Local Voices (Miami)

Troy is..................the man behind the curtain, helping create moments that transform. As Executive Director of the Washington Avenue Business Improvement District, he oversees a main avenue in South Beach, and has great insight into what makes a community thrive. Born in Seattle, Washington, he was a child prodigy on the drums, majoring in Business Administration, after some timely advice, and minoring in Music, he has always sought to connect his passion and his practicality. Early in his career, he served as Vice President of the Jimmy Hendrix Estate, overseeing a major case that had a big historic impact on artist's rights. He also helped create the first state gospel choir, that reached the Billboard Top 50. After dealing with a divorce, he chose to create a new life here in South Florida, like many of us, and took up his post as avenue director after much soul searching and passing up of more lucrative opportunities. With a big heart for giving back, Troy is an inspiration to all of us here in Miami, helping us focus on what truly matters, having a great impact and rising above ourselves.

Interested in collaborating on charity efforts? - Shoot a DM to @localvoices_miami on IG

Ready to make a donation to assist us in highlighting local role models? - Click here to donate >> https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=ADR3N468FDH3G

Open to a 1 to 1 chat regarding where you might have the most fun giving back? - Book a time with me right here >> https://calendly.com/simbaleadershipcoach/30min

Other business inquiries & suggestions - Email [email protected]

Muhammad Ali Exhibit link >> https://www.eventbrite.com/e/muhammad-ali-historical-timeline-tickets-866784966167

Cheers,

Simba

Tito is.............as energetic as it gets. Fueled off Florida orange juice, & the drive to honor his father, he carries an electric energy into every performance, and describes them even as religious, cathartic experiences. Born in New York City, son to the King of Latin Music, Tito Puente, he was exposed to the music scene early, whether that be drums in the garage, or the opportunity to go touring with his father in the summers. He made the decision to move down to Miami 30 years ago, all by himself, and proceeded to put out his own albums, "Got Mambo", and now recently "The King & I", as will as securing his own radio show, "Con Clave with Tito Puente Jr." on Sundays. Creative in his own right, he has now launched his own hot sauce brand, which you can test out @ TitoPuenteJrHot.com. Listen in for a inspiring discussion regarding the future of music in Miami, and the fundamentals of salsa music. Follow Tito on all social channels @TitoPuenteJr, and check out some of his shows if you have the chance, he brings the electricidad.

Aimee is................a culmination of Miami's inclusive yoga community. Someone transformed from feeling unsafe, to feeling empowered. Born in New Jersey, her parents separated when she was young, and it was quite difficult, she ended up not seeing her dad for 20 years. She became super withdrawn, and when her family moved down to Miami to stay with her grandparents, it was super chaotic, and she started feeling unsafe. Then one day, her aunt invited her to a hot yoga class. After pushing through some vulnerability, she started to feel safe in her body and got addicted to yoga, doing it every day. After a little while, she started to feel unsettled again in shavasana, and went completely cold to her practice. She was brought back into it by the unconditional love found, @bodyforyoga, where she experimented with free classes, as well as the community @earthandusfarms, Finally she was drawn into the deities @synergyyoga, and opted in for her 200hr teacher training with Victoria. Super transformed, she is now leading classes at the Gale Hotel and other locations throughout the week. Catch her on Instagram @aimeelovesyoga, and if you're inspired after listening to her story, you can review a list below, of current Miami yoga teacher trainings, enlisting for this year >>

Mimi Yoga >> January 29, 2024 - April 12, 2024

(Wynwood) - https://mimiyoga.com/products/tt-in-person

Casa Vinyasa >> September - January

(Coral Gables) - https://casavinyasamiami.com/200hryogateachertraining

Miami Life Center - May 18 to June 15, 2024

(Wynwood) - https://miamilifecenter.com/200hour

Namaste,

~Simba

Geoff is...............the Dude, the dude for turning your brain from fear to love in 5 days. Born & raised in Miami, he grew up in an alcoholic home, and developed addiction issues, sleep, anxiety, depression issues, all the above. Around age 30 he started transforming himself, learning to cope with meditation and prayer, until at age 35, he started studying psychology, and realized the power of objectivity in motivating the transformation of others. Having been a data science guy for quite some time, he studied with an inventor of a neurofeedback system, and eventually created his own standardized program, called the Supermind Method, combining education & psychological therapy, fully integrated with neurofeedback. He guarantees his services, and is coming out with a new book this year called, "How to Live Anxiety Free". Try him out for mental clarity at https://www.supermind.us/, & to develop greater flow, try me out at SOTIMiami.com. Either way, enlightenment guaranteed. Namaste.

David is............A new best friend around the corner..............in with the Miami New Times and teaching us at LV about the value of A good mic check ;)................Born in Evanston, Illinois, he moved here when he was a baby to Key Biscayne, and went to FSU, where he first got paid to write. After graduating college, he moved to California and eventually made his way down to LA, where he lived in Hollywood for 8 years, learning screenwriting, and getting his break writing a script for "Finding Rin Tin Tin". Always someone who loved reading and telling stories, he wrote his first book at 16 years old, "A King's Tale", and has two published books most widely spread in Miami, the "End of the World" and "Yo-Yo". He moved back to Florida after meeting his wife here, while spending the holidays with family, and now they have a 9 year old and live in Miami Beach. After running into an old friend from high school, Liz Tracy, he got the opportunity to start writing stories for the local paper, Miami New Times, and now he enjoys being a music writer and getting to interview some of the nation's biggest stars when they come into town. Subscribe to the daily emails from the Miami New Times, and keep an eye out for David's writing, he likes to add a comical peanut butter touch.

