HER Agency

Brandi Rand revisits conversations that shine a light on what true progress in diversity, equity, and inclusion looks like—especially when led by Black women. While DEI roles are being cut and corporate initiatives are being scaled back, this episode reminds us that the work didn’t start in 2020, and it certainly doesn’t stop now. These women have been doing the work—whether or not they ever held the title.

From building inclusive spaces within agencies to executing campaigns that center Black mental health, this episode captures the relentless commitment to showing up, building community, and using personal agency as a vehicle for impact. Listeners will hear powerful reflections on collaboration, mentorship, leadership, and why community is more important than ever.

This is a celebration of Black women as culture shapers, truth-tellers, and systems-builders—proof that when the door closes, we build the whole house.

KEY POINTS 

5: How to Pitch Big Ideas and WIN (Even When They Say No) with Courtney Richardson 

7: Is DEI Dead? The Truth About Inclusion & Business with Aisha Bean

11: Thorough, Thoughtful, and Intentional: Ashlee Green on Creating Safe Spaces for Black Women

Get In Touch with Brandi Rand!

IG | https://www.instagram.com/brandi_rand/ 

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandirand/ 

HER Agency, The Collective

Are you a Black woman thriving in advertising or ready to start? Join HER Agency, The Collective—a community designed for you to build, connect, and own your agency with women who share your journey. Let’s have real conversations, elevate our brands, and make space where we belong.

Join The Collective Today!

Follow Us on IG:  instagram.com/heragencypod/ 

Her Agency is produced by EPYC Media Network

In this best-of episode, Brandi curates a powerful collection of conversations that center on one undeniable truth: success is not a solo journey. This episode highlights the real-life impact of community—how mentorship, sponsorship, shared experiences, and mutual support change not only careers, but lives. Through honest stories about career pivots, missed promotions, and being “the only one in the room,” the episode explores how having the right people in your corner makes all the difference.

This episode is both a tribute to the communities that have shaped us and a call to action to seek them out, build them, and pour back into them. Because thriving isn’t just about strategy—it’s about solidarity.

Don’t miss this!

KEY POINTS 

8: The Invisible Thread That Connects Strategy & Creativity with Alicia Harris

9: Why Black Women Are Tired. And What Needs to Change

12: Are You Really Owning Your Career or Just Surviving It?

Get In Touch with Brandi Rand!

IG | https://www.instagram.com/brandi_rand/ 

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandirand/ 

HER Agency, The Collective

Are you a Black woman thriving in advertising or ready to start? Join HER Agency, The Collective—a community designed for you to build, connect, and own your agency with women who share your journey. Let’s have real conversations, elevate our brands, and make space where we belong.

Join The Collective Today!

Follow Us on IG:  instagram.com/heragencypod/ 

Her Agency is produced by EPYC Media Network

Today, listeners will be taken through a powerful collection of moments that highlight what it truly means for Black women in advertising to reclaim their value, voice, and agency. From deciding to fund their own opportunities after being overlooked, to walking away from roles that only tolerated them, these reflections serve as bold reminders that choosing yourself is not just brave—it’s necessary.

This episode captures the real, unfiltered truths about navigating burnout, self-advocacy, intuition, and career pivots. It dives into what it feels like to be underpaid, undervalued, and underestimated—and how to rise above it with clarity and conviction. Whether someone is in a season of transition, stuck at a crossroads, or finally ready to put themselves first, this episode reminds them that they don’t need permission to take up space. They already have the agency—they just have to own it.

KEY POINTS 

1: This is What Representation Really Looks Like: How Marinda Yelverton is Redefining Leadership

3: How to Use Storytelling to Own Your Agency & Build a Powerful Personal Brand with MacKenzie Green 

6: Why I Left My 17-Year Advertising Career: How a Layoff Led Me to My True Purpose 

Get In Touch with Brandi Rand!

