these platforms?

Ashley L. Canfield: So, I started in theater. I was a theater major in college. I pretty much saw my career as an actress for a while, until my mid-20s, and then I got the opportunity to write and direct. I just fell in love with that and I  didn’t look back. I think sometimes we see ourselves on one path, and then we find something else. It’s not always what we originally think our path is, but I fell in love with the process. 

I will say that theater is very different in the sense that the medium is really for actors. A lot of people will say that as a director, you do your best and you can have this very specific vision, but at the end of the day, what’s put up on stage is really up to the actors that night. I always struggled with that a little bit. It might be because of my perfectionist habits or something, but I just wanted to find a different medium to tell stories. 

I love theater, but I always would find myself having these intricate ideas or things that might be hard to pull off on stage, especially when you’re working with a small budget. Film is completely different. Everything is in pre-production, and it’s all about preparation. What could go wrong? What could we need? What could happen on set? How do we pivot? How do we leverage certain situations? And then even with the most preparation you could possibly have, there’s still going to be things that go wrong. And you have to be ready to just grow with it. It’s a very fast-paced thing, but in the end it’s all storytelling. That’s what’s most important to me, getting that story across and making sure that we all as a team do our best. The story is king.

Her Agenda: ‘Papi’ has received significant recognition, including winning first place at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe Theatre Festival. What inspired you to write this play, and how do you feel its themes resonate with audiences today?

Ashley L. Canfield:  I wanted it to take place in one [location]. And I wanted to write about a family. I really wanted to show the dynamics of a Puerto Rican family that has all these different characters, but make it very relatable. The whole premise was that the family was coming together in a little hospital waiting room because the father was sick. 

I was fleshing out this story, and then the pandemic hit. When the pandemic hit and the theater closed, I pivoted. The Nuyorican decided to do the theater festival online, so I made it work as a short. I got the idea to have it take place on Zoom. My husband’s family actually had lost someone to COVID and I just remembered that time of everyone meeting on video to connect and support each other.  I wanted to integrate that into the story because it was a universal [experience]. We all have to go through losing someone, and I decided to add that aspect of COVID. 

But underneath, what it’s really about is a son trying to reconcile with his father, who he’s losing and who he has a fractured relationship with. I feel like that’s really the heart of the story, and that’s something that everyone can relate to at some point in their life. The core of it is the family, and looking for that reconciliation in a time where you might not get that. That’s what hits everyone for sure.

Her Agenda: Your film ‘POKENO’ was selected for the Latino Film Market and Mott Haven Film Festival. What was the creative process behind ‘POKENO,’ and what did you learn while on set? 

Ashley L. Canfield: So that was written by my friend, who went through that situation. It was therapeutic for him to write about it. And then he asked me to direct it. That was a different process for me because I didn’t write it myself. I wanted to do it justice, so I got a lot of insight from him about what the story was and how his character was feeling. And then I just applied and worked with my actors to tell this story of this family game night gone wrong. 

That was the first shoot  I did after pivoting from theater. So that was fun and exciting, but also nerve wracking. It was very intense because we had one day to shoot this. But we had a lot of people who were down to make this short film. I would say my vision came across. It was my first time on a film set and doing this type of medium, I did learn a lot from the experience. 

It’s hard when you have this vision, and then you get to the editing room, and you’re like, oh, this is not what I wanted, or this is not what I thought we got. Then you start thinking back to that time on set, and like, oh well, yeah, we were running out of time, so we had to cut that shot, or we couldn’t do this, or I couldn’t get this scene. I learned from that, and then I told myself, you know what, next time, one, I’m not going to think that I can shoot a whole short in one day. Even if it could be done, why put yourself in that position, right? Why the stress?

Her Agenda: As the co-founder and Executive Artistic Director of Blended City, you’ve supported underrepresented artists in disadvantaged communities. Can you share a memorable experience or success story from your work with Blended City?

Ashley L. Canfield: I co-founded Blended City in 2017, and the idea was just to create a community. You know, when you’re an artist, it’s very lonely sometimes. And when you’re starting, it’s hard to find those opportunities. I wanted to create something that would be that place for people, whether they were newcomers to the arts or just out of school, or if they were pivoting careers themselves and needed to make connections, network, and find opportunities. So that was always my goal. 

We support and connect New York City artists in theater, film and music. I saw that a lot of our community were mostly actors, filmmakers or theater directors and a lot of musicians. So I was like, you know what? Let’s really create a community where these artists can connect and create together and make opportunities for each other. 

We do this by providing free to low-cost workshops. We recently had the editor from Severance, Erica Freed. She’s Emmy-nominated and very established. So we had her come out and talk to some of our community members, and it was a free event. I definitely want to keep growing our offerings to our communities. I didn’t have that when I was younger and looking for opportunities.  We’re also giving them a chance to perform. We have yearly showcases where we try to get agents and managers that we’ve met along the way in order to build a type of community. 

Her Agenda: Wyld Child aims to create films that explore universal human experiences. What motivated you to start this production company, and how do you ensure your films resonate with diverse audiences?

Ashley L. Canfield: I started Wyld Child with my husband, Edward F. Canfield, after I knew I wanted to make more films. The actor I met when I casted for Papi, John Anthony Torres, actually came to me and asked me if I wanted to do another film. So I thought, I should start a production company. My husband produces with me as well. We’re a married producing duo. 

We decided to focus on telling stories that resonate with everyone, but are told by diverse people. Our new film, Closure, is coming out this year. It’s inspired by a play written by Luis Roberto Herrera. He gave us the rights. We shot it with an all-Latino cast under our production company Wyld Child, and in collaboration with our executive producer, VOE Coqui Productions.  I think it’s very important that we cast the film that way because representation matters so much and we need to see our people in those lead roles. I think it’s so important because people need to see themselves on screen. 

It’s insane, you know. We are still hearing about these firsts, and we have to keep making the firsts so that there can be seconds, thirds, and fourths. We’re making history, and we have to keep working towards those things so that we can be a part of that story.

Her Agenda: Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for the future of Blended City and Wyld Child, and how do you envision your role in shaping the impact of theater and film?

Ashley L. Canfield: My goals are just to keep making stories and creating opportunities. With Blended City, same thing. I want to keep providing those opportunities and making a space for people to create, to tell their stories, and work together. Whatever it takes, get them made, get them produced, make those opportunities, and then put them out there for everyone to see. 

I have a son, and I want to just keep showing him. He’s little—he’s two years old—but when he is old enough, I want him to look and say, ‘Oh, mom followed her dreams.’ That’s it. That’s my goal—to follow my dream and for him to see that since I did it, you have to do it. You have to follow your dream because I didn’t give up, and I did what I felt called to do. Storytelling is what I feel called to do, whether that’s in theater, whether it’s in film, whether it’s in a workshop, or just having a conversation with someone. That’s my path, which is why I’m here. The human condition is so complicated. It’s so complex. It’s so vast. But at the end of the day, we’re all connected. Everyone is just experiencing life in different ways. I want to show as many of those ways as I can to be a part of connecting us further.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Ashley L. Canfield was originally published on HerAgenda.com

In the competitive world of marketing, where campaigns often focus solely on driving consumer purchases, Jacqueline Moore has spent three decades building out the innovative version of a marketing agency. As Chairman and CEO of CMRignite, Jacqueline has built and grown her company to a nationally recognized business dedicated to cause and behavior change marketing, helping clients align their social responsibility with consumer values.

Through health campaigns addressing HIV/AIDS and influenza to rapidly deploy COVID-19 communications during the pandemic, Jacqueline’s agency has consistently focused on work that makes a positive social impact.

As CMRignite celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, Jacqueline sits down with Her Agenda to reflect on the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship with refreshing authenticity— acknowledging that leadership is significantly more difficult than it appears, requiring vision, strategic guidance, and calm decision-making during challenging periods.

Dive in to see how Jacqueline has pivoted with the challenges of raising a business, welcoming family into her vision, and what’s on the horizon for her within the next year.  

Her Agenda: What inspired you to start CMRignite, and how did you come up with the idea for the agency?

Jacqueline Moore: Primarily, it was an evolution of a company. I started doing business plan consulting for small businesses, small startups, and individuals who were trying to get funding and needed a business plan written. I had recently completed my MBA, so I had the experience of writing a business plan and having to present it to investors. And so I knew the steps to do that and what was needed. And so that’s [what] really sparked it. 

Then I ended up with a client as I was taking on those assignments that said, ‘can you implement the plan?’ That was not my intention, but I said if I wrote it, I can implement it. That’s how the company got started and launched. 

Her Agenda: How did your vision evolve from a small Midwest-based agency to a nationally recognized leader in cause and behavior change marketing? 

Jacqueline Moore: We started in our backyard, where we had a network. We knew the landscape and the challenges faced by many of the businesses in Wisconsin. 

And then that just expanded. It gave us an opportunity to expand in certain industries, particularly health, because we had done a lot of health-related campaigns. We did HIV and AIDS. We had done influenza—those kinds of things. As we completed those successfully, we were then able to use that to expand nationally. 

Her Agenda: What lessons have you learned over the years about leadership and running your own business and how do you implement them in your own business?

Jacqueline Moore: Primarily, what I learned is it’s hard as hell. So it looks a lot easier than it really is. 

When you’re a leader, others look to you for a vision, for calm in the midst of a storm. They look for you to provide guidance and strategy around how your services, products, and services will support a client’s needs. It runs the gamut. And so it’s good when you have really good people because leadership is much easier. But sometimes, it can be more difficult depending on the individuals and their particular needs.

Her Agenda: Is there an example of a time when there have been challenges and you’ve overcome throughout your business?

Jacqueline Moore: I think over the 30 years, we’ve seen periods of where we had to make decisions on do we grow faster or do we stretch with the team that we have. 

Those were all very, sometimes very difficult decisions. I remember there was a period in our probably early infancy where we ended up needing to figure out a strategic way to maintain our staff, but yet we were not growing as fast as we wanted to. And so one of the things that we did was we implemented Fridays off. And so, in lieu of a pay increase, we just said to everybody, we’re now moving to a four-day work week. 

That was one way of us maintaining the individuals that we had, yet allowing us as a company to position ourselves for more growth. And so it was just one of those things that came out of a genuine discussion with people. Were we able to do this? Or, did folks feel like, no, a raise is so important that I’ll need to leave the company? And so we implemented a four-day work week and it worked out very well. And we were able to maintain our staff.

Her Agenda: With nearly 60 full-time employees, how do you foster a work environment that promotes creativity and innovation? 

Jacqueline Moore: It is challenging. That’s one of the disadvantages that we had of COVID is that it took us away from being together. There’s something about having the synergy, the energy, all the things that go with social interaction. It does make it more difficult because now everything is done over Zoom or Teams or whatever, but it’s just not quite the same as being in a room with someone and being able to interact with that individual around creative ideas. Sometimes, the creative idea might come after you’ve hung up from the Zoom call. And so now what? Whereas if I’m in an office with you, I’ll just walk over to your desk and just go like, hey, we were just talking about X, so what about if we did this, and let’s finish that conversation impromptu? 

It does have its disadvantages, but we’ve managed to really get collaborative teams, pull everybody together, kind of set the framework and then come back together after we’ve let people build on their ideas. However, I’m still a proponent of needing to be in the office some number of days just for social interaction.

Her Agenda: How has having family members involved in your business influenced the company culture?

Jacqueline Moore: I started the business 30 years ago. My kids were young then because they’re not that old. They were still in school and getting through and going to college and those kinds of things. So much of the foundation of the business and the direction, the vision of who we wanted to be was already established. But certainly, having them as part of the company has been a real benefit, particularly for me, because that wasn’t ever the plan. 

And so it wasn’t where I designed the business to be a family-run business with a legacy that goes on and on. I always figured they would go do their own thing. When it was time for me to retire, I’d retire, get a little umbrella drink, sit on a beach, and I’d be happy. And so, as a result of having the desire and the passion to be a part of the business, it has really built a legacy and brought in genuine ideas. My children are in their 30s. And so they bring a lot of innovation, a lot of energy to the organization, and certainly can continue on with the culture that I had already established.

Her Agenda: Can you describe a project or campaign that maybe pushed you and your team outside of your comfort zone? And how did you evolve with it? 

Jacqueline Moore: That’s kind of a difficult one because usually the things that we work on, we love, because they are in the sweet spot that we want to be in, which is around social responsibility, how clients’ products and services and their social responsibility impacts an audience. 

One of the most challenging ones that we had was probably more recent with some of the COVID work. And it was just because of the fast growth that we had. We had to respond very quickly. So, it didn’t give us a lot of time to think about it or strategize. It was almost a crisis communications kind of campaign where people were dying every day. And so you didn’t have a lot of time to say, let me study this for 30 days and let me do this and whatever. We had to, with our campaign partners, really hit the ground running and do something because we were in the midst of people losing their lives. And so we had to respond quickly. That was probably one of the ones that was a little more of a discomfort based on the way that we normally do things where we have an opportunity or time on our side. 

Her Agenda: What do you consider the most important values that have guided you in your entrepreneurial journey?

Jacqueline Moore: There are a couple, but the one that comes to mind is authenticity, being who we are and not being fearful of who we are, knowing what we stand for.  Oftentimes what we’ve found more recently is that in studying consumers, consumers are buying more than with the emotion of it looks pretty, it feels good. They’re buying now on what companies stand for. And if you don’t stand for something that is of value to that consumer, we’re finding that people will turn you off and go buy your competitor’s product. We really try to emphasize how important it is for companies to have a good social footprint.

Her Agenda: How do you see the marketing industry changing in the next couple of years, especially with social media? 

Jacqueline Moore: I think the interesting part about the shifts that are taking place is that the mediums are shifting how we communicate with people. There are some challenges that I believe are going to take place with that and it’s believability, reliability, and who you can trust. I saw an NBA player that I’m familiar with from the Milwaukee area who died, and I didn’t know whether to believe it. Now that’s pretty sad when we have that kind of skepticism about our news organizations. And so I did confirm that [it was true, and of course] I’m very sorry to hear that.

But one of the other things is just trying to recognize that while the mediums may have changed, our clients demand that we’re able to produce metrics. So it’s not just how many people saw a billboard because however many people saw a billboard doesn’t mean that they made a purchase. And so from that standpoint, we’re looking at new opportunities as we move into social media around whether or not people are actually making purchasing decisions. And so how can we help drive market share in terms of, we know that the things that we’re doing, the kinds of tools that we’re using in our organization can help drive market share increase.

Her Agenda: What advice would you give other entrepreneurs looking to build a successful business in today’s competitive landscape?

Jacqueline Moore: Depending on your longevity, I would, for newer entrepreneurs, someone just getting into the business, I would advise them to make sure that they are prepared and that they understand the financial implications. I kind of laugh sometimes when I have meetings with mentees where I share with them that retained earnings is not cash flow and is retained earnings. There’s a big difference. And so helping them to understand the importance of having a good financial base in terms of, there may be some times in which entrepreneurs want to start in their organization and they want to be the ones to [be able to] make the big salary. You may not be able to do so. And primarily because you need to reinvest those dollars back into the business so that when you do have an opportunity to bid or operate on a large project that you have the funds available so that you can make it until your client pays you. And so that’s one of the things that I noticed even in dealing with small vendors that we have that oftentimes they’re asking us, well, ‘can you pay me up front? Because I don’t have any,’ and frankly, for me, that is a turnoff. So for beginners, I would say, make sure that you have a good financial foundation. And if you have working capital, that’s a great thing.

That’s something that you can sell to a client. If you’ve been in business for 10 to 20 years, I’d say manage your growth in terms of how fast you grow because that can be a detriment to you if you tend to grow too fast. Then that means everything else is out of whack. All the things that you had in place, you know, trying to manage those become chaotic. 

Her Agenda: Do you have any exciting upcoming plans for your agency? Or is there anything you’d like to share about the horizon? 

Jacqueline Moore: We’re celebrating 30 years. So we’ve got all kinds of things happening internally in the company. And we’ll share those externally. For example, we’ve asked some of our biggest supporters to do a two-minute video to give us some congratulations. And so that’ll be shared. And I’ve asked some very close friends to help us do that in terms of business associates. Other things that are taking place are that we took our staff to North Carolina.

We were all there to be together, which was nice. It was a retreat where we were not talking about accounts within our organization. We did it so that people could enjoy each other and be together. We usually try to do that annually. We move it to a different city, depending on whether there is more staff in that city. One of the other years, we did it in Dallas because we had a lot of staff there. 

But right now, we’re really focused on what our future looks like. How do we get through the next few years with all the changes that are taking place? And how will those impact us, the level of uncertainty? Then, our clients become uncertain about what they’re doing. As leaders, we have to be mindful of the next things that are taking place and make sure that we’re paying attention to that so we can protect the people that we care about. And the trick ought to be, if you were independently wealthy, would you still do this? And that’s always been mine. If I were independently wealthy, and I’m not, but if I were, would I still do this? I would still do it because I love it because I have such a passion for what we do and the kinds of campaigns that we work on. So that’s my test that I [give] everybody. Would you do this if you didn’t have to do it for a living?

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Jacqueline Moore was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Kalia Watts is redefining what it means to be creative in business, challenging the notion that creativity is limited to design or art. She advocates for a broader perspective that values strategic thinking, project management, and relationship-building as creative skills.

As the Head of Client Services at Atlanta-based creative agency Six Degrees, Kalia has transformed the client-agency dynamic by embedding authentic cultural perspectives and real relationships into every partnership. Her experience as a woman in advertising fuels her commitment to fostering work environments where professionals can show up fully without code-switching or compromising their identity.

In this candid interview with Her Agenda, Kalia shares insights on work-life balance, mentorship, and what it takes to carve out your own path in the creative industries.

Her Agenda: Can you tell us about your background and how you got started in advertising?

Kalia Watts: My background is primarily within client services and advertisement agencies. My mother is Japanese and comes from a creative background – she’s a dancer and very much within the creative space. I was always more sports-driven, taking the complete opposite path from my family’s artistic pursuits.

Because I speak Japanese, I found an opportunity at an agency called Story, an outsource of Wieden. I discovered a posting for an interagency liaison position, interviewed with confidence despite having no prior experience, and was hired on the spot. That became my first introduction to the advertising world.

Her Agenda: How did you know this was the right field for you?

Kalia Watts: I discovered that creativity isn’t limited to being a designer or renderer. When I structure projects and see them through from conception to fruition, there’s an underlying intense passion. That’s essential for success in client services, where you’re constantly engaged and devoted to the work.

Her Agenda: Tell us about Six Degrees and your role there.

Kalia Watts: Six Degrees has a unique story. For our first three years, we didn’t even have to seek business – it came to us organically. The founders are my closest friends from college – we all attended the Atlanta University Center together. I went to Clark Atlanta University, while they attended Morehouse.

I joined the team by taking on small projects during my maternity leave about six years ago. The agency needed structure as they were primarily focused on experiential marketing. My background in client services helped shape our approach. We’ve grown from three people to about 50 since I started.

Her Agenda: What do you think contributed to Six Degrees being so successful from the beginning?

Kalia Watts: Our authenticity sets us apart. While everyone wants to tap into culture, we naturally embody it. Our team members are the consumers brands want to reach – we don’t have to guess what’s relevant because we live it. Our name, Six Degrees, reflects our approach to business through relationships. We leverage our network of connections to create meaningful partnerships.

Her Agenda: How do you approach work-life balance and team management?

Kalia Watts: Physical activity is crucial, especially in our remote work environment. Instead of micromanaging time, we focus on results. I encourage the team to prioritize their well-being—whether that’s working out or taking necessary breaks—while ensuring they meet their commitments and deadlines.

Her Agenda: What’s your approach to mentorship and supporting others in the industry?

Kalia Watts: Accessibility is important to me. I make it a point to respond to LinkedIn messages from young professionals interested in agency work because I remember not having that support. At Six Degrees, I’ve found an environment where I can be authentic – the same person at work, at home, and as a mother. This is particularly significant as a Black woman in the workspace, where there’s often pressure to code-switch. It’s about finding an environment that celebrates who you are.

Her Agenda: Any final advice for those trying to break into the industry?

Kalia Watts: I live by Clark Atlanta University’s motto: ‘Find a way or make one.’ Success doesn’t always mean being the loudest voice in the room. You might face rejection – multiple interviews without offers – but maintain that entrepreneurial mindset. Many focus on finding existing paths while forgetting they can create their own. When you approach challenges with the determination to forge your own way, you develop a more innovative approach to your work.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Kalia Watts was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Cultural Strategist, Social Impact Leader, Entrepreneur, and now Author are some of the titles that Alencia Johnson holds. But beneath all these titles, Alencia is a true disruptor at her core. Starting her career in social impact communications, Alencia has flawlessly transitioned from communications to corporate and political engagement to founder and Chief Impact Officer of 1063 Broad Street. As Chief Impact Officer, Alencia marries her social justice, narrative-building, and cultural transformation skills to deliver mission-driven solutions for brands, people, and organizations. 

Alencia is as unique as her career, having served as a senior advisor for Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign and President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign, where she helped shape cultural moments and media strategies. To further cement herself as a thought leader in politics, Alencia led national public engagement for Senator Elizabeth Warren’s 2020

presidential campaign. Before making a name for herself in politics, she was an influential leader at Planned Parenthood, where she worked at the intersection of politics, media, and entertainment to shift the narrative on gender equity. 

On March 11, Alencia brings her poignant expertise, personal and professional experiences, and insightful advice with her book Flip the Tables: The Everyday Disruptor Guide to Finding Courage and Making Change, where she gives details of how she has been able to become a disruptor in her career and personal life and gives readers the prompts that have helped her find her way. 

Her Agenda spoke with Alencia about her expansive career and how we can all become disruptors for the greater good. 

Her Agenda: Okay, so you’ve worked in a lot of different sectors such as social justice, social impact, corporate engagement, communications, The White House, and now entrepreneurship. Can you tell me more about your journey and how you got to where you are today?

Alencia Johnson: Fast forward to after college, I went to work at Geico. It actually helped me understand corporate culture helped me understand communications at a different pace. I got a first glimpse of how corporations engage with civil rights groups and the government, which actually has helped me through my entire career. Then, I got the opportunity of a lifetime to work on President Obama’s reelection campaign. I talk about that in the book and how I spoke that into existence. Life and death is in the power of the tongue. I moved to Chicago, and my job was on the surrogate communications team. My job was to book all of the Black surrogates from your Valerie Jarrett’s and Congressional Black Caucus numbers to Kerry Washington, Hill Harper, and your favorite rappers in media. I realized then that sometimes it’s not the messenger; it’s the message. I thought Barack Obama was an amazing messenger, but some people need to hear from other people, some other messengers. 

After that, I got the opportunity to work at Planned Parenthood. Then, after that, Senator Warren’s and President Biden’s campaigns. I started working on my own, doing a lot of work with different fashion labels, music labels, and the entertainment industry on how to show up in these moments and use their influence right where they are for good. I recently had the opportunity to work for Vice President Harris’s election campaign in 2024 while writing this book and doing all these other projects. The thread throughout my career is helping people understand people and institutions understand their sphere of influence to do the most good. 

Her Agenda: Going back to what you said about purpose, I know that’s also a big theme in your book. One of the things you said is that purpose isn’t a job or title; it is living at our highest self in search of something bigger. What advice would you give to women who are still trying to find their purpose, or they’re still trying to find their way, or how they can use their voice to create change in their community? 

Alencia Johnson: I don’t know if I say it directly in the book, but I think that you can tell in the theme, a lot of what helps us reveal our purpose is being still and getting back to ourselves. Particularly for Black women, when we take time for ourselves, society has made us feel as though that is selfish, that we are not allowed to do that. And to be honest, that’s because of the institution in which our ancestors were brought here, right? We were not brought here to have leisure and be creative. We were brought here to birth laborers for this country. This is a systemic challenge. On the flip side, it is imperative for us to be still and take care of ourselves. I put in the preface a quote from Alice Walker about having a healthy soul in the face of oppression. And yes, that’s a key piece of our strategy to fight oppression, but the step in between that [is] focusing on ourselves and having this healthy soul and building our courage and being able to get to a place where we don’t care what other people are thinking about what we’re doing.

When you get to that place of understanding or having that courage and that confidence, as well as being still to be able to hear where, whether you’re a person of faith, where God is telling you, whether you’re not a person of faith, but you have these confirmations that you’re on the right path or that there’s something that you should do. That is when you’re able to step out on faith and do it and not be scared to take a completely 180 pivot. Do not be scared to do things that most people might say don’t make sense. You’ll never be able to do it. Then you do do it, right? A friend told me that my book inspired her to quit her job as an amazing, well-known doctor to start her own practice. I fully believe the other thing about figuring out your purpose, the urgency around it, is that all of us have unique gifts and talents. And if we are all in our purpose, that’s collectively moving our communities forward. 

I’ve slowed down in life, but also I’m operating with a sense of urgency when it comes to my purpose because the world around me needs that. If you can’t think of a way to get out of your own way, as Black women do, when we think about the people around us, they need us to be in our purpose more so than anything else.

Her Agenda: I’ve never heard it said like that. What you just said about Black women and us being in our purpose and how that helps our communities. I love the way you put that together. It goes back to that word, disruptor, and you use that a lot in your book. I would love to know what being a disruptor means to you. One of the things that I like is that in your book, you said that it comes in many different forms, whether good or bad. So, what does being a disruptor mean to you? 

Alencia Johnson: Mm, it’s shaking things up, right? A disruption, to your point, it is good or bad. It brings us all to our knees. I talk about how this concept came to me, thinking about my favorite story of Jesus in the Bible when he went to the temple and flipped over tables. He was really upset with what they were doing to his Father and his Father’s name. I was like, wait, why could Jesus be so upset that he went into the temple to flip over tables? We all have proverbial tables and roadblocks in our lives, personally and in the world around us. What does it take to get through those? We have to destroy it and build anew. For me, a disruptor is someone who understands what is in front of me is not working. I do not necessarily have to bring something new to the table but create a new one. There are small ways to do that, and there are significant ways to do it. 

So, a disruptor understands that the shaking of the table has to have a purpose and that they have a plan for rebuilding. They are not afraid to throw things into chaos. We can’t be afraid of disruption. Especially at this moment, we are in a society where people feel unfulfilled, whether in their professional lives or their love lives, friendships, or relationships. It requires us to break down what isn’t working for us anymore. We are at a moment where everyone is required to break down what is not working anymore and collectively build something better. 

Her Agenda: What advice would you get specifically to women who feel they’re going through a disruption in their personal or professional life? You talked about that a lot and weaved in how you figured out how to have better relationships and a better work-life balance. 

Alencia Johnson: I think we feel like failures personally when things don’t work out the way that we want them to. I definitely talk a lot about relationships, and hopefully, I did in a way that none of them can identify who exactly I’m talking about. I also talk about some friendship breakdowns. I was intentionally delicate with that because sometimes, when our friendships break down, it’s not a permanent breakdown. So, I always want to be sensitive to that. 

The advice is to figure it out and stop running from the discomfort. As Black women, we also have to understand that our hyper-independence and our running toward achievement is somewhat of a trauma response. I’m not saying that Black women shouldn’t continue to get an education and boss up in our professional lives, but we have to think about the reason. We have to figure out why we are doing that. Some of that is societal, but some of that is ourselves. I had to sit with, who am I? What do I want? How can I be clear about those things that I want in a world that tells me, as a Black woman, ‘I’m not allowed to say that I want those things.’ So I have to treat myself like that and move through the world, understanding the opportunities that are meant for me will come for me so long as I don’t overstay my welcome and spaces that aren’t welcoming to me, whether relationships, friendships, or professionally. 

I encourage your readers to read the chapter about less is more. That is a transformative chapter for Black women just stuck in that crux, professionally and personally. We have to stay rooted in that and be okay with idle time. Sit there and figure out why you’re uncomfortable with sitting with yourself.

Her Agenda: Switching gears just a bit about entrepreneurship. So we’d love to know more about the agency that you run. How did you come to the place where you were okay with going out on your own? 

Alencia Johnson: I was kind of pushed to that. I filed for my LLC while I was still at Planned Parenthood. Fast forward almost two years after Senator Warren’s campaign was over, and I was taking my little fun [employent] time off. I didn’t want to go on the Biden campaign yet. It was the middle of the pandemic. I was trying to take some time off and figure out what I wanted to do next. I started getting some phone calls from Cecile Richards. We were just talking about what I wanted to do next. Then, two weeks later, a staffer at her organization, Supermajority, called me and said, we want to hire you to do a piece of our portfolio work with these brands and entertainers and this fashion label. 

I was able to lean into my network and lean into the expertise that I knew that I had. In the book, I felt pressured to announce this big agency. I felt pressured to announce all this funding. Then I realized I’m trying to keep up with perception when I’m okay with having a lean staff and only three or four clients at a time, so I have freedom of time. It took some courage in me to push back on society’s expectations that way. So I fumbled into entrepreneurship, but it was chasing after me. I was always told in my performance reviews and every job I’ve ever had [that I] have an entrepreneurial spirit. So I said, if nobody wants to play by my terms, realizing that I’m only here for the job description, let me create my dream job. I’m never gonna build a big agency. I hate managing people, and I had to be honest about that. I love making and creating big ideas. I love doing events. I love creating narratives. I lean into that, and it has boded well for me. But it took some trial and error, but it also took me listening to being pushed.

Her Agenda: Throughout your career and your book, the one theme that I found is that you created a new lane for yourself. What do you think is next for the social impact/political field? 

Alencia Johnson: Yeah, so it’s very interesting. We’re having this conversation where DEI is under attack. I’ll be very honest: I think we’ve gotten so hung up on the acronym versus the actual values. For my entire career, and over the course of all of my jobs, people said, ‘Oh, well, you know, let’s add DEI to your title. Let’s add multicultural to your title.’ Let’s add all these things. I would say no because people of color are the global majority.

Women are also the majority. All these people that y’all are saying are under the DEI framework that’s actually the majority of people. We should be looking at companies and their values. Whether or not they made DEI statements, you can tell by a company’s values and whether or not they’re committed to them. So, when paying attention to that trend over the years and looking at social impact from the lens of cultural change. The way that people vote is just an extension of our values. So, how do we help people understand their values? That’s through culture. That’s through storytelling and expanding their understanding of other people.

I think the reason a lot of people harbor some feelings around immigrants and trans folks is because they don’t interact with them every day is because they’re not exposed to their lives, right? How do you do that? Through culture, through community. I believe the social impact will move that way. Change is not going to happen overnight. It’s not going to happen in four years. We’re not going to see a fully liberated society before we die. It’s going to take generations, and we have to understand what that will look like and what it will take. 

Her Agenda: Anything else you would like to share? 

Alencia Johnson: I will say this quickly about the book. One of my favorite chapters is the very last chapter. I encourage everybody to finish the book because it’s good. Then, most importantly, we have to release the pressure on ourselves. We need to give ourselves more grace and not look at ourselves as problems to fix but as beautifully complex human beings to get to know. I want us to stop looking at ourselves as something that needs fixing. We’re things that just need to be embraced and accepted. And to get there is a beautiful, beautiful place.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Alencia Johnson was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Chantel George is a dynamic leader and the founder of Sistas in Sales (SIS), the largest global network dedicated to empowering women of color in professional sales. A seasoned tech sales executive herself, Chantel has held prominent roles at industry giants like Twitter, LinkedIn, Dataminr, and Yelp. Throughout her career, she has been a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Her experiences and observations inspired her to create SIS, an organization designed to address the unique challenges and opportunities faced by women of color in the sales field.

Sistas in Sales has quickly become a global force, redefining the landscape of sales leadership for women of color. Founded in 2018, SIS has cultivated a thriving community of over 12,000 members across diverse industries. The organization provides invaluable resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities, fostering a supportive environment where women can connect, learn, and grow. 

SIS partners with Fortune 500 companies, tech startups, and consulting businesses to drive systemic change, helping them attract, hire, and retain women of color in sales roles. Through its annual summit, workshops, and online platforms, Sistas in Sales is empowering the next generation of women sales leaders, creating a more inclusive and equitable industry for all.

Her Agenda: What inspired you to create Sistas in Sales?

Chantel George: So I get this question asked a lot, and it makes total sense because it’s an organization that’s grown so much over the years, but I think I can answer this in two folds. As an entrepreneur, it’s always best to solve for something that you have a personal connection with because you’ll have the intuition required to make the right and the best decisions, at least from a vision perspective. You know the problem, like the inside and the back of your hand, and so that was my story. I was in sales. I didn’t have a lot of support, I didn’t have a lot of navigation, a lot of mentorship. I didn’t understand the business. I didn’t understand the industry, and I was tired of feeling like I was just in the passenger seat in my life because so much of your career affects your life, your livelihood, and your lifestyle. And what I ended up doing was interviewing women of color who were in sales I found on LinkedIn, and I would write their stories down, and from there, I would publish it on a website because I wanted other people to learn that you could make $500,000 as a base salary in some very senior career positions. You could have access to a private jet and fly around with the CEO to close deals. You could be flown to San Francisco for a business lunch from your company and flown back the same day. Not ideal. But the point is, when you’re bringing in money into the business, it’s like an unspoken, unpublished, or publicized world. But all I knew as an entry-level sales professional was that I needed to be cold calling and cold emailing, that was all the information I had access to. And after doing those interviews, I was like, wait, being good at sales can mean this. I didn’t know that, and I wanted everyone who worked in sales and liked it to know, especially if you are the first corporate professional in your family, you need to know what awaits you. 

Her Agenda: Were there any obstacles that almost deterred you from creating the platform?

Chantel George: I’m completely self-funded. Bootstrapped from zero to multi-millions over the years, and each partnership means a lot to me. Even in the DEI shifts, we’ve done our best to remain a beacon of light for our community. I mean, there’s a roller coaster we have all been on as organizations that support the community due to political and political policies and corporate policies that have been fluctuating over the past five years. But I think a happy moment has come out of my community, standing 10 toes down for me, like I didn’t expect that type of support coming in the opposite direction. My mission was to make their lives easier. I didn’t think they would make or try to make my life, in my life easier, and so that was a surprise. But  a lot of the women now, they’re advocating for us to keep our programs in their in their institutions, to make sure that our conferences are being funded. They are going to bat for us, and it’s amazing. It’s really beautiful to see so much advocacy.

Her Agenda: You talked about how you felt when you first entered the sales industry. Are there things that you would like to tell women of color to become aware of when they enter sales?

Chantel George: It’s a really great skill set to have as a life skill. So there’s no such thing as entering in the sales industry, because the industries are really vertical, based upon what the company is solving for. So, for example, there’s the automotive industry, there is the retail industry, there is the manufacturing industry, and the technology industry, and all those industries, there needs to be someone responsible to bring in revenue in the company. And I think that it’s better for you to align yourself with an industry in a vertical way, as I mentioned, that you are passionate about. Because working in sales, in said industry will be easier for you because you already like what you do. So if you already like fashion, work in a sales career in a fashion company, or if you like media, or if you like tech, because your job and your life really revolved around telling the story of the company and the industry that you are working in. The storytelling is what’s going to get people to buy from you.

Her Agenda: You formerly worked at Twitter, Yelp, and LinkedIn. Can you describe how those experiences shaped you into the person who can run an international organization?

Chantel George: Without being too into the specifics of the companies themselves, I would say I worked for large businesses, and I got to see how large business operates, and you can’t really read about it; you actually be in it to experience it. So I run my company with some elements of that, where we have departments and KPIs and goals, and we run team meetings very effectively and efficiently. So, I would say that it has helped me bring structure to my company. That’s been the biggest thing. And then, you know, in some cases, like with LinkedIn. LinkedIn was one of our first customers, if you will, like they gave us space to produce an event. It was a breakfast event where we explored the importance of getting an MBA or not in your sales career. And so there are some instances where when you go to a company, you’d be surprised that sometimes that company will support your initiatives and your dreams. That was a very big surprise. Alternatively, the opposite can also happen. You just don’t know, but at the very least, you can walk away with a sense of corporate structure. 

Her Agenda: Can you describe maybe one moment when you thought that failure was on the horizon, whether it was building Sistas in Sales or just trying to build your career, but you persevered?

Chantel George: Anybody that’s doing anything to support a particular demographic right now is going through a lot of stress. So we are all, as much as we can, rising above it. We are all stressed about the state of the world right now. But every day is like a new positive. I always say, one negative for every positive and three negatives is one positive. I keep score like that throughout the day, and because I remember that. The challenges are financial. Because, I mean, we’re in a state of disproportionate defunding. There are financial challenges, but I think, I think even outside of that, there are psychological changes that are happening, but people are really sitting with themselves, trying to figure out what side of the fence they are on. And that’s caused a lot of mental health issues for everyone. 

When running a community organization, you feel that. I’m very close to it. I can feel my community aches. [But] there’s some good stuff happening. So we have a conference coming up in four weeks called Aspiring Sellers. It’s for new people who want to enter sales for the first time. And, of course, we have our major event for professional sales professionals in September in Midtown, New York. Sisterhood is the core of everything that we do. 

Her Agenda: What advice do you have for someone trying to build a community similar to Sistas in Sales?

Chantel George: Community business is hard work, so I think you’ve got to determine if it’s something that you want to do professionally or if you can just do it as a part of your personal give back. I do this professionally, but it is not a requirement. I also did it as a side business for years, and I’ve been a professional community builder for about three years. And I would say that there are pros and cons to each, but I don’t believe that you need to. Not everyone is cut out to do this full-time. So my advice is to really think about whether this is something that you need to create into a livelihood for yourself or something that you can do occasionally. Some people just like to gather their friends or their alumni group or their sorority sisters or whatever it may be, and they’re just good gatherers. Don’t get caught up with all of these communities and events and flashy things that show up here or there. It’s very stressful to run a community, and it requires you to be very vulnerable and always exposing yourself in order to keep your connection going with your community. And so that can be difficult over time. But even outside of being a community leader full-time I’m also ensuring that our business is not only based upon qualitative information, but that we are collecting quantitative information about our network so that we can serve them better. For example, when people sign up to be a member where we’re asking them the questions, we’re looking at that data and we’re creating programs for them that serve them. 

There’s also a technology side attached to community building and a way to really understand the data of your community so that you can make sure that you’re giving them what they need. In a lot of communities, especially those that were founded maybe in the 60s and 70s, collecting data about your community was not the most important thing. In this day and age, it’s critical because there are so many places to get community, and nowadays, you’re only going to go to the ones that are super-serving you. I don’t think people are spending money, time and energy at an event that’s generic. The only way to do that is to ask a really robust collection of questions at the onset of someone becoming a member of that community so that you can serve them.

[Editor’s note: This feature has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Chantel George was originally published on HerAgenda.com

In a marketing landscape full of constant change, few have made their mark with the same level of influence and creativity as has been achieved by Jerri DeVard throughout her career. As founder and chief executive officer of the Black Executive CMO Alliance, also known as BECA, Jerri has done more than shape some of the world’s most iconic brands; she’s reshaping the future of marketing leadership itself. From working with industry giants like Verizon, Pillsbury, and scores of other Fortune 500 companies to founding BECA in 2021, her journey is a career of excellence and intentional change-making. 

Through BECA’s flagship program, the BECA Playbook, Jerri is actively developing the next generation of Black marketing executives, creating a powerful ripple across the industry. Her approach to marketing is refreshingly straightforward yet profound: know what you’re selling and who you’re selling it to. This simplicity, combined with her deep understanding of how to build desire and connection with consumers, has made her one of the most respected voices in the industry.

Below, in this interview with Her Agenda, Jerri shares what she’s learned from this exceptional journey, what the future of marketing will be amidst AI, and, of course, imparts wisdom for future marketing leaders. It is a story that deals with a lot more than success: how she created change in this world and left a mark in the field of marketing.

Her Agenda: What motivated you to step into a role as a change-maker for Black executives in marketing?

