May 2, 2023
In this podcast episode, I interview Evan Nierman, CEO of Red Banyan, about his journey in the real world, his internships, and his mentor. We also discuss cancel culture and how to get a mentor to level up to the next stage of your life. Evan shares his experience of moving to Washington, D.C., to be in the middle of politics and policy and how it helped him grow. He emphasizes the importance of having a mentor in your life and suggests finding someone in your workplace or social life who has the job you aspire to or is really good at what they do. We also discuss cancel culture, and Evan defines it as a phenomenon where people are publicly shamed and ostracized for something they did. He warns against participating in cancel culture and becoming a "cancel vulture" because it involves rushing to judgment and pre-judging people without knowing the full context. Finally, Evan shares his advice on how to find direction in life by making a list of three to five people in your life who you admire and respect, whether it be for their business acumen or their personal values.
What We Discuss:
Putting Yourself in a Place of Opportunity [00:02:23] Evan Nierman talks about his decision to attend George Washington University in Washington DC to be in the middle of politics and policy and how it led to internships and opportunities.
Importance of Having a Mentor [00:05:43] Evan Nierman shares how having a mentor, Renee Rothstein, who was invested in his success, set the trajectory for his entire professional life.
Cancel Culture [00:01:18] Evan Nierman discusses cancel culture and what people need to know about it in today's moment.
Finding a Mentor [00:08:02] Stu and Evan discuss the importance of having a mentor and how to find one, including changing your environment and approaching someone you admire.
Overcoming Fear [00:09:54] Evan talks about how fear can hold you back from making important decisions and how to overcome it by taking risks and learning from failures.
Networking and Mentorship [00:13:52] Stu and Evan share tips on effective networking, including buying people lunch, and how it can lead to finding a mentor.
The Mentorship Experience [00:15:35] Evan Nierman talks about the importance of mentorship in his life and how it impacted his career. He also shares what led him to leave his job after seven years and how he did it the right way.
The Draw of Crisis Management [00:21:01] Evan Nierman explains what drew him to crisis management and how he found his passion for helping organizations navigate through difficult times. He also talks about the excitement and adrenaline rush that comes with the job.
Understanding Cancel Culture [00:23:05] Evan Nierman discusses his new book on cancel culture and defines what it means. He also shares advice for young professionals on how to navigate cancel culture in their careers.
Defining Cancel Culture [00:23:42] Evan Nierman defines cancel culture and its critical elements, including the condemned framework, and why it is dangerous.
Avoiding Cancel Culture [00:28:25] Evan Nierman shares tips on how to avoid getting canceled, including being careful with social media and treating others as you would want to be treated.
Connecting with Evan Nierman [00:31:17] Evan Nierman shares where to find him on Twitter, cancelculture.com, and Red Banyan's website, and how to connect with him.
Make a list of mentors [00:32:28] Evan suggests making a list of three to five people you admire and respect in your life and reaching out to them for guidance.
Contact your mentors [00:33:23] Evan advises contacting everyone on your list within the next three to five days and asking for a small commitment, like a 15-minute Zoom call.
Conclusion and gratitude [00:34:19] Stu thanks Evan for sharing his journey and insights, and encourages listeners to apply what they learned to their own lives.
Episode Resources:
CancelCulture.com (Website)
@evannierman on Twitter (Website)
Red Banyan (Website)