IG | https://www.instagram.com/brandi_rand/ 

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandirand/ 

HER Agency, The Collective

Are you a Black woman thriving in advertising or ready to start? Join HER Agency, The Collective—a community designed for you to build, connect, and own your agency with women who share your journey. Let’s have real conversations, elevate our brands, and make space where we belong.

Join The Collective Today!

Follow Us on IG:  instagram.com/heragencypod/ 

Her Agency is produced by EPYC Media Network 

Brandi shares the personal experiences that redefined the meaning of agency in her life—and why creating HER Agency was never just a passion project, but a necessity. This is the moment that led her to walk away from a workplace where she no longer felt valued, heard, or safe. And it was in that decision to leave that she reclaimed her power. Brandi also shares a proud leadership moment: choosing to advocate for an employee who wasn't the popular pick—a reminder that real leadership is about meeting people where they are, seeing beyond first impressions, and creating space for growth. If you've ever questioned your seat at the table, this episode is your blueprint and your call to action.

Get In Touch with Brandi Rand!

IG | https://www.instagram.com/brandi_rand/ 

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandirand/ 

HER Agency, The Collective

Are you a Black woman thriving in advertising or ready to start? Join HER Agency, The Collective—a community designed for you to build, connect, and own your agency with women who share your journey. Let’s have real conversations, elevate our brands, and make space where we belong.

Join The Collective Today!

Follow Us on IG:  instagram.com/heragencypod/ 

Her Agency is produced by EPYC Media Network 

Today, Brandi Rand brings together some of the most powerful, perspective-shifting moments from HER Agency—centered on purpose, power, mindset, and career alignment. This compilation is a masterclass in what agency truly means for women in advertising: not just working in the industry, but rewriting the rules, setting boundaries, and choosing yourself—over and over again. 

You’ll hear reminders to stop saying yes to work that doesn't serve your future, to reframe opportunities through the lens of your long-term vision, and to prioritize rest as a professional strategy, not a personal weakness. Whether you're in a season of transition, reflection, or ambition, this episode offers the reset you didn’t know you needed. It's a reminder that true agency means taking the lead in your own story—and building a career that serves you, not just the system.

KEY POINTS 

2: Overworked, Undervalued, and Over It? It's Time to Own Your Agency 

4: From Overlooked to Empowered: How Courtney Williams Humanizes Leadership in the Agency World 

10: Malia Jennings on Marketing, Motherhood, and Making It Work

Get In Touch with Brandi Rand!

IG | https://www.instagram.com/brandi_rand/ 

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandirand/ 

HER Agency, The Collective

Are you a Black woman thriving in advertising or ready to start? Join HER Agency, The Collective—a community designed for you to build, connect, and own your agency with women who share your journey. Let’s have real conversations, elevate our brands, and make space where we belong.

Join The Collective Today!

Follow Us on IG:  instagram.com/heragencypod/ 

Her Agency is produced by EPYC Media Network

We’re not just talking about DEI—we’re challenging the entire framework. What happens when the industry treats diversity, equity, and inclusion like a buzzword instead of the baseline? What if “doing the right thing” wasn’t a campaign—it was the culture?

We unpack the message behind the now-infamous “Anti-DEI DEI Club” and why it stirred up much-needed conversations about performative allyship and brand responsibility. This isn’t about being against inclusion—it’s about being against the idea that we still need to prove its value in 2025.

Together, we explore why DEI shouldn’t be a department—it should be standard practice. This is a rallying cry for brands to stop “trying” diversity and start showing up for the communities they profit from. Because the culture has always been the blueprint.

GUEST RESOURCES 

Ashlee Green

IG | https://www.instagram.com/ashleesimone/ 

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleesgreen/ 

Website | https://www.creativetheory.agency/ 

IG  | https://www.instagram.com/creativetheoryagency/ 

       https://www.instagram.com/rungrlco/ 

Get In Touch with Brandi Rand!

