EPISODE:
18
|
March 26, 2026

How to Build a Personal Brand with Cheldin Barlatt Rumer

Featuring
Cheldin Rumer

In this Brilliance Series episode of the Less Than One Percent Podcast, recorded live at Brilliance 2025 in Chicago, we sit down with Cheldin Rumer, CEO of This Is It Network and a powerhouse in personal branding and storytelling.

From helping women scream their dreams to redefining what leadership looks like, Cheldin breaks down why showing up as yourself is the real competitive edge and why carrying it well doesn’t mean it isn’t heavy.

This is how Cheldin Rumer disrupted the notion of perfection and proved you don’t have to be number one to be great.

Also listen on:

Timestamps

01:09 – Meet Cheldin Rumer

02:37 – Women in healthcare finding their voice

05:26 – The real impact of Brilliance and meaningful connections

07:51 – Cheldin’s superpower is turning presence into action

10:12 – The two-touch rule

14:31 – How would your family describe your superpower?

16:45 – Being put in boxes and breaking out

18:34 – Closing thoughts: You do not have to be number one to be impactful

Transcript

01:03
Meet Cheldin Rumer

1:03

we have another

1:03

nmamazing woman um who was it was we we

1:07

tried we actually would have started

1:08

earlier

1:09

but we tried to yank her out the room

1:11

and everybody was talking to her so it's

1:14

Sheldon Barlet Groomer

1:15

yes

1:16

and you you. I'm not going to give it

1:18

all away cuz I want it to come out

1:20

for sure.

1:20

Um, but you know,

1:22

for us, I think that

1:24

to bring women together

1:25

for sure.

1:26

And I think it's sort of like

1:28

as a as as a dude.

1:30

Yeah. Yep. Yep.

1:31

You know, to be passionate about

1:32

something like this, I think I think I'm

1:34

a little weird.

1:35

Yeah.

1:35

To be honest,

1:37

tell me. But I do feel like there's a

1:39

need there's a need for women to be in

1:42

spaces to talk to each other 100%.

1:44

Because at the end of the day, you know,

1:45

we have so many different unique

1:47

experiences and

1:48

100%.

1:48

Uh it's it it uh you know, it's

1:51

different. But so what I want to ask you

1:53

before I'm going on my rant

1:54

is so how how did you feel? How did you

1:56

enjoy the day?

1:57

Oh, it's so good. It's so good. It's so

1:59

good. I loved the energy. You know, not

2:02

all events are created equal. This one

2:05

is above

2:07

it. The energy was amazing. The quality

2:09

of the attendees was just topnotch. You

2:11

know that people really carved out their

2:13

day to be here and so it was really

2:16

evident in who I was speaking to and the

2:18

level in which seuite executive I mean

2:21

it was the gamut um traveling from all

2:23

over the country and I thought I mean

2:25

especially with all the

2:26

the flight drama and and it looks like

2:28

everybody made it and it was it was safe

2:30

that people were safe and all that

2:31

stuff.

2:32

Of course. Of course. I want to know,

2:34

you know, because again, I think that if

2:36

you look at healthcare in general, but I

2:38

think

2:39

women in general

2:41

have a marketkedly different experience

2:43

and could you comment on

02:43
Women in healthcare finding their voice

02:43

Sure.

2:45

You know, how does that experience

2:48

how's it could be amazing,

2:51

but it also there are things that could

2:52

weigh on you.

2:53

Yeah, for sure. Um, it was funny earlier

2:55

in my session I said that the the quote

2:58

that I live by is just because I carry

3:00

it well doesn't mean it isn't heavy.

