Changing the Trajectory
45 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 months ago -Changing the Trajectory is a podcast hosted by James Seth Thompson that seeks to inspire and empower meaningful generational planning and legacy building through intentional and deliberate action.
Featuring roundtable discussions that highlight multicultural markets and communities as breeding grounds for success and change, we offer fresh perspectives on responsibility and investing. Learn to prioritize core values and act with intent to leverage influence and create lasting impact. We won’t dodge the hard stuff. Together, let's make the pivot from a standard operating procedure to that of intentionality and purpose.
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Episodes
Overcoming Adversity: Michael Oher’s Life and Mission
June 01, 2023 04:00 - 17 minutes - 39 MBThe rumors are true: Super Bowl Champion and subject of the Oscar-winning film "The Blind Side," Michael Oher, wore the same white t-shirt to school every day of his 8th-grade year. Today, Michael's childhood spent overcoming the effects of extreme poverty and homelessness keeps his purpose clear. As Founder of The Oher Foundation, Michael's mission is to provide access to education and opportunity for socio-economically disadvantaged youth. What legacy would you most like to build? Note t...
Why Impact Investing is a Critical Win-Win
May 04, 2023 04:00 - 38 minutes - 88.3 MBWhy are market failures an optimal use of capitalism to inspire innovation? Priya Parrish, partner and CIO of Impact Engine, a women-owned venture capital and private equity firm, joins James and Maci to discuss the importance of impact investing and the significance of the rewards society gains when solving for critical needs. Carlos Orantes, CEO of Alcanza Clinical Research, discusses his company's focus on one such solve: diversifying clinical research to include underserved and underrepr...
Gregory Robinson’s Mastery of the Balance Between Science and Art
April 06, 2023 04:00 - 29 minutes - 68 MBSometimes it is rocket science. In 2018, decades into his 33-year career at NASA, Gregory Robinson was asked to lead the James Webb Space Telescope Program to get it over the goal line. Gregory's rise from sharecropper parents in Virginia to segregated schooling in the 1960s to becoming the Webb Space Telescope's program director and the 2022 Time Innovator of the Year is an achievement—one whose impact rivals the scientific marvel that is Webb itself. Note to All Readers: The information ...
A National Champion for Women Entrepreneurs
March 02, 2023 05:00 - 32 minutes - 75.3 MBNatalie Madeira Cofield is a Fortune 500 Small Business Advisor, an award-winning entrepreneur, a women’s empowerment advocate, a philanthropist, and a national changemaker. In 2021, Natalie was appointed Assistant Administrator for the Office of Women’s Business Ownership, making history as the highest-ranking Black woman in the Biden-Harris Administration. Today, Natalie continues her mission to support women entrepreneurs by imparting her savvy know-how and experience garnered as Executiv...
Waikinya Clanton’s Mississippi: The Land of Opportunity
February 02, 2023 05:00 - 34 minutes - 78.6 MB“What are you really moving and shaking if you can’t move and shake for your own home?” Waikinya Clanton, Executive Director of Mississippi’s Southern Poverty Law Center, poses this as she discusses her move away from a national rise in politics in DC to her choice to return home to Mississippi and put her skillset to use there. Waikinya’s inspiring leadership in handling Jackson’s water crisis has elevated and advanced the SPLC’s mission: to eradicate racial and social injustice in the deep...
School is in Session with Professor Kezia Williams
January 12, 2023 05:00 - 36 minutes - 83.4 MBKezia Williams is an author, entrepreneur, and the CEO of The Black upStart—an organization that has trained nearly 500 Black entrepreneurs to become job creators and asset owners. How can we establish patterns of profit generation and wealth acquisition? Kezia’s culturally relevant Black wealth blueprint teaches how to break counterproductive financial generational patterns to develop a wealth-creating mindset. https://plnk.to/CT?to=page Note to All Readers: The information contained here...
