Britt Happens

Good leaders are trailblazers, making a path for others to follow. Great leaders, however, inspire their people to reach higher, dream bigger, and achieve greater. Perhaps the most important leadership skill one can develop is the ability to provide inspiration to their team. If you inspire others to reach for the stars, they just might bring you back the moon!

Had such a great time and was honored to be joined by this episode’s special guest -- a walking community treasure chest filled with knowledge, insight, and experience -- Miami-Dade County Commissioner Barbara Jordan.

Commissioner Jordan has enjoyed a distinguished 35-year career with Miami-Dade County, serving in numerous capacities including as a Public Administrator, Assistant County Manager, and Vice Chairwoman of the Miami-Dade County Commission. She has a very unique perspective of County government because of her decades of working knowledge and intimate familiarity with the system. Commissioner Jordan has been the people’s voice of reason over the years and demonstrated the political will to take on the known challenges of her community.

Tune is as we discuss industry diversification for an improved economy, funding for infrastructure investment, updates on transportation and the SMART Plan, improvements with crime in Miami Gardens, addressing socio-economic inequality, the brain drain, and accountability and transparency in the budget process. She also drops gems on leadership qualities necessary for long-term success, what she’d tell her younger self, and her dream plan if she had a 100% chance of success!

Commissioner Jordan is gearing up for retirement later this year, currently serving in her 16th and final year as a Miami-Dade County Commissioner. Her leadership and tenacity will sorely be missed, but I look forward to what’s on the horizon.

“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail”

Organizations that destroy the status quo win. Whatever the status quo is, changing it gives you the opportunity to be remarkable. Today's episode features my former Wharton classmate and super witty friend, Brandon Harris.  Brandon has had a rewarding and impressive 13 year career at Bloomberg, now serving as their Global Head of Financial Products Marketing.

Bloomberg L.P. is a privately held financial, software, data, and media company headquartered in New York City and founded by Michael Bloomberg in 1981. The company provides financial software tools and enterprise applications such as analytics and equity trading platform, data services, and news to financial companies and organizations through the Bloomberg Terminal (via its Bloomberg Professional Service), its core revenue-generating product.

Hope without a strategy doesn’t generate leadership. Leadership comes when your hope and your optimism are matched with a concrete vision of the future and a way to get there. Tune is as we discuss why Brandon chose Marketing over Consulting or Investment banking, what it's like working for a Presidential candidate (Michael Bloomberg), how he rose in the corporate ranks (Hint: Closed mouths don't get fed!),  why he hates office "face time" and the notion of 30- and 60- minute meetings, his self-reflection and thought processes when evaluating his professional happiness, and his slight obsession with SETT (superstition, efficiency, travel, and technology), plus more!

Many of us may recognize my next guest, Madison Shockley III, from his role as Fred on "The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl". This wildly successful YouTube comedy attracted almost 2 million views on the first episode alone by serving up a slice of Black life not often available on-screen. The viral web series challenged the archetypes generally available for Black people in entertainment, especially women, who are often cast as sassy, power hungry, angry or mammy figures — sometimes a combination of them all — but rarely awkward.

What most of us may not know is that, through his organization SEOWA (Social Equity Owners and Workers Association), this actor-turned-cannabis entrepreneur, is at the forefront of activism pertaining to LA's Social Equity Program (SEP). Cannabis criminalization and its enforcement has had long-term, adverse impacts on Los Angeles, particularly for low income and minority communities.  The SEP is one tool LA is using to begin to acknowledge and repair the harm caused by the War on Drugs and the disparate enforcement of cannabis prohibition.

Tune is as we discuss why Madison backed away from acting, his feelings about and contributions to Awkward Black Girl, SEOWA's current work, future plans, and challenges, his motivation behind leaving a legacy, (surprising!) hurdles with dating and dating apps, and more!

Today's episode features a very special guest, Francis X. Suarez, the Mayor of my hometown paradise, Miami, FL, one of the fastest growing and most dynamic places in the world.  In addition to year round enviable weather, nightlight, and cuisine, Miami is the only major U.S. city founded by a woman, the second most entrepreneurial city in the US, and a cultural crock pot teeming with unique flavor and energy. It is no wonder we are known as The Magic City!!

Tune in as Brittany Sharpton and Mayor Suarez discuss how his personal experience with COVID-19 influenced his approach on public policy, his plan on re-opening Miami, how traffic, technology, and a pandemic, surprisingly, go hand-in-hand, his current thoughts on mass transit and the SMART plan (Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit Plan), the after effects of the coronavirus on future building design & development, parks overlaying highways, and....a potential future presidential bid??!

Mayor Suarez, the first Miami-born Mayor and an attorney by trade, was elected as the 43rd Mayor of Miami in November 2017 with 86% of the vote. Mayor Suarez serves as Chair of the Environment Committee, as well as on the Advisory Board of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He also serves as Vice-Chair of the Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) and is the former President of the Miami-Dade County League of Cities.