3:03

And so that I think has been my theme I

3:06

think for the past decade um of just how

3:09

to navigate spaces. You know this is

3:12

and how to show up and how to make use

3:14

of the spaces that you're in. I can make

3:16

it's the same energy, right? It's the

3:18

same energy that I can use to be

3:21

disgruntled or angry within a space or

3:23

the same energy I can use to be positive

3:25

and make use of a space. And so, um, I

3:28

encourage women knowing that times are

3:30

difficult, knowing that you're not

3:32

always going to be understood, knowing

3:33

that

3:34

it may be tougher in a lot of different

3:37

ways or are definitely tougher in a lot

3:39

of different ways. It's how you carry

3:41

it, right? And can we be of service to

3:44

women who not only have a lot to carry,

3:47

we're always tempted to say, "Oh, why

3:48

don't you put that down or why don't you

3:50

do less?" Yeah.

3:51

And I always say, "How can I help you

3:53

carry it?" Yes.

3:54

Right. As opposed to, "How can I help

3:55

you put it down?"

3:56

I love the way I love the way you put

3:57

that because it it it

3:59

I think the idea that you have to get

4:02

rid of the feeling is kind of weird,

4:04

right? like it, you know, hey, if I feel

4:06

hurt or sad,

4:07

instead of saying get rid of it, say,

4:09

hey, let you know, let me help you with

4:11

it. You know, the whole one one set of

4:13

footprints thing.

4:14

Yeah. 100%. 100%. And there's this this

4:17

notion nowadays of it's not that deep.

4:19

It's not that deep. And and for me, I

4:21

was like, it is that let it be that

4:23

deep, right?

4:24

Let it be that deep. I have no longing

4:26

to be

4:27

to have the depth of a contact lens.

4:29

Like, I have no longing to be less deep.

4:32

You know what I mean? like to be deep

4:34

and let people feel what they need to

4:35

feel and let them put it where they need

4:37

to put it. And I think that when we hold

4:39

things in, it comes out eventually.

4:42

It might come out in a conversation or

4:44

crying in the middle of a produce

4:45

section. Yeah.

4:46

Um but it's going to come out

4:47

or crying on stage,

4:48

right?

4:49

We loved that though.

4:51

I mean, we love that though. I mean, but

4:54

but I think it was important for the

4:55

room to to see you feel something.

4:58

Yeah. Yeah.

4:58

Right. And we don't. And I think that

5:00

nowadays, especially now, like there's

5:02

not enough of that.

5:03

Yeah.

5:03

Right. Everybody's just trying to be

5:05

strong for the next person. Try to be

5:06

strong for the next person. And no one's

5:08

strong.

5:09

And I think that that was a beautiful

5:10

thing. So please, please, no regrets on

5:12

that. We all We all

5:14

I'm old school. Don't tell my daddy.

5:16

It's all right. No problem.

5:17

Daddy know that.

5:18

I put it on TikTok, so it's fine.

5:19

Every time. What you crying for, boy?

5:22

I already put it on TikTok. It's fine.

05:26
The real impact of Brilliance and meaningful connections

05:26

Um what what what was the most profound

5:27

interaction you had with an individual

5:28

here? Like what you know was somebody

5:30

that came up to you or somebody you

5:32

reached out to?

5:33

Sure. Sure. Um I just left speaking with

5:36

a student. So when I had originally um

5:40

gained the information, I was like, "Oh

5:41

yes, all these executives." And then

5:43

when I found that there would be

5:44

students in the space,

5:46

I also equally perked up because I do

5:48

believe, you know, the the motto that I

5:51

am really working with or we my network

5:53

really works with is for you to scream

5:54

your dream. Um we work with a lot of

5:56

collegic young women to find their

5:58

voice. Yes. Right. It's hard to scream

6:00

when you haven't found your voice. And

6:01

so one young lady had talked about, you

6:04

know, how do you communicate when you've

6:07

gone through trauma or you've gone

6:08

through negativity? How do you find your

6:10

voice through that? And it was wonderful

6:12

to kind of workshop that with her in the

6:14

brief time we had together to connect

6:15

with her to force her to connect with me

6:17

on LinkedIn to make sure that she knew

6:19

that there was somebody else that saw

6:21

her and that heard her. And oftentimes

6:23

that's all you really need. You know

6:25

what is she going to she's not going to

6:26

call me every day. She doesn't need

6:29

anything from me. It's not a

6:30

transaction. But to know that there's

6:31

somebody in the space that exists

6:34

100%.

