Benshen Talks S.H.I.T.

Starting a business is never a straight line — and Zoe Johnston, founder of Spilt Milk Collective, knows this better than most. In this conversation, we talk about what it really takes to grow something meaningful: the doubts, the pivots, the wins, the challenges, and the deep trust in timing.

We get into how Zoe built her culinary production company from the ground up — not by moving faster, but by listening more. She shares the risks she took, the personal shifts she made, and how aligning her business with her body’s natural rhythms changed everything.

TOPICS COVERED:

🎙️ How sobriety gave her clarity in both life and leadership

🎙️ Building a support system and strong connections

🎙️ Why working with your cycle isn’t just about hormones — it’s about strategy

🎙️ The challenge of unlearning hustle culture

🎙️ Why slowness is often the secret to sustainable creativity

This is an honest look at what it means to build something on your own terms and how success is really just creating an ever-changing recipe of what a more sustainable work/life balance should taste like.

Guest Info:

Zoe’s Instagram

Spilt Milk’s Instagram

Spilt Milk Collective Website

Get in Touch:

Benshen.co Website

Benshen Membership

Benshen.co Instagram

Rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Get in Touch:

Benshen.co Website

Benshen Membership

Benshen.co Instagram

Rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

In this episode, we sit down with Gabby Cadet, a dynamic force in the fashion industry, with a career spanning some of the most prestigious retailers, publications, and fashion houses (Chanel and Hermes - just name a few). In addition to her impressive professional background, she is the founder of a unique fashion-meets-fitness platform, Moi, that brings together the style community to prioritize wellness. Through curated events in partnership with top fitness brands, Gabby creates immersive experiences that inspire movement, connection, and balance within the fashion world.

Throughout the conversation, we dive deep into the intricacies of maintaining friendships, finding love, and the importance of self-reflection and accountability.

TOPICS COVERED:

• The value of accountability in personal growth and relationships
• Trusting the timing of life and remaining patient
• The importance of focusing on self-love and personal passions
• How to navigate changing dynamics in long-term friendships
• Setting boundaries in all areas of life as a form of practicing self-care

Guest info:

Gabby’s Instagram

Moi Instagram

Get in Touch:

Benshen.co Website

Benshen Membership

Benshen.co Instagram

Rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Money can be a source of anxiety and shame for many entrepreneurs, especially those in creative fields. But what if we could change our relationship with finances and empower ourselves to take control of our business's financial health? In this episode, I sit down with Catherine Smith Licari, founder of The Small Business Planner, to discuss how we can overcome the fear and shame associated with money. Catherine shares her journey from the fashion industry to becoming a financial literacy advocate for creative entrepreneurs, offering invaluable insights on building a solid financial foundation for your business.

Catherine emphasizes that financial literacy is simply learning a new language. She emphasizes there's no need to feel shame about not understanding financial terms but to show up with the same curiosity as when you're learning a new language. The key is to push through the initial discomfort and realize that this knowledge is attainable and can fundamentally change your business and life.

TOPICS COVERED:

• Identifying a problem your product or service solves
• Understanding why you're the right person to bring this solution to market
• The importance of finding the right financial professionals who make you feel respected and supported
• How to overcome the initial resistance to learning about finances
• The value of asking questions and seeking clarity from your accountant or bookkeeper

Guest Info:

Catherine's Instagram

Catherine's Website

The Small Business Planner

Get in Touch:

Benshen.co Website

Benshen Membership

Benshen.co Instagram

Rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Your voice is your most powerful tool—whether you're in a meeting, pitching a brand, showing up on Instagram, or leading a room. In this episode, I’m sharing my best tips on how to find and refine your voice both in real life and online. If you’ve ever felt unsure how to show up clearly, confidently, and in a way that truly reflects who you are, this is for you.

In this episode, we unpack what it means to find your voice, how to discovered the WHY behind your fears on sharing yourself with the world, and how to use creative practices so that you can speak with clarity, confidence, and authenticity.

TOPICS COVERED:

• What “finding your voice” really means in your work and online presence
• How to overcome self-doubt and visibility resistance
• Practical tools to build confidence in your communication
• Tips for writing and speaking in a way that sounds like you
• How to stay consistent across platforms without losing authenticity

Get in Touch:

Benshen.co Website

Benshen Membership

Benshen.co Instagram

Rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

This month inside Benshen is an invocation of your wild, sacred self. The part of you that was never meant to be polished, pleasing, or proper. The part that prays under moonlight, that knows beauty as power, that remembers the body as the first temple.

The Divine Untamed is a four-week journey of reclamation and return—into the mythic, sensual, and sovereign feminine. A remembrance that your rage is holy, your desire is divine, and your sensuality is not something to hide or fix—but to honor, feel, and express.