This episode features a guest who truly embodies beauty and brains, sprinkled with Southern charm and killer Manhattan-esque (is that a word? lol) fashion sense! I met Christie a little over 5 years ago at a Leadership Miami Welcome mixer on South Beach. She was impeccably dressed yet so warm, witty, and really made me feel comfortable as a newcomer to the LM Family.

From being voted by her 6th grade teachers as "Best Groomed," to being voted by her high school classmates as "Best Dressed" for 3 consecutive years to being named 2012 Brickell's Best Dressed with a feature in Brickell Magazine, Christie, a Spelman College and Manchester Business School alum, clearly has a great eye for fashion!

After years of co-workers, friends, and family asking Christie to shop with or for them and after unlimited calls and text messages for fashion advice, she established her company in 2016 while in business school pursuing her MBA. She began working with targeted professionals as a complimentary service to make sure her business model worked. Later, she began charging a fee and worked the business as a side gig.  In 2018, Christie took the leap of faith to work on I Am CHIC full time.

Tune in as we discuss her take on what it truly takes to be a full-time entrepreneur, the continuous learning process, her candid account on contemplating returning to a 9-5 (on several occasions!), and the importance of mentorship, networking, and having your coins adequately in order to survive the uncertain, yet rewarding, journey of business ownership.

Today's episode features author, trading coach, entrepreneur, and charming Memphis native Al Pickett.  Financial markets can be bewildering at the best of times, but the coronavirus has made the task of understanding them that much harder. One of the worst stretches in market history has included one of the most rapid stock rallies. Fear not!

Tune in as we discuss how to survive the coronavirus markets, what Forex trading really is (Hint hint: NO MLM!), why it's recession proof,  the importance of having a "why" when attempting to reach your goals, the role "thirst trapping" plays in social media algorithms, and much more.  This episode is definitely one to archive and save for future reference!

Al Pickett is a veteran of the real estate finance industry. At the age of twenty-four he purchased his first company in a strategic buyout. Through interruptive marketing and advertising campaigns he was able to attract clients and build a trustworthy company brand recognized throughout the community.

Al Pickett has a deep understanding on how to maximize a business’s assets to increase its market share. He “quintupled” the revenue of his first company in the first year of operation. He currently operates a private investment firm with an emphasis on trading currency trends.

He’s also helped to build a network of 100+ business mentors for new entrepreneurs through Start Co., a venture development organization that develops founders and their companies. He sits on the board of Volunteer Odyssey, an immersive volunteering experience for job seekers. He operates on the principles that you must be passionate about what you do, committed to those you serve, and excellent at completing the job. He’s a frequent speaker at Universities and organizations in the Mid-South on topics about entrepreneurship and finance.

Today's episode features Tisa McGhee, candidate for the Miami-Dade County Commission District 3.

We discuss why she is really running for public office, her vision and priorities for our District, collaboration and coalition building, how she intends to increase the tax base, her thoughts on economic development, housing, healthcare, and small businesses, and how's she's been able to overcome certain challenges, particularly surrounding her campaign in the midst of COVID-19.

Dr. McGhee has served as Associate Professor at Barry University’s Ellen Whiteside McDonnell School of Social Work since the fall of 2010. She teaches trauma-informed social work practice, social systems, research, leadership, and public policy courses in the Masters in Social Work (MSW) program. She leads the innovative “Promoting Wellness in Marginalized Communities” initiative within the school’s Center for Human Rights and Social Justice. 

At the core of all of her work, Dr. McGhee builds community systems capability using engaging and empowering techniques. Her advanced degrees include both a Bachelor and a Masters of Arts in the field of Clinical Psychology, a Masters in Social Work, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree with a concentration in macro organizational capacity in Social Work. She is the Chief Executive Officer of her own consulting firm, Mc3 Consulting Inc. (Mc3), which celebrated 10 years in 2019. Mc3 aims to advance organizational effectiveness using assessment, planning, training, and evaluation, by working with individual nonprofits, community agencies, for-profit organizations, and funders in support of the improvement of struggling communities.

Today's episode features a guest who's worked behind the scenes to deliver some of the biggest hits from the 90s and 2000s, many of which are still personal favs and can solicit a clachet (classy ratchet lol) twerk at the drop of an "Hey Alexa"! In the mid to late ’90s, Dave Lighty (brother of the late great hip-hop mogul, Chris Lighty) was the Manager of A&R at Def Jam. By the late ’90s, Dave moved to Jive Records to become the Sr. Director of A&R, where he held that position for over a decade. Today, he’s the Owner of ViolatorSouth, a record label, management and marketing company and a consultant at Odlight LLC, a brand strategies firm.

