grownwoman

In this deeply emotional segment, Mielle Organics founder Monique Rodriguez recounts the tragic loss of her son following a uterine rupture. A former labor & delivery nurse herself, Monique knew exactly what was happening - but her concerns were ignored. She opens up about her fight to save her son, the systemic failures Black mothers face, and how this devastating experience ultimately led her to faith and purpose. This is a story of unimaginable loss, fierce resilience, and radical grace.

Today, Denise Woodard, CEO and founder of Partake Foods, sits down with Shannon to discuss the importance of storytelling, community support, and perseverance in entrepreneurship.

Denise shares her journey from Fayetteville, North Carolina, to becoming a grownwoman as a successful entrepreneur. Having been inspired by her daughter's food allergies, she started Partake in 2018. Initially, she won a $10,000 pitch competition at “Start Something Challenge” and later secured a $1 million seed round from Marcy Venture Partners. Partake has raised over $30 million and is now available in 18,000 stores nationwide, including Target, Walmart, Whole Foods, and Kroger.

The company focuses on inclusivity, offering allergy-friendly snacks. Denise highlights the impact of her work, including donating over a million meals and supporting HBCU students through the Black Futures Fellowship. 

Tune in and discover how Denise is creating a world where everyone can sit at the table and enjoy a delicious moment together, one goodie at a time.

KEY POINTS 

0:00 Snacks with Soul: How One Allergy Sparked Denise Woodard’s Food Revolution

01:03 Denise’s upbringing and educational background 

05:10 Corporate climb experiences on Philip Morris, FedEx, to Coca‑Cola. 

07:28 Brands that exude passion with social impact 

09:29 The peanut‑oil scare on Denise’s daughter, Vivi

13:10 From winning a weekend pitch competition to discovering a mission

16:43 The evolution of Partake Foods products 

18:45 The start of raising money for a cause — paying it forward

20:18 The reality of entering entrepreneurship 

22:02 Magic: Being yourself and authentic storytelling

24:22 The journey from the first store to having a major investor 

30:48 From relentless rejections to having a yes from Jay Z 

36:53 Partake Foods Now? Scale with soul – 18 000 + stores, $30 M raised, and more.

QUOTES 

“I'm good at selling a vision. And I think it's not even selling a vision, because we live it, and we show it even in the smallest of ways.”  – Denise Woodard 

“I came up with the name partake because as I looked at the store shelves, everything felt like really negative coming from this exclusionary place: free from this, no, this, x, this. And I was like: No, this should be about… everyone can participate and everyone can partake.”  – Denise Woodard 

“I thought about the emotional impact that having food allergies has on people when you're not able to safely and confidently participate in social events that include food, which is like all of them, especially for a kid.” – Denise Woodard 

GUEST RESOURCES 

Denise Woodard 

IG | @denisegwoodard

RESOURCES 

Shannon Allen 

Grown Website | https://www.grown.org/ 

IG | @swalkerwil 

🌱 Stay Connected & Explore More

🔗 Visit the Grown Website Grown.org

📲 Follow Shannon on Instagram @swalkerwil

🎧 Like, Share & Subscribe If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think, don’t keep it to yourself! Like, share, and subscribe to grownwoman on your favorite podcast platform.

grownwoman is produced by EPYC Media Network

In this moving tribute, Dascha Polanco reflects on the life and legacy of her late partner and musical collaborator, Juan "Xtassy" Abreu - a Latin Grammy-winning producer and the man who helped her reclaim her voice. Through raw honesty and sisterly conversation, Dascha shares what it means to be truly loved, seen, and supported. This is more than a love story - it’s a story of healing, feminine power, and honoring the men who lift us up.

GUEST RESOURCES 

Dascha Polanco

IG | @sheisdash

RESOURCES 

Shannon Allen 

Grown Website | https://www.grown.org/ 

IG | @swalkerwil 

🔗 Visit the Grown Website Grown.org

📲 Follow Shannon on Instagram @swalkerwil

🎧 Like, Share & Subscribe If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think, don’t keep it to yourself! Like, share, and subscribe to grownwoman on your favorite podcast platform.

grownwoman is produced by EPYC Media Network

In this deeply moving episode of grownwoman, Monique Rodriguez, CEO and founder of  Mielle Organics, sits down with Shannon Allen for an honest, inspiring conversation about purpose, perseverance, and the power of faith.

