Bridge To U:

Earl Talbot is the Founder of Creative Muscle, a coach, facilitator, retreat leader, and personal development practitioner whose work helps people deepen self-awareness, challenge limiting identities, and create lives that are more aligned with who they want to become.

We started talking about retreats, but the conversation quickly became about something much deeper:

What are Black men willing to confront in themselves so their children do not have to inherit it?

Earl talks openly about growing up without some of the affection and affirmation he now gives his own children. His father did not hug him, so Earl eventually began initiating the hugs himself.

He tells his children he loves them. He tells them he is proud of them. He is intentionally trying to become the father he would have wanted to experience.

But that kind of change requires more than awareness.

It requires being willing to confront yourself.

Earl describes how people often use work, entertainment, social media, alcohol, sex, busyness, and other distractions to avoid sitting with what is actually happening underneath. In retreat settings, when some of those distractions are removed, people have to face the parts of their lives that look successful on paper but still feel misaligned.

And Earl makes a powerful point:

The other side of confronting yourself is liberation.

The question is whether you are willing to go through the discomfort to get there.

We also explore why doing this work in community matters.

Because becoming a different kind of father, partner, leader, or man is harder in isolation.

Earl’s work with Black men creates space for men to question what they inherited, learn from one another, be held accountable, and practice vulnerability in environments where they do not have to perform strength all the time.

And then there is the question of what you say you want.

You can say you want more money. A stronger marriage. Closer relationships with your children and God. More freedom. More peace.

But Earl challenges us to ask:

Have you developed the internal capacity to keep what you are working so hard to get?

Because making money and sustaining wealth are not the same thing.

Getting into a relationship and knowing how to maintain one are not the same thing.

Becoming a father and intentionally parenting are not the same thing.

• parenting beyond what was modeled for you;
• confronting inherited patterns instead of passing them forward;
• why awareness without action is not transformation;
• the role of community in helping Black men grow;
• learning to give your children what you wish you had received;
• and why getting what you want means very little if you cannot sustain it.

This conversation asks a hard but necessary question:

What are you willing to face in yourself so the people you love experience a different version of you?

Listen to the episode and share what stayed with you.

Connect with Earl Talbot. LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/earl-talbot/

Or email with feedback or questions: [email protected]

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HBCUs are producing extraordinary talent. Companies still need to broaden where and how they recruit. But after interviewing HBCU leaders, graduates, entrepreneurs, and industry professionals, I kept coming back to one question:

What happens after the door opens?

The Proof of Promise study found that 46% of recent HBCU alumni wished they had received more training in networking, 35% in public speaking, and 34% in generative AI.

That caught my attention because I see the same development needs across my work—from HBCU students and emerging professionals to senior leaders and CEOs. Expertise matters, but so does the ability to communicate your value, build relationships, gain buy-in, navigate unfamiliar environments, and think on your feet.

In this solo episode, I bring the entire HBCU series together and make the case for more intentional practice in networking, public speaking, entrepreneurship, mentoring, and global exposure—not because HBCUs are failing, but because development is what we do with potential.

My conclusion:

Access without readiness can become a revolving door. Readiness without access becomes frustrated potential.

We need both.

If you lead an HBCU, hire emerging talent, develop leaders, or care about economic mobility, this conversation is for you.

Connect with me. LinkedIn

Or email with feedback or questions: [email protected]

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I sat down with technology leader, consultant, entrepreneur, and North Carolina A&T graduate Keith L. Scott to explore what happens when HBCU talent moves from technical preparation into leadership, ownership, and systems-level impact.

Keith is the Founder and CEO of K.L. Scott & Associates, where his work focuses on strategy, technology modernization, AI, operational improvement, government transformation, and citizen experience.

His journey began with a search for confidence and identity. Before transferring to North Carolina A&T, Keith attended a predominantly white institution where he did not see many examples of Black success reflected around him. At A&T, he found community, representation, and a stronger belief in his own ability.

That experience helped him develop a conviction that shaped his career:

I deserve to be in the room.

But this conversation also challenged the idea that technical skill alone is enough.

Keith had strong academic and technical preparation, but he learned that leadership requires more. He had to understand business outcomes, communicate across different audiences, manage risk, build teams, receive feedback, and translate complex ideas into language people could understand and act on.

Through his work at firms such as Deloitte and Gartner, Keith developed the practical judgment, frameworks, and leadership skills that later helped him build his own company.

Today, his work helps government leaders identify resource gaps, improve systems, and expand access to technology, healthcare, childcare, food, and opportunity.

At the heart of this episode is one central truth:

HBCU talent is already strong. The next level is helping that talent communicate, lead, build trust, and create impact at scale.

Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment.

