151. More Sparkle and More Swagger with Anniedi Essien

Whether you come from a corporate background or not, trying to secure corporate clients can feel intimidating. Corporate has a stuffy, stiff reputation that may not align with the way you want to do business.   Or maybe your brand is whimsy, fun, and loud. And that’s not really what corporate looks like, does it?   But in reality, corporate is filled with human beings who all have their own personalities. So it’s not surprising that something fun and outside the box might very well be what sets you apart from someone else…and exactly what gets you hired.   That’s what this week’s guest, Anniedi Essien, found when she and a friend started a YouTube channel during the pandemic. With only 10 followers, they secured a multi-year licensing deal and corporate contract from their channel.   It’s all about the sparkle and swagger that you bring to the table, according to Anniedi. And I couldn’t agree more. Be sure to listen in!   About Anniedi Essien:   Anniedi Essien is CEO and Founder at Idem Spark where she advises business leaders on building the workforce of the future by fusing cutting edge well-being and leadership development strategies. Anniedi delivers keynotes, workshops, consulting and executive coaching programs for diverse audiences. She loves teaching top performers how to slay their well-being and career goals with powerful insights as a former corporate health and wellness executive.   Anniedi is a trusted advisor to C-level and senior leaders and was a founding member of PwC’s New Entrants and Innovators in Health consulting practice at Strategy&. She drove growth strategies, disruptive innovation, and employer driven wellness solutions for the top global brands, including Fortune 10 clients such as Walmart Health. Prior to PwC, Anniedi designed market expansion strategies for Medtronic, executed strategic partnerships for EmblemHealth, and managed corporate wellness programs for GE Energy. Her work on social determinants of health has been recognized by the American Association for World Health / World Health Organization.   With twenty years of health industry experience, workforce well-being expertise, and a people first mindset, Anniedi is passionate about human flourishing. She is a Co-Founder of Healthtech Women Charlotte, a non-profit dedicated to getting more women into the C-Suite. Anniedi co-created W.I.D.E. Dynamic Dialogues to build inclusive cultures that are more responsive to the emerging needs of a diverse workforce by optimizing employee well-being.   Anniedi holds an MBA in Strategy from NYU Stern School of Business and a BA in Biomedical Ethics from Brown University. She is a foodie, yoga lover and avid karaoke enthusiast.   Links and Resources: Swagger School Seal the Corporate Deal Join the Inner Circle Time Stamps: [2:58] - More about Anniedi [4:39] - Shifting to work/life harmony instead of outdated work/life balance [6:10] - The time we spend outside traditional health system has a big influence on our wellness [8:15] - Women and folks of color experiencing burnout more than others [9:08] - It’s hard to recognize you’ve lost your sparkle if you’re climbing the ladder [11:20] - When you’re in that swagger, that’s when things really start to open up; but it’s scary to trust that [13:02] - The things we shy away from are the things we need to spotlight [18:28] - Being an accidental entrepreneur [20:23] - How she transitioned to get the sparkle back  [21:43] - What’s your meaningful purpose? [32:45] - Your business shouldn’t suck out your soul [33:08] - How do you go from soul sucking to soul singing [36:15] - Being authentic about hard parts make it so meaningful to others