Changing the Trajectory: Best of 2022
December 13, 2022 05:00 - 30 minutes - 70.2 MBToday we're featuring our best of 2022 highlight reel! Listen for passionate takeaways and calls to action from the legendary "Olivia Pope of Silicon Valley," Jotaka Eaddy, and acclaimed CNN anchor Zain Asher. Brandon Andrews—entrepreneur and leader of a nationwide casting tour for Shark Tank—shares invaluable knowledge. And prepare for a Master (P) Class with none other than Percy Miller himself. Get the full episode of #ChangingtheTrajectory anywhere you listen to podcasts. https://plnk.to...
Actively Black Is Not Just an Apparel Brand, It’s a Movement
November 08, 2022 05:00 - 33 minutes - 76.1 MB“There’s nothing passive about it,” says trailblazing entrepreneur Lanny Smith of his premium athleisure brand, Actively Black. Since its inception in 2020, this mission-based brand has operated with the clear intention of reinvesting back into the Black community by advocating for social justice, health, and wellness from within. With the Obamas, Daymond John, and Marvel Studios all in Actively Black’s corner, is it time to join the movement, too? https://plnk.to/CT?to=page Note to All Re...
Creating a Digital Empire for Good
October 11, 2022 04:00 - 19 minutes - 44.2 MBMedia mogul Anu Bhardwaj is reaching millions of women in emerging markets with her new app, Sheqonomi. Will digital wallets put 2 billion women on the board? Sheqonomi centers women in emerging markets as a platform designed for women globally to listen, learn and earn. A fierce founder and a global influencer, Anu is ensuring that women worldwide take more control of their money and destinies. https://plnk.to/CT?to=page Note to All Readers: The information contained here reflects the vie...
The Lower East Side Girls Club of NY: A "Dream Incubator”
September 13, 2022 04:00 - 30 minutes - 70.7 MB“Who runs the world? Girls!” Beyonce knows it, and so does the Lower East Side Girls Club. Today James and Maci speak with co-executive director Ebonie Simpson about her disruptive non-profit connecting young women of color in New York City to bright futures. How? Through free, year-round, innovative programming and mentoring. The LESGC’s 40,000-square-foot facility boasts a shop for coding and robotics; an Environmental Studies lab; a media, film, and photography center; sound and design st...
In Our Communities: Activating a Local Shark Tank Effect
August 09, 2022 04:00 - 35 minutes - 82 MBHow can we create a Shark Tank effect within our local communities? Entrepreneur, investor, and leader of a nationwide casting tour for ABC's Shark Tank, Brandon Andrews, joins us with concrete answers. Brandon inspires people of color to believe in their ability to start and grow a business, have the capital and resources necessary to take their ideas forward, change their communities, and create generational wealth. Listen for details on sharing yet protecting your business idea, social me...
Uniting to Support the Quest to Amplify Diverse Voices
July 12, 2022 04:00 - 36 minutes - 83.4 MBHow do we democratize who can support BIPOC plays and creatives? Venture capitalist and founder of Wocstar Fund and the Wocstar Foundation, Gayle Jennings O’Byrne, joins acclaimed producer and CEO of SimonSays Entertainment, Ron Simons, to discuss key answers. Learn how the Wocstar Foundation empowers everyday people to participate in and support the amplification of diverse voices. Rather than being a mere consumer of product, join in on the quest to help Black and Brown creatives tell the ...
Percy Miller: A Master (P) Class in Legacy
June 14, 2022 04:00 - 24 minutes - 56 MBThis week on Changing the Trajectory we're sharing a conversation between our colleague, Adam Sansiveri, and the legendary Percy "Master P" Miller. Listen in as Percy Miller shares his incredible journey from the inception of No Limit Records, his rise to the top of the hip-hop scene in the '90s, playing for the NBA, and his current focus: promoting economic empowerment through creating brands and products. Note to All Readers: The information contained here reflects the views of AllianceB...
Zain Asher’s Lessons from a Quiet Hero
May 10, 2022 04:00 - 36 minutes - 83.5 MBPopular CNN Anchor Zain Asher pays tribute to her mother’s incredible strength and determination to raise four successful children in the shadow of tragedy. From cutting the power cord of the TV to installing a payphone in the house, this Nigerian mother went to great lengths to ensure a better life for her children. Learn how it all paid off. Note to All Readers: The information contained here reflects the views of AllianceBernstein L.P. or its affiliates and sources it believes are relia...
