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Regina Lawless is an inspiration. She is a recent empty nester, founder of Bossy & Blissful, a community for black women executives and business owners, and author of Do You: A Journey of Success, Loss and Learning to Live a More MeaningFULL Life.After graduating with her BA in communications from California State University-Sacramento, Regina got her first job in human resources at Target. After about 8 years in retail HR, she did a stint in banking, then moved to the airline industry, and in 2016 she pivoted to tech. This led her to Meta, where in 2020 she became the head of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at Instagram. About 6 months into that role, her husband of 21 years, Al, passed away unexpectedly. This life-changing loss set her on a journey of healing and rediscovery inspired by her late husband’s last text message to her: “Do you, babe. Don’t worry about anything else.”Through that journey, she realized that she had learned some lessons the hard way that could really help others. So, in 2023, she left corporate America, launched the community she was looking for, Bossy & Blissful, and wrote her first book that outlines a five-part framework she has developed to help you live a “MeaningFULL Life".In this episode, Alan and Regina discuss why she wrote the book, what she hopes people get out of it, the state of DEI today, and what life is like on the other side of corporate America. Regina also talks about how her childhood impacts the work she is doing today, the double-edged knife of constant connectivity without real community, the way Gen Z is rolling back the clock, and what the loneliness epidemic could mean for employers. In this episode, you'll learn:How the death of her husband changed everything in Regina’s lifePractical ways to navigate grief and start finding yourself againWhat the loneliness epidemic could mean for employersKey Highlights:[01:55] Thriving as a new empty nester[03:15] Regina path[05:05] What inspired “Do You”?[06:25] Tips for grieving[09:10] How do you “do you”?[12:50] Navigating fear around making the leap[16:50] What’s it like to leave corporate America?[20:50] The current state of DEI[25:05] From NoCal to the Burbs[29:00] Don’t be afraid to “do you."[30:30] The AI portion of the show[31:40] Back to flip phones![34:15] The loneliness epidemicLooking for more?Visit our website for the full show notes, links to resources mentioned in this episode, and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From time to time, we’ll be taking a step back to revisit some of our more interesting “Marketing Today” conversations. In this podcast, we hear from Steven Handmaker, CMO for Assurance, one of the largest independent insurance brokerages in the U.S.    Handmaker provides interesting and insightful takes on company culture, technology, and talent. And for him, culture is paramount: “It’s all about engaged employees,” he says. He believes engaged employees are immersed and understand their roles, and, more importantly, they understand how their roles lead to company success. An avowed Bruce Springsteen fan (he quotes him on his LinkedIn page, after all), he brings a little bit of rock and roll to Assurance, too. “We do have a certain vibe here,” says Handmaker. ”It’s a bit of a modern, pop culture, rock star-oriented vibe, which isn’t normal for insurance, but that’s how we do it.” He goes on to add, “We behave that way, we look that way…and it’s just an energetic thing that happens here.”  Maybe, just maybe, The Boss would like working at Assurance. Highlights from this week’s “Marketing Today” podcast include: The CMO and company culture. (1:36) Handmaker’s take on marketing focus: “One eye in the house, one eye out of the house.” (5:41) Handmaker discusses the state of B2B marketing: “It’s about the buyer’s journey.” (6:51) The role of technology and Handmaker’s approach: “The world isn’t spinning backwards.” (10:55) Team building: “Talent’s the never-ending challenge.” (16:22) The future of marketing: “It’s freaky, and it’s scary out there.” (23:28)  Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/marketingtodaySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we are changing the name of our podcast from Avid Impact to Marketing Today with Alan Hart. Join Alan in the coming weeks for interviews with top marketers and thought leaders. Don't miss your change to learn from the best in the industry. Subscribe to Marketing Today with Alan Hart.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/marketingtodaySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.