Welcome to Empowering a Billion Women’s (EBW) very first Success Series! We hope that hearing stories from other women will inspire your success, in whatever way success looks like for you right now.
EBW is a hive of incredibly brilliant, resourceful, and ambitious women. We are profoundly grateful for everyone walking alongside EBW as we develop access to opportunity for women entrepreneurs and leaders worldwide.
Because this is our inaugural Success Series, it seems only fitting to introduce you to a very special person in the EBW network: Debbie Braden. Debbie was an esteemed EBW team member who created and executed a successful communications framework. In fact, she was the visionary behind our weekly Spark communications. Her contributions have left their fingerprints on how EBW lives out its purpose, and we’re grateful for her contributions.
Like many of you, Debbie is making her dream of launching her own business come true. Star Thrower Communication is the culmination of who she is and who she’s learned to become during her career. We’re thrilled to share her story with you.
Q. Let’s start from the beginning – tell us how you got here.
A: I have been a writer and communicator for as long as I can remember. My mother used to find letters I wrote to family members in my room. I even wrote a get-well letter on my best stationery to a US president when he was hospitalized. I loved sharing stories and encouraging others.
When I was young, my grandfather was a GM of a TV station. The time I spent with him in the studio made a big impact because I graduated from Texas Christian University and headed to Los Angeles, where I started a career in television. There, I brought to life the stories of everyday people, the vision of architects, and the mystery of magicians, and showcased the unusual talents of people worldwide on network talk shows, lifestyle cable shows, and specials.
When my father was diagnosed with lung cancer, I returned to Texas and found my way into the world of corporate communication. I knew I had found my career calling because it was the culmination of everything I had done and loved – storytelling and encouraging others.
I’ve spent over 20 years leading corporate internal communications, growing high-performing teams, and championing culture and the employee experience.
Q: Star Thrower Communication is launching this week! Tell us what inspired you to start your own company.
A: I have always dreamed of owning my own business. I was supporting EBW to help prepare them for their relaunch, and I just felt like God was calling me to use my gifts and talents to help transform companies’ hearts by helping them reimagine communication.
Q: Tell us how Star Thrower Communication will make a difference for clients. How has discovering Purpose, Vision, and Mission shaped how you develop your company? Can you share your Purpose, Vision, and Mission?
A: Unfortunately, for many companies, there is a disconnect between employees’ beliefs and the company’s purpose, vision, mission, and values. Additionally, employee dissatisfaction and lack of engagement are on the rise. I believe people want to create value in their roles and to be valued by the company for their contributions. For companies that are ready to address this issue, Star Thrower Communication is ready to help them build better people connections, create a culture of exceptional employee experiences, drive business outcomes, and enable them to retain and attract top talent.
Purpose: Transforming the heart of companies
Vision: People love where they work because they are valued
Mission: Helping companies reimagine the way people think about communication
Q: How has your leader development journey impacted your personal and professional effectiveness?
A: I wouldn’t be where I am today without starting my leader development journey. I am a better human on a journey of being better today than I was yesterday and better tomorrow than I am today.
It completely transformed my perspective and my ability to live an authentic life. Before I started, I believed I could accomplish anything if I worked hard enough. While working hard can be a benefit, operating from a sense of who you are instead of what you do completely changes everything.
I encourage everyone to take advantage of the leader development opportunities that EBW membership offers!
Q: What’s your advice for women considering starting their own business?
A: I am so excited to finally launch Star Thrower Communication. While my doors officially open this week, I have been living and working as Star Thrower Communication in one form or another my whole life.
My advice for anyone considering starting their own business is to first believe in yourself. Focus on a business that you are passionate about. Remember, you are uniquely designed with gifts and talents. Do your market research to understand your target customers and competitors to validate your idea and strategy. And finally, build a strong network of other family, friends, industry professionals and entrepreneurs to support your dream.
Visit my website, www.starthrowercommunication.com, and sign up for my free newsletter if you want internal communication insights to help you inspire your people and help your organization achieve its business goals.