Jerri DeVard: I wouldn’t say that I stepped into a role to be a change-maker for Black executives in marketing. I happen to be a Black executive in marketing. The change that I wanted to create was much broader in scope in terms of brands and their customers, their reputation, their profitability, and their growth.

Her Agenda: Can you tell us about how you first got into marketing?

Jerri DeVard: What attracted me to marketing was really an internship that I had when I was in graduate school that made me realize that I wanted to become a marketer. Then wanting to be a marketer, I wanted to learn from the best companies that were out there. I also had some internships that told me that I didn’t want to be an engineer. When I was in college, I had engineering internships because before I became an econ major, I majored in engineering. 

Her Agenda: What unique challenges have you faced in marketing?

Jerri DeVard: In marketing, there are always people who feel that they can do it better, faster, cheaper, more efficiently, and more effectively. Some organizations are misguided into thinking that marketing is a cost center rather than revenue generation. They tend to look at the investment in the company, the brand and your customers, and your growth as expenses as opposed to investments. The challenge is proving to people that what you’re doing does affect the top and bottom line, that it’s not subjective, and that it’s not just someone’s opinion. It’s based upon some science and some insights, but also some intuition and gut around what you think is best.

Her Agenda: Can you tell us about BECA and its mission?

Jerri DeVard: BECA stands for the Black Executive CMO Alliance. It is a trade organization made up of Black C-suite executives. We have presidents and CEOs and COOs and chief revenue, chief brand, chief experience, and chief growth officers. You have to be the top marketer in your organization to be a member of BECA. The organization was started in 2021, and we come together for four things – this is our bible: we share, learn, elevate, and pay it forward. If we’re not doing one of those four things, then we’re not doing BECA.

Her Agenda: What specific programs does BECA offer?

Jerri DeVard: We have a program that we co-developed with Deloitte called the BECA Playbook. It recruits mid-level, mid-career Black marketing, and marketing-adjacent professionals at the manager, senior manager, or director level. It’s a two-year journey where participants are sponsored by their organization. They have to be high potential, commit 100+ hours to the program, ensure they’re going to pay it forward for the next generation and attend all sessions. Every other week, there is a session with a subject matter expert who may or may not be a BECA member.

Her Agenda: Have you seen success stories from the BECA Playbook program?

Jerri DeVard: Yes, in our first class, 25% of our future leaders received a promotion to VP, and 50% received additional responsibility. They credit BECA for their success, saying what they learned gave them the ability to be successful in their organization. We’re approaching 100 future leaders with four cohorts running. We now have two alumni groups, and 95% of them said it was worth their time and making them better marketers.

Her Agenda: What’s your favorite thing about marketing?

Jerri DeVard: My favorite thing about marketing is that you can build desire. I’ve worked on new products that had no customers, no consumers, and no revenue, and you can see how you can build that in a way that is sustainable and convinces people that your brand is better than others. Everything you buy is a function of marketing, and to work for iconic brands and be able to say, ‘Yes, because I told a story that was relevant’ – that’s powerful.

Her Agenda: What do you think are the key elements to being successful in marketing?

Jerri DeVard: There are only two things that it takes to be successful in marketing: you have to know what you’re selling and who you’re selling it to. Once you get that, you’re good. But you get twisted when you don’t know the answer to one of those. The task is simple, but the execution is complicated.

Her Agenda: Who has been one of your most influential mentors?

Jerri DeVard: Bruce Gordon at Verizon will always have a sweet spot in my heart. He was the first person that really demonstrated to me what true leadership was. He was someone who was idolized from the mailroom to the boardroom, who understood not just marketing but how to run a $39 billion business. He showed me that the skills to be successful were not a zero-sum game – that you could be kind and empathetic and smart and funny and approachable and caring and be a great leader and get the job done.

Her Agenda: How do you envision the future of marketing?

Jerri DeVard: AI is revolutionizing marketing in good ways. While we should be skeptical, there’s the ability to leverage tools of generative AI to make the business better. It can be amazing for customer service, testing ideas, campaigns, messaging, taglines, and positioning. These are ways to efficiently process ideas and get feedback that saves time and money. But marketing should always be the voice of the customer – that should never change, even as our tools evolve.

Her Agenda: How do you balance the high-pressure nature of your career?

Jerri DeVard: I am blessed to have a strong support system. I’ve been married to the same man for 42 years. I still love him. He still loves me. I have two incredible children, one who has blessed me with two grandchildren. My mother just turned 90, my dad is 101. My brother and I are close. I have many friends – these are the people that will be at my funeral. These are the people that I love and truly love unconditionally. I’m blessed to have that.

Her Agenda: What legacy do you hope to leave through your work with BECA and your broader career?

Jerri DeVard: The legacy of building future leaders. That’s why we call the mid-career professionals who participate ‘future leaders.’ The apostles, the graduates, the folks that go out and change the world as a result of what they learned from us – that’s the legacy. It’s not the title I had, the job I had, the boards I served on or achievements. It’s about the people that we made a genuine connection with that was sincere, real, meaningful, and everlasting. As Maya Angelou said, people won’t remember what you said, but they’ll remember how you made them feel. That’s what I work on.

Her Agenda: Do you have a mantra or saying that you live by?

Jerri DeVard: Do right, fear not. If you’re doing the right thing, there’s nothing to fear. If you’ve done what you think is your best, and it was right, don’t second guess it. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Don’t run from it. People want to sometimes always appear to be the best version of themselves. You can’t always do that. And if you’re always the best version of yourself, then how do I know who you really are? Success has a thousand parents, and failure is an orphan. So be yourself, but do the right thing ethically, morally, and spiritually. And then don’t worry about it.

Her Agenda: What advice would you give to someone who’s thinking about getting into marketing but feels hesitant?

Jerri DeVard: You’ve got to know your ‘why.’ If you haven’t gotten in, why? You’ve got to overcome that before you can do it. As Lauryn Hill says, ‘How are you going to win when you ain’t right within?’ Why haven’t you done it? If you can unpack the why, then I think that will empower you to get what you want. Sometimes, we’re our own worst enemy. We doubt, we second guess, but why not? You get the life you build. So, if you want something, figure out a way to get out of your way to get what you want.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Jerri DeVard was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Jenni Wolfson grew up in Scotland, a Jewish girl confronting antisemitism that could have silenced her. Instead, it sparked something fierce—a fire that would become the driving force of her life’s work: storytelling as a tool for justice and change. As the first CEO of Chicken & Egg Films, a nonprofit supporting women and nonbinary documentary filmmakers, Jenni has transformed the organization quintupling its annual grantmaking while nurturing a community of 500 filmmakers whose works have shaped the cultural and political landscape.

Films backed by Chicken & Egg have earned Oscar nominations, Emmy nods, and Sundance accolades, films like American Factory, Writing with Fire, Ascension, and The Eternal Memory—stories that expose truths, illuminate lives, and move audiences to action. And her commitment has not gone unnoticed. The Women’s Media Center honored her with its Lifetime Achievement Award, and DOC NYC named her a Leading Light, titles that seem to affirm what Jenni has known all along: purpose, not fear, is what drives impact.

Jenni herself is a storyteller at heart, but her greatest narrative is the one she’s lived—one defined by risk, resilience, and relentless purpose. “Every time I put myself a little bit outside of my comfort zone,” she says, “I reap the highest reward personally and professionally.” 

Learn more about Jenni’s journey and her why in our interview below.

Her Agenda: What is your ‘Why’? Why do you do what you do?

Jenni Wolfson: I want to live in a world where people can live up to their full potential. And I want to live in a world that is driven by love and not hate and fear of people who are different from us. That is what drives me. Chicken & Egg Films supports women and gender-expansive documentary filmmakers all over the world with funding, mentorship, and access. And that is so they can tell stories that ignite change. And so I do what I do because I believe in the power of storytelling to make the world a better place.

Her Agenda: How significant is your upbringing in correlation to the work you do?

Jenni Wolfson: It’s so important. In fact, I don’t think I would be doing what I’m doing now if I didn’t have the experience that I had growing up in Scotland. And I was one of just a few thousand Jewish people in the whole country, and so I grew up with a whole lot of antisemitism. I would get to the front of the dinner line with my tray of food, and the older students would be like ‘Jew to the back.’ So I grew up, and I wasn’t religious, so I was like, ‘wow, there’s so much ignorance out there and fear.’ Most people who were either antisemitic or racist hadn’t even met someone from a different race or a different religion. It’s a long securitist way but I feel like being outraged by injustice, I was also very much activated by it. And so that is so much what has driven me to work in the field of social justice.

Her Agenda: Is there another profession you think you’d be doing if you didn’t have a significant impact from your upbringing?

Jenni Wolfson: I used to think I would be a spy [chuckles]. I don’t know if that was because I was really good at hiding things from my parents, but I also thought I would make a really good spy. And I was quite good at languages as well. I’m not sure I would have ever become a spy, but that’s the alternative career path that I can think of. 

Her Agenda: If you could identify one word to describe Chicken & Egg Films, what would it be and why?

Jenni Wolfson: The word would be expansive. And that is because of the breadth, depth, and reach of our work. We support documentary filmmakers all over the world. We support stories about all issues, from reproductive rights to criminal justice, immigration, gender violence, and so much more. And we support filmmakers at all stages of filmmaking and all stages of their careers. So expansive comes to mind.

Her Agenda: With your background in activism, is there a goal for expanding your reach?

Jenni Wolfson: So I think the biggest challenge that our organization and all documentary filmmakers and film organizations are experiencing right now is distribution. There is no shortage of cinematic impactful films that are being made, but there are more limited opportunities to have those films seen and distributed. And I believe that there’s an audience out there who wants documentary films. I don’t think we should underestimate our audiences. And as much as I like to watch entertainment and stories about celebrities, I think people do want real stories about real people, that both represent their communities, but also open a window to a world that they might never see. So I hope that this year we will expand more into educational, digital, and new platforms, to reach the millions of documentary audiences out there who don’t have an opportunity to see enough good films. 

Her Agenda: Did you always envision becoming the CEO of any company?

Jenni Wolfson: No, I think my dad probably did [chuckles]. When you’re the CEO of a nonprofit that usually includes a lot of fundraising, and nobody becomes the CEO because they want to go out there and try to get money to run your organization, that is a tough part of the job. But I see that part of the job as movement building, relationship building, and advocacy and communication. So I’ve come to love that part of my job for the most part. But I don’t think I ever had a plan, I was sort of a one-day-at-a-time person. So I’ve had leadership roles in the past, and I’ve even been an interim CEO of my previous organization. And I’d also been in leadership roles when I worked with the UN (United Nations) and UNICEF where I was the only woman on the leadership team. So I like the idea of stepping up and taking space as a woman.    

Her Agenda: What was your ‘AHA’ moment that made you realize you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing? Or living in your purpose?

Jenni Wolfson: Ouuu my ‘aha’ moment. Probably my aha moment was when I got my first proper job with the United Nations, going with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to Rwanda right after the genocide to investigate human rights abuses. That was a risky job to take that entailed moving across the world to do something I’d never done before. There was a moment when we sadly lost colleagues, and many people left the UN in Rwanda after that time, and I stayed, I knew I didn’t want to die from my job, but I also knew I wouldn’t stop doing it. And so I think in those early years, I realized that this is the work that I want to do, and I felt very connected. I don’t know that there was one aha moment, but it was very clear that this was a job that I was willing to take risks for. 

Her Agenda: What has been your greatest accomplishment thus far in your career?

Jenni Wolfson: The courage to take jobs that always seem like a stretch. I once got amazing advice from an executive coach when I said to him, ‘I don’t know if I’m qualified to do this job’ when I was thinking of applying. He said, ‘It’s not your job to decide if you’re qualified, that’s their job, it’s your job to decide if you want it.’ And so I think that always being driven by purpose and mission, not letting fear stand in the way, and realizing time and time again that every time I put myself a little bit outside of my comfort zone, I reap the highest reward personally and professionally.

Her Agenda: What is your greatest passion in life that you’d do for free?

Jenni Wolfson: Travel [chuckles]. I love to travel. And I’d love to travel for free, can you make that happen?

Her Agenda: [chuckles] I wish, I would join you. That sounds amazing! Last question here. What do you project your next power move to be in 2025?Jenni Wolfson: I think post the US election in a world where the narratives that are being told don’t always reflect the reality of the world we live in, I think my next power move is my current power move. It is that stories and narratives change are so crucial to expanding people’s hearts and minds. And I think we need that now more than ever. I think we need films that inspire empathy, learning, and action. And so I’m going to continue to support filmmakers to make sure that those stories are being told, reaching audiences, and hopefully leading us to a world where there is more tolerance and less misogyny and racism and all the ‘isms’ that we’d like to see die a fast death.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Jenni Wolfson was originally published on HerAgenda.com

As 2024 draws to a close, we can reflect on the highs and lows across our personal and professional lives. Whether you use the new calendar year to inspire big changes or continue amplifying the progress you achieved this year. We look towards HerAgenda’s Power Women as a source of inspiration coming into a prosperous 2025. 

Here are 12 motivational quotes from women at the top of their industry, along with what has helped them achieve success.

“Do not be distracted by what other people are doing or have done in the past.” 

”Things that worked back then are not working right now, so don’t let other people distract you and tell you what you should be doing and what you need to be doing. Literally, put your blinders on! Be aware of the climate but put your blinders on. You have to be confident in who you are as a person and you have to be innovative to stand out in the crowd. Don’t worry about what other people are doing. Just focus and pray and do your thing.”

– Robyn Atwater, Founder of CURLDAZE Haircare

“Women need to be aware of owning their voice.”

“It is recognizing that you have the experience, knowledge, confidence, and right to sit at the table you are at. If you are not at the table that you want to be at, you have a right to change courses and navigate getting there. As women, we sometimes become a wallflower as we are unsure if we should voice our opinions or ask for better. Women should find their voice and use it confidently because we have a lot to say and there is a lot to be said.”

– Monika Pierce, DEI Executive

“Predefine your goals.”

“Professionally, let them evolve, of course, but try to keep a sense of and be really clear on what you want to get out of a job, and what you want to get out of your personal time. I love goal setting. It’s such a powerful force for you to guide decisions [and] to help you allocate your time. That certainly comes as part of the job process, too, because you want to know what you go in for, and it may change, but then it helps you decide when it’s time to move on.”

– Noorian Khan, Senior Advisor to the President, The Ford Foundation

“Your self-worth cannot be contingent upon someone else’s judgment.”

”If it is, you will always be at the mercy of their judgment. You can do all the things, you can get all the degrees, you can make all the money, you can gain access to all of these circles but if you’re relying on those people, and those institutions and those factors to give you self worth, that can be taken away from you at any time.”

– Natasha S. Alford, VP of Digital Content for theGrio, Anchor for theGrio TV, CNN Political Analyst

“You have to really look at what it is you want out of your life and where you think you could make an impact.”

”One of the things I always wanted to do was drive value and add impact. If you have the courage to do it, you could be really happy and live the life that you want to live. But you have to be honest about your skill set and what you want to do moving forward. And then you have to put in the work, too.”

– Nadine Karp McHugh, Founder & CEO of Evolve Up

“Give Yourself Grace.”

”There’s no way that anyone can make every perfect decision, and certainly not everyone is going to be happy.”

– Christine Simmons, COO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

“You’re in the room because of who you are.”

“You don’t have to imitate anyone. Once you’re in the room, you have to embrace it and take hold of it. Always be prepared. The biggest moments in my career happened because I was ready when they came. Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.”

– Connie Orlando, Executive Vice President of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET Networks

“Be as transparent and as honest with your audience as possible.”

”If you are, you don’t have to doctor all these different pieces of content. If you are being honest and who you are on a daily basis, and maybe sharing pieces of that along the way, then it’s ‘as this journey unfolds,’ I get to be authentically myself and attract this audience along the way because I am just being me.”

– Deja Riley, Dancer, Trainer, & Lululemon Global Ambassador

“There’s nothing wrong with not being at the top.”

”We’re needed everywhere. Sometimes you’re called to be that person that supports the person at the top. Think about what your call is. It’s weird, I always thought of myself as supporting that person at the top, but I would always end up at the top. At the end of the day, if you choose to accept this mission or something like that, it is worth it.”

– Kelley Cornish, President and CEO of The T.D. Jakes Foundation

“Success does not come from working constantly.”

“I actually believe in the opposite. I really value work-life balance and prioritizing rest when it’s time. We live in a culture of glorifying hustle and ‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead,’ quotes, but burnout is real. As a creative person, I think rest and replenishing yourself is extremely important. We are empaths so situations can affect and drain us easily. Sometimes, we are called to create on-demand and the creativity of coming up with ideas, pitches, and concepts needs to come from somewhere. If you’re never taking time to breathe, restore, live life, watch a film, go to a museum, listen to live music, get inspired, and refill your creative tank, where would you be pulling your inspiration from? Success comes from consistency, learning, and stretching yourself to take on new challenges.”

– Kara Barnett, Creative Director, Netflix Strong Black Lead

“Friendship is a very untapped source of joy.”

“As busy working professionals, we put friendship on the back burner. I tell people to put one day a week on their calendar, and pick a block of time: Thursday night dinners, Saturday morning bunches, that’s friendship time that is blocked out. Then, fill it in every week. Just fill it in. Because the reality is that if we’re not strategic about refilling our tank and being intentional about joy, it’s actually going to drain us and when we’re drained, it makes it much easier for a lot of those negative thoughts, that ‘not enoughness’ to creep in”

– Isa Watson, Tech Entrepreneur And Author

“You’ll never figure it all out.”

”I really believe that if you are so clear on what you want your path to look like, you might not have the connections yet, you might not have the financial status yet, but it will come.”

– Nikki Cameron, Director of Development at Bunim Murray Productions

This article 12 Motivational Quotes And Inspiration To Start 2025 was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Tiffany Hardin is the CEO and founder of Gild Creative Group, an influencer marketing agency that bridges brands with the world’s most influential voices. At the heart of Gild’s mission is a simple yet powerful idea: authentic connections drive impact.

Tiffany’s career began in the music business, where she honed her skills in talent management and marketing to create culturally relevant stories that build meaningful connections, driving trust, awareness, and impact. Her work with major brands like Hulu, Onyx, Microsoft, and Target reflects her ability to amplify creators and influencers while bringing brands closer to the audiences they serve.

Now, Tiffany is expanding her vision as she builds Represent, a creator services tech startup aimed at empowering talent and redefining opportunities in the creator economy. She’s also the driving force behind Conscious Hustler, a professional development curriculum and lifestyle brand that challenges traditional “hustle culture” by advocating for balance, intention, and purpose. Through her Conscious Hustler podcast, Tiffany shares insights and inspiration, creating space for those seeking sustainable success.

Her Agenda sat down with Tiffany to explore her journey in influencer marketing, the role emotional intelligence has played in her entrepreneurial path, and the legacy she hopes to leave for the next generation of creators and entrepreneurs.

Her Agenda: Can you define influencer marketing in your own words and explain its importance to the media industry? 

Tiffany Hardin: The root of influencer marketing is connected to trust [in people] who have built an audience on [social] platforms that can support the spread of a product, service, or idea. I think there’s even a more basic version of that though, where everybody in their own right is an influencer. Everybody has been influenced by someone. In the advertising world, we consider influencers, [and] sometimes that’s interchangeable with creators, [to be] people who have large audiences and can share something that they are really interested in, whether that’s a product, a service, or an idea, and post that to their channels or share that message with their audiences. That creates a result. That result can be awareness, so that [the] audience now knows this person enjoys something and they’re willing to try it. In marketing, that’s called consideration. Someone creates an action and that creates a lead for that product or that idea through going to a website, putting your email in, doing some type of action. 

Just like there are commercials on TV, there are commercials on social [media], and the people that you know, like, and trust are becoming commercials. It didn’t always used to be like that. We’re in that space now where there’s more opportunity for [diverse creators] to make money using and operationalizing their social and creative capital. [At the same time,] we’re also finding that there’s a pay gap between white creators and nonwhite creators. In terms of infrastructure, there’s not enough diversity in who gets to essentially win in this space.

Her Agenda: Going back to your shift from working in corporate to now being an entrepreneur, when did you know the corporate world wasn’t for you? What made you want to break out and start your own agency?

Tiffany Hardin: I will be honest. I knew I was going to be an entrepreneur very early on, before work. Before I even knew what work was. It was something that my mother instilled in me as an opportunity. She was an entrepreneur. She was a self-taught software analyst and worked for major technology firms. Through her, I was able to understand that there are more opportunities. The thing I want to say about my mom is that she’s no longer with us. She passed unexpectedly in 2020. But she taught me that no matter what it is that you want to do, you can do it. I saw her, at that time, make her own business card, and create her own stationery. I saw her pitch her services, but I don’t think I had enough appreciation for it at the time because I was a kid. But, she really exposed me to possibility and vision. 

I think the speed of entrepreneurship has always been in my spirit. I come from a long line of entrepreneurs, even through the reconstruction era and on. Because I was getting into a very niche field, I knew that I needed to learn from being an assistant. When I started my career, I started in talent management at Violator, which was run by Chris Lighty and Mona Scott Young, and I worked directly for her. I [worked] for Translation under Steve Stoute, and I started as his assistant before I moved into the strategy department. What was fascinating to me was that I’ve always worked for entrepreneurs as well. I always saw entrepreneurship, but I wasn’t ready to do it on my own. I knew that I had to learn. 

[When] I was working at the agency, the sort of cultural context at the time was that social [media] was just developing. The iPhone just came out. Even when the iPhone came out, we didn’t have all these apps yet, right? So then you have the advent of the App Store and people having access to Instagram and Twitter and things from their phones. And then I’m working in the social strategy department, doing what we now call influencer marketing. On the side [I was also] managing talent. At the time, it was both music talent and influencer talent, and we’re still trying to convince brands that influencer marketing is a thing. This is very early days of influencer marketing. Today, you could talk to a brand and say, ‘Hey, we think you should do a creator program or an influencer program.’ And they’re like, ‘Yeah, sure, of course.’  [Back] then, it was, ‘Oh, we don’t know.’  

Social media is growing; people are starting to grow their audiences based on their cultural points of view, and brands are starting to pay attention. That is the petri dish that I had when deciding I was going to start my own company. If I could do it for this one agency, why can’t I do it everywhere? I don’t know who I thought I was. 

There was a particular moment when my now mentor and then boss at the time, Marcus Collins, and I had a conversation in the middle of a review. He asked me this question that just stuck to my bones and he was like, ‘Tiffany, why aren’t you doing what you want to do?’ That threw me for a loop because I thought I was hiding my contempt for that space at a time when I just wanted to do my job and keep it moving. But the reality was that I had a higher ambition and the ambition that I had, there wasn’t space for it to grow there because the agency wasn’t ready.

Her Agenda: Having Gild Creative Group under your sleeve, the podcast Conscious Hustlers, and being a leader and entrepreneur in different communities and building community, how have you used your emotional intelligence to keep yourself balanced and afloat while tackling different endeavors? 

Tiffany Hardin: I think emotional intelligence is operating in its highest form when you’re doing it with yourself. A lot of people can intellectualize emotion, but when it comes to themselves, they’re slamming doors and stomping their feet. So for me, I allow myself to let it be, whatever the thing is. If I’m feeling an emotion, whether it’s my self-critic, [or] I didn’t like the way something was delivered, I remember everybody’s human, myself included, and I allow myself to let the emotion pass as much as possible and to find the clarifying lesson. I’m good to tell myself, it’s okay to not respond. It’s so easy to find the critic, find the compassion. That’s the thing for me that took work. So, I try to use my emotional intelligence to not only help me manage myself and people but also to find compassion.

Her Agenda: The creator services startup that you’re getting ready to bring to the world, Represent, what gaps do you believe [it] will help fill in the creative industry? 

Tiffany Hardin: I’m really excited about the startup because the people that are getting paid the real money [in the creator economy are] the ad tech firms, the social platforms, and advertising agencies. But, it’s centered on creators and 73 percent of creators are not represented. What happens when you’re not represented can equal a lack of operational support, inequitable deals, inefficient deal flow, and ultimately it’s stunted growth. Only 25 percent of creators are making at least $50,000. Of the 200 million creators that are active as creators, only 66 percent of them are doing it part-time. Most creators are women, and those creators are happy with their work. A little less than half, 44 percent, say [that] the work that they do in creative marketing is supporting their life and their families at home. Representation is the difference between people growing their business beyond $50,000. But not everybody wants to give up 10 to 20 percent of their income to have representation. Not everybody needs representation. Sometimes, you just need a good CRM [customer relations management), and some automated emails.  

Canva is to design, what Represent will be for the representation for creators. The manager in your pocket. Creators who are looking to grow their wealth, grow their skill set, and upskill their career are going to need to talk to some people. So, it’s an expert marketplace. It’s an opportunity to chat with talent support specialists. It’s an opportunity to get legal documents reviewed. It’s really a system by which they have access to a manager in their pocket through a subscription service. That is the thing that people are missing. There is not going to be a shortage of creators anytime soon. Creator marketing is going to continue to get bigger. It’s going to be a $500 billion business by 2027, and 97 percent of marketers use creators.

Her Agenda: What do you hope that the next generation of entrepreneurs, creatives, and talent in general learn from you and what you’ve been able to do for yourself?

Tiffany Hardin: I want my legacy to mean a few things. I want people, when they think of me, to think of just the idea of infinite possibility. I think we live in a world where people are waiting for someone to tell them who they are and what to do. Having high expectations for yourself is okay. Having compassion for yourself is even better. I want people to see my career and believe that whatever they want to achieve is possible. If they listen to my personal story, they’re gonna find a lot of the same feelings that we all have, which is self-doubt, scarcity, and all the feelings of the feelings wheel chart is all there. But like Beyoncé said, my fears aren’t going where I’m headed. I think about that line a lot. I want to create an impact that supports my industry and the people that make up the culture. I want them to have the opportunity to say [they were] able to build [their careers] because this product existed. Because I listened to that podcast and was inspired or recommitted to my purpose. I want people to be able to feel like who they are matters, no matter what they’re doing. It’s a hard question, but I feel like at the root of it, I want people to look at me and my career and feel like they were seen, they were heard, and they were considered in the building of all the things that I put out into the world. 

Her Agenda: What is your motto?

Tiffany Hardin: It’s my family’s motto. Keep on keepin’ on. I have one more. If ‘keep on keepin’ on’ was the hustle part of it, the conscious part is (my mom would always say this) don’t let anyone steal your joy, not even me. Honestly, that’s where this comes from, you know? The joy in my heart comes from growing up with parents who had high expectations of me, but, they [also] had joy in their hearts. They operated from a generous place. It makes so much sense for me to be in this space and operate from this space because my intentions are true and real. And I’ve been, quite frankly, trained to produce this type of work with the right intentions and I can lead teams and lead people as a mindful leader.

Her Agenda: Is there anything else that you want to share? 

Tiffany Hardin: I also want to remind people, especially those of us who are hyper-independent creatives and founders, that you need people to share your dreams and to share your progress and to share your wins. I’m in a place in a space right now where I’m scared out [of] my mind. I’ve never started a startup. I’m building a tech platform [and] I haven’t done that before. My immediate circle hasn’t done that before. So, allowing myself to be scared and do it anyway because my fears aren’t going where I’m headed, shoutout to Beyoncé.  I like to tell people God is in the business plan. I got this download, I’m putting it into action, and my challenge to myself is literally allowing my network to know what my vision and my plans are so that other things can be activated. Hiding behind our cool idea that’s not ready yet, no one cares. No one’s judging you. No one’s gonna be critical of you. Just start talking about your vision. Start talking about your idea, and every day, put a stake in the ground that gets you closer to that. When Represent comes out, that’s going to be the stake in the ground for creators.

[Editor’s note: This feature has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Tiffany Hardin was originally published on HerAgenda.com

One thing about Candace Queen? She knows the importance of advocating for herself and others. 

Candace Queen is the Executive Vice President of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), where she champions diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) through impactful storytelling and industry-wide initiatives. Recently, Candace played a pivotal role in producing the AAF’s 2024 Mosaic Awards, a night dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the individuals, agencies, and brands at the forefront of multicultural excellence. Held at Guastavino’s in New York City, the Mosaic Awards brought together industry leaders and innovators to spotlight campaigns and creatives pushing the boundaries of inclusive advertising.

As an executive leader within the AAF, Candace directs the Mosaic Center of Multiculturalism‘s DEI initiatives, focusing on removing barriers for underrepresented talent and building community through mentorship and advocacy. This year, Candace helped launch the Mosaic Center’s first scholarship program to bridge financial gaps for diverse, emerging talent—a moment she describes as deeply rewarding and a testament to her commitment to “lifting as you climb.” Her work reflects a deep-rooted passion for nurturing new generations of talent while promoting authentic representation in media.

Candace’s journey from Port Arthur, Texas, to an influential leader in advertising speaks to her dedication and resilience. She brings a unique perspective shaped by her creative upbringing and belief in self-advocacy, as she encourages women of color to apply for the opportunities they deserve and to pivot confidently when needed. Candace spoke with Her Agenda about her career, personal insights on mentorship, and the transformative impact of inclusion in advertising.

Her Agenda: We had a great time at the awards this year. Seeing all the recognition and amazing people getting their flowers was a really good feeling. I’m still living in all the good energy from that night.

Candace Queen: Producing the event, you get so caught up in all the logistics. So, hearing about your experience is a validation of our work. So we were really excited to have y’all there and appreciate y’all putting the time in for it. 

Her Agenda: Did you have a favorite moment this year that you were really happy to see recognized on the stage?

Candace Queen: Issuing our first scholarship out of the Mosaic Center was a big highlight. A major priority for us right now is how we support the communities that we serve. We do a lot of fundraising to support the programs, get folks in the right rooms, and get them hired. There are a lot of financial gaps in that journey. You don’t always have the funds to attend every conference, support a cross-country move, or even finish your degree. To give as much back as possible [is] an exciting and daunting task. But seeing [Joseph] receive that award, seeing [his] speech, his interview, after the fact, you could just tell it was the best investment. We’re really excited to expand that opportunity to others.

Her Agenda: How has your personal and educational journey influenced your passion for cultivating and nurturing new talent? 

Candace Queen: I strive to be what I needed at that age point in my life. I grew up in a very small town, Port Arthur, Texas, and unless you’re a hip-hop head or a sports fan, you probably don’t know much about Port Arthur, and Port Arthur did not know much about advertising or design. I grew up in a very creative home [where] my mom made every single thing or outfit, floral arrangements, curtains, like everything that you could see in our house. And so I was always around a creative environment, but did not know I could finesse that into something that would, one, make an income for me to survive on and thrive on. But then two, how can I commercialize that and make a career out of it? When I started college, I started in business school, and I quickly realized that was not the right trajectory for me, even though I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I took a history of advertising course. Eventually, I transferred from the University of Texas to the University of Houston and joined my student chapter, where I discovered the American Advertising Federation about 15 years ago. That was my first intro to what advertising is and what all the possibilities could be. I learned as I was developing and gleaning all these insights and key learnings going to all the events was to really lift as you climb. So, as much as I was pouring into supporting my personal career growth, I was also being an advocate and championing all the work that Mosaic Center was doing [and[ that other nonprofit organizations were doing to help connect more people of color to the industry. 

Another big thing to know is that I’m also a pastor’s kid, so there’s always just been a servant mindset in everything that I do. I don’t feel like I’m successful unless I’m helping someone else along the way, and that’s really important to me. 

Now, with the work I do with HBCUs for Advertising and the Most Promising Multicultural Student Program, I get that immediate reward of seeing folks get the jobs and get to their ‘aha’ moment. Most importantly, understand your value in what you bring to the table in this industry. Sometimes, the messaging around our work can be misconstrued as some sort of charitable effort. On the student side, for anyone wanting to pivot into this industry from a diverse background, just helping them understand that their story is so important and doesn’t have to be watered down. So that’s really what shaped my passion and commitment to supporting folks in their professional development.

Her Agenda: You mentioned that you do this work with the notion that you’re trying to set students and emerging leaders up for success in a way you wish you had. What is one career advice you wish you had received earlier in your journey that could have made a difference for you?

Candace Queen: It wasn’t necessarily something I wish I would have received in terms of career advice, but something that I did not listen to until I got deeper into my career.

I would get in my head. The first few years into my career, I was just constantly second-guessing myself, always feeling like I wasn’t adequate.

[My dad] would always say, ‘Candace, if they hire you for something, it’s because of who you are, not because of who they want you to be.’ I quit even claiming this concept of imposter syndrome because I’m a firm believer that God created me for a certain purpose, and who am I to undermine what his intentions are for me? The right jobs came when I just started to lean into who I was as a person [and] what my passions were. 

Her Agenda: It sounds like Dad knew what he was talking about! What key traits or actions are essential for women, specifically women of color, to stand out and be recognized in their careers? 

Candace Queen: First and foremost, you have to get comfortable with advocating for yourself and putting yourself out there. We won’t apply for the award, we won’t apply for the grant, we won’t apply for this fellowship, or we’re nervous about asking someone for a recommendation letter [because] we’re ‘not there yet.’ Part of that is not feeling like we deserve that recognition, never feeling like we’ve done quite enough. But as I started to get more comfortable advocating for myself and speaking about my wins, the more I did it and the more fluid it became.

The more you continue to apply for opportunities and reevaluate what you’ve done so far, the more you quantify your impact. We really have to start applying for more opportunities, for recognition, and then when opportunities are presented to us, take it. 

[Millennial women] often stay in one spot because we’ve been taught ‘you’ve gotta hit that two-year mark’ or ‘you’ve gotta hit that five-year mark to show consistency or reliability,’ but we have to prioritize ourselves and our mental health as well, and our career growth. If you’re in a space that’s no longer serving you, being okay with pivoting to the next chapter and doing so without any guilt about what you leave behind is really important. 

Her Agenda: Is there any specific way that you like to track or celebrate your wins?

Candace Queen: I didn’t have a formal process at first. Usually [tracking my wins] would start to come out when I was applying for a grant or a fellowship or any kind of opportunity, but then I got a little bit more formalized. If you’re in corporate America, you should see yourself as a brand and approach it like you would build a tangible product.

I thought of myself as a brand and started conducting brand audits, setting up metrics for success for myself at the top of each year and tracking it mid-year the same way I would do for my clients at my branding and design consultancy, Tabernacle.   I do it for myself now, so it’s a game-changer. It really level-set for what I expected of myself than what I expected from others interacting with me. 

Her Agenda: What are some resources or networks that have been helpful to you as you’ve grown in your career and also even in entrepreneurship? How can women aspiring to be entrepreneurs tap into those spaces?

Candace Queen: I’ve hit pretty much every single nonprofit that supports the ad industry. The AAF introduced me to all that. 

I received my first advertising internship through the 4A’s MAIP program, which is a multicultural advertising internship program, and that was really what set off my pathway into advertising as the Art Director and the designer. I’m also a 2014 Ad Color Future alum, and they became my second client for Tabernacle. And I’ve learned with those networks that you get what you put in. 

As an entrepreneur or a solopreneur, it’s so important to find the right networks. I was struggling as an entrepreneur then because I wanted to be my boss but had no management skills. I was looking for leadership development programs for women, and a program with Vital Voices in Estee Lauder came up called VV Visionaries, a full initiative dedicated to nurturing women leaders who were focused on impact work.

I think for women of color, things like Urban League, NAACP, the Black Chamber of Commerce, figuring out where those communities lie within your city, and leveraging them, because as entrepreneurs, sometimes they can get very lonely.

Her Agenda: As we think about young women who are entering the industry, what advice do you offer them when they are frustrated or struggling with the slow pace of change in media representation? There’s been a lot of change over the years, but we also know there’s a long way to go. What advice do you have for anybody who might be struggling or is frustrated with that?

Candace Queen: Sometimes I find myself in that position. You’re fighting an uphill battle, like, ‘I thought we had this conversation five years ago?’ It can sometimes take another chaotic event or a pandemic to turn the lights on. And so, coming into this industry, I really encourage young women to, pick your battles, and that is strictly from a place of self-preservation because if you try and attack and combat every single thing that surrounds you, you will burn out, so quickly. You’ll lose yourself in the process. It is so important to come in with a strategic mindset in the workplace. When I’ve faced challenges like that, especially when they have been targeted directly toward me, I found value in identifying who my advocates are, knowing that I can’t change everybody’s mind. I can’t make everyone adjust their way of thinking, but knowing that I at least have some allies in this space has been a big source of support. I’m also a big fan that if they don’t value you, find somebody who will. And so it’s really important to just to get comfortable with the fact that you did your first job might not be your best job. Get what you can out of it and move on. Be okay with moving on. Because I do feel like we become guilt tripped and sustain [thinking] ‘Oh, well, then we won’t have any other Black art directors, or we won’t have any other Black strategists.’ You feel the weight of it, and [like] the responsibility of representing your entire community is on you, but you have to know when to make a move and be comfortable and okay with that. 

Her Agenda: Is there anything else you want to add?

Candace Queen: I think it’s important that we understand our ‘whys’ and what our deal breakers are. For me, my ‘why’ is sharing and unearthing untold stories in really interesting ways in different mediums. I’m a multi-hyphenate, and one of my deal breakers has always been if I can’t do multiple things and that be embraced in the space that I work in, wherever I’m working, then I’ll move on and find a space that does embrace it.

I think it’s important for us in this economy right now to ensure that we have multiple revenue streams and income streams because you never know when you’ll lose something. You never know when the tides will turn, and if the pandemic didn’t scare us, I don’t know what will. I would just encourage folks to understand, and assess, how they diversify their income, making that a priority in their greater career strategy and strategic plan, which is really important.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Candace Queen was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Vanessa James, the Trinidadian voiceover queen and founder of Vanessa James Media, is a powerhouse in media and entertainment. Known as ‘the voice you hear everywhere,’ Vanessa’s rich, dynamic tones have brought life to some of the world’s top brands. Recently, she was named the official ‘Voice of God’ for this year’s Global Entertainment Marketing Academy (GEMA) awards, celebrating the brightest stars in entertainment marketing.

From Netflix and CW Network to PGA Tour and Amazon, Vanessa’s voice has been a trusted presence. She’s even the voice heard in New York City’s yellow cabs on 103.5 KTU and recently joined Reach TV Network as the co-host of Business Traveler, a show aired globally in airports and lounges. Her journey into voiceover was anything but typical. Starting as a radio receptionist with a childhood stutter, Vanessa’s journey required tremendous resilience. 

Her story aligns with those of figures like Usher and Steve Harvey, both of whom she’s interviewed, who faced similar speech challenges. After two decades in corporate radio, she launched her own company to pursue storytelling on her terms, all while paving the way for diverse voices in the industry.

In an industry where only 42% of voiceover roles are held by women and only 17.3% by people of color, Vanessa is shifting the narrative. She’s passionate about financial literacy in marginalized communities, and her connection to her Caribbean heritage runs deep. Her writings on Carnival and the diaspora’s cultural impact highlight her dedication to authentic representation.

In a recent interview with Her Agenda, Vanessa shared insights into her career journey, her company’s mission, and her commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices. Vanessa James isn’t just a voice – she’s a visionary, leading with purpose and creating a lasting impact in media.

Her Agenda: First, I would love to start off with your backstory and how you got into the world of storytelling and media

Vanessa James: I started off in radio and that was a way to just connect with millions of people in various markets. And I fell in love with being able to lift lines from a piece of paper and make a story out of it. So radio is where I got my launch in storytelling and media.

That transitioned to editorial work at my local paper in Miami, where I am now. And then that kind of springboarded back into radio, into voiceover, and then into launching my own media company after really wanting to reconnect with my Caribbean roots and tell a lot of those Caribbean stories and highlight Caribbean entrepreneurs and culture and carnival. So for me, VJ Media really is a mixed bag of media where I use all of my strengths, starting with voiceover and storytelling to really kind of lend light to my story and others.

