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What's Next? | The Art of Personal Branding

On this episode of What’s Next?, we hear how one Buffalonian took her passion for storytelling and animation and turned it into a Hollywood career. Mia Kai Simonne Moody joins Jay Moran to detail the lessons she learned and skills she honed to land a dream job working on one of television’s longest-running animated shows – “Family Guy”.

More from Mia Simone Moody

After the episode, we continued our conversation with Mia Kai Simonne Moody to find out what she's reading, listening
to, and more.

Books:

"Girls and Their Horses" by Eliza Jane Brazier

"Creating Blockbusters! How to Generate and Market Hit Entertainment for TV, Movies, Video Games, and Books" by Gene Del Vecchio

Podcasts:

"What's Next?"

What people aren't talking enough about:

"I think a lot of people are not talking about what they want to do in their lives. It's always easy to talk about things going on in the world, I would like to see people water their own gardens as well. In my own life, I've seen magic happen when I started focusing more on myself, where I want to go, what are the resources I have available, and what do I need to do to position myself to get where I'm trying to go. I hope one of the things that you start talking about is yourself. And elevators! Elevator pitches are real! I can't tell you how many times I've had a 25-second conversation that changed my life. And it starts with being able to pitch yourself in 25 seconds."

Final thoughts:

"Be a light in the world and remember that lighting someone else's candle does not take away from your light."

Latest Episodes
  • This week on Group Chat, we explore the evolution of Juneteenth, from its growing presence in pop culture and corporate America to the deeper conversations about freedom, identity, and community.
  • On this episode of What’s Next?, Dr. Marcus Watson, Associate Professor of Africana Studies at Buffalo State University, discusses the history of Juneteenth, its significance in the American story, and why understanding this history remains important today.
  • On this episode of What’s Next?, contributor Saladin Allah speaks with Charlynn Rivera of the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center and Danessia Scott-Warren of the Niagara Organizing Alliance for Hope about social justice, community engagement, advocacy, and civic participation.
  • On this episode of What’s Next? TaJuan Williams, author of Doscriosta, shares his personal journey as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and discusses the challenges of overcoming addiction, incarceration, and unresolved trauma.
  • On this episode of What’s Next?, we explore the Adult Critical Time Intervention (CTI) program and how it works to reduce homelessness, prevent rehospitalization, and connect individuals with essential services including housing, transportation, nutrition, and behavioral health treatment.
  • In the final installment of What’s Next?’s three-part anniversary series marking four years since the May 14 Tops mass shooting, the focus shifts from promises to outcomes.
  • (CORRECTION) Part two of What’s Next?’s three-part anniversary series examining the aftermath of the May 14 Tops mass shooting focuses on the distribution and impact of millions of dollars raised to support Buffalo’s East Side.
  • In part one of a three-part anniversary series marking four years since the May 14 Tops mass shooting, What’s Next? examines the nearly 100 million dollars pledged to support Buffalo’s East Side and the families impacted by the tragedy.
  • On this episode of What’s Next?, Kelley Clem of Hospice Buffalo and Palliative Care Buffalo explains the differences between the two forms of care and why early intervention can improve quality of life for patients living with chronic illness.
  • On this episode of What’s Next?, Anne Ryan, Executive Director of Read to Succeed Buffalo, discusses the importance of teaching reading from birth through third grade and the impact of programs like Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.