For this very special episode of Gen X Amplified, I have the pleasure of being joined by Ebony Flake, Business Journalist for ESSENCE. What makes this conversation extra amazing is that Ebony graciously featured me in a story she wrote last year as a full-page profile for their annual Men’s print Issue.
The story was titled “Gen X Leaders Are Dominating the C-Suite” and it featured insights on how the middle generation is now holding the keys to the boardrooms and shaping the future of work for everyone.
Well, this episode is all about EBONY FLAKE, and her inspirational and intentional career journey. And I couldn’t wait to feature her on the podcast, and spotlight her journey as a perfect example of true mid-career mastery.
Ebony Flake is a highly acclaimed writer and business reporter covering leadership, careers, and entrepreneurship for ESSENCE. She has been on a passionate mission to also amplify the voices, experiences, triumphs, and challenges faced by Black women in the workplace and beyond.
Previously, as a C-suite reporter for Business Insider, Ebony explored the strategies and successes of high-level executives across various industries.
Before transitioning to journalism, Ebony gained over a decade of HR leadership experience, spanning the food and beverage sector with industry giants including PepsiCo and Tyson Foods to the innovative and agile startup world as HR Director at an Austin-based boutique firm.
Ebony’s writings and perspective are grounded in insights gained into corporate culture, talent management, lean startups, and careers.
Additionally, as Entrepreneur-in-Residence with the Ford Foundation, Ebony co-founded and led Urban Content Studios, a content collective offering full-service media for nonprofit clients, including contracts with the Detroit Public Schools Foundation, the Sean Anderson Foundation, and Gleaners Community Food Bank.
Thank you so very much for listening to the podcast. There are so many other shows out there, so the fact that you took the time to listen in really means a lot!
On this episode of Gen X Amplified, I am joined by Stephen Bailey, Stephen is the CEO and co-founder of ExecOnline, a corporate training company that partners with the world’s top business schools to offer leadership development on demand to enterprise organizations.
ExecOnline is on a mission to connect all leaders to their future potential by disrupting and democratizing corporate learning.
Some of ExecOnline’s Partner schools include Stanford, Wharton, Berkeley Haas, Chicago Booth, UVA Darden School of Business, Columbia, Duke, MIT-Sloan, Yale, and others.
“Right Above It” (feat. Drake) by Lil Wayne
Stephen is the co-founder and CEO of ExecOnline, a B2B corporate training company that partners with the world’s top business schools to offer leadership development on demand to enterprise organizations.
Its mission is to connect all leaders to their future potential by disprupting and democratizing corporate learning.
When Stephen launched ExecOnline, his vision was to combine the engagement of traditional on-campus and role-based applied learning — with the convenience and scale of an online experience—for all levels of leadership.
Therefore, creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive leadership pipeline within the world of work.
ExecOnline has been named to the Global Silicon Valley EdTech 150, and also recognized as a “Technology Company to Watch” by Forbes.
Prior to ExecOnline, Stephen served as the CEO of Frontier Strategy Group (FSG), a software and information services business.
He grew FSG from an early-stage start-up to a company that served nearly half the Fortune 500 across a range of international markets and business functions. Prior to his role as CEO, he was FSG’s first Chief Product Officer.
Before joining FSG, Stephen was an associate in the venture capital and private equity group of WilmerHale.
Stephen is also the Board Chair of the Truman Center for National Policy and member of the Board of Prospect Schools, a charter school network in NYC.
He graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Emory University and holds a JD from the Yale Law School.
Stephen has been an EdTech pioneer and champion of the “learning economy” ever since he recognized the vast leadership gap many years ago.
Thank you so very much for listening to the podcast. There are so many other shows out there, so the fact that you took the time to listen in really means a lot!
On this episode of Gen X Amplified, I am speaking with global leader, speaker, workplace strategist Daisy Auger-Domínguez, who is the author of the book “Burnt Out to Lit Up: How to Reignite the Joy of Leading People.”
With years of experience leading global human capital practices at companies like Google, Disney and Vice Media, she equips managers and leaders with the skills they need to build high-performing teams and shift culture to drive performance without burning out.
Daisy’s career spans across 20 years of shaping the future of work by transforming organizations with purpose and passion.
Recently, Daisy served as Chief People Officer at Vice Media, where she led diversity, equity, inclusion and social impact practices for global teams across 25 countries.
Previously, Daisy was the Senior Vice President of Talent Acquisition at Viacom, where she led the strategic development and operational execution of talent acquisition across global properties.
Before her stint at Viacom, Daisy delivered her DEI magic as an executive at other leading brands including Google, Disney ABC Television Group, Warnermedia, and Moody’s Corporation.
Daisy thought leadership and perspectives have been published in Harvard Business Review, IDEAS.TED, Hispanic Executive, The New York Times, Forbes, and Adweek.
Her professional and civic contributions have also earned recognition by multiple platforms including being named one of the “25 Most Powerful Women” in People en Español. She also received the New York City Council Leadership in Community Service Award.
Daisy is also an advisor to startups and social impact organizations. She serves on the boards of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, and St. Ann’s Warehouse.
Daisy is a phenomenal, fabulous, and fearless leader of indomitable impact — who is determined to challenge all of us to elevate “inclusion” exceptionalism.
And her undeniable voice will continue to help create the equitable change the world needs — at this moment and beyond.
Thank you so very much for listening to the podcast. There are so many other shows out there, so the fact that you took the time to listen in really means a lot!
On this episode of Gen X Amplified, I am welcoming back serial entrepreneur Ian Schafer, repeat guest and friend of the podcast, for another round of “Gen Xceptional” wisdom and inspiration.