6:34

Um I think it's powerful. So that was

6:36

really powerful for me.

6:37

Yeah. I know. I mean, it's so it's a

6:38

blessing like when you I mean, I've had

6:40

that experience with a a few people on

6:42

this podcast, but also,

6:44

you know, like Magic Johnson wrote my

6:45

forward. Wow.

6:46

And he didn't have to, right? So, when

6:48

somebody advocate I wouldn't say

6:50

advocate, when somebody supports

6:52

Sure.

6:52

your vision.

6:53

Sure.

6:54

It just it's an elevation.

6:55

It's huge. It's huge. And I also think

6:57

that there's a difference between

7:00

a acknowledging your vision and

7:02

supporting it because there are tons of

7:04

people that are like, "Do you, you got

7:07

it,

7:09

I supported you, but is that support or

7:11

is that just letting me do me?" Like, do

7:13

you know what I mean? But when people

7:15

really support you, where they say your

7:16

name in your absence,

7:18

oh, I knew you were going to be that.

7:19

No, no, you didn't.

7:20

You didn't. You actually told me to quit

7:22

to be quite honest, right? Like if we

7:24

recall the conversation, right? Um, so I

7:27

think that, you know, it's one thing to

7:29

give people room to be successful. It's

7:31

another thing to show up for them.

7:32

It's another thing to help to to prop

7:35

them up.

7:35

100%. How wonderful.

7:37

So, something I ask everybody um that we

7:40

didn't we didn't go through I didn't do

7:41

it on stage today because I wanted the

7:43

focus to be

7:44

sure

7:44

on on the speakers that were there, but

7:46

I usually do sort of a thing about

7:48

superpowers. I have this

7:50

in the in the in the studio that we have

7:52

in in Dallas.

07:52
Cheldin’s superpower is turning presence into action

07:52

Yeah. We have a bunch of superheroes on

7:56

the wall.

7:56

Oh my goodness. I love it.

7:57

And I I firmly believe that everybody

8:00

has something that's uniquely

8:02

sure

8:03

super to them.

8:04

And when they use it, they can change

8:05

the world.

8:06

100%.

8:07

So what's your superpower?

8:08

I have the ability to change the energy

8:10

in a room.

8:11

What? You Wait a second. You didn't even

8:13

think. No.

8:14

I mean, you just you just threw it out

8:15

there. I know. You've been thinking

8:17

about this.

8:17

I do love a good superhero. You know,

8:18

answer this.

8:19

No, but I do love a good superhero. I

8:21

do. I love a good superhero.

8:22

So So tell me more. I I think that there

8:24

that's a power, right? So, if I'm in a

8:26

bad mood,

8:27

Yeah.

8:28

it's contagious. My team's in a bad

8:30

mood, the room's in a bad mood, but when

8:32

I and I learned it at a very young age,

8:34

if I'm in a good mood,

8:36

you lift everybody up.

8:37

You lift everybody up. So, how do you

8:39

choose to use your power, right? And

8:42

acknowledging it for for my benefit or

8:44

for my detriment is important. And and

8:47

when you know as especially if you're in

8:49

the world of persuasion, if you're in

8:50

the world of of sales, if you're in the

8:52

world of of trying to communicate a

8:54

message or trying to throw a party or

8:56

trying to be able to create content, as

8:58

they say, you know, you could either use

9:00

your voice for good or for bad and and

9:03

what I can use my voice with and how I

9:05

can change the temperature and how I can

9:07

make people feel comfortable like you're

9:09

doing with me right now. Right? This

9:11

isn't hard because you've shared energy

9:13

and time with me. There's interviews

9:15

that are harder. Yeah. Right. Because

9:17

they're right. Because they're like,

9:18

"And the weather, right?" And they're

9:20

like, "Don't really care what you're

9:21

saying, but when you're tuned in, people

9:23

can feel that." And I don't think enough

9:25

people know how to manage their energy.