Her Agenda: What do you think were some of the most valuable things that you learned in some of those early stages when you were working in radio? Vanessa James: Oh, wow, so many, right? I think valuable for me, especially as a woman of color in radio and as one of the first female program directors for the market in Tallahassee, I really learned early that gumption is really important, especially when you work for yourself or when you’re working for a corporation or for another entity. Gumption is very important in understanding yourself, and understanding what it is that you want your legacy to be.

I think also being really good negotiators and leaning on mentors if you’re not a good negotiator, that’s one of the things I feel like, if I looked back, I would do differently. As women, we want to do so much.  And we [sometimes say]  like, ‘Oh, I can do all the jobs.’ And that definitely was my story in terms of taking on multiple roles just to kind of show that I could stack up to the fellas who are doing one job for the same money and not negotiating.

For me, being a better negotiator has monetary and non-monetary aspects. Maybe that’s stocks, maybe that’s bonus structures, or something else. So, learning how to be a good negotiator would be my number one goal.

Her Agenda: I think that’s so valuable because sometimes in this media landscape, there’s no playbook. And I like how you said, sometimes as women, we feel like we have to do or we want to do everything.

Vanessa James: We wanna do it all, right? And we overcompensate sometimes. 

Her Agenda: How have you learned to say no or this doesn’t serve me? 

Vanessa James: After taking a step back—and the step back was forced, it was a layoff in 2010—it was the best situation for me because it allowed me to take some time to recalibrate. It was really checking in with myself and saying, okay, here comes the next chapter.

What do I want this next decade of my life to be like, to feel like? What do I enjoy? And that’s when I knew that I wanted to start my own company. I did that in 2010. VJ Media will be celebrating her sweet 15 next year. I can’t believe that I’m saying that. But it’s just tapping into self a simple as that sounds, really understanding, well, what is important to me? What do I want the legacy of my business to be? How do I want it to feel to others? How do I want to engage and connect and collaborate with others? And I learned early, that competition’s not where it’s at, collaboration is where it’s at. And once I learned how to navigate that and infiltrate that into my business, brand collaborations, and collaborations with other women, and other founders, it became really easy, and it became a space where I knew this was my sweet spot. This is what I want to do more of. It’s really understanding and tapping into self about what you want your legacy, your business, and your personal brand to be.

Her Agenda: How have you been able to keep the momentum after all this time?

Vanessa James: Understanding what your goals are and staying steadfast to what they are.  And having multifaceted goals. So that can be monetary, that can be legacy, that can be exposure, that can be collaboration, whatever that is. Having an understanding of what that is from the forefront and checking in with them, checking in with yourself, checking in with your mentor, whoever’s guiding you often.

I also think it’s really important to understand, as you’re navigating the world, that some months, some years may not be profitable, but why? Well, when you come back, and you check in with your why, it definitely helps to fuel you and keep you going. I know that has been a source of inspiration for me. This is why I’m doing this.

How can I tap into that for continued momentum and continued success? So again, it’s self-checks, but it’s really structural self-checks too, checking in with yourself. Also, if I could say, as we’re navigating this new world, I think it’s important to make sure you’re saving and keeping some [cushion] on the side for moments where you feel like, okay, I haven’t made any money, but I have been really good about saving my coins for things that are coming up. Investing back into yourself is really important.

Her Agenda: Do you have something that you are most proud of in terms of your voiceover career? 

Vanessa James: Okay, so in terms of VO, I have a couple. It was really awesome to be able to serve as the narrator for Ada Twist, Scientist. It was founded and executive produced by Michelle and Barack Obama.

It’s about a Black girl scientist who is navigating the world with her friends [it streams] on Netflix. I love doing campaigns for The CW Network, where I get to really flex my promo skills and do things like the WNBA, CW Sports, but also All-American Homecoming that I voiced for the last four seasons.

I loved lending my voice to the Women’s History Month campaign for Infinity Motors. It was their global campaign celebrating women entrepreneurs. So any way that I can flex my Black girl magic across the voiceover landscape, I always love that.

Her Agenda: Do you remember your first big voiceover gig that you got?

Vanessa James: Okay, so the first one, I would sa,y would have been 2012. I did a Macy’s campaign, and I got a call back from Macy’s, and they were like, we love it. And then I got to do all their radio spots here in South Florida for their holiday campaigns. 

My first big promo client on air in terms of network promo TV stuff was the CW for All American Homecoming. And I remember getting that job and it was crazy because I was running out of time and I had a doctor’s appointment.

My agent called and she was like, ‘Hey, need this in 15, can you quickly do it?’ Sure. I jumped into the studio. I’m like, ‘VJ, just read the copy, pay attention to the directions and just roll with it.’

I did two takes, no recuts and booked it. So I think sometimes for VO, [it’s about] getting out of your head and just doing what you think sounds right to you and what you would want to hear on TV.

Her Agenda: I know you said that the layoff was not something that you had intended.  Have you ever thought about voiceover before that? I know you were doing voiceover for radio, but did you ever think it could be a career?

Vanessa James: As big as it is now?  No, I always knew it could be a career, but I will be honest, I just got really seasoned in VO, in terms of outside of radio, maybe in the last seven years, since about 2018. My agent was like, listen, we want to start sending your stuff out for other work outside of radio. Radio was my bread and butter for a good 10 years on its own.

I started to go, okay, wait a minute, I can voice that AT&T spot, Macy’s,[and so forth] and then started booking more commercial work. 

Her Agenda: Oooh, and tell me about the GEMA Awards. 

Vanessa James: It’s essentially where all of the big editors and producers behind the scenes who are producing some of the biggest shows across networks come together and celebrate. So I had a chance to be the ‘Voice of God’, which is basically the big announcer in the room.

Her Agenda: Do you have a dream job voiceover gig? 

Vanessa James: I started off in broadcast at Florida State University and wanted to be the next Robin Roberts. So, I still want to do Monday night football sideline reporting one day, things like that. 

I would have to say voiceover-wise, who doesn’t want to star in an animated film like in Encanto or the next Lion King? Those are huge and very coveted roles. I definitely would love one of those. I wouldn’t mind also voicing a global campaign for an auto brand and really being the voice of the brand.

[Outside of voiceover] I still want to score. I want to do the music score and direct my own short film for Netflix or a brand like that. I’ve actually been working behind the scenes on a project that has been kind of sitting on the sidelines for a minute that I need [to do]. It keeps pulling at my heartstrings. I need to dust it off. I’m still celebrating carnivals of the world because I’m from the Caribbean and it’s very important as a part of our culture. There are a few things [I want to do], but as you can see, it’s all in the world of media and storytelling. 

Her Agenda: What would you say is the toughest part about your job?

Vanessa James: Time discipline is the toughest part of my job. Sometimes, I have an article due or a press trip, and all that has to happen while I still have a full-time VO career.

I’m constantly traveling with my gear, and I think the hardest part of the job, is not just time management, but also, checking in with yourself because it’s really easy [for] a year to go by, five years to go by, and you’re like, okay, I did all this stuff but was it fulfilling? So it’s really important for me for things to be fulfilling as well and not just monetary compensation. 

That’s where I’m at in my journey, and everybody gets to this point at a different time where it’s not just about legacy, it’s about work-life balance. [And for me, it is] very important to be able to pick up and go to the Caribbean or go to France for a week. I want to be able to do those things, so having the balance and the flexibility to be able to do that as an entrepreneur is very important for me, and finding ways that I can navigate to do that more is definitely the goal for the next few years.

Her Agenda: How do you approach a New Year or new step in your career?

Vanessa James: Every year, I do a self-check and a business self-check about every six months, but also I would have to say, I am a lover of the to-do list. I try not to overcompensate on that to-do list and have too many benchmarks to hit because it can feel very overwhelming but I do believe in the philosophy of what are the three important things I need to get done today? What are they? And then what does the week look like? And what does the month look like? And then, is that a part of my six-month and annual goal for myself and my business? That’s really how I approach things. At the end of every year, I take stock of how things went financially, and how things went in terms of the brand and the bigger goals, and then I am making recalibrations. 

Her Agenda:  What’s something encouraging that you carry through life?Vanessa James: Believe it or not, I’m a voiceover actor who has suffered from a stutter. You would never know that. I was born in Trinidad, moved to the USVI, and then came up to the US. I kind of developed an anxiety over my accent. And it really has taken a lot of time for me to break that. A lot of speech therapy to break that. My whole life, I feel like I’ve been doing things scared, speaking in front of crowds, popping a mic, and speaking on the radio. I think it’s really easy to dumb ourselves down for what society thinks is acceptable. It’s really easy to pass on things cause you’re like, I’ll never book that. I don’t know if I’m going to be good enough for that. But if it’s pulling at you it’s okay if it’s not [perfect], how about you just do it scared, see how you feel, what if you love it? Then it catches a fire inside of you that makes you say, you know what? I’m going to polish my skills, and I’m going to give it another round, another whirl, another try. So I say do things scared.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Vanessa James was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Gratitude is more than a fleeting emotion; it’s a transformative force that elevates our lives. Studies show embracing it can unlock a wave of positivity, nourish our health, deepen our connections, and fortify our mental well-being. It’s the secret ingredient to a life of beauty and balance woven into the fabric of our daily existence.

Gratitude is also a very personalized practice, with importance given to reflecting on both the biggest and smallest parts of each day. These Power Women each offer a different approach to defining what gratitude means to them and their mindset.

Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon, Founder and CEO of The Village Market 

As a community builder, Dr Lakeysha Hallmon uses mornings to center herself and build gratitude within her daily routine to reach an optimal mindset,

“I’m so intentional about my mornings, I don’t compromise them. I have to start my mornings with quiet. I have to start my mornings where I have an opportunity to give reverence for being here and an opportunity and gratitude to live, to be healthy, and to have vision. I give thanks for that every day.”

Tia Mowry, Actress, Author and Entrepreneur 

With a multifaceted media career, Tia Mowry may have spent decades in the entertainment industry, but counts ageing as something she counts as being most grateful for. 

“When you wear glasses and when your hair turns gray, that is a blessing. Not many people make it to be able to go through the aging process. I am just grateful to be alive, and well. To me, aging should be a celebration, not something that we hide or don’t appreciate. I’m at a point in my life where I don’t allow people to tell me what beauty is. The way I feel about myself is what I will celebrate.”

Victory Jones, Artist and Co-Founder, The Colored Girl

Victory Jones’ approach to gratitude does not focus on one aspect of her life or career, but focuses on embracing the greatest and best moments of her day-to-day life. 

“I’m just thankful for everything, even the parts that ‘suck.’ I’m grateful for everything, because it’s all a fabric, it’s all part of the fabric of my journey. Gratitude looks like prayer, gratitude looks like meditation, gratitude looks like laughter, and it looks like play. It looks like when I hit my yoga mat, and just let my body flow. When I create an amazing meal when I walk my dog and just have these moments where I’m touching trees, or just literally talking to God. I use my dog walks as meditation/prayer time. Gratitude is everything. Its energy is some of the highest vibrations that we can embody. It probably supersedes love in certain ways.”

Gia Peppers, On-air Talent, and Entertainment Journalist

Acknowledging that everyone makes mistakes and need to learn how to find rejection and redirection, Gia Peppers uses gratitude as trust and in focusing on where she is now, even when that may not be where she wishes to be, and finding her sense of self. 

“Though I am nowhere near where I want to be, I have to be grateful for all of the things that I have and have not done. When I think about the process, I trust it and am not trying to be perfect anymore, I am trying to be authentic. If you get so caught up in what everyone else is saying and doing, you forget who you are, what you are here to do, and every single thing that you said that you wanted when you started.”

Devi Brown, Founder of Karma Bliss

Devi Brown believes in the strength of gratitude to serve as energy and motivation to keep going and move forwards, as well as using it as a source of peace. 

“Gratitude is important because you can’t really live a full life without it. It doesn’t just mean to be thankful. It doesn’t just mean ‘thank you God for giving me this’ or ‘thank you whoever.’ Gratitude is literally synonymous with the lifestyle of mindfulness. Gratitude is finding joy and peace even when things aren’t going your way, and definitely when they are. Gratitude is such an interchangeable word that goes right along with everything that mindfulness embodies.”

Aala Marra, Holistic health practitioner and Founder, aalaCare

Wellness-centered entrepreneur Aala Marra takes her approach to gratitude and applies it to the fundamental basics of existence, and life. 

“Being able to know how to come back into myself and to pour into myself, and to see myself and to cater to my needs and fulfill what it is that I need has been instrumental to my mental and emotional health. I’m grateful for the earth and my ability to make contact with the earth and nature. I’m thankful for being able to be within the frequency of gratitude. It’s challenging for a lot of people to even understand what to be grateful for. I’m grateful for all the necessities and the basics that I have, and I’m grateful for me, and for all the ways I’m showing up for myself.”

This article 6 Powerful Women On Their Approach To Gratitude  was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Alexis Kerr is the Vice President of Mahogany, the beloved Hallmark brand that has built a relationship of trust with the Black community by honoring, celebrating, and supporting emotional connections among Black families, friends, and loved ones for more than 30 years. As Vice President, Alexis elevates how consumers see and experience the brand and is expanding Mahogany into new spaces in the marketplace. Since joining in 2021, she has expanded the brand’s presence into new categories, including the launch on all-new Mahogany.com website, which features a writing community that centers on the voices of Black women and a marketplace for Mahogany products, as well as one from Black-owned businesses. Alexis has also helped expand the Mahogany brand, extend its storytelling to TV, film, and podcasting, and introduced the brand’s two tentpole events: Mahogany Honors and Mahogany Moment. 

Her Agenda sat with Alexis to reflect on the growth she’s accomplished for the Hallmark Mahogany brand, her plans to expand into multicultural experiential events and partnerships as head of Hallmark’s multicultural marketing, and how she leads with her confidence in execution when venturing into new ideas for Hallmark. 

Her Agenda: Before coming into Hallmark Mahogany, you spent nine years working in the automotive corporate side at General Motors. How did you navigate transitioning from the automotive industry to the greeting card industry? 

Alexis Kerr: I think one of the biggest things I had to start off with [was] understanding the actual culture. The culture in automotive is a lot more fast paced at times than it is at Hallmark. There were many more male counterparts at General Motors and Cadillac than there were at Hallmark, so that was a big difference there. After I understood the culture and really got my feet under me, there was a lot more autonomy. I would say that was the biggest piece, I had a lot more autonomy to do what I thought was necessary to move the brand forward into this lifestyle brand. [There were] a lot more women saying, ‘Hey, what do we need to do to help you propel the plan forward?’ 

Before you get to do the work that you need to do at Hallmark, you’ve got to get to know the people and really understand the culture. Once I got through that within the first couple of months, and [I’m] still learning and growing, it’s been an exciting pleasure to have the opportunity to lead the Hallmark Mahogany brand, but also to move into the multicultural space as the Head of Multicultural Marketing. 

Her Agenda: Were there any skills that you transferred over from your work with General Motors that you now use as a VP at Mahogany? 

Alexis Kerr: I think a lot of skills are transferable. No matter what industry you go in, I think there [are] base skills that you need to have and learn as you think about moving forward in your career. The first one is problem-solving. At a quick pace, [you really have to] understand how to look at problems, how to understand situations and conflict and come up with two to three key solutions that will propel the business forward. I dare say you have to make sure you’re fearless. That doesn’t always mean you’re going to get everything right, but you’ve got a large number of people following you and your vision, so you’ve got to be very clear in your vision. You’ve also got to dream and ideate. You have people who are listening to your every single word, so you’ve got to be very clear in the things that you’re doing to move the business forward. 

The other thing is the power of storytelling. You’ve got to learn how to tell concise, clear, and quick stories. Storytelling helps bring large teams along and helps people get to know you. Communication definitely helps. When you’re talking to men in automotive, they like you to be very concise, so I learned a lot of that was transferable here as well [when] talking to other members of the executive leadership staff. Those are probably some of the biggest skills, [along with] empathy. You’ve got a lot of working moms [and] working dads. Over the last couple of years [of] working from home, there may be dogs barking, there may be kids hopping on somebody’s lap during the presentation. I learned a lot about having even more empathy coming on board here at Hallmark.

Her Agenda: There have been so many things added to [Hallmark Mahogany] since you’ve joined, like highlighting Black businesses, creating the contributor network, experiential events like the Mahogany Moment, and also branching into film and telling more Black stories there. From when you came on in 2021, did you always see the brand expanding to this magnitude?

Alexis Kerr: In the beginning, yes. In my interview, I thought of it as an opportunity to expand into a full lifestyle brand because Hallmark owned Hallmark Media and a film site. I knew that we could always be experiential. I knew that there should have been a voice for us in the podcast space. [In] TV and film, we do over 90 movies a year at Hallmark and [I knew] increasing the number of African American actresses and actors in the movies, [producers and directors] behind the scenes, [and] making sure there are opportunities for Black and Brown women to excel in those areas and get additional experience through a brand like Hallmark was important. I didn’t know that the experiential [events] would go as well as [they did]. It’s always a dream to have sold-out events [and] to have tentpole events. We have Mahogany Honors that’s every April, and we have Mahogany Moment that’s happening this September 29th in Atlanta. We started with a lot of research, and [we talked] to our audience. We talked a lot to our consumers, whether it be on social, through listening, [or] deeper research. [We] just [had] a lot of conversations with sisters and really talked about what are some of the things that you would like to see us doing as a brand? We support sisterhood 365 days of the year and the [excellence] in Black women. 

Her Agenda: You mentioned the movies. When [we] think of Hallmark movies, [we] think of joy, happiness, [and] light. How important is it for Black folks to see themselves represented this way on screen?

Alexis Kerr: Media is one of the largest and fastest ways that we see Black and Brown people in general. We knew it was important as a company to really show [this], not just through the Mahogany brand, but also through the Hallmark brand. I think that was the linchpin of some of our successes, that we had Mahogany movies. We also had Hallmark movies with an all-Black and Brown ensemble cast, as well as directors and producers. So, we grew in two ways: with the Hallmark brand and the Mahogany brand. That piece is [exciting], but it’s also necessary. We have this incredible greeting [card] line, but it was also important for us to tell these love stories [and] these Black joy stories in our podcast, which was NAACP nominated this year, but also to tell these amazing stories on the big screen in Hallmark movies. [I’m] really excited about that continued extension of the brand, but [I’m] also excited because [as] Black and Brown people, we need to see ourselves in these positive, non-confrontation, general, soft light spaces as well. As we think about all of the things happening in culture, there needs to be a safe place for us to rest and just chill. You need to be able to kick back on the weekend, kick your feet up, put on your Hallmark pajamas, and watch a story of laughing, relaxing, and getting together. That is part of our story as well. It’s part of our lives.

Her Agenda: You mentioned the Mahogany Honors event. There was a long list of honorees. How did you go about curating the list of women that you and the Mahogany brand chose to honor this evening?

Alexis Kerr: That was a great day of fun [and] excitement. Many of our sisters may have not had the opportunity [to be in] an executive position or leadership position at a Forbes 30 under 30 or Time 50. We looked at that. I actually talked to our team and was like, ‘Who are some amazing trailblazing women who are in corporate America, nonprofits, [and] are leading in an incredible way? Who are some of these incredible women who are doing [the] work who may not have been identified or honored in the past?’ We looked at a lot of different spaces. We looked at the head of PR at Comcast and said, Sophia [Marshall], we want to honor you. We looked at Raj [Register], who is now at Stellantis, formerly Chrysler. So, we wanted to look across all industries, pick 30 women, [like] Pinky Cole, [and have] a number of amazing women in a number of different fields. They all weren’t at the vice president level or even director level. We wanted to tap into our sisters, who are trailblazers. We wanted to look at the fields that are impacting Black women in America and the change makers who are doing incredible things. Publicists and PR teams came to us with a number of different names. Then, on our side, we took a look at all the incredible women who have come to us and are actually making change. We were able to identify these 30 women for our first inaugural class. And then, as we look at the Mahogany Moment that’s coming September 29th, it’s a conference for creators and we’ll have one or two of those women speak on some of the panels that we have. 

Her Agenda: The women that you chose to honor at the Mahogany Honors this year, what do you think they took away from the evening? 

Alexis Kerr: I think they left feeling full. Even if nobody else recognizes you, there’s nothing like your family, your friends, and a group of Black women saluting and honoring you. The highest-ranking woman at Tesla, Ms. Carolyn [Hayden] was there, and we honored her. She also had an opportunity to give some words. The great thing about our event is that we had all of the women read these poems curated personally for them, so they had something to take away, post, and reflect on later. The poems had some of the women crying or even writing reflections about how they felt about something custom and made just for them. The other piece was they actually [got] a chance to provide some true, from the heart reflections. Some of them talk about their background and how they never thought they would have achieved what they did over their illustrious, amazing career. I think they felt full. I think they felt respected, and I know they felt honored by their peers or sisters in the sisterhood.

Her Agenda: [In] a bunch of other interviews you’ve done, [you said] you want Mahogany to be a space for Black women to feel like themselves, to connect, and feel better. Are there any spaces for you, as you navigate the ups and downs of life, that you turn to feel at home? 

Alexis Kerr: My close network of friends. A couple of things that I [and] many sisters have [is] the amazing group chat. We know how incredible the group chat is and how powerful [it] is. I’ve got one with my brothers, sisters, mom, you know, family. [I got a] couple with my girlfriends [and] with sorority sisters. The group chat is one place where I can go and be filled and share information. I think, in general, [I turn to] my family [and] my partner. My guy is an amazing person with whom I can share ideas [with], share highs and lows, and [he allows] me [to] reflect back [on things]. I think that’s the beautiful thing about personal relationships. They can [help you] reflect back because they know a lot more personal things about you. [They can] reflect back when you feel great or when you don’t feel so good and really keep you encouraged. 

My goal for Black women, in general, is to always have Mahogany as a place where they can come and be filled. When I think about the personal work that I do on my LinkedIn page, which now I’m at over 150,000 followers, people are coming into work, not coming into work, have just lost their jobs, or looking for jobs for months and months on end. I want them to come to my page as a Black and Brown person, or even not, and just be filled and have hope. When I think about the Hallmark brand, and I think about my personal brand and what brings me joy, it is connecting to people, but it also is being that place where people can just come, rest, and get filled. I think that’s important in a world where everything is sucking at you and saying you’re not enough. You’ve got to rest and reflect and say, you know, this was my best today, and we’ll let tomorrow go worry about itself. But today, I am enough. I feel good. I did my very best, and that is okay. 

Her Agenda: This work about empowering Black women in general and creating these safe spaces, you’ve said that it comes from your heart. Especially coming from the luxury automotive industry, [a] predominantly male industry, how does it feel now to be able to kind of live out your purpose in your career? 

Alexis Kerr: I feel like I was doing that before, just in a different way. In leading multicultural marketing at Cadillac, I had the opportunity to focus on African Americans, Hispanic, LGBTQ+, [and] Asian groups as well. So, I felt like, then, I was still living out my purpose. Now, I get to do it a little bit more focused. I’m primarily focused on African American women when you think about Mahogany. But over the last couple of months, my role has really expanded. Now, I’m responsible for all of the marketing for all of multicultural [at Hallmark]. I’ve had the opportunity to focus on multicultural and then on African American women. Over the last three years, [we’ve] done amazing things to bring Mahogany into this lifestyle brand. Now, I’m leveraging the power of lessons learned, expansion that went really well, and pulling on the incredible things we can do for the Hispanic communities, our Asian brothers and sisters, and expanding back into multicultural. Through it all, I feel like I have been living my purpose in the work that I’ve done. Even if it’s not necessarily at work, just in general. In the climate that we’re in, because of who I am, I feel like no matter where I go or what type of work I’m doing, I’m still always going to find a way to serve our communities. Aside from just the day-to-day work, I’m on a couple of nonprofit boards, [like] The Knight Foundation, [which is] an advisory board in Metro Detroit. [I’m] also [on] two boards [in] in Kansas City. One [helps] young people as they begin their education. It’s not necessarily a daycare but an early learning school. [The other is] with the women of the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. 

No matter what type of work I’m doing or where I’m at, I will always be able to serve my purpose because, honestly, there’s so much work to do in communities of color. It’s exciting to be able to do that along with a company like Hallmark. But either way, I think I would always find ways to serve my purpose because that’s also what I enjoy.  

Her Agenda: [As we look] towards 2025, do you have any other real-life events or other activations that you want to execute for Mahogany and Hallmark as a whole?

Alexis Kerr: We’re excited and looking forward to the conversations, panels, and the fireside chat at our upcoming Mahogany Moment, on September 29th. It’ll be our second annual one. I believe we’ll begin some in real-life activations as it closes out the quarter [and] as we think about Hispanic Heritage Month. We’re doing a couple of things in Kansas City and partnerships with Hispanic Heritage Month and our employee resource group. I’m excited about that because it’s about how [we can] figure out more ways to engage in the Hispanic community. We’re working on something for Christmas. Last year, we had an incredible influencer/PR based pajama party [in] early December, as we launched our new pajamas [and] they sold out last year. We always come up with new PJs every year, along with all of our Christmas ornaments. So we usually have a holiday party at the beginning of December. 

I’m [also] super excited because we have events now that are open to the public. A lot of times, like that pajama event or some of the Black Excellence brunches, they’re invite-only. So, when we think about Mahogany and our evolution, it’s about how can we be even more inclusive. How can an everyday sister, who may not be a manager, an executive, or in certain industries, how can she just come to the events and be part of the sisterhood? When we think about inclusion, these Mahogany Honors and Mahogany Moments [events] allow for sisters to join one another and join the fellowship. I’m proud of that too. All of our tentpole events [will] always be open to the public. Anyone can purchase a ticket. Next year we’ll figure out how [we can] continue to lean into real-life events for our other multicultural partners. 

Her Agenda: What is your motto? Is there any quote or saying that you tell yourself to keep you going?

Alexis Kerr: Imagine yourself once it’s done. The work that I’ve been doing over the last couple of years it’s never been done. We had never had a podcast. We never had dedicated Mahogany films. We never really leaned into sororities [and] fraternities on our social media page. We never did many of the things that I introduced to the brand over the last couple of years, especially in experiential. I always knew that it was possible, but only because I was sitting from a place of [imagining] what will happen when we get this done. We chuckle when we decide the influencer or the creative that we’re going to go after for a Mahogany Honors or a Mahogany Moment [event]. We’re like, ‘Wait until we get this deal done. Wait until we’re live and we’re having a fireside conversation. Wait until we execute.’ It could be daunting to start. You’re going to hear a lot of no’s. You’ll have a lot of meetings that put you in a whole bunch of circles and where it ends up back to you and you’re doing all of the work. You will have a lot of conversations with sponsors or partners [and] they may fall through. But if you’re determined to imagine yourself when it’s done, you will just keep going. Obstacles and roadblocks shouldn’t be the end of you. They are just part of the journey. A lot of times, people quit because [of] an obstacle, and typically it’s because of our problem-solving skills. 

I know the day of an event, something’s going to happen. Somebody’s not going to show up. There is going to be an issue. If you plan for that, it’s okay when the issue comes. You start by saying, ‘I know it’s going to be resolved because we’re going to have an incredible event. We’re going to have an unforgettable event,’ versus, ‘Oh man, I don’t know if we’re going to have a good event because something could happen.’ No, something’s going to happen, and we’re going to resolve it because we’re winners, and we’re going to get to the other side of an incredible, amazing, unforgettable event. That’s why every single event that we’ve had has been sold out, standing-room-only. We sell a limited number of tickets, we sell out, and then we have our press media and sponsors. We create a space where sisters can really gather, engage, support, and uplift one another. Every single space is not like that, and that’s why our spaces have been really successful and exciting. For the money that you’re spending, get a close seat and a proper lunch. Those things are really important at a time when women are working hard for the money they have, and we just want to appreciate that and really give them their money’s worth. 

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Alexis Kerr was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Connie Orlando currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Specials, Music Programming, and Music Strategy at BET. She spearheaded BET’s “Saving Ourselves” virtual telethon, raising $16 million for COVID-19 relief, and boosted ratings by over 400% for the 51st annual NAACP Image Awards. Her leadership and innovation proves she is a trailblazer in her own right and the magic behind BET’s most renowned events and special moments.

Connie’s story is a reminder to prevail through and trust the timing of God while focusing on the work. Through her work, Connie not only elevates the culture and BET’s content but serves as a powerful example of how to make it in the industry. Throughout her career and beyond she has made it her mission to ensure BET is a platform where Black voices are heard, celebrated, and empowered. 

Connie oversees all of the specials and awards shows we know and love, such as the Image Awards, Hip Hop Awards, Soul Train Music Awards, and BET Awards. She also manages one-off specials, news coverage, and election coverage. With this year being a big year for voting with the Presidential election, Connie has her work cut out for her. On top of that, she is also in charge of developing BET’s music strategy, which includes how they approach music as a network and how it is presented and lives on their digital platform as well as other platforms. Connie’s role is absolutely crucial at BET because she prepares for the culture’s biggest night every single year, the BET Awards, a celebration of Black excellence. This year the BET Awards celebrated their 24th year.

Her Agenda had the chance to chat with Connie Orlando, and we spoke about her favorite BET moments from the past to the present, how she has navigated challenges in her career, and the one celebrity that she was absolutely giddy to meet.

Her Agenda: The BET Awards is the type of award show that brings the family together. Can you walk me through how you approach crafting such a cultural moment like the BET Awards? 

Connie Orlando: Absolutely. It’s so ironic that you compared it to everyone coming together and watching the show because, from our standpoint, it’s the same thing. It’s family! It’s that one time each year that everyone comes back and they want to perform. We’re just one big family. We enjoy putting together the BET Awards. We always want the show to be bigger and better than the previous year. We always want to have a surprise and our goal is to always try to make that connection with the audience to the show. It’s about artistry, not only in front of the camera with these amazing artists that turn up but also behind the scenes with the producers, the artists, and the writers. It’s just this moment that culminates in this ball of creativity on both sides. It is about the desire to take risks.

Her Agenda: What are some of the strategies that you and your team have implemented to achieve this level of success, given that this is the 24th year of this award show? 

Connie Orlando: It’s always about the moments. We want moments that people talk about before, during, and after the show. We get to create culture, and a lot of the moments that play out during the show become these iconic moments that live on and on forever and ever, which we love. 

We always continue to find new ways to engage with our audience. Not only by bringing the hottest names but for BET, part of our responsibility is discovery. If you look at a lot of the superstars today, they had their start at BET, whether it was hip hop awards, a cypher, [or] on an amplified stage. We are really proud of the curation around [who is] next, and our track record is good. 

Her Agenda: There have been so many iconic moments from the BET Awards, what have been some of your favorites? 

Connie Orlando: They’re all my children, and that’s a hard question, However, some of my favorite moments are when art speaks to activism. Kendrick, when he opened the show with All Right. The Beyonce and Kendrick performance [for the song] Freedom. And it was just really stunning. Plus, Kendrick coming out of the ground was just everything. That’s definitely one of my faves because these moments really speak to us and what we’re thinking, plus what’s going on in our communities on a social responsibility level. 

I also love the fun moments [like] when Monique did the “Crazy in Love” dance. That’s one of my favorites too. I could go on [and on] because every moment is very special. Monique’s performance was over a decade ago, and it still makes me proud, and it confirms that we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing. 

Her Agenda: Connie, you are a Black woman in leadership in the entertainment industry, which some people would argue is one of the hardest industries to break into. What are some of those challenges that you faced either early in your career or later? 

Connie Orlando: If I were to think about challenges I faced, especially early in my career, as a Black woman, [it was] just being seen and heard in a very loud room. I started with Hype Williams and was the executive producer of his video company. And until this day, Black women, we always have to talk a little louder. We’ve got to

work a little harder just to be seen. At the end of the day, for me, I just made it about the work. And I was like, you know what, I’m just going to do the work. I noticed that people see that, and people respect that, and people reward that. And I’ve learned to delegate. 

It’s about really trusting that voice, trusting your gut and being willing to fight for what you believe. As a Black woman in leadership, we definitely have to approach our career strategically, right? We have to really try to figure out what we want and the path to get it. 

You have to be endlessly curious. We have to be, we just want to learn everything. And it’s great to know a little about a lot of things. It only helps. I was a finance major in college. I was able to start as a PA and work my way through the system because I was always willing to take a different job that maybe wasn’t a producer, but I learned how to edit. 

Her Agenda: Do you have any career highlights or a moment where you felt a sense of accomplishment? 

Connie Orlando: Bringing Black Girls Rock to BET. We were able to do Love and Happiness with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle at the White House. That was a moment that I’ll never forget. I think just being a part of history. We’ve made history on a number of different occasions. BET was the first to do a lot of things. I was part of the biggest expansion into scripted with BET. There are so many amazing moments, and sometimes it’s even overwhelming to think about it. 

Her Agenda: I know you mentioned, too, that BET is often first, and I feel like sometimes, being a trailblazer or being first, you may not get that recognition. Do you feel like the culture has seen [and respected] what you all have done? 

Connie Orlando: I think they do. And I think that’s why we’re a beloved brand, right? That’s why the connection with our audience is so personal.

Her Agenda: What are some things that you have incorporated into your life or your daily routine? How do you start your day? 

Connie Orlando: What I’ve learned later in life is self-care and how important it is. My day starts with prayer and gratitude. I always ask God to guide my thoughts, my words and my feet and then I sit and I pray.

In addition, I’m not trying to be like anybody else that came before me. I’m not trying to be anything that I’m not. However, I am curious. I always want to learn more about different things that are out there so I keep making stew and adding ingredients. The best advice I can give is to just do the work, and do it the way you would do the work. 

Her Agenda: Especially with the Gen Z generation, sometimes they don’t feel worthy or [are] afraid to take up space. Have you ever experienced [similar feelings] in your career, and if you did, how did you overcome it? 

Connie Orlando: Absolutely, especially [when fulfilling huge] roles like Head of Programming. You’re in these rooms that you haven’t been in before. And the best advice that I ever got was one: you’re in the room because of who you are. You don’t have to imitate anyone. Once you’re in the room, you have to embrace it and take hold of it. Always be prepared. The biggest moments in my career happened because I was ready when they came. Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.

Her Agenda: Can you tell me about any upcoming projects or initiatives at BET that you’re excited about? 

Connie Orlando: It’s an election year and I’m very excited about our voting campaign that will be launched during the BET Awards. It’s so important. And as a network, we’re standing behind how important this election is and really rallying people to register to vote and be involved and engaged. 

Her Agenda: What is the legacy that you hope to leave at BET? 

Connie Orlando: It’s an honor and a privilege to steward this iconic brand. I hope when all is said and done, that people will look back at my work and say I made them proud, told authentic stories, that I saw them and basically helped to elevate the brand to hand it off to the next steward. 

Her Agenda: Ok, last question. You’ve met a ton of different celebrities, tastemakers and disruptors. Did you ever meet anybody and internally you were screaming like, “Oh my God!” 

Connie Orlando: Yes. Michelle Obama. She’s my best friend in my head.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Connie Orlando was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Rakia Reynolds is the Founder and Executive Officer of Skai Blue Media, a nontraditional communications agency that proudly hosts an eclectic group of storytellers, brand experts, and strategists. 

Rakia continues to be an influential thought leader in the creative business industry as she works with her team to launch, brand, re-brand, and revitalize lifestyle, technology, non-profit, and entrepreneurial clients. This list includes Airbnb, Nasdaq, Comcast/Xfinity, Dell, Serena Williams, Morgan Stanley, Jill Scott, and more. Rakia is recognized for her innovative approach and commitment to authenticity and has spoken at TEDx, SXSW, Inbound, and others. More than a keynote speaker, Rakia is often called upon to moderate panel discussions due to her in-depth knowledge of an extensive range of topics affecting the business community.

Her Agenda spoke with Rakia to discuss the road she took to create and grow Skai Blue Media, how her diverse professional background allows her to show up as an employer and leader at her company, and the advice she has for folks to dream big.

Her Agenda: So, the last time we spoke, you were just honored at the 2024 Matrix Awards. How has it felt to be honored in this way at such an esteemed level?

Rakia Reynolds: You know what? I don’t think it’s sunken in. So many people have contacted me and talked about how prestigious this award is. Other writers and media people that I know have been like, ‘Oh my gosh, I used to try to get into that room and get a seat and just be at the table, and the fact that you’ve won an award…’ 

I don’t know; it’s hard to answer. Maybe it just hasn’t even sunken in, or it’s because I’ve been doing the work [for so long] that I really don’t pay attention to the awards or how it all pans out.

Her Agenda: Before starting Skai Blue Media, you were [working] in the television industry as a producer, you were laid off, and you entered a space where you had to take the reins of your own career. What was starting over like for you?

Rakia Reynolds: I’ve always been able to pivot. Growing up, I never really fit into the mold of what everyone said. I was so used to saying, ‘Okay, that doesn’t work. Now, let me move on to that. That doesn’t work, I’ll move on to that.’ 

Earlier in my career, after grad school, I was a studying counseling psychologist. I was working with people who faced challenges around coping, specifically [coping with] their first year of college. So, how do [they] transition from being home all of the time and now [they’re] going to be in this foreign place? I had to work with students who were experiencing their first time with sexual assault, oppositional defiance disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, all of those things, you name it. I did that for about five years at Temple University in higher education. [After], I was actually recruited by a producer working on a show for MTV Networks, and started working on scripted dramas around My So Called Life and Degrassi High. That pivot from psychology to TV, to me, [was] more seamless because I think I’ve always innately been a producer, just someone that gets it done. I’m always researching, completely immersing myself in whatever industry I’m working in so that I can learn it, and then just go ahead and implement and execute. The world of production for me was essentially like working in higher education [where I produced] programs and activities for young people who were trying to cope or trying to transition out of their normal situations and habitats. All of those things were transferable skills. You can always center yourself around learning, receiving information, and listening to people so that you are better equipped to speak and be an expert. We have a lot of folks out here, now, that learn one thing off of YouTube or Tiktok and then [think] they’re an expert. I’ve interviewed people for social media positions, and I’m like, where’s your experience? And they’ll say, ‘Oh, well, I planned my own event, and it was really successful, and I did this social media and it went viral, and now I’m a social media expert.’ 

I believe in this slow cooker approach of putting all of the things in the crock pot and letting it sit and bake for a while. Studying psychology, human behavior, consumer behavior and being a studying, counseling psychologist for five years allowed me the patience, tenacity, and the wherewithall to get into the cutthroat world of being a producer. In those days, it was earlier before a ton of social media, where people could treat anyone badly. I was in environments where the crews were 65 people, and I was the only Black person [working as] a producer. I’ve had people reach out to me now, some of the craft service people, or the food people, or the janitor staff who were Black, or interns. [They’ll say], ‘I’m now an award-winning producer on HBO, or Showtime, or Starz. And I remember seeing you as the only Black producer, and I knew if that little Black girl named Rakia could do it, I could do it too.’ 

I’ve always had to make do. I’ve always had to be the person who’s going against the grain and swimming upstream. [I bounced] from counseling [and] studying psychology to then the world of production. [I got] into the world of magazines, which is also cutthroat, where I was producing fashion editorials for Lucky Magazine, guest editing for Marie Claire, writing think pieces for Forbes, all while being a married woman who’s a mother. I think I was on my third child when I started my company. I’ve always been in this place where I’ve had so many things on my plate.

Her Agenda: When you [first started] Skai Blue Media and had the first few ideas set out for it, what was your initial goal?

Rakia Reynolds: Originally, I started it as a production company to produce content for people who needed to be able to tell their stories, whether it was a college or university, who was faced with challenges of negative press, or they were trying to get more students to attend their universities. [Also], if a business improvement district was trying to get more businesses into the district, or [trying to get] people to a certain city, [that meant] doing destination marketing [to get] people to shop, live, and play in a certain city. So it started as a production company, and then I started to branch off into traditional public relations, event marketing, graphic designing websites, and then it became a full-service communications agency.

