The Career Move Most Leaders Are Afraid to Make with LaChina Robinson

Speaker A: M Last year, the WNBA was one of the fastest growing brands, period. Like not even just in sport, just period. It feels amazing. The one thing that I can point back to is in the offers to cover men's sports. I knew that that would not wake me up in the morning. I knew that that wasn't the thing that I would wake up saying, if I don't do this, no one else will. This is work that specifically cut out for me. The line would be long for the NBA, be long for the NFL, but this particular work is for me and I knew that I could be a game changer and I could impact it. So when I look back, it's not always the most attractive job. It's not the pressure that people put on you and say you would be great at this or you should be this type of leader. It is what truly resonates with you. Where does your passion lie and what do you put value in? And can you resist the pressure to that, divert from that and stick with what truly means the most to you and your life's work? And I haven't regretted the day.

Speaker B: Leadership looks powerful from the outside, but behind closed doors, the pressure is real. The decisions are heavy and most leaders have nowhere to talk about it. The boardroom moments that keep you up at night, the decisions that affect thousands of people. The quiet questions meeting leaders carry but rarely say out loud. I'm, um, Melissa Dawn Simpkins Edtech, founder of athLeadership, CEO of Velvetsuite, and the C Suite, confidant to leaders performing at their highest level as they navigate pressure and change. For more than two decades, I've built global leadership platforms and advised executives and elite performers across business and sport in high stakes environments. If you're here, you're probably someone people count on. That's why I created C Suite Confidential. Grounded in neuroscience and the elite athletic mindset, each episode features candid conversations with CEOs, talent, leaders, athletes, high performers who understand both demands and the privilege of leadership. Most leadership conversations focus on strategy. This one focuses on conditioning. If you're leading in the arena and you want to do it with strength, clarity and heart, you are in the right place. This is C Suite Confidential, where leaders come to strengthen the mindset required to perform when it matters most.

Speaker C: Lachina, you are here today with me on the podcast. I'm so excited to see you and be a part of this conversation.

Speaker A: Oh man, I am just feeling so warm inside about this reunion between the two of, uh, us and what, over two decades.

Speaker C: Over two decades I was. I was literally thinking this morning about the first time we sat down and talked and just how inspired I've been with your journey and to see your rise through many stages of your career and life, because leadership is both. We see you on camera. We see you all around the world. Tell us a little bit about little Lachina. Uh, like, where did this journey start for you?

Speaker A: Well, I kind of have two stories in my head. One is, I tell myself that I was this shy, quiet little girl just kind of playing the part of being a little sister, being the second born of four girls. But when I look at pictures of myself from back then, I see someone who was definitely stepping into her main character energy on the regular basis. Uh, in fact, I posted on my substack picture of me, and I've got hand on the hip and lipstick on and eyeshadow. And I'm like, wait, I must have been maybe 7 years old. And so you could say there's a part of me that maybe others could see early that I was born to be in front of the camera. But there was a couple of things that happened in my childhood that I think tell the story of where I am today. One is I remember being in the third or fourth grade, and I had a teacher. I still remember her name, Ms. Winstead. And. And I had been singing in the choir. I was playing violin. My mother loved music, and she came to me one day and said, we're singing in the talent show. And I was like, oh, great. What are we singing? She was like, well, I'll be playing the piano. You will be singing. And I said, by myself. Ms. Winstead had made this whole plan for me to sing Little Orphan Annie's tomorrow by myself in a talent show, and I was terrified. Melissa. Uh, like, are you serious?

Speaker C: You were gonna be out there?

Speaker A: Like, it's just you way out there. And again, I kind of saw myself, and I was pretty shy compared to my sister or much more extroverted than I was. But it was probably the first time that I found the courage to stand in front of a crowd and say what I needed to say and sing and be myself. And I know you know the value of teachers, especially for young kids, and it was definitely a moment that I think led me to where I am today, but it started there. The other thing about my childhood that stands out is definitely my relationship to sport and how it helped shape me throughout my journey.

Speaker C: Before we jump back into the conversation, I wanted to share something with you.

Speaker B: Everything on this show is really based on one belief, and that's leaders aren't born, they're built. We are built through change, pressure, and

Speaker C: the moments that demand more from us than we think we have to give. And that's why I'm so excited to

Speaker B: share with you the heartbeat behind this

Speaker C: show and the movement.

