Minority Report Podcast

Sukhi Sahni and Sarab Kochhar discussed their backgrounds, careers, and values on the Minority Report Podcast. Sukhi, now freelancing and teaching, emphasized the importance of kindness and empathy in leadership. Sarab, working at the Gates Foundation, highlighted the intersection of business strategy, communication, and humanitarian efforts. Both stressed the need for leaders to stay true to thei...

Jay Sears, founder and CEO of Team Daya, discussed the organization's mission to build primary schools in remote areas, funded by contributions from the ad tech industry. Team Daya operates in five countries: Senegal, Malawi, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. Sears emphasized the importance of community involvement, with local communities providing land and labor. The organization has completed 11...

Rishad Tobaccowala, founder of the Rethinking Work Platform and co-founder of the Athena Project, discussed the future of work, emphasizing the shift towards remote and freelance roles, with over 51% of the workforce expected to be remote by 2028. He highlighted the importance of meaningful, purposeful work, citing research showing its impact on health and happiness. He advocated for a shift towar...

Jenna LoMonaco, Head of Marketing at ONErpm, discusses her career journey from Brooklyn to New Jersey, her transition from audio engineering to PR, and her role at ONErpm. She highlights the company's unique position as a modern music label offering distribution, artist deals, publishing, and content creation. Jenna emphasizes the importance of transparency, cultural sensitivity, and leveraging te...

In this episode of the Minority Report podcast, host Kerel Cooper sits down with Haleh Shoa, CEO and founder of Picturli, a company dedicated to preserving and organizing family memories. Haleh shares her powerful journey from Iran during the revolution, where her family fled with only a few precious belongings, including family photo albums. This experience deeply influenced her passion for helpi...

Samantha Choi, CEO and Chief Creative Officer of manual labor, discussed her journey from Korea to America, her parents' influence, and the inspiration behind her company's name. She emphasized the importance of having "good people" and the company's mission to "do great work with good people." Choi shared her experience with non-traditional family structures and her role as a great aunt and uncle...

Kenisha Pough, founder and CEO of Momentum and Co, a marketing and communications agency, discussed her diverse background and career journey. Born in Bermuda, she moved to Ecuador for missionary work and later to England. Her education includes degrees from Bermuda College, Temple University, and DeVry University. Kenisha emphasized the importance of servant leadership and adapting quickly in bus...

Chris Contreras, Managing Director of Funding Supreme, discussed his journey from leaving a tech role to founding Funding Supreme, which surpassed $1 million in revenue in its first year. He highlighted the importance of separating personal and business finances, sharing his experience of securing a $40,000 American Express card for his previous venture. Chris emphasized the need for entrepreneurs...

Chico Bryant and Bill Hampton discussed their collaboration on the documentary "Unpunished," which explores the 2019 murder of Ronald Greene by the Louisiana State Police. The film, produced by Bryant's United Venture Productions, highlights the systemic corruption and cover-up involved. Hampton, who invested in the project, emphasized the need to address police immunity and qualified immunity. Th...

Chad Hickey, founder and CEO of Givsly, discusses his journey from Arkansas to New York and the inception of Givsly, a company that aligns consumer and brand values through responsible advertising. Givsly has facilitated nearly $3 million in donations and emphasizes values-based marketing, which is crucial as 80% of consumers consider values when purchasing. Hickey highlights initiatives like "Sea...

Simone Arthur, a spiritual advisor and founder of Sacred Conversations, shared her journey from Barbados to New York, where she attended City University and worked in tourism. She discovered her spiritual gift in her late 20s after attending a church in Brooklyn. Simone now offers readings, focusing on business and personal life guidance. She emphasizes the importance of connecting with ancestors...

Nathalie Heywood Smith, owner of Heywood Smith Consulting and evangelist for POC Stock, discusses her journey from recruitment to consulting and her work with POC Stock. She emphasizes the importance of understanding human traits in hiring and breaking stereotypes. Nathalie highlights the need for diverse stories to combat stereotypes and improve inclusion. She shares insights on leadership change...

Kerel interviews Samina Bari, a CEO and board advisor, about her background and career journey. Samina, a first-generation American of Pakistani and Indian descent, discusses her upbringing in Staten Island, New York, and the cultural and identity conflicts she faced. She shares her career in healthcare and pharmaceuticals, her pivots to in-house roles and strategy advisory, and her recent book, "...