Brewing Success: Sashee Chandran
April 12, 2022 04:00 - 30 minutes - 70.9 MBHow did a bath bomb profoundly inspire Sashee Chandran? As founder and CEO of Tea Drops, Sashee's organic, bagless, dissolvable, loose-leaf tea company has disrupted an age-old industry with its creativity, quality, and convenience. Listen as Sashee talks candidly about her experience of turning her passion into profit, starting and funding a venture-backed business, and why there is no better time to be a female founder than now. Note to All Readers: The information contained here reflect...
How Arlan Hamilton Is Changing the Ecosystem One "Yes" at a Time
March 15, 2022 04:00 - 24 minutes - 56.5 MBArlan Hamilton is unapologetic and known for forging her own path. In 2015, puzzling over the fact that 90% of venture deals go to white men, Arlan built Backstage Capital from the ground up. Her drive was simple: to create opportunities for those, like her, with real entrepreneurial ambitions, who are underrepresented. To date, Backstage Capital has raised $20 million and invested in nearly 200 startups led by underrepresented founders. In celebration of Women’s History Month, listen to Arl...
Good Trouble with Jotaka Eaddy
February 08, 2022 05:00 - 41 minutes - 93.8 MBAdvocate. Connector. CEO. Talk show host. These words all describe Jotaka Eaddy, whose accomplishments include helping abolish the juvenile death penalty in America and a career with the NAACP before her bold and successful move into the tech industry. This Black History Month, we celebrate Jotaka and the many lessons she has to offer. For how Jotaka honors her "original investors,” the Black community's need to redefine and restructure a relationship to money, and the power of Oprah's influ...
James Seth Thompson: Life and Doctrine in Concert
January 11, 2022 05:00 - 27 minutes - 62 MBJames Seth Thompson leverages his platform to help advance communities of color. Today, we’ll hear the whys behind this truth. Tune in as Maci Philitas, Changing the Trajectory’s new co-host, flips the script inviting James to dish about his passions, the evolution of the podcast, and what fuels James’s drive to have an impact in under-resourced communities. Reflecting on his personal life and 23 years in the financial services industry, James shares what most motivates his goal to be a Nort...
Changing the Trajectory: Best of 2021
December 14, 2021 05:00 - 31 minutes - 72.6 MBAs 2021 comes to a close, we are sharing our best of—a roundup of inspiring conversations and practical advice from the great minds we’ve featured this year. Thought-provoking segments with activist and survivor of police brutality Leon Ford, angel investor Lorine Pendelton, and Tanya Van Court, founder and CEO of Goalsetter, among others, include takeaways and calls to action to help us change the trajectory of our wealth, impact, and influence. Listen to the full episode of #ChangingtheTra...
Black Star Fund’s Kwame Anku and His Revolutionary Vision
November 16, 2021 05:00 - 37 minutes - 86.6 MBHow do we protect and multiply the transformative strides occurring in Black wealth creation today? Kwame Anku has a clear vision. Today, the CEO and Chairman of the Black Star Fund—a $12 million early-stage innovation fund—joins James and his new co-host Maci Philitas for a robust discussion. Get in-depth analysis on vision, execution, and manifestation in the Black venture capital and wealth creation ecosystems and discover the exciting ways this unprecedented time can impact the future. L...
Impact for Influence: Jrue and Lauren Holiday
October 12, 2021 04:00 - 30 minutes - 69.8 MBHe's an NBA All-Star; she's a two-time Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion. But for Jrue and Lauren Holiday, their commitment to excellence transcends sports. Last year, they boldly pledged the remainder of Jrue's 2019-20 salary and created the JLH Impact Fund to support Black-owned businesses and Black-led nonprofits in communities closest to their hearts. Listen as they share their story and the crossroads that transformed their purpose and influence for good. Hear the full episod...
How Guava Will Level the Playing Field
September 14, 2021 13:12 - 27 minutes - 62.9 MBDid you know that 90% of Black small businesses are sole proprietors or only have one or two employees? Today, James speaks with Kelly Ifill, founder and CEO of Guava, a full-service digital bank working to become Black Americans' financial institution of choice. Guava works to serve Black small business owners and provide resources for their enterprises. How will Guava help create wealth for communities systematically boxed out of the game? Listen to the full episode of #ChangingtheTrajecto...