Speaker B: It's called athletic. The elite athletic mindset. How to lead under pressure and perform when it counts. This is a movement that's not about becoming an athlete. It's about learning how to build the mental and emotional conditioning elite athletes activate when the stakes are the highest. It's grounded in neuroscience, and it helps unlock how you become more steady, more purposeful, resilient, and prepared to be your best when it matters most. If you're navigating change, dealing with uncertainty, building something meaningful, or stepping into a season that's demanding more from you, I

Speaker C: invite you to join us at.

Speaker B: Ah, athletershipmovement.com now back to the episode.

Speaker C: So you were someone who is kind of an introvert. Would you describe yourself as an introvert?

Speaker A: Yeah, I was rather quiet. My parents always seemed to have so much going on that I was just like, I'm gonna get good grades. I'm going to be the least of their problems. My older sister was, uh, a little wayward, so I was like, I'm just going to stay in line. So, yeah, I would definitely describe myself as, uh, such.

Speaker C: And you found your passion in sport. How did that connection happen for you? I mean, first of all, you heard it here. I didn't know that you sang, so we might need to have you bust a note out here, but know that you could sing too.

Speaker A: Well, I don't know if I can stop, still sing. Um, but back then I could carry a note. So, yes, I can confirm that. But you could say that my relationship with sport was a little forced. My father always watched sport when I was younger. He was, you know, he played basketball in the community. He was like a community recreational champ and was a very good player. So I was around sport. He was a role model to me in that way. And then I just remember liking to watch a lot of sports on television. Like, I watched ice skating and golf, like, a lot of different. But when it was time for me to play, I was not so fond of that. I remember in the sixth grade, I tried basketball. Really didn't love it. But the turning point was me being 6 foot 4 at the age of 14.

Speaker C: Okay, let's pause right there. Let's pause. Being 6, 4 and a little girl. So how did that emotionally affect you?

Speaker A: Oh, man, it was hard. Um, um, I felt very otherly, if you will, like, did not feel like I fit in at all. Was often very lonely. Even though I had friends, I was so different from them. I did not like being different. I was teased because you could imagine how big my feet were at that age. Clothes didn't fit me properly and everything I did wear was like something a 30 year old woman would wear. So I was always dressed older. And so there were a lot of pain points associated with that time. But the turning point was there was a guy in my neighborhood who would come by all the time and ask my mom if I could play basketball because I was tall. He was like, she's 6 foot 4, like she shouldn't be playing basketball. And she was like, no, she plays the violin, she gets good grades. My mother was big on education. She graduated from high school at 16 and was the first college graduate in our family. And so she was focused on education. And then he said, well, do you know she could get a college scholarship? And that changed everything. Once my mother heard those words, she was like, we'll be there tomorrow. That's where my journey with basketball began. And I just, I felt like I fit in for the first time in my life. Melissa. I was like, now I understand why I'm tall. Now I understand how I can use this as a strength. And I was around other tall women or young girls. And so that's when I learned to embrace it.

Speaker C: It's interesting how sometimes our journey takes us to places that help us feel like we belong. Right. And that sounds like you found a home away from home, right in basket, which is really cool. So did you immediately fall in love with it? Is it something that you decided to pursue and you learned to love the game, learned to love the discipline? How did that happen for you?

Speaker A: Well, I wasn't very good. So let me just start off there. I was tall, which was an advantage, but I was not very good. So I enjoyed the friendship of it. Like, I made friends immediately. I started to come out of my shell a little bit and be a more consistent communicator in all aspects of life because of Spora. As you know, sport teaches us so many lessons. And for a young girl, I always tell people, put your daughter in sports because it will really help her a lot to mature. But I think the basketball part was frustrating for sure. Like, while I enjoyed the social aspect and the impact it was having on me, I had to work to get better and eventually I would and earned Division 1 scholarship to Wake Forest. And sport really transformed my life. I mean, it completely changed the trajectory of what I thought was possible from traveling in AAU as a. As a high schooler to eventually going to Wake Forest on a full scholarship. And the opportunities that stem from that, like basketball changed my life in a real way.