Connect with Keith L. Scott. LinkedIn |

Or email with feedback or questions: [email protected]

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I sat down with higher education leader, strategist, and innovation builder Dr. Tiffany Bussey to unpack what it truly takes to prepare HBCU students not just to access opportunity, but to thrive once they arrive.

Dr. Bussey serves as Executive Director of the Morehouse Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center and has spent more than two decades advancing entrepreneurship, innovation, and small business development as pathways for economic growth in underserved communities. She sits at the intersection of education, innovation, economic development, global exposure, and Black identity — which made this conversation especially powerful for the HBCU readiness series.

This episode challenged a common assumption: that the gap is talent.

It is not.

HBCU students already have talent, ideas, polish, ambition, intelligence, and lived experience. The deeper question is whether the right systems, exposure, repetition, and developmental support are being built around that talent.

Dr. Bussey and I explored the barriers students face as they move from campus into professional and entrepreneurial spaces. We talked about fairness in the interview process, the importance of critical thinking, the role of innovation, and the readiness skills students need to practice before they enter high-pressure environments.

This conversation also expanded the definition of readiness. Readiness is not only about resumes, interviews, internships, and jobs. Readiness is also cultural. It is emotional. It is relational. It is global. It is identity-based.

Through her work with Morehouse students and international immersion experiences in places like Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Panama, and Cuba, Dr. Bussey reminded us that global exposure helps students see themselves differently. When Black students engage with the African diaspora beyond the United States, they return with a broader sense of identity, leadership, responsibility, and possibility.

At the heart of this episode is one central truth:

HBCU readiness is not about fixing students. It is about building stronger systems around the talent that already exists.

HBCU students do not lack talent.

Talent, polish, ideas, ambition, and brilliance already exist. The issue is not whether students are capable. The issue is whether systems are designed to recognize, develop, and support that capability.

Getting students into the room matters. But once they arrive, they need the communication skills, confidence, self-awareness, emotional regulation, and professional practice to thrive in that room.

Professional readiness is not built in one workshop, one class, or one interview prep session. Students need repeated practice in thinking on their feet, managing time, navigating projects, handling conflict, receiving feedback, communicating under pressure, and managing emotions.

Innovation and entrepreneurship are not only for students who want to start businesses. They help students practice problem-solving, critical thinking, persuasion, collaboration, decision-making, and action. Those are skills students can use in any career path.

Many powerful innovation and entrepreneurship experiences sit outside the formal academic structure. That means they compete with classes, leadership roles, work, pledge life, family responsibilities, and everything else students are carrying. If readiness matters, it has to be embedded more intentionally into the student experience.

The conversation reminded us that readiness is not only about preparing students. It is also about examining the barriers they face when they interview, compete, pitch, or enter professional spaces. Employers and institutions must look honestly at bias, access, criteria, and evaluation.

Global exposure changes identity.

Readiness is bigger than workforce preparation.

Readiness is professional, yes. But it is also emotional, cultural, global, relational, and identity-based. Students need more than technical preparation. They need experiences that expand how they see themselves and how they move through the world.

The point is not to “fix” HBCU students. The point is to build better systems of practice, exposure, coaching, mentorship, and opportunity around the brilliance they already bring.

One of the most powerful ideas in the conversation was Dr. Bussey’s conviction that solutions must come from within our own communities. Innovation, economic empowerment, family, identity, and education are deeply connected — and we have a responsibility to build what our students need.

This episode is part of the Bridge to U HBCU readiness series, which explores one central idea:

We do not need more talent. We need better development systems.

Across the series, each guest adds a different layer to the conversation.

Audrey Awasom’s episode explored how entrepreneurship, early exposure, and structured practice help students build confidence, clarity, and real-world skills.

Robert Cartwright Jr.’s episode focused on mentoring, business language, industry exposure, attention to detail, and understanding the expectations of professional rooms.

Dr. Tiffany Bussey’s episode expands the frame even further. She shows that readiness is not just an individual issue. It is an ecosystem issue. Students need innovation, fairness, repetition, identity, global exposure, and institutional support.

Together, these conversations build a clear case:

Talent exists.

Access matters.

But access without readiness, repetition, identity, and systems leaves too much to chance.

Where do you see the biggest gap between talent and readiness?

Is it exposure?

Mentorship?

Communication?

Confidence?

Emotional regulation?

Global perspective?

Systems?

And what would change if we stopped asking whether HBCU students are talented enough and started asking whether we have built enough around their talent?

Connect with Dr. Tiffany Bussey. LinkedIn | 

Or email with feedback or questions: [email protected]

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Audrey Awasom, affectionately known as Audrey Awesome, is a program leader, social entrepreneur, founder, and advocate for women, students, and next-generation talent.

I first connected with Audrey through her work as Senior Manager of Programs at WBENC, where she supports programming that helps women-owned businesses, entrepreneurs, and emerging leaders access opportunity, build visibility, and grow.

