Meet Rachel Noerdlinger — founding equity partner at ACTUM, one of the top 10 fastest-growing public strategy consultancies in the world, and one of the most powerful crisis communications strategists in the country. With 35 years in media and PR, Rachel has been behind some of the most historic civil rights cases of this generation.In this candid conversation with BIG CED on My Friends Are Better Than Yours, Rachel opens up about her extraordinary career, her personal journey, and why she runs toward crisis when everyone else runs away.💥 In this episode:How growing up in chaos shaped her career in crisis managementGetting her start under legendary publicist Terry WilliamsHer first clients: Johnny Cochran and Rev. Al SharptonBuilding the National Action Network's media presence from the ground upThe most historic civil rights cases of our generationWhat ACTUM is, why it was built, and where it's headedBeing the only Black female founding equity partner at a global firmHer work in health equity and the current Medicaid crisisMental health, self-medication, and losing her mother to suicideHer son's redemption story and the next generationAI, social media burnout, and the future of Black mediaWhat she would do differently — and why scars matter🌱 Rachel is also hosting a vegan wellness retreat in Costa Rica — tune in for details!🔗 Connect with Rachel Noerdinger:📱 Social: @RachelNoerd🌐 Website: actumlc.com🎙️ The Industry Cosign turns 23 years old on March 15th!Subscribe, like, and share to support independent Black media.0:00 Intro & Welcome1:41 Rachel introduces herself — 35 years in media2:25 What is crisis management?5:20 Growing up in chaos — the origin story 6:09 Dropping out of Columbia & discovering PR 7:07 Learning from legendary publicist Terry Williams7:38 First clients: Johnny Cochran & Rev. Al Sharpton11:48 28 years with Reverend Sharpton & NAN12:30 Trayvon Martin, Sean Bell, Amadou Diallo & more15:13 Getting close to victims — the emotional weight16:44 What is ACTUM and why was it built?18:27 Bipartisan strategy & ACTUM's global offices 19:17 The goal: becoming a billion-dollar company 20:27 Being the only Black woman equity partner 22:20 Lifting as you climb — acquiring Sky Blue Media24:09 Health equity work & the Health Equity Coalition24:51 Vegan wellness retreat in Costa Rica26:27 Fighting health disparities under the current administration27:06 Al Sharpton + Newt Gingrich — strange bedfellows for change28:05 Mental health in the Black community29:06 Rachel's personal story — losing her mother 30:54 Self-medication, sobriety & finding tools to cope33:07 Midterms, rebuilding, and revolution34:04 Dark-skinned Black men — power, targeting & identity40:32 From entertainment PR to politics — the shift42:43 Why entertainers aren't as active today43:34 The role of Black journalists and media voices46:27 AI, robots & the death of entry-level jobs48:02 How BIG CED came to accept AI as a creative tool50:54 How ACTUM built their own AI tool 52:08 What's next for Rachel & ACTUM53:40 What would you do over again?58:26 Closing — gratitude & how to connectConnect with BIG CED: https://www.instagram.com/bigced328/ https://www.facebook.com/bigced328 https://x.com/bigced https://bsky.app/profile/bigced328.bsky.social https://www.linkedin.com/in/bigced/ https://www.twitch.tv/bigced328 https://rumble.com/user/bigced328https://www.dailymotion.com/bigcedhttps://open.spotify.com/show/35yBW0BTd4c7HvCnh9dVXz?si=HvZeE8RfTJGH6YjvHBiYzg&nd=1&dlsi=a147a471e6ab4c5c https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-industry-cosign/id1638654676 https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-industry-cosign-105171601/#RachelNoerdinger #ACTUM #CrisisManagement #BlackExcellence #TheIndustryCosign #PublicStrategy #RevAlSharpton #NationalActionNetwork #BlackWomenLead #HealthEquity #BlackMedia #CivilRights #BlackEntrepreneur #MediaStrategy #BIGCED

In this episode of “My Friends Are Better Than Yours,” BIG CED sits down with powerhouse entertainment attorney and professor Bernie Lawrence Watkins, Esquire to talk about her 26‑year journey in entertainment law, her roots in Queens and at NYC’s legendary Music & Art (LaGuardia), and how Howard University and law school prepared her to build a respected practice in Atlanta. From watching her brother’s ups and downs as an artist to becoming a “contract killer” for producers, songwriters, and artists, Bernie breaks down how she advocates for creatives, negotiates better deals, and protects her clients in a changing music industry. She also shares how she built her own firm BLW & Associates, the story behind working with major producers (including Bangladesh and others tied to Ludacris, 50 Cent, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, and more), and why she’ll walk away rather than put her name on a bad deal. Beyond law, Bernie talks about her role as an adjunct professor of entertainment law at Georgia State University College of Law, her passion for mentoring the next generation, her life as a triathlete and fitness lover, and her plans for the future—including a possible judgeship and an upcoming book targeted for 2026. If you’re an artist, producer, or future lawyer looking to understand the business, this conversation is packed with gems on discipline, time management, self‑belief, and navigating the industry as a Black woman at the top of her field.0:00 Intro – show and concept setup​1:40 Guest intro – Bernie Lawrence Watkins, Esquire​2:10 26 years in entertainment law, “contract killer” mindset​3:09 Professor at Georgia State Law + CEO of Eclipse Distro​3:59 Growing up in Queens, LaGuardia/Music & Art background​5:03 Majoring in voice, choosing law over “starving artist” path​6:03 Caribbean upbringing, family pressure to pursue college​6:27 Brother Ron Lawrence at Howard, seeing artist struggles​7:07 Two Kings in a Cipher and decision to become an advocate for artists​8:25 College major changes, rejecting corporate job to attend law school​10:00 Impact of LaGuardia and Howard on confidence and standards​12:13 Long commute and working in high school, building discipline​14:47 From quiet student to lawyer: learning to be a “voice for others”​16:06 Majority at Howard vs. minority in law school​18:03 Purpose vs. just “going to college because parents said so”​19:42 Moving to Atlanta on industry advice, early law‑firm work​22:14 First big entertainment client around 1999​23:38 Launching BLW & Associates in 2002​25:10 Building a producer‑heavy roster (Bangladesh, her brother, etc.)​25:52 Streaming era shift and rise of independent artists​26:16 Taking on 21 Savage and new‑school deals​29:40 Navigating the “old boys” network as a young Black woman lawyer​31:36 Reputation, results, and referrals building her roster​35:34 Becoming an adjunct professor of entertainment law​38:01 Time management, boundaries, and running a busy practice​40:32 Triathlete life and long‑term commitment to fitness​#BernieLawrenceWatkins #EntertainmentLaw #MusicBusiness #BlackExcellence #WomenInLaw#MyFriendsAreBetterThanYours #BigCed #HowardUniversity #LaGuardiaHighSchool #theindustrycosign #BLW #ronlawrence ​Connect with BIG CED: https://www.instagram.com/bigced328/ https://www.facebook.com/bigced328 https://x.com/bigced https://bsky.app/profile/bigced328.bsky.social https://www.linkedin.com/in/bigced/ https://www.twitch.tv/bigced328 https://www.dailymotion.com/bigcedhttps://rumble.com/user/bigced328https://open.spotify.com/show/35yBW0BTd4c7HvCnh9dVXz?si=HvZeE8RfTJGH6YjvHBiYzg&nd=1&dlsi=a147a471e6ab4c5c https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-industry-cosign/id1638654676 https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-industry-cosign-105171601/https://www.youtube.com/@bigced328?sub_confirmation=1https://theindustrycosign.com/