Speaker C: I mean, look at where you have come from and where you are today. I mean, it's really inspiring because what I hear in your story is that there was not always a love, but you had to learn to love the work that went into becoming good. And that discipline is really what you even still carry today forward, I'm sure, in the profession of what you do. So tell us about that. You went to play at Wake Forest, you got a D1 scholarship. You know, many student athletes don't continue to play. So what was that transition point like for you after college?

Speaker A: Yeah, I do want to hit on something you said that. It just really resonates with me is that if I did not try basketball, I would not have known that it was something that could really benefit me. Didn't work for me early on in life. But sometimes you have to revisit things because we all evolve, we all change, our needs shift. And I think sometimes just that lesson of try it out, you never know, uh, it can work out well. But it was hard for me. Going from a very diverse background in my high school, in my neighborhood, to a predominantly white institution. That was probably the biggest change for me. But when I tell you Wake Forest was the perfect place. It's a very small private school for those that may not know. So we probably had like 4000 undergrad total enrollees at the school. I think they may be up to 6 or 7,000 now. So it really felt like community. I had good one to one relationships with professors because we were a smaller school. And so I did well in class. I ended up making the dean's list as a freshman. But I struggled early on as a basketball player. I thought I was working hard, but there was another level of hard work, another level of mental toughness, another level of commitment that I had to make to be successful on the basketball court that I had no idea exists coming from high school. And I remember one of the early lessons for me, we, uh, had to make a mile time. Um, when we came into school, you know, coach was like, everyone's gotta make their mile. And the guards had a lower time than the post. But either way, I was far from making my time when I got there. And if you didn't make your time. You couldn't start practice. And so you kind of have this cushion of about a month and a half before official practice starts to make your time. And I was getting up early and I was pushing myself and finding that deeper level of, as I said, mental toughness is the only way I could describe it. Physically, I think I always had the capability, but I just could not push myself beyond the limit at that time. And I ended up making my mile the day before practice after getting up every morning, practicing my times, was missing it, missing it. Hey, we're testing again. Missed it, missed it. And then the morning of practice I made it. And it was almost like the floodgates of confidence opened up for me after I made my mile time. I ended up starting as a freshman, started almost every game I was on the ACCL rookie team. But it was that initial kind of get over the hump, figure out how to dig deep and find something in yourself that I didn't know that existed at the time. That was kind of that first introduction to athletic leadership, if you will, and how I was developing in that space.

Speaker C: You said it perfectly. It's the building of that athletic mindset, that mindset that pushed you and you know, that's what we talk about in athleadership and you are an athlete or you exhibit that and we now get to hear the backstory of what got you to that place, that foundation. But now, you know you are leading at the highest level of media. You are truly a game changer and a, um, role model for so many women in sport. But you face pressure moments. You face hard things that we don't see from just watching you on camera. So tell us a little bit about maybe some of those significant pressure moments and how you were able to navigate them.

Speaker A: By the nature of the work I do, as soon as that red light comes on, there's pressure because there is not an opportunity for an edit in line for television. What you say in the moment, how you look, your observations have to be on point because there is no going back. As critical as I am with the officials, sometimes when I'm, um, like calling a game, I understand having to get it right when you first see it because that's the world I live in now. Officials can go back and review calls, but I won't get into that. So it was pressure right away and significant pressure for me as a woman in the sports space, in the male dominated space. Extra pressure for me as a woman of color because there were very few of us And I always felt like if I did a good job, the door would open for more women and more women of color behind me. But if I did not, the door would close. And to feel that pressure every time I sat in a seat was very overwhelming. So I would say that's one, one place that I felt pressure right away in my career. The other was to really stick to my true values and my passion. And I'll tell you how that showed up. When I got into broadcasting, I was dead set on covering women's basketball. Um, and unfortunately, at that time, aside from Pat Summitt and Gino Oriemma and the highlights they would get here and there for their teams, only 3% of all sport coverage at that time was dedicated to women's sports.

Speaker C: Pause that. Like, 3%.