IG | https://www.instagram.com/brandi_rand/ 

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandirand/ 

HER Agency, The Collective

Are you a Black woman thriving in advertising or ready to start? Join HER Agency, The Collective—a community designed for you to build, connect, and own your agency with women who share your journey. Let’s have real conversations, elevate our brands, and make space where we belong.

Join The Collective Today!

Follow Us on IG:  instagram.com/heragencypod/ 

Her Agency is produced by EPYC Media Network 

Welcome back to HER Agency, the space built for Black women in advertising who are ready to stop surviving and start thriving. In this episode, Brandi Rand delivers a powerful and unfiltered conversation about what it truly means to own your agency in your career, your personal life, and your community.

Brandi shares the pivotal moments that reshaped her relationship with her career, from returning to work after maternity leave and finding her role quietly reassigned, to choosing to walk away from toxic environments rather than shrink to fit spaces that never valued her. She speaks candidly about the importance of personal branding, building your network before you need it, and creating a solid foundation that protects you when the unexpected happens. Brandi reminds us that respect must be the standard, and that waiting for validation from broken systems will only delay the success you deserve.

As she reflects on her own journey, Brandi reveals why HER Agency had to be built: to create the community that so many Black women in advertising needed but couldn’t find. A space where lived experiences are validated, mentorship is accessible, hard conversations are welcomed, and women are empowered to thrive, not just survive.

If you have ever been overlooked, underpaid, or undervalued, if you have ever questioned whether you belong in the rooms you find yourself in, if you are ready to advocate for yourself, own your story, and build something bigger than the roles they tried to box you into—this episode is for you. Your voice matters. Your story matters. Your agency is yours to claim.

Tune in, lock arms with us, and start building the career and life you truly deserve.

KEY POINTS

- The importance of standing firm on personal beliefs and decisions

- Saying NO: Leave when you no longer feel safe or valued 

- Pivotal moments and experiences in owning her agency 

- The importance of a safe space for black women to thrive

- Build a community and have a supportive network 

- Be practical, build a personal brand, and leverage social media 

- Find the right mentors and leaders to guide you 

- Pull up a seat at the table, use your voice, and do not settle for less

QUOTABLES 

"Don't say yes to everything if it doesn't align to your strategic plan and the goals for your career. You don't have to do it." – Brandi Rand 

"Start building your personal brand, leverage your network. Showcase the work that you're doing if you're traveling for shoots and for productions. Post that  — we need to see you, we need to hear you." – Brandi Rand 

Get In Touch with Brandi Rand!

IG | https://www.instagram.com/brandi_rand/ 

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandirand/ 

HER Agency, The Collective

Are you a Black woman thriving in advertising or ready to start? Join HER Agency, The Collective—a community designed for you to build, connect, and own your agency with women who share your journey. Let’s have real conversations, elevate our brands, and make space where we belong.

Join The Collective Today!

Follow Us on IG:  instagram.com/heragencypod/ 

Her Agency is produced by EPYC Media Network 

In this segment, Malia Jennings shares a powerful initiative close to her heart: Get Lifted—a youth-led campaign designed to replace drug misuse with dream chasing. Rooted in mentorship, storytelling, and faith, this program is helping young people tap into their potential while gaining real-world creative skills. From pitch decks to film production, Malia walks us through how she helped build a revolutionary project that centers youth voices, and why purpose-driven marketing might just be the future.

GUEST RESOURCES 

Malia Jennings 

Website | www.maliajennings.com

IG | @maliadawkins

LinkedIn | @maliajennings

NCompass | https://ncompassonline.com

IG | @ncompassintl

LinkedIn | @ncompass-international

Get In Touch with Brandi Rand!

IG | https://www.instagram.com/brandi_rand/ 

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandirand/ 

HER Agency, The Collective

Are you a Black woman thriving in advertising or ready to start? Join HER Agency, The Collective—a community designed for you to build, connect, and own your agency with women who share your journey. Let’s have real conversations, elevate our brands, and make space where we belong.

