Episodes
This week in the guest chair we have ​Kimberly Waters, founder of Modern Urban Sensory Experiences, or MUSE​, a luxury boutique fragrance house based in Harlem, NY. When Kimberly realized her role in corporate America was not providing her room to grow into her potential, she launched MUSE out of the parlor floor of a friend’s brownstone on Convent Ave in Harlem and has been growing ever since.​ Why tapping into her community of mentors and entrepreneurs was the right direction How she has...
Published 04/24/24
Published 04/24/24
This week in the guest chair we have Germanee Gerald, founder of GG&Co Styling Firm, a brand and image styling company. Getting her start in the fashion corporate world, Germanee realized she thrived in offering her talents as a personal stylist and started side hustling.  In this episode she shares: How she went from living with family and driving DoorDash to make end’s meet to hiring a team for her styling firmHow to leverage opportunities like internships and a personal brand for...
Published 04/17/24
This week in the guest chair we have Robiar Smith, CEO of R.B. Pest Solutions. In a male-dominated field, she is trailblazing her way to the top and building a legacy business for her family and community. Juggling two rapidly growing companies in an unexpected industry, she's redefining success and breaking barriers. In this episode she shares: How she developed an exclusive retail deal with Home DepotWhat skills from her background in corporate America and MBA program she applied to being...
Published 04/10/24
Today we have in the guest chair Selina Howard, founder and CEO of Vanglorious Brides. Getting her start as a teacher and side hustling as a wedding planner, Selina found her passion and niche in dressing brides. Today, Vainglorious Brides offers custom bridal shopping experiences, day of dressing services, bridal fashion event production, and more.  In this episode she shares: How she went from working for free and building her network to booking celebrity clientsHow fostering strong...
Published 04/03/24
This week in the guest chair we have DeNeitra Burnett, the Founder and CEO of Savvy Events, a Los-Angeles based event production and creative agency. DeNeitra has used her creativity and grit to climb to the top of the events industry, working closely with entertainment titans and Fortune 500 companies like HBO, Netflix, and Hulu, among others. DeNeitra shares how when the events business was shut down during the Pandemic, she pivoted her business to custom mailers, leading to her scaling...
Published 03/27/24
This week in the guest chair we have Alexis Barber, a lifestyle influencer and founder of Too Collective, a modern wellness and loungewear brand. At just 25 years old, Alexis is the host of the top-rated Too Smart For This Podcast and has worked with brands like Lululemon, Rare Beauty, Microsoft, and Miss Dior as a content creator.  In this episode she shares:  How growing up low-income provided the foundation for having confidence and an ambitious mindset to overcome the limitations of her...
Published 03/20/24
This week in the guest chair we have Reyna Noriega, a multifaceted visual artist. Being encouraged to pursue her talents by her parents, she was led to become an art teacher. It was there she discovered her true passion for art and a confidence in herself that would lead her to becoming a full-time artist. With her newfound belief in herself, she began manifesting dream projects and securing brand partnerships with big names like Apple, American Express, and Warby Parker. In this episode she...
Published 03/13/24
This week we are back with Wilglory Tanjong, the Founder and CEO of Anima Iris, a technology-driven luxury bag brand that is industrializing Africa through retail. Starting with a personal investment of $5K, in under two years Wilglory has scaled Anima Iris into a multimillion-dollar valued company.  In this episode she shares: How she worked alongside artisans in Dakar, Senegal for their craftsmanship and ended up supporting their livelihoods and familiesHer advice on keeping the faith and...
Published 03/06/24
This week in the guest chair we have Ashley Reynolds, Founder of Cloth & Paper. After Ashley left her corporate finance job of 9 years, she decided to take a chance on herself. She started designing planner inserts from scratch with no previous background or education in graphic design. Shortly after, a stationery business blossomed and the line grew to offer leather planners, luxury pens, and more quintessential styles. Today Cloth & Paper is a brand with over 40 employees, over 130K...
Published 02/28/24
This week in the guest chair we have Jasmine Taylor, founder & owner of Baddies and Budgets, a financial education platform that aims to make products & provide a community for black women who are struggling with their finances. By addressing her own personal finance issues and sharing her experiences on TikTok, Jasmine built a strong audience of people who resonated with her journey.  In this episode she shares about: How she turned her $1200 stimulus check into a $1M business Using...
Published 02/21/24
This week I’m back to give you an inside look at a new marketing strategy I’m testing out. You guys know, I love to try new ways to provide value and keep my audience updated. One of the best resources I have is my email list, a valuable way to connect with my audience outside of social media.   In this episode I’m sharing: How to cultivate an email list of your own, and continuously grow itHow to figure out the best content and offerings you can give your audience How to automate emails,...
Published 02/14/24
This week in the guest chair we are back for an update episode with Arsha Jones, founder of Capital City- the DC-based company behind the wildly popular Mambo Sauce. Stemming from Arsha's desire to create a product that she could sell multiples of, Arsha describes her journey from starting as a web designer, shifting into e-commerce, and finally venturing into entrepreneurship. In this episode Arsha shares: How starting an income-driven business, Tees In The Trap, helped to fund ventures for...