Just Say No to Isolation: The Evolution of The Gentlemen’s Factory
August 10, 2021 04:00 - 26 minutes - 60.7 MBAfter a career in city government, Jeff Lindor wanted to use his skills to better serve his community. Resisting a soul-crushing rise through the ranks in isolation, he started The Gentlemen's Factory—a global community of Black and Brown professionals and entrepreneurs invested in each other's success. Learn about The Gentlemen's Factory's thriving ecosystem and why "when communities come together, we move the world." Listen to the full episode of #ChangingtheTrajectory anywhere you listen ...
Getting Your Affairs in Order
July 13, 2021 04:00 - 32 minutes - 74.4 MB"Where there's a will, there's a way." Well, not always. But, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” are words James and his guests today uphold. Tiffany McKenzie, Partner at Harrison & Held LLP, discusses why estate planning is a vital function of passing on generational wealth for minority groups and rectifying the racial wealth gap. She and Bernstein financial advisor Lonnell Williams share insightful ways to plan for harmony when you're gone. Why should pre-death planning involve more t...
A Focus on Community Capital
June 08, 2021 04:00 - 32 minutes - 73.3 MBWhy is Atlanta, long known as a mecca for upward mobile African-Americans, number two in America in income inequality? And as home to the second-largest number of Black-owned businesses in the country, why are their employees often not counted in census data? Today on our show, Latresa McLawhorn Ryan of the Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative shares how her nonprofit challenges systemic bias and introduces new systems and structures of capital to achieve shared prosperity. Learn how AWBI help...
Nothing Is Stronger Than a Community Investing in Itself
May 11, 2021 04:00 - 37 minutes - 85.5 MBAt the intersection of HBCUs and venture capital lies HBCUvc—a nonprofit dedicated to bringing more Black and Brown investors into the venture capital ecosystem. Jaisa Minor, Head of Partnerships at HBCUvc, joins James in conversation today with HBCUvc benefactors Brantly Fulton, Lab Fund recipient and CEO of Lamar IoT, and Trea’jure Dahl, Spelman College junior and HBCUvc fellow. For firsthand insights on why there is nothing stronger than a community investing in itself, listen to the full...
Empowering Economic Justice Through Financial Literacy
April 13, 2021 04:00 - 39 minutes - 91.2 MBWhen Tanya Van Court’s 8-year-old daughter asked for a new bike and enough money to start an investment account for her 9th birthday, Tanya knew: “If I can get every child in Bed-Stuy and every child across America who looks like you to say that, I can change the world." James’s guests today work with passion and intention to solve for the wealth disparities that exist in America. Karim Hill, Executive Director of The American College Center for Economic Empowerment and Equality, and Tanya V...
Creating a Network Effect
March 16, 2021 04:00 - 32 minutes - 75.2 MBAngel investor Lorine Pendleton once heard a quote that so shocked her, it changed the course of her career: "Only 1% of VC dollars go to African American founders." Today Lorine is Lead Partner in Rising America, a VC fund dedicated to investing in companies with underrepresented founders. Renee King cofounded Fund Black Founders after an entrepreneurial venture of her own led to a hyperawareness of the immense funding gap Black entrepreneurs face. This Women's History Month, James speaks w...
This is Our Time: The Impact and Influence of HBCUs
February 23, 2021 05:00 - 44 minutes - 103 MBWhat do Stacy Abrams, Kamala Harris, and Raphael Warnock have in common besides a penchant for politics? They are all graduates of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)! In honor of Black History Month, James and his guests Adrienne Lance Lucas, Ronald Mason, Waymond Jackson, and Rodney Trapp focus on HBCUs' importance as hubs of leadership and entrepreneurship. In historical appreciation of the contributions of HBCUs to Black education and opportunities, a lively and informat...
Legacy Through Tragedy with Leon Ford
January 19, 2021 05:00 - 43 minutes - 726 MBWhat is a power broker for change? Leon Ford will teach you. During a traffic stop in 2012, Leon was racially profiled and shot five times by Pittsburgh police, resulting in losing his ability to walk. James speaks with Leon and AB Financial Advisor Richard Murray about perseverance, community building, and Leon's journey to financial literacy on today's episode. Leon lives a life of purpose, driven by creating legacy and consensus-building to enact change. Listen to the full episode of #Cha...
