As Told By Nomads

Today, Tayo engages in a truly fascinating conversation with guest, Levert Blount, regarding Levert’s experience of losing everything to natural disaster and rebounding with his newly launched TikTok career which has already garnered him 600,000 followers. Levert opens up the episode by talking about growing up in a big family, how he learned to display love through food, and how it wasn’t until the hurricanes hit Southwest Louisiana in 2020 that his life changed forever. Having lost everything - his home, his job, and everything he knew to be normal - Levert started over living in a hotel and deciding to create a TikTok account that brings to light racial injustice and the hoax that is the American Dream, which has just taken off incredibly.

Bearing the brunt of racism in his daily life, Levert took to TikTok to talk about internalizing white supremacy, racism, and bringing its systemic nature to light to enact genuine change. In a country that’s built upon, and continues to take advantage of cheap/free labor and discrimination, the change must start with us. Levert goes on to thank God for his joyous disposition, and explains that he always found joy in the little things, and that’s what’s sustained him on this unique journey. He closes out the episode by urging the audience to create change of their own by finding their own gifts. No one can do you quite like you, so do you and do it well - there’s a world out there that needs you, just as much as it needs men like Levert Blount.

The Finer Details of This Episode:

• Growing up with a big family
• Showing love through food
• Losing everything to natural disaster
• Levert’s TikTok success
• Living between landfills
• Internalizing white supremacy and racism
• The American Dream
• Finding joy in the little things
• Enacting change
• Finding your gift

Links:

Connect with Levert Blount:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@levertthebassman

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/levertb

Email - [email protected]

Cashapp - $Levertb

https://www.instagram.com/levertthebassman/

Connect with Tayo Rockson and the As Told By Nomads Podcast:

Tayo's Website

Tayo on LinkedIn 

Tayo on Twitter

Tayo on YouTube

Tayo on TikTok

As Told by Nomads Podcast

UYD Management

UYD Collective

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode of the As Told By Nomads podcast, Tayo chats with Erin Diehl, the founder and CEO of a professional development company, a recovering perfectionist, and a podcast host on her own show, Improve It! Together, they kick off the episode by talking about Erin's love for entertainment, how it blossomed at a young age, and how it wasn’t until COVID that she found her true calling: making people laugh online and over Zoom. She recalls sleepless nights working on improv sets with her team, and goes on to remember bygone days when she suffered from being a perfectionist. Since starting meditation and learning to let go, her love for her business has only grown.  

As a self proclaimed recovering perfectionist, Diehl has finally come to understand how and why failure is so vital to our personal progress. She notes how helpful improv was to this journey, and that since failure is inevitable, it’s best to embrace it much as she has done with her genius brainchild, Laugh Break. Corporate clients hire her and her team of improv studs to host a 30-60 minute Laugh Break during a meeting over Zoom, where her goal is to make our virtual realities a little bit more enjoyable. Both Tayo and Erin close out the episode with a final note on knowing your worth - after all, life gets really good when we start to appreciate how wonderful we are.  

The Finer Details of This Episode:

• Erin’s love for entertainment at a young age
• COVID’s effect on her live performances
• Sleepless nights working on improv
• Life as a recovering perfectionist
• Meditation and learning to let go
• Why failure is vital for growth
• Improv practices
• Contributing to positive energy
• Feeling comfortable working from home
• Laugh breaks
• Knowing your worth

Links: 

Connect with Erin Diehl on: 

Improve It! podcast 

Improve It! Homepage  

Erin Diehl on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keepinitrealdiehl/

Improve It! on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/learntoimproveit/ 

Connect with Tayo Rockson and the As Told By Nomads Podcast:

Tayo's Website

Tayo on LinkedIn 

Tayo on Twitter

Tayo on YouTube

Tayo on TikTok

As Told by Nomads Podcast

UYD Management

UYD Collective

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Rob Fazio enjoys yet another warm welcome to the As Told By Nomads podcast.  Specializing in global leadership and success as a Partner at Onpoint Advising, Rob talks to Tayo today about his upcoming book Bully Proof, a how to guide on influencing alphas and wielding strength in professional settings.  The two open up the conversation by discussing Cancel Culture and its toxicity, and how, in a world in which views and opinions become more and more polarized each day, it’s beneficial to start honing these skills of influence and power.  In response to the rise of polarization and bullying, Rob has created a variety of acronyms in his book that include tips about empathy and alignment, strength and plans, and obstacles and outcomes.  