Published 02/07/24
This week I’m back with a solo episode to share some insights on finding your niche to help you narrow down your side hustle. There are endless paths you can take with side hustling, it’s important to get specific. Finding your niche will put you in line with your ideal audience or help you discover where you need to pivot and make changes.  In this episode I share: The best place to start deciding what niche will work for youHow to get over the fear of putting yourself out thereThe power of...
Published 01/31/24
If you’re looking for a sign to finally start that podcast you’ve been dreaming about, this is it. In this week’s episode, I’m sharing tips I’ve tested to grow my podcast to millions of downloads. I’ve been able to gain sponsorship, grow an audience of over 160K across social platforms, and even appear on a magazine cover. In this episode I share about: Building an audience and how to keep them coming backOvercoming the challenges of being on videoHow to use social media for promotion and...
Published 01/24/24
There is an overload of info and tips for entrepreneurs on the internet, it can be hard to filter through what is actually helpful. In this week’s episode, I’m giving you the real deal with 7 tangible tips to scale your side hustle to a full time business. Having been at this for over 7 years now, I’ve learned that scaling a side hustle is a journey of constant learning and pivoting, but having a solid starting point is key.  In this episode I share about: Recognizing the seeds that were...
Published 01/17/24
This week I’m back with some life updates, and yes, that includes me having a baby on y’all! Time can move so quickly, it’s so important to take time to reflect on the challenges, milestones and accomplishments in life. I’ve learned to tune out other opinions and appreciate my own journey in motherhood and entrepreneurship.  In this episode I share about: Now being a mom of 2 and how entrepreneurship has allowed more freedom to parent Personal finance taking the forefront and which books are...
Published 01/10/24
Third time’s a charm with 'The Budgetnista’, Tiffany Aliche. We’ve been able to witness her journey from unemployed and living with family at 30, to having multi-million dollar years as a full-time entrepreneur. She returns to the guest chair to discuss the maintenance of side-hustles while advancing as a business owner, and her focus on achieving financial wholeness and the critical role of intentionality in success. Her new book, Made Whole, serves as a workbook companion to her previous...
Published 01/03/24
This episode we’re getting a masterclass from The Toy Coach herself, Azhelle Wade. At first second-guessing herself, Azhelle eventually found confidence in her talent, leading to her working for big toy companies like Mattel and Toys R Us. She's climbed up and across the ladder in the toy world, starting out as a designer, later gaining 3 toy patents, and eventually becoming a VP at a toy company. Her online course, Toy Creators Academy empowers newbies in the toy industry with step-by-step ...
Published 12/27/23
It’s always a great episode when we get to see the evolution a previous guest has made in their business. We’re back with Charis Jones, CEO of Sassy Jones, an empowering fashion and beauty brand. She shares how she prioritized impact over traditional business metrics, establishing a colorful and elegant brand with a loyal following, or as she calls it, a “sticky” brand.  In this episode she shares about: Opening a physical store, noting the distinct experiences offered in-person versus...
Published 12/20/23
What started as unexpected unemployment at 52 years old turned into an incredible journey of finding purpose and alignment through absolute self-confidence. Dawn Kelly masterfully tells the story of how she became CEO of The Nourish Spot, a family owned, quick serve healthy food, smoothie and natural juice bar located in Jamaica, Queens, NYC. Relying upon her determination, faith and own resources, Dawn is now a courageous entrepreneur providing healthier beverage and food options in the food...
Published 12/13/23
In the world of consultants and career developers, it can feel impossible to find the right fit. Kimberly Brown stands out as an expert whose leadership development company, Manifest Yourself, helps women and people of color navigate the workplace, make more money and become industry leaders. She’s the author of bestselling book, Next Move, Best Move: Transitioning Into a Career You'll Love and the host of the Your Next Move Podcast.  In this episode she shares: The steps she took to...
Published 12/06/23
This week we are returning with an update episode with Jamila Souffrant. She is the author of the book, Your Journey To Financial Freedom, and the host of the Journey To Launch podcast. As a go-to thought leader in the personal finance field, The Journey To Launch Podcast has over 4+ million total downloads and was listed by the NYTimes as a podcast to help you get better with your money. Starting her journey by saving over $100K in two years, she is now financially free.  In this episode...
Published 11/29/23
In this week's rewind episode, I sat down with Claudia Walker, founder of HBCU Prep School. As a proud second generation HBCU graduate, Claudia authored the best-selling book series, The ABCs of HBCUs and The ABCs of Black Wall Street.  In this episode Claudia shares: How she balances being a full time entrepreneur while working a full time job The insider financial skills she picked up during her time on Wall Street  How she landed her self-published children’s book on Target...
Published 11/22/23
This week we have a rewind episode for you with Domonique Brown, the artist and founder behind DomoINK, a lifestyle brand that contributes art, apparel, and home decor in celebration of Black art. Domonique got her start in real estate and marketing before deciding to become a full-time artist-entrepreneur.  In today’s episode she shares: How her side hustle went from Instagram posts to Target carrying a line of her products How she approaches conversations with major brands regarding...
Published 11/15/23