As a teenager, Ijeoma Oluo thought male attention would validate her as a person worth knowing. A late night proclamation from a friend’s older sister snapped her back to reality.

Chani Nicholas first learned of astrology and healing from her step-grandmother. Although they didn’t remain close, Chani still honors her influence by trusting her own inner voice.

Tracy sits down with actress Tika Sumpter to talk about the ups and downs that come with following your dreams. Tika shares the journey of being a waitress in New York City to becoming the actress she always dreamed of.

Tracy chats with Angela Davis, aka The Kitchenista, about how she pivoted to following her passion for cooking full time. Angela highlights the importance of focusing your time on the things you love.

Tracy sits down with Naj Austin, Founder and CEO of Ethel’s Club and Somewhere Good. Naj shares what prompted her to create Ethel’s Club and the questions she faced as a young, Black entrepreneur in the startup world.

In 1999, Antje Danielson wanted to start a car-sharing company. But she was a scientist, not a businesswoman, and she knew she couldn’t do it alone. After launching Zipcar with her friend Robin Chase, Danielson had to come to terms with one of her biggest mistakes: asking a close friend to become an equal partner in her company. Danielson tells host Ann Friedman what happened when Chase fired her, and why her choice to walk away ultimately saved the company. 

In 2012, Ellen Pao was fighting discrimination on two fronts: in the courtroom, where she brought a gender discrimination lawsuit against her former employer Kleiner Perkins, and at work, where she attempted to change the culture of Reddit as its interim CEO. Before the end of that year, Pao both lost her case, and resigned. She talks to host Ann Friedman about her decision to keep working to change the tech industry, even after everything fell apart.

When Charlotte Cho moved to South Korea, she didn’t have a professional passion or much of a plan. But she did discover the power of the 10-step skin care routine. Now, she’s the founder of Soko Glam, one of the largest retailers of Korean beauty products in the United States. Cho tells host Ann Friedman about how she learned to invest in her company, and herself.