9:27

Jordan always gets mad at me. Jordan

9:28

doesn't have a mic. I love it. I love

9:30

this podcast, but Jordan doesn't have a

9:32

mic.

9:33

Because he he I'm infamous for,

9:37

you know, when we start vibing like

9:38

this,

9:39

you know, it's an hour later.

9:40

He's like hour. He would love an hour.

9:43

We've recorded for I mean we're doing

9:45

I believe it. I'm I'm guilty of that

9:47

too.

9:47

Three hours.

9:48

I'm guilty of that too, Jordan. I am. I

9:50

mean I am. But once you're in a flow

9:52

like giving

9:54

the right and I think that not too many

9:57

I call it the two touch especially for

9:59

women. Yeah.

10:00

Um I'll run up to a like just in passing

10:02

downstairs. You'll go up to any woman

10:04

especially an ambitious woman. A woman

10:06

who has a lot going on. A woman we do a

10:08

lot with women in what we call the

10:10

sandwich generation, right?

10:12
The two-touch rule

10:12

So, she has

10:11

kids and then she has parents that she's

10:13

taking care of and she's taking care of

10:14

herself and she's ambitious and all

10:16

these things. If we call her this

10:17

remarkable woman, if I too touch the

10:20

remarkable woman, I actually call it

10:21

that. So, if I if she comes up to me and

10:23

she's and I say, "Hi, how are you?" and

10:25

she'll be like, "Oh, I'm fine. Oh my

10:26

gosh, good to see you." Blah, blah,

10:27

blah. If I touch her elbow and ask

10:29

again, "How are you?"

10:31

And I've had three times a tear has

10:33

fallen.

10:34

Oh, man. because that woman has not been

10:36

asked how she was with intent

10:39

probably in months or years.

10:41

Do you think that women carry that

10:43

weight differently?

10:43

Oh, 100%. Because we have because we

10:46

have the capacity to do so, right? We're

10:49

willing participants in our own chaos

10:51

like we are. And I I have two kids. My

10:53

daughter's 14, pray for me. And my and

10:55

my son is eight.

10:56

And so, and I'm married and I have this

10:58

business and I'm producing content. I'm

11:00

traveling in the country and I'm doing

11:01

all these things. Yeah.

11:02

So, as the requests come in, the phone,

11:05

sleepovers, dance recital, you know,

11:07

Lego camp, all these things are I'm just

11:10

managing. I'm just doing the two touch

11:12

forces the stillness and the stillness

11:15

recognizes the chaos.

11:17

And so, if you give people room, so you

11:19

gave somebody room for an hour

11:22

and they took that time to connect with

11:24

you. And that's what people are missing.

11:26

And that's what people are needing so

11:28

much now than ever. As the for you page

11:30

gets more aggressive, as all of this

11:32

content is flowing, they need time for

11:34

this break and the stillness. And

11:36

I feel like I feel like too

11:37

Sorry, Jordan. I need time for this

11:39

stillness. It's going to be three hours.

11:41

But yeah, I think your comment about

11:42

capacity, the difference between men and

11:44

women. Yeah.

11:45

I I I think

11:47

and I don't I don't know enough about

11:48

electrical engineering, but I feel like

11:51

most men were being stereotypical,

11:53

of course. Of course,

11:54

but in most situations, men get to a

11:57

capacity and discharge.

11:58

Sure.

11:58

Right. Whether it's anger or it's, you

12:00

know, whatever.

12:01

Whereas I think the the women their

12:03

their capacitor builds up and up and up.

12:06

100%.

12:07

And they almost try to sort of

12:09

decapacitate if that's a word.

12:11

But sometimes

12:13

as it's filling, you're trying to run it

12:14

down.

12:15

Compress it. We compress it. Compress

12:16

it. Compress it. Compress it. Compress

12:17

it until we can't anymore.

