Protégé Podcast With Rory Verrett

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance, I talk with management consultant/venture capitalist/hedge fund manager/software engineer Craig Brumfield. Craig and I talk about the value of ex-pat assignments and what it's like to work under a powerful Black senior executive and mentor. We discuss the highs and lows of a career in complex finance, including what it means when your boss declines to invest in a startup that becomes one of  the biggest tech companies in the world.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance, I talk with hospitality and leisure executive Steven Brooks. Steve talks about how he built a successful career in the procurement function through his uncanny blend of exceptional negotiation and strategic advisory skills. We talk about the challenge of starting a family before starting your career, the gift of failure, and what Ta-Nehisi Coates got right about Howard University. The truth bombs abound in one of our final episodes in the #BlackManBrilliance series.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance, I talk with super lawyer Chaka Patterson, the general counsel of Adtelem Global Education, as the third episode in our series on career reinvention. A powerful advocate for black lawyers, Chaka analyzes why law firms miss the boat on developing black associates and partners, and why he remains committed to providing opportunities to black outside counsel. 

In this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance, I talk with corporate executive turned art dealer Lewis Long. The Harvard Business School and Howard University grad discusses how he's managed to keep his career purpose front and center, even as he's shifted the platform he's used to manifest his professional skills. We talk about tips for applying for the White House Fellowship and how the Black Lives Matter movement is impacting the fortunes of emerging black artists. 

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: Black Man Brilliance, I talked with former NFL and Arena League pro David White about the art of career reinvention. David talks about how planning for the unexpected in his life and career has allowed him to thrive in his Plan B and his Plan C. We also discuss David's black male mentoring program at SUNY-Fredonia, Kings' Corner, and how it provides a safe haven for students to talk about everything from Black Lives Matter to their future careers. 

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents #BlackManBrilliance, I talk with superstar development professional Aulston Taylor about his career journey from working at ESPN in New York to leading fundraising at St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. Aulston talks about the meticulous planning, strategic cultivation, and fearless tenacity it takes to succeed in the competitive world of nonprofit fundraising, and how a deathbed whisper from a mentor changed his life.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance, I talk with true legends of their craft, The Persaud Brothers.   Michael A. Persaud and Irwin Persaud discuss how they've evolved their entrepreneurial talents from event to brand to wealth management. Along with their brother Mark, these are not just the hosts of the best parties you were dying to get into, the Persaud Brothers are world class relationship builders and marketers who share the secrets of their amazing professional journeys.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance, I have a riveting conversation with diversity advocate and thought leader George Walker about friendships between black gay men and straight men. We wade into some of the cultural biases that exists in the black community, and discuss ways we can own the power of our own stories. It's a frank and revealing conversation about a very timely topic: the power and strength of black manhood.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance, I talk with Microsoft executive Nate Yohannes about the world of artificial intelligence. Nate discusses his amazing personal story of fleeing war-torn Eritrea, surviving refugee camps, completing college and law school, and working in the Obama Administration. Whether it was luck or divine guidance that landed him a role in one of technology's hottest sectors is a story only Nate can tell. 

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance, I talk with Barry Lawson Williams, a corporate CEO and investor who's served on 14 corporate boards. Barry and I talk about the typical path of a black board member, what makes you an effective leader in the boardroom, and the role that diversity plays in the board experience. In the intro segment, I pay special tribute to the late civil rights icon and Congressman, John Lewis.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance, I have the honor of interviewing Kenneth Bentley. Kenneth, a board member of Farmers Insurance, is also the founder of the Advocates Professional Golf Association and Tour, a black golf league. We talk about the evolution of diversity and inclusion in corporate America, the need for board diversity, and why black professionals should lean into their cultural heritage on their career journeys. 

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents - #BlackManBrilliance, I talk with hedge fund manager Von Hughes about his incredible career in the financial services sector. We discuss how he found time to write a 500 page reference book on public pensions, the benefit of a long tenure at one company, and the importance of celebrating the small positives in our daily lives.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance,  I'm joined by congressional candidate Mondaire Jones. Mondaire talks about how he went from an impoverished childhood to Stanford and Harvard Law, and why he is an unabashed progressive. We talk about how the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the nature of campaigning and policy choices for the foreseeable future, and why healthcare is an existential issue for New York's 17th congressional district. 

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance, I outline seven principles to keep our minds, bodies and souls intact during the coronavirus crisis. These are practical insights to help us come out of this pandemic with a healthy body, a peaceful mind, and grateful soul. 

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance, I talk with Dr. Edjah Nduom, a neurosurgeon at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), about what we can do to survive the coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Enduom provides some straight talk on why it's important to keep social distance and how meditation can help us get through the anxiety of this crisis. I also suggest three important goals we should commit ourselves to while we are working from home.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance, I have the distinct honor of talking with artistic visionary C. Brian Williams, the founder of Step Afrika! As he prepares for his 10 city tour of Drumfolk, Brian talks about how he blends African and African-American cultural elements into an innovative new art form. We talk about the opportunities for a reverse migration to Africa and why the continent holds endless possibilities for culture creators and entrepreneurs alike. 

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance, I talk with Rev. Marshall Mitchell of Salem Baptist Church about the importance of voting and our civic engagement. Marshall talks about his journey in transforming a church from 50 to 1500 members, and how he's spearheading a revival of economic self-sufficiency and Biblically-based self love for this suburban Philadelphia congregation and community.  

In our second episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: Black Man Brilliance, I'm joined by emergency room physician and health disparities scholar Dr. Italo Brown. As a physician and clinical instructor at Stanford Hospital, Dr. Brown is on the front lines of research designed to improve access to healthcare for black men. Dr. Brown and I discuss why it's important for black men to get an annual health check up and why seeing a therapist can improve our overall mental health. 

Welcome to Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance! Over the next 12 months, we are going to celebrate the unique and enduring brilliance of black men. I’m going to interview 20 extraordinary black men and talk about a variety of topics important to us as black men: mentoring, our physical and mental health, our political involvement, community service, marriage, finances, parenting, our culture, our identity, entrepreneurship, and much, much more. On our first of 20 episodes, I'm thrilled to welcome mentoring guru Stephen Powell. Stephen is chief programs and partnerships officer at National Cares Mentoring movement, a national nonprofit founded by Susan Taylor, the founder of Essence magazine. Stephen and I talk about the importance of self care, setting boundaries for toxic people, and the powerful and lasting effects of both youth and peer mentoring.

At the urging of many listeners, I recorded an episode which has a bit of reflection and analysis of what's happened in a year of incredible personal and professional growth. Part career therapy and part motivational talk, this episode of Protégé Podcast has the seven hard earned lessons from a truly memorable year as an entrepreneur.