Her Agenda: That’s cool. As you were building the different services, was it as needed? What led to the expansion of it going from just a production company to now being a full service media and communications [agency]?

Rakia Reynolds: It was as needed; it was iterative. So I started it off as the production company, and then it was like, ‘Oh, we need an event.’ Then, I started getting into the world of crisis comms, which [stretched] me into more traditional PR. I was working with the city and a business improvement district that wanted to create content because they had some negative press around flash mobs and people breaking into stores. So, I created content, but then I started working with their city officials, their business improvement district officials, and board members to talk about not [facing] the negative pieces. Let’s be proactive and talk about the positive things and why people should be here. I was looking at things differently. When people were coming to me with one thing, I was like, ‘Well, how about this? Or how about that?’ It wasn’t so much what was needed. It was what I thought was needed.

Her Agenda: Starting out your career [in the psychology] space, going into production, going into the magazine industry, and working as an employee in all those spaces, what have you taken from those experiences that you apply to how you show up as an employer for Skai Blue Media?

Rakia Reynolds: I think it goes back to learning and listening. I’ve been leading teams and managing people for [a little over] 21 years now. I had to get trained in organizational development and get trained in organizational culture [and] conflict resolution. I’ve gotten so many conflict resolution certificates from higher education because I had to do so much of it. 

The first part of my career was really studying human behavior, why people make decisions, [and] why people say the things they say. It’s given me a level of empathy and a sense of attunement to really read the room, to say, ‘Okay, maybe that wasn’t a great thing to say.’ I’ve also had some terrible bosses in the world of entertainment and media. When I was working as a television producer, they didn’t care about you. They just wanted the work done. They didn’t care how you were feeling. Your eyeballs could be bleeding, and they’d be like, ‘Well, are we going to get this round of edits? Is it going to be cut?’ I hated being treated like a disposable commodity, and [I] vowed that when I started my own company, I would never treat people like that.

Her Agenda: [You represent] brands like Essence and Morgan Stanley, and people like Serena Williams, Jill Scott, and Marsai Martin. Did you imagine your clientele looking this way when you started out?

Rakia Reynolds: No, not at all. When I first started, I was working at an office in the city of Philadelphia. I never intended for it to be as big as it was. I thought I’d be a content person or working on films and doing things here and there. There [were] these twists and turns that I can see how my business shifted. The first one was because I had done all of this work in the city of Philadelphia [and] the first CEO of Uber, Travis Kalanick, asked someone, ‘Who’s doing all of this work in the city of Philadelphia by putting Philadelphia on the map?’ Someone [else said], ‘Oh, this woman Rakia Reynolds. She’s, like, part lobbyist, part communications person, [and] part content person. They couldn’t figure [it] out, and still can’t figure out what I do. But, [Travis] was like, ‘I just want to bring her in because I’m launching this ride-sharing tool,’ that we now know as Uber. ‘I’m launching this ride-sharing tool and would love for her to consult.’ So, [I] started working with Uber early on, and when that did really well in Philadelphia, I got to work on what they were doing in San Francisco and New York. Then, I got a call from HSN, and they were like, ‘Hey, we see all this work you’re doing.’ And then I got a call and they were like, ‘We want you to work with Serena Williams.’ After that, these top models were starting to see some of the work that I had done, and it was Ashley Graham.

One thing after another, people were just finding me. I never pitched the business, I never marketed the business, [and] I never talked about the business. In fact, I hid myself as the CEO of the company for so long and just said that I was the Director of Media. I wanted to do my own social experiment to see what it would be like if people thought I just worked for this company. So I did that, and it was just a snowball effect for many years, where someone was finding out about what we did and how we worked, and that’s really how the clientele grew. We’ve gotten calls from some of the top celebrities in the world inquiring about our services. Some of them have worked out, some of them haven’t, but it really has been this whirlwind of it happen[ing] on its own.

Her Agenda: What is something that you ask in that initial client meeting when you’re first meeting with people to get a sense of what kind of services they want from you and what kind of story they want to tell?

Rakia Reynolds: I ask people a lot of questions like, what do you think the story is? How do you think the story should be told? Are there any publications that you’ve seen as of late where stories are told and you wish, or you believe that it should be your story told instead? Are there any public figures out there right now [doing] something that [you think you] should be doing? Are there any pieces of press that are out there right now or any recent media stories that you’ve read where you felt like you could fit into the story? I ask a lot of questions. I ask them what their favorite headline would be if someone were to tell a story about them. I ask them a lot about themselves, their personal brand and how people perceive them. Typically, if someone comes to you, they already believe that they should be a person in the media. They already believe that they’re a person of note. So, if you believe you’re a person of note, what do you think that story is?

Her Agenda: [Authenticity is] definitely a thread and a theme that runs through Skai Blue Media. Outside of your commitment to authenticity, what else do you think sets Skai Blue Media apart from other media and communication firms out there?

Rakia Reynolds: This is going to sound cheesy, but I really do think it’s the part around honesty because we value trust, honesty, and sincerity. I really do think that’s it. Folks want people, whether they say it or not, they want people who are going to tell them the truth. They want people who are going to push against the grain and say, ‘Hey, you should think about it this way.’ We are [also] a very imaginative group, and because I come from this place where I had to start from the ground up, [and] be able to work without resources very early on, [it] caused me to be creative. [I] had to innovate and figure out different ways to solve problems and come up with different solutions. When you’re faced with adversity very early on, it causes your brain to think differently and for you to solve problems differently. Having to do that constantly gives us a different leg up and a different approach to our work.

Her Agenda: I read in a previous article that one of your favorite books [is] ‘A Wrinkle in Time,’ and a lesson that you learned from the book was to dream big. How do you apply this lesson to your everyday life now?

Rakia Reynolds: It really is dreaming big, [and] never settl[ing] for anything. We live in this world where we see so much, and we compare ourselves, and all of it [is] an illusion. People tell you what they want you to hear. You’re not really doing what you said you’re doing, and you’re not really who you say you are. I think everyone should come from this position of power, in this position of I can do anything [and] I can do all things. I should be able to create for myself. I should be able to think for myself. I should be able to create the unexpected and do the unimaginable.

Her Agenda: That’s incredible. Along with being a media boss you’re a wife, you’re a mother, and I think your online presence really showcases that well. People sometimes think that women can’t have both a fruitful career life and a fruitful love and a fruitful family life. What would be your advice to help folks break from this kind of limited thinking?

Rakia Reynolds: You know, I think that’s funny. I don’t think I have it all, but when you put it like that, I do. I am married, and I’ve been married for a really long time. I have three children who are happy and healthy, and here, as we like to say. Being able to have that kind of life affords me to be grateful and thankful for what is in front of me. I know that might sound cliche or trite, but I really do believe that you sometimes have to look at what’s in front of you and say, what are the things that I have, not what are the things that I don’t have. That’s how I look at them every day. Living in your power and being grateful for the things that are right in front of you, and not focusing on what you don’t have, that’s my constant and what keeps me going. 

Her Agenda: [Is there] anything else that you want to add or go into in regards to you as a founder, as a woman, and as you’re continuing to strive in your career?

Rakia Reynolds: One of the things that I am really keen on right now while the world is concentrating on artificial intelligence, I want to be in a space of ethical intelligence and human intelligence. I’ve done a lot of research around AI. I’ve actually been writing about AI since 2016-2017. My first article for Forbes was [about] creativity and AI and how people can use it. So where I am right now is really in this space of human intelligence and building around ethical intelligence. 

Her Agenda: What is your motto?Rakia Reynolds: At the company, from a business standpoint, we have values, and the one listed first is trust, authenticity, and transparency. Trust and integrity are close cousins. When I’ve had to do some deep, reflective thinking about how I take on clients or what kinds of people I hire, they have to operate from the space of trust, integrity, and authenticity. One of the things that we repeatedly say, or people say about folks at Skai Blue Media, is that we’re honest. One of our clients actually said [we] should be called truth serum because [we] take stories and pull out the real truth instead of massaging or trying to PR a story. It goes into our brand colors, too. I wear blue all the time. And Skai Blue, the blue represents trust, honesty, and authenticity. I studied consumer behavior and color psychology, and blue on the color wheel is the color of trust, honesty, and sincerity. So, for me, the motto is always along the lines of being honest whenever you can. I know we live in this world where you sometimes have to PR things and show up differently, but never sacrifice or compromise your own integrity to be anything other than you.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length, grammar, and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Rakia Reynolds was originally published on HerAgenda.com

In a seemingly uncertain world, Joy Marcus looks to the future with optimism. As co-founder and General Partner of The 98, an early-stage venture firm that invests in women-led technology businesses, and a lecturer at Princeton University’s School of Engineering, Joy is engaged in ongoing mentoring of the next generation of entrepreneurs, thinkers, and leaders. 

It’s through the process of sharing her decade’s worth of expertise with the next generation as they galvanize their vision for the future that Joy’s optimism is born. While her accomplishments as a venture capitalist and professor are significant, these are only the most recent. She received her law degree from New York University School of Law. She spent twenty-five years in digital media and commerce, launching and growing digital businesses for legacy companies like Conde Nast, Time Warner, MTV Networks, and more. Her presence as a changemaker and deal maker earned her recognition in the Digital Power 50 by The Hollywood Reporter and Forty Over Forty by Forbes. 

We had the opportunity to speak with Joy and hear her dispatches from the front lines of entrepreneurial innovation. 

Her Agenda: It seems impossible to pin you down into one box or introduce you as one single thing. I’d love to hear from you about what you do.

Joy Marcus: I appreciate that. If you’d asked me that five or six years ago, I would have said that I’m an expert in digital media. That’s really where I spent most of my career, culminating in a pretty big role at Conde Nast. Since then, I would say it’s almost my second career. The overarching thing that I do is mentor and support. That’s common to everything I do. I am very much a Princeton professor and I am very much a venture capitalist. And I think those two things really complement each other. 

In my role at Princeton, I spend time with brilliant young people, helping them along their potential entrepreneurial path. I teach an introductory course, so I’m putting in their minds this idea of perhaps being an entrepreneur and straying from what is the most conventional path for a Princeton graduate, which is advanced education of some kind and/or investment banking, consulting in those kinds of traditional jobs. So, part of my job is to help them think about another path potentially, or at least another step down the road, and to really open up their minds. What I get from them is far greater, which has helped me do the other part of my job, which is to predict the future. I basically stare down the future, 68 [students] every week, and they really are telling me what’s important to the future of humanity. Then I get to look at young companies run by brilliant young women who want to help shape that future and be part of that future. So the two things really go together extremely well. And I’m a better venture capitalist because I teach. And I’m a better teacher because I’m a venture capitalist. So they really fit hand in glove one with the other, and I’m very fortunate to have those two things working together in my life right now.

Her Agenda: The theme of stewarding the future is prominent. You used that phrase, encouraging them to consider other options and stray from the traditional path. Is that a value that you have held highly in your own life? What does that mean for you?

Joy Marcus: I wouldn’t call it a value. For me, it was always a desire to make things better, change things, and not live the status quo. I think you see that peppered through my career. The things that I chose to do, generally, even when I was at very large companies, were kind of at the edge of what the large company was doing. So, even back at MTV Networks, I was working on bringing MTV internationally. At Conde Nast, I worked on video. Conde, certainly at the time, was primarily print publications, and video was very different for them. So, I always like to be doing the new thing, challenging the future.

I think it’s spilled out in this next phase of my career, which is all about change, essentially just encouraging change and creating value through change. That’s what entrepreneurship is: it’s changing something that’s the status quo, either by creating something new or making something better and creating value. What we look for in companies that we choose is exactly that. Is this company going to create something new that will be of value?

However, so much of what venture really is is about teaching, mentoring, and supporting, just like my role at Princeton. With the firm that I founded with my partner, Lynda Clarizio, we are extremely active venture capitalists. We invest with a female lens, so we invest in gender-diverse teams. There needs to be a woman high up on the cap table in a non-investing position. So, an operating person who owns a big, big piece of the company, that is a woman, [needs to be in place] in order for us to invest, but we love gender diverse teams as well. 

Our firm belief is and the reason we founded the firm is because of this great discrepancy. Exclusively female-led firms only receive 2% of all venture capital. And that number has been consistent for the last 10 years. It’s an absolutely disgraceful number. The number gets a little bit better If you add a man to the mix, then it’s more like 12%. However, close to 88% of all venture capital invested goes to all-male teams, which is just a travesty. It’s not good for humanity to have the technology that we all rely on built almost exclusively by men. So that’s the reason we founded The 98.

We are extremely active investors. So yes, we give capital, but it goes far beyond that. We provide expertise, mentorship and networking and help our companies in a way that is atypical. 

Her Agenda: And it sounds like along with the expertise, there’s that element of relationship building.

Joy Marcus: Yes, we try to develop very strong relationships with our founding teams. And look, a venture capital relationship is usually quite long. Companies take a bit of time to exit, so it’s an important relationship in these people’s lives. It’s an important relationship for us, and we really work on it as we would on any relationship, but mostly, what we’re doing is we’re just trying to bring to bear that expertise we’ve gleaned that we’ve created as well.

Her Agenda: The thoroughness of the mission you’re serving really comes through. The idea of the expertise you’re bringing in and also looking to the future creates a meeting of these two different timelines.

Joy Marcus: Yes. My life is really about the future right now. It’s about teaching. I’m very fortunate to teach pretty brilliant young minds and then invest in the future and the brilliant young women and men that we invest in.

Her Agenda: I’m curious if you’re able to share anything about what that future looks like.

Joy Marcus: I can tell you that I’m super optimistic for a number of reasons. And it’s not so easy to be optimistic these days. There’s lots going on that would make one not feel that way. [But] I think we are raising a very self-knowing, fierce generation now. It’s like they are living their lives out loud. They are not afraid to state their opinions and to ask for help when it’s needed. And I think that is so different than my generation or even the generation in between. We were more reserved in our ability to express ourselves and in our ability to ask for help when needed. And I think this generation has no fear. So, I am super optimistic.

I also think they care a lot. And you know, if I had to say themes that come up both in my class and also in the companies that I meet, they really deeply care about the planet in a way that I find reassuring, and I think there is a fear that the planet is going to explode, and they don’t want that to happen. They think they’ve inherited this big mess from us, and which, to a certain degree, they have anger, but they’re going to do something about it.

I think there’s going to be a lot around being really protective of climate. I think there is going to be a lot around the protection of individual freedoms and choices. I think women, in particular, are going to be technologists in a number that we just haven’t really seen before. The image of who is a tech technologist who is a scientist is going to shift from the image we currently have, and I see that again in my work as a venture capitalist but also in my classes at Princeton. The world will be a better place when the technology is created by a more diverse group of people.

Her Agenda: Could you talk a little bit more about the implications when that image changes? 

Joy Marcus: I mean, I always think about like some very basic examples. I think about if Uber had been created by a woman or with a woman, would all the safety issues not [have] been pre-thought of? Or if Instagram had more women early on, would they have raised issues of what this kind of medium does to the image of young teenage girls? So I think that women in the mix just make things better and there’s all kinds of data around this. There’s data that shows that companies are more successful when they have diverse teams, and that women-led teams return better and faster. I mean, I can inundate you with data. So that’s all quantitative, and that’s great. And that’s what makes it a really good thesis for my investment firm. But there’s a qualitative part to it, too, which is I think the products will be less harmful, potentially.

Her Agenda: Given your experiences, what advice can you share with our readers?

Joy Marcus: I think there are opportunities out there at all levels now. There are all kinds of incubators and collectives. I think society is answering that call and that there are people who are there to help. I think that if you look, you will find it. I can tell you that if you’re a young woman, or an old woman, or any kind of woman starting something new, there are resources for you that are available for low cost or no cost that can help you get started.

Her Agenda: That ties back into what you said earlier about witnessing people not being afraid to ask for help.

Joy Marcus: I am very confident that this generation will do that. The economy in this country really runs on small businesses, so there are resources available to help people start these businesses. And [majority of those small businesses], they’re outside [what is considered] venture [backable]. The venture capital system is about, high, multiple returns, And those tend to be in tech and that’s where we invest. That’s our job. There are folks who invest in small businesses. There are support networks for those kinds of businesses. Venture capital is not the right one for that, I will tell you. It just isn’t because the returns are not as immediate and as high. But there are other resources for people like that and I highly encourage them to just look because they will find it.

Her Agenda: Thank you for making that connection. I think that’s really helpful for people to have in mind. And on that note, I’m curious if you have any other last thoughts that you wanted to share.

Joy Marcus: [Whether] you’re a small business owner or just starting a new business [that’s] not venture-backed, some of the same principles that I teach apply. First of all, you have to understand the market you’re going into, and you have to understand what the potential of the thing you’re creating is. If it’s so, so teeny, it may not be worth your time. So you need to recognize, is this worth my time? How big will this get? Is this going to have enough impact that I want to spend my time? A lot of people jump into things without really thinking about that in a very disciplined way, which I think would apply to anything you’re doing, whether it’s a bakery or sporting goods store [or a] bank company. Apply that discipline, it may be big enough for you, and that’s fine, but apply that discipline.

Then, I always teach my students that 99% of this is grit and resilience, and that applies at all levels of entrepreneurship. You’re gonna get whacked around a bit, and everyone does, and what differentiates those who succeed is the ability to pick themselves up and keep at it. And then finally to recognize when it’s really not working: the ability to say ‘You know what? This is not going well, it’s not going to go well, my time is better spent figuring out what I’m going to do next.’

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Joy Marcus was originally published on HerAgenda.com

One conversation with 30-year media industry veteran Michele Ghee, and you’ll know, simply from her vibrant tone and tenacity flowing through the phone, that she’s truly the transformational leader she’s been touted to be. In just a 27-minute interaction, there are convicting, affirming insights on faith, confidence, and purpose that will literally drive anyone toward self-reflection, assured boldness, and dynamic action. 

“I wrote my first book called ‘Strategic’ because people would look at me and say, ‘Oh, you’ve had advantages because you’re 5’10” and look a certain way.’ But oftentimes, I literally did not. They assumed I wasn’t intelligent. They assumed that I didn’t work for what I wanted. There were all these assumptions about being a woman,” Michele shared in an interview with Her Agenda. 

“And so, there is no way that you can serve God and stand in a room and not take up that gauntlet because it affects all of His people. And we were wonderfully made. There should be a whole bunch of us at the table because we are brilliant. We are strategic and we do understand operations and how to get things done.”

And you can’t be a transformational leader with results without having gone through a few divine transformations of your own. Michele tried her hand at diverse work experiences that all impacted the well-rounded leader she’d become. “In my 20s, I cleaned houses. I worked at a hotel. I worked for a janitorial company. I worked on a government base, and everyone said, ‘Don’t quit that job.’ People counted me out.”

She graduated from college at 31 and worked her way through a diverse career path that included building off early business lessons she’d learned as a youth working at her dad’s Oakland, California restaurant. 

“[My dad] would literally know everybody’s name. He would know their order, birthdate, if they were having challenges. He was, like, there at the restaurant and [their] therapist all in one. And I saw the power of that,” Michele said. “And then he worked for a little network called Soul Beat, but he would deliver food, and I would go on those runs with him sometimes.”

Her dad also worked for a car dealership, and she’d emulate her father’s gift of salesmanship and communications, observing how storytelling and good communication skills could not only lead to action to buy into a service or product but also connect communities. “You go through life, you’re seeing all the stories that are being projected. And I oftentimes [didn’t] hear the voice of: my crew, my family, my community, in a positive way. So, I knew I wanted to be in media.” 

She got the prime chance to hone in on her dreams of breaking into the industry via a program launched by the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) that offered support, mentorship, and placement. From there, she thrived in roles where she could tap into intrapreneurship, even before going into business for herself. It all came full circle, allowing her to bridge that early hustle and grit with her corporate experience— working for or with powerhouses including CNN, The History Channel, Ebony and Jet, and BET—into succeeding in her current role as CEO of Expectant Media, a boutique Ad Tech and content agency.  

“I think the thread through all that, although I was an employee, it also allowed me an opportunity to be an entrepreneur, hence, launching CNN’s first multicultural effort, and then going to BET and launching BETHer and then going into Ebony and Jet and reviving that brand, and then to go into [The Grio run by] Byron Allen and [leading on] his multicultural efforts. And now I’m doing what I’m doing. It allowed me to not only work but be an entrepreneur, and I just love that opportunity to still be innovative, even though I was a corporate employee at the time.”

For Michele, realizing her own purpose and rocking heavily with hard work and self-actualization informs other acts of servant leadership. She’s written several self-empowerment books and speaks widely on topics including negotiation, business transformation, consumer acquisition, and engagement, empowering women to tap into their highest visionary potential, shake off fear, and maximize their multiple talents as she has done. 

Knowing how to embrace and learn from unique life experiences and confidently speak on what you offer the world (and the value of that offering) is another aspect of career fulfillment that’s vital for women professionals and executives. For Michele, it’s something she urges all to master doing—whether entrepreneurs, executives, junior professionals, or interns. “Those are skill sets that are valuable. They’re important [and] everyone should lean into them. And then, if you want to be crazy, like me, then you launch a whole business on the back of selling great stuff,” she added with a chuckle.

Expectant has done more than just “sell great stuff.” According to Forbes, the firm’s marketplace has almost 200 publishers, and its Ad Tech platform is the secret sauce within a winning strategic recipe that has led to the company’s success in optimized campaigns that push broader reach and boost engagement. 

Her commitment to service and leadership flows into her work at Expectant Media, a firm that she co-founded with two other amazing power women. The company leverages proprietary technology and authentic storytelling to amplify Black-owned media, producers, and the communities they serve around the world. It has established partnerships with initiatives and programs launched by Black women, including the Super Bowl Soulful Celebration, the Boss Network, and HBCU Honors, to name a few. 

“When I left Allen Media Group, someone sent me an article… Byron Allen had just quoted, it said, ‘If you want to make money, sell something,’ because how he made his first million dollars by creating content. But not only did he create it, he sold it. So, he owned the entire process. It resonated with me that I knew I was onto something when I was like, ‘You know what, I can go, and I don’t need to work for a network to sell something.’” 

Expectant Media recently celebrated its partnership with Black Girls Rock with an awards show that’s returning to TV on August 1 on Lifetime. She was also recently appointed chairwoman of PlayersTV, an athlete-owned media network.

She’s a huge advocate of women owning who they are, knowing what they stand for, and boldly leading authentically with the knowledge that they hold a powerful space in the market due to their unique talents and skills. “Every single person needs to understand that they’re also a brand, that they need to understand who they are, [and] that anytime they’re working for a company, they have a responsibility to sell something. Everyone is selling something. No matter what division you’re in, you’re creating something for somebody in that pipeline to sell something. And so you need to have that attitude.”

Michele balances motherhood, being a wife, and leading a thriving business, all while redefining what it means to be present and successful in each role. There are triumphs and challenges, as many ambitious women relate to and face. “You have to humble yourself through the entire process and get your hands dirty, and be willing to work like no other. The outcome, though, is you have an opportunity to build wealth, not only for yourself, [but] generationally for your family, and for the people that you serve, because I do serve the creators as their partnership liaison to take it to the marketplace and have brands give my Black creators money,” she said. “People have a vision of what being a CEO means—that journey and what that climate is like. It’s hard, and you’ve got to just get up every day and continue to do it. And sometimes there aren’t days off, and your family’s looking at you like your work is a priority, but you know what the outcome [is that] you’re trying to build and do.”

Michele emphasizes cultivating the right mindset that centers on gratitude, emotional intelligence, delegation, and resilience. “You’ve got to have a little bit of tough skin. Everything’s not personal. It’s not just against you. You can’t have that defeatist mentality. You’ve got to take ownership of work, your life, of everything.” 

She’s also a huge advocate of setting goals and creating a plan. “Because where there is preparation, there is success. People are like, ‘You’re a really great public speaker.’ Well, I practice and practice. I’m looking in the mirror. So I know through preparation— whether you’re playing a sport, speaking on a stage, or just trying to command the attention in a room— it’s about preparation. It’s about knowing what you want, it’s about setting goals, and going back and checking those.

Michele’s final sweet spot for success: Your village. “If you’re hanging around people that have to be the center of attention, if you’re hanging around people that are quietly preying [on] you because they’re always putting down your ideas or not encouraging you, or not holding you accountable or being honest, I can tell you 100%, you’re not going to be successful.”

Faith and humility sustain it all, allowing Michele to continue to reinvent, refocus, and renew her commitment to doing work that she loves and advocating for the clients and audiences she serves. “I don’t care what my title is or where I come from. I’m wonderfully made by my Creator, and He created me in excellence,” Michele added. “And so for me not to have confidence, I’m questioning who He created. I’ve had some crazy conversations with myself, like, ‘Come on, Michele, you know, you’re wonderful. You know, you’re amazing. When people have told me I’m not, when I didn’t get that promotion, when I wasn’t making enough money, when I went through bankruptcy in my 20s…And that is why I’ve leaned into my prayer life. That is why I’ve leaned into my faith and removed fear. Because without that, I honestly would not be able to do and be what I am today.”

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Michele Ghee was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Yunice Emir took a nontraditional route into communications and public relations. After landing a role with her dream company, The Coca-Cola, in her hometown of Atlanta, she spent 10 years with them, ultimately becoming their Senior Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility. She led disaster relief efforts and public relations campaigns and shaped brand partnerships that drove community impact. 

Currently, as the Head of Corporate Communications and Experiential Partnerships at Moët Hennessy USA, she spearheads the implementation of strategic communication plans and experiential partnership initiatives that support the company’s overarching goals and vision.

With over 15 years of expertise in communications and social responsibility, Yunice has navigated various titles and responsibilities, but one constant remains: her unwavering focus on optimism and positivity. She prioritizes showing up as authentic, regardless of the boardroom setting and emphasizes the importance of being an observant leader who embraces feedback and takes ownership of one’s journey. Learn more in our interview with her below. 

Her Agenda: What is your greatest superpower, and how have you nurtured this superpower?

Yunice Emir: My superpower is focusing on the positive and being optimistic. I don’t remember if I read this or heard it somewhere, but I’m always reminded that we are all going through something in life, and you never know what people are dealing with. I’ve embraced the idea that if I can smile at someone or make them feel seen or heard, then I’ve done my job. Those are my superpowers because they are the things people compliment me on the most.

When one of my colleagues first met me, she wasn’t sure if I was being authentic or not. Even on days when I’m not feeling as optimistic as usual, I know that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, and everything always works out, even when it doesn’t feel like it. That is what ignites and continues to spark my positivity and optimism.

Her Agenda: Working in PR, you are often behind the scenes, cheering on others and supporting clients. What is one of your biggest learnings from being behind the scenes that has prepared you to now be front and center?

Yunice Emir: My background isn’t a traditional PR background. I didn’t start officially working in PR until I transitioned to Coca-Cola’s Brand and Business Communications Team. That was when I began to learn what PR was. In that role I learned to listen actively, which translated to my overall awareness. I listen to understand I’m observant.

My mom told me when I was growing up, I was always quiet and didn’t talk much. Even now, while I consider myself an extrovert when I’m out in a crowd, I’m typically the one sitting back and listening versus volunteering information. This has helped me prepare for the position I am in now.

Her Agenda: Your bio mentioned your experience leading disaster relief efforts. Could you share an example of a challenging disaster response situation and how you navigated the communication and coordination efforts?

Yunice Emir: I led and managed disaster relief for Coca-Cola North America while I was on the Community Relations team. I experienced a magnitude of disasters that my predecessor in that role did not. Hurricane Maria, which hit Puerto Rico, was devastating. This was the first major disaster I handled. I was on a beach in Destin, Florida, enjoying the beautiful weather, with no clue about what was happening. I got a text from my boss asking, ‘Are you watching the news? Did you see what they’re talking about?’ I had no clue.

Although unaware of the situation, I had to act fast. Coca-Cola has always been present in communities, especially during crises. I recently developed the overall disaster relief strategy for North America to integrate and evolve the process of how we respond to disasters, including financial and product donations, bringing together our community partners to collaborate and work collectively in communities when they need us most.

Another one of my superpowers is resourcefulness. While I may not have known how to do something or who to call initially, I know how to get to the desired destination. 

Her Agenda: You’re a realtor, senior corporate leader, and ambassador. How do you maintain a balanced routine?

Yunice Emir: Balance is relative. I figure out how to make it work and get things done that I need to accomplish. A few mantras and routines I’ve adopted and integrated into my daily life have helped me, including the Miracle Morning routine of speaking affirmations, visualizing, exercising, reading, and journaling. That helps keep me grounded.

I’m becoming more aware of ensuring I get enough sleep. Either the night before or the morning of, I take out my notebook and write down what I want to accomplish in each area of my life for that day. I can’t tell you the sense of accomplishment I get when I can cross those items off the list, even if it’s something as simple as sending a calendar invitation.

One of my friends, Alechia Reese, wrote a book called Eating Elephants. The book asks, ‘How do you eat an elephant?’ The answer is, ‘One bite at a time.’

Her Agenda: How would you describe your current role to the average person?

Yunice Emir: I am the Director of Corporate Communications and Experiential Partnerships at Moët Hennessy USA, the luxury wines and spirits division of LVMH, the global luxury conglomerate. We are the “MH” in LVMH.

My role is to share and highlight our portfolio of wine and various spirits brands externally from a PR perspective. I work with the media to introduce them to new product categories and launches from our brands. As opposed to focusing on individual brands, I discuss our portfolio of spirits, wines, and champagnes.

That’s the communications aspect. As for experiential partnerships, I collaborate, initiate, and cultivate relationships with various organizations, specifically non-profits, and community organizations, that align with our social impact engagement strategy focused on nature, as that’s where our products originate, and on being present in our local communities, as our people are one of our greatest assets.

Her Agenda: How does community translate into your professional work life?

Yunice Emir: Community and collaboration are ingrained in my being. I have an innate ability to make valuable connections with people in person and to connect with individuals I meet when I hear they have shared interests. My instinct wants to introduce people, as I feel magic can happen through connection.

One of my goals in this current role is to help increase overall collaboration. I see the communications function as the central hub connected to every part of the business and every brand. If everything lives at this central nucleus, there are opportunities to explore and identify collaborative ways to connect people to help grow, amplify, and highlight our business and community.

Her Agenda: With over 15+ years of experience within the corporate arena, what would be your #1 piece of advice applicable to working women?

Yunice Emir: Learn how to give, receive, and implement feedback. While at a previous company, I had the opportunity to meet with the SVP of our function shortly after they joined for an introductory meeting. I asked during the meeting what qualities they looked for in a VP or senior team member. As far as I was concerned, the question was fine. A few days later, I was called to my direct manager’s office, and they shared feedback that I lacked self-awareness. Since they were new to the role, the SVP thought it was an inappropriate question.

I was devastated because the experience resembled being summoned to the principal’s office. However, I took a step back and stopped asking those types of questions. Over time, I realized people view situations differently. Although that person thought it was an inappropriate question, someone else may have welcomed it. Getting that feedback helped increase my emotional intelligence and self-awareness. Since then, my former boss has informed me that one of my greatest qualities is my ability to receive, accept, and implement feedback.  

A few colleagues and I attended a communications training session recently. When we had to give a short speech, the instructor provided feedback, and the next day, when we repeated the speech, the instructor said, ‘Oh my goodness, you implemented everything I said.’ I’ve learned to remove my ego. While I may get disappointed because we all want to think we’re great, ultimately, I want to grow and improve, which requires addressing areas for improvement.

Her Agenda: What does luxury mean to you? What is your most meaningful luxury and why?

Yunice Emir: Luxury means different things to different people, but to me, it’s a feeling or an experience that makes me feel good. Whether it’s a fancy pair of shoes, which I have a strong affinity for, or an experience that makes me feel my best, shining a light on me and creating a moment for me is my definition of luxury. When I was in Bali last year, the breathtakingly beautiful scenery gave me access to that feeling of luxury.

My most meaningful luxury is time. It’s precious and limited. Increasingly, I’ve become more aware of that, which helps me be more intentional about how I spend my time and on what and who I spend it.

Her Agenda: Describe a significant sacrifice you had to make in your personal journey to reach your current level of success.

Yunice Emir:  When I decided to join The Coca-Cola Company, accepting a position as a project coordinator for the frontline sales team at the time, I was living in Montgomery, Alabama, some life events happened, and I was trying my best to get back home to Atlanta, Georgia, by any means necessary. I was sending my resume to everybody I knew. My best friend from middle school was hiring at the time. I never thought Coca-Cola would be on my list of companies to work for because it’s so pie in the sky. Even being from Atlanta, nobody just gets to work at Coca-Cola. I applied anyway for the role. 

To ensure that it was fair, my friend removed herself from the process. As soon as I started, I began networking and ultimately, many conversations that I had led me to my first role in Public Affairs and Communications, which was on the Brand and Business Communications team, my first ever official PR role. The sacrifice was me stepping outside of my comfort zone into the unknown, not knowing what it would become. If I wanted to write my story, I could not have written it any better than how it has unfolded. For whatever reason, I am being put in these positions in these spaces, not only for me but for my community.

Her Agenda: What affirmation did you use this morning?

Yunice Emir: I wrote it in my journal this morning. The mantra is from The 5am Club by Robin Sharma, “Today is a glorious day. I’ll live it at excellence with boundless enthusiasm and limitless integrity, according to my true visions and with a heart full of love.”

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Yunice Emir was originally published on HerAgenda.com

When TIME announced The Closers list in 2024, notable names like Issa Rae and Imani Ellis topped the list, but the name behind the list is a closer in her own right.

Sadé Muhammad is closing the gap in storytelling and marketing through her role as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of TIME. She’s the first to take on the role since the company became independent in 2018.

Seeing a Black woman who focuses on impact and growth for a legacy news publication through platforming underrepresented and underestimated audiences is pivotal in a time where those stories are often unheard. Her connection to storytelling began as a child and grew when she participated in the NBC Page program. When she realized the power to publish stories was directly tied to the business outcomes (along with a nudge from her mother, who has also held the role of CMO), Sade shifted from journalist to marketer.

Her strategic approach to combining sharing powerful narratives with business impact is how she built her reputation as a changemaker. During her 7-year tenure at Forbes, she founded and supervised the award-winning B2B ad business Representation & Inclusion before being tapped to lead marketing at TIME.

“TIME for a change” is a brilliant way to position Sadé Muhammad. Although her story as an executive is still being written, she has already helped push forward change in media. Learn more about her journey and insights in our interview. 

Her Agenda: What impact do you believe journalism played in your career trajectory? Do you think it gave you any unique perspective as a marketer or any unique advantage as an executive? 

Sadé Muhammad: Absolutely. Journalism played a huge role in my path. I think the reason why I wanted to pursue journalism was because I wanted to give a voice to people that I felt didn’t have a voice. [This included] people who look like me, [and] people in my community at large. And then I just love to write. As a kid, my hobby was creative writing.

Then, once I figured out we’re being misrepresented in the media (and by we, I mean Black people), that’s what made me pursue journalism. In terms of how that affects marketing, as a journalist, you’re essentially [immersed in] whatever story you’re covering. You don’t necessarily have to be an expert on that topic. You just have to be an expert on truth-telling and finding the right story and really dig into what’s really happening. I try to approach marketing in the same way. The brand is one thing, but it’s just about how that brand expresses itself. [I take] that objective lens to marketing, which I get from my background in journalism and allowing the truth of what a brand is to come to the forefront and then adding my creativity on top of that to create something new.

Her Agenda: One of the unique things about marketing is that there are so many areas to tap into. How do you ensure that the marketing you all do has a qualitative and quantitative impact, knowing that, at the end of the day, it still has to have a business/revenue impact? 

Sadé Muhammad: For us, the qualitative impact of TIME specifically is convening power in stories that move the needle, whether that’s a story that we do that leads to something happening, a policy change, or a story being investigated further. Those are the real qualitative outcomes that can come from our journalism.

And then those quantitative outcomes [are] really [important] because I focus on B2B and developing partnerships. [We want] our partners to feel as though they came away with a win beyond impression goals and typical standard KPIs. [My goal is that] at the end of a partnership, they come away with more relationships that they can convert into new business.

Yes, we want to meet KPI goals, but I like to think about how I am helping transform our partner’s business. And if we can do that in a meaningful way, and they’re using our superpower, then that’s a good partnership. Our superpower is convening, truth-telling, establishing trust, and bringing experiences to life. 

Her Agenda: I love hearing how you feel about the strategy, which brings up another question for me: How do you feel about the paywall elimination, and how does that support your vision for marketing TIME? 

Sadé Muhammad: I think everyone should have access to information, and not just information, but balanced and good information.

News literacy is one of the best pathways that we have to create a more balanced world. Because what happens when you don’t have news literacy? Then you start to go with what you hear from the [biases] of the people you’re around, as opposed to some of the critical thinking that’s needed to form a full opinion. We’re not interested in telling you what to think, but it’s important for us to come to the table with balanced news. If we can make that news accessible to anyone at any time, then we’re doing our part to lead to a more informed citizen, which is essentially what we’re trying to help create.

Her Agenda: My next question is related to TIME’s CEO, Jessica Sibley. I know you worked with her previously at Forbes. How did you build trust with someone who was a senior leader and vice versa? 

Sadé Muhammad: I think a good career and a career that you enjoy are about having people that you enjoy working with. It’s important to enjoy what you’re doing and not only to enjoy it but also to be around like-minded thought partners who share your values, work ethic, and vision. And so in Jess, I see a partner in each of those things. It was easy to say yes because she trusted me.

If you trust me, then I trust you, too, right? I think it’s just a matter of shared values and really being able to have honest conversations, to be transparent, [and] that’s something that we’ve always done with one another. And I think that’s a basis for any good relationship in general, and especially in your career.

Her Agenda: I wanted to know how you felt about stepping into the role of CMO. So of course, it has been something that has been getting a lot of media attention. I was really curious personally, because I see myself one day hopefully being a CMO. People see the role being eliminated or diminished, or they’re letting other executives take on the marketing function. What are your general thoughts on the CMO role? 

Sadé Muhammad: I’ve always tried to remain very close to revenue. I actually got that advice from my mom, who has been a CMO herself. And her advice to me was to stay close to the revenue, so I’ve tried to do that.

And by that, I mean, you can come up with the most creative ideas in the world, but if they don’t tie to business outcomes that can be proven quarter to quarter, you’re putting yourself in a difficult [position]. People’s memories are very short. They might forget the amazing idea that you had, but if you can point to the business result, that’s what stays. Ideas are a commodity.

Everybody has ideas. It’s not about being creative but applied creativity. Applying that [creativity] in a way that satisfies internal and external stakeholders drives the business forward in a way that meets results. 

People ask about my brand strategy, and they’re looking for some really incredible vision, but it’s simple. It’s driving business results through creative thinking, problem-solving, and good ideas that serve our audience.

Her Agenda: As a marketer, I try to approach marketing by applying creativity, if that makes sense. Absolutely. Trust me, I know everybody has ideas for marketing.

Sadé Muhammad: I’m like, how are we going to get these done? And you have to say no to a lot of good ideas. Sometimes, the most creative idea is not the right idea, you know? So, it’s not always about the most out-of-the-box thing. It’s about what I can do repeatedly well that, in time, will move the needle for this brand.