Both Rob and Tayo concede that it isn’t an easy task to adopt a new behavior, especially one that feels unnatural, and that it can be hard to find strength in a situation you previously surrendered to.  There is, however, great growth in discomfort, and to harness this growth, we need to do away with toxic positivity, values of convenience, objects of instant gratification, and reactionary thinking.  We also need to embrace change and fight with our power from within.  These two good friends close out today’s episode by referencing the value in critical thinking, and how we need to start interpreting the world around us through our own lenses, rather than adhering to the narrative that society tells us to believe. Once we make this happen, we will not only find more strength in ourselves, but we will open our heads and hearts to those of others, and maybe, just maybe, learn a thing or two.  

The Finer Details of This Episode: 

• The toxicity of Cancel Culture
• Values of convenience
• Responding to bullies
• DEALS
• Learning new behaviors
• Defining an alpha
• Why there’s growth in discomfort
• The choice between reaction and response
• WOOP and HOW
• Toxic positivity
• The problem with instant gratification
• The value in critical thinking

Links: 

Connect with Rob Fazio: 

Website: https://onpointadvising.com/

Book link: https://onpointadvising.com/bullyproof/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robfazio/

Connect with Tayo Rockson and the As Told By Nomads Podcast on:

Tayo's Website

Tayo on LinkedIn 

Tayo on Twitter

Tayo on YouTube

Tayo on TikTok

As Told by Nomads Podcast

UYD Management

UYD Collective

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tayo is honored to welcome Ryan Glover, founder of the Greenwood digital banking platform, to today’s podcast. A veteran in the entrepreneurship space, and a strong believer in charity, Ryan believes that his ability to problem solve combined with his passion for the Black community has granted him success across such diverse career pursuits.  With a unique and rather varied resume, he’s used his experiences to found Greenwood, a digital banking platform for the Black community that seeks to mitigate the generational wealth gap.  Taking obvious inspiration from the Black Wall Street in Tulsa, OK in the ‘20s, he wants to encourage wealth circulation through this banking platform.

Ryan argues that the key to solving the generational wealth gap is a conglomeration of kind, intelligent individuals who are willing to create and engage with institutions that have Black excellence at heart. That’s why, he says, that he likes to surround himself with individuals smarter than him; after all, that’s arguably the only way to improve.  He goes on to discuss the inherent value in learning from others.  In fact, he owes a lot of Greenwood’s success and the platform’s extensive waitlist to the hard work of others.  He closes out this episode by reminding the audience that in following his dreams and giving back to his community, there were just as many downs as ups– if not more.  So try not to get discouraged when things don’t go according to plan - even the greats suffer from minor and major hiccups sometimes. 

The Finer Details of This Episode: 

• The Greenwood banking platform
• Working in the production industry
• Why repetition is the secret to success
• The history of Black Wall Street
• How to solve the generational wealth gap
• The value in learning from others
• Greenwood’s extensive waitlist
• Taking the downs with the ups 

Links: 

Connect with Ryan Glover and Greenwood on:

Greenwood Digital Banking

Greenwood on Facebook

Greenwood on Instagram

Greenwood Linktree

Ryan Glover on Instagram

Ryan Glover on LinkedIn

Connect with Tayo Rockson and the As Told By Nomads Podcast on:

Tayo's Website

Tayo on LinkedIn 

Tayo on Twitter

Tayo on YouTube

Tayo on TikTok

As Told by Nomads Podcast

UYD Management

UYD Collective

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Tayo is joined by announcer and public speaker, Ronny Leber, to discuss the importance of finding one's passion, the importance of intention, and how, when it comes to finding that passion in the first place, we all must ask ourselves the right questions.  This is a particularly timely conversation given that, in the wake of COVID-19, more people are quitting their jobs and reevaluating their passions and goals than ever.  Ronny notes that he first found his passion in events that brought people together, and, naturally, he entered the world of sports to become an announcer.

He goes on to discuss public speaking tips that are rather applicable to all walks of life.  When people lose their stage presence, for example, it’s because they might not believe themselves to be enough.  Perhaps they spoke rather quietly and monotonously for fear of being judged otherwise, but Ronny argues that believing we are worthy is the first step toward public speaking confidence and confidence in general.  He and his wife record themselves daily reading aloud to practice variation of voice and increase their confidence. Ronny draws this episode to a rather fitting conclusion to discuss three important principles: focus, purpose, and action.  When we hone and zero in on these three notions, Ronny believes that everything will fall into place - and quite frankly, for him, it has.  

