Tony Triumph

As for our next Building A Better Brand®️® guest? My friend Vernā Myers (Vernā Myers). Netflix US’s first-ever VP of Inclusion Strategy.

I’m grateful Vernā entrusted me with her story, sharing exactly what it’s like to break color lines in corporate law and build Netflix’s global inclusion infrastructure from the ground up. We unpacked it all—from her time at Harvard University Law School to her transition into the world of entertainment.

Our podcast isn’t about volume…it’s about voices that actually move the needle. Leaders who’ve shaped industries, redefined what’s possible, and built legacies that outlast trends. 🎯

As the Founder & CEO of The Vernā Myers Company (TVMC), and someone who’s influenced the content millions of people consume at one of the most excellence-obsessed companies on the planet, I couldn’t think of a better guest for the current climate of shifting cultural landscapes, pivotal leadership, and high-stakes brands built on soul.

During this episode we also dive into:
➡️ The Inside of Netflix’s Culture of Excellence: What it actually took to shift the culture of a global giant and the real difference between advising from the outside vs. leading from the inside.
➡️ How Vernā’s Work Shifted What You Watch: The “inclusion lens” used to influence the content seen by millions worldwide and why your favorite shows look different because of her work.
➡️ The Entrepreneur-to-Executive Pivot: What most people get completely wrong about moving from a 25-year solo consultancy to leading a global team at one of the biggest media companies in the world.
➡️ Scaling with Soul: How to grow a massive brand without losing your purpose in the process.

This isn’t your typical DEI conversation. It’s a masterclass in luminous leadership and tenacity from someone who’s actually done it at the highest level. 👊🏾

Whether you’re navigating a career pivot, building something from scratch, or trying to future-proof your brand… Vernā’s blueprint is the one you didn’t know you needed.



Full episode link in the comments 🔗👇

owes me nothing! (Except the past weekend to catch up on rest 😅)

The damage: 50+ confirmed events, 75+ conversations, 2x flight cancellations, and exactly zero regrets.

From panels to concerts, workshops to block parties and private entrepreneur dinners, my week was filled with more connections, insights, and impromptu events than I’d planned for.

Aside from SXSW programming, I mixed in some fantastic houses: Midwest House , Amplify Philly, dreambloc , Culture House, Inc. Magazine Founder House, and many daytime + evening shindigs at Soho House & Co.

We came, we saw, we introduced Building A Better Brand® to dozens of founders, funders, and ecosystem creators — more than we could’ve asked for.

If I met you for the first time last week, let’s turn that handshake into action. You can expect a message from me this week!

PS - Austin is an amazing city and I can’t wait to be back! 🔥🚀

CIAA looks good on you Bmore. 🚀🏀

Late post but…Every year since 23’: From the expos to the after-parties, from the games to the hospitality suites, the energy is unmatched. It’s like HBCU homecoming meets old school Essence Fest. 😎

Kicking off Spring to reconnect with my community, celebrate HBCU excellence, and stay reminded why we all matter and should stick together! 👊🏾

Now I’m in Austin this week for as we prepare to tie up some things for our next chapter . More soon. 💪🏾

📍 Baltimore |

Finally getting to the 2016 challenge, but posting this the day after MLK Day feels like the perfect timing to reflect on the legacy of progress. The paths I’ve been able to freely pursue were once my ancestors’ wildest dreams.

This trend holds real meaning for me: 2016 was my anchoring year. You can get lost in the hustle, not realizing it was that year that positioned you for where you are now.

I don’t even know where this trend emerged, but 2016 definitely needed its highlight. We’ve got to give more credit to the journeyers who were pounding the pavement before the internet started manufacturing careers overnight…and I say that with love. 👊🏾

Meanwhile, in 2016… I moved to Harlem after years in Brooklyn. A realignment year. Lately, a close friend and I have been talking through career shifts and how certain years quietly set you up to look like an “overnight success” much later. Many of us have been on this train longer than social media’s fast outputs have respected, but that depth and those relationships is what empowers us today.

2016 Highlights include:
• Conversations with (thanks ) that shifted how I thought about life, purpose, and work
• Pinning stories and cultural moments for , and leveraging my voice with intention.
• The era: they were dropping iconic collabs nearly every week, and I was grateful to contribute to the brand’s cultural visibility during a pivotal era.
• Building with my brother : his first brand manager, my first artist client- we both understood vision and the power of partnership.
• Prime NYC street-style era, and the identity shift from Tony ‘the model’ to Tony the renaissance brand man w/ the 🎩
• Discovering : the perfect timing for a grounding escape and a creative reset beyond the unsettling pace of NYC

Last week was one for the books. A huge thank you to our special guest, Seth Goldman (Co-founder of and Honest Tea), for pouring so much wisdom, honesty, and generosity into the room. We had a full house of founders, builders, and innovators, and the energy was unmatched.

I first met Seth eight years ago in NYC during the Honest Tea 20-year anniversary exhibit (swipe to the end). To bring him to DC for a ® Live event felt like a full-circle moment in every way. 🔥

Our community got candid, behind-the-scenes insights from Seth’s journey, including:
- How he built Honest Tea from a kitchen idea into a national brand and ultimately sold it to Coca-Cola without compromising the mission.

- Why purpose isn’t a tagline; it’s the strategic edge that fuels longevity, resilience, customer loyalty….and global impact.