Perri Dash, co-host of the Wrist Check Podcast and co-founder of Super Niche, discusses his journey from growing up in the Bronx to his career in fashion and luxury. He highlights his passion for watches, particularly Tudor, and his experiences at Ralph Lauren and Watches of Switzerland. Perri shares the inception of the Wrist Check Podcast during COVID-19, its growth, and the launch of Super Nich...

Nikki Carrido, VP of Marketing Strategy and Sponsorships at Museum of Pop Culture, discusses the museum's 25th anniversary, its focus on fashion, film, gaming, and music, and its new CEO's strategic plan. She highlights the recent "Contact High" exhibition celebrating hip hop's 50th anniversary. Carrido shares her background, including her Chinese American heritage, early career at Bank of America...

Sharon Mussalli, CEO of NowThis, discussed her journey and leadership strategies. She highlighted the evolution of NowThis into two streams: NowThis impact, focusing on social issues, and NowThis pop culture, addressing lifestyle entertainment. Mussalli emphasized the importance of a diverse board to stay relevant and innovative. She shared insights from her experience at Meta and founding Extra C...

Maria Teresa Hernandez, Head of Supplier Diversity at Mirriad, discusses her journey and the unique aspects of Mirriad, a technology-driven company bridging brands into content through AI-powered media integrations. She highlights her efforts to prioritize diverse suppliers, including Black, Hispanic, Asian, and LGBTQ+ owned businesses. Maria shares her background, including her upbringing in Chic...

Steve Jones, founder and CEO of pocstock, discusses his journey from Barbados to Brooklyn, highlighting the cultural shock and educational challenges he faced. He explains the inception of pocstock, a company addressing the lack of diverse stock images, and its mission to provide positive representations of people of color. Jones shares the challenges of raising seed funding, noting the difficulty...

In episode 180, Erik and Kerel met with Jennifer Yepez-Blundell, co-founder and COO of Drafted, who discusses balancing her role as a mother, wife, and entrepreneur in Texas. She emphasizes the importance of being present for her children and maintaining her marriage. Jennifer shares her career journey, from being a collegiate athlete to founding Drafted, a media company targeting Latinas in sport...

In episode 179, Erik and Kerel had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Marcus Collins, a renowned professor, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and chief strategy officer. Dr. Collins offered a fascinating look at how culture, human behavior, and marketing intersect. His journey, combined with his academic and professional experiences, gives him a unique perspective on how businesses can better un...

In episode 178, Erik and Kerel sit down with Grouchy Greg Watkins, Founder at AllHipHop.com, a trusted source for daily hip hop news, videos, rumors, entertainment, features and more founded in 1998 by Grouchy Greg and Chuck Creekmur. Greg was born in Albany, NY to a black father and white mother, who eventually moved their family to Delaware. There, Greg got deeper into music, the break dancing s...

In episode 177, Erik and Kerel talk with Cynthia Morgan Jenkins, Head of Supplier Diversity and Managing Partner at GroupM, the world's leading media investment company. Cynthia was born and raised in Long Island by two parents who grew up in the Deep South of North Carolina. She was a dancer through and through until one day she got injured and her mom pushed her to do something that wouldn’t be...

In episode 176, Kerel talks with sisters Carrie Bloxson, Chief DEI Officer at Hachette Book Group USA & UK, and Kolt Bloxson Pitts, Founding Executive Director at Miles Ahead Charter School. They discuss their family’s upbringing as Carrie being the oldest of four and Kolt being the youngest, how their childhoods differed and the impacts of their experiences to do the work they do today. In their...

In episode 175, Erik and Kerel talk with Anika Howard, President and Chief Executive Officer at Wondr Nation. Anika was born to two student activists in New Orleans and soon moved to Washington D.C. where it was safer and they could help more activists be protected while they worked to integrate schools and museums in the US. She fell in love with technology as a child because she felt like that w...

In episode 174, Erik and Kerel talk with Ashley Holmes, Head of Marketing at LUMA Partners. LUMA Partners is the leading investment bank focused on digital media and marketing, composed of bankers and also trusted strategic advisors who have been around the block a few times. As an only child to a single mother growing up in Queens, NY, Ashley learned a lot about responsibility, hard work, self-re...