Hosts Lala and Brian welcome Daniel Stoffel, a beloved family member, successful young businessman, and owner of West Oak Salon. Daniel shares his lifelong passion for the beauty industry—from styling Barbie heads to opening his own salon—and the profound impact his LGBTQIA+ identity had on building his business with the very "audacity to be me." He discusses the unique challenges and immense rewards of running a family business and offers insights on mentorship and leadership. Finally, Daniel addresses the current economic volatility affecting beauty supplies and his commitment to uncompromised quality and customer experience in the face of rising costs and societal challenges.

West Oak Salon

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Join Lala and Brian as they sit down with Nigerian-American psychotherapist and author Agatha Peters, founder of Beautiful Sunshine Therapy and author of Trapped in Their Script. Agatha shares her inspiring journey from working in the ER to starting her own culturally sensitive practice, focusing on helping people break free from the burden of cultural and family expectations. This eye-opening conversation deeply defines narcissism, distinguishing it from general conflict, and explores its devastating impact on family dynamics and mental health. Crucially, they discuss the unique complications of healing in collectivist cultures and offer practical first steps, like journaling, for reclaiming your life and self-worth from abuse.

Agatha Peters 

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Hosts Lala and Brian welcome the incredibly multi-hyphenate artist Leslie Battle to the show. Leslie, a comedian, dancer, writer, and poet, discusses her diverse career journey, from singing at a Bengals game during her 26 years in the US Army to her latest creative endeavors. She shares insights on overcoming her tendency to bury the lead about her accomplishments, the power of embracing new skills through just following directions, and the importance of grace and healing in an increasingly tumultuous world. Leslie also details her exciting Five for 55 birthday showcase, which blended all her talents, and gives a sneak peek into her upcoming poetry book, Caution: Reconstruction Zone, which explores themes of grief and trauma to help others feel less alone. 

Leslie Battle

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 In this episode, hosts Lala and Brian are joined by their brilliant friend and business partner, April Wu, founder of InSphere Consulting. April shares her transformative journey from navigating strict cultural expectations and career burnout to finding her voice and launching her own company. She opens up about the immense pressure of a score-based definition of success she experienced growing up in China and how that mindset followed her to the United States.

April reveals how a near-breaking point in a high-pressure corporate job became the catalyst for her to redefine success on her own terms. This raw and honest conversation explores the importance of self-trust, honoring your ambition, and making your own path. It’s a powerful story of survival, hope, and discovering that the most important blueprint is the one you create for yourself. 

InSphere Consulting

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Join hosts Lala and Brian as they welcome their friend, leadership advisor Brian John, to discuss a crucial topic: cognitive wellbeing in the workplace. Brian John shares his personal journey and professional expertise, explaining how a leader's mental state directly impacts an organization's culture.

The conversation challenges the idea of a "perfect" leader and advocates for authenticity and vulnerability. The discussion explores how companies can move beyond empty promises and create a truly safe and supportive environment. Discover the key pillars of cognitive wellbeing and learn why a focus on self-leadership and genuine connection is essential to building a thriving workplace. 

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Join us as Shanise Pearce, a Triple Negative Breast Cancer survivor, public speaker, and health equity advocate, shares her extraordinary journey of resilience and purpose. From confronting her mortality to discovering the power of community support and self-care, Shanise’s story is both deeply personal and universally inspiring. In this heartfelt conversation, she discusses overcoming the emotional toll of cancer, advocating for healthcare equity, and finding strength in vulnerability. Her courage and insights will leave you inspired to take action in your own life and support others in theirs.

Susan G. Coleman
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Brave Path
American Cancer Society: Making Strides
Triple Negative Breast Cancer Month
Women's History Month

On this episode of Everything's Not Black & White, we sit down with Hady Mendez, a NY-based Amazon best-selling author, Latina speaker, and ERG coach. Hady, the founder and CEO of Boldly Speaking LLC, shares how her personal journey has shaped her mission to empower underrepresented employees to self-advocate, self-promote, and ascend into leadership roles. From her creative passion for street art photography to her transformative work with incarcerated women, Hady offers heartfelt stories and insights into leadership, cultural identity, and driving change within organizations.

Hady Mendez LinkedIn
Boldly Speaking LLC
Hady Mendez Instagram
ERG Leadership Conference
Book: Awareness Put Me On: Leading By Choice, Thriving By Design
Latinas: Front and Center Podcast

In this powerful episode, we meet Elisabeth, a surrogate who gave life to two children for a special couple and chose to stay closely involved in their lives. Her journey is one of courage, compassion, and redefining family, as she navigates co-parenting across two households with unwavering love and empathy. Elisabeth’s story challenges traditional ideas of family, offering a fresh perspective on connection and selfless commitment. Join us for an inspiring conversation about the boundless ways we define family and the transformative power of love.
Surrogacy

In this episode, we sit down with an extraordinary guest, Dr. Leslie Powell Ahmadi, who shares her captivating journey from pursuing a Ph.D. in foreign language and culture education at The Ohio State University to unexpectedly falling in love with an Iranian doctoral student in agronomy. As a Black American Christian, she never imagined marrying Mahmoud, a Muslim man, and moving to Iran. Yet, she did and her four years living there were filled with experiences that transformed her life—discovering the culture, teaching at a university, raising children, and witnessing the profound beauty and challenges of her new environment. Join us as she reflects on love, identity, and navigating life in a foreign land.

Dr Leslie Powell Ahmadi
Not Without My Daughter
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*Book release coming in 2025: Road Between Two Hearts: A Black American Bride Discovers Iran

Join us in this heartfelt episode as we sit down with Autumn and Jade (she/her) to dive deep into Jade's transgender journey. With Autumn's unwavering love and support, Jade navigated the complexities of transition, finding strength and courage along the way.

Together, they share candid insights into the challenges faced by transgender individuals, especially in today's turbulent political climate. From personal experiences to broader societal perspectives, this conversation sheds light on the importance of empathy, understanding, and acceptance.

Autumn Theodore Photography
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Jade Barry Instagram
Roman Minerals Instagram
National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE)
The Trevor Project
Kaleidoscope Youth Center