Lead With Your Brand!™

In this season of giving and helping others, Jayzen welcomes Gail McGovern to the show. Gail is the president and CEO of the American Red Cross. She brings insightful reflections and wisdom from her amazing career leading billion dollar organizations and transforming the Red Cross into a 21st Century emergency response and blood services organization.

As we roll into 2021, now is the time for a career mindset shift. Think about your career not as a ladder to climb in a linear fashion, but as a lattice to explore. Oftentimes, the best career move you can make is lateral or even a small step back that can ultimately propel you forward. It is about having the curiosity to break out of the box and take on a new challenge, while keeping an eye on the big picture and where you want to go.

Gail has had an incredible career by constantly challenging herself to learn new skills and thus, bring more to the table. Starting her career as a computer programmer, her curiosity about all aspects of business and running an organization have been the driving force in her many career breakthroughs.

Guest Bio

Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross, began her career as a computer programmer at AT&T. She moved up the ranks to become executive vice president for the Consumer Markets Division, a $26 billion business with 40,000 employees. In 1998, Gail joined Fidelity Investments where she served as president of Fidelity Personal Investments, a unit with 10,000 employees and a half trillion dollars of assets under management.

Four years later, Gail joined the faculty of Harvard Business School where she taught marketing. In 2008, she accepted the position of president and CEO of the American Red Cross, a $3 billion organization devoted to alleviating human suffering in the face of emergencies.

Since joining the Red Cross, Gail has helped to transform the 139-year old American institution into a 21st Century emergency response and blood services organization. Her transformational initiatives have led to improved fiscal stability, and have expanded the reach of lifesaving Red Cross services. She has also overseen the enormous growth of the organization’s social media presence – including the introduction of a series of free mobile apps for first aid, hurricanes, tornadoes and other emergency scenarios that put lifesaving skills at people’s fingertips.

Gail is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University, where she received an undergraduate degree in Quantitative Sciences, and Columbia University where she earned her MBA. She was awarded alumna of the year from both Universities. Gail was recognized by Fortune Magazine in both 2000 and 2001 as one of the most powerful women in Corporate America.

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit : https://www.leadwithyourbrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit : https://www.jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayzenpatria

To learn more about about the American Red Cross or to make a contribution, visit https://www.redcross.org

Jayzen is excited to welcome Sharon Smith-Akinsanya to the show. Sharon is the CEO of an incredible agency based in Minneapolis that helps Fortune 500 companies attract and retain top diverse talent in their organizations. She brings amazing stories of her career, including her years working for Prince, all with valuable insight and advice.

What’s the best career advice? Find a hole and fill it. Achieving that career breakthrough is not about waiting for a reward, it is about showing your value. What is the need that my department, my company or the industry has right now that I can fill? How can I show my talents and passions in a way that benefits my project team and be recognized by the right people? Is there a need that my company has that might be a lateral assignment, but shows commitment, expands my skill set and gives me exposure to new opportunities? Getting to the next level is about finding and/or creating the opportunities that propel your career forward.

Sharon has built a career out of creating opportunities that use her passions and talents to meet the needs of the marketplace and her clients. She’s a master of networking and knowing when and how to both leverage and nurture her network.

Guest Bio

SHARON SMITH-AKINSANYA

is the CEO of Rae Mackenzie Group™—an award-winning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) marketing firm—and founder of the People Of Color Careers™ Social Hiring Network. With over 20 years of experience in the DEI space, Sharon has advised Fortune 500 companies, non-profits, and top employers including U.S. Bank, Midco, Andersen Windows & Doors, Thrivent, Make-A-Wish® America, Best Buy, Target, Verizon Wireless, and more to help them build more authentic relationships with Communities of Color.

In her signature candid but accessible style, Sharon busts down workplace obstacles, addresses the fears that keep many leaders stuck in silence, and shares a proven path to transforming and preparing organizations to be COLORFULL.