- What it took to launch Just Ice Tea after two decades in the industry—leveraging partnerships, team alignment, and values-driven ex*****on.

The Next Chapter: Insights from his work with Beyond Meat and Tony’s Chocolonely, and what the future of ethical, sustainable, and mission-led business really looks like.
Seeing the crowd inspired, taking notes, and connecting with each other was a reminder of why we built this community in the first place, ideas become movements when we’re in rooms like this.

🙏🏾 A huge thank you to Seth for sharing his brilliance with us, and to our partners DC + .

More moments like this are coming. Stay tuned.

📸: w

📍Washington, DC | 👋🏾 TOMORROW We’re back at it with our next Building A Better Brand® live event November 12th at WeWork DC!

Join Seth Goldman and I, the visionary Co-Founder behind iconic, mission-driven brands like Honest Tea, , and , for an intimate ® Fireside + Live Podcast Recording at WeWork DC.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn first-hand how to build a business that truly sustains and impacts your industry.

We’ll dive deep into:
* 🌍Global Scaling: The legendary journey of building Honest Tea and selling it to Coca-Cola, and the key strategic decisions required to create lasting market impact.

* 🌱Mission as a Moat: How centering a brand around Fair Trade, organic ingredients, and exploitation-free supply chains drives both profit and purpose.

* 🔁 The Power of the Pivot: Moving from one iconic brand to launching the next with JUST ICE TEA, leveraging partnerships, and building a passionate, mission-aligned teams from the ground up.

* 🍫Other Chapters of Impact: We’ll explore Seth’s roles with Beyond Meat and as Chair of the Mission Guardians for Tony’s Chocolonely, and unpack the future of sustainable and ethical business ventures.

🥂 Afterward, stick around for a champagne toast and networking reception with fellow founders, entrepreneurs, and sustainability advocates! You’ll also enjoy complimentary JUST ICE TEA products and meet the marketing team.

Join us for an evening of entrepreneurial insights and real-world wisdom on building purpose-fueled companies from the ground up.

👉 RSVP here + link in bio: https://luma.com/qqccgt0w
📍 200 Massachusetts Ave, NW Washington, DC, 20001 
🗓️ November 12th, 2025. Doors open at 6pm.

October + NYC: I’ve been running this past month 😅… between AdWeek, BlackWeek, merging into MarTech, and engineering the next chapter of and .

Grateful for the insights, the energy, and the right to see and be seen on the scene. Sometimes, being where the momentum lives does the mind good. IYKYK

NYC in October always does right by me 🍂😎. For the ones who’ll always be New Yorkers at heart.

1–2: NYC being good to me
3: A little energy from 
4–5: was such a vibe
6: Always good running into my guy 
7: BlackWeek aka the reunion… ran into my buddy and beautiful soul , and a Cannes Lions catch-up with the amazing Cassandra ( )
8: took over Gary’s Loft for their nightly shindigs — one of the city’s best views and full circle for me. (Shot one of my first talent gigs there- playing a DJ in Kelly Rowland’s Daylight video 😁)
9-10: energy 
11: parties always deliver
12: Iconic 👑
13: Byron Allen spitting game at Advertising Week
14: Thanks for the fly pic 
15: I was supposed to board a train that night… but the BlackWeek party made me stay in NYC an extra night.
16: Enough said.

October + NYC: I’ve been running since this past month 😅…between AdWeek, BlackWeek, building a MarTech platform, and engineering the next chapter of and .

Grateful for the insights, the energy, and the right to see and be seen on the scene. Sometimes, being where the momentum lives does the mind good. IYKYK

NYC in October always does right by me 🍂😎. For the ones who’ll always be New Yorkers at heart.

1–2: NYC being good to me
3: A little energy from 
4–5: was such a vibe
6: Always good running into my guy 
7: BlackWeek aka the reunion… ran into my buddy and beautiful soul , and a Cannes Lions catch-up with the amazing Cassandra ( )
8: took over Gary’s Loft for their nightly shindigs — one of the city’s best views and full circle for me. (Shot one of my first talent gigs there- playing a DJ in Kelly Rowland’s Daylight video 😁)
9: week energy 
11: parties always deliver
10: Iconic 👑
11: Byron Allen spitting game at Advertising Week
12: Thanks for the fly pic 
13: I was supposed to board a train that night… but the BlackWeek party made me stay in NYC an extra night.
14: Enough said.

October + NYC: I’ve been running this past month 😅… between AdWeek, BlackWeek, merging into MarTech, and engineering the next chapter of and .

Grateful for the insights, the energy, and the right to see and be seen on the scene. Sometimes, being where the momentum lives does the mind good. IYKYK

NYC in October always does right by me 🍂😎. For the ones who’ll always be New Yorkers at heart.

1–2: NYC being good to me
3: A little energy from 
4–5: was such a vibe
6: Always good running into my guy 
7: BlackWeek aka the reunion… ran into my buddy and beautiful soul , and a Cannes Lions catch-up with the amazing Cassandra ( )
8: took over Gary’s Loft for their nightly shindigs — one of the city’s best views and full circle for me. (Shot one of my first talent gigs there- playing a DJ in Kelly Rowland’s Daylight video 😁)
9: week energy 
11: parties always deliver
10: Iconic 👑
11: Byron Allen spitting game at Advertising Week
12: Thanks for the fly pic 
13: I was supposed to board a train that night… but the BlackWeek party made me stay in NYC an extra night.
14: Enough said.