I’m Just Saying With Tonia

In this episode of I’m Just Saying, I’m getting personal and sharing the story behind the woman you know today. From growing up and the impact my grandma had on my life to the experiences that shaped me, I’m opening up about the moments, lessons, and memories that made me who I am.

You may know my business, but there's so much more to my story. Get to know the person behind the business in this special solo episode.

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What would make you walk away from a $700,000 W-2?

In this episode of I’m Just Saying, I sit down with Sterling Birdsong, an SBA lending expert and entrepreneur who helped me secure a $2.4 million deal. We talk about how SBA financing really works, what lenders look for, the importance of your credit and cash reserves, how much experience matters, and what it takes to make the leap from a high-paying career into entrepreneurship.

If you’ve ever thought about buying a business, expanding, investing in real estate, or leaving your 9-to-5, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, I sit down with someone who has been so much more than a friend to me. Dr. Kanika Tomalin is someone I have admired, looked up to, and carried with me throughout my life.

I open up about a moment in my 20s when Kanika showed up for me during one of the hardest times in my life and helped me see something in myself that I couldn't see yet. We talk about sisterhood, finding your light, overcoming adversity, Black excellence, HBCUs, leadership, health equity, and the people who believe in us before we believe in ourselves.

This conversation is deeply personal, and I'm so grateful I finally got to tell her what she has meant to me.

Melissa Caneira of Insurance 101 breaks down the things most of us were never taught about life and health insurance, from affordable life policies and generational wealth to HMO vs. PPO plans, unexpected tax bills, and long-term care. A real, eye-opening conversation about protecting yourself, your family, and your future.

In this episode, Meagan Mitchell and I get real about the journey of women in business—balancing family, facing struggles, and prioritizing mental health.

It’s an honest, relatable conversation about growth, resilience, and what it truly takes behind the scenes.

I'm just saying.

This episode takes it all the way back to the beginning.

It’s a raw conversation about growing up with very little, feeling ashamed of where you come from, and eventually realizing that the things you once tried to hide may be the very things that shape your purpose. It dives into hidden leadership skills, dating from trauma, and hitting rock bottom mentally, even when money isn’t the issue.

There’s an honest look at opening an assisted living facility during the pandemic and the defining moment with a first resident that confirmed this was more than a business. It was a calling. The episode also explores caregiving, race, fear, forgiveness, and the powerful lessons learned from people at the end of life.

At its core, this conversation is about turning pain into purpose, survival into strategy, and trauma into transformation. It’s about understanding that everything you’ve been through can be used for something greater.

Rock bottom wasn’t the end. It was the beginning.

I’m just saying.