Happy Pride Month!
In this special Pride Month episode of the Lead With Your Brand Podcast, Jayzen celebrates and amplifies the voices of LGBTQ+ leaders, executives, creatives, advocates, and changemakers from the Pride On Brand collection.
But before diving into these powerful conversations, Jayzen opens with an important reminder: you have a brand, whether you realize it or not. The real question is whether you are consciously and strategically leading with the brand you want, or are you allowing others to define it for you?
Jayzen shares a personal story from early in his career, when he realized that others were assigning a brand to him based on only one part of who he was. At first, it felt light and fun. But over time, he began to understand that the perception being created was not necessarily the brand that would help him move into the next level of leadership. It became a powerful “aha” moment: when you do not put your own brand forward, people will create one for you.
This episode brings that lesson to life through a powerful Pride Month clip reel featuring LGBTQ+ leaders who have turned their identities, lived experiences, values, and visibility into sources of strength, impact, and career breakthrough.
Key Takeaways
- Your lived experience can become one of your greatest leadership superpowers
- Being authentic at work is not separate from professional excellence
- Your brand will not be everyone’s cup of tea, and that is exactly why finding the right brand fit matters
- Visibility, service, and giving back can all become powerful career accelerators
In this special episode, Jayzen revisits conversations with an incredible group of LGBTQ+ leaders and changemakers, including:
- Congressman Mark Takano, on becoming the first openly LGBTQ+ person of color elected to Congress.
- Jen Henderson, technology executive, on being known for your expertise and leadership and also proudly owning the identity and lived experience that shape who you are
- Erin Uritus, CEO of Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, on stepping into leadership with authenticity and not trying to be anyone but herself
- Chris Mossiah, Executive Director at JPMorgan Chase, on turning insecurities into superpowers and treating their name as a brand
- Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD, on visibility, media representation, and using your platform to make the world safer for LGBTQ+ families
- Beck Bailey, Chief Diversity Officer at Accenture, on combining business expertise with lived experience to create systemic change
- Christelle Miller, Senior Creative Executive at Fable Entertainment, on the importance of representation behind the scenes and on screen
- Wilson Cruz, actor and activist, on breaking barriers in the Star Trek universe and engaging in meaningful dialogue about representation
- Stephen Macias, Chief Inclusion Officer for Octagon, on building a career rooted in values, advocacy, entertainment, and culture
- Louis Vega, President of Dow North America, on giving back and helping make the path easier for the next generation
- Matt Brooks, Vice President and head of enterprise data tech and solutions at Nationwide, on how employee resource groups can build confidence, visibility, skills, and career momentum.
- Legendary Disney Imagineer Bob Gurr, on how far the LGBTQ+ community has come and why visibility across generations matters
This Pride Month, Jayzen challenges listeners to ask themselves: What are the unique lived experiences, perspectives, and strengths that can become your calling card as you lead with your brand to your next career breakthrough?
Links
To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop, visit Jayzenpatria.com
To hear the full conversations from the Pride On Brand collection, visit leadwithyourbrand.com/pride