Her book, COLORFULL: Competitive Strategies to Attract and Retain Top Talent of Color is loaded with insights from leaders committed to breaking the cycle. COLORFULL offers simple steps for creating change from the top down, helping leaders to overcome their concerns about doing or saying the wrong thing, and demonstrating first-hand accounts of why it’s so important to Lead Out Loud. COLORFULL is the easy-to-digest DEI marketing playbook leaders have been waiting for. Sharon is the founder of People Of Color Careers™ Social Hiring Network, the place for Professionals of Color to connect directly with recruiters and hiring managers from the nation’s leading companies and land their dream careers. PeopleOfColorCareers.com is the only social hiring network working directly with CEOs and C-suite executives to eliminate barriers and bring real change.

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit : https://www.leadwithyourbrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit : https://www.jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayzenpatria

To catch up with our guest, Sharon Smith-Akinsanya, check out:

Sharon's official site: boldlysharon.com

Sharon's Twitter: https://twitter.com/BoldlySharon

Sharon's FB: https://www.facebook.com/sharonsmithakinsanya

Sharon's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonsmithakinsanya/

Sharon's IG: https://www.instagram.com/boldlysharon/

Jayzen welcomes Rekha Brar to the show. After a major career pivot, Rekha founded and runs Blossom Box Jewelry, a company on a mission to empower women. From the craftswomen in India to the customer who wants to stand out, Blossom Box is dedicated to this goal throughout the entire process.

All great consumer brands spend an enormous amount of time and energy on their packaging. What will it look like on the shelf? What will attract customers? What is going to drive purchase? The same is true with your own professional brand. One of the primary ways that you can stand out from the crowd in your career is by being consciously aware of your “packaging rules.” That is, does the way you dress align with your personal brand and the work environment? Does your office space or desk (or zoom background) give the impression that you want it to? All of the small details impact the way you and your brand are perceived by those around you.

Through her company, Rekha shares her Indian culture and the confidence that comes with being bold. She brings her full authentic self to every design and is breaking the mold on how women can rise above the crowd.

Guest Bio

Rekha Brar is the founder of Blossom Box Jewelry. She began her career working for a real estate development company in Vancouver, B.C. After several years of serving as an Accountant, Rekha turned her focus to designing jewelry, her true passion. In no time, her designs were in high demand. Rekha's collection has always consisted of hundreds of styles, from eastern inspired designs to casted metals. On trend, Rekha designs fashionable jewelry with a unique and distinctive mix of textures, materials and stones. When she is traveling abroad Rekha draws inspiration from a multitude of inputs, which are reflected through her unique pieces.

Blossom Box Jewelry is available in more than 100 national and international boutiques and retailers. Blossom Box Jewelry is designed for the women who want to stand out from the crowd. Be bold. Be daring. Be different.

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit : https://www.leadwithyourbrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit : https://www.jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayzenpatria

Check out Blossom Box Jewelry at http://www.blossombox.com

Jayzen is excited to welcome Bill Imada to the show. He is the co-founder, chairman and chief connectivity officer of IW Group. He has spent decades helping brands understand multicultural markets and being the official “connector of dots,” bringing people together for the greater good.

Having a diverse network is key to leading with your brand and getting that next career breakthrough. The truth is that when you see a position posted, there is likely already a pool of candidates interviewing for the job because they have been identified through their networks and were top of mind to the team hiring - all before it landed on your social feed or inbox. Self-similarity principle tells us we often gravitate to those who are most like us - those that look like us, think like us, and even do the same type of job as us. The key to a powerful network is fostering as much diversity of thought, talent and background in your connections, people that you can rely on for unique and diverse perspectives, ideas and skill sets.

Bill Imada is a SuperConnector! His areas of expertise include marketing, advertising, public relations, cross-cultural communications, crisis management, training and development, and community relations. He is a huge believer in civic engagement and civil discourse and has co-founded four different national organizations. He prides himself on also being a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and problem solver who strives to be intentional in making our world a better place for all.

