Award-winning filmmaker Ileana D. Vasquez joins Jelani for a powerful conversation about art, identity, and building LolitaMoon Productions from pure vision and relentless creativity.

Ileana is a writer, director, and producer whose work blends theater, photography, and raw emotional storytelling. Her projects have earned the Bronze Telly, Gold Aurora, and Accolade Award, and she’s collaborated with Women In Film L.A., CBS, and international production teams on films like A New Yorker @ Paris.

In this episode, Ileana opens up about:

• Growing up creative and discovering her storytelling voice
• Transitioning from theater and photography into filmmaking
• Founding LolitaMoon Productions and developing her cinematic style
• The challenges of navigating Hollywood as a woman filmmaker
• The emotional truth she seeks in every project
• The realities of independent filmmaking—its freedom, pressure, and purpose
• What’s next for her as she builds the next chapter of LolitaMoon

If you love film, creative journeys, or stories of resilience and originality, this conversation will stay with you.

Watch, listen, and go behind the vision of one of today’s bold independent filmmakers.

In this episode of Behind The Story, Jelani sits down with fitness coach, author, and founder of Fitness Quadrant, Tim Ward, for a grounded conversation about what it really takes to build sustainable health—without extremes, burnout, or starting over every few months.Tim breaks down the philosophy behind the Fitness Quadrant, a framework designed to help people create balance between physical training, mindset, recovery, and lifestyle. Rather than chasing quick results, Tim focuses on long-term habits, accountability, and identity-driven change.This conversation goes beyond workouts and nutrition. Tim shares his personal journey into coaching, the problems he sees in modern fitness culture, and why most people struggle not because they lack motivation—but because they lack structure and self-honesty. Topics include:
• Why most fitness plans fail long-term
• The four pillars of the Fitness Quadrant
• Accountability without shame or extremes
• Building discipline that transfers into life and career
• How to stop “starting over” with your healthWhether you’re just beginning your fitness journey or trying to make health a permanent part of your life, this episode offers clarity, perspective, and practical insight you can apply immediately. 

Understanding Today’s Real Estate Market with Alex LaChance: First-Time Buyers, Second Homes & Investment Trends

The real estate market has shifted—and whether you're a first-time buyer, a move-up buyer, or an investor, the rules of the game have changed. In this episode of Behind The Story, Jelani sits down with New England Realtor Alex LaChance, a trusted expert known for helping buyers and investors win even in the most competitive markets.

Alex breaks down:
• What’s really happening in today’s housing market
• The biggest challenges first-time buyers face (and how to overcome them)
• Smart strategies for second-home and move-up buyers
• Where investors should be looking in 2025 and beyond
• Market trends shaping the next 12–24 months
• Actionable advice for every type of buyer and seller

Whether you’re preparing to buy your first home, thinking about upgrading, exploring investment properties, or just trying to understand where the market is heading—this conversation gives you the clarity, strategy, and perspective you need.

Follow Alex LaChance:
Instagram: @603_real_estate
LinkedIn: Alex LaChance
HomeChoice Lending Profile: homechoicelending.com/alachance

What does real leadership transformation look like—beyond the job titles, the strategies, and the surface-level fixes?

In this episode of Behind The Story, Jelani sits down with Heather Zimmerman, executive coach, leadership development expert, and founding partner at Connect the Dots Coaching & Consulting. For more than 20 years, Heather has helped leaders rewire the internal patterns that influence how they think, communicate, build trust, and create culture.

This conversation explores:

The early experiences that shaped Heather’s passion for understanding human behavior

Why self-awareness—not skillset—is the foundation of effective leadership

How emotional intelligence and neuroscience play into organizational success

The invisible habits that erode trust inside teams

What separates leaders who truly transform from those who only “perform” growth

Practical mindset shifts anyone can apply in work, relationships, or personal life

Heather’s approach goes deeper than leadership theory. She helps people uncover what drives their actions—so they can show up with clarity, authenticity, and impact.

If you’re a leader, a coach, a team builder, or someone navigating your own growth journey… this is a conversation you’ll come back to more than once.

Connect with Heather Zimmerman:
https://www.connectthedotscoaches.com/the-team

In this episode of Behind The Story, Jelani sits down with Nat (@natspatshat) — the creator known for his raw honesty, sharp humor, and unfiltered takes that cut straight to the truth.

Nat has quickly built a loyal following by saying what most people are thinking but won’t say out loud. Today, we go deeper into the man behind the camera — his journey, the experiences that shaped him, and how he discovered his voice in a crowded digital world.

From the challenges of being misunderstood, to growing an online community, to staying grounded while your platform rises — this conversation is real, authentic, and full of moments that will make you think.

If you’ve ever connected with Nat’s content, this episode will hit different.

In this powerful episode of Behind The Story, Jelani sits down with Mr. T — The Educated Traveler, a respected truth-teller and outspoken voice on the realities of life in Sosúa, Dominican Republic.

What begins as a conversation about travel and culture quickly shifts into a raw, unfiltered discussion about the forces reshaping the island:
– Government takeovers and political tension
– The persecution and displacement of Haitian immigrants
– Rapid gentrification and its impact on local families
– The truth behind real estate narratives sold to foreigners
– How expats, investors, and locals are navigating a changing Sosúa

Mr. T brings deep knowledge, lived experience, and fearless honesty to topics many avoid. Whether you’re a traveler, an expat, or someone curious about the real Dominican Republic, this episode cuts through the polished image and exposes what’s happening on the ground.

This is the story behind the beaches, beyond the brochures, and beneath the headlines.

On this episode of Behind The Story, Jelani sits down with Trea — the powerhouse founder of Next World Fitness, a coaching brand built on accountability, discipline, and real-world results.

Trea opens up about the journey that shaped him, the struggles that pushed him, and the moment he realized he was called to help people transform their bodies, mindset, and lifestyle. From tailoring sustainable meal plans to helping clients overcome mental barriers, Trea breaks down the Next World Method — and why he believes fitness is more than reps and macros… it’s personal evolution.

In this episode of Behind the Story, host Jelani Gonzalez sits down with Rajiv “Raj” Nathan, the dynamic founder of Startup Hypeman, to uncover how storytelling drives startup success.

Raj shares how his journey from hip-hop performer to pitch coach taught him that the real hype starts within. He breaks down his storytelling framework, lessons in authenticity, and how to turn a simple pitch into a powerful narrative that investors, customers, and audiences remember.

If you’ve ever struggled to explain your vision clearly — or you want to learn how to tell your story with purpose and power — this episode is for you.

In this episode of Behind the Story, Jelani Gonzalez speaks with Ceri Jones Tretter, founder of The Collaboratory, a creative school and trauma healing ministry. Ceri shares her powerful journey from corporate executive to spiritual artist and healer — opening up about loss, faith, and how creativity became a path to healing and transformation.

In this episode of Behind The Story, host Jelani Gonzalez sits down with Lynne Lambert, actress turned entrepreneur and founder of NYC Subway Line®, the iconic fashion brand inspired by New York's legendary subway system. From Broadway stages to business success, Lynne shares how she transformed her love for New York City into a global lifestyle brand that celebrates urban energy, movement, and identity. She reveals the creative spark that started it all, her journey navigating licensing with the MTA, and what it takes to build an authentic brand that resonates worldwide.