Raised on the South Side of Chicago, Monique opens up about overcoming childhood adversity, navigating grief after the devastating loss of her son, and how she turned unimaginable pain into a multimillion-dollar beauty brand built from her kitchen. From humble beginnings to making history with one of the largest exits by a Black woman in business, Monique’s story is both vulnerable and victorious.

Through raw honesty and spiritual clarity, Monique unpacks what it means to walk in purpose, love through loss, and build generational wealth without losing sight of where you came from. This is more than an entrepreneurship story, it’s a blueprint for resilience, grace, and impact.

KEY POINTS 

0:00 How Monique Rodriguez Turned Her Grief into Greatness

03:10 The love for building the community

04:25 Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, little Monique in her younger years

08:08 Monique’s personal experience: The Glory in Your Story book 

10:53 Choosing grace over anger towards her father's struggles

15:00 Passing down habits: Addiction as a problem?

19:18 Her mother's lack of affection, shaping parenting style

23:31 Monique’s current relationship with her mom 

27:35 Refusing to have a victim mentality, being an architect of her future

28:52 Meeting husband Melvin, in middle school, falling in love

44:58 Becoming pregnant and then losing her son

54:03 Finding God: Experiencing post-traumatic growth

58:42 Losing her hair after Milan's death, starting to create hair care products

1:03:42 Building Mielle Organics from her kitchen to a successful company

1:04:12 Achieving a historic exit with P&G as the largest for a Black woman

1:11:28 Defining being a grown woman–balancing femininity and purpose

QUOTES 

“You can either be a victim of your circumstances or an architect of your future.” – Monique Rodriguez

“Money alone shouldn't be the sole reason why you choose to marry or date someone, because at the end of the day, you want peace.” – Monique Rodriguez

“I feel that when you are able to merge femininity with purpose and passion, you have a powerful dynamic, grown woman.” – Monique Rodriguez

“The Bible tells us to honor thy parents no matter what so and I wasn't well-versed on the Bible growing up, so I don't know even know where it came from. That's why I say that God has always had his hand on me, and God has always spoken to me.” – Monique Rodriguez

GUEST RESOURCES 

Monique Rodriguez 

IG | @exquisitemo 

RESOURCES 

Shannon Allen 

Grown Website | https://www.grown.org/ 

IG | @swalkerwil 

🔗 Visit the Grown Website Grown.org

📲 Follow Shannon on Instagram @swalkerwil

🎧 Like, Share & Subscribe If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think, don’t keep it to yourself! Like, share, and subscribe to grownwoman on your favorite podcast platform.

grownwoman is produced by EPYC Media Network 

Shannon Allen sits down with the twin sisters who rose to fame on '90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days' and built a reality TV empire of their own—Darcey and Stacey Silva. From their very first on-camera moment to becoming the stars of 'Darcey & Stacey,' they open up about what it really took to turn heartbreak, hustle, and sisterhood into a global brand. With raw honesty and signature sparkle, they reflect on how they manifested their show, the emotional toll of filming their most vulnerable moments, and the deep bond that kept them grounded through it all. From audition tapes to red carpets, and from divorce court to primetime, nothing about their rise was scripted—but every moment was real. Darcey and Stacey go into the deeper impact of their work: the messages from fans, the healing power of being seen, and why they’ll never stop showing up authentically—on screen or off.

GUEST RESOURCES 

Darcey & Stacey Silva 

IG | @thesilvatwins

House of Eleven

IG | @houseofeleven

RESOURCES 

Shannon Allen 

Grown Website | https://www.grown.org/ 

IG | @swalkerwil 

🔗 Visit the Grown Website Grown.org

📲 Follow Shannon on Instagram @swalkerwil

🎧 Like, Share & Subscribe If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think, don’t keep it to yourself! Like, share, and subscribe to grownwoman on your favorite podcast platform.

grownwoman is produced by EPYC Media Network

In this unforgettable episode of grownwoman, award-winning actress and cultural force Dascha Polanco joins Shannon Allen for a powerful conversation about grief, identity, and unapologetic self-ownership.

