Giant Steps with Leilani Brown (formerly Your First Job)

Brooks Reitz, a Charleston-based entrepreneur and restaurateur, joins host Leilani to discuss his entry and ultimate success in hospitality. Reitz emphasizes the importance of storytelling in his restaurants, drawing parallels to his early love for theater. He also shares insights on the challenges of running a restaurant group, including maintaining operations during the pandemic. Stay tuned and...

Host Leilani welcomes Shari Hubert, Associate Dean of Admissions at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business to the podcast. Hubert discusses her career journey and the evolving landscape of graduate admissions. She also reflects on her early career in pharmaceutical sales, where she learned resilience and advocacy. This episode comes on the heels of the Fuqua School achieving gender parity in i...

Host Leilani reconnects with longtime friend Dolly Chugh, a social psychologist and NYU professor. They discuss her career journey from investment banking at Morgan Stanley to academia. Chugh emphasizes the importance of self-awareness in choosing a career path and highlights the generational differences in workplace dynamics. She stresses the significance of good bosses in fostering growth and ha...

Host Leilani is joined by Mychal Threets, a librarian, literacy ambassador, and mental health advocate. Threets discusses his journey from a homeschooled library kid to Spirit Halloween employee, to his current role as PBS’ resident librarian. Mychal emphasizes the importance of libraries as community hubs, providing resources for job seekers, including computer access and job fairs. He advises as...

Host Leilani interviews talent professional Alec Fox to explore his experiences on Google’s People team during times of rapid growth. They delve into the challenges of maintaining a consistent recruitment message while fostering relationships across multiple generations of employees. Alec reflects on his early job experiences, which shaped his understanding of how recognizing the unique needs of v...

Leilani Brown interviews Francesca Hogi, aka "Dear Franny," about her career journey from law to dating expert. Francesca shares her experiences on Survivor, including being the first person voted off twice, and how it taught her to not internalize others' opinions. She discusses her transition to matchmaking and coaching, emphasizing the importance of self-love and mutual respect in...

On the premiere episode of Your First Job, Leilani catches up with Orlando Ashford, Chief People Officer of Fanatics, Inc - a leading digital sports platform specializing in licensed merchandise, trading cards, and sports betting. Their conversation takes place just before Fanatics Fest , the company's inaugural event in NYC set to attract over 100,000 fans. Orlando shares insights on mobilizi...

YFJ host Leilani M. Brown shares her personal experiences working in various entry-level jobs, including cashier, retail art gallery worker, and Red Lobster server! Through these experiences, she emphasizes the importance of adaptability, resilience, and observation skills in shaping future careers. Alsoooo, it’s Leilani’s birthday! Share your birthday wishes by subscribing to YFJ. And show your l...

Have you ever wondered how successful and happy people got their starts?  Every success story begins somewhere, often more humbly than you'd expect. I’m Leilani Brown, host of "Your First Job: The Podcast.” On each episode, I talk to extraordinary people about their ordinary beginnings, taking it back to where it all began.  You'll hear inspiring, unexpected, and sometimes hilarious s...