Tune in as we discuss how Dave went from military man to music exec, how influential his brother, Chris, was to his career, business acumen, and outlook on life in general, how he was able to navigate the highly competitive music industry, women hip-hop pioneers who inspired the "ratchet girl movement", his gift of recognizing amazing talent, exciting upcoming projects, and how he has been able to bounce back from some of the most challenging circumstances poised and ready to eat 2020 and beyond alive!

Formerly one of the Senior Director’s of A&R for Jive Records, Dave Lighty was directly responsible for helping to shape the sound of popular music. With over 20 years of urban music experience, Lighty has seen firsthand how hip-hop has morphed into the most marketable genre of pop music. His experience ranges from consultation work to management duties for esteemed companies such as Violator and Def Jam Records where, in the late ‘90s, Lighty worked closely with one of the most talented rosters in rap history. Such longevity is proof of Lighty’s ingenuity to turn the music he grew up loving into a successful career.

Growing up in the Bronx in the ‘80s, Dave Lighty was raised in every aspect of the burgeoning hip-hop culture. As a teen he moved to Maryland where he would eventually enlist in the military.  After leaving the service, Dave found himself straying from his original plan to go to college and falling victim to the pitfalls of the street. At the time his older brother Chris Lighty was living in New York City where he founded the hugely successful Violator Management. In 1994, Chris and his associate Lyor Cohen advised Dave to move to New York to pursue a career in the music industry.

After two years of trading off roadie and assistant duties for Violator artists like Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest and Mobb Deep, Lyor Cohen, the former president of Def Jam Records, hired Dave in 1996. He was eventually made the  Manager of A&R where he was responsible for collaborating with artists like LL Cool J and Foxy Brown. During his two year tenure at Def Jam, Lighty served as the beat coordinator for LL’s platinum-selling Mr. Smith album and compiled the hits for EPMD’s Out of Business and the five-disc Def Jam Greatest Hits.

Using his personal network of industry tastemakers, Lighty is constantly on a quest to find the next big thing, his knack for recognizing star quality in his mind is something that comes along with confidence, charisma, talent and a solid work ethic. With his production company Odlight, Lighty continues to consult talent into the mainstream market. Being able to enrich hip-hop is absolutely essential to him. Through his hard work and dedication, David Lighty has already proven he is committed to improving the culture that has served as both his inspiration and life’s work.

This episode features a man who gives Trick Daddy a run for his money; not just for his immense genuine love for "da kids", but his growing collection of gold grills.  Had such a fun time chatting with my friend, Brandon Okpalobi, CEO of Dibia Athletic Development and the founder of Dibia DREAM (Development through Recreational Education for Athletic Minds).

A Seventh Ward, New Orleans, LA native, Brandon graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in Computer Information Systems and minor in Marketing, after walking on the Division 1 basketball team and earning a scholarship and position of Team Captain his senior year. Though he has worked for major corporations including the Orange Bowl Committee, Deloitte & Touche LLP, and The Miami Heat, Brandon always had his heart set in serving and changing his community through investment in our future -- our children.

Tune in as we discuss the importance of staying true to thine own self, what inspired him to take the leap of faith to start his own business, keeping a level head to navigate through temporary set backs, the interesting dynamic of social media (and thirst trapping), the significance of strong faith in his success, his Nigerian culture and pride, upcoming projects in the pipeline (hint: there's an Academy in the works!), and much more!

Whether you know him as B Dot, Young Jefe, or simply Brandon, this one is sure to be an entertaining and enlightening treat.

You're in for a teachable treat with today's special guest, Bertha Henry, County Administrator for Broward County, Florida, the second-most populous county in the state of Florida and the 17th most populous county in the entire United States.  Tune in for a powerful message from this accomplished history maker and wildly successful County CEO. We discuss effective, humble, and balanced leadership, exciting upcoming projects within Broward County, how to navigate the complex world of social media and public opinion, and why it's so important to always remain unapologetically you.

In Mrs. Henry's role, she acts as the CEO of Broward County, managing a budget of about $5 billion and directs the functions of county government, which includes about 2 million residents and operations for nearly 60 agencies, including the Ft. Lauderdale Airport, seaport, and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Mrs. Henry is a Miami native who earned her B.S. in government and an M.S. in Public Administration from Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL. She has had a longstanding career in public service, with more than 40 years of experience in public administration, including service in Montgomery County, Ohio and the City of Miami, Fl. She began working for Broward County in 1996, left for Miami to assist with the city’s financial recovery serving as Assistant City Manager of Finance Administration, and returned to Broward in 2000, to serve as Deputy County Administrator for eight years prior to her appointment as County Administrator.

In 2017, Mrs. Henry was the first Black woman to win the prestigious Mark E. Keane Memorial Award for Excellence awarded by ICM, the International City/County Management Association.  "Only a handful of women have ever received this coveted recognition in the history of the organization.  Bertha is the first African-American woman to receive this award which was presented at the ICMA annual meeting."