Her Agenda: My last question is kind of like a two-part. I want to know what’s the most eye-opening moment or favorite part of your first year, and then to follow, what do you hope that your legacy will be in this role? Sadé Muhammad: The thing that was most eye-opening to me about TIME was really the affinity that people have for the brand and the visceral effect that it has. You see folks’ eyes light up when they tell stories about their childhood and their dad leaving an issue on the nightstand. You hear people talk about how they learned to read. And then on the other side, I hear people say I didn’t see myself in TIME until you started, or now I can actually see myself in TIME. That’s really what I want my legacy to be: someone who thought that they didn’t have a place in TIME now believes and knows that they do.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Sadé Muhammad was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Joy Ofodu is a professional voice actor, creator, and creative executive at Joy Ofodu LLC. Although she started off her professional career at Instagram as an Integrated Marketing Manager, Joy’s passion for performing was present from as young as three years old. Growing up in theater and taking other extracurriculars, like dance and acting classes, gave Joy the tools to self-produce her own media content that continues to go viral on social media. Through her self-titled media company, Joy has grown a community of 300,000 online daters and comedy lovers. She hosts her own podcast called Dating Unsettled, where she discusses her own life and gives advice to listeners to encourage them to challenge their preconceived beliefs about dating. She’s booked voiceover acting roles that range from meditation apps and monster voices and has had the opportunity to partner with trusted brands such as, Disney, The Daily Shine, and Dove.

Her Agenda spoke with Joy to discuss her growth as a creative since leaving corporate America. She talks about how her Nigerian heritage shows up in her comedy, creating a trusting community among other Nigerian creatives in the space, and why she thinks it’s important to stray from keeping our goals for love to ourselves and focus on being more outspoken when it comes to what we’re looking for in a partner. 

Her Agenda: You recently received an Arts and Entertainment Award from The Creative Collective and Max. How does it feel to be part of this year’s 2024 Creative Class?

Joy Ofodu: It feels incredible and so right on time because I love the CultureCon organization and everything that Imani [Ellis] is doing. Not only that, but I’ve been feeling this rising star over my head for some time. To come to fruition as an entertainer and a creator and be recognized in a category among folks that I either like, know, love, [or] work with, it really just feels timely. I think a lot of recognitions can be nameless, faceless, [or] meaningless, but The Creative Class is the opposite of that. To be in one of the earlier classes and to have come to New York to accept the award was just perfect. It was timely. 

Her Agenda: How did it feel to be in a room full of other creators who took a chance on themselves in similar ways to you to get you to where you are currently?

Joy Ofodu: It just feels energizing. These days, especially post-pandemic, I’m looking for anything that can add energy to me as a creator and as an actor—anything that adds inspiration. [That] means [connecting with] Syreeta Singleton and Michael Oloyede [at the awards show]. [Michael and I are] in the same management company now. I was sitting with Dami [Kujembola] and Timi [Adeyeba] of Amplify Africa, and we partnered together in the same week that that was happening. 

You just see all these beautiful, brilliant Black people hard at work, growing audiences, growing companies, and products. Things have never felt more possible or doable than when you’re at a dinner like that. There are things that have been sitting on my heart as a Black actress and as a voiceover actor, [and] to be able to be in a corner with Dominique Fishback and others is just like, yeah, this is a battery fill if that makes sense.

Her Agenda: When and how did you discover that you could tap into different voices and be able to do them as well as you do?

Joy Ofodu: Thank you. I’ve known about my range for some time, but the voice-matching/imitation skill is literally something I used to do when I was a kid. The formal or technical term is voice match. When I was young, I would listen to music [by] Avril Lavigne, Demi Lovato, [and] Shakira, and I would [ride] in the back of my parents’ car as we were on the way to different family functions, 30-45 minutes away. This would give me a lot of time to listen to my Limewire downloaded music and then quietly [sing] it and [see] how close I could get [to their voices]. It’s something that I’ve been doing to entertain my friends and family since I was very young. I love making people laugh. 

If you check all my yearbooks, they would call me ‘the funny one’ and [write things to me like] ‘I love all the voices you can do,’ those types of comments came very early on. It wasn’t until 2020 [that] I started performing them online, in my original comedy, on Clubhouse, [and] in demos that I [produced], and then I immediately started getting booked because of that range. I have [a] kind of high educative, children’s narration voice then I also have a soothing meditation voice. From Little Monster Media to The Daily Shine where I was the leading voice of a meditation app in 189 countries. Towards the end of it, people, no matter where I was playing within my range, would recognize me and recognize my voice like, ‘Hey, is this you?’ Or people would send me stuff, ‘Is this you?’ 

Once I mastered that base of this is the meditative [tone] and then this is the energetic, lighter youthful tone, that’s when I started getting even more creative with my monsters, and goblins, and elves, and witches and started performing those on podcasts and animation. I love whenever I get the chance to voice something that people would not expect when they look at me, so I try my best to create media that remind people that I can do that. I recognize that it is a very unique talent [and] it’s been fun to take that all the way to Disney, for example, and start doing impressions of characters like WALL-E in front of WALL-E at the park. I think in the future, [my job] is going to look like [me] being hired to portray these characters now in [media in the animation guild union]. I’ve been cast in several animated feature films, as well as animated TV series, including a union animated TV series that I can’t wait to share hopefully very, very soon. Skybound Entertainment, [the company] that creates The Walking Dead and Invincible, I’m in a horror podcast, and you’re going to hear a very terrifying monster in English and in Spanish come out for me this Spring. That is my jam. I really like pushing my range. That’s something I’ve done [and] I could do since I was very little. 

Her Agenda: ​​Did you ever think that voice acting could get you as far as it has?

Joy Ofodu: I thought that on-camera acting would, so I was just a little bit off the mark. I had the, ‘wrong kind of acting,’ and now I do both, it’s funny. When I was younger, I begged my mom to sign me up for acting classes, and she did. I signed up for acting, modeling, on-camera, [and] runway [classes]. [I] started auditioning, I had two agents, and I booked a pilot. It was called Hey, You Up There [and] I was on camera interviewing different athletes like Jackie Joyner-Kersee in San Francisco. That was my first on-camera acting job. It’s just so funny because I was banking on on-camera being the thing, and that’s what led me to being on stage, but I missed out on this voice-acting specific focus. It is kind of wild to think about what my career would look like, [at] this moment, if I’d been voice acting since a child.

I’m grateful that I’ve fallen into it. I think once I began to record my voices, and publish the demo, and I saw the reaction to that demo, I knew that voice acting would take me this far. I have a very fundamental belief in myself and in my talent that is informed by the responses that I’ve been getting. I’m fortunate that I’ve been able to play with my voices and vocal performances throughout my comedy and these videos, many of which have gone viral to where I got [thousands] of points of feedback. All of that informs my work. I’m a marketing scientist just as much as I am an artist or a performer. Every time I perform with something new, I measure how people respond. It’s been delightful for me to see that belief that I have in myself and in my own talent validated through the casting, validated through the invites, the heightened level of opportunity, and even people’s genuine responses.

Her Agenda: Nigerian parents tend to see their children in only certain types of careers, whether it’s the medical field, being a lawyer, engineer, or somewhere in the sciences. How did your parents respond to your creative endeavors growing up? You mentioned your mom signed you up for acting classes, but were they accepting of it? Were they resistant [to] it? What were their impressions of what they saw in you creatively?

Joy Ofodu: When I was three, they signed me up for dance so there was a very early signal for them coming from me. I would love to be dressed up, and I would love to be on stage. I did that from three to six [years old] before I started getting into sports. I’m very grateful that they eagerly and enthusiastically signed me up for different activities so that I could test my talents and my curiosities.

We had those early acting experiences, and I think the biggest way that my culture showed up is that to be a Nigerian immigrant in America already requires [dealing with Americans testing] your trust. [My parents] came here, and within years, they were masters educated. They were not born yesterday, but due to bias and discrimination [in this country], [they] would sometimes get treated like it. Now, you have this precious thing of a child; you’ve got people selling your child dreams in this foreign land and in this uncertain economy. I grew up at that point of the 2007/2008 economic crisis when I was coming through elementary school. So, you’re going through tough times [and] you have this child that you have to protect that these American people are telling you, oh, this is the American dream, and this is what’s gonna get your kid to be successful here in this country. It’s rough. So, I give my parents credit. They navigated with heavy skepticism but as much support as they could give with the tools that they had. I think their skepticism about the entertainment industry and the dangers of it, are part of what drove me more so towards community theater, as opposed to continuing to do national auditions and continuing with my national representation. [My parents] were like enough of this agent stuff, commercial stuff, TV [and] film; it just felt too far away and too foreign. Let’s pull you into how we can continue to support this habit with you not being too far from home.

We did struggle a little bit because while I was exceeding academically, there were a lot of hours required to be a good young artist [and] a good theater performer. I had to continue to prove that this is how I’m going to get into a good college. All my investments led me to receive a full tuition merit scholarship to USC. If I hadn’t been as involved [and] advocated for my own position in the arts to my parents, it may not have led to the opportunities I had at USC to study a little bit of business eventually. Here’s where, again, my parents were right. They were like, [I’m] made for tech. They kind of saw art as a hobby and not a career, but business and stem as a career. They were like, ‘You’re made for more; your brain is capable of more.’ Oh, how they push you. They pushed hard, but it was worth it. I did end up working at Instagram for multiple years, excelling in Silicon Valley, and [was] named a leader in certain publications as I was moving through tech. [This] gave me a great foundation to launch my own business and make myself the lead talent in the commercials and original productions that I put on. I’m not just coming at it anymore from an artist’s perspective, but from that business perspective, because of [my parents’] very Nigerian advocacy.

Her Agenda: And, out of curiosity, how does [it] feel like coming into this creative space, and [seeing] more Nigerians in the space with you and seeing that other people like you, ethnically, have made it possible to succeed in a space that was once considered so foreign, or more of a hobby to most Nigerians? 

Joy Ofodu: It’s vital. We are all bringing each other up [and] we’re learning from each other as we go. I was sitting around their table [with friends and fellow actors] as we were celebrating the release of Iwájú with Disney[+]. As we’re sitting at the table, I was looking around at everyone [and] I was so filled, and so impressed. Like, there was just a golden glow about us being able to be our artistic selves, and not be limited by parental pressure or economic predictions. Just sit and be artsy and be creative and have that not be powered by the African-ness but also produce something African. [To also] produce African media, to review a Nigerian meal, to listen and dance [to] our music. How many Nigerian Summers have we had of music? Of Davido? Of Burna [Boy]? Of Tems? I’ll be telling my children about the time when it was shocking to hear Davido come out of a Starbucks. It’s golden. It’s yummy. It’s delicious. It’s something that I think I’ll always remember this time. 

We’re setting new precedents and there’s a trust that occurs within our Igbo community [and] within our Nigerian and African community. It’s nice not to have to worry as deeply if someone has taken advantage of you [or] is jealous of you. We’re just in this space where we’re so strong. I think of the story about Giannis Antetokounmpo, who just recently demanded that Nike pull his brother in for a deal as well. I was so pumped up by that. Like, yeah, bring your brother along and make it mandatory. There are ways that I’ve shown up to events and added my sister [,Sofi]. Sofi (@the_odditty) and I were both recently at the Dove event. It was my first national commercial, and she was there in attendance. They pulled her aside for an interview, and she spent 80% of her interview just celebrating me and talking about how excited she was for me as her sister. These are moments that I treasure, and I go up so hard for my sister, Joy Sunday, who’s the newest global face of Lancome [and] who’s on Netflix’s Wednesday. She’s kind of showing me what’s possible with on-camera. All of it makes me quite emotional and energized. 

Her Agenda: [Let’s] shift gears a bit to talk about your podcast, Dating Unsettled. You talked about how when you take on a new business endeavor, you share [it] with whoever you can, and then back when you were single and getting back into dating, you were open about your journey of getting back out there. How do you think we limit ourselves when we try to keep new adventures in our dating or career lives close to our chests? 

Joy Ofodu: It’s not that it’s wrong or incorrect, but it’s limiting. People usually come at that from a place of fear—if I let people know I’m looking for love, they may make fun of me. If I let people know I’m looking for love, they may take advantage of me. They may be gossiping about me. We go straight to negative. I was single during the pandemic, in a time where if you literally didn’t cry and speak it out, you were not going to be heard. D-Nice had to get on Instagram Live every single week to share the music that he loved to further his legacy as a DJ. You have to just keep getting out there. For me with dating [and] love, I [was] looking to meet an educated fine Black man who’s funny, considerate, healthy, [and] shares my religion. I [was] looking for so [many] specifics that I knew I couldn’t really do it alone. I needed the help of everybody who loves me, cares about me, [and] is entertained by me to call in this goodness with me. When you open yourself up and you say, ‘Hey everyone, I’m looking for love,’ you get free cheerleaders. You get a free cheering squad, you get advocates, you get 1000s of people who are just supporting you and commenting, ‘I hope you find it,’ ‘update us, keep us posted,’ [and] ‘Marry him sis.’ Whatever the encouragement, misguided or not, it was beautiful. 

With Dating Unsettled, long before I launched the podcast, I was already doing what I do with Unsettled, which is, being a Black woman who’s talking about looking for love in an era where young Black women are being abused, mistreated, disregarded, [and] passed over. Statistically, we know that finding love on dating apps is tougher for us, but not impossible. That’s where I get energized. I told you, I’m a scientist. I’m looking at these stats talking about how many Black women find love or what percent of marriages end in divorce, and I’m here sitting with my long held, Disney princess-inspired love story dream of what I want for a relationship. I look at those statistics, and I say that even if we are the least selected or swiped on we’re still getting chosen, we are still choosing. It’s not about sitting in your room and being alone and crossing your legs and doing everything that we’ve been told to do by society or the ways we’ve been conditioned to be silent and approachable and not the one approaching. I just knew that that wasn’t going to yield me the results I was looking for. I am still my soft, beautiful, gentle, vulnerable self. I want the things that I want so deeply, and I trust how they’re going to be beneficial to my life, [and] I’m willing to put in consistent action to pursue it. We do this in our careers. We do this with our health, body, and fitness goals. I didn’t see why I shouldn’t do it in my love life. 

Her Agenda: You’ve taken on the role of dating expert with your work, and you’ve been featured on GMA giving tips on how to refresh your dating life. You’ve spoken to numerous publications on dating topics, and then you also have like the ‘Unsettler Requests,’ [where] you respond to advice requests from your listeners. What tidbits have you learned in your dating journey that you find yourself sharing most often with folks who are looking for that look to you for advice?

Joy Ofodu: I think the first is having an app strategy, and I did touch on this with GMA. Dating apps are daunting for a lot of people. When they hear that I have combed through 3000 profiles, had over 160 conversations, and over 21 dates to land on my now boyfriend of over two years, they’re like, how the heck did you get through it? How did you comb through all that? 

So the first recommendation or piece of strategy that I find myself sharing a lot is to approach the apps with a strategy and with intention. Just swiping is not going to do it. Not paying is not going to do it over time. The more time you put into dating apps, the more effort and bravery that you put into these conversations, vulnerability, and sharing yourself, the more likely you are to yield the results that you want. This doesn’t mean that if you spend $200 on a dating app today, your boyfriend will arrive next week. What it means is that you are quicker to discern whether or not the person in front of you is someone that you want to proceed with or move on from. I think that a lot of people get stuck, especially women, because of the ways that we’ve been conditioned to see things out and not lead, frankly. 

For the traditional girls who read Her Agenda, there are ways that you can let a man lead and still be your own decider of whether or not you want to be present. What happened to your own autonomy? So, having a strategy that says, I’m going to log on at these times and these times. I’m going to swipe this frequently, and I’m going to exit when it doesn’t feel good or pause subscriptions. I’m going to make an effort to financially invest in these apps where I feel like I’m having the best kind of interactions. I’m going to make a genuine effort to either meet the person that I’m speaking to or disengage. That honestly is the biggest thing with dating apps. Don’t let things live online. Now that the world is open and we can just meet each other, let’s do so. Let’s not let things live in ‘pen pals’ [situations]. ‘Pen pals’ is a situation that you are accepting. You can try to get it to an in-person interaction. If you don’t want to ask somebody on a date, suggest that you would love to be taken one. For all the girls that are like, ‘But, I don’t want to lead,’ suggest that you are available, and then let them make the ask.

The final thing would be don’t argue with people who you are not attracted to, or do not seem to be in community with [you]. Do not spend that time trying to convince anybody of your worth or your value. If you find yourself pitching yourself to somebody, auditioning for somebody, and he’s not a paying client, then it’s time to get out.

Her Agenda: When you left [Instagram] and took on content creation full-time, what strength came from taking control of your career in this way?

Joy Ofodu: The biggest benefit that I experienced in stepping away from corporate America for the time being into entrepreneurship was the reclamation of my time and how slowing down enabled me to find more humor, whimsy, and delight in the world around me. When you are putting everything that you have into managing another brand, the way that I was managing and stewarding the Instagram brand, you sometimes neglect the opportunity to do so for yourself. If you ask a lot of social media managers, senior marketing managers, or brand marketers if they are applying the same best practices that they’re sharing with others to their own profiles, [around] six out of 10 of them are going to tell you no. That was the case for me. 

When I slowed down, I started looking at the world around me as an entrepreneur, [and] as somebody who was only accountable to [myself]. The only person who is going to make sure I show up to work today is me. I have more time to chat with people, to notice things, to be reflective, and to reminisce on things that I’ve been thinking about before. It sounds so simple, but I genuinely encourage anyone who can do so. If you’re in corporate America, it’s not that you can fully step away. But, if you can even get a one-month break, that’s all it took for me was a one month break while I was still working to be inspired enough to make my exit plan. I started requesting creative pitch meetings, learning about producing graphic novels and TV series, and just consuming more as well as producing more. I think that when you are working full time, unfortunately, you can just get stuck in this wheel of production for work consumption for yourself as a fan, and then you miss the production for yourself as a brand. The biggest gift was time and seeing the world around me.

Her Agenda: What is your motto? 

Joy Ofodu: No weapon formed against me shall prosper. Also, this is a good one to take from Florence Welch, ‘It’s always darkest before the dawn.’ So, in those moments where I find that I’m getting a lot of rejection, or it’s very grim or not as resourced as I want to be, or I’m being passed over for opportunity, whatever it is, telling myself that it’s always darkest before the dawn, that dark period you’re in means that something wonderful is about to happen. It has to get dark before the sun can shine; it’s a must. It’s like [when] people say flowers can bloom all year. It’s so cool to know that it’s a signal that if I’m having an incredibly difficult time, seeing that not as a setback, but as a necessity. It is a necessity for you to struggle. It is a necessity for you to be rejected. It’s a necessity for you to not have the information that you need, to not have the money that you need. This is needed in order for you to advance to the next step, which can only be up from here. 

Her Agenda: Is there anything else you want to add that we didn’t touch on? Joy Ofodu: I think for me, just knowing that what’s next for me as an entrepreneur is growing the original offerings from my media company. While I do have incredible agents who are looking out for me as a talent, I’m open to and looking for mentorship from other senior professionals who know what it’s like to produce original content. I want to make animation, I want to make TV, and those things are coming in due time, but I welcome all the support to get there.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Joy Ofodu was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Sometimes, symbolism is a clandestine way of revealing a purpose. With Esmeralda Baez, whose name means emerald, a gem symbolic of truth, love, and inspiration, it’s foreboding of all the accomplishments of the multihyphenate. This Afro-Latina renaissance woman does it all – from leading international business councils to running her own PR firm to being a two-time bestselling author. But behind her impressive resume lies a journey of resilience and reinvention.

Recovery from a health scare led to a personal and professional transformation, and since then, it’s led Esmeralda to center on her purpose, which includes sharing her story to provoke change in others. Read her story of resetting and rebooting life on her own terms.

Her Agenda: I know you have many different titles. What are you currently up to?

Esmeralda Baez: That’s a great question. I don’t have a specific title because I do a rare combination of things. One of the things I do is I’m the director of line affairs for Pacific Rim Business Council, which is based in California and it’s right now in about 48 countries. Outside of that, I’m also the project manager for North Star Group, which is pretty much Source Magazine. I’m the founder of Elite Vision Media, which is a PR firm based in New York where I specialize in Latin music and entertainment, but I have extended it now to also sports, beauty, lifestyle and other things as well. I’m also the creator of an annual women’s networking event that I call Women’s Trailblazer, which is pretty much to empower and support women who are in business or starting [a] business. Also, I’m part of the social, and economic team of experts for the United Nations and just recently became a two-time best-selling author.

Her Agenda: The first question that comes up after hearing all this is how do you make it all work with so many different things pulling you in different directions? What does it look like to manage all of these things? 

Esmeralda Baez: I think that having a very well-balanced lifestyle, I have a switch that I know when to turn it on and when to turn it off. So, how do I manage? I think by definitely knowing my purpose. I know that it sounds like it’s all over the place, but as much as it may seem like it’s a lot when you really like what you do, it never really feels like you’re working. I take everything, it’s like fun up to this point for me. 

Her Agenda: I know it wasn’t always like this for you. The health part was definitely something major that caused you to shift how you work. Talk to me about maintaining this shift, knowing that you didn’t always do it this way. 

Esmeralda Baez: I’m going to give you the whole story. I’m going to bring you back to 2018. Six years ago, I was doing a couple of things. I was a nanny, I was styling and working at a regular job in New York City. 

One morning, I went to the gym, and within probably 45 minutes of being in the gym, I started feeling a little weird, very tired, [I] couldn’t explain it. By the time I get to the office, I sit down with just partial numbness in my left arm, tension headache in the back of my head. I just told who was with me in the office, I think you should call 911 because I’m about to have a stroke. 

And that’s exactly what happened. 

On May 1 of, 2018, I actually had what they call a TIA (Transient ischemic attack, a stroke-like illness), because it wasn’t like a major stroke; I don’t have any long-term damages. But I did find out at that time that I have something called a brain aneurysm, which is something that a lot of people are not even aware of. 

It’s pretty much like a balloon in your brain, and if it bursts, you die. 

So, I have to pretty much live a very healthy lifestyle. I don’t drink alcohol, I don’t smoke, I eat very healthy, I drink a lot of water, I meditate daily, I try my best to do detoxes once a week, I fast once a week for 24 hours where I don’t eat any food. Prior to that, I wouldn’t say that I had a crazy lifestyle but I would say that I wasn’t as selective. I never really put myself first. 

I didn’t understand the power of energy, [but] I became just more selective after that. I made major changes after that. This time around, I wanted to do things a little bit different. I became more appreciative of my time on earth and more appreciative of the people around me. It also was a time when I realized who my true friends were. Because they couldn’t really understand that I couldn’t be out as much anymore. They were just like, why aren’t you out? What’s going on? You’re not fun anymore, blah, blah, blah. And eventually those people had an expiration date.

Her Agenda: That makes so much sense. That’s just such an interesting story because we don’t think about health scares at such a young age. 

Esmeralda Baez: I feel like people don’t always talk about it, but I was 30 at the time. 

Her Agenda: Everybody feels very invincible at that age. 

Esmeralda Baez: Yeah, we do feel invincible. And you know what, in the book, [it] was my first time being open about that, being open about having a brain aneurysm, having a TIA (Transient ischemic attack). Then after that [I got] anxiety. 

The thought of having another TIA was just causing me so much anxiety. [I was] going to the therapist, to the psychologist, to the psychiatrist, and then [was] diagnosed with bipolarism. 

I’m like, okay, this is new to me. Now, I just don’t have an aneurysm. But on top of that, I’m also bipolar; what’s going on here? The book is not long. It’s only 85 pages. It’s titled: Reset and Reboot, Regaining Mindfulness. Because that’s what we should all do at some point: reset and reboot. I speak about the power of manifestation, the importance of detoxing every so often, going on retreats, and the power of self-care. And by self-care, I mean anything that you’d like to do, whether it’s to go and eat ice cream on your own take long baths or go shopping, whatever it is that makes you happy. I encourage people to do it at least once a week. 

It’s very important. Find a space in your home or wherever you are where you can actually speak to yourself. I’m big on affirmations. I speak of that in the book. 

Her Agenda: Are there any new realizations that you’ve had now that the book has been out a while? I know sometimes when you write things, you feel one way about them. And then when you go back and reread them, you’re like, oh, now I kind of feel this way about them. So, are there any new realizations that you have since you’ve written the book? 

Esmeralda Baez: Absolutely. I feel that that happens. I’ve been a reader my whole life. 

We are in a constant state of evolution. To be honest, when I wrote the book, I didn’t even know it was going to turn into a book. I was just pretty much doing my morning journal. I think I found my life purpose through the book. One of my life purposes is to share my journey of healing and self-discovery with others who may be feeling alone or lost. I want to continue using my voice to promote positivity, spread kindness.

Her Agenda: There was a quote from your book, and it says: to love who you are, you can’t hate the experiences that have shaped you. Make the decision to live more from intention than from habit. The goal is to grow so strong on the inside nothing on the outside can affect your inner wellness without your permission. I love quotes. I love affirmations. So when I saw this, I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is a gem.’ The interesting part about this quote to me though, is that it says don’t let it affect you without your permission. So talk about that. Why is permission so important in those moments? 

Esmeralda Baez: One thing that I came to understand is that we allow people to treat us the way they do. No one can do anything without your permission. That goes from hanging out with people to traveling to doing anything. You have the power. 

That’s really what the quote is about. We are in a constant state of growing and learning. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Don’t allow other people to have a say in the things that you want or in how you see yourself. 

Her Agenda: Do you have a favorite affirmation? 

Esmeralda Baez:  Oh my God. I have so many: I am beautiful. I love myself. I am confident. I am worthy of good health, joy, and peace. I am a magnet of success and attract my deepest desires. I am open to receiving unlimited prosperity, and I welcome love in all forms into my life. The universe is transforming my fears into faith and power. I am aligned with source energy. I am destined for greatness. I know my talents and accomplishments, what I have to offer, and what leads my life’s purpose. Never underestimate a woman who holds God’s hand. That’s one of the ones that I wrote, and I’ve said it so many times to myself that now it’s like, I can just say it in a meeting, you know? 

Within 30 days of you telling this thing to yourself, you’re going to start believing. Your subconscious is going to start believing this. 

I think the mind’s natural inclination is to be negative I have worked very hard to turn that into just being a very positive person. And the words of affirmation have truly helped. 

Her Agenda: Hearing all this advice, and understanding your story is so powerful. But for someone like you who has overcome, I feel like on the opposite side, there are so many women that are still stressed out, working themselves practically to death, etc. If you could just give one piece of advice to them to put them on their reset and reboot path, what would it be? 
Esmeralda Baez: It’s a hard thing because there are days that I still wake up and I’m lost. It’s completely normal to feel lost. But I would definitely say that what has helped me personally is trusting in the process, having faith, believing in myself, knowing that if you are a good person, good things will come eventually, being patient, and being kind to yourself.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Esmeralda Baez was originally published on HerAgenda.com

To garner the confidence of music legends like Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown is no small achievement. For over two decades, Tracey Baker Simmons has upheld this trust, defying industry norms and setting a standard rarely seen in Hollywood.

Hailing from Chattanooga, TN, her journey in entertainment spans 25 years. She reshaped the landscape of reality TV with her groundbreakingly authentic show “Being Bobby Brown,” which premiered in 2005. Long before the era of social media, Tracey unlocked a new avenue for storytelling, driven by her passion for documentaries and the belief that everyone, including celebrities, deserves the chance to share their truth.

Today, the Emmy-nominated producer is a self-proclaimed gate-opener and opens doors for the next generation through her platform, Reality TV Decoded, and producer masterclass. We had the opportunity to chat with Tracey about her journey and navigating the world of entertainment. 

Her Agenda: Tracey, your career spans over 25 years in the entertainment industry, with notable contributions to reality television. Could you share with us how you initially found your way into this industry and what motivated you to transition into reality television? 

Tracey Baker Simmons: I started in the music side of the industry, working initially as an intern and then working in marketing and promotions with Warner Brothers. And then I segued from that into doing music videos and commercials and gained a lot of production knowledge from that experience. And then, moving into commercials, the job was a little easier because someone else was coming up with the ideas, and they were giving us the boards to shoot. However, it still gives you a full scope of telling stories in a short amount of time, which hones your storytelling skills. 

I came up with the idea of doing a show like “Being Bobby Brown,” which was really just an idea that I had from seeing them on the news and hearing about them in the community. I lived in Atlanta at the time, it seemed not a natural segue because reality was still very new. We had “The Osbournes” and “Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica,” and a couple of other things, but we really didn’t have this breadth of reality shows. Bravo had a show they were just about to air, “Queer Eye,” and it was even before the Housewives [franchises]. My producing partner and I at the time just played a little game of six degrees of separation and were able to connect with Bobby and Whitney, whom we did not know at all. And then from there was able to create the show. We had a private investor, created the show and then licensed it to Bravo.

Her Agenda: Like you said, “Being Bobby Brown” was definitely groundbreaking at the time because it was a reality television prototype in a lot of ways. What were the challenges you faced in creating such an intimate and raw portrayal of their lives, and how did you navigate them?

Tracey Baker Simmons: One of the biggest challenges was [staying] authentic. You had these two mega stars, and we took a big risk. We had an investor, so it wasn’t like a network gave us the money and said, ‘make the show.’ We were making the show and then going to hope and pray that we found the right distributor with meaning, the right partnership, and being allowed the right space actually to navigate how the story would be told.

Her Agenda: What responsibility do you think producers have to audiences when producing unscripted content?

Tracey Baker Simmons: I feel like being honest and authentic is important. It’s important to me. I have to be able to sleep at night, and I just have this thing about not being authentic and not being honest. Sometimes, in our space, people like to blindside people or say they know something, and they put you in a position where someone else is sharing that or putting you on the spot and things like that. People deserve the opportunity to own their truth. That’s a big deal to me. And even on the scripted side, I do also feel like oftentimes people don’t think about messaging. Messaging is everything. And I think we miss that opportunity a lot to draw back sort of and [think], ‘what am I saying?’

And I have been guilty of it, even when doing the “Being Bobby Brown” show. I met a husband and a wife who happened to be megastars. They were very forthright. They were honest and authentic. I didn’t think that people would be like, ‘oh, they must’ve been high, or they’re this, or they’re that.’ Because that wasn’t even true. They weren’t high on camera when we were shooting the show. They’re just entertainers and they have the ability to turn it off and on when the cameras are off or on because that’s what they did for a living. And then to think about 20 years ago, literally 20 years ago to this month, was when we started actually shooting that show. There wasn’t a Cardi B, there wasn’t social media, there wasn’t living out loud to that level. So people only had this marketing perception of Whitney Houston and they didn’t personally know her. They had never seen her on her Instagram being silly at home. And she can still pop on a stage looking like a superstar and belt better than anybody on the planet.

Her Agenda: With your knowledge and experience of packaging, selling, and producing, what advice would you give to aspiring producers looking to break into TV, whether reality or scripted?

Tracey Baker Simmons: I grew up in the Michael Jordan era, and he would always say, ‘to thine own self, be true’ and ‘master the craft.’ I hate it if people say, ‘I have a show,’ and I ask, ‘What are you watching?’ And they say, ‘I don’t watch TV.’ How can you make TV? So I would say, first and foremost, watch television. 

If you want to be in TV, watch TV. If you want to be making movies, go to the movies a lot, watch and see the great people who are winning awards or having repeated shows, what are they doing? What does it look like? Honestly, I didn’t know anything about making a show. I just watched “The Osbournes” and was able to connect the dots of what was the best approach. [Next], get as much experience as you possibly can, even if it’s shadowing someone or interning. I don’t think I’ve ever had an intern that didn’t end up getting a job. I think internships are still very key. They’re a good way to get in. They’re also a good way for you to look at the landscape and sort of figure out, I like this, or I like that, because sometimes we don’t know for sure which area you want to be in. Do I want to be creative? Do I really like numbers and I just want to be on the production side, or do I really just want to be working in the camera department? Or maybe there are people who are talent producers and they just love dealing with humans and coddling them and getting them comfortable to do what it is that they need to do. And you really can find that out by planting yourself as close to any and everyone that you possibly can in the industry and then sorting what you feel you naturally gravitate to.

Her Agenda: Serving on the ECCO media committee under the Obama Administration is quite impressive. How did your experience in this role influence your approach to media production? 

Tracey Baker Simmons: The [ECOO media committee experience aligned] with my mantra ‘media influences culture.’ [The committee] was there because they wanted us to have information that we could actually put into our everyday storytelling, whether it was a TV series or making small videos. I always liked history and politics, so that really was a big interest to me to just be in that space. But it also ignited me to see there’s a bigger responsibility. This is fun; this is amazing. It’s creative. You are telling stories, but there are things bigger than that and what’s happening in our country, what’s happening with our government, also is important. And the fact that media influences culture and messaging really is impactful. The messaging or information that we [share] to the everyday public through television and film, can really change the scope of what’s happening in our country. As a creator, you do have a level of responsibility. The more you grow in the [media] space, the bigger your responsibility should become. I think it made me definitely think more about messaging in a bigger way than I had in the past. 

Her Agenda: Is there a specific project or moment in your career that you consider particularly defining or impactful, and what lessons did you learn from it?

Tracey Baker Simmons: Of course, the Bobby Brown [show] was definitely defining and impactful because, before that, I was doing music videos and commercials. I honestly was looking to go directly to scripted television, but taking that detour to do that particular show, I then became a pioneer in this space of non-scripted or reality television. So definitely, it was defining because, I mean, think about it: it’s Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, and they’re icons. And it’s an honor because you have to build trust to be able to do that show. There was an immense amount of trust that had to be built between them with us as producers, and honestly, we own that show, and we own that footage. And to this day, 20 years later, we still have not betrayed the trust that she had in us and how we navigated that footage, how we maintain it, what pieces of it we share with others, and now she’s gone, her daughter’s gone. So we also have some of their greatest family memories at the same time.

Her Agenda: What do you envision for the future of reality TV?

Tracey Baker Simmons: Honestly, I feel like it’s interesting because we’re in this space where reality has sort of slowed down a bit, but I think that it’ll get a rebirth. As documentaries are starting to blossom even more, which is a space where people are usually very raw and authentic and everything, nothing’s produced. Yes, you can do interviews and ask questions, but you’re definitely not manipulating the story. I do feel like we will go back to more of that type of storytelling. I think people, because of the fact that we do see people in social media and we’re seeing them as their authentic selves, they’re overproducing a show, it only loses its credibility with the audience. So I do feel like we’re going to get back to more raw concepts and more verite type of storytelling where the audience can connect because it feels so real and it doesn’t feel like you’re watching a telenovela or something.

Her Agenda:  And then, looking ahead, do you want to continue to focus on unscripted, or do you want to get into scripted? What’s next?

Tracey Baker Simmons: I’m happy that we live in a world now where people could be multi-hyphenated, which was weird when I started doing reality TV. Now you can do everything. You can do scripted one day, and you can do non-scripted another day. I did a Christmas movie for Hallmark. I’ve done a biopic, and I finished a documentary recently for Showtime on women in hip-hop. And I’m happy that what I am is a creative. I’m a creator, I’m a storyteller, and there are a lot of different mediums in which I can do that in. And there are a lot of different genres in the industry where I could do that. And I’m loving and embracing the idea that that’s possible. I’ll make a big movie someday that will be released in a major theater. I’ve done an independent film before. I will be doing scripted television and I will be able to bring all of these experiences with me as well. When I did the Christmas movie for Hallmark, I really was able to bring some of my reality chops to the party as an executive producer. And it was interesting to watch me be able to do that and impart that. And so I feel like, for me, the sky’s the limit. I’m definitely going to be doing it all because I’m not going to stop telling stories, and whichever is the best way to tell a story, I am going to do that.

Her Agenda: What is your motto?

Tracey Baker Simmons: Nothing is impossible with God. It really is first thinking it’s possible and then doing it.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Tracey Baker Simmons was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Kamie Crawford is a television host, top-ranking podcast host, producer, and model. She’s currently a co-host of the MTV documentary series, Catfish: The TV Show, she hosted season 9 of MTV’s Are You the One?, season 6 of MTV’s Ex on the Beach, and hosts her own podcast, Relationsh*t with Kamie Crawford, with Dear Media. She treats her podcast as her diary as she shares her personal breakthroughs, invites guests on to talk about all aspects of relationships, including romantic, platonic, familial, and work, and she and her guests advise listeners who may need help with a personal issue. 

With the new season in swing, Her Agenda sat with Kamie to talk about the origin of her show, how showing up directly for her friends, family, and herself reflects directly on how she shows up to host, and her efforts to perpetuate an inclusive environment for women of color in media.

Her Agenda: Relationsh*t, the podcast, was named one of the top 17 podcasts for women, by women on the Today Show, alongside Nicole Byers’ Why Won’t You Date Me?, Oprah’s Super Soul, and Keke Palmer’s show, Baby, this is Keke Palmer. How does it feel to receive this acknowledgment and accomplish this alongside all these women?

Kamie Crawford: Iconic, it feels like I have made it truly. When that came out, I wasn’t expecting it. It’s not something that my team had pitched, I didn’t even have PR at the time. I just came across this article that I was mentioned in and it happened to be by the Today Show, which is the most incredible long-standing iconic show to exist in morning news and TV. I wasn’t expecting it and when I saw it, I was like, ‘Oh, my God!’ I really think that it is a testament to the work that myself and my team have done to try to reach as many people as possible because it really has been just me posting and putting it out there. It just felt like my work is paying off like I’m doing the things that I set out to do and it’s being recognized by the people that it was meant to reach. 

Her Agenda: You mentioned [that] you’re happy to see the podcast is being received by women in the ways that you intended. What were your intentions? Where did the idea for Relationsh*t come from?

Kamie Crawford: Well, I came up with Relationsh*t as a piece of a show idea that I was coming up with for television. I’m such a millennial, ‘90s baby. I remember the talk shows, like Ricki Lake and Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos and Oprah. These shows [were] so incredible in the way that they told people’s stories, and resonated with real people who are going through real things. I was concerned [about] starting a podcast [where] the market was already so oversaturated that my voice was going to get drowned out. And then I realized that my voice is unique. The reason why people listen is because they want to hear what I have to say and I can relate to people on a lot of different topics. And then when I was presented with the idea of having a podcast my team at the time was like, ‘What kind of podcast ideas do you have?’ [I knew I wanted] to do something surrounding relationships and advice. [But] I didn’t want to just narrow it down to romantic relationships. We are more than just the relationships that we are in romantically. Self-care, the relationship you have with yourself is the most important relationship and the longest relationship you’ll ever have, so that’s important. Our relationship with our mental health is important. Our relationships that we have with our co-workers and our bosses and our friends and our frenemies and you know, all these things are just as important if not more important than our romantic relationships, frankly. And I knew that I wanted to do it in a way that wasn’t just information. What I was intending to do was have a mutual platform where it’s like, girl talk. We’re sitting around and ki-ki-ing and sharing stories and talking sh*t. It’s a safe space. That’s what I was hoping for.

Her Agenda: Honestly, that’s the energy it gives. When you listen, it is like a ki-ki. It is like you’re listening to your girls talking or your best friends talking, [or] big sisters talking. [It’s] also really cool how the original conception of the idea came from what you wanted to do for a TV show and life was like no podcast. I think that’s pretty dope.

Kamie Crawford: Yeah, well, life and just the timing of it all. The show idea I came up with probably back in 2014, and then talk shows just kind of went out the door for young people. I remember young people watching Oprah [and] young people watch The Tyra [Banks] Show. Now, I think that they skew a little bit older as far as people who watch The View and The Talk. Daytime TV talk shows have changed. They did such a great job with Keke Palmer’s talk show when she had the talk show and then they took it away. So I was just like, okay, well I guess talk shows are out and podcasts are in.

Her Agenda: On the [podcast], you give bestie advice [and] big sister advice. How much of the ways that you show up for your listeners compare to how you show up for your sisters and friends in real life?

Kamie Crawford: I’m the oldest of six girls and my sisters, when I first launched the podcast, were like, ‘This is the weirdest thing because I feel like you’re just talking to us how you always talk to us, but other people are hearing this.’ Even now, when they run into people, and [people] are like, ‘Oh my god, I love your sister’s podcast.’ [They] forget that other people listen to this, because for them, it’s just what they hear anytime they FaceTime me or anytime we’re talking. It’s not for everyone. Sometimes, I forget [too] because, for me, it’s kind of like my diary. It’s the place [where] I feel the most safe to be able to share stories and things because I know that the people who listen to my podcasts are intentionally listening. I’ve developed such a great community of besties.

