Airports offer tremendous vendor and employment opportunities for professionals and entrepreneurs of color. On this week’s Protégé Podcast, we have an informative conversation with Krystal J. Brumfield, the CEO of the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC), the leading advocacy organization for minority professionals and small businesses at U.S. airports. Learn why DBE certification, joint ventures, and employment background checks are a few of the important aspects to consider regarding airport contracts. We also discuss the numerous employment opportunities available at U.S. airports. When it comes to airports, it’s time to think about your career and small business – as well as your flight – taking off.

Should you consider public service as a career option? Randall Woodfin, the 35-year old mayoral candidate in Birmingham, Alabama, says history is filled with committed citizens who answered an early call to serve. A former SGA president at Morehouse, government attorney, and school board leader in his hometown, Randall is a tech savvy millennial with an old soul. On this week’s Protégé Podcast, we discuss Randall’s vision for Birmingham, what it’s like to lose a loved one to gun violence, and why, as a public servant, he feels the fierce urgency of now.

On March 28th Dallas Jackson enjoyed one of the most pivotal moments in his Hollywood career – the national debut of REBEL, a BET series he helped to produce. On this week’s bonus episode of Protégé Podcast, Dallas talks about why working in the mail room at a Hollywood studio was better than grad school, how he and his wife collaborated to develop REBEL, and the mystery of the cigarette burn on Bobby Brown’s movie script (yep, that Bobby Brown). It’s an inspirational episode about childhood dreams, honing your craft, and never giving up!

Social media provides powerful tools to create a professional brand. Whether you are a corporate executive, work in government, or are launching an entrepreneurial venture, your social media brand tells a story about you. On this week’s Protégé Podcast, we welcome back Blair Dottin-Haley, now a full-time entrepreneur who takes us through how he’s built a social media following from scratch and leveraged his following to launch a successful, global apparel line. Blair shares how he went from #hashtags to direct deposits in 90 days.

Cole Wiley is a born storyteller; it’s literally in his DNA. When his father, a revered sports writer and author, passed away unexpectedly, Cole inherited a legacy that he’s found inspirational and, at times, overwhelming. But don’t sleep – Cole’s narrative genius is matched by his leviathan ambition. He doesn’t just want to be a successful filmmaker. Cole wants to change the world through storytelling. This week’s Guest Mentor on Protege Podcast, Cole shares his artistic journey as a filmmaker, and the powerful lessons a son learned from his father.

On Part 2 of the conversation with Cole Wiley, he discusses why Elon Musk is one of his heroes, new creative projects under development, and his advice for anyone feeling stuck in their career. On The Breakdown, I focus on all of the factors outside of our control that impact our career, and why peer envy will drive you crazy.