SIMBA Takeaways

>> Enough Rates make a Game, learn to play with your Fortitude

>> Learn about the Science of Flow, & the beauty of basketball

>> Listen to Simba's challenge to stars to dedicate more of their new projects to causes

>> Learn about the importance of budgeting and always keeping yourself open to talking to strangers

>> The magic of the sharing economy, and how to live A truly LIGHT life @ SOTIMiami.com

>>The importance of turning off your notifications, and subscribing to the right morning emails

>> The SECRET scientific measure of Enlightenment (Warning - IT's a bit dirty ;))

>> The power of prayer pleasure and the joy of downsizing your life @ SRF

>> The power of turning your childhood thorn into your greatest strength

Until next time,

Namaste

~Simba

Pete is..........done looking for enlightenment. He invited himself over for chili.

Listen in for some great Rejuvenism talk,

Are you in the 1%, or even just consider yourself blessed,

Consider why you don't give more of your growing gifts to charity,

The Kingdom of Heaven, peaks at around 80k,

More money, more problems,

Wondering how to open your heart more...........

In this episode you will learn,

• The best way to pray and Ohm down intentions
• The best way to soak up energy from the sun
• SIMBA's most important mantra >> "May WE Project only the most Peak of Possibilities" (Say IT fives times per day at least)
• Why you should start tithing (10%), sharing more consistently your wealth
• The Four C's: Cleanliness, Control, Contribution, Connection
• The pose no yoga teacher should be leaving out
• The Three Stages of Life: Words (Reading), Sacraments (Traveling), Charities (Committing)
• How you can start catching more syncs & miracles in your life (Book on my calendar >> SOTIMiami.com)
• How SIMBA wakes up and what sources he reads, to dedicate his workout, & prayer
• The Power of setting up weekly Facetimes with your family circle

Namaste ,

~SIMBA

Geoff is.............livin in his own type of heaven. Born in New York CIty, he studied business at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA, and went to work on Wall Street, before even the beginning of the internet. After 19 years, and remote work became possible, he moved down to Miami Beach, where he manages money for friends and family. Having met his star bass player, Jose de Jesus, in his younger days, Geoff enjoys playing with @lotuscollective and the drummers at South Pointe on Sundays, as well as playing with his cover band, The Mac.

Key SIMBA Takeaways:

Remember the 4 rungs of life each day:

Cleanliness - Godliness

Exercise - Touch the Skies

Prayer - Power

Tension - Release

~Simba

Frankie is.........humbly making Miami a landmark running club city. Born in Coconut Grove, he remembers the first time his dad invited him out for a run, and the rest is history. Loving the feeling of independence and control that running provides, he did cross country in high school, and walked on to two years of track at FIU. After studying public relations as an undergrad, he ended up going for a Masters in Public Administration, realizing he had an affinity for local politics and government work. While working on his own small business, and as an intern for various elected officials, he one day landed himself in a room where the question was asked, Why Miami no longer had its own marathon...........(there use to exist an Orange Bowl Marathon). At the ripe young age of 21, Frankie stepped up to the plate and helped launch the first edition of the Miami Marathon in 2003. Producing races ever since he was a teenager, he was uniquely situated to overcome the red tape and political buy-in required, resulting in an event that has helped bring over 200 million dollars of revenue to South Florida. Since getting bought out by fitness giant, Lifetime, Frankie has been focused on growing the Baptist Health - Nike run clubs, which now total 8 different locations and host thousands of social runners each week, in addition to recently being named Miami's Chief Wellness Officer by Mayor Francis Suarez. Check out one of the run clubs near you by visiting www.runclubnetwork.com, and follow Frankie on IG @frankieruiz. All paces are welcome.

Tiff is...........the Queen of Miami Yoga........she just wants............to dance with Jlo. Shanti, Shanti, Shanti. Born in Durham, North Carolina, she moved down to Florida to work for Sprint as soon as she graduated Meredith College, going back to Duke to get a degree in MBSR, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction from their integrative medicine department. Starting her yoga path during undergrad, she realized she fully loved it later in life, when she was going through some traumas, getting hit by a car on her bike, breakups, and losing her mom. Turning to yoga helped her create her own Utopia, where everything happens for a reason. When Synergy Yoga school owner, Victoria Brunacci, challenged her to grow in her practice and do her first 200 hour training, she answered the call, and followed up with her 300 and 500 hour trainings. Now fully running some of Miami's most creative yoga events, whether that be 4:20 Space Yoga on Saturdays, or weekly Immersive Beyond Monet yoga, or Full Moon Moxy yoga, or even weekly volunteering at the Global Empowerment Mission, Tiffany is living her calling and even has her own website, https://www.tifftopia.com/, where you can review her different events and retreats, like the one she does in Morocco. Follow her on IG @tifftopia, come by to some of her events, and if you're listening Jlo.........