Branding Room Only with Paula T. Edgar – Details, episodes & analysis

Conferences offer incredible opportunities to network, learn, and strengthen your personal brand—but only if you’re prepared to make the most of them. With the right approach, you can expand your mindset, build valuable connections, and uncover new insights. To help you get there, I’ve put together a step-by-step guide using one of my favorite tools: an acronym!

In this episode of the Branding Room Only podcast, you’ll discover how to maximize your personal brand impact at conferences. We’ll cover crafting an effective elevator pitch, setting clear goals, networking with purpose, and following up to create lasting connections that truly matter.

2:00 - Crafting your elevator pitch: what to include, the value of adding fun facts, and the importance of how you sound as you introduce yourself

8:21 - Organizing your goals for conferences: suggestions, recommendations, and the benefit of flexibility

10:56 - Networking with intent: how to prepare beforehand and the importance of quality over quantity

13:13 - Following up effectively: how to make connections, use streamlining tools, and approach your follow-up messages

16:50 - Engaging before and after the conference: how to use social media and prepare for and continue conversations online

19:07 - Researching the event: how to use the past to maximize your opportunities

20:32 - Elevating your online presence: what you can do before you attend any conference

23:20 - Navigating the conference agenda: tools to plan your schedule and how to add value and leave time for decompression and self-care

26:45 - Creating branded materials: suggestions for easy connection and communicating key information

28:35 - Engaging authentically: how to appear in conversations and what to avoid while conversing with other people

Mentioned In How to Prepare for a Conference to Maximize Your Personal Brand Impact

Corporate Counsel Women of Color Conference 

Branding Room Only Interview With Laurie Robinson Haden: Shining Brightly - Part 1

Branding Room Only Interview With Laurie Robinson Haden: Shining Brightly - Part 2

Personal Branding Boosters and Bruisers: Attending Conferences

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Maximize Your Event Attendance: 12 Strategies to Amplify Your Personal Brand

This episode is brought to you by PGE Consulting Group LLC.

PGE Consulting Group LLC is dedicated to providing a practical hybrid of professional development training and diversity solutions. From speaking to consulting to programming and more, all services and resources are carefully tailored for each partner. Paula Edgar’s distinct expertise helps engage attendees and create lasting change for her clients.

To learn more about Paula and her services, go to www.paulaedgar.com or contact her at [email protected], and follow Paula Edgar and the PGE Consulting Group LLC on LinkedIn.

If you want to have a strong personal brand and strive for continued branding and business success, you must have a willingness to learn new things and adapt to new technology. That’s what makes Richard Bliss’s understanding of modern communication tools like AI and LinkedIn so unique.

Richard is the CEO of BlissPoint Consulting and one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices. With decades of knowledge from the world of marketing and sales, he’s a personal branding master who has presented in over 20 countries. His book Digital-First Leadership is full of real-life stories, first-hand research, and countless insightful conversations aimed at helping business leaders master social media and build their online presence.

In this episode of the Branding Room Only podcast, you’ll learn about the challenges of selling the concept of personal branding to executives, how generative AI is changing everything, and why treating LinkedIn like other platforms is a mistake. Richard will teach you how to strategically use LinkedIn for professional growth and brand-building success.

00:55 - How Richard defines personal branding, describes himself, reveals how he created his mantra, and names his hype music

7:37 - Why Richard had to adapt to new environments and find commonality with others as a kid

11:49 - How Richard had to reinvent himself for success after getting fired from his Chief Marketing Officer job

22:09 - Challenges of selling personal branding to executives in increasingly diverse workspaces

29:35 - How generative AI is impacting society and whether to embrace or turn away from it

35:24 - How AI can connect the dots, perform a function faster, and even uncover a weakness in your competition

41:02 - How LinkedIn is fundamentally different than all the other social media platforms (and therefore, requires a different approach)

49:48 - The secret to audience engagement and brand building on LinkedIn

56:08 - What you’ll never find Richard doing in his business and the magic he brings to other people

Mentioned In LinkedIn Strategies and Leadership Tips to Master Personal Branding with Richard Bliss

BlissPoint Consulting | LinkedIn | Email: [email protected]

Digital-First Leadership by Richard Bliss

Funding the Dream podcast

ChatGPT | Midjourney

“How to Navigate Generational Friction in the Workplace with Chris De Santis”

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Sponsor for this episode

This episode is brought to you by PGE Consulting Group LLC.