But as I prepared for this conversation, I learned that Audrey’s work around readiness and opportunity started long before her current role.

Born in Cameroon and raised in Maryland, Audrey’s journey was shaped by family, service, and the power of guidance. As a student, she participated in ACES, a program that provides individualized coaching, scholarship opportunities, and career readiness support for students who have been historically underrepresented in higher education.

That experience helped shape Audrey’s belief that getting access to college or opportunity is only one part of the journey. Students also need guidance, confidence, preparation, and support to thrive.

While at Montgomery College, Audrey co-founded the One Heart Project, a career readiness initiative for women experiencing homelessness. That project later became the foundation for Noble Uprising, the nonprofit she founded to serve, educate, and empower women leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers.

Audrey is also the founder and CEO of Luminary Branded Solutions, a promotional products company that creates memorable branded product solutions for businesses, conferences, events, and government agencies. Her leadership has been recognized by D.C. Inno’s 25 Under 25, the United States Congress, and through opportunities such as ringing the closing bell at the NASDAQ Stock Exchange.

In this conversation, we’ll explore Audrey’s story, her work at the intersection of access and readiness, her commitment to women’s advancement, and what institutions, companies, and leaders can learn from her journey about preparing the next generation for meaningful opportunities.

Key Takeaways:

Access is not enough.

Students and emerging leaders need more than an invitation into the room. They need the skills, practice, confidence, and guidance to thrive once they arrive.

Entrepreneurship is a readiness tool.

Even students who never start a business can benefit from entrepreneurship education because it teaches problem-solving, communication, buy-in, creativity, leadership, and resilience.

Readiness must begin earlier.

Audrey believes entrepreneurial thinking should start as early as elementary school because students need to learn early that they can be solutions to the problems they see.

Confidence is cultivated through exposure and experience.

Confidence does not come only from being told you are capable. It grows when students test ideas, speak up, build something, practice, and see what is possible.

Social entrepreneurship teaches proximity and responsibility.

Audrey’s work with women experiencing homelessness shows how asking questions, listening deeply, and getting close to the problem can lead to more meaningful solutions.

Environment matters.

In Audrey’s career readiness work, the women were not only helped by resumes or interview practice. They were also helped by community, joy, dignity, shared meals, and an atmosphere that allowed them to show up fully.

Relationships are different from contacts.

Audrey reminds listeners that people may know many people, but real relationships require care, attention, curiosity, and genuine investment.

Your best days are now.

Audrey’s closing message is a powerful reminder that people are not too young or too old to have an impact. The time to use your voice, story, skills, and influence is now.

Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment.

Connect with Audrey Awasom. LinkedIn | Or email with feedback or questions: [email protected]

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I sat down with industry leader, connector, and former RIMS president, Robert Cartwright Jr., to unpack what it truly takes to move from potential to preparedness, especially for students and professionals entering spaces they were never exposed to.

Robert brings over 30 years of experience in the risk and insurance industry and is now focused on building pipelines through HBCUs—creating access to careers many don’t even know exist. But this conversation wasn’t just about industry. It was about identity, readiness, and what separates those who get in the room from those who thrive in it.

He shares powerful stories—from intentionally failing a grade to reclaim his identity, to being promoted seven times based not just on performance, but on how he showed up. And most importantly, he breaks down the real gap: it’s not talent—it’s mentorship, exposure, and understanding the language of the room.

Key Takeaways:

We don’t have a talent problem—we have a readiness problem. Talent exists everywhere, but access, exposure, and preparation do not.

Mentorship is not optional—it’s essential. The biggest gap between education and employment is guidance, not intelligence.

Learn to be “bilingual.” You can be fully yourself and learn the business language required to navigate professional spaces.

How you do the work matters more than what you do. Execution, detail, and presence are what get you promoted—not just competence.

Reading expands your range. One source of information limits your thinking. Multiple perspectives build sharper leaders.

Companies must take responsibility too. Hiring talent without structured onboarding and development is setting people up to fail.

The next generation is not lazy—they are uncertain. They are navigating a world without the stability previous generations had, and they’re seeking alignment, not just employment.

Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment.

Connect with Robert Cartwright Jr. LinkedIn | Or email with feedback or questions: leadership@clearcommunicationsolutions.

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In this episode of The Bridge to U Podcast, I sit down with the amazing Kiara “Kiki” Walker — a powerhouse producer, storyteller, and podcast host. Kiara is the co-host of the wildly popular CockTales: Dirty Discussions, a sex-positive comedy show turned national tour, and the host and producer of XO Man, a groundbreaking podcast exploring Black masculinity through the voices of celebrity Black men.

We talk about how humor became her healing tool, what it takes to create authentic conversations in podcasting, and how she uses curiosity to go beyond assumptions and make her guests feel truly seen. From her stories about CockTales to the behind-the-scenes of XO Man, Kiara shows us what it looks like to hold space for vulnerability, laughter, and cultural truth.

