In this episode of Rich Lessons, we sit down with powerhouse executive Deb Grant—GE's first Black female corporate officer, former president of the GE Foundation (overseeing a $130M budget), board director, and CEO of Corporate Playbook—to decode what actually moves the needle and what it really takes to succeed in corporate America and beyond—and it's not just “working harder.”

From becoming GE’s first Black female corporate officer to advising top executives and sitting on public boards, Deb shares the unfiltered truth about corporate power, board access, and strategic visibility that nobody puts in a LinkedIn post.

We dive into:
• Why hard work alone won’t get you promoted
• The critical difference between mentors vs. sponsors (and why it changes everything)
• How to get on corporate boards and build real influence
• The importance of visibility, relationships, and executive presence
• How Black women can navigate corporate spaces, funding gaps, and leadership barriers
• The unwritten rules of career growth no one teaches you

This conversation is a masterclass for entrepreneurs, professionals, and anyone looking to strategically level up their career.

Key takeaway: It’s not just who you know. It’s who speaks your name in the room.

Emma Grede said working from home is hurting women's careers, and Sheena and Sevetri have thoughts.

This week on Rich Takes, we break down why we mostly agree, who works from home actually works for, and the hard truth that if you're not exceptional and you're not an expert, the person showing up in the office is getting the promotion, the relationship, and the job security when layoffs hit.

Plus, the WNBA Draft had us glued to our screens. Azzi Fudd goes first overall, reunites with Paige Bueckers, South Carolina’s Raven Johnson finally gets her flowers, and UCLA makes history. Women's basketball is in a completely different era, and we are here for it.

And in a surprising shift, some investors are starting to move away from AI-first companies and back toward human-centered businesses. What does that mean for founders building right now? We get into it.

Don't miss our new Rich Lessons episode dropping April 21st, all about corporate boards through the lens of an incredible Black woman.

And if you haven't checked out last week's vibe coding episode yet, go listen now.

Topics: Emma Grede | Work From Home | Remote Work | Office Culture | Layoffs | Job Market | WNBA Draft | Azzi Fudd | Paige Bueckers | Raven Johnson | UCLA | AI Investing | Entrepreneurship | Women in Business

Vibe coding is everywhere, but is it actually changing who can build a tech company, or is it just giving everyone a very polished prototype?Sevetri and Sheena are back with a conversation about the AI-powered development trend taking over the startup world. They break down what vibe coding actually is, who it's for, and — as two tech founders who've built and scaled companies — what the headlines aren't telling you.In this episode:→ What vibe coding really means (and why it's not the same as shipping a product)→ Why Apple is pulling vibe-coded apps from the App Store — and what that signals→ How a friend used Lovable to build a startup and still had to hire a CTO→ The non-technical founder reality check: can you vibe code your way to 7 figures?→ Claude Code vs. Lovable vs. Replit — which platform should you actually start with?→ AI layoffs: genuine disruption or corporate cover for cutting costs?→ The data center problem nobody wants to talk about while they're using ChatGPT→ Why Sheena thinks we're giving AI too much credit too soon, and why Sevetri pushes backWhether you're a founder ready to ship your first MVP, a non-technical entrepreneur trying to compete, or just someone trying to make sense of the AI wave, this episode gives you the real framework, not the hype.Follow Rich Lessons on Instagram, YouTube, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.#VibeCoding #AITools #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship #RichLessons #ClaudeAI #Lovable #TechFounders #AIForEntrepreneurs