12:20

like you lost when stereotyp

12:29

and and not asked how she was doing and

12:31

not asked and you know we have amongst

12:33

you know the women that we work with too

12:35

we always say check on your strong

12:36

friends. Yeah,

12:38

cuz your strong friends are often the

12:39

ones that need the most help, right? You

12:42

know, just just check in on her. Is she

12:44

okay? Ask her if she's okay. Don't wait

12:46

for her to ask you if she needs

12:47

something. Just show up with something

12:48

nice, you know, and and it's not a big

12:51

bar. It's not really high. We're not

12:52

looking for much. But I think just that

12:54

acknowledgement that you see.

12:56

No, that's great. I mean, I love I love

12:57

that. And I think

12:59

I mean, I I mean, I think it is for

13:00

women, too. But it's also Yeah. As

13:02

you're as you're telling me about it,

13:04

I need to be better at it cuz men Yeah.

13:06

Yeah,

13:06

you know, men's sort of like

13:08

if if you ask me what's wrong, I'm I'm

13:11

going to knock you out. I'm going to

13:12

knock you out. Like, don't don't talk.

13:14

You ask him about some feelings.

13:15

What are you asking me about? You know,

13:16

like do you assume that I can't handle

13:18

myself?

13:18

Yeah. He's kind like, "Happy birthday

13:20

for

13:22

you." Like my boy My boy texts me. He's

13:24

like, "Happy birthday." I'm like, "Bro,

13:25

what

13:25

what

13:26

what are you what are you doing? What's

13:27

wrong, man?

13:28

You what do you mean?

13:29

Someone on Facebook. Stop.

13:30

What do you mean happy birthday?

13:31

He doesn't remember.

13:32

You know, is something going on?

13:34

Something going wrong? You okay? It's

13:36

like when people call like right when

13:38

when my one I'm like you have to text me

13:40

and tell me you're calling me. Don't

13:42

just call. I'm like who do like right?

13:46

Is that crazy? Like just be calling me

13:48

on a Thursday.

13:49

I'm like who's sick? Who fell down?

13:50

She's like I just wanted to say hi. I'm

13:51

like excuse me.

13:52

Yeah. Don't do that.

13:53

That's what a text is for. That's what

13:54

an emoji is for. What are we doing

13:57

now? I'm thinking people are passed

13:58

away. You're of that certain age. The

14:00

parents are You know what I mean?

14:01

Legit. Legit. Actually, honestly

14:03

crazy. Honestly though, speaking of

14:04

which, you know, my parents when they

14:06

when they call

14:08

Yeah.

14:09

Like I'm like, "Yo, you good?" The first

14:10

thing I say, "You good?" They're like,

14:11

"Yeah, of course I'm good." Okay.

14:13

If you could change my password on my

14:15

Yeah. You So curious, when we do this

14:18

when we do this

14:20

um in a normal podcast in our other

14:22

studio, we have a process where we can

14:25

call people.

14:26

Oh. And well, we we can't we now do it

14:29

now and embarrass you, but we end up

14:31

having you call a family member,

14:31
How would your family describe your superpower?

14:31

Oh, Lord.

14:33

When So, we're not gonna do that. Okay.

14:35

But I would ask you

14:36

Yeah.

14:37

If your family, if I were to ask your

14:39

family

14:39

what your superpower was,

14:41

what would they say?

14:42

Oh, I I think to find humor where

14:46

there's not. I come I'm West African.

14:48

So, I was born in Sleó, Freetown, West

14:50

Africa.

14:51

I come from a crazy West African family.

14:53

And so admittedly like no one would tell

14:55

you otherwise. It's not like I'm telling

14:57

tales on them. They just would all

14:58

equally say that. But they're very an

15:00

academic family. So where I am skilled

15:03

as well as I believe that I am

15:06

successful, they have more initials

15:08

behind their names than in front of

15:09

their names. Right? So my older sister

15:12

doctorate, my younger sister doctorate,

15:14

my younger baby brother graduated from

15:17

Cornell Law. Do you I talk to myself on

15:20

YouTube and Facebook and throw parties

15:22

at the Super Bowl. Do you know what I

15:23

mean? So people at Thanksgiving are like

15:25

who pays you? Like how do you make

15:26

money? Like you know and like what's

15:30

happening? Like why are you going there?

15:32

Why are you throwing a part? Like why do

15:33

you need a balloon arch? Anyway, so

15:35

they're asking these questions and um

15:38

when I started adjuncting I I'm an

15:39

adjunct professor. I teach personal

15:41

branding at Temple and and Drexel. And

15:43

my father was like, "Are you are you

15:45

very excited like are you going to be a

15:47

stable human?" Right? Um and and they

15:50

but they know that what their

15:52

capabilities are.

15:54

I would never nor do I want

15:56

but I am the one I am the one that

15:58

ushers in family. I am the one that has

16:01

the occasions. I am the one that gives

16:03

the speeches. I am the one that cuts the

16:05

tension. I am the one you want in the

16:07

emergency room and right before surgery.

16:09

I'm the one that you want, you know, on

16:11

those birthdays. They know what my

16:13

strengths are. Now, did I try to in my

16:15

youth try to be amongst those with the

16:17

initials behind their name and find it

16:20

very hard to keep up? Yeah. You know,

16:22

being the one that kind of is outside of

16:24

the loop as it relates, but that's how I

16:27

know that my

16:29

that my who I am is a superpower.

16:31

Do you feel do you feel like uh so in

16:33

less than 1%? Yeah. You know, I write

16:35

about, you know, people putting people

16:37

in boxes

16:39

and uh how much more greatness would

16:41

there be the be in the world if we

16:42

didn't do that?

16:43

Do you feel like

16:45

you you've been put in a I mean, I know

16:46

that you did with the parents, but I

16:48

mean, in general.

16:48
Being put in boxes and breaking out

16:48

I mean, I think

16:50

so. And I think that I've also equally

16:53

I think the world would be better if we

16:55

didn't. I also acknowledge the boxes

16:57

that I'm in.

16:58

Yeah. Um, I acknowledge, you know, I

17:02

arrive early and go to bed late. You

17:04

know, regardless of whatever the

17:05

situation is, I show up and and I overd

17:08

deliver. And that might be because I'm

17:10

in so many boxes, right? As as a woman,

17:12

as an immigrant, as a mother. I mean,

17:14

every check mark I could have, I have.

17:17

Um, but that for me has never really

17:20

been excused. But if anything, it's been

17:22

my badge of honor for these these boxes,

17:25

right? because I I can be able to have

17:28

these conversations in any box that I'm

17:30

in. I can find camaraderie amongst a

17:32

number of different people uniquely

17:34

based on the boxes that we share. Um so

17:38

it it it but that's an acknowledgement

17:40

and that takes time. You know, some of

17:42

us fight the box,

17:43

right? And fight who we are naturally as

17:46

opposed to use who we are naturally as

17:48

our strength. And it takes time.

17:50

I think that's the, you know, that is

17:52

100%. I didn't say that today

17:54

um because a lot of women said it that

17:56

were on stage, but I am a huge

18:00

I I hate imposttor syndrome. I think it

18:03

is just

18:04

I think it's the kind of word that

18:06

automatically sets you up for failure%

18:08

now. I like the idea of like

18:10

I think I think coaching is changing

18:12

this way.

18:12

Yeah.

18:13

Coach around the strengths. Not I think

18:15

old coaching used to be what's your

18:16

weakness? Let's fix that.

18:17

Yeah.

18:19

So you know what? So yeah, if you were

18:21

So we've we had women today that were

18:23

students.

18:24

Yeah.

18:24

Um aspiring again I was corrected by

18:29

by Charlene.

18:30

I she actually corrected me and it was

18:32

an appropriate correction.

18:33

Yeah.

18:34
Closing thoughts: You do not have to be number one to be impactful

18:34

You said I shouldn't say aspiring

18:35

students

18:37

or aspiring leaders.

18:38

Yeah. Yeah. Everyone's a leader.

18:40

Said everyone's a leader.

18:41

Broke me down. I was like woke me down.

18:42

That's why you up here. That's why

18:44

you're up here. But yeah,

18:45

so we had students all the way up to we

18:47

had um health system executives. I mean

18:50

it was

18:50

Yeah. I mean it was hu folks. Yeah.

18:53

So if you were going to,

18:54

you know, do a PSA for

18:57

everybody who attended and now they're

18:59

listening to this podcast.

19:01

Sure.

19:01

What would what would you tell them, you

19:03

know, like sort of

19:04

after the conference, what what now?

19:06

Yeah. I really love the idea of

19:10

identifying where you are in order to

19:12

get to where you want to be. I think

19:14

that a lot of people are in this notion

19:17

again not to age myself but grew up in

19:19

this notion of this kind of fake it till

19:20

you make it kind of space and regardless

19:23

of what you pretend to be and I always

19:26

use the analogy is if you ever were in a

19:28

play right if you ever if you were the

19:30

lead or if you were tree number three

19:32

right it doesn't really matter right you

19:34

come off the stage still in the play

19:36

right you come you'd come off the stage

19:37

and you'd still be exhausted right the

19:39

tree would be standing there for three

19:41

sets and you'd still be exhausted cuz

19:43

you were pretending to be something

19:44

else.

19:45

How'd you know I was the tree?

19:46

I listen, I was like rock number two or

19:49

something, right? I was like, I got the

19:51

rock. And my mom was like, okay, I have

19:54

to buy a costume for the rock. Anyway,

19:56

what are we doing? Um, but ultimately,

19:58

when you're pretending to be the rock,

20:00

the tree, or the lead, it's exhausting.

20:02

You're still tired.

20:03

You're so tired. But when you come and

20:05

show up as yourself, you might be

20:07

nervous, but not fatigued.

20:10

Yeah.

20:10

And so, allow for the nervous to be the

20:12

strength. allow for you to get

20:13

comfortable with where you are. You do

20:15

not have to be the best to be great.

20:19

You don't You don't have to be number

20:20

one.

20:21

You need to say that again because we

20:22

need to get this sound bites.

20:23

You do not You do not have to be the

20:25

best to be great. You do not have to be

20:27

number one in the race to be worthy of

20:29

running. You don't.

20:31

And I thinking and I think that's the

20:33

play. And I think

20:33

that's what we talked about earlier.

20:35

Yeah. And I think so many people I'll

20:37

only participate if I come in first.

20:40

It's crazy. Look at I'm a huge fan of

20:42

sprinting, the Olympics sports.

20:44

They're the best in their countries,

20:47

but they might be 20th at the Olympics.

20:49

They might never. So what? Not don't

20:51

run.

20:52

Well, you're right now I'm writing my

20:54

next book and I'm talking about

20:56

um it's called almost the other side of

20:59

winning.

21:00

And it's, you know, if you look at the

21:02

difference, especially in the Olympics,

21:04

you're talking about swimming or

21:05

sprinting.

21:06

Yes.

21:06

And the gap between first is

21:09

Yes. milliseconds.

21:10

Millise.

21:11

And if one person wins,

21:13

yeah,

21:13

they're revered. And the person that

21:16

lost is a dog,

21:17

right?

21:18

But the difference is this much.

21:20

That much.

21:20

And how much again, you know, that's my

21:22

mom. How much more greatness would be be

21:24

in the world if we acknowledged that

21:26

there is greatness that comes second and

21:28

third.

21:28

It there's greatness that comes 20th.

21:31

And what does that person do when they

21:32

go home to their hometown and tell that

21:34

story? Do they tell the story about them

21:36

losing or do they tell the story about

21:38

them going to the Olympics? That's a

21:39

choice.