Guest Bio

Bill Imada is the Chairman and Chief Connectivity Officer of IW Group, a full-service communication, advertising, and marketing agency specializing in the multicultural and multi generational markets. For three decades, Bill and his team have served some of the top global and regional companies, including Bank of the West/PNB Paribas, Coca-Cola, Lexus, McDonald’s, Netflix, Northwestern Mutual, Walmart, Walt Disney, Warner Bros, Wells Fargo, Westfield, and many others. Bill’s areas of expertise include community relations, crisis communications, cross-cultural training, and media training.

Bill is active in the community and serves on ten nonprofit boards and advisory councils, including the Advertising Educational Foundation, Center for Asian American Media, Nielsen External Advisory Council, PBS Foundation, and the University of Southern California PR Advisory Council.

Bill co-founded the National Millennial and Gen Z Community, an association devoted to helping companies and organizations connect with young-adult consumers.

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit : https://www.leadwithyourbrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit : https://www.jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayzenpatria

Jayzen is excited to be joined by Joanna Popper, an award winning executive who is blazing the path forward in virtual reality.

The key to ongoing success for any brand, your personal brand included, is to remain centered and relevant to your audience. We have to remain true to our north star, that is our core values, while evolving to meet the needs of our career audience. How has your company and/or industry changed? How have you evolved as a professional to best meet the moment while staying true to who you are? Staying relevant keeps you positioned as the “go to” person and ready for your next career breakthrough.

Joanna is the Global Head of Virtual Reality for Location Based Entertainment for HP. She has had an incredible career spanning banking, consulting, entertainment and new media, always on the cutting edge of what’s next and a champion for diversity. Recognized several times as one of the top women in media, Joanna is leading the VR charge as the next form of computing.

Guest Bio

Joanna Popper is a Hollywood and Silicon Valley media executive. She leads HP’s initiatives for Go-To-Market and Location Based Entertainment for Virtual Reality. Prior she was EVP of Media & Marketing at Singularity University and VP Marketing at NBCUniversal. She recently was an Executive Producer on Finding Pandora X which won the 2020 Venice Film Festival's award for Best VR Experience. Joanna developed a TV show partnership with NBC and Singularity University for a new TV series on technology and innovation.

Joanna was selected as “50 Women Can Change the World in Media and Entertainment,” “Top Women in Media: Game Changers,” “Top Women in Media: Industry Leaders,” “Digital It List,” “101 Women Leading the VR Industry” and is on the Coalition for the Women in XR Fund.

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit : https://www.leadwithyourbrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit : https://www.jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayzenpatria 

To Connect with Joanna:
Twitter: @JoannaPopper 
Instagram: @JoannaPopper
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannapopper/

To learn more about HP:
Twitter/ Instagram @HP
LinkedIn: @HP_ (Not Hewlett Packard Enterprise)

Jayzen is thrilled to welcome the best selling author of Nice Girls Don’t Get The Corner Office, Dr. Lois Frankel.

We all have an array of knowledge, skills, and abilities that we bring to the table. But, when we try to be all things to all people in our career, we really don’t stand out for anything and get lost in the crowd. A strong personal brand architecture brings clarity when communicating who you are, what you do and what value you bring. Your brand architecture let’s people know how to leverage you and shop in “your store.”

Lois is an bestselling author, executive coach, and an internationally sought after keynote speaker in the fields of career and leadership development. Her books empower women to rise above in their careers and include Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office, Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich, and Nice Girls Just Don’t Get It, among others.

Guest Bio

Dr. Lois P. Frankel, President of Corporate Coaching International, is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, executive coach, and an internationally sought after keynote speaker in the fields of career and leadership development. Among other media appearances she has been a guest on Larry King Live, The Tavis Smiley Show, The Today Show, and 20/20 to discuss her books, Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office, Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich, and Nice Girls Just Don’t Get It. Her first book, Overcoming Your Strengths, was named “the best unsung business book of the year” by Fast Company Magazine. Recently Lois turned to capturing the wisdom of older women with the release of, Ageless Women, Timeless Wisdom: Witty, Wicked, and Wise Reflections on Well-Lived Lives. January, 2020 saw the release of her newest audiobook, Nice Girls Don’t Speak Up or Stand Out: How to Make Your Voice Heard, Your Point Known and Your Presence Felt.

