Reinvention isn't a one-time event. Just ask David Ackert.

David Ackert is the co-founder and CEO of PipelinePlus, bestselling author of The Short List, Gold Award winner for nonfiction book of the year, and one of the most respected voices in legal industry business development. But before all of that, he was an immigrant kid navigating the hostage crisis, a bullying victim who found refuge in theater, and a trained actor who landed roles on The West Wing, CSI: Miami, and JAG before walking away from Hollywood entirely to build something of his own.

In this episode of Breaking Rank, David opens up about what it really means to reinvent yourself, not once, but multiple times, and what leadership looks like when your path doesn't follow any conventional playbook. We talk about growing up between two cultures, the typecasting he faced in Hollywood, the moment he decided to leave it all behind, and how he built PipelinePlus into a firm that now serves some of the most elite law firms in the country.

We also get into the mindset behind it all, including why David swears by Theodore Roosevelt's "comparison is the thief of joy," and why he believes the legal marketing community is more capable of reinvention than it gives itself credit for.

This is one of those conversations that goes way beyond business development. It's about identity, resilience, and what becomes possible when you stop letting the world decide who you are.

Topics covered in this episode:

• Growing up between Iran and the US during the hostage crisis
• Being bullied and finding theater as an escape
• Training at Carnegie Mellon and breaking into Hollywood
• Typecasting as a Middle Eastern actor in post-9/11 Hollywood
• Walking away from acting and why
• Building a business development consulting firm in the legal industry
• Co-founding PipelinePlus
• Writing and publishing The Short List
• Why reinvention is always possible, even in law firms
• The Roosevelt quote that David returns to when life gets hard
• What's next for PipelinePlus and David Ackert

Connect with David Ackert: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidackert/ PipelinePlus: https://www.pipelineplus.com The Short List: https://www.pipelineplus.com/the-short-list

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What does it really mean to lead — and who gets to do it?

In this episode of Breaking Rank, host Diana Lauritson sits down with her best friend and HR veteran Angela Jones for a no-holds-barred conversation about leadership: where it comes from, who it's designed for, and what it costs to show up in spaces that weren't built with you in mind.

From the earliest leadership examples they witnessed growing up (a single mom grinding through it all, a dad whose influence wasn't always healthy, and a corporate mentor who led with empathy instead of ego) Diana and Angela get real about the moments that shaped how they understand power, authority, and what it actually looks like to lead well.

They go there on the tough stuff too: the exhausting reality of walking into rooms where your race arrives before you do, the double standards Black and mixed-race professionals navigate every single day, and why "being professional" often just means being someone you're not.

But this episode isn't just about what's broken. It's about what's possible. Diana and Angela dig into what it means to lead without permission, to stop waiting for a stamp of approval and start showing up with intention, integrity, and a little less need for the crowd's validation.

Whether you're deep in your leadership journey or still wondering if there's even a seat at the table for you, this one's for you.

In this episode:

• The first leadership examples that shaped them (and whether those were healthy)
• How race and identity show up and are policed in professional spaces
• The generational shift in workplace expectations and who's actually right
• What it means to advocate for people in rooms they're not in
• Why leadership doesn't require a title, a corner office, or anyone's permission

Have a question about leadership? Send it to breakingrankpod.com and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share.

What does it actually look like to build wealth, lead at the highest level, and never lose yourself in the process? Shomari James, Founder and CEO of Equity Now, Inc., is living proof that success without selling out is not just possible. It is powerful.

Shomari grew up getting kicked out of nearly every school he attended. He was raised by a mother who kept him grounded and a father who told him to push every limit. Those two forces shaped a leader who went on to spend 21 years in Fortune 500 boardrooms, build a thriving consulting practice, and found a nonprofit dedicated to closing the wealth gap through financial education. And through all of it, he never performed a version of himself that was more acceptable to the room.

In this conversation, we go deep on what that actually takes. We talk about the three sides of Shomari James and why he keeps all of them close. We talk about why leadership is an art and management is a science, and why confusing the two is costing organizations. We talk about the inner work that changed everything for him, including what a closed door taught him about a trauma he did not even know he was carrying. And we talk about what it means to hold the ladder steady for the next person coming up.

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt the pressure to leave parts of themselves behind to be taken seriously. Shomari James is your reminder that those parts of you are not the obstacle. They are the edge.

Episode 12 of Breaking Rank. Let's go.