Speaker A: 3%. When I started this business 18 years ago, 3% of all sports coverage was dedicated to women. So you could imagine some of the conversation around my career and what people viewed as success. Hint, hint. It wasn't in women's basketball. It was, if you want to make it big time, if you want to make more money, if you want a larger platform, you really need to be covering the NBA or college men's basketball or NFL. But, Melissa, when I tell you one of the best decisions I ever made in my life was to stick to what I believed in. And what I believed was, was embedding on women the importance of investing in women and the significance that women had in the sports space, both in media and in what they were doing on the court. And I knew that it was my call to amplify those efforts of women and just the impact that that could have on greater society. Like, when you think about the places where we see the most prominent women in our country, in our world, many of it are on the sport platform. That's where they show their athletic. That's where they show what women are capable of in pressure situations. So I said to myself, if I can elevate them, then all women could benefit from this. And so I stuck with women's basketball.

Speaker C: Can I just say something? I remember this. I remember meeting with you. I remember watching you. And I saw others that were your colleagues moved to other places. And I thought, lachina is on this women's, um, basketball. She is on this train and she's not leaving. And how does it feel to be in this moment now?

Speaker A: Oh, gosh, feels amazing. I mean, women's sports is blowing up. This last year, the WNBA was one of the fastest growing brands, period. Like, not even just in sport, just period. It feels amazing. The one thing that I can point back to is in the offers to cover men's sports. I knew that that would not wake me up in the morning. I knew that that wasn't the thing that I would wake up saying, if I don't do this, no one else will. This is work that's specifically cut out for me. The line would be long for the NBA, be long for the NFL, but this particular work is for me. And I knew that I could be a game changer and I could impact. And so when I look back, it's not always the most attractive job. It's not the pressure that people put on you and say you would be great at this or you can, you should be this type of leader. And it is what truly resonates with you. Where does your passion lie and what do you put value in? And can you resist the pressure to divert from that and stick with what truly means the most to you and your life's work? And I haven't regretted the day you said so much.

Speaker C: I just wanted like unpack that because I was talking to someone today and I said, look, I hire for fire. Like I want to see that passion and it's purpose. It's like literally this is what I'm here to do. And I believe many we talk about real talk. Leaders can have other places. I know I have private conversations with leaders who have extremely visible platforms, whether they're in the corporate suite or whether in the front office and they struggle with this looked really good on paper, but does it really fill my cup? Does it really get me up to hustle? Not just for hustle's sake, but because this is what I was born to do. And you just liberated a lot of people to say what they know the other choice gives them right speak to our audience now like if they're in that situation where they have that platform, but yet they know this is not it, how do you step from that to getting to where you are? They want to get to a WNBA moment and maybe they haven't had that in their career yet. What would you say?

Speaker A: Well, I can say it's not a straight line for sure. I think there were a lot of twists and turns along the way, a lot of learning, growing and quite honestly a lot of check ins. As you know, I am launching a platform called the RISE with Lachina and we have an acronym for rise and R is reflect. And one thing I realized is that I had to reflect almost annually to ensure that I was in line with my values. And that doesn't mean that we can't evolve and your mind can't change. I mean, that's another the e that's for evolution. So there will be moments where we decide to change course. But if we're not checking in with ourselves enough and asking those tough questions about, do I love the work I'm doing every day? Do I enjoy the people? What is the impact, the long term impact that I want to have in this space? Like, those are the drivers that fuel that passion. At the end of the day, what does my. My work life balance look like? Is this is what I. Is this what I see for myself in life? In totality? So taking those moments to both reflect, but also realizing that you can evolve. But I would say exposure to what you don't want is just as important as knowing what you do. And I'll go back to, you know, what I talked about with trying the sport of basketball and that it didn't work for me at that time, but I did revisit it. I did at least try, and it ended up working out for me. And I did. I tried one football game, okay? And I was like, this is not me. I tried one fight. I still remember the game. It was at Georgia Tech. And at the end, I was like, y' all can take this. Like, you know, I've done NBA sideline, and it just did not. And so I don't want anyone to think that you have this complete tunnel vision and you never look over here or look over there. There can be opportunities to kind of engage and to check in to say, you know, is this for me? Is this something? And so just allowing yourself that freedom along the way path will not be straight and direct. And I would say the last thing, Melissa, that really helped me on that journey to stay in line with my values was mentoring and professional and personal development. You're someone that I met way early, before this journey in media even started. And you opened my eyes to the word impact. And at that time, I had a job, but I had no idea what it meant to have impact. And when I watched you work with, not just, you know, your book that I tell you I'm still reading to today, and since all my mentees brand me, like, I realized that there was something, there was a gravitational pull for me to engage with the world in a way that was specific to Lachina. It wasn't just waking up every day having a job, paying your bills. It was like, how was I wired? What are the Things that I cared about, how could I package myself to reach my ultimate potential? And I watched you with she suite and like all of those different touch points with mentors and people that you look up to and you see the alignment that they have in their lives, it made me want to have that level of alignment and more importantly, that level of impact. So I have to thank you for setting that example. But the professional and personal development work along the way and the events you're going to and the people that you're surrounded with, all of that also will be a true north checkpoint for you that you can make.