The Best of Changing the Trajectory
December 08, 2020 05:00 - 25 minutes - 35.3 MBFresh perspectives. Important discussions. Insightful conversations with inspiring thought-leaders and change agents. 2020 has been memorable in more ways than one. Today James shares some of his favorite moments from Changing the Trajectory’s inaugural year, featuring highlights from conversations that educate, inspire, and empower thought and action for the advancement of Black and Brown communities. Listen to the full episode of #ChangingtheTrajectory anywhere you listen to podcasts. http...
Karen Hunter and Social Impact: "All Hands on Deck"
November 10, 2020 05:00 - 36 minutes - 67.3 MBWhat do economic and community development, healthcare, and education all have in common? Hint: for under-resourced communities, the answer isn't equity. Want to help bridge the gaps but don't know how? Today, James speaks with trailblazer Karen Hunter—host of Sirius XM's "The Karen Hunter Show"—and Eric Glass, Senior Portfolio Manager of Muni-Impact Strategies at AB, about investing and acting with intention to impact the social change we want to see. All hands on deck, minds, and dollars t...
Black in Corporate America: When Ambition and Talent is Still Not Enough
October 13, 2020 04:00 - 30 minutes - 680 MBWhat are the realities of being Black in corporate America? Statistics show that structural racism persists, and Black professionals systematically experience bias, barriers to advancement, and a glaring lack of visibility in the workplace. James Seth Thompson, in conversation with Lanaya Irvin, President of the global think tank Coqual, and David Clunie, Executive Director of the Black Economic Alliance and a former Obama appointee at the Treasury Department at the White House, discuss the ...
Building Family Legacy Through Entrepreneurship
September 09, 2020 04:00 - 38 minutes - 52.4 MBCreating a profitable brand is a way to leave a legacy for our families and build generational wealth for our children's children. Vanessa Braxton, CEO and Founder of Black Momma Vodka and Tea, is the first female African-American distiller and operator of a multi-million-dollar nationally distributed vodka brand. In conversation with James Seth Thompson, Braxton shares the details of her unexpected path to entrepreneurship. For this and why access, exposure and financial literacy are equall...
All Money Is Power
August 11, 2020 04:00 - 29 minutes - 40.1 MBAfrican Americans are 48 million strong in the United States. But what does the data reveal about Black consumer impact on U.S. economics and culture? Crisis manager Drew McCaskill gets us up to speed, empowering African Americans to understand just how powerful and influential they are. For a crash course into conscious consumerism and the three epicenters of African American power, listen to the full episode of #ChangingtheTrajectory anywhere you listen to podcasts. https://plnk.to/CT?to=p...
Black Influence in Entertainment: Malik Vitthal on Working in Service to Your Community
July 14, 2020 04:00 - 31 minutes - 43.1 MBGet ready for some audio whiplash! James Seth Thompson and acclaimed filmmaker, Malik Vitthal, director of the newly released film, “Body Cam,” engage in a refreshingly candid discussion that ends nowhere near where it begins. Listen as Malik shares his dedication to driving meaningful messages through film and working in service to his community. James finds himself the interviewee and offers invaluable financial planning guidance to Malik. This pivot underscores that no matter one’s statur...
Bridging the Divide between Economic Opportunity and Economic Outcomes
June 23, 2020 04:00 - 26 minutes - 36.2 MBA wide and persistent racial wealth gap exists in America. But knowing this hard truth is not enough. How can we work towards financial inclusion for Black Americans and bridge the divide between economic opportunity and economic outcomes? James Seth Thompson and guests Aria Florant and Shelley Stewart from McKinsey & Company hone in on ways to close the racial wealth gap by way of inclusion to meet the need of economic prosperity. Listen to the full episode of #ChangingtheTrajectory anywher...
Black Health, Black Livelihoods, Black Wealth
June 02, 2020 04:00 - 37 minutes - 51.2 MBWith the advent of Covid-19, a severe health and wealth crisis is at play for black Americans. James Seth Thompson speaks with McKinsey & Company’s Aria Florant and Shelley Stewart as they break down their extensive Covid-19 research and make the case for investing in black lives and black livelihoods now more than ever. How can we use this moment in history to rebuild America’s systems to be more equitable? Listen to the full episode of #ChangingtheTrajectory anywhere you listen to podcasts...
Black Lives, Black Health, Black Livelihoods, Black Wealth
June 02, 2020 04:00 - 37 minutes - 51.2 MBWith the advent of Covid-19, a severe health and wealth crisis is at play for black Americans. James Seth Thompson speaks with McKinsey & Company’s Aria Florant and Shelley Stewart as they break down their extensive Covid-19 research and make the case for investing in black lives and black livelihoods now more than ever. How can we use this moment in history to rebuild America’s systems to be more equitable? Listen to the full episode of #ChangingtheTrajectory anywhere you listen to podcasts...
Keeping Your Money Close While Lending a Hand During a Crisis
April 13, 2020 04:01 - 16 minutes - 22.4 MBHistorically marginalized black and brown communities and individuals have been those hardest hit by the Covid-19 crisis. During these unprecedented times, there is a need to mobilize now for those in our lives and communities who are most vulnerable. Do you want to help but aren’t sure where to begin? Join James Seth Thompson and colleague Tara Thompson Popernik for a discussion on how to structure giving strategies that can be mutually beneficial for both givers and recipients. Listen to t...
I Look Like an Investor: Redefining the face of Investing, Influence and Impact
March 31, 2020 04:00 - 36 minutes - 50.1 MBDuring this unsettling time of the Covid-19 crisis, an entrepreneur community is one we must preserve to make America work. Through efforts like ‘I Look Like an Investor,’ black female investors are throwing their names in the ring and making their value and potential known—all while lifting each other up and creating opportunities for black women entrepreneurs. James Seth Thompson with guests Maci Philitas and Lauren Maillian discuss how black women are pushing through barriers to redefine ...
Get Your PHD and Bridge the Wealth Gap with Shawn D. Rochester
March 10, 2020 04:00 - 31 minutes - 43.3 MBHow can African-Americans increase wealth accumulation and fill the gap of 6 million jobs, 1.4 million businesses missing in the black community and trillions of dollars of net wealth? Shawn D. Rochester, author of The Black Tax, is back in conversation with James Seth Thompson to offer solutions. Thompson and Rochester address a necessary paradigm shift that seeks to empower black people to be deliberate in their fiscal choices for the advancement of their families and communities. Get your...
A History of Anti-Black Bias in America and the Financial Impact of the Black Tax with Shawn D. Rochester
February 18, 2020 05:00 - 27 minutes - 37.7 MBJames Seth Thompson talks with guest Shawn D. Rochester, author of The Black Tax: The Cost of Being Black in America, about the financial cost of the history of discrimination against Black people in America from emancipation to present day. Thompson and Rochester discuss how over forty million African-Americans own just 2% of America’s wealth and examine the path to why and how we got to where we are fiscally today. Listen to the full episode of #ChangingtheTrajectory anywhere you listen to...
Courageous Conversations Part 2
January 29, 2020 05:00 - 25 minutes - 34.8 MBWe continue our conversation with Audra Bohannon, Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry in Boston, and Janessa Cox-Irvin, Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion at AB. In Part 2 we dive deeper into the ‘why’ behind our work. | Note to All Readers: The information contained here reflects the views of AllianceBernstein L.P. or its affiliates and sources it believes are reliable as of the date of this podcast. AllianceBernstein L.P. makes no representations or warranties concerning the accuracy of ...
Courageous Conversations Part 1
January 03, 2020 19:46 - 25 minutes - 35.2 MBWe all play a vital role in how we build diverse and inclusive workspaces, marketplaces and communities. A diverse and inclusive mindset is a central element to how we should approach everything we do. But how does a focus and an appreciation of cultures and values help drive meaningful and intentional acts of change and pursuit? In this initial two-part episode, we’re joined by Audra Bohannon, Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry in Boston, and Janessa Cox-Irvin, Global Head of Diversity &...