Protégé Podcast with Rory Verrett

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance, I talk with management consultant/venture capitalist/hedge fund manager/software engineer Craig Brumfield. Craig and I talk about the value of ex-pat assignments and what it's like to work under a powerful Black senior executive and mentor. We discuss the highs and lows of a career in complex finance, including what it means when your boss declines to invest in a startup that becomes one of the biggest tech companies in the world.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance, I talk with hospitality and leisure executive Steven Brooks. Steve talks about how he built a successful career in the procurement function through his uncanny blend of exceptional negotiation and strategic advisory skills. We talk about the challenge of starting a family before starting your career, the gift of failure, and what Ta-Nehisi Coates got right about Howard University. The truth bombs abound in one of our final episodes in the #BlackManBrilliance series.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance, I talk with super lawyer Chaka Patterson, the general counsel of Adtelem Global Education, as the third episode in our series on career reinvention. A powerful advocate for black lawyers, Chaka analyzes why law firms miss the boat on developing black associates and partners, and why he remains committed to providing opportunities to black outside counsel.

In this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance, I talk with corporate executive turned art dealer Lewis Long. The Harvard Business School and Howard University grad discusses how he's managed to keep his career purpose front and center, even as he's shifted the platform he's used to manifest his professional skills. We talk about tips for applying for the White House Fellowship and how the Black Lives Matter movement is impacting the fortunes of emerging black artists.

On this episode of Protégé Podcast Presents: Black Man Brilliance, I talked with former NFL and Arena League pro David White about the art of career reinvention. David talks about how planning for the unexpected in his life and career has allowed him to thrive in his Plan B and his Plan C. We also discuss David's black male mentoring program at SUNY-Fredonia, Kings' Corner, and how it provides a safe haven for students to talk about everything from Black Lives Matter to their future careers.