I’m the same everywhere all the time. If you see me on Catfish, I’m the same, I’m just the edited-down version of the person that I am. Any other time and anyone who’s ever met me in real life that knows me from online or from the show says that, like [I] really [am] just who [I] present [myself] to be. I think we’re so used to not seeing that, that when you are that way people are pleasantly surprised. I don’t know any other way to be. What you see is what you get with me.

Her Agenda: Yeah, especially in media, authenticity is hard. It’s hard to come by, it’s hard to find. You touched on this in your answer when you said the [podcast] is like your diary. Along with bringing on guests, you have the solo episodes where you dedicate time to just talk on your own and you let us see the journey through things like your past breakups, then getting back into dating, and then meeting your current boyfriend now. What made you want to be so candid about that journey?

Kamie Crawford: When I first started the podcast, I was in a relationship, a long relationship. Obviously, it ended [and] I wasn’t happy, but I had already had this idea for this show before I even met this person and I wanted to follow through with it. I think I was helping myself by having certain guests on and talking through certain things and “realizing things” (thank you, Kylie Jenner.) I was realizing things and understanding more about what I was feeling. I was enlightening myself, but then I’m also feeling fraudulent. So when I went through the breakup, it was a battle because I have this diary that a lot of people listen to, but then I also have a public image and persona, career-wise that I have to manage. I have more eyes on me [and] more press. Now when I say things in an interview, it ends up in an article and it’s a little bit different. So it was kind of like, da*n, how honest do I want to be? Do I talk about this? Ultimately, it was [a] yes. How am I going to ask anyone to trust me to get advice from me about their own relationships? People share really deep, meaningful things with me. I want to make sure that I’m being honest and [that] I’m also living the things that I’m sharing with people. I have to [practice] what I’m preaching, or I’m a false prophet. I do right by my listeners and tell my truth.

Her Agenda: You have Relationsh*t, the podcast, you’re one of the co-hosts on Catfish with Nev Schulman, you were the host on Ex on the Beach last season [and] Are You the One? Would you consider yourself a relationship expert because you’ve been able to see different components and layers to relationships through hosting all these shows?

Kamie Crawford: I call myself an uncertified relationship therapist because I’ve always been the person that people come to for relationship advice. It’s a very natural thing for me. In booking Ex on the Beach, and Are You the One?, the producers were really excited because they were like, ‘We’ve listened to the podcast and we know that you can give good advice. We want that for the cast, we want someone who’s going to be able to engage with them and talk about the things that they’re feeling. And we don’t just want you to be a host, we want you to be involved.’ That’s the only way that I like to do any project. I’m a very devoted and active host. I don’t like to just show up and read scripts and go about my day, I want to talk to the cast. On Catfish, on Are You the One?, on Ex on the Beach, either one when the cameras are not rolling I’m still talking with my cast. I’m still talking with the participants and we’re still having active conversations because how can I expect them to open up to me if we’re not doing this together? 

Her Agenda: You just did a recent first rendition of ‘The Relationsh*t Show of the Week’ on your podcast, and Reesa Teesa’s 52 part Tik Tok titled ‘Who TF Did I Marry?’ was [the] first story you talked about. You call this an in-person catfish and you spoke about the situation in defense of Reesa Teesa. You showed her a lot of grace and it was nice to hear. What did this story and situations while filming Catfish, teach you about giving others grace when they’re going through intense situations in their lives that you may not always be able to relate to?

Kamie Crawford: We should always [lead] with compassion in everything. I understand the entertainment factor of it all. I was entertained by her story. I’m over here making the cornbread and chicken noodle soup, and I’m chopping celery and burning my cornbread because I’m too busy with Reesa Teesa telling her story about this crazy man who deserves jail time if you ask me. In general, we can look at her and think of a time when somebody in our life told us something that we knew was not true and we looked the other way. Or, they lied, whether it be a big lie or a little lie, we all can relate to that. It’s easy to poke fun and cast judgment but you don’t know what you will do until you are in a particular situation. We can try to plan, we can try to talk a big game, but when you are in love with someone, we all have done crazy things for love that we would not have done otherwise or that we would not have advised a friend to do. I have been fooled by people. People have presented themselves to me in real life, that were one person and then ended up being somebody completely different, and like who am I to judge? 

Her Agenda: You joined [Catfish], a show where audiences were used to seeing the same two hosts for so long, and you’re a Black woman who came into a spot that was once held by a white man. How did you navigate that, navigate the relationship with Nev [build] that trust, being the new kid in school, in a sense, with Catfish?

Kamie Crawford: I definitely had to prove myself for a while and sometimes I still feel like people expect me to. I’ve been on the show for five-plus years, so I’ve proven it. I’ve done what I need to do and I feel really great about the work that I’ve done. I’m not here to replace anybody. I’m not here to be the new Max. I can’t be the new Max, I can only be me. That’s the role that they asked me to play, so that’s what I’m going to do. They asked me to be Kamie Crawford so that’s how I’m going to show up when I go to work and that’s what’s on my checks when I get them. 

It is difficult to navigate, too, [as] a Black woman, just based [on] the fact that if I do make a comment or say something that is honest and real, or if I ask a question that anybody would ask, there are occasionally the comments that are like, ‘She’s so aggressive.’ ‘She’s badgering them.’ I’m not doing anything different than anyone in my position would do [and] I’m not doing anything different than the audience would do. Has it been the easiest thing in the world? No, but I’m very confident in myself, and we have so many amazing fans of the show that are confident in me and support me. I want to also shout out the Black women who watch the show who have supported me and posted and shared and been like, ‘Kamie you’re doing such a great job. Thank you for representing us, thank you for speaking for us.’ I need that, it’s important when you have other people who are not saying that. 

As far as Nev and I’s relationship, I did have to prove myself a little bit to him too. This is his show, this is his baby, he created this. He’s done a lot of episodes, so he knows how it goes. When I came in, he wasn’t familiar with me as a host or in general. But it literally took a day, he’s a Libra. I was going to win him over, it didn’t take much. 

Her Agenda: Along with dealing with relationships in a lot of your work, part of your mission as a media personality is to perpetuate inclusivity in regard to body types and race. At this stage of your career, what does accomplishing that look like for you?

Kamie Crawford: I come from a blended family, and my sisters and I don’t look alike. My friends and I don’t look alike. I need to see and be in spaces and create spaces that look like my friends, my family, the people around me, and my team. I need it to be what we see out in the universe. I need to be able to see what the world looks like around us. When it comes to projects that I’m doing, I’m never going to be okay with just having one particular person or inviting somebody on that doesn’t reflect the spirit of the show, which is diverse and inclusive. I like to have conversations that include all people. On the podcast, yes, a lot of topics that we talk about are very heteronormative but I also like to have conversations with queer people because I have queer people that listen to the show. I like to have conversations with people with disabilities. Today’s episode was with Molly Burke, who is absolutely incredible. She’s an author, she’s a speaker, and she’s blind. She talks about her experience dating while blind. She has a boyfriend who is sighted, but she’s also dated people who are blind. That’s just how I like to do it. I like to be able to have conversations that are real and honest with people who reflect what we see in the world. 

Her Agenda: What is your motto?

Kamie Crawford: No matter what level you reach, self-doubt can creep in often and for me, it does it all the time. If I post something [online] and it doesn’t go the way that I think [it should], or if I have an idea and it doesn’t follow through, or if I’ve wanted certain guests and they can’t make it, I’m like, ‘Oh my god, am I really who I think I am?’ 

One of my favorite quotes is whether you believe you can or whether you believe you can’t, you’re right. Because if you don’t believe it, who else is going to believe it? You have to believe that you can and if you don’t, then maybe you can’t. It sounds harsh but when I’m giving myself feedback, I am harsh. I’m a Scorpio and we are naturally the most critical of ourselves in general. So if I’m having self-doubt or something, this is how I talk to myself and I don’t recommend it for everyone. I’ll be like, ‘B*tch, what are you talking about? Get up, you sound stupid. Get up, go take a shower. Why don’t you go bathe and go for a walk and see the sun and then come back to me and tell me if everything’s over and life sucks because it’s just how you’re feeling right now.’ I’ll be able to give myself more grace [after that] but in the [moment] I have to be aggressive with my self-love. Then I can go on to [saying], ‘You’re doing great. You’re doing a great job. You’re doing your best. Yes, this person said no you didn’t get this but that just means something else is coming.’ I think another one of my mantras is: what is for me will not miss me, ever. I believe that everything that I’m meant to have I will have and that’s just that. If it doesn’t happen it’s because it wasn’t meant to. God is preparing me for something even bigger, or there’s something else that I need to learn in the meantime to be able to get that thing. 

Her Agenda: Being someone who has made a name for themselves and had a lot of success in the media and as a host and personality, what advice do you have for women who want to take that same path?

Kamie Crawford: Every path is different. There were a lot of times when I was coming up in the hosting game, and people would be like, whose career would you want to emulate? Obviously, I said, Oprah, I said, Lisa Ling, she was one of my favorite investigative journalists. I said Giuliana Rancic, because she was on E! News. But the thing is, you could follow somebody’s exact path to the tee and still not get exactly what they got. The best thing that you can possibly do is work on what your thing is and hone in on that. I was very busy trying to be good at everything so that I would be recognized for being good at everything. One of the best [pieces of] advice that I got was why don’t you just focus on being really great at one thing and being recognized for that, and then see how many doors open up after that? So that’s what I did. I just dove into pop culture and lifestyle. I was already talking about my opinions on products, like the best beauty products to make your skin glow or best gifts to buy your mom for Mother’s Day, or red carpet looks from the Oscars and I got recognized for that. When you have strong opinions, people want to put you on TV to talk about them. 

So, it just ended up working out that I was just posting my content. That’s another thing that I would say, post your content. Why are we waiting to post the content? I’m saying this to myself to somebody who has like 500 drafts on TikTok, but, post your content. You don’t know who’s watching. I didn’t realize how many executives from networks were following me and watching what I was posting. If you’re not posting it, how is anybody supposed to know that this is something that you want to do? You’ve [got to] put the content out there for the good vibes out there. Manifest what it is that you want, talk about it, speak as if it were, and that’s that. When you introduce yourself to people, you don’t have to say, ‘Oh, I’m an aspiring host.’ No, I’m a host. This is what I do. And when they say what do you host, you could say I’m freelance. It opens up the conversation, but you have to allow for the conversation to be had. You have to talk about what you do.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Kamie Crawford was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Nickie Robinson is the creator and founder of GoodGirlPR, a public relations firm she launched in 2008. The idea stemmed from Nickie working as her own publicist for her DJ work under the name DJ Nickiee. She built her PR firm while working full-time in corporate and she sustained this work ethic until she was able to work PR full time. She’s funded events on her own, made connections across music, sports, education, and other industries, while also raising her young daughter. 

Her business has grown from having a sole base in New York to having a presence in various cities including Los Angeles, Miami, D.C., and Atlanta. She’s also coined herself as the #fitpublicist, as she prioritizes fitness in her everyday life and shares her journey with her 36.5K Instagram followers. On top of her publicist work and her documenting her fitness journey, she still DJs and releases new mixtapes.

Nickie’s ability to connect with folks across various industries has made her a resource for connection and leverages this skill not only to create more business for herself, but to also help her clients and colleagues thrive in their own lives. 

Her Agenda spoke with Nickie to learn more about how her interpersonal skills have helped and continue to help her business thrive. 

Her Agenda: Along with being a publicist, you’re a DJ. Within my research, I read that the idea of GoodGirlPR came from you working as a publicist for your own DJ work while working in corporate. Can you talk more about this time period, getting GoodGirlPR started?

Nickie Robinson: I was working on Wall Street and I was extremely bored, and I always wanted to be a DJ so I became one. I realized, in order to speed up my career, I needed to have a publicist. Initially, I hired a PR firm but they didn’t do anything for me. I felt like they actually leveraged my network at events, instead of bringing their own network. So [I] came up [with] the idea that I should create this company called GoodGirlPR, that would act as my publicist. From that point on, a lot of celebrity DJs reached out to me and then I started doing event PR, and beauty PR back in 2008, through 2010.

Her Agenda: Before switching to full-time founder, how did you balance managing the business of a creative endeavor, while also working in the corporate world?

Nickie Robinson: It was very hard. At that time, I was learning how to manage various projects [and] I would get quite overwhelmed because I was expected to perform on Wall Street. On Wall Street, I always had a full bonus, which is given to parties who do an excellent job. So I had to maintain my performance level on Wall Street, as well as come home and have the focus to build this business. So eventually, it became very overwhelming. So I switched from a full-time role on Wall Street to more of consulting work. I did more project-based work as a consultant, which ironically paid more than my full-time salary on Wall Street. Then I kind of used my earnings from consulting and invested it into building GoodGirlPR.

Her Agenda: Can you talk about how you were able to get through that and work through being overwhelmed, knowing that it was gonna be worth something at the end of the day?

Nickie Robinson: Well, because in the industry, a lot of times, you’re coordinating with multiple people. You’re also doing that on Wall Street, but on Wall Street, you’re coordinating with different departments. In the industry, you’re coordinating with different people, and as you know, people all have different personalities. So I think that becoming a publicist made me more emotionally intelligent, to be able to manage collaborating and working with different personalities within the industry. Fast forward to 2023, I’m able to identify personality types, and to collaborate efficiently knowing those details and how to manage their expectations or core positive traits, etc., so I can get things done.

Her Agenda: Those foundational relationships that you had to help you build out GoodGirlPR, how did you establish them?

Nickie Robinson: I’ve been doing events since college. So, I leveraged my email list from doing events in college, in law school, and post-law school to build my DJ career and then in turn, build GoodGirlPR. So these contacts have been since I was at NYU up until postgraduate. The more events you do, the more people RSVP to events, and then you add them to your mailing list so [my] list grew.

Her Agenda: One thing that’s really admirable about you is the diversity of your clientele. You serve folks from the music, political, and educational spaces, and honestly, many more on top of that. How are you able to connect with so many different types of people across industries?

Nickie Robinson: I realized the power of social media. I started my business around the time Twitter was new and I realized that Twitter would turn into a search engine, similar to legal databases, like Westlaw and LexisNexis. So, I began to update Twitter using terms and potential connectors so that people would eventually be able to find me. Back in the day, in order to advertise your business, people would do ads in newspapers, magazines, or even television commercials. But to me, as a new entrepreneur who was leveraging her Wall Street income into building a business, I had to find creative ways to advertise. I believed that Twitter was the best tool. I used hashtags like publicist or event planner so that people could find me.

Her Agenda: We touched on more of the technical aspects of being a publicist, but I’m sure also the publicist trust is important. When did you learn to trust yourself as a publicist? 

Nickie Robinson: I learned to trust myself as a publicist when I realized there were successful people in the industry that did not have high school diplomas or even college diplomas. But, they had the ability to write well and get things done.

Her Agenda: How do you establish trust with your clients? How do you get them to trust you and also how do you know to trust them? I’m sure it’s a two-way street.

Nickie Robinson: Client trust is based on just energy and vibes. Over the years [I] have developed this level of emotional intelligence. So I understand that everyone’s different, but people fall into certain buckets as far as personalities in determining whether I want to bring those clients on or not, based on that information. And then client trust is having a contract that outlines expectations and parameters so that a client has certain type[s] of KPIs [Key Performance Indicators] that they can look at, and judge whether I’m doing a good job or not. Although PR is not guaranteed, and many publicists will say that, I try to manage expectations to minimize disagreements in business.

Her Agenda: When you have your own business, especially a media business like PR, how important are interpersonal skills to the job?

Nickie Robinson: They’re extremely important, everyone’s different and everyone has a different personality. When you have a contract and outline what you’re supposed to do, in my opinion, as long as you’re working within those parameters, you’re doing your job. But often, there [are] clients who expect more and it tends to be the clients that have the smallest budgets who want more bang for their buck. So a lot of times with publicists, although we want to help everyone, we kind of know that smaller budgets might be a little bit more demanding. You have to be able to manage those expectations and pick and choose who you give your energy or be drained.

Her Agenda: What would you say your strongest interpersonal skill is?

Nickie Robinson: Kindness [and] respect.

Her Agenda: You’re a very dimensional woman. You run your own firm, you’re a DJ and you coined yourself on social media as the “#fitpublicist” as you document your gym journey. And on top of all that, you’re a mom of a young daughter. I feel like you thrive off of having so much on your plate. How do you use your multifacetedness to your advantage?

Nickie Robinson: Launching this business taught me the ability to multitask on a very high level because I was working a full-time job while trying to build this company. Now that I don’t have a full-time job, I’m able to allocate time for self-care. I’ve realized over the year[s] that if you don’t take care of yourself, it’s really hard to provide services and to take care of other people. So, the #fitpublicist brand was purely to keep myself accountable by posting and checking in that I’m doing my workouts, keeping me on track, and hopefully inspiring others. It took me a long time to be able to balance operating at a high level from a business standpoint and taking care of myself, physically. I’ve always worked out all my life, but when you’re an entrepreneur, you become a little bit of a workaholic and you never have enough time for anything else besides work. Eventually, especially after childbirth, I realized that I had to get myself back together, and focus and work out and allocate time in the mornings for self-care. 

And I think that because I’m in the best shape of my life, I’m able to show up for my clients and be super confident that I’m representing them, and I’m looking and being my best. But also, having the energy to have multiple clients and multiple things going on and not be overwhelmed.

Her Agenda: What about your daughter? What do you hope she learns from you as she sees you, firsthand, take control of your life and be a boss in the way that you are?

Nickie Robinson: She definitely realizes the importance of eating right and exercise. It’s funny, when I took her to the pediatrician for her annual checkup the doctor said, ‘You take such good care of her.’ And I was kind of surprised by that comment because I thought all parents [took] such good care of their kids. I didn’t realize that kids can get high blood pressure. She doesn’t have high blood pressure, her BMI is within range, and she’s able to run a mile or run two miles because I used to make her run with me sometimes, or walk with me, even though we might have a car, just because she has [to] exercise her little legs. So, I think that working out has taught her the importance of self-care as she gets older, but also the power of consistency. No one can just be automatically great at something. It takes time, and you have to be consistent. So I think [I show] her on a day-to-day basis, how [I’m] very routine and on a schedule, she even keeps a list of things to do, which I love. She’s learning how to organize her day and her bag and her schedule and she definitely pays attention to what she eats and understands that exercise is always going to be a part of her life.

Her Agenda: What is your mantra or a quote or saying that you stand by?

Nickie Robinson: Lately, it’s been everything is what it is. I think that as I’ve gotten older, I realized the importance of just staying present and not thinking about the past and just really staying present.

Her Agenda: Can you explain what inspires that?

Nickie Robinson: As I got older I realized that I [used to] ruminate a lot and went over things, to try to figure out what went wrong or what happened. But I realized that at the end of the day, you only have control of yourself and it’s really important not to take things that people do personally.

Her Agenda: Did you think you would see your firm grow to the heights it has grown?

Nickie Robinson: No. And in fact, another large publication reached out to me for an interview and the premise of the article is going to be about the fact that when I worked on Wall Street, you have to disclose outside business activities. I was working at BNP Paribas and I had two businesses, one I deactivated so I didn’t have to disclose it and the other I kept GoodGirlPR because my name is all over it. They made me change a couple of things on the website, which is pretty funny. They [also] evaluated my business behind my back, my boss did. He called me in and he slid across the desk the evaluation of my business from a financial perspective, which I thought was kind of evasive and not right. I’m disclosing the business, but that doesn’t give you the right to evaluate the value of it. He told me the value, I was surprised and I kept the number to myself. And from that point on, I just started grinding really, really hard. I had no idea that an idea that stemmed from me DJing, and something that I had just been consistently doing since 2008, up until 2015, could be worth that amount of money. I just kept the number to myself, kept it very humble, and just continue[d] to work harder and that gave the battery in my back, so to speak. It’s one thing to have a business, but it’s another thing to know how much something is worth and then you want to double it and triple it, right? In my view, it was worth that much and I was doing it part-time. So I was like, ‘Wow, what if I do this full-time?’ And so in 2017, I started just doing PR full time, without working on Wall Street.

Her Agenda: What advice would you give to women who may feel scared or timid to put themselves out there and start something new in similar ways that you’ve had to do? 

Nickie Robinson: While I was in law school, I wrote a paper about intersectionality. And it talks about how Black women are at the intersection of race and gender. A lot of times, Black men feel like we have it easier, but I think in fact, we have it worse. Because we’re Black and we’re also [women]. As a result, white men react to us in a certain way, Black men react to us in a certain way, and then White women react to us in a certain way. It’s really hard to climb the corporate ladder at times and there’s often a glass ceiling and because of that, I think that all Black women should have multiple streams of revenue. We don’t want to be in positions where someone is dangling our paycheck in front of our faces every two weeks making us feel uncomfortable and stressed out and not knowing what’s [going to] happen next, because we’re expected to perform at this highest level where we can’t make any mistakes. So I think that, because I had this outside business, it gave me this sense of confidence when I worked on Wall Street, because it was like, okay, I’m here, I’m doing my thing. I don’t miss a deadline, I’m always on top of everything, but I don’t need to be here. So they didn’t have that control. I think that it’s important not to allow people to have that type of control over your livelihood.

A lot of these lessons, I had to learn the hard way. I was taught to go to college and become a doctor or a lawyer, and entrepreneurship was never talked about in my household, even though my family would have full-time jobs that they’ve kept for decades, but they would always have the little side hustles. But, they didn’t have brick and mortars or brands. I think that entrepreneurship is really important. In today’s society, you have inflation, certain countries are in a recession, and people are getting laid off. It’s really important to have multiple streams of revenue to safeguard your livelihood.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Nickie Robinson was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Natasha S. Alford serves as the Vice President of Digital Content for theGrio, an anchor for theGrio TV, and a CNN Political Analyst. Beyond her roles in broadcast journalism, she taps into her cultural identity, upbringing, and her self-discovery to help further her stories and connect more with her audience. As a woman of African-American and Puerto Rican descent, Natasha covers stories within the Afro-Latinx diaspora that help illustrate the crossover between communities and the parallels between societal issues in the United States and Puerto Rico. In 2020, Natasha executively produced theGrio’s Afro-Latinx Revolution: Puerto Rico, a documentary that helps illustrate the racism and abuse Black Puerto Ricans face. 

Natasha’s memoir, American Negra, takes a deeper dive into her upbringing and her journey through her journalism career. The book highlights her experience as a young girl of color growing up in Syracuse, NY, her experiences as an undergrad at Harvard University switching from finance to journalism, and navigating her lupus diagnosis at the height of her career. Throughout her journey, Natasha learned to understand the value of remaining true to herself and her story, and not allowing the need to appear perfect to the world to keep her from taking care of herself. 

Her Agenda sat with Natasha to talk more about why she decided to open up about her roots, leaving a secure job at a top hedge fund to chase her journalism dreams, and the benefits she’s learned about valuing herself more than the institutions we strive to work for. 

Her Agenda: Before your career as a journalist, you worked at the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, and then you went on to teach. At what point, would you say, you received your calling to be a journalist?

Natasha S. Alford: The seeds were always there. When I was in high school, I was co-editor of the student newspaper. I felt a real power in using my words for good [and] using my words to shed light on important issues. But, I don’t think that I truly believed in my ability to pull off being a journalist until a little bit later. When I was an undergrad, there was no journalism track at my college, there was no journalism major. I sort of deviated a bit and, and chased different things at different points in my life. Ultimately, I came back to the core of both who I am as a person, and also what I think I’ve been called to do. That was part of the inspiration for telling that story in the book was that oftentimes, we think we have to become something different in order to really make a difference. When in fact, the core of who we are, those instincts that we have, the things that come naturally to us, they often are signs of what we are meant to do in the world. So, yeah, it was always there. But I didn’t truly pursue it in earnest until about five years after I graduated from college.

Her Agenda: Were there any fears that came from such a drastic career change?

Natasha S. Alford: Absolutely. Many of the fears were external, they were placed on me. I remember being so excited when I had the epiphany that, ‘Wow, this is what I should have always been doing.’ When I shared it with certain people, the reaction was, ‘How are you going to start all over?’ ‘You’re not going to make any money.’ ‘Journalism has changed.’ And, ‘If you start all over, you’re gonna have to start at the bottom.’ So, there was a lot of fear that I encountered that was external. It was others, perhaps out of a protective instinct, or just reacting with what they heard, who tried to dissuade me from doing it. But again, when you have a calling, and you see so clearly how you want to contribute to the world, there’s nothing that can stop you. Sometimes you have to incubate and protect your dream a bit before you share it with a ton of people. 

There was fear, then there was also fear of failure. Pursuing journalism at 25, a time when many of my friends were settling down, starting families, buying homes, or getting more established, meant this feeling of being behind. I needed to make peace with that. I was willing to do something that maybe others wanted, so I could have a result that was different. 

Her Agenda: You’re African American, and Puerto Rican and you also grew up in upstate New York, in Syracuse. As you were navigating your journalism career, and just starting to get your foot in the door, did you see many folks in the field who had a similar background to you or even looked like you?

Natasha S. Alford: Yeah, my biggest inspiration was Soledad O’Brien. At that point, she was the only person who I could point to who was a Black Latina. Her ethnic makeup is a little bit different. Her mother was Afro Cuban and I believe her father was white and mixed, but she was an example for me. Sunny Hostin was another person, at the time, who I looked up to. Although there weren’t many, just having those two examples made me feel like there are people who know what it means to do this job and to do so with their community in mind, with a sense of duty to make sure that they get stories right.

Her Agenda: And in your memoir, American Negra, you plan to cover these roots, and also your upbringing in America. Why did you want to touch on all of these layers of your life, like going into your ethnic background, and also navigating that within growing up in America and navigating the world through that lens too?

Natasha S. Alford: It’s an American experience that is just honestly overlooked. The way that we talk about communities and categorize people, we make these kinds of clean distinctions between groups that don’t always exist. I felt like there was an untold story. You have African Americans, who are often living side by side with Latinos of all races, by the way,  and to think that there is no sort of interaction, no overlap, no shared history, that is an error. I wanted to uncover that history, I wanted to put a stake in the ground and say that this history matters. 

When it comes to the Puerto Rican side of things, in particular, I think it’s important for the moment we’re in because Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the US. We have these conversations about colonialism and imperialism, and the impact of [both]. We can’t overlook the fact that the US still has a colonial relationship with the islands. It’s more than a place that we go for vacation, it’s a place where social justice fights are happening right now. I think that was important for me to shed light on. 

And lastly, this piece about racial justice. It’s a missed opportunity when we talk about racial justice, and we don’t consider the parallels in other places. There are many Black Puerto Ricans who are fighting for racial justice at the same time, as Black Americans are in this fight. There are parallel experiences with police brutality, those sorts of things. Even if we speak a different language, I think it’s important to make the effort to bring [these things] up in conversation with each other and that’s part of what the book tries to do.

I think so much of those tensions come from overlooked history, from not having those conversations. That is part of what I hope to do in a way that is responsible. So much of the dialogue on social media is oversimplified and plays up the tension and misses those opportunities for reaffirming our shared experience here in the US.

Her Agenda: Absolutely. Another area that you go into in the book, is your lupus diagnosis, happening at the brink of your budding journalism career. In other articles I’ve read, you talked about how there was a fear [and] discomfort you had about talking about this publicly, how did you work to overcome this discomfort? And do you think you fully think you worked through it to be able to talk about the diagnosis more and talk about how your health impacts the work you do?

Natasha S. Alford: It was definitely a journey, it did not happen overnight. Initially, I thought I would keep it a secret for as long as possible. And there was someone in my life who told me it’s a quote that we’ve heard before, that secrets make you sick. So, the work that it took to cover up the mixed emotions that I had, when I was going through something I didn’t want to tell people and, people just sort of had this impression of me that was the highlight reel, and they didn’t really know what I was going through, it created a sense of discomfort within me that wasn’t being honest. Also, there were people who maybe could have benefited from knowing that they weren’t alone, if they were in that fight or [a] similar fight. So, I spoke with my pastor, [and] I called trusted advisors in the media industry. I mean, it was a real process. I want to say [it was] over a year, at least, [of] talking about it, talking about the risks, trying to assess what I wanted to do with it. But it was so freeing once I did, and it made me kind of wish that I just kind of let it go earlier. When we tell our truth and we take off the mask, we free ourselves and we free others as well. And I would say that is maybe the positive side of social media, as critical as I can be of it. With people being more transparent about what they’re going through, we’ve normalized a lot that used to be taboo. 

As far as where I’m at with it now, I’m doing it. I’ve done it. I was diagnosed in 2016, and I’ve continued to contribute as a journalist, I have developed a TV career, I’ve written a book, all these things have happened since. If anything, I’ve proven to myself that I can both manage my health and this condition and still do what I love. I hope that encourages someone else who needs to hear that maybe a little bit earlier in their journey to know that It’s very possible.

Her Agenda: How can we help change the connotation of the saying “work twice as hard” for young, ambitious professional women of color so that we don’t feel the need to hide a health condition or even have a personal family issue going on?

Natasha S. Alford: It’s funny, you ask that because I just published this article about Claudine Gay’s resignation and it opens up with this conversation of being twice as good. That’s literally the first line of the article. We know that ‘twice as good’ is guidance that we get that is well-intentioned. It is meant to protect us, it is meant to prepare us for a world in which we will be facing double standards all of our lives. But what really changed the way I look at this was an article called Contingencies of Self Worth. In summary, it just means that your self-worth cannot be contingent upon someone else’s judgment. If it is, you will always be at the mercy of their judgment. You can do all the things, you can get all the degrees, you can make all the money, you can gain access to all of these circles but if you’re relying on those people, and those institutions and those factors to give you self worth, that can be taken away from you at any time. What we need to shift to is teaching the inherent value of ourselves that we hold, just by existing just by the miracle of our survival. We have to see our worth and find our worth in that, and not in accomplishments or the outside world’s definition. There’s the reality of understanding what we’re up against, but that doesn’t mean that we have to conform in terms of how we actually value ourselves. So, I believe that’s the foundation for building everything, right? If you have that sense of self, then you can go out into the world and you can achieve [it]. You can get knocked down, you can make your mistakes, and never lose yourself. Because at the end of the day you are your best thing. That’s how I’ve been approaching it.

Her Agenda: With your openness on your lupus diagnosis, your documentary ‘Afro Latinx Revolution: Puerto Rico’ and your upcoming memoir, and even your TED Talk on “The Courage to Report,’ you do a great job of interweaving your personal stories to amplify the voices of others. Why do you think it’s important to share your journey with the world within your work?

Natasha S. Alford: You know I think about that often because the choice of writing this book to make it a memoir was an intentional one. I could have easily just written the history book and left it at that. I think there’s something about telling your personal story that makes it less debatable. We’re in this time where everything feels up for debate, feels more partisan and more divisive than ever. Choosing the personal narrative is a tool for me. I hope that it makes an audience a little bit more receptive [and] more open when I’m saying that this is my lived experience. This is a journey I’ve been on for 37 years, I’m 37 years old, and it’s a constant reflection that is happening. It’s a journey of making meaning of my life, but also, how I’m situated in the world. So, in some ways, it’s to create an openness. I’m not telling people how to think, I’m telling them what I’ve experienced. From there, they can draw their own lessons. There are certain people who, again, may have the same kind of label as me. They may be African American, they may be Puerto Rican, they may be from upstate New York, however, they identify with my experience. By saying that I’m here and telling my story, I hope it makes [my community] feel more empowered to tell their own [stories] and to know that it matters.

Her Agenda: What key points do you hope readers take away from American Negra?

Natasha S. Alford: There are two stories being told here. There is a story of overlooked history that I’m intentionally centering as an American story, this question of what it means to be Black and Latino and to do so in the United States context. I feel like that story needs to be told. The second story is a coming-of-age story. It’s about finding your truest self. It’s about taking off the masks and taking off what others project on you or expect you to be to be successful and to find success on your own terms. That, to me, is a universal story. [It] doesn’t matter where you come from, it’s something that I think anybody will benefit from hearing. And, reflecting on where they’re at, in their life, where they’re at in that journey, whether they’re closer to having figured it out, or whether they’re ready to step out on faith and try to make that happen. I want to affirm for those who are ready to step out that you can see victory on the other side. [You should] know that no matter what you were told is too hard, what you’re told is not for you, what you’re told doesn’t matter. If you feel a calling, it’s okay to answer that [call] and it’s so worth it once you get to the other side.

Her Agenda: This is an interesting question to end on, but I’m gonna go for it. You told us that your journey is definitely a millennial journey. I’m curious, what did you mean by this when you said that?

Natasha S. Alford: Millennials, we have this reputation for constantly being on the move, not staying at a job for too long. We’re allegedly not as demanding as Gen Z, but we were more demanding than the generation that came before us in terms of wanting jobs, satisfaction, and purpose. So yeah, I was the stereotypical millennial for a long time. Think about all those chapters in the book where I’m changing jobs [and] I’m moving cities. I’m telling my parents, ‘this is the one, this is what I’m supposed to be doing.’ All of the concern that was created in my family about [am I] going to settle down, you know, have [I] figured it out? I want to make space for that, and I want to elevate that, that is okay. We’re not a generation that goes to one job and stays there for 20 years, this is a changing world. It is okay to be in pursuit [and] it is okay to be a bit of a wanderer if you’re doing so, knowing that you’re trying to get closer and closer to you truly are.

In my case, I was told that journalism wasn’t worth pursuing at the time that I was pursuing it. Now, I look at the world around me and I say, ‘Wow, journalism is more important than ever,’ I feel perfectly positioned in this moment to do my job at a time when the stakes are so high for telling stories. We’re literally in a battle for democracy and it rests, in many ways, on information and knowledge. What an assignment, what an opportunity. If I hadn’t listened to that call, now almost 10 years ago, I wouldn’t be in position for this moment. We also have to recognize that the external circumstances may change, but the core of who you are, the principles that you stand on, and your calling in life is greater than any one particular moment.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.] 

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Natasha S. Alford was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Debbie Douglas may be considered ‘the talent whisperer’ but her work speaks volumes as an innovator, a champion of diversity, and a mentor in the field of human resources. Her two-decade-long journey has been a testament to resilience, adaptability, and an unwavering commitment to shaping the future of professionals. From Paramount, formerly MTV Networks, to Alloy Media + Marketing and back again, Debbie has excelled by spearheading key initiatives and redefining recruitment processes where talent meets opportunity.

For Debbie, helping professionals understand alignment is key. To share her array of experiences, Debbie wrote the ebook turned paperback ‘Now What? 12 Strategies To Landing The Career You’ll Love, Not Tolerate’ as a call to action for making a change in your career no matter where you are on the journey.

Upon the release of the paperback edition, Debbie joined #HerAgendaLive to share her career journey, game-changing tips and thoughts on the job market. 

For the full video interview with Debbie Douglas watch via the video player above or click here to watch the playback of our #HerAgendaLive here for our exclusive conversation with Debbie Douglas.

Her Agenda: Tell me more about your background. 

Debbie Douglas: If you want to go back I went to undergrad for social work. Everyone who knows me has heard this story that I wanted to change the world one person at a time by being a social worker until I realized in my internship, wait a minute, this is way too clinical for me. How can I pivot and find something else? After graduating with a four-year degree and having to figure it all out over again, ultimately made me move into human resources. That’s where I found HR and went to grad school for Human Resources Management and that basically started my HR career.

I started in the media industry and I’m still in the media industry. 20 plus years later, I’ve had a few different pivots as well. In a nutshell, I recruit, retain, and try to hire the best of the best in our company.

Her Agenda: One of the things that I wanted to kind of talk about was about your journey and development. How did you get the nickname of the talent whisperer? 

Debbie Douglas: It came out through what I do on a day-to-day basis, which is being a talent acquisition professional. In addition to interviewing people who apply for jobs, a big part of my job is soliciting, sourcing, and wooing candidates to the jobs. We’re selling the job to a candidate. We also have to sell the candidate to the hiring manager. 

We are no longer just our person, we are a brand in ourselves as well. It’s all about how you are presenting yourself. What does your personal brand say about you? What does your professional brand say about you? That’s kind of how I was coined the talent whisperer.

Her Agenda: I love it. I think that’s a good start to this conversation because one of the strategies that people have been sharing a lot over the pandemic is the importance of personal branding. We’ve hosted conversations about this and we know time and time again, people are saying you need to brand yourself. How important do you feel like branding is to the job search today? And what is a piece of unique advice that you would offer for someone outside of what we keep hearing over and over again about personal branding?

Debbie Douglas: Depending on what your digital footprint says about you on the outside, depending on how you show up in person, in rooms, that’s already stating your personal brand with you having input or not.

Then there’s a way that you can curate that a little bit and be strategic about what that brand looks like for you. For me, when I’m talking to folks or when I’m on panels or workshops or doing conferences, I always focus on, what does your digital footprint say about you? Are you okay and proud?

If an employer went to look at your social media, does it enhance your brand or does it detract from your brand? Are you confident in being okay with someone who may be looking to hire you, whether it be as an employee or even as a client. If you are an entrepreneur, what does that say about you and are you confident and okay with whatever you post to be seen by those entities? We can use our personal brand to elevate, and enhance to attract [the right opportunities].

Her Agenda: One thing I was thinking about is there’s always this kind of conflict with who people are, what they want to be online, and how much they show their employers. Because people feel like, ‘well, I want to be able to be myself.’ How do you educate people, especially candidates, about how to navigate exactly how much of yourself you show?

Debbie Douglas: Oh my goodness. I love this question because I was struggling with that just a few short years ago, even before the pandemic, I was one of those people who was like, nope, if you work with me, we cannot be friends on social media. There was no blending of social and professional for me. That was just not heard of for me. However fast forward we’re in 2023 now.

We’re in a social media age and that is personal and business. People utilize these platforms to make businesses to make products to elevate people’s brands. I had to let that go. I had a personal private page at one point. I had a public professional page but someone, told me: ‘you need to be your full authentic self.’ As daunting as it seemed, I was able to put both my lives together. People want to see more than just work, work, work. They don’t have an idea of who that person is that they’re even taking advice from or someone that they may be feeling inspired by if it’s just work and all they see is static posts that are not engaging. I’m still working on this, I’m still kind of new to blending work and personal on social media. What I have learned is that it really does make a difference.

When you’re just your authentic self, you can’t pretend to be yourself but you, but it’s very, very hard to pretend to be somebody that’s that you’re not, it takes much more work than it does to do the opposite. Once I did that, it was fine. My boss follows me, and a lot of coworkers follow me now. Shout out to you guys if you are watching now.

That was very scary to me. How to find that balance is [to] be cognizant of what you’re posting obviously. I think in any format, whether you have a private or personal page, you should be cognizant of what you’re posting. Because guess what, even when you have a private page, people can screenshot, they can forward. 

I personally, as a recruiter do not go out looking at people’s social media unless it’s called for. If they’re in a position where your digital social footprint is important I want to see what type of activity you’re doing on there. How are you utilizing the platform? How integral it is to your day-to-day.

But guess what? Hiring managers do that. I don’t advise them to do so, but they’re going to do it regardless, especially if you have an open page, they want to see what type of train of thought you have and things like that. People have gotten in trouble for posting things around race, sex, I mean, everything you could think of.

Find a balance of what you feel comfortable sharing and of course, some things are just for your family feel free to have a private page if you just want to share that with your family, but I think it’s good to have a balance of both professional post, as well as personal posts.

Her Agenda: That’s a really good strategy. But I question what allowed you or inspired you to really create a book around all of the different strategies that someone would need to get to a career that they would love. I think that’s such a dream for a lot of people. 