PGE Consulting Group LLC is dedicated to providing a practical hybrid of professional development training and diversity solutions. From speaking to consulting to programming and more, all services and resources are carefully tailored for each partner. Paula Edgar’s distinct expertise helps engage attendees and create lasting change for her clients.

To learn more about Paula and her services, go to www.paulaedgar.com or contact her at [email protected], and follow Paula Edgar and the PGE Consulting Group LLC on LinkedIn.

A single word can carry a lot of weight. In an increasingly diverse world, we need experts like Dr. Suzanne Wertheim who know how to navigate inclusive language in ways that can promote connections and get past resistance. 

Suzanne is a linguistic anthropologist and author of The Inclusive Language Field Guide, which outlines six principles to help you avoid painful and sometimes costly communication mistakes. She emphasizes the role of science-based approaches by applying linguistic anthropology to modern, real-world communication problems.

In this episode of the Branding Room Only podcast, you’ll hear about the significance of empathy and accountability in communication and how problematic language affects individuals, companies, and brands. Suzanne will give real examples of the consequences of using exclusive language and mitigating the impact when you communicate in an insensitive fashion.

00:55 - The role of alignment in personal branding and why Suzanne uses the words curious, educational, and perfectionist to describe herself

4:41 - Suzanne’s favorite quote that emphasizes the contradiction and complexity of human nature, songs that hype her up, and the silver lining gift the world gained from the African diaspora

10:37 - How Suzanne grew up with a very New York City orientation (and still has a lot of it in her) despite living in California for about as long

15:23 - Why Suzanne left tech, became interested in linguistic anthropology, and decided to branch away from professorship and out into the world

19:50 - How Suzanne sneaks under other people’s resistance radar

23:08 - How Suzanne became a national expert on inclusive language and the empathy deficit that leads to resistance

30:47 - What drove Suzanne to write the Inclusive Language Field Guide

35:35 - How Kellogg’s CEO damaged his brand with insensitive comments and the two words that tanked a $4 million sale

39:55 - How a multi-million dollar sale was saved thanks to an apology and recognition of exclusive language impact

44:04 - How inclusive language is like a design challenge and intersects with communication and understanding cultural differences

54:12 - How Suzanne incorporates animals into her branding for fun, why she’ll always bring the social science, her surprising Branding Room Only attribute

Connect With Dr. Suzanne Wertheim

Suzanne Wertheim, PhD | LinkedIn

Worthwhile Research & Consulting

Mentioned In How Inclusive Language Skills Impact Your Brand with Dr. Suzanne Wertheim

Inclusive Language Field Guide: 6 Simple Principles for Avoiding Painful Mistakes and Communicating Respectfully by Suzanne Wertheim, PhD

Sponsor for this episode

This episode is brought to you by PGE Consulting Group LLC.

PGE Consulting Group LLC is dedicated to providing a practical hybrid of professional development training and diversity solutions. From speaking to consulting to programming and more, all services and resources are carefully tailored for each partner. Paula Edgar’s distinct expertise helps engage attendees and create lasting change for her clients.

To learn more about Paula and her services, go to www.paulaedgar.com or contact her at [email protected], and follow Paula Edgar and the PGE Consulting Group LLC on LinkedIn.

The world does not evolve without innovation, yet often innovative ideas and solutions are blocked due to individual, institutional, and structural barriers. To move in a more equitable direction, it takes figuring out how to use whatever the blocks are and turn them into catalysts.

Squire Servance understands this when it comes to capitalism and is drawing resources together to support his vision. He’s a health equity advocate with a passion for focusing on providing an avenue for accessible, innovative healthcare solutions for all, which he does with his investment firm Syridex Bio.

In this episode of the Branding Room Only podcast, you’ll learn about how this investment firm is working to change the landscape and advance life sciences for underserved communities. He’ll also define what health equity is, discuss his non-traditional approach to acquiring capital to fund ventures, and much more!

