Destined to Disrupt

In this week’s episode - we continue the conversation with Ryen Williams - The Storyteller Ryen is the Founder of Under Her Empire - a community of creatives of color — dreamers and passionate doers — who connect and inspire others through video, stories, and artistic expression. It is a collaborative, inclusive, and soul-focused platform that offers content as nourishment for audiences hungry for substance. The aim is to help drive actionable change around how in...

On this week’s episode - we have Ryen Williams - The Storyteller Ryen's dream has always been to direct and entertain. — and she is now making that dream a reality.She went from wanting to be an actress, then a stylist, then becoming an actual makeup artist, to travel and experience the world as a flight attendant. What a life - She actually wrote and produced a dramedy series all about her life as a NY creative trying to find her way - Here We Go. Surprisingly, her Economics ...

Welcome back to Part II of our episode with Eugene Lumpkin - The Strategic Designer. Dive deeper as we talk about the intersections of design, disruption, and diversity with Eugene. We start the conversation by discussing the context of diversity and leadership as it relates to nationalities within Europe. We share our love for Parsons School of Design - Global Executive Strategic Management (GEMS) and how the program has driven us to solve problems through diverse and inclusive design. ...

In this week’s episode - we have Eugene Lumpkin - The Strategic DesignerEugene is a multi-disciplined multi-faceted designer that uses creativity and design thinking methodology to come up with innovative ideas to solve problems, not only fashion but social and ecological problems alike. Growing up in the Midwest, he completed his degree in Clothing Design from the University of Minnesota. He began designing private label collections for Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, the Takashimaya d...

We continue the conversation with Dyandra Raye - The Sustainable Vegan Designer of Joanne Verney. Dyandra declares the importance of seeing more inclusion in the luxury industry. She opens up on how she was able to raise money for her brand to cover daunting expenses and start-up capital. She also discusses the importance of minimizing debt early in the business - A major gem. After countless applications and pitch decks, she finally scores the grant and publicity she needs to take her...

In this week’s episode, we have Dyandra Raye - The Sustainable Vegan Designer of Joanne Verney Dyandra tells us about how disrupting her lifestyle habits (going vegan) opened up a whole new avenue as a plant-based luxury shoe designer and advocate. Her fashion journey started by sketching when she was a child and writing business plans on cardboard. After attending Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, and obtaining a degree in Economics. She took her talents to New York ...

Join us again as we continue the conversation with Robert Ector, the iconic photographer to the stars. Rob educates us on the importance of photography in society and culture. He also tells us all about what it's like being on the scene during Paris Fashion Week. Think Hunger Games - the fashion elite do not come to play nice at all! We dive deeper into the "Why" behind his photography and how design has influenced him. We talk about his latest creative endeavors, his inspirations, and ...

In this week’s episode, we have Robert Ector the iconic photographer! Cleveland, Ohio native, Robert Ector, has earned the respect of international audiences as well as his industry peers. As a personal photographer to stars such as Mary J. Blige, Wendy Williams, Steve Harvey, Toni Braxton and La La Anthony, Ector’s captivating images have quickly helped cement him as a recognizable talent in the entertainment and fashion industry.Robert tells us about how he got his start in the industr...

Join us again as we continue the conversation with Badara, The Creative Director. We talk about his latest creative project + film Transmission. He shares gems on how to creatively collaborate, listening to your body, and using your natural gifts. Badara Ndiaye is a Senegalese-born, former Division I basketball player turned Model, Artist, and Creative Director in Paris, France. His striking, unusual, perspective on the world of fashion is what really impressed me and h...

Badara Ndiaye is a Senegalese-born, former Division I basketball player turned Model, Artist, and Creative Director in Paris, France. His striking, unusual, perspective on the world of fashion is what really impressed me and his remarkable height cannot go unnoticed. Steeped in academia - studying Sociology, Anthropology, and Psychology at the Florida International University in Miami, Florida; Badara tells us about how his perceived setback due to a basketball injury, set him up for a ...