Can better leadership unlock a trillion-dollar opportunity?

Organizations say they value inclusion, but why are so many still losing talented people? Leadership consultant Merary Simeon argues the answer isn't another diversity statement. It's sponsorship, accountability and leaders willing to create workplaces where everyone can thrive.

In this episode of This Conversation Matters, Merary shares her own journey from a first-generation college student from Puerto Rico to a corporate leader at PepsiCo and now co-founder of Zera Consulting and the What Rules?! podcast. We discuss the hidden rules of corporate America, why sponsorship matters more than mentorship, how organizations can retain diverse talent, and what leaders get wrong about building an inclusive culture.

Whether you lead a team, hope to advance your own career, or want to understand what great leadership looks like, this conversation offers practical insights for today's changing workplace.

Bonus video on Youtube @ShereeCurryMedia. Other episodes wherever you find your podcasts.

In This Conversation Matters promo clip, Dr. Ronnie Gladden, author of "White Girl Within," discusses the research revealing how transracial identities may be more nature than nurture. When Rachel Dolezal exploded onto the scene as someone who identifies as Black although born to white parents, he says the issue was reduced to a meme.

For the full episode, visit @ShereeCurryMedia on YouTube or wherever you find your podcasts.

Dr. Ronnie Gladden describes being transgender and transracial and writes about having a "white girl identity" in the book White Girl Within: Letters of Self-Discovery Between a Transgender and Transracial Black Man and His Inner Female.

In this episode of This Conversation Matters, Ronnie and host Sheree Curry discuss race, identity, belonging and self-definition. The conversation explores how Ronnie came to identify as white and female despite being born Black and male, the concept of transracial identity, and how identity can be shaped by culture, experience and personal understanding.

We also discuss Rachel Dolezal, Jessica Krug and Raquel Evita Saraswati, whose stories sparked national conversations about race and identity.

While published for Pride Month, at its heart, this conversation asks a larger question: Who gets to define who we are?

For more episodes, subscribe @ShereeCurryMedia on YouTube or follow where ever you find your podcasts.