1:38 - What personal brand means to Squire, three words to describe him, quotes that keep him focused, and his hype song

6:46 - The environment that taught Squire about hard work and ambition and got him interested in science

9:16 - Squire’s pivot from science and medicine to law and business in his education journey and what that says about him

13:59 - How Squire’s educational background came together early in his career and led to his interest in investing

19:50 - How Squire’s investment firm focuses on helping underserved communities and where it gets its funding

25:31 - What health equity is and why no single institution can achieve it alone

30:25 - How to make it easier to pick and juggle opportunities and how that helps with branding

33:48 - The legacy Squire wants to have, what he does for fun, two of his non-negotiable brand aspects, and the magic he can give others

Connect With Squire Servance

Squire Servance is the Founder and Managing Partner of Syridex Bio, an impact-driven, life sciences-focused investment firm geared toward investing in and developing therapies that accelerate global health equity. As Managing Partner, he oversees the firm’s operations, growth strategy, investment decisions, and fundraising execution.

Syridex Bio | LinkedIn

Mentioned In Integrity and Innovation: Squire Servance's Path to Advancing Health Equity

2024 Intention and Goal Setting Webinar

Subscribe to The Branding Room Only on YouTube

Sponsor for this episode

This episode is brought to you by PGE Consulting Group LLC.

PGE Consulting Group LLC is dedicated to providing a practical hybrid of professional development training and diversity solutions. From speaking to consulting to programming and more, all services and resources are carefully tailored for each partner. Paula Edgar’s distinct expertise helps engage attendees and create lasting change for her clients.

To learn more about Paula and her services, go to www.paulaedgar.com or contact her at [email protected], and follow Paula Edgar and the PGE Consulting Group LLC on LinkedIn.

The field of diversity, equity, and inclusion has many respected practitioners. But my guest this week is the OG (in both impact and brand), and someone I’ve admired for a long time. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have her on the podcast!

Vernā Myers is a renowned diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) pioneer with profound perspectives on the challenges and opportunities present in the field. She’s had several pivotal points in her career that highlight the significant impact of the work she’s done. In reflecting on the current global climate, Vernā emphasizes the need for imagination, courage, curiosity, and compassion in driving meaningful organizational change and a more inclusive world.

In this episode of the Branding Room Only podcast, you’ll hear about Vernā’s insights about personal branding, the evolution of DEI through her journey, and the need to embrace inclusion in all aspects of work and life. You’ll also discover the importance of perspective in this work when facing obstacles, and so much more.

1:47 - Vernā’s personal brand definition, the real trick to creating a brand, and her three-word description of herself

4:44 - An amendment to Vernā’s trademark quote and why Jill Scott’s “Golden” is her hype song

9:08 - How Vernā’s childhood (including MLK’s assassination when she was 8) and education shaped her journey

13:32 - How Vernā went from practicing law to practicing DEI and what she attributes to her success

21:29 - Some of the pivotal points in Vernā’s career in the process of becoming a DEI pioneer

30:05 - The backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion and the problem with the idea of rebranding it

40:00 - Vernā’s impactful DEI work at Netflix and how it helped her become a better leader

46:40 - The biggest challenges and opportunities for DEI initiatives today and in the future

53:43 - The uncompromisable aspect of Vernā’s brand and the Branding Room Only experience she brings to the world

Mentioned In Building Brands with Integrity: A Conversation with DEI Pioneer Vernā Myers

The Vernā Myers Company

Sundays with Vernā

Vernā Myers’ TEDx Talk

Books by Vernā Myers

Boston Lawyers Group

“Building a Legacy: Insights on Leadership and Diversity in the Law with Robert J. Grey Jr.”

Subscribe to The Branding Room Only on YouTube

Sponsor for this episode

This episode is brought to you by PGE Consulting Group LLC.

PGE Consulting Group LLC is dedicated to providing a practical hybrid of professional development training and diversity solutions. From speaking to consulting to programming and more, all services and resources are carefully tailored for each partner. Paula Edgar’s distinct expertise helps engage attendees and create lasting change for her clients.