From her early days as a young Dominican immigrant juggling motherhood, multiple jobs, and education, to navigating Hollywood while holding onto her truth, Dascha opens up about the highs, lows, and healing that shaped her. She shares the heartbreaking loss of her soulmate, her creative rebirth as a songwriter, and the freedom she’s found in shedding shame.

This isn’t a Hollywood fairytale - it’s a blueprint for becoming. Raw, radiant, and radically real, Dascha reminds us that owning your power is the glow-up.

KEY POINTS 

0:00 Dascha Polanco on Loss, Love & Living Out Loud

0:25 How her mother taught her that being poor didn’t mean being dirty.

08:12 Dascha’s early jobs, teen motherhood, and the fight for independence and education.

12:48 Losing her mother young, the urgency to live, and stepping into acting in life.

17:27 Acting as expression: Honoring her parents through her work.

21:25 Portraying “Daya”: Channeling her own lived experiences.

27:51 Asking for help, conducting brief, love, and music.usiness, and reclaiming confidence.

40:07 Honoring her late partner, Juan Abreu 

55:06 Dascha on being a grown woman: boundaries, belief, and choosing yourself.

QUOTES 

“You can be poor, but you don't have to be dirty. Soap and water [are] cheap. What you have can still be beautiful—it’s yours.” – Shannon Allen

“Acting became a way for me to validate myself—and to validate my parents. Look what I’m doing with the life they gave me.” – Dascha Polanco

“My worth is not negotiable. My boundaries are not negotiable. My grief does not make me any less powerful.” – Dascha Polanco

GUEST RESOURCES 

Dascha Polanco

IG | @sheisdash

RESOURCES 

Shannon Allen 

Grown Website | https://www.grown.org/ 

IG | @swalkerwil 

🌱 Stay Connected & Explore More

🔗 Visit the Grown Website⁠ Grown.org⁠

📲 Follow Shannon on Instagram⁠ @swalkerwil⁠

🎧 Like, Share & Subscribe If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think, don’t keep it to yourself! Like, share, and subscribe to grownwoman on your favorite podcast platform.

grownwoman is produced by ⁠EPYC Media Network⁠

In this raw and revealing segment, Shannon sits down with Rashmi Airan, whose life was upended after being convicted of a white-collar crime she didn’t even realize she’d committed. Once a respected attorney and mother of two, Rashmi was sentenced to federal prison and given 60 days to prepare for one of the hardest chapters of her life. But instead of retreating into shame, she did something radical—she leaned into vulnerability. She reached out to 200 people who had shaped her life, asking for support, connection, and grace. What she received in return was something she never expected: community, love, and the unshakable truth that she was more than her worst moment.

If you’ve ever felt like your mistakes disqualify you from healing or leading, this episode will remind you: your vulnerability is not your weakness—it’s your rebirth.

GUEST RESOURCES 

Rashmi Airan

IG | @rashmiairan 

RESOURCES 

Shannon Allen 

Grown Website | https://www.grown.org/ 

IG | @swalkerwil 

🔗 Visit the Grown Website Grown.org

📲 Follow Shannon on Instagram @swalkerwil

🎧 Like, Share & Subscribe If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think, don’t keep it to yourself! Like, share, and subscribe to grownwoman on your favorite podcast platform.

grownwoman is produced by EPYC Media Network

This special best-of episode brings together four extraordinary stories of transformation—each a powerful reminder that pain doesn’t get the last word.

From Karen Guggenheim, who lost her husband in just five days to the flu and chose to build a global happiness movement in his memory, to CeCe Boozer, who found herself navigating the impossible while fighting for her son’s life and ultimately creating a path to healing through love, research, and radical action. From Rashmi Airan, a former attorney who went from being indicted and incarcerated to becoming a voice for accountability and redemption, to Darcey & Stacey Silva, who turned the loss of their brother into a fashion empire and a mission to honor his legacy with heart.

These women didn’t just survive what broke them—they alchemized it into purpose, power, and platforms that continue to inspire.

If you’ve ever wondered whether something beautiful can grow from your hardest moments, this episode will answer you loud and clear.