Debbie Douglas: I can’t say that it was something that I was thinking about day in and day out. It was kind of during the pandemic. I did more speaking engagements. I’m a mentor.

In addition to speaking, externally, I’ve spoken at groups or my job, like our employee resource groups, our interns, and our entry-level folks, I’ve facilitated workshops for folks like nonprofits and things of that nature. 

I remember one day my boyfriend was like, you are imparting so much knowledge everywhere all over the place and it’s like really great nuggets of information. You should pour that into one place where people can get all this information. In the back of my head, I had always thought about that, but the thought was quite daunting to do a book. I’m like a book, oh my God. That sounds like a whole lot of work. Because of that, I started with the ebook that came out in April and it was my way of saying I’m just going to test the waters and dip my toe into the publishing world.

At the end of the day, what I wanted was for people to get the knowledge that I share on a day-to-day basis in one book specifically because what I’m sharing in this book, is not revolutionary information, these are the basic impactful strategies that everyone should be employing. 

Whether you’re an entry-level candidate, or someone who’s looking to pivot into a new career space and you’re trying to figure out how to go about that. For someone that is maybe older like a baby boomer and hasn’t been in the workforce for a while and doesn’t even know how to play in this landscape, it may be a refresher for them. These are the tips and tricks now on how to move around the career market and land the job because it’s very different from 25 years ago. When I was in college, the internet just came out. So I’m dating myself, but it’s very different when I applied for a job. When I was in college versus now in 2023 in the age of social media, in the age of people working from home, it’s just very, very different. 

I just thought it would make sense. At first, I thought it was mainly going to be for those entry-level folks, but as I just stated, I realized that it could resonate with a lot of different audiences and not just your recent college grads trying to figure out and navigate their career.

Her Agenda: I’m kind of jumping around a bit, but I see on your bookshelf you have the book, You Are A Bad Ass, which is one of my favorite books. What resources, if any, helped you hone in and develop what it was that you wanted to say? I feel like that book is very practical and just like trying to get you from point A to point B. That’s why I love it so much. Do you feel like other resources inspired you as you were writing your book?

Debbie Douglas: Outside of the fact that I’m in the world of recruiting, I’ve been a talent and recruiting director, for over 20 plus years.

A lot of the things just came naturally from my normal knowledge of recruiting and what recruiters look for in candidates and what candidates should be doing and how they should be navigating the interview process. It came from my day-to-day knowledge of the industry, in terms of the job market and things of that nature, but I also leaned on looking at, externally, what is happening in the job market, what are people asking more [about]? This information is all over, but just putting it all in one concise, little easy read. I thought it would make a lot of sense.

Her Agenda: I always wonder about that because sometimes when people want to write something, they don’t want to lean too much into somebody else’s words and then I talk to people on the equal and opposite side where they’ve consumed a lot of information before they wrote it and they just didn’t know where to start, especially depending on if you like writing or not. I feel like writing a book is a task.

Debbie Douglas: Exactly. This was my first foray and I’m sure maybe I could tapped into even more resources. I mean, I literally opened up a Canva account and just started writing. It was kind of wild.

I did add some resources in there like the Occupational Outlook campus, which still exists, is what I used to kind of help me figure out a career once I realized that [my] four year degree for social work was not going to do anything for me.

I had to find something completely different. Nowadays the tools like Fishbowl and Glassdoor to do research on companies — we didn’t have any of those resources back in the day. We just had to wing it and hope that the company was great for us. Now, we have all these tools and resources at our fingertips and it’s much easier than you would think to vet a company.

A candidate should be vetting a company just as much as the employer is vetting the candidate because we have to make sure it’s a good fit for us. Values wise. Is it a diverse and inclusive organization? Is the content of my work going to be challenging for me? Are the people and the industry representative of the type of environment I want to be in?

I always tell people, I don’t want to have Monday blues. I know sometimes we have them but I have very few Monday blues and that’s very hard to get. There are not many people that I hear saying I don’t have Monday blues. Most people Sunday night, [their] stomach is rumbling and they’re getting that anxiousness about going back to work and I don’t want that for anyone. If I can mitigate those issues for people in advance and set them up to find the position that is going to unleash their passion and their purpose [that is ideal].

Her Agenda: Something else that you mentioned just has to do with the job market and it being so different. In the last three years, we noticed a shift in the marketplace. At one point in time, it felt like candidates had the advantage and now it feels the opposite where employers have the advantage. And because of that environment, it’s been hard for people to find a career they love because a lot of people are just like, I need to take what’s available to me. I have to pay bills. Talk about how you transition to really finding something that you’ll love, in a market like this where I feel like it’s just like jobs are not available.

Debbie Douglas: I think you gotta start with the main ingredient, which is you, what do you enjoy? What are you good at? What do you have experience in? Because of course, those all play a big part. How are you going to be seen as a valuable or competitive candidate to a recruiter, an agency, or a client? Start there.

Then you want to look at a short list of the types of companies or the industry that excites you that you’re interested in. Then you want to start to curate, doing some research on those companies because sometimes you may be very interested in a particular company and you’re like, oh, my God, look at all this bad press. They just got sued by this employee for not treating their employees right or discrimination.

It only takes a few minutes or a couple of hours to do some research, that’s the most critical thing, know about the company. And again, going back to your question, sometimes you may not be doing the things that you’re most excited about because the opportunities may be limited, you may not see as many jobs in that particular area. But there are also ways that you can make sure that you’re still staying relevant in the space, you’re cultivating your tool kit and you’re adding tools to your tool kit while you’re waiting for that next opportunity.

Your first job or your second job may not be the job, but it’s going to help you and you’re going to take all the nuggets that you got from that job and utilize it in the next job that may be your dream job. I always say don’t take for granted the little experience that you get in an assistant job. Some people graduate out of college and they’re reaching for the stars and the moon. And it’s like, hey, it’s ok to start from the bottom because that’s how you learn the foundation of the company, the role, the department. Now you can become a subject matter expert in that particular area and then build off that particular skill or pivot into a neighboring department because you have marketing skills now and you can understand what it takes to be in sales or vice versa.

If you’re a producer or a production person or someone that’s in the creative world, work with your other creative friends and create your own content and put that out there. Look at Issa Rae, she started on YouTube and it was a small audience that grew to millions and then the companies took notice of her. Don’t feel like you have to wait for the big company or that big pie-in-the-sky job to start doing what you want to do and what you love to do.

Her Agenda: Absolutely. I appreciate that advice. This is the advice that I wish someone had given to me because again, like you said, you know, you graduate from college, it’s like, I’m going to be a marketing manager and like a CMO and it’s like, not today. 

Debbie Douglas: Exactly. And then also connect with those that you aspire to be in terms of roles.People love to talk about themselves.

You can connect with folks, whether it be on LinkedIn or Instagram, or whatever platform or through a professional networking organization.Those are great ways to cultivate relationships. Relationships and networking and I say networking, not in the traditional formal sense. Yes, we have that as well. Whether you’re in corporate America, you’re going to have to do that. But networking doesn’t have to be as daunting as it seems. It could be as simple as a hello, how are you doing? I noticed you do X and these are some things that I have learned about that area that make me intrigued I’d love to learn about your journey. Those are some ways that you can get closer to the industry by connecting with people who are in the industry and the roles that you’re looking for.

I would definitely say joining organizations that are near to those areas or industries that you’re interested in, those go a long way, networking and just kind of mixing and mingling with the right people, whether it be online or in-person.

They still have a lot of online stuff so it’s great. I feel like we’re in the world where it’s a nice perfect blend where you have a lot of online activity but you also can still step back outside and do some in-person networking because we still need to flex those muscles and feel comfortable with interacting with people in person as well. We can’t shy away from that. That’s important.

Her Agenda: Something else that comes up for me in the whole networking scheme of things is asking for a referral. Networking is already a bit uncomfortable to people, so then on top of that, there are often times when people want to reach out and want a referral. I know just the baseline etiquette is if you don’t know someone, they probably can’t refer you because they have to be able to speak on behalf of you. But talk about the process of developing a relationship in hopes that someone will give you a referral. Is that a real thing? 

Debbie Douglas: Absolutely. It’s a real thing. I mean, if you’re strategic about your career and owning your career steps and positioning yourself the right way. Yeah, you’re going to cultivate relationships hopefully organically and authentically though. Because people can typically see whether you’re only reaching out because you need something versus you sharing something like, hey, you know, I realize your company was in the news doing X and that’s interesting, or sharing an article with them about a particular thing that happened that may relate to that industry or that person.

It shows that you have a vested interest in what’s going on, whether it be following the trends or anything of that nature.

Overall networking with the right people starts with your inner circle. When I say inner circle, it could be the people that you work with day to day to help you gather along your extended network because they can introduce you to other people who can help you along the way as well. They cultivate the teams that you are currently working with and the departments that you work with. If you work across departments, connect with those people as well, especially if you are currently on the job hunt. If you’re not currently working, reach out to people that you have worked with in the past. You gotta start with your network that you’re familiar with.

If you’re currently in a situation where you’re not ready to look for a job yet, but it may be in the next year or so, start to cultivate those relationships. Hey, let’s go to lunch or let’s have coffee and let’s just talk. Those organic conversations sometimes lead to a possible mentor or a possible advocate or a sponsor. 

Her Agenda: So, coming up on my last question, one of the things that I felt like, which is probably the worst question to end on is more about the tolerating side of things. And so, we kind of talked about this but what are tips you could give someone today that’s in a job that they are tolerating in hopes that they’re going to move.

Debbie Douglas: l would say one is to do a little bit of self-inventory. Check in with yourself to see if it’s you, is it the job, is it the industry? Is it time for you to go and leave that industry or that job? Because it’s not satisfying you, your skills aren’t either cut out for that particular position or you’re burnt out and you’ve reached your ceiling in that area. You have to ask yourself those questions. 

What’s the why? Why are you tolerating this job? Once you’ve found out that then you can start to position and strategize around what’s the next step for you and how you’re going to go about it. Are you going to maybe have a conversation with your boss? If you’re not happy, maybe you feel like you haven’t been promoted or seeing what are the avenues, what are things that maybe I’m not doing that? I can improve on that can get me to the next step maybe they’ll be realistic about you. Let’s start looking for opportunities. 

Let’s start positioning ourselves to be on the market as a competitive candidate. Make sure that your resume is updated, and make sure that your LinkedIn is updated and interactive. It’s the way that you come alive to people. Recruiters are always on LinkedIn. 

We should give ourselves a chance to live fully, both personally and professionally. I cannot say that enough. I need to be happy. I don’t need to be right. I don’t need to be the first. I don’t need to be the most paid, but I need to be happy. I need to have peace of mind. I need to enjoy what I do. It needs to bring me some level of joy and overall satisfaction. Don’t chase titles, don’t chase the money solely because you want to get money. I want to be successful. I want to do the nice things because I do the nice things and I want to continue doing those nice things, but I want to do it in a way where the things that pay me again, I enjoy it. 

I don’t want you to get stuck in a job because it’s harder to pivot than it is to get in on the ground level as an entry-level person. It’s just going to be a little bit more challenging and you have to give up some things. There’s going to be some pros, there’s going to be some cons. You may have to start as a more junior person. You may have to take a pay cut. You may have to start honing in on those resources that you’ve been holding on to, to get you through that pivot process, but it can be done. I took a very, very tough risk with a mortgage and a car note to pay for, but what I was not going to was stay in a position that doesn’t feed me that, that isn’t protecting my peace of mind. That is critical, that’s like a no-tolerance zone for me and I want that to be for everyone. 

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Debbie Douglas was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Allison McGevna-Cirino leads with her whole self. People are hungry for vulnerability and authenticity in the workplace. She understands that assignment. As a multi-hyphenate executive with nearly 20 years in media, she’s learned to hold herself and others to standards of excellence with compassion. 

So, how does a self-declared introvert become a Senior Vice President of Content at iOne Digital, a company formed by Urban One? By stepping outside her comfort zone and pushing herself to build meaningful relationships. As a leader, that also means realizing she doesn’t always get it right and having the courage to be humble and apologize. 

Her Agenda: You’re a media strategist, media executive, writer, producer, and creative. What would you say are three things that have impacted or contributed to your success as a multi-hyphenate creative? 

Allison McGevna-Cirino: Having a fire and drive to keep going is first and foremost. 

My drive is not necessarily ‘I want to make money’ or’ I want this title.’ [I have a] drive to keep pushing myself to keep learning and bettering myself. 

Secondly, I never think that I know more than someone who is my peer [or that I have] learned everything I need to learn. I am not afraid to be wrong. [I am] open to that evolution and learning from everyone and everything around me. 

Number three, I try to have great relationships. Everything is based on how you treat people. I’m certainly not perfect. No matter how hard you try, you can be the villain in someone’s story. I follow up with people I meet and keep the relationship going. That’s not something that comes naturally to me. I’m kind of an introvert. 

Her Agenda: How does the SVP of Content role at iOne fit into the impact you’d like to have within your industry?

Allison McGevna-Cirino: It’s a privilege for me to work in a Black-owned and operated business. Urban One has always had the mission to predominantly serve an African-American audience.

As a biracial Black woman, I feel like it’s my duty to make sure that I understand and can recognize whatever privilege I operate in. 

I’m super proud that my entire executive team is all women, all Black. And all mothers, which is a big thing. You don’t see an executive room like that. Digital storytelling has gone from being blogs and evolving into newsrooms to serving the community differently. 

Her Agenda: You have a reputation for cultivating talent. What’s your approach?

Allison McGevna-Cirino: That is the ultimate compliment for me. So thank you for saying that. The first thing I think about with talent is the vibe. You can tell when you’re talking to someone, and you’re like, gosh, I love what you’re saying. And you sound like you know this, or you see people light up when they talk about different things. It’s like their whole spirit lights up. 

I’m always looking at that when I have conversations with people. Cultivating talent is about having conversations with people about who they are, not what they do, because [when it comes to] what they do, they may be in the wrong role. They may not be in the role they want to be in, and they may need to see who they could be. When you have conversations with them, you can see what lights that and what drives their fire and then go from there.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned as a manager is you cannot use a blanket management approach. As a mother, you can’t mother every child the same way because each is different. Yes, you have unifying principles about who you are as a mother. I have that as a mother and manager, but what one person needs may not be another person’s needs. And so that’s allowed me to spot talent in unlikely places, and some of my proudest professional moments are seeing the people I’ve worked with go off and shine.

Her Agenda: How has your leadership style evolved as you’ve grown in your career?

Allison McGevna-Cirino: When I first became a manager, I had what I thought a manager should be and what I thought a [woman] manager should be. I had to check everybody if they were not speaking to me correctly, and I had to hold people accountable. All of these things may be true. But my idea of what that looks like changed. You’re not always right. 

As a leader, I’ve learned that I don’t always have to take on every battle that comes my way. Everything doesn’t need to be a fight, and I don’t need to be perfect. You try your best and show up but are willing to humble yourself. It’s also about that dance of standing firm in yourself but also being open to evolving.

Her Agenda: Your website mentioned that you helped steer iONE Digital to its most profitable years in history while increasing the audience. What’s the key to building and activating a team to accomplish those results? 

Allison McGevna-Cirino: I was here from 2014 to 2018, and then I came back again in 2020. And when I came in the fall of 2020, the team was small. When I first joined, I was running editorials, but eventually, we expanded to run social and video to truly be part of a content team. Then, I built that team. It’s not just me. Under my leadership, the team grew and expanded. 

It’s looking at talent and ensuring they’re in the right spot; everything starts with your people. Your people are the whole thing, and I don’t say that to mean that you have to have the biggest names with the biggest Instagram followings, which comes up a lot in our industry. It’s not about that for me. It’s about looking for talent and ensuring you have great talent. 

Her Agenda: You’ve been in the industry for nearly 20 years. How do you grow and develop yourself as a professional to always deliver your best work? 

Allison McGevna-Cirino: I’m a member of Chief, an organization for women executives; I do a lot of their training and sessions. I’m always making sure that I’m always learning.  

You have to have a life balance. I’m type A. I am extremely driven, and I’ve always been an extremely self-sufficient person. I can work myself until I get sick. And [only prioritizing work] is just not sustainable. It’s not good for anybody when I show up and I’m tired or not my full self. You can start to resent your work because you’re just giving so much of it and not giving anything else to your relationships, life, or hobbies. I’ve also tried to build that with my teams because you have to be in charge of your boundaries.

Learning how to work from home was also critical because I had to learn how to close my work computer and not look at it. I’m taking this time with my kids. That’s hard enough for them to understand during work hours. After hours, I need to make sure that I show up for them so that I can then show up for myself.

Her Agenda: What advice would you like to offer women who aspire to an executive level within your industry? 

Allison McGevna-Cirino: As your title gets bigger, your salary gets bigger, or your responsibility and your team gets bigger, [get rid of that idea of] ‘I have to work myself so much because I have to prove that I deserve to be here.’ No – you’re here. Of course, you need to do your job and live up to the standards that you sell for yourself and the company set for you, but that doesn’t mean you need to do that at your own expense. Secondly, make sure that you are asking for what you need. 

With your salary, if you ask for your number, come with the reasons why. You have to come with what you’re bringing. If in your heart you can’t do this role by yourself and need a team, you need to be clear with your company. Or if you need to work from home or if you need to sign off every day for an hour so that you can pick up your kids. That is something male executives haven’t historically had [to deal with]. 

Speak your worth and do your research. You have to know your business. Knowing your business is more than just knowing how to write and edit. Know what is happening at all the different places. Know who is in the space and who your peers are. Know what they’re doing well and learn what you can improve. As much as you can, stay humble, but know that you deserve to be there.

[Edtior’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Allison McGevna-Cirino was originally published on HerAgenda.com

With 50 years of hip-hop under our belts now, it’s exciting to see how the culture is influencing the world far beyond just the beats and bars. Hip-hop is everywhere, and a key thread within the fabric of culture across the globe.

But it’s not just the music we grew up on that’s making bold moves and showing up in new ways. The artists and industry greats themselves are stepping up and out of their usual spaces to make different kinds of changes to and for the culture. Shanti Das is among them. 

Shanti’s music industry career began over 30 years ago, working closely with hip-hop legends like Outkast, Usher, and TLC. She started her professional rise as an Urban Promotions Assistant at Capital Records in 1991, and just 7 short years later, was named “Music Executive of the Year” by Impact Magazine. She continued to impact the hip-hop scene and culture for the next decade+ with other major labels like Sony Music Atlanta, LaFace Records, Arista Records, and Columbia Records, finalizing her iconic climb as Executive Vice President of Urban Marketing and Artist Development at Universal Motown in 2009. 

But just as hip-hop itself has evolved, so has Shanti. These days her conversations with industry greats are a little less “hip-hop” and a little more “human.”

In 2014, Shanti was hit hard when a close friend ended her own life. Through her grief process, she recognized that she had some unhealed wounds from her own father’s suicide when she was just 7 months old. Although often considered taboo, Shanti turned to therapy and took a more intentional approach to her own mental and physical health. 

Since then, she’s dedicated her life to repairing generational traumas and “silencing the shame” of asking for help. Her podcast, The Mibo Show (which stands for “mi” for mind, “bo” for body), gives the giants of hip-hop a platform to speak to the culture – real discussions, about real health issues, with real (famous) people. Her conversations showcase the simple fact that we’re all human, we all need a helping hand at times, and it’s more than okay to ask for it. 

Her Agenda sat down with Shanti Das to dig a little deeper into her purpose and passions and she was not shy about sharing her journey.

Her Agenda: Tell us a little about your history in the music industry.

Shanti Das: I got my start in the early ‘90s so I was in the entertainment industry for almost 20 years. 

My first internship was at Capitol Records while I was a sophomore in college and I did that for 2 summers, working in the promotional department. That was back when MC Hammer was on the label, Young MC – really old-school artists.

Once I graduated from Syracuse in 1993, I got hired at LaFace Records in Atlanta, GA. The first record I ever worked on was Players Ball from Outkast. I did promotions on their first two albums and marketing on the last two. And I was actually at the Source Awards in 1995 when Outkast won and Dre uttered those infamous words, “The South got something to say.” 

In the late ‘90s, I also brought Ludacris to L.A. Reid. He didn’t end up signing with LaFace Records, but I was one of the few people in Atlanta who really wanted to bring him to our label. Although I didn’t do A&R, I felt I had a pretty good ear for music. 

Fast forward, when I went up to New York City, I did the marketing on Killer Mike’s first album, worked alongside Jermaine Dupri, and later, got to work with Busta Rhymes. 

Her Agenda: What are some of the struggles you’ve faced in your climb?

Shanti Das: I worked hard to demand my respect in a very male-dominated industry. I learned how to fight for myself in terms of salary and compensation. I eventually figured out what it took in terms of getting an attorney and negotiating what I felt was my value. 

And then also, not being afraid to ask for what I feel I deserve. I think oftentimes we can be complacent with what we’re given because we’re just happy for those opportunities. Whereas men, they’ll have these big pie-in-the-sky outlandish demands, but they ask for them and they get them. But half the battle is asking. 

Her Agenda: Do you have any words of professional wisdom for women aspiring to be business leaders?

Shanti Das: We have to believe and feel that we’re deserving and that we’re valued. I think that’s sometimes where we struggle. Women have to learn how to push forward and really exude that confidence. Really show that you deserve to be there. And the way you do that is by being so good, they can’t refuse you. There’s nothing better than hard work and determination – the statistics and the work will speak for itself.

I wrote a book about my career called ‘The Hip Hop Professional – A Woman’s Guide To Climbing The Ladder of Success In The Entertainment Industry.‘ I stepped away from the industry but I learned a lot as a woman. I understood the importance of mentorship and having people to support me.

Her Agenda: Did spending so many years in the music industry impact your overall health?

Shanti Das: I was a workaholic and I had pretty much dedicated my life to this career. I think I’ve sacrificed a lot of family time, outings, and different things from a friend perspective. The first time I felt like the work was impacting my mental health was around 2010-2011. I [considered ending my life.] I don’t think I meant that at the time. I just was so stressed out, didn’t really have healthy ways to cope, and wasn’t really leaning on mentors. The number of hours I was working, the lack of sleep, and not eating properly – all of that was really taking a toll on my mental health.

Her Agenda: How did you manage the stress?

Shanti Das: I went to counseling for a couple of months and then threw myself back into the work – I should have stayed in there a lot longer. About five years later, I was diagnosed with cervical spinal stenosis. I thought I was going to have to have spinal surgery and my doctor said it was a direct result of stress – I was in my early 30’s. That’s when I knew it was a problem and I decided to walk away – at the height of my career, making a lot of money. 

Then four years later, my best friend took her own life. That really took a toll on my emotional health and wellness, and in 2015, I came close to taking my own life. 

As a community, we didn’t talk about mental health much growing up. Had I been better equipped with tools and really understood what therapy was like, or how antidepressants could have benefited me, who knows? The work that I’m doing now is definitely important work for our community. But maybe had I been better equipped, the journey might not have been quite as tough. 

Her Agenda: What are some of the other ways you’re spreading your message?

Shanti Das: My nonprofit – Silence the Shame – is so important because we’re still knocking down stigmas. As well as my podcast, which I launched earlier this year – The Mibo Show. Being able to talk to others about their journeys and what they’re going through still goes a long way. If we see someone talking about their own struggles and opening up, saying how much therapy has helped them, or different things that they’re doing from a wellness perspective, that is something that we want to permeate in culture and society right? 

I just want to do my part to really try to affect culture in a positive way and bring as many resources to the table, which is why I’m excited about my partnership with Johnson and Johnson. They supply medical experts for each episode of The Mibo Show and they’re really committed to bringing a lot of really wonderful resources to the community so I couldn’t do this work without them. 

Her Agenda: Will there be a season 2 of The Mibo Show?

Shanti Das: I’m going to put it out there and say ‘yes, we’re going to have a season 2’ and God willing, we’ll be able to open up into other industries such as sports and entertainment. Maybe some actors and actresses, the fashion industry, and political icons – just keep these health conversations going.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Shanti Das was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Eve Rodsky’s success all started with the “Sh*t I Do List.” When she totaled up all the unpaid, and invisible labor she was providing for her busy household, her husband’s response was underwhelming. On her journey, Rodsky discovered identifying issues of the imbalance of domestic duties was not enough, but a universal problem she would aim to fix. As a Harvard lawyer and with her years of experience in foundational management at JP Morgan, Rodsky realized her skillset could be applied to the home – a system to rebalance the home and reclaim lives, especially the lives of women.

Now, Rodsky is the author of the New York Times Best-Seller Fair Play and the newly released, National Bestseller, Find Your Unicorn Space. Rodsky’s work is backed by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, and she continues being an advocate to elevate the cultural conversation about the value of women, unpaid labor, and their role in our workforce. Rodsky is not only a representation of the personal being political, she is a woman taking action for us all.

[Editor’s note: This feature was originally published on March 7, 2022. We are republishing in honor of the release of the Fair Play film on Netflix.]

Her Agenda: I’d like to begin at the beginning of your career journey. How was your experience working at JP Morgan valuable to launching your vast career experience in organizational management?

Eve Rodsky: It was really integral for me. In my work there, I worked in a private bank, and what we did was provide a special type of organizational support to high-net-worth families, which helped me launch my career. It bridged the gap between being a lawyer and being a philanthropic advisor, which led to the firm, Philanthropy Advisory Group that I founded after. But I would say the best part of JP Morgan for me, is that any stint through a traditional corporate workforce will give you really important lessons about rigor, detail, orientation, and professionalism. It will also expose you to the roots of gender bias, which is how I felt. Even the best companies aren’t always prepared for different types of family structures.

The other amazing thing I will say is, I was able to bridge two different jobs. One was structuring systems for high net worth families, organizational family businesses, and family foundations. But on the other hand, we had stewardship of the foundation. So I was in charge of vetting nonprofits and giving multi-year capacity-building grants to those organizations. From two sides, I got to see the insides of how many different organizations work through the proposal writing process and the grant-giving.

Her Agenda: Can you describe your “blueberry breakdown?” What were the immediate steps you made afterward toward your mission of creating domestic rebalance in marriages?

Eve Rodsky: The most important thing to remember is I felt that I had these special skills where I thought, “this shouldn’t happen to me.” Being the product of a single mother and living in a house where a psychologist called me a parental child, I was already very used to being a partner to a single parent, helping my mother with eviction notices and utility bills. On top of that, as we just said, I’m trained in difficult conversations. And still, I found myself, crying on the side of the road and feeling completely isolated and alone. It is a product of understanding that the home can present very dangerous because it’s this one last frontier of equality where we were fighting over a sponge in the sink, or whose last done the dishes, or why you didn’t empty the diaper pail. We don’t understand that these small breakdowns, whether it’s my husband assuming I was just fulfilling his smoothie needs, we don’t realize that this is a systemic devaluing of women’s labor.

I was talking to a man today whose wife died in childbirth. They can’t get a dime from the courts because they say her life was worthless. ‘Why would we pay you malpractice money for her death? She was not working. She is worth zero.’ We see in the family law courts that people that women are not afforded alimony because why would they need to be paid? Their time is worthless. We say things to women like, “breastfeeding is free” when it’s a job requiring 1,800 hours a year. ​​

We’ve been completely gaslighted for generations to be put into a bind of literally being the foundation of our society. The unpaid labor of women is the foundation of our society, and we know it because we don’t see women in positions of power.

This idea of a Fair Play lifestyle starts to invite men into full power in the home so that women can step out to full power in the world. That is really the only way that we’re going to get to a fair day in the future of work – where there is predictable flexibility and fair pay, which is, paying women what they’re worth.

All of those understandings came to me from the small, individualized, personalized moments which could have stayed personal. One of my favorite sociologists C. Wright Mills says, “private lives are public troubles.” Once you can start connecting it to these bigger systemic ills, then you start becoming the canary in the coal mine. So much so that I went to Davos in February of 2020 literally saying, “we are one crisis away from losing thirty to forty years of labor force participation of women.”

Her Agenda: Not only do you have multiple books, Fair Play and Unicorn Space but your projects are backed by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine. Can you describe some of the experiences you have had working with a company that is founded on women storytellers?

Eve Rodsky: It’s been unbelievable. It has been so interesting because there are different facets of Hello Sunshine. I don’t work with every facet, but I do work most closely with Sarah Harden, the CEO. The nature of how we came to be was, she had my early version of my cards. I still have some of that which makes me laugh, the old school Fair Play cards that I was using to beta test the system. I’ve known Sarah for a while when she was working for The Chernin Group, which was a different media company before she became CEO of Hello Sunshine. She was an early beta tester. As my data grew, the system became more solidified, people reported back that it was a life-changing moment for their decision-making in Fair Play.

When I realized what was happening with the Fair Play system, Sarah was really on board with saying, “okay, well, you’re going to make this into intellectual property. I want to support you.” Having her behind this project changed my life.

Her Agenda: How do you think women can eliminate the guilt and shame while tapping into our creative selves? Specifically, while creating our art?

Eve Rodsky: You have a life of guilt and shame ahead of you if we’re not careful. I think the biggest lie we ever told women, especially [Millennials and Gen Z], was that you could be anything. It’s just not true. Basically, women have ten years left to live when they turn twenty-one. Because then the reign of bias comes down on us. While we’re going to fight for systemic change, we also have to be realistic. Women are not given the same opportunities, and if there are intersectional issues, if you’re a woman of color, it’s going to be incredibly painful to be in a workplace. I think anything else that we tell people is a lie. I try to help people understand that feelings of guilt and shame are incredible tools of a patriarchal capitalist society to keep people small.

Her Agenda: When you were interviewing men for both of your books, what was the most shocking information you discovered about the people that you were interviewing?

Eve Rodsky: The most shocking thing to me was how much empathy I start to feel for men. What was happening was, women were saying to me, the hardest thing about home life was that they couldn’t shut their minds off. It was leading to autoimmune diseases and complete breakdowns and stress. Men were reporting to me that they couldn’t get anything right, especially in a hetero/cisgender relationship – that they didn’t know their role. Some said they sort of felt like outsiders in their own home organization. That sounds like a terrible place to be as well.

Her Agenda: In Unicorn Space, you have a chapter where you discuss redefining success. In it, you tell readers to “find their community.” How do you think the pandemic has impacted women to make space for creativity and community? In these unprecedented times, what can we do to reclaim ourselves?

Eve Rodsky: The best thing to do is to really step into the things that make you come alive, the things that make you interested in your own life. Then the friendships and the community follow. That is why connection is the second piece, not the first in Unicorn Space. I saw people getting curious and then their community followed.

The key here is to recognize that once you start becoming interested in your own life, community is everywhere. It’s really the law of attraction and also that unavailability that says, ‘I’m doing this no matter what anybody says.’ It has a sort of defiance to it and unavailability that makes you sexy to other people. I don’t mean that in a romantic way, but it just does. It makes you attractive. At the end of the day, it’s really about self-worth. Like, I deserve a community. I deserve to be loved. I deserve to be seen. I deserve to be known. The bigger we become in our curiosities, the more we attract communities. For me, it started with my “The Sh*t I Do” spreadsheet community ten years ago. I just started to ask people all across the country and a lot of those women stay with me, and they became the first beta testers and early readers of Fair Play. I would have been scared without them.

It will always rain on us. We can either choose to drown in the rain, or we can grab an umbrella.

Eve Rodsky, Best-Selling Author of ‘Fair Play’ and ‘Find Your Unicorn Space’

Her Agenda: What excites you most about this new chapter in your writing career?

Eve Rodsky: How it corresponds to advocacy. I don’t look at my work as just self-help or personal growth books. I look at them as self-compassion, which allows for connection to broader communities that will lead to change. Once you realize that we’re breathing that polluted air, you can’t unsee it.

When you create these communities and you put yourself out there, it’s very scary of course, you don’t know what’s going to come of it. But to me, as long as the work is centered, and I understand that everything I do is in service of believing that our society will change. If we believe that, an hour holding our children’s hands at the pediatrician’s office is just as valuable as an hour in the boardroom then to me, nothing can go wrong. Of course, things will go wrong along the way, but for me internally, as long as I can keep my eye on that prize, even when there’s a ton of rain, I can still have that compass of where I am going.

Her Agenda: What is your motto?

Eve Rodsky: For too long we have been focused on an illusion of happiness. That somehow if we stay on this path it’s going to lead us to happiness. As women, we stay straight and narrow, we get the ‘A-pluses,’ and we think things are going to be fair. Then we go into the real world and things don’t work out the way that we thought they were. We get surprised, we leave, we get dejected, we lose our power center. It will always rain on us. We can either choose to drown in the rain, or we can grab an umbrella.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. This feature was originally published on March 7, 2022. We are republishing in honor of the release of the Fair Play film on Netflix.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Eve Rodsky was originally published on HerAgenda.com

How does someone go from being an apprentice graphic designer to the Vice President of Consumer Media at Springer Nature and President of Scientific American? Kimberly Lau attributes her non-traditional career path to a desire to be a decision-maker. 

Kimberly’s decision to go to business school after five years in graphic design led her to what she calls her dream job: working in the digital division of Hearst Magazines. From there, she became head of digital strategy at The Atlantic, developing the organization’s digital brand. In 2022, she was hired by Springer Nature and Scientific American, where she wears two hats managing a legacy media brand and translating scientific research into information that can be easily digestible by everyday people. 

We sat down with Kimberly to explore her experience and what advice she’d give to those who aspire to leadership roles. 

Her Agenda: Tell me about your professional journey. What interested you about business, and specifically the business side of media? 

Kimberly Lau: I have a non-traditional path. My love for media did start at a young age. I was really obsessed with magazines when I was a teenager, but never really thought about what a career would be. 

I started out with an economics degree, but I graduated from college and decided that I really wanted to be a graphic designer, which I know sounds a little bit insane and I wouldn’t recommend that as a path to people. I worked for the first five and a half years of my career as a graphic designer. I realized in those five and a half years that I was a terrible designer and that wasn’t where my future was. I worked with some amazing artists who were amazing designers and were very skilled and I could see clearly that that wasn’t my strength. But I also could see that I had strengths in project management. I’d started getting into web design, which in the late 90s everybody was trying to figure out, and I was really enjoying that. Then, more importantly, I was working for a nonprofit and I couldn’t really see how the decisions of the company impacted the things that I was doing or being tasked with so I decided at that point that I wanted to be in the position to make those decisions, which led me to get my MBA. 

Getting your MBA is like a two-year job hunt. I pursued many paths over that period, but ultimately kept coming back to the question: What is my dream job? What I decided was I really wanted to work with creative people and I had a love for media. I was fortunate enough to land my dream job at Hearst Magazines in a new digital division that was tasked with trying to set up the strategy behind their websites and monetize those websites. I had the opportunity in my six years there to develop digital strategies to work on new media formats like video, to work closely with editors, and to structure partnerships. It was a really formative education on all things media and that sort of set me on my path. 

From there, I went to The Atlantic, where I was in a slightly more operational role and they brought me in to head up digital strategy and partnership development. Essentially, I was in charge of everything that wasn’t editorial or sales and had a really great almost 10 years at The Atlantic. As a brand, we had some real successes over that time. 

Then I was looking for my next gig and found Scientific American. I’m now VP of Consumer Media for Springer Nature and President for Scientific American, which means I essentially have two businesses. I have Scientific American in the US and then its sister brand Spectrum in Germany. We’re about 18 months in and it’s been a good ride so far.

Her Agenda: How do you define “consumer media?” What does it mean for your new role and what does it look like for Springer Nature and Scientific American?

Kimberly Lau: Springer Nature is one of the largest research publishers in the world and what that means is that at the core of their business is publishing research papers in journals and all the aspects associated with that. It is not ultimately a business that’s focused broadly on the masses. So our two brands are really the only brands that are focused on trying to take and translate science for a general population. So “consumer” really just means that Scientific American’s audience is a slightly wider audience than the rest of Springer Nature’s focus. The primary way that these two brands have made money in the last 20 years has been really from subscriptions being sold to individuals. Functionally what it means is that as a business within the larger company, the way that we think about our business, the way that we operate, and the things that we need to do are just slightly different than the rest of the business. There are some overlaps and with digital there are more similarities in the future than there have been necessarily in the past. But it does mean we’re kind of like a unicorn within Springer Nature. We’re a little different than the rest. We’re essentially focused on cultivating broad consumer audiences, and then monetizing through subscriptions as well as advertising partnerships.

Her Agenda: Now that you are a decision-maker, what is your vision for the future of Springer Nature and Scientific American? 

Kimberly Lau: Scientific American is the oldest magazine in the United States [that is still in production today]. It’s 178 years old and has historically been a magazine. What’s really exciting about where we’re at, and what we’re doing, is that the future of media is less about a specific format. So it’s not about us being a magazine, it’s about us being a multi-platform brand. That sounds simple and maybe easy to do, but it requires very different skill sets. In some ways, it requires us to be expansive in how we think about the brand and how the brand evolves over time. We’re at another pretty critical pivot where a lot of what we’re thinking about today is: How do we cultivate and inspire and develop the next generation of science enthusiasts? 

It just so happens that we’re at a point in time in the world where the need for science-based information, in many ways, has never been greater. Part of what we’re trying to do as we reimagine and expand Scientific American is to think about that next generation. We’re launching a redesign of our brand, which [partially] manifests itself in the logo. We will have a redesigned print magazine, but you’ll also see this new logo across all of our social media sites. We’re also launching on TikTok later this month, which we are a little scared about but also very excited about. It’s definitely a platform that I have a lot to learn about. Fortunately, we’ve got some people on the team who are very knowledgeable and I’m confident are going to produce some great stuff. 

What’s exciting going forward is figuring out how to push the brand to expand, [while also] staying true to what we’ve always wanted to do, which is share the most interesting science stories, educate, and inspire people. But how do we do that in ways that we haven’t in the past? We’ll continue to do feature articles, but it will come through in our podcasts, it will come through in our video content on TikTok, everywhere else, and whatever comes next. 

Her Agenda: What are some challenges facing digital media brands in our current climate?

Kimberly Lau: One of the big challenges is just the speed of change. When you’ve been doing one thing for a really long time, you’re not necessarily used to having to change and reinvent yourself and think about how you take advantage of new platforms on a daily or yearly basis. This year in digital we’re seeing traditional distribution channels mature and actually change pretty dramatically. In the last 10 years, Facebook has been a big source for most news outlets’ traffic, and that is changing what feels like overnight. If you watch the dumpster fire that is Twitter, or X, for the past 10 years, those platforms have been critical pieces of most digital media strategies and they’re literally remaking themselves overnight. Not only do we not have control of those distribution points, but we have to keep up and we have to figure out what’s next. That requires that we as a team have the agility and the capacity to do that, which is something that for most brands going from legacy formats to digital was quite difficult. The team is doing great, but it’s definitely one of the big changes that require thinking out of the box: How does Scientific American represent itself in a short video format versus an audio format versus print? The speed of change is a big challenge. There are other things like the ongoing decline of newsstands and print that continue to be challenges for anybody who’s made money and continues to make money in those places. But that’s not necessarily surprising, just part of the ongoing management of trying to maximize where our opportunities are.

Her Agenda: What challenges have you faced as a woman in the business industry? 

Kimberly Lau: When I was starting out, I really didn’t have a vision. I went to business school in 2004 and my class at [UVA Darden School of Business] was 20% women. It was, quite honestly, the first time in my six years of working that I’d ever felt that I was at a disadvantage. I had a wonderful time at Darden, it was lovely. But you start to feel it when only one out of five people is a woman. In some ways that prepared me for when I went to Hearst, and I had meetings on the executive floors. By and large, the only women on the executive floors are admins. I don’t know if you’re ever comfortable in those situations, but it prepares you. 

I was really fortunate because I had a lot of wonderful mentors. With the exception of one, I’ve only had male bosses and I’ve never had a bad one, to be honest. There were different strengths across the board, but I’ve had a lot of good mentors and bosses. 

