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The Culture Soup Podcast®️

The Culture Soup Podcast®️

By: L Michelle Smith
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 This show airs in 70+ countries and boasts more than 315 episodes. It can be streamed on Apple Podcast and is in audio and video formats and it can also be hear whereever fine podcasts stream. It's where tech, culture and business collide. Executive producer, host and creator L. Michelle Smith has been interviewing her friends that exemplify innovation and thought leadership at the intersection of tech, culture and business, and sometimes, she shares her own thoughts based on trending conversations and hashtags. Called one of the best Black podcasts to binge by BLAVITY & AfroTech and listed as one of the podcasts you can't miss by Black Enterprise, binge it now.Copyright 2025 The Culture Soup Podcast®️ Career Success Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Ep 196: Finding Your Giant Steps When the Ground Feels Shaky with Lelani Brown

    Ep 196: Finding Your Giant Steps When the Ground Feels Shaky with Lelani Brown
    Sep 25 2025
    ???? Episode Summary

    The job market isn’t giving today’s college seniors much to smile about—and that includes the Class of 2025. On this timely and powerful episode of The Culture Soup Podcast®, L. Michelle Smith welcomes leadership expert and author Leilani M. Brown for a heart-to-heart on what it takes to launch strong, even in uncertain times.

    With candor, warmth, and serious know-how, Leilani unpacks what students, families, employers—and even leaders—need to understand about the transition from campus to career. You’ll hear about the emotional toll of today’s job market, what matters most to Gen Z job seekers, and how both individuals and organizations can shift with intention.

    ???? Show Shoutouts

    People Mentioned

    • Leilani M. Brown – Guest, author, CEO of Giant Steps LLC
    • L. Michelle Smith – Host, author, executive coach
    • Leilani’s son – Class of 2025, mentioned as a source of inspiration
    • Parents & college students – Broad shoutout to listeners navigating this landscape

    Organizations & Institutions

    • Giant Steps LLC – Leilani’s consulting and leadership firm
    • Spelman College – Both Leilani and L. Michelle are alumnae
    • Howard University – Mentioned in context of the HBCU community
    • The Culture Soup Podcast® – In its 8th year, hosted by L. Michelle Smith
    • The Circle – L. Michelle’s leadership growth and coaching community
    • NSC Coaching – Executive & personal coaching firm founded by L. Michelle
    • SOAR Academy – Digital learning platform for leaders

    Books

    • From Campus to Career – Career launch guide for young professionals by Leilani
    • Your Giant Steps – Leilani’s latest book on professional clarity and growth
    • No Thanks: 7 Ways to Say I’ll Just Include Myself – L. Michelle’s bestselling book

    Cultural/Professional Themes

    • Class of 2025 – Core focus of the episode
    • Grit, grace, gumption – Leilani’s leadership mantra
    • Purpose, performance, people – Three pillars for career success
    • “The kids are not alright” – Referenced as a cultural truth
    • “You’re not stuck—you’re shifting” – A powerful Leilani quote echoed by L. Michelle
    ???? Learn More
    • Leilani M. Brown – leilanimbrown.com
    • L. Michelle Smith & The Culture Soup Podcast® – lmichellesmith.com/theculturesouppodcast
    • Join The Circle – lmichellesmith.com/thecircle
    Show More Show Less
    41 mins
  • Ep. 195 Rules of Resilience with Valorie Burton

    Ep. 195 Rules of Resilience with Valorie Burton
    Aug 21 2025
    In this episode, I welcome back my dear friend of more than 25 years, Valorie Burton — bestselling author of 14 books, CEO of the Coaching and Positive Psychology (CaPP) Institute, and my mentor coach. Valorie joins me to talk about her newest release, Rules of Resilience: 10 Ways Successful People Get Better, Wiser, and Stronger, dropping September 16, 2025. Together we explore why resilience is more than a buzzword, how it looks in real life (hint: sometimes messy), and why it’s a system you can strengthen with intentional practices. ✨ What You’ll Learn Why resilience isn’t about being “tough” but about getting back up — even when it’s messy. How cognitive distortions like catastrophizing can derail you, and the tools to counter them. The critical link between values, purpose, and resilience. Why resilience should be taught in schools and practiced in organizations. How Valorie applied her own rules while writing the book, facing down her inner “gremlins.” The bonus rule: paying resilience forward to your peers, family, and future generations.
    Show More Show Less
    49 mins
  • Ep 194. I Love NABJ w/ Errin Haines

    Ep 194. I Love NABJ w/ Errin Haines
    Jul 24 2025

    What happens when the organization that once spoke truth to power… goes quiet?

    In this candid and courageous conversation, host L. Michelle Smith sits down with her friend and media powerhouse Errin Haines to talk about the urgent state of Black journalism, the legacy (and future) of NABJ, and what leadership must look like when both journalism and democracy are under attack.

    Errin shares deeply personal stories—from reporting in Ferguson to launching The 19th—and outlines her bold vision for NABJ’s next 50 years. They discuss press freedom, AI, innovation, media accountability, and the hard truth about corporate sponsorship and advocacy.

    This isn’t just a conversation.

    It’s a call to action.
    Show More Show Less
    Less than 1 minute
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