To learn more about Paula and her services, go to www.paulaedgar.com or contact her at [email protected], and follow Paula Edgar and the PGE Consulting Group LLC on LinkedIn.

Independence Day is on the horizon, and what better way to celebrate the spirit of freedom and new beginnings than revisiting a conversation with a true pioneer! 

Michele Coleman Mays redefined leadership and advocacy during her distinguished career. She has served as the Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary for The New York Public Library and had key roles at Allstate Insurance Company and Pitney Bowes Inc. During our conversation, she shared her unique lens on personal branding, leadership, and career development.

In this episode of the Branding Room Only podcast, you’ll learn about the difference between branding and reputation, the critical role of authenticity, and how to rethink the concept of retirement. Michele will also touch on various aspects and strategies in strong brand creation, best practices for enhancing your leadership and career skills, and more.

2:26 - Michele’s personal branding definition, how she describes herself, a quote that’ll make you pause and think, and her hype songs

7:00 - Two strategies that Michele used in building her personal brand

9:07 - The evolution of Michele’s interaction with the business and leadership sides of different organizations

12:12 - How personal branding and reputation differ and the necessity of keeping your audience in mind during interactions

16:48 - Why you should still strive to access resources that help build your brand and skill set, even if you’re already at the top

20:52 - The complexity of showing up authentically for minority groups in professional settings

24:32 - Two things that surprised Michele the most while co-writing her book Courageous Counsel

27:00 - Civic engagements that were integral to Michele’s career, how she reimagines the concept of retirement, and what she plans to do next

33:05 - Two mistakes people make when networking for personal brand-building

35:03 - What Michele always does for fun when traveling and her non-negotiable brand aspects, Branding Room Only Magic, and final words of advice

Mentioned In Inspiring Independence: Reimagining Leadership and Branding with Michele Coleman Mayes

Courageous Counsel: Conversations with Women General Counsel in the Fortune 500 by Michele Coleman Mayes and Kara Sophia Baysinger

Michele Coleman Mayes on LinkedIn

The HistoryMakers

Center for Reproductive Rights

American College of Governance Counsel

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

Subscribe to The Branding Room Only on YouTube

Sponsor for this episode

This episode is brought to you by PGE Consulting Group LLC.

PGE Consulting Group LLC is dedicated to providing a practical hybrid of professional development training and diversity solutions. From speaking to consulting to programming and more, all services and resources are carefully tailored for each partner. Paula Edgar’s distinct expertise helps engage attendees and create lasting change for her clients.

To learn more about Paula and her services, go to www.paulaedgar.com or contact her at [email protected], and follow Paula Edgar and the PGE Consulting Group LLC on LinkedIn.

The fight to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion has deep historical roots, marked by significant milestones and challenges, from the Civil Rights era to present-day initiatives, including the recent Supreme Court decision on affirmative action. Robert J. Grey Jr., President of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) and former President of the American Bar Association, has witnessed several pivotal moments in this ongoing battle. His experiences growing up during these transformative times have profoundly influenced his career and dedication to both leadership and advancing diversity in the legal profession.

In this episode of the Branding Room Only podcast, Robert delves into his impactful career and the current state of diversity in law and society. He discusses the vital work of LCLD, the importance of mentorship, and the lessons learned from career successes and setbacks. Robert shares his insights on what it takes to continue moving forward and build a legacy that inspires.

1:36 - Aspects of a successful personal brand, how Robert defines his brand, and his favorite quote and hype song

9:20 - How his upbringing and schooling impacted Robert’s brand and career

17:43 - What Robert learned about himself in not winning the 2008 Richmond mayoral race

21:07 - What the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity is and why it’s important

26:32 - Robert’s insights into the state of diversity in the country and the legal profession

32:34 - A broader concept of mentorship and how it can be critical to your brand

37:03 - How Robert made jury improvement and preservation his focus as American Bar Association president

43:07 - The legacy Robert hopes to leave behind and what he does for fun

49:39 - The inflection point confronting us right now and why persistence is so critical

Mentioned In Building a Legacy: Insights on Leadership and Diversity in the Law with Robert Grey Jr.

Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) | X/Twitter

American Bar Association

Legal Services Corporation

Sponsor for this episode

This episode is brought to you by PGE Consulting Group LLC.

PGE Consulting Group LLC is dedicated to providing a practical hybrid of professional development training and diversity solutions. From speaking to consulting to programming and more, all services and resources are carefully tailored for each partner. Paula Edgar’s distinct expertise helps engage attendees and create lasting change for her clients.

To learn more about Paula and her services, go to www.paulaedgar.com or contact her at [email protected], and follow Paula Edgar and the PGE Consulting Group LLC on LinkedIn.

We don’t know the faces or names of many enslaved Black people in American history. Some left a small mark of their existence in the very bricks of the buildings their hands built, yet they remain voiceless because their story has been hidden away.

Historians like Annette Gordon-Reed know that through sharing the stories of enslaved people, we remember their humanity and preserve historical truth in the process. She’s a Harvard University professor and the award-winning author of The Hemingses of Monticello and On Juneteenth. With her lawyer-like approach, she’s brought light to stories once expunged from our history and provided a view of the road to Juneteenth through her books.

In this episode of the Branding Room Only podcast, you’ll hear about the national implications inherent in The Hemingses’ story (and connection to Thomas Jefferson) and Juneteenth. Annette will discuss her own experiences with celebrating Juneteenth, what the country should learn from the experiences of enslaved people, and more!

2:15 - Annette’s personal branding definition, three-word description of herself, favorite quotes, and hype song

4:30 - The importance of reading and music in Annette’s life as a child

6:31 - Annette’s non-traditional career trajectory as a lawyer, author, and professor

10:09 - What motivated Annette to write about the Hemingses and Thomas Jefferson

15:43 - The need to understand the truth in shaping the legacies and personal brands we hold dear

18:28 - The significance of Juneteenth and why Annette wrote her book on it

24:57 - Traditional Juneteenth celebrations Annette grew up with in Texas and newer ones she’s seen integrated into the holiday

29:29 - The good and (potential) bad about Juneteenth and its importance in the context of American history

36:37 - How Annette wants people in the future to remember her contribution to preserving a piece of American history

38:31 - Finding fun and continuous growth in humbling activities

42:27 - Annette’s one uncompromisable aspect and Branding Room Only quality

Mentioned In Truth and Celebration: Stories of Black American History with Annette Gordon-Reed

The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed

On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed

Vernon Can Read!: A Memoir

“This Is How We Do It” by Montell Jordan | Youtube (Official Music Video) 

“Scherzo Op. 39 No. 3 in C Sharp Minor” by Chopin | Youtube (Pogorelich)

PaulaTV: Stagville Plantation Fingerprints of Slave Children

Sponsor for this episode

This episode is brought to you by PGE Consulting Group LLC.

PGE Consulting Group LLC is dedicated to providing a practical hybrid of professional development training and diversity solutions. From speaking to consulting to programming and more, all services and resources are carefully tailored for each partner. Paula Edgar’s distinct expertise helps engage attendees and create lasting change for her clients.

To learn more about Paula and her services, go to www.paulaedgar.com or contact her at [email protected], and follow Paula Edgar and the PGE Consulting Group LLC on LinkedIn.

From the military to the music world, Paula Boggs has made her mark by bravely navigating new spaces and pioneering career paths for herself. After serving at the Pentagon and in the White House as an army officer, she spent a decade at Starbucks as its Chief Legal Officer before leaving to write and perform music with the Paula Boggs Band.

As you listen to our conversation, you’ll be inspired and in awe. Her story is one of resilience, adaptability, and breaking barriers. And she inspires others to embrace their authenticity, find joy in their work, and make a positive impact in their respective fields.

In this episode of the Branding Room Only podcast, you’ll learn about how Paula’s background influenced her leadership style and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Paula will also reveal the importance that mentorship and sponsorship can have in shaping careers, the value of servant leadership and the lasting impact it can have on an organization’s culture, and more!