WEEK 1 | THE AWAKENING: Living The Vision, Moving As Flame

WEEK 2 | THE DESCENT: The 7 Gates of Venus + The Shadow as Sacred

WEEK 3 | THE SACRED FLAME: Inanna, Lilith and The Lineage of the Divine

WEEK 4 | THE RECLAMATION: Power, Pleasure, and the Sacred Feminine

Begins June 7th | Join The Membership

Get in Touch:

Benshen.co Website

Benshen Membership

Benshen.co Instagram

Rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Love, relationships, and personal growth - these themes intertwine in our latest heart-to-heart conversation with the incredible Rachel Saunders. As we revisit our journeys from to women in loving partnerships, we uncover the transformative power of self-acceptance and authenticity. Rachel also shares her inspiring transition from Rachel Saunders Ceramics to The Sanctuary, a digital haven for creatives and entrepreneurs. This pivot not only reshaped her career but also paved the way for a more aligned connections in all areas of her life.

This conversation serves as a reminder that the journey to love often begins with loving ourselves first. We explore how setting clear boundaries, honoring our authenticity, and embracing vulnerability can lead to partnerships that feel easy, supportive, and deeply fulfilling. Whether you're single, in a relationship, or somewhere in between, this episode offers insights to help you cultivate more meaningful connections - with yourself and others.

TOPICS COVERED

• How embracing our true selves attracts more authentic relationships
• The importance of letting go of external validation
• Redefining societal expectations around partnership and marriage
• The value of imagining both the dream and the reality of what we seek
• Breaking patterns and surrendering control to invite aligned experiences

Guest Info:

Rachel's Instagram

The Sanctuary Instagram

The Sanctuary by Rachel

Get in Touch:

Benshen.co Website

Benshen Membership

Benshen.co Instagram

Rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

In this captivating episode, we dive deep into the world of beauty, community, and personal growth with the incredible Darian Symoné Harvin. A multifaceted journalist, author, and media curator renowned for her insightful coverage of beauty, pop culture, and politics, Darian has contributed to esteemed publications such as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Allure, and Teen Vogue. With over a decade of experience as a creative storyteller, multidisciplinary artist, and accomplished journalist, Darian brings a fresh perspective to the intersection of beauty, politics, and pop culture.

TOPICS COVERED:

• How her grandmother's soul food restaurant inspired her approach to building connections
• The importance of creating intentional spaces for genuine conversations
• Why authenticity and vulnerability are key to fostering meaningful relationships
• Transitioning from covering others' stories to sharing her own unique voice
• Balancing personal growth with professional development

Guest Info:

Darian's Instagram

Studio Symoné Instagram

Studio Symoné Tiktok

Studio Symoné Website

Get in Touch:

Benshen.co Website

Benshen Membership

Benshen.co Instagram

Rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.

This month, we enter the Temple of the Body — not a place outside of us, but within. Each week, we will explore the body as a sacred site of power, emotion, and pleasure through Kundalini Yoga + Kriyas, Meditations, and exploration of myth, muse and archetypes. We will learn to listen to its whispers. Move with its yes’s. Honor its no’s. Adorning ourselves not to be seen, but to see OURSELVES more clearly. Every ritual becomes a reclamation. Every pleasure, a prayer.



WEEK 1 | THE BODY REMEMBERS: Awakening the Temple Fire

WEEK 2 | THE PULSE OF PLEASURE: Rose Bodied: The Sacred Feminine as a Living Frequency

WEEK 3 | THE INNER ALTAR: The Jewels of the Eight Chakras + Reclaiming Power

WEEK 4 | THE TEMPLE WITHIN: Sacred Flesh, Holy Ground: The Beauty Kriyas

Begins May 3rd | Join The Membership

Get in Touch:

Benshen.co Website

Benshen Membership

Benshen.co Instagram

Quitting vaping can feel like an uphill battle, but what if there was a way to make it easier and even enjoyable? In this episode, Desirée sits down with Hilary Dubin and Caroline Vasquez Huber, the co-founders of Quit with Jones, a modern, science-backed program designed to help people quit smoking, vaping, or using other nicotine products, revolutionizing the approach to quitting nicotine.

Longtime friends turned business partners, Hilary and Caroline turned their personal struggles with vaping into a mission to help others break free from nicotine addiction. Their innovative method combines nicotine replacement therapy with behavioral support and community building, creating a judgment-free space for those on their quitting journey. Launched in 2022, the program combines FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) mints with a supportive mobile app and text coaching to assist users in their cessation journey.

TOPICS COVERED:

• The power of combining nicotine replacement therapy with behavioral support
• How community support can make quitting easier and more successful
• The importance of addressing both physiological and psychological aspects of addiction
• Why a judgment-free approach is crucial for long-term success
• The unexpected origins of nicotine replacement therapy (hint: it involves submarines!)

Guest Info:

Quit With Jones Instagram

Quit With Jones Website

Get in Touch:

Benshen.co Website

Benshen Membership

Benshen.co Instagram

Rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform.