Brand You Personal Branding 472 - Personal Brands - Learn from this Morgan Stanley COO's Wardrobe Wake-Up Call (with May Busch)
Sep 16, 2025
38:53
What happens when a hardworking analyst who gets mistaken for a flight attendant discovers she needs more than excellent work to climb the corporate ladder? May Busch's 24-year journey from junior analyst to Chief Operating Officer at Morgan Stanley Europe reveals the uncomfortable truths about executive presence, personal branding, and why your skills alone won't get you promoted. Some key points:
- The promotion-killing wardrobe mistake that taught May the harsh reality about looking "the part"
- The secret world of workplace sponsors and how May accidentally earned one of the most difficult managing directors as her champion
- Why AI won't eliminate all roles but will fundamentally change what companies expect from rising talent in the next 3-5 years
- The "hand brake" revelation that explains how world-class worriers can still achieve extraordinary success in high-pressure environments
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