You’ll walk away with insights on:

About My Guest: Kiara “Kiki” Walker

Follow Kiara here:

If you loved this conversation, please share this episode with your community and on your favorite platforms. Don’t forget to subscribe to The Bridge to U Podcast and leave a review so more people can discover these transformational conversations.

Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment.

Connect with Monique Russell: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

Or email with feedback or questions: [email protected]

Produced by Breadfruit Media

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What would happen if you stopped building teams and started building connections?

In this powerful episode, Nikki Pounds, speaker, Goldman Sachs alum, founder of HR Unequivocally, and author of The Leader Who Cares teaches us that teams that are connected have more fun. And fun is the fruit of trust. When Nikki Pounds told me about her siblings, I was instantly inspired. Six siblings. 60+ years of unity. Never once estranged. Not one falling out.

Nikki brings her signature warmth and wisdom as she shares how family, unity, and intentional connection shape her leadership and business philosophy.

Together, we explore:

Family as Strategy. Her father built a business with $32 and her mother’s support at 2am. That blueprint, persistence + partnership is the same one we need in business. Money is not the foundation. Connection is.

Boundaries are Love. In her family, siblings ask permission before giving advice. “Can I share something with you?” That’s a model for psychological safety because boundaries create belonging and when they aren’t supported with accountability, they are rarely enforced.

Question the Question. Nikki’s TED Talk reminds us: assumptions show up in the smallest phrases. “When are you getting married?” “When’s the next child?” We do the same in the workplace: “When will you get promoted?” “Why aren’t you leading yet?” These narrow questions push people into boxes. The better question? “What’s exciting for you right now?” Open questions unlock authentic leadership.

Black Cultures Are Not a Monolith. Even twins aren’t identical in their experiences. The same is true across African, Afro-Latin, Caribbean, and African American communities. Leaders who flatten us into “sameness” miss the richness of legacy and difference.

Here’s the deeper connection: The way you honor your family is the way you build your culture at work.

If you celebrate birthdays with intention, celebrate wins at work with intention.

If you don’t cross boundaries at home, don’t cross them at work.

If you check assumptions at the dinner table, check them in your boardroom.

Nikki’s story of her entrepreneurial family, her insights on HR strategy, and her call to laugh more and take ourselves less seriously remind us all that connection is the foundation of care, culture, and transformation.

Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment.

Connect with Monique Russell: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

Or email with feedback or questions: [email protected]

Produced by Breadfruit Media

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In this powerful episode, I interview archival consultant and memory worker Dominique Luster to explore the sacred responsibility of preserving Black stories. From the emotional complexity of storytelling to the importance of naming our grandmothers, this conversation dives into legacy, lineage, and the radical act of remembrance. You’ll walk away with deep insight into how personal history shapes identity—and how to become an active participant in your own story.

Key Takeaways:

Why “intent doesn’t equal impact” in storytelling

The spiritual and emotional power of knowing your ancestors by name

How family naming patterns and inherited roles shape our identities

The archival process of deciding what is preserved—and what is forgotten

What Dominique learned from a 90-year-old WWII veteran about legacy and courage

Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment.

Connect with Dominique Luster: LinkedIn | Instagram

Connect with Monique Russell: ⁠⁠LinkedIn ⁠⁠| ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠| ⁠⁠Youtube⁠

Or email with feedback or questions: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Produced by Breadfruit Media

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In this powerful and heartfelt episode, we're joined by Karimah Cornelius-Stith, Certified Sex Therapist, Anger Management Specialist, and CEO of New Reflections Therapeutic Services. Hailing from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Karimah brings deep cultural insight, spiritual grounding, and clinical expertise to a topic that’s often misunderstood: anger.

We explore the emotional, spiritual, and physical costs of unprocessed anger—especially within Black and Caribbean communities. From her faith-based beginnings in St. Croix to her work with trauma survivors and couples, Karimah breaks down why anger is a signal, not a sin. We talk about the shame and guilt often connected to intimacy and emotion, the difference between venting and healing, and how suppressed feelings can show up in our relationships, bodies, and communities.

You’ll also learn:

The difference between expressing anger and weaponizing it

Why therapy is not the same as talking to friends

The right (and wrong) way to apologize

What "shake therapy" is and how it helps you release tension

How to identify emotions when language feels out of reach

If you’ve ever been told you’re “too much,” if you’re navigating a legacy of silence, or if you're ready to feel without judgment—this episode is your invitation to begin.

Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment.

Connect with Karimah Cornelius - Stith: LinkedIn | Website

Connect with Monique Russell: ⁠LinkedIn ⁠| ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Facebook ⁠| ⁠Youtube

Or email with feedback or questions: [email protected]

Produced by Breadfruit Media

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.