The biggest challenge when I look back on it now was actually when I had my first daughter. I was in a position where I traveled a fair amount with men and some of them had kids, some of them didn’t, but they all had partners at home that had more flexibility or were the primary parents. I spent a lot of time pretending like I didn’t have kids, which is not necessarily what I would recommend people do today. I think things have actually changed a lot for the better, but the only way that I made it work was by having full-time care. We had a full-time nanny, which we were fortunate to be able to afford, and I also had a husband who was as invested in my career as I was and, even though he had his own career, was willing to be 100% a partner. 

The one piece of advice I would give people is when you’re thinking about your partner and thinking about where you want to be it’s important that you share those interests and those goals because without a doubt my husband has been a critical part of ensuring that I can take every opportunity, and I can tackle them almost like I didn’t have kids. [He and I] being on the same page with that was really critical. 

Her Agenda: You mentioned the positive impacts mentors have had on your career. What were some of the most impactful mentorships you had?

Kimberly Lau: My first boss at Hearst Magazines, was a man and he had been in the business for years. He was amazing because he took me under his wing. He knew so much about the industry, and about the company and was willing to sit down with me before every meeting and talk to me about what we were trying to accomplish. I didn’t really understand this at the time, but what he was really doing was walking me through his own thinking process so that I could take that and be able to understand why we had the conversations we had and what we were seeking to get out of it. One of the things Hearst has always done really well and that he sort of embodied for them was in thinking about strategic partnerships and how you partner with other companies. To this day that is part of my ethos and how I think about who we work with, why we work with them, and how we make them a successful part of our story. We have a partnership now at Scientific American and Springer Nature with one of our commercial partners, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, and one of the reasons it’s so successful is that it’s really a multi-year, multifaceted partnership where we spend a lot of time together. We understand across many levels what’s important to each side where our strengths are, taking the time to build those kinds of relationships really pays off.

Her Agenda: What advice would you give to someone who aspires to a leadership role or who is interested in business?

Kimberly Lau: An MBA can be super useful, but it depends on the person and where you are in your career. It made tons of sense for me. There’s a financial calculation you have to do for the investment and the cost of an MBA versus the return. 

The thing that I would just remind people is that by and large, it’s not rocket science. Budgets are just trying to figure out what your costs are going to be and how much you’re going to get back on that. Strategy is really just another word for making a plan. So my encouragement would be: number one, don’t be intimidated. Number two, don’t be afraid to ask about what you don’t understand. It’s also true that in every industry we can get into the habit of using acronyms or shortcuts to things and forget that people don’t know them. My first year working for Hearst I was using Google every five minutes, just Googling terms that I didn’t understand. And that’s after I’d had two years of business school. So don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to Google. Just know at the end of the day, there are a million business people who are not trained in business. There’s a lot that you can learn on the job and in the moment. If people are interested in that, I would encourage them to take on leadership opportunities, be curious, and ask lots of questions. It will come in time.

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Kimberly Lau was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Ananda Lewis is not your typical media personality. Destined to make change not only on TV but in the real world, her strong presence has turned her into a powerful figure for making a difference.

From volunteering at a young age, facilitating a youth conference in Belize, to becoming a youth activist, every step brought Ananda closer to her purpose. Embarking on her journey through the realm of media, she initially made her mark on the thought-provoking BET series “Teen Summit.” Her path then led her to MTV and subsequently to the creation of her very own syndicated talk show, solidifying her transition from aspiring media professional to a shining star in her own right. During her time as a host, Ananda discussed issues pertinent to American youth and the Black community. Along the way, she earned a number of awards from NAACP and was nominated for TV – Choice Personality, for three consecutive years, by the Teen Choice Awards.

In addition to her loveable, on-camera persona, Ananda’s purpose has always been rooted in touching lives farther than she can physically reach. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Ananda absorbed irreplaceable knowledge on health that she is determined to share with other women.

Her Agenda had the honor of speaking with the living icon on her health journey, the recent Strength Of A Woman Festival, and being a voice for the Black community.

Her Agenda: A lot of influencers and media personalities promote products or events, but I admire that you are focusing on health. Why is it important for you to choose to promote health? 

Ananda Lewis: What I think is interesting about that is, it’s another thing historically we [as Black people] have been blocked from. It’s benefiting from our own voice. An influencer [is] anybody who can influence people. I would never tell you about something I don’t use and love, and that really works for me.

I focus on health because I have had a pretty crazy experience now with breast cancer myself. I feel like when you have walked on a path or are walking on a path and, and you see a bunch of tacks that have been spilled on the ground and you step on one, you shouldn’t let your pain go to waste. You should warn the people behind you that there are some tacks on this road. And tacks can be your own mistakes. Tacks can be anything, anything that you have either done, experienced, or now know about based on your own experience that will benefit somebody else to know about. And for me, that was getting a mammogram. For me, that was how to take care of yourself to prevent breast cancer. There are things that I know now from my journey that had I known 15 years ago, I probably never would have ended up here because prevention is the cure. Early detection is what I advocate for, for women, especially Black women to practice and especially Black women only because we die from higher rates of breast cancer.

Her Agenda: I think a lot of people know what health insurance is and a lot of people know what the healthcare system is, but not a lot of people understand what health equity is. So in your own words, can you please explain what health equity is? 

Ananda Lewis: Health equity is one of the biggest reasons I’m in partnership with Gilead right now, and that we’re doing this Strength of a Woman panel. They’re really committed to advancing health and Black equity. Health equity is equality in health care and access to health care, and not just care, but treatment. Not just like insurance, but actual medicines that can help you be healthier and can help you with whatever illnesses or things you’re dealing with.

It’s not always an illness we’re dealing with, with our bodies, right? But for most of us, there is something we’d like to shift. And inequality exists for a lot of reasons, but the point is not to focus on the reason, but to fix the fact that there is inequality.

And that’s what Gilead is really doing. And when I heard that, and they invited me to be a part of this panel, I jumped at the opportunity. I think it’s wonderful to see a company as massive as them have such a stake in it and put so much real work behind their mouth.

Her Agenda: Can you please share some knowledge about the panels and what you are most excited about?

Ananda Lewis: There are a lot of panels, but the one that I’m on, is called Finding Your Faith: Healing, Hope, Breast Health, and More. And, it’s really an opportunity to, give women a real understanding of the power they have over their bodies and of their health care and to talk about the intersection of that power and health and healing.

And faith can be different things for different people. We’re going to get into all the different things that can be. Strength of a Woman, the conference itself, brings together amazing women of color from all over.

Her Agenda: I know you mentioned that you are big on faith and you will be incorporating faith within your panel. What role has faith played in your life as you’ve been fighting breast cancer?

Ananda Lewis: I still fight breast cancer every day. I’m not [in the] no evidence [phase] yet. I’m getting there though. Faith didn’t start for me with the breast cancer journey Faith started for me with my grandmother, really, who was the main woman who raised me. I didn’t understand at the time what it was, but I saw her, she would speak out into space, and she would say ‘Give me the strength to push through this.’ She was calling on an invisible force.

My perspective as a child, right, didn’t understand it better then. She was calling on something I couldn’t see. And then things would shift for her. And so I saw somebody actively showing their faith. [It showed me] I’m never without support, even when there are not other people physically, or visually around me. [There is] a piece of God within me. It’s everything I need, strength and endurance. My job is to do my part, to dig it out, to use it, to have the discipline to do the things that matter for my health, both spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically, because our health is a huge wheel with a lot of cogs in it.

Faith for me was a big part of why I was able and am able to continue on this journey with as much tenacity as I have. I know that I’m not going to fail. My fear wasn’t dying. Nobody gets out of here alive. What’s standing in the way of you seeing [your blessings] and accessing them is probably something you are either doing or not doing. When I talk about people taking power over their lives and their health, it’s an active power. Power is not passive. 

Her Agenda: What are some ways or what’s one way that you believe people can prioritize their health on a daily basis? 

Ananda Lewis: Education is fundamental. It is important to understand how this brilliant machine you’re in [works] everything from nutrients getting into your body to waste getting out of your body. On a cellular level, if you’re filled up with too much waste, it becomes toxic. What does toxicity lead to? It leads to disease. And so when we talk about avoiding these big pictures, we have to narrow it down and look at the little picture every single day. What are you doing? Are you breathing right?

Breathwork has become this fancy thing to say but the fundamentals of it are real. You don’t even think about how many times you breathe a day. It’s something your body does on its own but you have no idea how it works or why it’s so important. We take for granted some of these real fundamentals. Some of those things you can’t control. I’m into controlling the things you can so that the things you can’t control don’t have as much of a negative impact on your body.

I would also say that we underestimate the power and the value of sleep when it comes to our health and the quality of it. And there are some really shocking and eye-opening studies that connect a lack of sleep, like chronic sleeplessness, to breast cancer numbers. Those are very clear studies. Our bodies are designed to work with the clock of the Earth and the further away we get from that, you will see your health decline. So I’ve been sent on a journey to get back in alignment with the planet we’ve been given to live on and it’s all God, in my opinion, all there is is God. So faith is never separate from any of that, in my opinion.

Her Agenda: I believe that mental health is just as important as physical health, but there’s still a stigma around it in the Black community. What are some ways that you use to connect with your inner child and how do you practice self-care regularly?

Ananda Lewis: I have integrated an acceptance of the kind of child I was into my world. A lot of beautiful things about how I was as a child, but the whole reason we’re not children anymore is that we’re supposed to grow up and there are things you need to leave behind in your childhood.

For me, I don’t need to go back and heal things. I need to move on from things. My inner child is probably still back there playing somewhere, cause I’ve grown through her and past her now. But, I integrate meditation a lot and I would define my meditation as mental breaks that I give myself where I make it silent.

A lot of people say meditation now, but it’s up to you the way that works for you to calm your brain. That’s really what meditation’s goal is, is to calm the brain. We’re running nonstop. You would never run your car the way you run your body. No oil changes, the wrong kind of gas, never stopping it. You would never do that and expect it to still work. But we do it every day to our bodies and expect them to work. And the reason they do is because they’re brilliant and they’re designed to heal. But you find that when you do your part, your body can do its part even better. And so meditation just gives you a break.

Once you’re out of childhood, it’s all on you. It’s your responsibility to take care of your body. And there are simple ways to do that. Exercise is important. We don’t need as much exercise as we think we do, but some are very important. Why? Because your blood needs to flow. Your blood needs to pump. There are things that happen in your body that take movement.

It’s important to go to your doctor’s visits and, and be your own advocate. Ask for the tests you want. Since we’re talking about Black women in health, they just reduced the age that they recommend you get a mammogram or start getting mammograms at 40. It’s important to if you have a family history, start them at 35. Start them whenever you think is the right time to start them so you can stay ahead of it. And if you’re having any symptoms, go to the doctor and get it checked out. Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to your health.

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Ananda Lewis was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Ever since picking up a spiral notebook as a toddler, L’Oreal Thompson Payton has always felt that writing would be in her future. Now, she’s an award-winning journalist and author of her forthcoming memoir ‘Stop Waiting for Perfect’, a pocket-sized pep talk for any Black woman or woman of color prone to doubting their abilities.

She’s also a health and wellness reporter at Fortune, where she covers women and wellness in the workplace. Prior to joining Fortune, L’Oreal was the senior mental health, wellness, and lifestyle editor at YR Media, a national media nonprofit for young people. Her words have also appeared in outlets such as Bitch, Bustle, Essence, SELF, and Well + Good, among other publications.

L’Oreal talks with Her Agenda about her inspiration for her upcoming book, why she pivoted away from her childhood dream of becoming editor-in-chief, and her go-to strategies for managing perfectionism.

Her Agenda: I read on your website that you’ve always wanted to be a writer. Now that you’ve accomplished your dream as a journalist, what setbacks have you encountered that you didn’t expect?

L’Oreal Thompson Payton: The biggest one is being a Black woman and having to work twice as hard to get half as much. A lot of times I’ve had to fight and claw my way to the top to get the same thing that my white colleagues have. There’s also knowing at the end of the day that I am doing a good job, even though sometimes I’m trying to detach my worth from my work. But it can be very discouraging at times to be busting your ass and look around and think, ‘Well, how come I haven’t gotten a cover story?’

Comparing yourself to your peers and social media makes judging yourself easy, but it’s also very dangerous because you can lose track of your purpose. We’re all human, and sometimes we get jealous of other people and their career strides and accomplishments no matter how far we get ourselves. For me, I’ll achieve a goal, and then immediately I’m on to the next one. I don’t really take the time to celebrate or relish all that it took to get me there. I’m trying now at this part of my career to celebrate those wins, whether they’re big or small. I have more of an abundance mindset and know now that because someone else got this opportunity, that doesn’t mean that [I won’t get an opportunity]. It just may not be right now.

Her Agenda: Can you list out an example of when you had an obstacle in your career and overcame it?

L’Oreal Thompson Payton: In the summer of 2014, I remember vividly the weekend that Michael Brown was murdered. At the time, I was working at Jet and covering police violence against Black people. That weekend, I was supposed to be going out on a double date with my husband, his friend, and his partner, but I had to immediately pull out the laptop and get to work. And so I thought to myself, okay, I now work on the weekends. I didn’t have the tools that I have today in terms of self-care and taking care of myself and my mental health. So I wasn’t in therapy. I didn’t have the rituals in place that I do now. So, I became burnt out.

That wasn’t even the reason I got into journalism. I was obsessed with teen magazines, and I wanted to be editor-in-chief to help young girls feel less alone and represented because I didn’t feel those things when I read those magazines. I had this Oprah ‘aha!’ moment where I was like, this ain’t it. These murders were continuing to happen, and it was taking a toll because I was becoming numb and desensitized to it. So I switched industries and did five years of nonprofit PR first with Girl Scouts, and then went to an education nonprofit. It was scary to change careers because journalism was all I knew.

The whole journey was very daunting. I felt at the time like I was giving up on those media dreams that I had as a 16-year-old. Now, I can look back and see that I learned so much and grew professionally and personally by taking that pivot. When I was growing up, it was very much like the goal is to get to the top. What I found was that the closer I got to the top, the more that I was like ‘This ain’t it’. Writing has always been my love and passion. So I left the education nonprofit and did freelance writing full-time before landing at Fortune, but it was all to get back to that purpose and my mission of being a writer.

Her Agenda: Can you tell me more about what’s in your upcoming book, ‘Stop Waiting For Perfect’?

L’Oreal Thompson Payton: I like to call ‘Stop Waiting For Perfect’ a pocket-sized pep talk. It’s essentially a book I wish I’d had before every job interview, speaking engagement, or anything outside of my comfort zone that feels scary, audacious, and challenging. These are the tips and tools I’ve used to help navigate those moments. This book was really a masterclass for me to unlearn perfection. So my hope is that it’ll help other people do that as well.

Her Agenda: Can you give me some examples of advice you include to Black women and women of color in this book?

L’Oreal Thompson Payton: One of my favorite ones is naming and addressing your inner critic. For most of us, there is this inner critic of this really nasty voice that is telling you, ‘you can’t do this,’ or ‘You’re not good enough. Why are you even trying?’ I want us to first address that inner voice that lives with us. It might not even be your voice. It could be your mom’s or a former boss, but address it head-on and write a breakup letter. It sounds very cliche and woowoo, but I found it to be a very powerful exercise because you’re reclaiming your power. It’s telling this voice, ‘Hey, you know, I appreciate that.’ This is the critic’s way of protecting you, so it serves a purpose.

I feel like it’s applicable in personal and professional settings going into job interviews or negotiating for a higher salary or promotion. I’m very big into pep talks for myself and listening to hype music before anything that scares me. I’m listening to Beyonce, songs like Formation and Diva. I’m hyping myself up, and you need to do that for yourself. It can feel very unnatural, but I find that it has been really helpful. So, I think that the first step to overcoming these obstacles placed before you is getting rid of that inner critic and trusting that you are enough.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: L’Oreal Thompson Payton was originally published on HerAgenda.com

If there is one takeaway from Tracy McMillan’s writing career it is this: if it is your story, you stick with it. You write every version, and simply put — never stop writing. That is why Tracy is where she is today.

As a television writer, Tracy is best known for her work on Mad Men, Marvel’s Runaways, and the United State Of Tara. But her more recent show UnPrisoned is inspired by her real life. Starring Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo, the father-daughter characters navigate their relationship after release from his longtime incarceration, a story Tracy knows firsthand. Using humor to humanize the incarceration experience, Tracy creates a show that explores how the prison system affects everyone in the family, mentally imprisoning each member differently, and the work people do to set themselves and each other free.

Following a viral blog post in The Huffington Post in 2011, Tracy is a relationship expert and author of a memoir, ‘I Love You and I’m Leaving You Anyway’ and the relationship guide ‘Why You’re Not Married… Yet.’ Since 2018, Tracy is also the host of the OWN reality show Family Or Fiancé, where she coaches people on how to better love one another. The show follows the dynamics between eight engaged couples who bring their disapproving families together under one roof. The show will return for its fourth season in July 2023.

It is evident through her robust body of work through various mediums Tracy McMillan has a true gift for taking real-life events and turning them into a powerful story of growth and love.

Her Agenda: Did you know you wanted to be a writer? Was there a specific moment you knew that would be your career?

Tracy McMillan: It’s so funny because, of course, I’ve answered this question before, but it’s a pretty complicated question. On the one hand, no I didn’t always know. But then I remember being eight years old, standing in the living room and going, ‘I have an idea for a TV show. I wonder if I put it in a letter, and send it to ABC, I wonder if they’ll get it?’ But then I was a sort of practical child. I knew, ‘oh, they probably won’t get it and where would I address it to anyway?’ So yes, there was a part of me that imagined somehow working in media, but I’m not sure I thought of the idea of being a writer, per se.

I went to college, I studied broadcast journalism, and I started writing TV news after graduation. I did that career for sixteen years.

Her Agenda: What was the transition from television news to writing film/TV like?

Tracy McMillan: I knew I wanted to start writing scripted [television]. I wanted to write something that was longer than thirty seconds or however long a TV news story lasted. My first attempts were not skilled because writing scripted television or features has a lot of skill involved in making it happen. I had to develop those skills on my own. I didn’t get a master’s degree in it, so I would give myself assignments. I would say I’m going to write a feature film. I’m going to write a sexy thriller. I’m going to write a one-hour light hour for television. I’m going to write a half hour. I gave myself a number of assignments, and I just started getting better at writing.

Eventually, I wrote something that felt like it was a level up from everything that I had been doing up until then. I gave it to my one friend in the business, and she said, ‘Oh, I’m way too busy to read it, but I know you can write,’ and she gave it to her agent. And she said, ‘If he likes it, they’ll call you. If he doesn’t, he won’t.’ He called me eight months later. That was the beginning of writing scripted television. I went in in February of 2006, we met, and I got my first job in June of 2007. In that year-long period, I was incredibly focused on becoming a better writer. For me, it was not about having one great script. It was about having many, many things that I was working on and writing. There is no substitute for writing 150 scripts that no one ever sees.

Her Agenda: Do you have any advice for switching careers/industries? Or that 8 month period before the agent saw your scripts?

Tracy McMillan: I executed the assignments I gave myself. Most of those things never saw the light of day. But one of them became my calling card — the script that got me pretty much all my early jobs. A lot of times a studio or a producer will ask for other samples of your work. Then some of these other scripts became my samples, so I could submit myself for all sorts of different kinds of jobs. When people can see that you can do different voices and different things, that’s really the job of being a scripted television writer. It is not necessarily to write your passion project. It is to be able to write in other people’s voices and understand what makes a show. It is so that you can turn out a draft that is going to help that showrunner be that much further down the road when they have to rewrite it, which is part of the process. The way I say it is, you just want to be the writer that when someone throws you the ball, you make a basket. That is what’s going to keep somebody employed.

Her Agenda: What led you to write your viral blog post with The Huffington Post, ‘Why You’re Not Married?’

Tracy McMillan: A friend was producing a staged reading series in Los Angeles where writers would read essays. They said to me, ‘We should do an essay or Sit and Spin,’ which is the name of the staged reading series.

This is another tip that I would give — when people tell me to do something like, ‘You should write an essay and do it as a staged reading,’ then you say, yes.

I was like, ‘Huh, well, what should I write about?’ I said well, I’ve been married three times. I could write about that. Then I wrote ‘Why You’re Not Married.’’ People enjoyed it in the staged reading that night, and then I put it in a drawer for four years.

Then, I took it out when I had a book, and when I wanted to write some pieces that supported the book. So I was like, ‘Well, I have this piece.’ I gave it to an editor at The Huffington Post and the rest is history. It became the most-read piece of all time for like two and a half – three years.

You don’t really know when something you write is going to pop or be useful. I think it’s smart to create your own IP, your own intellectual property. That’s what an essay really is — something that you can write as a TV show, feature, or book. You can do it as a play. I mean, shoot, you could probably do it as a theme park ride. We are in the business of creating intellectual property. That’s what a writer is. If you’re smart, you write your own IP, and then you develop off of your own IP. You don’t have to wait for somebody else to do it.

Her Agenda: Can you speak more about creating your own IP? When you wrote this blog post and it went viral, did you know it should be a book and that you were going to go in this direction of creating your own IP?

Tracy McMillan: After the staged reading, several people came up to me and said, ‘You should do that as a book.’ So then a friend put me in touch with her book agent. I wrote a proposal. We took it out, and fourteen people said no. Then I put it in the drawer. Four years later, I take it out as an essay to just drive traffic to my book — a different book that I’ve written — a memoir. We gave it to however many publishers. I sold it in the pre-empt for a lot of money. The same book nobody wanted in 2008 or whatever year that was, all of a sudden, the whole world wants it in 2011.

It sold as a pitch to ABC. I’ve taken this one essay that I sold for $500,000 as a book. I sold it as a sitcom. It was like, ‘Oh, that’s what we’re doing here. we’re creating IP.’ That is how I learned that I am in the IP business. You should always put an essay out there first, then develop off your own intellectual property. Then you know have it go a little bit viral or place it somewhere where some eyeballs are on it. Then you take it and see if somebody wants to buy it at broadcast as a television project. Now, that is not what I did with UnPrisoned. UnPrisoned was loosely based on my memoir — it is more like the sequel to my memoir.

Her Agenda: When speaking about your new show, UnPrisoned, with POPSUGAR — you mentioned that you’ve been writing versions of this story for as long as you can remember. Can you describe your writing process and why this is the version that made it to the screen?

Tracy McMillan: When I first did it, it was called Life After Life. It was me as if I was still married to a version of my first husband whom I married when I was nineteen. We lived in a gated community in Scottsdale, Arizona in that version. My dad gets out of prison and comes to live with me and my two children. I wrote that in 2006. I’ve written many versions of it, in different iterations — the idea that my dad gets out of prison, or that a dad gets out of prison, and has to establish a relationship with his daughter. They were different ways of exploring the story because the point for me was exploring the story. Now, the reason this version made it is, I don’t think anybody really knows the answer to why a given version of something makes it to the screen. But I will say a pretty good guess is that Kerry Washington decided she wanted to make it her next starring role.

There are projects with big [names and brands backing them] that do not move forward every day. But this was the perfect storm. It was Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo. It was a period of time when people are looking for something that is heartwarming, and real, but grounded that has a meaningful story that is hopeful and loving. I just felt like the time was now. But the first time I wrote it was 17 years ago. If I hadn’t stuck with it, the time would not be now. The time would have been never. I think the point is if it’s your story, you stick with it. You don’t take the no’s as meaning that this is not a worthy or valuable story. You’ve taken a tiny thing and just go, ‘Okay. Well, I’ll be back.’

Her Agenda: The storylines viewers see in UnPrisoned are nearly all based on your real life which you wrote about in your memoir, ‘I Love You and I’m Leaving You Anyways.’ What was it like to adapt these stories from a memoir to episodes for television? What was it like seeing Kerry Washington bring that character to life?

Tracy McMillan: It has been an incredible process to have Kerry and Delroy create characters that are based on — they’re not even my dad and me —they are characters who are facing the same circumstances my dad and I faced, that our family faced. Adapting those stories is sometimes pretty straightforward. Sometimes it’s more nuanced and inspired by something that happened in real life. That’s the nature of storytelling. Even when I’m writing scripted television on other people’s shows, very often you’re taking a kernel of something that happened to you in real life. You’re finding a way to fictionalize it so that the emotional truth is still there. The circumstances might be different in the story. I feel like kind of the essence of what we do as writers is to take real things and fictionalize them in ways that are truthful.

Her Agenda: Can you give us insight into what it is like to be in a writer’s room (i.e. how you flesh out ideas, and how you create a storyline)? What was one of your favorite shows to work on?

Tracy McMillan: I don’t have a favorite show to work on. I really love the collaborative process. I love being in a writer’s room. I love bouncing ideas around. I love that you can have an idea in a room full of people that you wouldn’t have in a room by yourself.

I think there’s something about the [human] species that we have flocking behavior and when we come together for the purpose of creation, we’re tapping into each other’s minds and hearts, and energy fields in ways that I’m not sure anybody’s ever proven what happens. There is definitely something amazing and magical that happens in a collaborative process. To me, that is the best part of the job. Then bring in all the trucks, the equipment, and the actors, and do it again. They now take that material, and they do something that the camera watches. Then we send the trucks home, and we do it in editing where this whole magic happens again.

"I am very excited to have season two of UnPrisoned. I don't know if that's going to happen yet, but I feel really good about it."

Tracy McMillan

Her Agenda: How has your writing process changed over the years? What are you excited about next?

Tracy McMillan: I’m working on a feature for Sony about a female rapper. I’m excited about that. I am very excited to have season two of UnPrisoned. I don’t know if that’s going to happen yet, but I feel really good about it. I have lots of stories to tell there. Then I see myself writing another book, maybe a series of essays. I’d like to open the door to something I haven’t even thought of yet because I would say all the best things in my career have come — well I would have really never really imagined, to be honest. It’s about living your life and from your life comes great stories.

Her Agenda: What is your personal motto?

Tracy McMillan: Do and write what only you can write and commit to what is highest in yourself in order to do so.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Tracy McMillan was originally published on HerAgenda.com

Stephanie Ramos serves her country in more ways than one.

She informs her country on what is going on in the world as a national news correspondent reporting across ABC News programs and platforms such as Good Morning America, World News Tonight with David Muir, 20/20, Nightline, and ABC News Live. Other ways that Stephanie serves this country? In the U.S. military.

While simultaneously working as a journalist, Stephanie began her career as a U.S. Army Reserve Major. With years of service and experience, Stephanie has contributed valuable reports and shed light on several military conflicts. Not only has she received medals for her honorable service, but she has also produced an award-winning, special titled, To Baghdad and Back, detailing her deployment serving in the Iraq War, 20 years ago.

Her Agenda recently spoke with Stephanie Ramos about balancing both endeavoring careers, what she’s learned from both, and how she’s been able to continuously thrive working in both fields, respectively!

Her Agenda: How do you find the balance between these two very demanding as well as very endeavoring careers?

Stephanie Ramos: It’s still something that I’m figuring out the whole balance of it all. Sometimes I feel like I’ve got a pretty good rhythm. And then other times, it’s like, okay, a lot is going on, and I [need to] take and organize my life. But what’s interesting is that I started both careers simultaneously. I graduated with my master’s in journalism and at the same time, I was getting commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army Reserve. I always knew that I wanted to go into journalism, the minute I started college and throughout high school. The military was kind of like a last-minute idea. In my last year in college, I said, ‘You know, I want to be a part of a larger organization, part of something that can make a difference in this country… in my country.’

So I think over the years, I got so used to navigating both careers and if I wasn’t able to be in a certain spot for my army drill days, as we call them at my reserve unit, because of the news, I’d pick another day to kind of make that up. And that’s basically how it’s worked for the last 20 years, just navigating these two lanes and making it work. A lot of it has to do with my support system. I wouldn’t be able to do any of it without my family, really, my husband and my mom. My sisters have always flown to whatever city and state I’m in to help out with our kids. And without that village, it really would have been a lot more difficult than then than what it was. So it’s hard to find that balance. But over time, I’ve I guess I’ve been able to [laughs].

Her Agenda: In what ways have you been able to integrate your experiences from the military into the news?

Stephanie Ramos: When you’re in the military, what’s very unique about any service, whether it’s Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Air Force, etc. is that you are typically put together with random groups of people from all over the country. So everyone has this unique background with different paths that led them to the military. Having that exposure early on, certainly prepared me for the news field where on any given day, I could be sent out to cover a particular story [and] meet different people in different communities And also being [from] New York City, like being born and raised in New York City, [growing up] around different groups of people was very helpful.

Her Agenda: What are things you’ve learned from each field that you were able to apply within one another?

Stephanie Ramos: Well, I would certainly say discipline and work ethic. I’ve always had a strong work ethic, which comes from my family and my upbringing. But having that somewhat refined during those early military years, definitely helps on the news side. When things are going wrong, and you’re about to be on air in a minute, and things are changing I’ve always had a sense of calm. I think that stems from the military where you can’t panic. If you panic, at any moment before a live shot or whenever something is not going according to plan, that’s when you meet disaster. You have to have that sense of calm because when you’re on the battlefield, you can’t panic when a lot is going on around you, no matter what your job is.

Then on the news side, and looking at the military, being that I’m a public affairs officer now, and working with young soldiers who are new to the Public Affairs field, but who also want to dabble with the civilian media industry, I’ve been able to show them the process of getting a news story on the air or how it is that we put together our different shows. Going back to my unit and answering their questions about how you put a story together it’s not something that they would get elsewhere. It’s very unique because they’re also soldiers, they’re in my reserve unit. I have my army hat on, but also my journalism professor hat on at the same time, so I’m able to give them that education as well.

Her Agenda: How has reporting on military stories and or conflicts helped the community?

Stephanie Ramos: You could only be better by having more information. So it’s, it’s important, for service members to be informed, but also to be a community that we serve, to be informed as well.

Her Agenda: I watched your ABC sit-down interview joined by other veterans who also served in the Iraq war 20 years ago. Knowing what you know, now, what’s something that you would have done differently serving during that time?

Stephanie Ramos: You know, I don’t know, that’s an interesting question! I don’t think I’ve ever thought of that before. There were so many Iraqis that we worked with and young children that we worked with, and for a period of time, when I redeployed and returned to the States, there was a contact person for this group of Iraqi Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts who we remained in contact with for a bit, but over the years lost contact. That’s one thing that I look back on, and I wonder ‘How are those kids doing?’ I wonder, ‘Where are they?’ ‘Are they still in the country?’ ‘Do they ever come to the States? Did they go to another country?’ And that’s something that sticks with me because we worked closely with them.

And I have so many pictures of the kids that we worked with. They were just absolutely adorable, and happy and joyful, which kind of stunned me in a way. Because they were in the middle of a war, and they were so aware of it. They knew that their country was in a constant fight. But yet, they still hadn’t lost that innocence and that joy. When I flew back a year later to the States, I remember looking out the window of the plane and thinking ‘What is going to happen to this country? Was it worth it? Was it worth us being there? What’s going to happen to those kids?’ So if I could do it all over again, I would try to get more contact information for the folks that were there and that we were working with, because I still wonder about them so many years later, and I feel like I don’t know how we would be able to reconnect.

Her Agenda: Israel, one of the veterans you interviewed during the sit-down, had asked if the experience was worth it, and you’ve answered yes to him. Could you elaborate more on why?

Stephanie Ramos: I think that if you if there was even a spark of a difference that I was able to make in the lives of either those kids, or the Iraqis, or the adults that we worked with, or anybody that was there during that time, if there’s a spark of a difference that I’m just even unaware of then I would say yes, as far as my experience goes!

Her Agenda: To be an anchor/reporter, and as well as a lieutenant, both of these are very prestigious positions. How do you think people in both of your roles perceive you whenever you’re contributing your work?

Stephanie Ramos: I think it adds a level of respect for many. [When I was younger] I just saw it as a regular job. It was like well, that’s one job and this is my other job. And it’s funny to say this, but I don’t really like being in the spotlight too much [laughs]. So early on, it was kind of like I don’t get what the big deal is. This is my job as a journalist, but then this is my job as a soldier. It’s what I signed up to do. It’s my duty. I was kind of in that military mode of, you know what this is, this is normal. But I think over the years I recognize that there’s so much sacrifice not only on my behalf but on my family’s behalf. And hearing that recognition and how much respect people have for the military is appreciated. It just makes it sweeter.

My peers are very [supportive]. I am tremendously grateful for that. None of this would be possible without the support of not only my family but also my employer. Especially in the TV industry, to be able to have a spot there and reach that dream that I longed for, for so long [means a lot]. But then I also get to be a major in the US Army Reserve, which was another dream. I’m absolutely blessed. But I’m thankful that my colleagues recognize that and have a deep respect for the military as a whole.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Stephanie Ramos was originally published on HerAgenda.com

The truth can be painful. In spite of that Debra leans into her truth and brings forth a deeply honest and transparent narrative that brings us wisdom from her hard-earned lessons as a high-powered executive in entertainment.

After starting her career at a law firm Debra went on to become general counsel at Black Entertainment Television (BET) and eventually went on to become CEO. She retired in 2018 with 32 years at BET (and 13 years as CEO) under her belt. Currently, Debra serves as a Board Member for AT&T, Burberry, Marriott, and Procter & Gamble. Her legacy is undeniable.

But no matter how much you gain in life, it doesn’t protect us from the losses. On the journey of writing her new memoir, I Am Debra Lee, Debra’s son, Quinn Coleman, passed away. It was during the pandemic and he was just 31 years old. While anyone would understand the desire to drop everything, instead, she did what her son would have wanted her to do, which was to share her story with the world.

Being honest when things are not picture perfect can feel scary but Debra chose to push past the fear and her perspective on the challenges she experienced as a CEO in a male-dominated company and the reality of the relationship she had with Bob Johnson.

We had the opportunity to speak with Debra about her memoir, the highlights of writing her book, the lessons learned from her career, and tips for becoming a CEO.

Her Agenda: What inspired you to write your memoir?

Debra Lee: I believe what Michelle Obama said, that ‘We all have a story in us.’ I also have always loved books. When I stepped down from BET around 4 years ago, I decided it was a good time to tell my story and focus on my career. I wanted it to be half memoir and half business advice. So I decided the best way to give my business advice was to tell stories about how I grew up, about how I made decisions at BET, and I’ve always believed that people remember advice more if you put it in the form of a story so that’s why it was the right time to do it.

Her Agenda: What do you want people to take away from your book?

Debra Lee: A very important one is to be yourself and to find a career that you’re passionate about whether it’s an organization, a company or a cause, and to get a good education – my dad taught me that. The second is to work really hard but to leave time for self-care. The part a lot of us forget is no matter how driven you are and how ambitious you are, you need to take care of yourself, your family, the people around you, and only surround yourself with people that will add to your self-care. Also, take care of your mental health. We saw a lot more mental health issues after COVID and it’s important that if you are having issues, you should get help. Some things that helped me throughout my career were talking to friends and to a therapist. So I want people to focus on self-care and mental health.

Her Agenda: What is your strategy for creating harmony with your commitments to motherhood, executive life, and being on the board of so many organizations?

Debra Lee: In terms of self-care, you also need to get help. At home and at work, I had three or four people working for me at home to help me make it, especially when I became a single mother after I was divorced. You have to be okay with asking for help. Then in terms of the organizations and corporate boards, I was on and still on, I love that work and it’s a great learning experience for me to learn about other industries and give advice to other CEOs. So you have to make room for the things you enjoy and hopefully one of those is working. But you really have to find the time and there is no balance. You just keep moving forward and trying your best to be there for all the important moments in your children’s life and your spouse’s life at the same time as you’re having a successful career. I would also add that you cannot get all of your satisfaction from work. It’s great to do charitable work and be active in your community but you shouldn’t expect to get all of your satisfaction from work.

Her Agenda: What has been or what was the biggest challenge you had as a businesswoman and how did you overcome it?

Debra Lee: One of the biggest challenges I had was making the transition from General Counsel to COO because when I became COO of BET (and I talked about this in my book), I had to learn new parts of the company; ad sales and programming areas I hadn’t dealt with before. So that was a real learning experience and at the same time, I had to manage other people who were mostly men who knew more than I did about their areas of specialty, and I had to get them to want me to be successful and want the company to be successful which was a challenge. It depends on what time it was but when we went public, that was an amazing experience but also challenging. Then another challenge was raising a family at the same time and just being a woman in the workplace because we still don’t see a lot of CEOs especially not Black women CEOs – and we have to work harder on that so it’s not such a rare thing anymore.

Her Agenda: Do you have any advice for women who want to be CEOs? Especially Black women? Do you have any advice on what things they can do or the avenues they can take?

Debra Lee: If you’re interested in being a CEO, the first thing you should do is get as much experience as you can in all aspects of the company or organization because [when you are the] CEO, you don’t have to do it all but you have to understand it all. You have to understand what drives the business, and how you generate revenue and profit. It really is a question of learning over the years and you can’t be too narrowly focused. Luckily, as General Counsel, I was involved in a lot of the deal-making and new business and contracts. So I had seen a lot of the company but I still had to learn some of them. But when I’m on corporate boards, I see people (men and women) that are interested in being CEOs, they rotate around the company. They don’t stay in one division or one department. If it’s an international company, they go overseas for part of their careers and they just have to prove to the current CEO and to the board that they’re interested in the entire company – and it becomes a great decision point for the board when it’s time to appoint a new CEO.

Her Agenda: Did you have any challenges writing your book and how did you overcome them? Specifically, did you have any fears, doubts or worries when you were writing and publishing your book?

Debra Lee: Of course, the first fear is whether anyone’s going to buy it and be interested. But as you get into it and realize you have a lot to say, that goes away. My son passed away while I was writing this book. It was during COVID and that was really hard but I kept going and said, this is something he would want me to do. The other thing is, I talk a lot about my personal relationship with Bob Johnson and that was hard to talk about publicly because I have never really done that before. But it was an important part of my story and I felt like I had to tell it. I wanted young women to know that there are unfortunately abusive and harassing relationships that you might have to deal with even though they start out really nice and great. We had a great relationship for a number of years but then it started affecting my career.

I talk a lot about my personal relationship with Bob Johnson and that was hard to talk about publicly because I have never really done that before. But it was an important part of my story and I felt like I had to tell it. I wanted young women to know that there are unfortunately abusive and harassing relationships that you might have to deal with even though they start out really nice and great. We had a great relationship for a number of years but then it started affecting my career.

Her Agenda: Let’s talk about a highlight real quick. Were there any highlights or any favorite moments while writing your book?

Debra Lee: I guess reliving some of the incredible experiences in my life. Being CEO of BET was amazing. Getting to know celebrities and politicians. The eight years that the Obama’s were in Washington, I lived in Washington and got to know them even better and that was incredible. Meeting my childhood idols like Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, and Aretha Franklin. Getting to produce programming and having it be successful. I’ve had an amazing life. I want that to be the takeaway; that it’s been an amazing life. I’ve been able to live out my dreams and be successful, but I’ve also had challenges and I wanted people to know both. So that’s why I tell a lot of the stories about celebrities, learning from them, and learning how to say no to them which is not an easy task when you admire someone so much. So writing the book helped me relive those experiences. I’ve always had a sense of humor so I tried to tell them in a funny way because part of my secret sauce is my sense of humor and being able to get through tough times by reliving these moments and telling them in a way that people enjoy them and remember them.

Her Agenda: What is your personal motto?

Debra Lee: My personal motto is to live my life honestly. Sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do but a recent motto for me has been, ‘No is a complete sentence.’ If you can’t do something, tell the person, the executive, or whoever, and don’t feel guilty about it because we can’t do everything and we can’t make everyone happy. You just have to live your own life. We only have one chance.

[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

This article A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Debra Lee was originally published on HerAgenda.com