Traveling extensively around the globe, Lois consults with corporations, professional associations, and affinity groups in the areas of career development, leadership, emotional intelligence, team effectiveness, and personal branding. Her experience working with clients like Amgen, Nestle, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Procter & Gamble, Walt Disney, BP, Experian and other corporate giants provides her with a depth and breadth of knowledge about what it really takes to get and keep the job you want.

Although she is proud of her many accomplishments, Lois is most proud of having founded two nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles: Motivating Our Students through Experience (MOSTE) and Bloom Again Foundation. She has been recognized for her work with women and girls with the Los Angeles County Commission on Women’s Woman of the Year Award, Maybelline New York’s Women Who Empower through Education Award, a Doctorate in Humane Letters from Phillips Graduate Institute, and a Presidential Medal and Distinguished Alumna Award from the State University of New York at Oswego. Her earned doctorate in Counseling Psychology is from the University of Southern California. Originally from New York, Lois loves living in California where she enjoys gardening, bicycling, and photography year-round.

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit : https://www.leadwithyourbrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit : https://www.jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayzenpatria

To learn more about Lois Frankel, visit: www.drloisfrankel.com

To connect with Lois on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drloisfrankel

In celebration of Veteran’s Day in the United States, Jayzen talks about personal branding with Val Nicholas who got his start in the US Army and how it impacted on his personal brand and career.

We all pay a premium for the brands that we love. Great brands stand for something and give you a full brand experience, versus just being a commodity product where the lowest cost is all that matters. The same is true of your personal brand and how your career audience sees you. Are you a super-premium brand that commands a higher price? Are you the go-to person that everyone wants on their project team? Or, do you just blend in as one of the herd. To reach your next career breakthrough, you have to stand out like a super-premium brand.

Val is an award winning producer and currently is the Senior Vice President and Creative Director SummitMedia Corporation. Previously, he has held executive positions at several top media companies. Val is a proud veteran of the US Army and has worked extensively to expand workplace opportunities for vets.

Guest Bio

Val Nicholas is the Senior Vice President and Creative Director at SummitMedia Corporation and co-founder and executive producer of Eyes on Target Productions, a production partner of Blumhouse. He is an seven-time Emmy award-winning television marketing and program production executive and has experience both in front of and behind the camera. He has held management positions at top media companies including NBC News & MSNBC, ABC and KCRA-TV. Val is a proud veteran of the US Army and attended the US Army Leadership Training School. He currently sits on the national board of the USO and Blue Star Families.

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit : https://www.leadwithyourbrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit : https://www.jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayzenpatria

In your career, are you coffee or are you Starbucks? In today’s world, you can not afford to be a commodity worker. You must have a premium personal brand that makes you stand out from the crowd. A key component defining your brand attributes and then “supersizing” them so they are words that are uniquely you and ownable. 

Jayzen is thrilled to welcome Shawni Chen, joining the show from Shanghai, China. Shawni is a partner at PwC with 20+ years of IT application implementation and management experience in the US and China. She is a big advocate for diversity and equality in the workplace and was recently named by Forbes China as one of the Top 50 women technologists in China.

Guest Bio

Shawni is a partner at PwC. She has 20+ years of IT application implementation and management experience in US and China.

She is responsible for running a 1200+ members Acceleration Center in Shanghai China. Her team is providing service to 10 different countries. As the automation and innovation leader for Acceleration Centers, she is digitizing the project deliveries and providing cost effective and value-added services to her clients.