Join The Collective Today!

Follow Us on IG:  instagram.com/heragencypod/ 

Her Agency is produced by EPYC Media Network 

Today, Brandi is joined by Ashlee Green, a transformative leader who has shaped both culture and client strategy as the VP of Accounts + Culture at Creative Theory Agency. 

Since joining CTA in 2018, Ashlee has been instrumental in the agency’s evolution—building its Client Services department from the ground up, recruiting dynamic talent, and leading award-winning work for major brands like Meta, Google, and Chevron.

But Ashlee’s brilliance isn’t confined to the agency world. As a co-founder of RUNGRL—a media and events company dedicated to closing the wellness gap for Black women through running—she’s creating community and changing the narrative around what health and representation look like. Through RUNGRL, Ashlee is not only carving out space for Black women, but also challenging the industry to reflect the women who have always been at the forefront of cultural influence.

This conversation dives into the power of authentic representation in marketing and the unique strengths Black women bring to account management, strategy, and leadership. Ashlee shares her journey of stepping into rooms that weren’t always made for her—and making space for others once she got there. She and Brandi discuss the frustration of performative DEI, why it’s time to move beyond labels, and the importance of building lives that exist beyond the workday grind.

If you've ever felt the pressure to do it all or questioned your place in this industry, this episode is your reminder: you’re allowed to take up space, create what doesn’t exist yet, and receive every flower you’ve earned. 

KEY POINTS

- Ashlee as the first woman in Creative Theory Agency 

- Ashlee’s non-traditional journey to the advertising industry 

- Influencing the agency's direction & culture

- Ashlee’s personal mantra and approach to work 

- Challenges in cultural representation in marketing

- CTA on navigating the political and social landscape 

- RUNGRL brand and its wellness mission for black women

- What’s next for Ashlee?

- Advice: Show up and receive achievement recognitions 

QUOTABLES 

"I just continued to show up. I had this belief in myself — this belief in my agency, and this belief in the things that I could do.” – Ashlee Green

"Thorough, thoughtful and intentional, always and in all things." – Ashlee Green

"We're here for black women, but we know we have to work with sort of the larger entities that can really help us make the change that's beyond their behalf." – Ashlee Green

GUEST RESOURCES 

Ashlee Green

IG | https://www.instagram.com/ashleesimone/ 

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleesgreen/ 

Website | https://www.creativetheory.agency/ 

IG  | https://www.instagram.com/creativetheoryagency/ 

       https://www.instagram.com/rungrlco/ 

Get In Touch with Brandi Rand!

IG | https://www.instagram.com/brandi_rand/ 

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandirand/ 

HER Agency, The Collective

Are you a Black woman thriving in advertising or ready to start? Join HER Agency, The Collective—a community designed for you to build, connect, and own your agency with women who share your journey. Let’s have real conversations, elevate our brands, and make space where we belong.

Join The Collective Today!

Follow Us on IG:  instagram.com/heragencypod/ 

Her Agency is produced by EPYC Media Network 

Feeling alone in corporate spaces—especially as a Black woman—is far too common. In this segment, Brandi breaks down why community isn’t just a “nice-to-have”—it’s a necessity. From navigating industries that weren’t built for us to finding safe spaces to be your full self, she unpacks how the right community can open doors, provide real support, and help you make your next move your best move. If you’ve ever felt isolated while trying to climb the corporate ladder, this conversation is for you.

Get In Touch with Brandi Rand!

IG | https://www.instagram.com/brandi_rand/ 

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandirand/ 

HER Agency, The Collective

Are you a Black woman thriving in advertising or ready to start? Join HER Agency, The Collective—a community designed for you to build, connect, and own your agency with women who share your journey. Let’s have real conversations, elevate our brands, and make space where we belong.

Join The Collective Today!

Follow Us on IG:  instagram.com/heragencypod/ 

Her Agency is produced by EPYC Media Network