1:24 - What personal branding means to Paula and her three-word self-description, favorite Maya Angelou quote, and Jill Scott hype song

3:32 - Why asking where Paula grew up has a more complicated answer than it does for most people

13:22 - The role of law school as a delay strategy for Paula and how she used failure to open doors of opportunity

23:08 - A textbook lesson in mentorship and sponsorship (and the difference between the two)

31:28 - A need to be fulfilled in a job and how Paula continued to break ground in her career journey

36:11 - How Paula got exposed to music at an early age and returned to writing and performing music after a 15-year hiatus

41:51 - Why Paula stayed on as Starbucks General Counsel for a few years even as she felt called to do something different

45:42 - Servant leadership as an essential attribute for good leaders and the legacy Paula left behind at Starbucks

55:20 - Sources of joy for Paula, the one thing she’ll always stand by, and her Branding Room Only magic

Connect With Paula Boggs

Boggs Media, LLC | LinkedIn | Twitter/X

Paula Boggs Band | Facebook | Twitter/X | Instagram | TikTok | Spotify

Mentioned In Breaking Barriers, Pioneering Career Paths, and Making a Positive Impact with Paula Boggs

Crafting a Personal Brand in the Corporate World with Zabrina Jenkins

Sponsor for this episode

This episode is brought to you by PGE Consulting Group LLC.

PGE Consulting Group LLC is dedicated to providing a practical hybrid of professional development training and diversity solutions. From speaking to consulting to programming and more, all services and resources are carefully tailored for each partner. Paula Edgar’s distinct expertise helps engage attendees and create lasting change for her clients.

To learn more about Paula and her services, go to www.paulaedgar.com or contact her at [email protected], and follow Paula Edgar and the PGE Consulting Group LLC on LinkedIn.

There’s something magical about anyone who not only understands their magic but taps into it, risks and all. Janinah Burnett has always been led to stand in her power with the gift God gave her, regardless of anyone else’s reservations.

She’s an internationally renowned Broadway and Metropolitan opera soprano who has played the role of Carlotta Giudicelli in Phantom of the Opera and Mimi in Baz Luhrmann’s La Bohème. Recently, she released an album featuring collaborative arrangements that fuse classical and jazz while showcasing her ability to create boundary-pushing music.

In this episode of the Branding Room Only podcast, you’ll learn about Janinah’s commitment to innovative, uninhibited singing and passion for honoring the legacy of past musicians through her own art. She also discusses how she focuses on helping new musicians produce sound in a healthy, uninhibited manner.

1:38 - How Janinah describes personal brand, herself in three words, the quote that’s been the driving force of her career, and her hype song

5:56 - The influence of growing up in an artistic community and attending Spelman University as an aspiring musician

15:06 - How Janinah started performing on Broadway at age 23 and fiercely leads with her talent, no matter what

23:59 - How Janinah and I met and what it was like for her to perform at The Met in New York and learn to speak Italian

29:38 - The opera song Janinah loves singing the most and the Broadway character who had a huge impact on her development

34:15 - The magic that went into creating Janinah’s album and the power of the language of music

42:05 - How the album’s title reflects Janinah’s brand, how she supports new musicians, and why the body itself is an instrument

46:55 - Janinah sings a few inspirational lines and reveals what she does for fun, her uncompromisable brand aspect, and her Branding Room Only skill

Connect With Janinah Burnett

Janinah Burnett | Instagram | Facebook

Listen to Love the Color of Your Butterfly 

Mentioned In Innovation and Honoring Legacy Through the Magic of Music with Janinah Burnett

Branding Room Only podcast interview with Sonya Olds Som

Malcolm J. Merriweather

Sponsor for this episode

This episode is brought to you by PGE Consulting Group LLC.

PGE Consulting Group LLC is dedicated to providing a practical hybrid of professional development training and diversity solutions. From speaking to consulting to programming and more, all services and resources are carefully tailored for each partner. Paula Edgar’s distinct expertise helps engage attendees and create lasting change for her clients.

To learn more about Paula and her services, go to www.paulaedgar.com or contact her at [email protected], and follow Paula Edgar and the PGE Consulting Group LLC on LinkedIn.