Speaker C: Well, thank you. That was beautiful. Thank you for what you shared. And I just want to reflect back to you because your impact on my life is some. I've just been on the backside cheering you on, seeing you make your mark in every space. And what I love about you, Lachina, and this is what our viewers can learn, is it's not just about you. You have always been, let's make room, let's open the doors, let's reach back. And I want to give you the opportunity because to me, that's how wealth grows. Time, wealth, visibility, wealth, like exposure, opportunities. Tell us a little bit about your journey of impact. Obviously, rise with a China. We're so excited to hear more about that. But even what you've done with young mentoring, you talked about that with young women in sport.

Speaker A: I think honestly, the first thing that comes to mind for me is the word athletership, because there's a responsibility that comes with that with the word leadership. And being an athlete, I always tell the athletes that I mentor, the minute you put on a jersey, you're a role model, whether you want to be or not. You are a, uh, leader. You are representing something greater than yourself. So I've always felt that responsibility to bring others along. And I've always felt and valued teams and how we all have to work together. And that is one of the reasons, quite honestly, if I'm being transparent, that I struggled in the broadcast industry very early because this can be a lonely journey. You travel to this game, you work with one producer and one team. You travel to another game, you work with another producer and another team. And that's how your career works early on. Now, as you get up in the ranks, you have more consistent people you're working with. But I was like, where is my team and what are our roles? Where are my people? And those things are shifting all the time. And so as I started to move around the business, I was like, I really want to create more community. I do. I want to create more spaces where specifically women can support each other on the journey, whether it's broadcasting or whatever it may be. Because I desperately needed that when I was coming up. And I know you know this, the things that we don't have, that we wish someone else, that we want someone else, you create it. So what I did with Rising Media Stars was created a safe space and community for women of color that wanted to get into sports broadcasting. I know how hard it is to be a woman in this industry, and even more so a woman of color. Uh, the numbers, the percentages of us, when you look at the totality of sport, isn't anywhere near where it needs to be. So I wanted to impact that number and I also wanted to create community. And the other thing that I wanted to do was to amplify the value of mentorship, the impact that it's had on my life and how I believe that none of us. I know there's all this discourse out here about mentoring, but hello, I don't know if there's a bigger differentiator or there's not a bigger indicator of success than leaders who have mentors and are, uh, willing to be taught and guided in more of a non traditional way. It's been everything to my career. So those things I wanted to bring to Rising Media Stars.

Speaker C: And tell us about your graduates.

Speaker A: I mean, yeah, so we have now five graduating classes of rising media stars. 25 women total. You know, we take five women every year and we provide for them in the field. Experience, networking, educational zoom opportunities, like everything that they would need to feel comfortable the first time that red light turns on. We give them a reel of their work when they're done with our program. So we try to really prepare them. And now in finishing five classes, the women that have been through our program are some of the best in the industry. Andrea Carter, who is at espn, she's the first woman to work on the desk in college game day. Zora Stevens, who is working for NBC and for the Olympics, I mean, she was in Paris talking to gymnasts and interviewing them there. She was the first woman play by play for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA. Isis Young is a rising star. We have so many women who have now come out of our program and they would have been great without us, but I think they would all say they felt most confident and most supported in those moments that they've needed it the most. Because of Rising Media Stars, I have

Speaker C: goosebumps and I have Goosebumps because of just the pride and the impact and the influence that you have made. And that has not been without intention and without hard work. You've invested a lot in lives, and that is huge. Who invests in you? Who's your inner circle?

Speaker A: Yeah. Um, so my inner circle has really shifted over time as my career has evolved, I would say. And I said this earlier, when it comes to my entrepreneurial pursuits and my business building, I always say your name, and I mean that. Like, when I first met you, I was like, she is a boss. Like, you know, you.

