Breaking Rank Podcast

06/12/2026

Why do so many of us stay in leadership environments we know are not healthy?

It is not because we do not see what is happening. It is not because we are okay with it. It is because we have bills to pay. Mortgages. Family members we help support. A very real memory of what it looked like when financial stability fell apart and the determination to never let that happen on our watch.

In Episode 13 of Breaking Rank, Diana and Angela get into the honest, unglamorous reasons so many professionals stay stuck longer than they should. And why that does not make you weak. It makes you human.

Go listen now at breakingrankpod.com and share this with someone who needs to hear that they are not alone in this.

https://youtube.com/shorts/JvNli3GnNOs

You already know the environment is unhealthy. So why are you still...

06/11/2026

Episode 13 is here, and this one is an honest conversation in every sense of the word.

Diana Lauritson and Angela Jones pull questions from a bowl and go wherever the answers take them. No script. No filter. Just a real dialogue about where leadership comes from, what it demands of you, and why so many people are still waiting for permission they were never going to receive.

Here is a taste of what they get into:

The first leaders who shaped them and whether those examples were actually healthy

What parts of their identity felt safe to show up with at work and which parts did not

The moment they each realized race was always going to be part of the equation

What it means to lead without a title, a corner office, or anyone's approval

The kind of leader they wish they had and how to become that for others

This is the kind of leadership conversation that sticks with you.

Available wherever you listed to podcasts. Go listen now at breakingrankpod.com and share it with someone who needs to hear it this week. Additional links in comments.

https://youtu.be/CkbtHShvHOU

What does it really mean to lead — and who gets to do it?In this ...

06/10/2026

"Am I being fake right now because I'm code switching everywhere that I'm going?"

That is a real question Diana Lauritson asked herself growing up, navigating her dad's house, her mom's house, school, and eventually the professional world. And if you have ever felt that way too, you are not alone.

Episode 13 of Breaking Rank drops TOMORROW. Diana and her best friend Angela Jones are having the honest conversation about leadership, identity, and what it really costs to show up in spaces that were not built for you.

Subscribe now so you do not miss it. breakingrankpod.com

https://youtube.com/shorts/OXBB_HO2ITE

06/09/2026

Episode 13 is almost here and this one is not one to skip.

This Thursday, Diana Lauritson sits down with her best friend and HR professional Angela Jones for an honest conversation about leadership. And when we say honest, we mean it.

They talk about code switching, professional identity, the double standards Black and mixed-race professionals carry into every room, and what it looks like to lead without waiting for anyone's permission.

Subscribe now so you are ready when it drops Thursday.

breakingrankpod.com.
Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

06/09/2026

True leadership is not always about being the loudest voice in the room. 🤔

Shomari A. James gets real on Breaking Rank about what it looks like to step back and let your people lead. Because sometimes the most powerful thing you can do as a leader is stay quiet and let someone else shine.

Does this resonate with your leadership style? ⬇️

What does it really mean to lead? In this clip from Breaking Rank, ...

06/08/2026

When was the last time you truly listened to understand rather than just to respond? 🤔

Shomari A. James gets honest in our Breaking Rank interview about the power of spirituality, self-awareness, and recognizing when ego is driving your decisions.

This one is worth the watch. Drop your thoughts below. ⬇️

https://youtube.com/shorts/1E6XqU4uyHM

What happens when ego takes over? In this clip from Breaking Rank, ...

06/07/2026

What if competition was actually a good thing? 🤔

Shomari James says it absolutely can be, as long as jealousy, envy, and hate are left out of it.

When we push each other to grow, nobody loses.

Watch the full Breaking Rank interview and tell us, do you have people in your life who compete with you positively? ⬇️

Is competition really a bad thing? In this clip from Breaking Rank,...

06/05/2026

A manager once told Shomari James he wasn't important enough to dress the way he did. 😤 But Shomari had a mother who told him every single day that he was loved and handsome, and a father whose image in a vested suit told him he belonged anywhere he walked into. That foundation is what carried him through.

Watch the full Breaking Rank interview and tell us, has someone ever underestimated you and it pushed you to go further? ⬇️

What do you do when someone in power tells you that you don't belon...

06/04/2026

Management vs. Leadership. Do you know the difference? 🤔

Shomari James put it perfectly on Breaking Rank: management is a science, but leadership is an art. And every person on your team has a different canvas. Some people thrive on public recognition. Others cringe at it. The best leaders know the difference.

Watch the full interview and tell us, are you leading or just managing? ⬇️

Are you a manager or a leader? In this clip from Breaking Rank, hos...

06/03/2026

What does it really mean to be an emotionally intelligent leader 🤔

Shomari James says it all comes down to this — you're not there to light your people's fire, you're there to fan it. 🔥

Watch the full Breaking Rank interview and tell us: does this resonate with your leadership style? ⬇️

What separates good leaders from truly great ones? In this clip fro...