Ian is the President and Co-Founder of Ensemble, a next-generation branded entertainment studio that he co-founded with acclaimed producer, writer, actress, and entrepreneur Issa Rae.
Ensemble collaborates with brands, platforms, and publishers to produce and distribute epic content and activations that shape culture, engage audiences, and move product.
Ian, Issa, and the team at Ensemble is on a mission to make the creator economy more equitable for creators from underrepresented communities.
Ian is an award-winning global brand, marketing, advertising, and sports & entertainment entrepreneur and executive.
He is and currently the Co-Founder of Ensemble, a next-generation branded entertainment studio that he co-founded with acclaimed producer, writer, actress, and entrepreneur Issa Rae.
Ensemble collaborates with brands, platforms, and publishers to produce and distribute epic content and activations that shape culture, engage audiences, and move product.
Ian is also a strategic advisor to ROCK THE BELLS, the preeminent voice for classic and timeless hip-hop founded in 2018 by LL Cool J.
Also, Ian is the co-founder of ON_Discourse, owner of Queensboro FC, and an advisor to Accelerator.
Previously, Ian Co-Founder & CEO of Kindred, a membership organization that’s on a mission to build a more equitable society by advancing the actions of today’s leaders.
Prior to launching kindred, Ian was the founder, CEO, and Global Chairman of Deep Focus, a transformative advertising agency that eventually he sold to Engine Group in 2015.
Before he began his entrepreneurial journey with Deep Focus, Ian worked at Miramax Films as the VP of New Media, where he learned many lessons on the power of content and innovation.
Previously, Ian started his career as a Sr. Account Executive at i-Traffic, which was one of the first digital agencies in the world.
In 2015, he was inducted into the American Advertising Federation’s Hall of Achievement, named one of “100 People Who Make Advertising Great” by the 4A’s in 2017, and was also named named a “Media Maven” by Advertising Age.
Thank you so very much for listening to the podcast. There are so many other shows out there, so the fact that you took the time to listen in really means a lot!
On this episode of Gen X Amplified, we have a very special episode featuring an amazing “Gen Xceptional” chat with Denise Hamilton.
Denise is a nationally recognized Diversity & Inclusion leader, and is the Founder and CEO of WatchHerWork, a digital learning platform for professional women.
She is also the author of the bestselling book “Indivisible: How to Forge Our Differences into a Stronger Future” During this episode, Denise and I spent time unpacking her professional story, the timeless gems from her book, and also her passionate call-to-arms for Gen Xers!
Denise Hamilton is an author, speaker and consultant who focuses on the people side of change. She is also the author of the bestselling book “Indivisible: How to Forge Our Differences into a Stronger Future.”
Whether it’s remote work, AI or a diversifying workforce, today’s leaders need new skills to navigate our rapidly changing world. Denise leverages her 25 years of executive experience with Fortune 500 organizations like AOL and CBRE to provide solutions that support employees and the bottom line.
Clients have said Denise’s superpower is the ability to have the most challenging discussions and come out the other side with solutions and a positive direction. She uses this gift to lead workshops, design education programs, and coach senior leaders. The goal is to empower individuals and teams to mine and close the gender gap, understand differences, resolve conflict, and become better allies.
Her clients include household names, like Meta, Apple, ExxonMobil, Hines, Amazon, Shell, the United Nations, and the WNBA.
Denise has been featured on NPR, Forbes, FOX, Huffington Post, CBS, NBC and on many other outlets.
Thank you so very much for listening to the podcast. There are so many other shows out there, so the fact that you took the time to listen in really means a lot!
On this episode of Gen X Amplified, we are back for another #FabulousOver40 Fireside Chat edition, featuring my conversation with Cate Luzio —who is the Founder and CEO of Luminary, a membership-based global education and professional networking platform for women and their allies.
And Cate is also one of the shining stars I previously featured in the #FabulousOver40 Spotlight Series on LinkedIn.
Cate is the Founder and CEO of Luminary, a membership-based global education and professional networking platform for women and their allies, which she launched and self-funded in 2018.
Luminary’s mission is to address the systemic challenges impacting women across all industries and sectors—while also up-lifting, up-skilling, and propelling women forward through all phases of their professional journeys.
Members of Luminary reflect a multigenerational and intersectional community of intrapreneurs, entrepreneurs, and organizations including UBS, JPMorgan Chase, Unilever, Verizon, Goldman Sachs, Mastercard, and others.
As CEO, Cate achieved a significant milestone for the business as Luminary recently announced their acquisition of The Cru, the enterprise peer-coaching service founded by Tiffany Dufu that places women in small accountability cohorts.
And Tiffany also happens to be one of the phenomenal leaders previously featured in this #FabulousOver40 Spotlight Series.
Prior to launching Luminary, Cate cultivated a two-decade successful career as a financial services executive leading global multibillion-dollar businesses.
Most recently, Cate served as Global Head of Multinational Corporate Banking for HSBC, where she managed more than 2,000 employees worldwide. Prior to HSBC, she was Head of Multinational Corporate Banking at J.P. Morgan EMEA based in London.
Cate initially began her career in China working in tech and then relocated to Latin America with Bank of America to work across both consumer and wholesale banking.
No stranger to reward and recognition, Cate was named as American Banker’s ‘Most Powerful Women in Banking’ multiple years in a row, and is a three-time Financial Times Global Diversity Champion, and a two-time Yahoo Finance Diversity Hero.
Cate also serves on the National Board for Girls Inc., is a WE.NYC mentor, and sits on the Boards of Pomp & Whimsy and WaterAid.
Having pivoted from a notable career as a financial services corporate leader to become a fearless force championing women in the workplace, Cate stands as a testament to transformative leadership.
Thank you so very much for listening to the podcast. There are so many other shows out there, so the fact that you took the time to listen in really means a lot!