Taylor Toynes is MOVING, MOTIVATING, and constantly CHALLENGING the status quo.  He is the co-founder and executive director of For Oak Cliff, which he started with students as a first-year teacher. Challenged by the disparities and inequities his students experienced, and noting that nothing had changed since his childhood, Taylor was compelled to organize the inaugural FOC Back to School Festival for his students and community. 

For Oak Cliff has gained tremendous momentum and has become the backbone nonprofit entity supporting the South Oak Cliff community through its four pillars of work: education, advocacy, community building, and the arts. 

Taylor is a national board member for the Trust for Public Land and is committed to creating equitable park spaces for his community. For his leadership, Taylor has received awards from the United Nations, the NAACP, and Southern Methodist University (SMU), to name a few. Taylor and the FOC team won Teach For America’s Social Innovation Award and have been recognized by national news outlets. Taylor is a graduate of the University of North Texas and has a master’s degree from SMU. And newly named Echoing Green Fellow.

I hope you follow Taylor's lead and jump into action!

To learn more about Taylor and For Oak Cliff, follow them on their website and on Instagram. 

Equest is magical! In this episode, I meet with Ellie Grant to hear about her years of service at the nonprofit and the stories of healing she sees daily. The true healers are the horses. Big or small, these powerful and highly empathetic animals work with people with varying needs to increase physical strength, emotional wellbeing, confidence-building, and many more.
Equest has made such an impact on me and my family that I am committed to donating 1% of my profits from my coaching business (Connect For Business Development) to help support their mission.
You do NOT want to miss this episode. To learn more, go to their website and follow them on all of the social channels. 

Robert is a husband, father, and creator of beautiful fine chocolates! He is a fan of economics and working towards solving our community challenges through access to nature. 

After graduating from Baylor, then graduating with the highest distinction from the University of Glasgow, Robert sought to pursue his dream job in Washington D.C. When he came home to Texas disappointed, Robert discovered that his home was right where he needed to be.  Baylor taught him about the importance of a mission-driven life and he soon jumped into the non-profit world and ultimately, to the Trust for Public Land.  Today, he and his colleagues use the tool of access to nature to work towards social, environmental, and economic justice.

You can learn more about Robert and his career and Kent Fine Chocolates on LinkedIn and Instagram 

Life is stressful. Balancing work, family, and everything in-between can be overwhelming and exhausting. My next guest, Lourdes Brown, talks about a critical part of living a healthy life that we often overlook. PLAY! It turns out, its not just for kids. Lourdes discusses her passion for play and movement and how it has inspired her to life at home and work. Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and watch on YouTube! 

#storytelling #neverstopmoving #connecttoheal #connecttogrow #connecttolearn #healthandwellness #fitness

I loved this episode so much! My next guest, Kate Cavanaugh, gets real about painful moments in her life that led to connecting with others in a way she never thought possible. Kate's story starts with perseverance from a young age, then to a single mother with two daughters, and advancing her career with focus and precision. What we learn next, is the struggle and pain she endured to get her to where she is today has fueled her passion for investing love, time, and energy to help others beyond her day job.
Are you in pain? Are you struggling to find your way? You do not want to miss this episode!
Tune in Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

You can learn more about Kate on her LinkedIn page.

#storytelling #thekukhomaproject #businessdevelopment #relationshipbuilding #comingintofocus #connecttolearm #connecttoheal #connecttogrow #coaching #consulting #emotionalintelligence #podcast

Lily Weiss is a force! She exemplifies what it means to live life with intention, drive, and intense focus. She expects the best from everyone and in turn, that is what she gets.

In this episode, we hear about Lily's belief in arts education and how it is essential to the demands of the modern workforce. Inspired by her mentor, Paul Baker, Lily was instrumental in the creation of Booker T. Washington Magnet School and its rise to one of the Top 8 Magnet Schools by the U.S. Department of Education.  Creative thinking, discipline, and goal setting empowered Lily and the original faculty to develop a school that expects excellence and instills that belief in the students.

Today, Lily serves as the Executive Director of Dallas Arts District, the largest Arts District, per capita, in the United States. This episode is rich with lessons learned and inspirational stories of expecting the best.

You can learn more about Lily on the Dallas Arts District website. 

These two are twin souls. Many people talk about soulmates and debate whether that is real or fabricated. After talking with my friends, Haylee and Amanda, I am certain that their friendship is unique and has empowered them to live their best lives. We discuss how they met and how they knew they would be best friends for life.

They are both extremely creative and entrepreneurial and their friendship has provided each of them the support and encouragement needed to seek what makes them happy and dedicate their lives to doing things that most people are afraid to do, follow their hearts.

Haylee Ryan is an accomplished painter and muralist. You can follow her work on her website or on Instagram.  Amanda Walker has an incredible floral company called, Zephyr Floral. Learn more on her website. Finally, together, they are in a band called Sister. You can listen to their latest album on Spotify. They also lead the Dear, Friend Podcast that you can find here. 

In this episode, we break all the rules and talk about religion. I get pretty raw and share spiritual experiences that I have had in some of the most difficult times in my life. 

My guest, Wes Keyes, is the Executive Director of the nonprofit organization, Brother Bill's Helping Hand. From a Mississippi teenager going down the wrong path to leading an organization that serves 91 zip codes in North Texas, Wes Keyes tells me his story about how his Christian faith led him to serve people who need it most.  We talk about the unique history of Wes's hometown and his initial aspirations to be a sports evangelist to the challenges organized religion has faced over centuries and today. Wes is engaging, honest, and a fantastic storyteller. I hope you enjoy this episode!

You can learn more about Wes and his work on the Brother Bill's Helping Hand website or on LinkedIn. 

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” – Scott Adams
My next guest, Marianne Gargour, is working with people like you to uncover the creativity that lives within all of us. She holds workshops and works one-on-one with professionals who are seeking a new direction in their life, either personally or professionally. 
In this conversation, we discuss the beauty of life that is often born out of pain and the healing journey we are all on.  We discuss leadership and the shift from one single leader to a collaboration of many. We discuss her cancer journey and how that shifted her mindset from "I am not enough" to "I am enough" and the freedom that followed.
This conversation is rich and we go deep!

Learn more about Marianne and her work on her website and  join Marianne at her art show THIS SATURDAY, November 20th from 11am-6pm at the Tin Ranch Collection Art Open House: 1419 Griffin Street E, Dallas, Tx 75215

This episode is about passion and commitment to reinvesting in communities. Whether through development efforts or through personal, one-on-one mentorship, my guest is committed to investing his time and money in efforts that lead to thriving neighborhoods.
Terrence Maiden, the CEO of Russell Glen, a real estate development firm. Terrence is an identical twin, a former TCU football player, and an Oak Cliff native who was introduced to real estate early in his career and has never looked back. We talk about family, investing in what matters most, and his aspirations for the future.
Terrence and his company are reinvesting in the places he used to visit as a young boy. His vision is inspiring and a conversation you do not want to miss!

You can learn more about Terrence and his company on LinkedIn or his website.