Protecting Your Purpose in the 9-5 Grind | AJ McQueen x Tech Me As I Am

The 9-to-5 will try to consume you. So how do you protect what's really driving you? In this episode, Brittani sits down with writer, poet, and rapper AJ McQueen and the conversation goes deep fast.

From journal entries that turned into music people cry to in their cars, to sitting at the CEO table before he had the title AJ brings the kind of energy that reminds you who you are before the world told you to shrink.

We talk about:

• How AJ's song "Sit Yuh Self Down" was born from a journal entry on a heavy day
• The power of inner conversation and why talking to yourself is a spiritual practice, not a red flag
• Auditing your life friendships, habits, and the emotional baggage you're still carrying that isn't even yours anymore
• Why "No" is the most powerful word you'll ever learn
• How to stay rooted in your purpose while still showing up to the grind
• Generational trauma, self-love, and why we forgive everyone except ourselves
• Being consistently delusional and why that's actually the strategy

🎤 "Delay is not denial. Don't detour just stay true to your purpose." — AJ McQueen

The conversation delves into Torrance Evans' journey into tech, highlighting his resilience, sacrifices, and self-study. It explores the challenges of being black in tech and the importance of giving back and mentorship. The discussion also covers coping strategies, consistency, childhood experiences, and advice on present-mindedness.

Takeaways

• Resilience
• Self-talk

Chapters

• 00:00 Advice and Present-Mindedness

In today’s episode of Tech Me As I Am, I sit down with Damion Wright, Head of Talent & Acquisition at Intuit, for a powerful conversation about identity, leadership, and the courage it takes to evolve beyond who the world first drafts you to be.

Damion’s journey from athlete to executive isn’t just about changing careers — it’s about rewriting internal narratives, learning how to lead with authenticity, and choosing self-love in environments that often reward performance over wholeness.

Together, we unpack what it means to bring your full self into corporate spaces, how leadership evolves when you understand who you are at your core, and why authenticity is not a destination — it’s a lifelong practice.

This conversation explores how positive affirmation, self-reflection, and emotional awareness shape not only better leaders, but healthier humans. From navigating different personalities to finding inspiration through music, this episode reminds us that the same discipline that fuels athletes can also anchor executives — when purpose leads the way.

• Authenticity as an ongoing journey, not a fixed state
• Leading others starts with understanding yourself
• The role of self-love and affirmation in personal and professional growth
• Translating athletic discipline into emotionally intelligent leadership
• Using reflection and music as tools for grounding and inspiration

00:00 Introduction to Tech Me As I Am
05:05 Courage and Self-Reflection
11:25 Understanding and Leading Different Personalities
17:08 Seeking Positive Affirmation and Growth
23:27 Music for Inspiration