Build Your Brand Before You Walk in the Room

What do people really say about you when you're not in the room?

In this crossover episode of High Octane Leadership and Diversity: Beyond the Checkbox, I sat down with Jackie Ferguson, yes, my better half, to talk about all things personal brand: how to build one, why it matters more than ever, and how it can open doors before you even knock.

Your brand is working with or against you every day. Time to take the wheel.

In the episode, we dive into:
* Why personal branding is no longer optional
* How your brand drives business, influence and opportunity
* The invisible message you're sending when you don’t own your narrative
* How to create impact before you even walk in the room

This episode is for leaders, entrepreneurs, and the brand-curious. If you want to win with clarity and purpose, this one’s for you.
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What is High Octane Leadership?

Most leadership podcasts give you theory. High Octane Leadership gives you the real playbook - from someone who has actually used it.

Donald Thompson is an EY Entrepreneur of the Year, Forbes Next 1000 honoree, and 3x Inc. 5000 Chief Executive who has built, scaled, and successfully exited multiple companies over a 25-year career. He's advised Fortune 500 brands, led post-merger integrations, served on corporate and nonprofit boards, and authored Underestimated: A CEO's Unlikely Path to Success and The Inclusive Leadership Handbook. Now he brings that hard-won experience directly to you - in conversations with the executives, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders who are actually moving the needle.

Every episode delivers cheat codes - the insights, frameworks, and lessons that took decades to earn and minutes to apply. Whether you're running a company, building toward your first leadership role, or somewhere in between, High Octane Leadership is where serious professionals come to get sharper.

Subscribe and lead at full throttle.