KEY POINTS 

1: From Grief to Growth, How Karen Guggenheim Reclaimed Her Happy

2: When Motherhood Calls for Radical Sacrifice: CeCe Boozer’s Story

3: What Prison Taught Rashmi Airan About Shame, Strength, and Starting Over

4: Silva Linings: The Grief, Grit and Glam That Followed Darcey & Stacey Silva

RESOURCES 

Shannon Allen 

Grown Website | https://www.grown.org/ 

IG | @swalkerwil 

🔗 Visit the Grown Website Grown.org

📲 Follow Shannon on Instagram @swalkerwil

🎧 Like, Share & Subscribe If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think, don’t keep it to yourself! Like, share, and subscribe to grownwoman on your favorite podcast platform.

grownwoman is produced by EPYC Media Network 

Today, Shannon and CeCe Boozer explore what it means to be a builder—not just of businesses, but of spaces that care for people with dignity. From starting an assisted living facility as a “pet project” to creating homes for special needs adults, we hear how caregiving, entrepreneurship, and legacy intertwine when your work comes from lived experience. Whether it's watching loved ones struggle through the healthcare system or feeling the shift into empty-nest life, this conversation is an honest reflection on how nurturing doesn’t end when the kids grow up—it just finds new ground to grow in. Together, they unpack the emotional labor of being a daughter, a mother, and a leader in transition. And how, sometimes, doing something completely different is exactly what you're meant to do next. If you’re someone who feels called to build and care for people in ways the system won’t—this one will sit deep in your soul.

GUEST RESOURCES 

CeCe Boozer 

IG | @3amigosmom

RESOURCES 

Shannon Allen 

Grown Website | https://www.grown.org/ 

IG | @swalkerwil 

🔗 Visit the Grown Website Grown.org

📲 Follow Shannon on Instagram @swalkerwil

🎧 Like, Share & Subscribe If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think, don’t keep it to yourself! Like, share, and subscribe to Grown Woman on your favorite podcast platform.

Grown Woman is produced by EPYC Media Network 

What does it mean to grieve deeply, love fully, and glow anyway?

In this powerful homecoming episode, Shannon Allen sits down with her twin cousins Darcey and Stacey Silva, the dynamic forces behind House of Eleven and TLC’s 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days. This isn't just a reunion, it's a reckoning.

Together, they reflect on their journey from small-town Connecticut to global television screens, opening up about the loss of their brother Michael, the lessons of motherhood, and the growing pains of love, business, and reality TV fame.

This conversation is full of laughter, tears, and truth-telling as the sisters share the highs and heartbreaks behind their hustle. From flipping their dad’s house with no money to facing public scrutiny and personal transformation, Darcey & Stacey embody what it means to be bold, beautiful, and built for evolution.

This isn’t just a story of resilience, it’s a reminder that even after loss, love can still lead the way. And when you’re a grownwoman, you don’t just survive - you rise, glow, and reclaim every piece of your power

KEY POINTS 

0:00 Introducing The Silva twins

04:15 Reflections on raising children and the next generation of entrepreneurial kids.

08:27 A childhood memory of selling household items to buy lunch.

13:03 Divorces, moving to LA, and the unexpected fashion and entertainment journey.

21:19 Creating the House of Eleven, in memory of Michael.

28:21 The leap from acting school to becoming reality TV stars.

31:21 On healing through vulnerability and letting fans into their real lives.

36:14 Vision for House of Eleven's global expansion.

38:07 Their unforgettable moment with Rihanna. 

47:05 What it means to be a grown woman—Darcey and Stacey's definitions.

QUOTES 

“Michael’s death—it was painful, but it’s never in vain. People will know his name.”

“We were reenacting the scene when we found out our brother had cancer... Everybody was crying. They felt our emotion. That was our reality.”

“Keep going. If he could fight, so can we. That’s where Silva Strong came from.”

“We were always called ‘the twins.’ People never said ‘Stacey’ or ‘Darcey.’ We grew up thinking we were the same person until our twenties.”

GUEST RESOURCES 

Darcey & Stacey Silva 

IG | @thesilvatwins

House of Eleven

IG | @houseofeleven

RESOURCES 

Shannon Allen 

Grown Website | https://www.grown.org/ 

IG | @swalkerwil 

🔗 Visit the Grown Website Grown.org

📲 Follow Shannon on Instagram @swalkerwil

🎧 Like, Share & Subscribe If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think, don’t keep it to yourself! Like, share, and subscribe to grownwoman on your favorite podcast platform.

grownwoman is produced by EPYC Media Network