21:40

Amazing.

21:41

Right. And and that's where the power

21:42

is, right?

21:43

Although I hate losing.

21:44

I I hate losing to But the only reason

21:46

you got to 20th is because you wanted to

21:48

be number one.

21:48

Yeah. Right. The the drive to be and and

21:50

and I think the I think the challenges

21:54

with the Michael Jordans and those kind

21:55

of people is

21:57

the be the ability to have drive beyond

21:59

when you get to number one is is

22:01

amazing.

22:02

It is amazing. Yeah. Where do they So

22:04

people are people are out there. Yes.

22:06

You're gonna check out

22:07

Sheldon. Yes. Where do they find you?

22:10

Where do they consume you? And what are

22:12

you doing next?

22:13

Yes. Yes. So I'm the CEO and executive

22:15

producer of This Is It Network. You can

22:17

find me everywhere. Uh follow fan and

22:20

like us everywhere you find at this TV.

22:23

You can download us on iOS and Android,

22:25

Apple TV, Roku, anywhere we have

22:27

conversations. I live. Um and I'm so

22:30

excited, you know, about everything that

22:32

we're developing. We're doing we're a

22:33

packed Q1 as we say in corporate world.

22:36

Uh some really exciting events that are

22:38

coming up but we do about 27 events a

22:40

year. So you can find us in all the

22:41

major cities at all the major events and

22:43

log on to thisisitv.com.

22:46

Awesome. Awesome. Well, thank you. I

22:48

appreciate you. Thank you for your time.

22:49

You are amazing. And I'm sure uh you

22:52

know, you know, when you get back home,

22:54

we'll debrief and

22:55

Yes. Well, you're stuck with me now.

22:56

We can make it make it better make it

22:58

even bigger and better next year. Next

23:00

year my goal is a thousand women.

23:02

Oh, that'd be a I'd love to be here to

23:05

see it. Thank you.

23:05

Awesome. Appreciate you.

Key Takeaways

  1. You do not have to be the best to be great.
  2. You are allowed to feel what you need to feel.
  3. Don’t just give people room to be successful, prop them up.

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Episode Guests

Cheldin Rumer

Cheldin Barlatt Rumer is the CEO and Executive Producer of THIS IS IT NETWORK™, a global female- and minority-owned digital streaming platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of remarkable women through educational entertainment. Each day, the network connects a diverse community of women leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs through dynamic online video programs, lifestyle editorial, and interactive events hosted and created by compelling personalities from around the world.  THIS IS IT NETWORK™ is available on iOS and Android, and broadcasts on Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, and Roku.

With an unwavering commitment to elevating women’s stories, Rumer combines her magnetic personality, unmatched energy, and deep industry expertise to celebrate the accomplishments, ambitions, and authenticity of her international guests. Her layered media strategy intentionally reflects and supports the multifaceted personal and professional lives of her audience, ensuring that every woman feels seen, supported, and inspired.

Through her powerful SCREAM YOUR DREAM™ mission and foundation, Rumer has built a robust suite of educational offerings. From entrepreneurial courses and corporate leadership presentations to new student media camps and a national college tour, this program is designed to equip young women with the tools needed to clarify their personal brands, strengthen their communication skills, and confidently share their stories with purpose and impact.

As an immigrant from Sierra Leone, West Africa, a former Division I athlete, a mother of two, an adjunct professor, a personal branding expert, and an author, Rumer has dedicated her life’s work to encouraging women to stop whispering their wishes and boldly SCREAM THEIR DREAM™.

Looking ahead, she is developing the THIS IS IT NETWORK™ Media + Innovation Center, a state-of-the-art East Coast destination designed to serve as a national hub for content creation, community programming, youth development, entrepreneurial education, and women-focused media innovation. This future flagship facility will expand the network’s impact, offering world-class production spaces, training opportunities, live events, and community resources that empower the next generation of storytellers, leaders, and visionaries.