Speaker C: I did not know she was gonna

Speaker A: be saying you were working with all these big brands and commanding rooms and closing big deals. And I was like, whoa. You know, for someone who has been just so in the sport realm, I was like, okay, she's got sport, but she's also got some real business acumen. So as I started to build out the rise and when I stretch beyond back in 2011, all these different endeavors, you have been a big driving force for me. But I would say my inner circle has consistently been women like Felicia Hall Allen, who does a lot of consulting work in the athletic space, Someone whose name is not as big as it should be, but she does a lot of team building with athletes and just has run a fantastic business. She's also an agent to a lot of coaches. Um, as well, I would say. I feel like everybody has mentored me. Robin Roberts, and she doesn't even know it. Mentoring me from afar. Okay.

Speaker C: Yes.

Speaker A: I love it, the way that she is so comfortable in her own skin. The first time I met her, I was like, this woman is the same person every time I see her on television. When I met her, I was like, how is she so consistent? And so that was the thing I wanted to learn as a young professional. I was like. Like, she's so relaxed, and she's just so herself. So she's definitely someone that I have admired and been mentored by, if you will. But Danielle Donahue at the wbca, Carolyn Peck, who I've watched in the broadcast industry, really hone in on her power in this space, has been someone countless women. Pat Summitt from afar, I mean, was probably one of the first. Uh, Bernie McGlade, who is retiring as commissioner of the A10, who was my first as an intern at the ACC. I was like, okay, Bernie commands some power. Like, please tell me your secret. There have been a lot of women.

Speaker C: What we all are observing, even if we don't know the names, first of all, is your ability to acknowledge other people's value in your life, but that you know your space. I think leaders have to know their space, and they have to know the people that are moving this space, and they have to be those space makers. You are all of those things. There are people who are sitting there saying, lachina is who I'm watching. I don't know her, but that's who I'm, uh, mentoring me. And I believe that's why you've created the rise with Lachina, because you wanted to really begin to elevate this platform that you have built in such a major way. So I want the audience to know more about the rise with Lachina.

Speaker A: Yeah. And you're going to get sick of me doing this, but this is 100% the truth. You and I met. This must have been 2018. We had dinner in Washington, D.C. and you started to speak to me about expanding and growing my impact. Um, and I don't know if you've put the math together, but in 2018, I started rising media stars. There was a series of things that happened after that conversation where I started to think, how can I have a more targeted impact? But then also, how can I scale my impact? So my first try at the rise with lachina happened in, like, 2019. But the pandemic hit, and it just ended up not being the right time. But what I really found out or figured out over these last few years was that I am very passionate about personal development. I truly believe in being coached through life, um, in whatever field you may be in. And I just wake up thinking about how I can help people. Like, literally, that's how I was wired. Like, if you have a dream, don't tell me, because I'm going to figure out the things that you're missing or that you may need to be doing or other angles in which you can go after whatever it is your dream life is. Because I'm living my dream life. You would have never told me that I would be covering the Olympics or that I would be part of the final four. I mean, I was Lachina. We didn't play in the NCAA tournament. I didn't play in the wnba. Like, my accolades don't tell the story, but I know that you can get there with the proper support, guidance, toolkit, all of those things. Support staff, systems. So I just wanted to create the rise with Lachina to bring that community together of women that want to rise in every arena of life and want to do it together. I know the value of team. But I also know that every woman didn't play sport. And so let us be your team, right? And you understand how important that work is. So I'm excited about this chapter.

Speaker C: Tell us how this works. Tell us what the Rise actually does.

Speaker A: So the Rise is a digital platform, at least for now. Um, the risebookchina.com and we are really starting out by trying to motivate women to reflect on their journeys, right? So revisit what they've done to this point. Start to think more intentionally about where their dreams are, the kinds of things they want to accomplish in life. So actually taking the time, we get so busy that we don't sit with ourselves and really think about how we got to where we are, but also where we want to go. And then on top of that, what we want to do is kind of create tools, resources, conversations, advice that we will be putting out via social media, but also providing on our website to just to start women thinking about their career aspirations, but also having tough conversations about life because it's also a lifestyle platform. And so we want to really just inspire women. The Rise came about looking at the rise in women's sports. And what I said about what's happening in women's sports is this is happening because women dug their heels in and said, invest in women. We have value and really refuse to accept what the world says about what we're capable of. And I said, if we can do this enough sport, women can do this in every arena of life. So whatever those things are that, you know, you feel like you may need to step into that next chapter, we hope you can find it at the Rise. Now we're going to be creeping out some of our offerings because I am still full time in broadcast. But at the end of the day, I hope that the women that sign up for our community feel like they're getting resources, feel like they're supported, and that there are, uh, women like me that understand the journey that can inspire them to reach that next level.