Shawni is a big advocate for creating a diverse and equal work environment. She created Women in Technology program at the Shanghai center that sponsors initiatives such as Code Camp, HeForShe, LadiesWhoTech events in the local market. In 2020, she was nominated by Forbes China as one of the Top 50 women technologists in China. 

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit : https://www.leadwithyourbrand.com

 To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit : https://www.jayzenpatria.com

 Please connect on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayzenpatria

Description

Just like a strong building, every great brand needs to start with a foundation. Your brand foundation begins with your core belief - that one statement that drives who you are, what you do, and the value you bring. It is your north star.

Jayzen is excited to welcome Andréa Richardson to the episode. She is an award winning communications professional with a core belief in equality and equity. Currently she is an SVP with The Glover Park Group and brings an incredible amount of experience in the multicultural and diversity arena. She was recently named one of the 100 Most Influential Persons of African Descent in Business and Entrepreneurship as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly.

Guest Bio

Andréa Richardson is a Senior Vice President within The Glover Park Group’s Strategic Communication Division. Over the last two decades, Andréa has provided strategic counsel to top corporations, nonprofits and public entities on diversity, inclusion & equity strategies, multicultural marketing, crisis management, reputation management, customer engagement and corporate social responsibility.

Prior to joining GPG, Andréa led multicultural & diversity initiatives for Hilton’s global corporate responsibility, communications, & external affairs. Additionally, at Hilton, Andréa cultivated and grew strategic relationships with the US Department of State’s Global Equality Fund, Black Enterprise Magazine, Ebony Magazine, Modern Military Association of America and People En Espanol and many other partners on behalf of the Fortune 500 company.

Over the course of her career, Andréa has been named Out & Equal’s Outstanding Champion, Black Enterprise Magazine’s Top Female Executive in Advertising & Marketing and was recently named one of the 100 Most Influential Persons of African Descent in Business and Entrepreneurship as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly. Andréa received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication & Media Studies from Pace University and a Master’s of Business Administration with a concentration in Media Management from Metropolitan College of New York.

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit : https://www.leadwithyourbrand.com

Description:

In order to lead with your brand, you’ve got to have a distinct point of view. Every brand, be it a consumer brand or your own, has to have a solid brand foundation and stand for something. It is all about making consciously competent choices that dictate how you show up everyday and represent your core belief. We all have many talents, but if you try to be all things to all people, you lose sight of your foundation and what makes you unique.

Jayzen is thrilled to welcome Evan Shapiro to the podcast. As a creative executive in entertainment and media, Evan shares his amazing career path and secrets to his incredible brand. With roots in live theater on Broadway, Evan is an award winning producer and Professor for TV and Media.

Guest Bio

Evan Shapiro is an Emmy and Peabody Award winner, having produced or created more than 150 television series, specials, documentaries and podcasts, including Portlandia, Comedy Bang Bang, Maron, National Lampoon Radio Hour Podcast, The Roast Of Your Teenage Self, Dinner For Five, Please Like Me, Take My Wife, Bajillion Dollar Propertie$, Shrink, Trapped In The Closet, Harmonquest, Laurie Kilmartin’s 45 Jokes About My Dead Dad, Doug Stanhope’s No Place Like Home, Jospeh Gordon Leavitt’s HitRecord, Fortitude, Carlos, My Brother My Brother & Me, Brick City, This Film Is Not Yet Rated, and Funny Women of A Certain Age.

He is a Professor for TV and Media at NYU/Stern School Of Business and for Media Studies at Fordham University, a sought-after guest speaker for conferences and universities, as well as a frequent guest writer for publishers such as Huffington Post, Deadline and The Wrap, where he has made some rather bold predictions about the future of the media and entertainment industry, many of which have come to fruition. He is also an in-demand lecturer for companies and government agencies about Generation Y and Generation Z.

Links

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand and the Career Breakthrough Mentoring program , please visit : https://www.leadwithyourbrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit : https://www.jayzenpatria.com

Please connect on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayzenpatria