Ashley Menzies Babatunde shares her background and early experiences as a multi-hyphenate and focused overachiever. From an early age, she had high expectations of herself and others, and her leadership skills were evident. She even wroter herself a letter outlining her goals that she has largely achieved so far. Ashley reflects on her time at Stanford for undergrad and Harvard for law school along with the importance of relationships and exploration. She discusses her transition into the work world as a paralegal and then as a lawyer, and how she had to pivot within her practice to find work that aligned with her personality and values. Ashley also shares her journey of self-discovery and the role of journaling and feedback from loved ones in guiding her career decisions. She discusses the power of storytelling and her podcast, 'No Straight Path,' where she explores the human stories behind success. Ashley walks us through her journey into podcasting, starting with her love for podcasts and finding positive ways to deal with failure. She talks about the loneliness she felt after failing the California bar exam and how storytelling helped her during that time. Ashley also discusses her decision to take a sabbatical and the importance of listening to your body. Ashley reflects on her superpowers of connection and inspiration, and how the podcast has become a source of joy in her life that allows her to do both.

You will learn:

• It's ok to color outside the lines.
• The importance of living a life that is aligned to what you want from life.
• Exploring the power of regret in your decision making.

You can follow Ashley's story at:
LinkedIn / No Straight Path IG / Ashley IG / TikTok

Follow the pod:

• IG - https://www.instagram.com/podwhatsyourstory/
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@podwhatsyourstory
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/PodWhatsYourSto

Follow my story:

• Main site - https://www.mattestory.com/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattestory/
• IG - https://www.instagram.com/mattestory/
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mattestory
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/mattestory

Jerri DeVard, founder and CEO of the Black Executive CMO Alliance (BECA), shares her background and journey to the Advertising Hall of Fame in this podcast episode. Jerri highlights her experience as an example of the role HBCUs play in shaping top talent and industry leaders. She talks about her transition into the corporate world and the importance of finding her voice early in her career. She shares her experience moving into the C-Suite and how what she enjoyed most about it. Jerri also discusses the significance of being a leader who inspires and supports others, and she offers advice for those aspiring to be in the C-suite and on corporate boards. Jerri discusses the inspiration behind creating BECA and their future plans, including expanding internationally and launching programs for vice presidents. She reflects on being inducted into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame and the responsibility of using her recognition to uplift others.

You will learn:

• As a leader, remember that your team's family members know your name and you have a reputation but it's up to you what that reputation is known as.
• To be a board member, you have to be really good at what you do and be recognized for that outside of your organization.
• To be a Hall of Famer, it's not just about the work you did for yourself but also what you did for others.

You can follow Jerri's story at:
BlackExec.com / BECA IG / BECA LinkedIN / Jerri IG

Follow the pod:

• IG - https://www.instagram.com/podwhatsyourstory/
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@podwhatsyourstory
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/PodWhatsYourSto

Follow my story:

• Main site - https://www.mattestory.com/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattestory/
• IG - https://www.instagram.com/mattestory/
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mattestory
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/mattestory

Deb Dutta, CEO of Criya, shares her journey as a female immigrant founder and the challenges she faced in the tech industry. She discusses her upbringing, the skills she developed, and her transition from a technical engineering role to product management. Deb also talks about the birth of Criya and how it helps individuals make stellar first impressions through AI technology. She emphasizes the importance of personal branding and the need to take control of how others perceive you. Deb shares her experience with Y Combinator and fundraising, highlighting the value of strategic partnerships and the supportive startup community. Deb discusses her journey of building a portfolio career and the importance of embracing multiple roles and interests. She shares how she managed to balance her full-time job with her side hustles and eventually transitioned into entrepreneurship. Deb also highlights the influence of her husband on her career growth and the value of having a supportive partner. She emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and staying curious, both personally and professionally. Deb reflects on the challenges of scaling a business and the need to constantly strive for growth.

You will learn:

• When you get comfortable, you may be getting complacent which stops forward progress.
• Look for projects outside your day job that help you build new skills and grow your visibility.
• There is power in having a partner that is supportive for those days when you may not think you can reach your dreams.

You can follow Deb's story at:
Deb.Criya.ai

Follow the pod:

• IG - https://www.instagram.com/podwhatsyourstory/
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@podwhatsyourstory
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/PodWhatsYourSto

Follow my story:

• Main site - https://www.mattestory.com/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattestory/
• IG - https://www.instagram.com/mattestory/
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mattestory
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/mattestory