Speaker C: What I love about this Lachina is it's all you like. I see not just your brand, but your mind, your intention, your passion all over it. And it's going to be wildly successful. But when I think of Rise, I often think about where a lot of people are today and a lot of leaders are, is that we feel really heavy, we feel very burdened down, Whether it's life, whether it's being not aligned, whether it's the current environment. How do you rise? And tell us about a moment when you had to really move yourself from that place that was less than where you are right now.

Speaker A: Ooh, I get goosebumps just hearing you talk. So something that I go right to when I think about my journey was during the pandemic. And I don't think people realize that the WNBA was one of the sports that started up most immediately, like, right away, like everyone else was, like, oh, we're going to take our time and kind of figure out what's going on. Well, the WNBA and they were cleared. I, ah, want to buy all health guidelines, but they were in the first bubble, if you will, during the pandemic. And that time of, uh, really slowing down and thinking about life. I think we all were right, and we were being hit left and right with bad news. And even people that we didn't know our, uh, hearts were just so saddened for, whether it was someone who's lost someone in their family or just somebody who's sick or just the impact overall of the pandemic. And that was an opportunity that we all had to rise. And Melissa, what I would say about rising is it's not always that big job. It's not always rising to the occasion in an outward way, but it was a time for us to rise in our values, to believe in each other, to create community, to really start to reflect and evaluate our lives and figure out how we can make just the world overall a better place. Nonetheless, our careers and I remember really being burdened with the, um, responsibility of communicating how these women of the WNBA were feeling as they were in this bubble playing and everyone else was safely at home. And this was the one part of inspiration people could start to look forward to was watching sport. But there was also a racial reckoning happening in our country at the same time. And as a black woman, there were just so many things. And what I will say is, in that moment, I had to dig really deep and decide what mattered most to me. And that's where the opportunity is for all of us to rise, is when we get focused on what matters most. Whether it's your family, your mission at your job, or maybe it's caretaking for your parents, or no matter what that thing is. We are so distracted, we are pulled in so many different directions that if we as leaders can sit down and hone in on what matters most, all the outside noise will start to dissipate. We start to align with what our natural purposes are and what we were born to do and the things that really drive us. But that, to me, is the Biggest key to rising not just in that moment for me, but for us now is identifying what matters most, examining our lives, figuring out, is that a, uh, priority for us time wise? Is it a priority in terms of where we're spending our money? Are we investing in ourselves and our family and our community the way we should be? But it definitely starts with that opportunity to sit with yourself and make sure that your life matches your message. Are the things you're saying matter lining up with what you're actually investing in? And that is where the opportunity to rise really, really lies.

Speaker C: I'm gonna let that sit for a moment because I believe if you really heard you, it's what I say has been my biggest challenge and my biggest message is how do I create a life that is as good as it looks? Am I really living in integrity and truth? The message, like you said, and I believe, if we're honest, many of us leaders, we are so busy taking care of everybody else that we have not checked in with ourselves to say, how does this really land with me?

Speaker A: My life, an example of that is

Speaker C: my life really not on, not on, just on LinkedIn and Instagram, not just by awards and recognition, but like, because that's where the peace, that's where the fulfillment, that's where it's okay if everybody doesn't get it. It's not for everyone. Right? All of that comes and you literally have walked us through that journey. I mean, that's why you can look as beautiful and vibrant and as alive as you, as you do in this moment. Not because your life is perfect, but because there is that alignment.

Speaker A: Oh, uh, it's everything. It's everything. But you gotta do the work and you're doing the work with athletic and it's so important. You cannot lead unless you are truly living it. Unless your life. I mean, that's where the most authentic leadership comes from. Is that alignment of, of my life, the things I'm invested in, what I believe in, where my impact lies, where all of that lines up. Um, that's when you're going to find your most authentic self and your best leadership. And it's really about doing the work of figuring out if you are and exactly where you need to be at this point of life. And if you're doing the things that you truly believe are valuable and most impactful.

