She Turned Rejection Into ROI - And Now Everyone’s Listening | EP43 | WRKdefined Podcast Network: Conversations Pushing The Boundaries of Work

Most leadership stories start with a title. This one starts with a name people tried to weaponize.

In this episode of Inside the C-Suite, Christy Honeycutt sits down with Ashley T Brundage - a former homeless part-time bank teller turned national VP, political candidate, and now CEO of Empowering Differences. Ashley didn’t just navigate discrimination, transition, and poverty - she transformed it into one of the most dynamic leadership blueprints of our time.

Her method is simple, but not easy: track power, own your differences, and use both to lead.

This episode explores:

Why “diversity” isn’t a checkbox - it’s a business development strategy
How to dismantle fear-based inclusion programs and replace them with ROI-backed leadership pipelines
What most companies get wrong about DEI (and why renaming it won’t fix it)How to navigate identity-based ignorance without retreating or retaliating
Why socioeconomic class is the most overlooked dimension of inclusion
What it really takes to campaign for office while being “othered” on every doorstep
How Ashley scaled her impact by treating empowerment like a strategy, not a sentiment

Ashley’s story isn’t about making people comfortable. It’s about making people capable - of leading with clarity, building across difference, and staying rooted in conviction when the spotlight turns political.

This isn’t just a masterclass in equity. It’s a case study in courage.

Chapters:

00:01:20 – How We Met and Why Ashley Stood Out

00:01:47 – Ashley’s Background Beyond the Bio

00:03:10 – What Happens When You Google Ashley T Brundage

00:04:19 – How Ashley Helps Teams Feel More Inclusive

00:08:07 – Ashley’s Journey from Homelessness to the C-Suite

00:18:49 – A Common Myth About the C-Suite Experience

00:20:07 – A Failure That Shaped Ashley’s Leadership Path

00:22:11 – Campaigning Stories and Leadership Lessons from the Field

00:27:42 – The Deeper Layers of Empowering Differences

00:33:55 – Final Thoughts and How to Engage with Ashley’s Work