The Finer Details of This Episode:

• Finding your passion 
• Asking yourself the right questions
• Career fatigue during COVID
• Variation of voice during public speaking
• Why we are enough
• Recording his readings
• Focus, purpose, and action
• Michael Jackson’s incredible stage presence 

Links: 

Website: https://www.ronnyleber.com/en/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronnyleber/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ronnyleber

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ronnyleber

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/ronnyleber

Connect with Tayo Rockson and the As Told By Nomads Podcast on:

Personal Website: https://tayorockson.com

UYD Management: https://uydmanagement.com/

UYD Collective: https://tayorockson.com/uyd-collective

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tayorockson 

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TayoRockson

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Tayo is joined by Shiv Reddy, a phenomenal cultural commentator, photographer, and an advocate for visual and cultural representation.   She’s been taking photos for the past decade, but most of her current projects are commissioned for South Asian weddings and family portraits.  Photography first enthralled her because it allowed her to enter a space that wasn’t intended for her.  Given that South Asian individuals are rarely portrayed in Western media, as a photographer, Reddy aims to make each of her clients feel like the main character.  

Shiv’s passion for representation transcends photography, though.  She’s taken to social media to engage with others about diversity in pop culture, and has become rather popular herself in doing so.  She goes on to discuss the difference between visual representation and cultural representation in media and why we should always try to achieve the latter.  In the media, minority stereotypes and relevant discriminatory undertones are unfortunately still prevalent, so she hopes that her social media creates a safe space for individuals to have discussions, feel seen, and be heard.  Online, she often talks about pop culture phenomena and the unique experience of feeling ashamed of your own culture for fear of judgment from those around you.  Shiv and Tayo draw this episode to a close by discussing Shiv’s media future, in which she’s ‘taking it one day at a time’.  

The Finer Details of This Episode: 

• How Shiv started her photography career
• What it’s like entering a space not designed for you
• The importance of making clients feel like the main character
• Bridgerton’s inclusivity
• The journey from visual representation to cultural representation
• India’s wide range of diversity
• Assimilating to American culture
• Shiv’s future in pop culture

Links:

Shiv’s TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdbHGUYY/

Shiv’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/shivalry_inc

Connect with Tayo Rockson and the As Told By Nomads Podcast on:

Personal Website: https://tayorockson.com

UYD Management: https://uydmanagement.com/

UYD Collective: https://tayorockson.com/uyd-collective

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tayorockson 

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TayoRockson

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the As Told By Nomads podcast, Khary Lazarre-White joins Tayo to talk about racial narratives in the US and his organization, The Brotherhood Sister Sol.  The pair opens this conversation by introducing the audience to the lack of funding present in minority communities. Given this lack of funding, in combination with familiar stereotypes and narratives regarding black intelligence and athletic ability, for example, it’s no wonder that young children in black and LatinX communities are discouraged from breaking free from the boxes they were confined to.  Khary took it upon himself, however, to create The Brotherhood Sister Sol, a nonprofit that helps young black and LatinX Americans claim the power of their history, identity, community, and education.  

In spite of fighting a rather uphill battle, Khary is incredibly passionate about helping children take back their own narratives.  It’s time to start debunking the common misconceptions that black people only have futures in music or athletics, that they’re violent, that they’re drug addicts, etc.  After all, the perpetuation of these notions obscure black and LatinX histories, generational trauma, futures, and the link between poverty and violence.  Khary goes on to talk about the American obsession with crime, and how the sheer volume of crime series on TV and racist news propaganda criminalizes the young black man in the American psyche.  Through Khary’s organization, Brotherhood Sister Sol, he hopes to help black and LatinX transcend the boundaries that have been created for them. 

The Finer Details of This Episode: 

• The Brotherhood Sister Sol
• The lack of funding for minority resources
• The importance of taking back the narrative
• Reclaiming different identities of blackness
• The link between poverty and violence
• Americans’ obsession with violence
• The COVID-induced mental health crisis

Links: 

The Brotherhood Sister Sol: https://brotherhood-sistersol.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brosis512/

Connect with Tayo Rockson and the As Told By Nomads Podcast on:

Personal Website: https://tayorockson.com

UYD Management: https://uydmanagement.com/

UYD Collective: https://tayorockson.com/uyd-collective

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tayorockson 

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TayoRockson

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.