Speaker C: Before we get out of here, what are the things that you've had to let go of to get to that place?

Speaker A: I've had to let go of what it looks like if I'm being honest. So powerful.

Speaker C: Because you're in media, everything's about what it looks like.

Speaker A: Yes. I've had to let go of what it looks like. And uh, on a couple different levels, the first I would say is like, I believed that I had to look, act, feel, talk a certain way to be accepted in this space. And so I definitely would say that early in my career my personal brand was non existent. That's why I go back and read your book over and over again. Because in reality I was trying to show up as what a, uh, leader looked like, what a great broadcaster looked like. And I had to realize that there's more than one way to do this. I had to unlearn trying to be what society wanted me to be, thought it was supposed to be. I remember starting to wear bright colors and really wanting to package myself in a more memorable way and stand out. And it was uncomfortable, but, but unlearning that assimilating to society was, was the first place. But the other way that I would say that shows up in uh, terms of things that you have to unlearn and that it's not gonna look like that you have to stop caring what it looks like is my career journey. I was always thinking, you know, I'm interested in this, but if I show up in the community like this, will I be accepted? Will people still know that I care about women's basketball? If I start to focus on mentoring, can I show up with varied interests and still be taking seriously in the field? And at the end of the day, no one cares.

Speaker C: They're not thinking about it like you,

Speaker A: no one really cares that much. Uh, but you. And so, so you have to forget what it looks like because no one really cares what it looks like but you. And so follow your instincts. Be okay experimenting a little bit with how you're showing up in the world. It's going to be fine. Because honestly, people are engaged in their own lives and they're going to be so many failures in our life where we tried something didn't work and that's just part of the journey. So that's what I had to unlearn to stop caring about what it looks like. Because the journey is a windy road and you have to allow yourself space to evolve.

Speaker C: I just feel freedom. I feel so much a sense of just freedom through hearing your story. I hope that our audience feels that same levity and the opportunity to just explore, but also to be so intentional. And so I am just so grateful for you being on this show and uh, I'm telling you, you all need to follow, connect, get involved with the rise. This woman. Let me give you the one word that I say when I think about Lachina, as I think about you as a star, I do. And I mean in that every sense of the word. Not just as a star, as in celebrity, but as someone who's guiding the light and giving others a way forward. And that's what a star does. In the darkness, there is a light. And I know where to go. And so I just thank you for being that light for me and for all of our audience that don't know you, they now know you and are connected. Tell them how to stay connected with you.

Speaker A: Yeah. So I am so pumped with everything we're doing with our rise platform. So I'm saying the new year. Follow us. Uh, www.thereisewithlachina.com. uh, on my socials, thereise with Lachina on Instagram. Also my personal page on Instagram, Lachina Robinson and then Lachina Robinson on LinkedIn. For all my LinkedIn business leaders, happy to connect there as well. But I just wanted to say thank you and Melissa, I am elated. I'm, um, so excited about what you're going to do with athleadership. It's brilliant. As a former athlete who works with athletes, who understands leadership from various angles, what you are teaching people is going to unlock so much in their lives, in their careers, and I just can't wait to see you continue to have impact. The thing that you taught me, impact. Looking forward to continue watching that.

Speaker C: Yes. Well, thank you. Lachania's one of our athletes, so we're going to continue to make an impact together. We got this.

Speaker A: Forward to it.

Speaker C: Uh, thanks, Lachina.

Speaker A: You too.

Speaker B: Thanks for joining C Suite Confidential. These conversations are designed to help you through pressure, navigating change, and becoming stronger in the moments that matter most. If today's episode resonated with you, be sure to subscribe on your preferred podcast platform so you never miss a conversation. Please share, review, share the episode. And if you want to go deeper, I'd invite you to explore my new book, AthLeadership, and join the AthLeadership movement at athLeadershipmovement.com there you'll gain access to

Speaker C: the book insights and conversations.

Speaker B: Conversations designed to help you be, uh, your best when it matters most. Until next time, remember this. Leaders aren't born, they're built.