Minding Her Own Business

Welcome back to Minding Her Own Business. Today we have Ledi Vokshi-Marcelino, an entrepreneur, strategist, and thought leader who turned a career as an Albanian pop star and reality TV host into building a tech and AI company alongside her husband. Known for her ability to reinvent herself through every season of life, Ledi brings a real-world perspective on visibility, identity, and what it actually means to build a business that evolves with who you're becoming. If you've ever felt like your identity got too tied up in a title, a career, or a version of yourself that no longer fits, this episode is for you.

In this conversation:

• The day you become a mom doesn't have to be the day you lose yourself: it can be the day you finally get intentional about the life you actually want to build
• Building a business with your partner only works when you both know your zone of genius and have enough respect to stay in your lane
• There are seasons where you're 10% in the business and your partner is 90%, and your worth was never in the LinkedIn title anyway
• Reinvention isn't about becoming someone new on the outside. It starts on the inside, and the quieter you get, the clearer it becomes
• Your personal brand isn't one polished topic, it's the whole messy, real journey, including the failures, the pivots, and the moments you almost quit
• AI isn't just a business tool, it can run your household, educate your kids, and help you organize a life that actually functions

You'll walk away with a new way of thinking about reinvention as chapters in a book rather than a loss of identity, and the reminder that clarity comes from testing things, not from sitting on the couch overthinking them. You'll also gain a fresh perspective on what it means to build a family business; one where the mission is bigger than any single role or revenue goal. Plus, the nudge to stop chasing shiny titles and start designing the lifestyle first, then picking the business that fits it.

Connect with Ledi:

• Instagram: @ledivokshi
• Facebook: @ledivokshi
• YouTube: @ledivokshi
• LinkedIn: @ledivokshi
• TikTok: @ledivokshi

Let's Connect!
Website: https://mindingherownbusiness.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_mindingherownbusiness/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-m-mariscal/

Welcome back to Minding Her Own Business. Today we have Nathi Narciso back for season two; and this time we're on video, fully committed, head to toe. Nathi is a first-gen bilingual Brazilian empowerment strategist, speaker, and community leader based in New York City, and the founder of Gostosa Energy. She helps women build lives that actually feel like theirs: on their own terms, not society's. If you're in a season where everything looks good on paper but something still feels off, this episode is for you.

In this conversation:

• Burnout doesn't announce itself, it shows up as a spiking heart rate in a meeting, zero energy at the gym, and being one comment away from a full meltdown
• You can wake up at 5am for a client call but won't wake up at 5am for Pilates. And that double standard is exactly what's keeping you depleted.
• Being first gen means carrying the invisible weight of proving your family's sacrifice was worth it, even when nobody actually asked you to.
• Nobody at 34 has it figured out. The older you get, the more you realize everyone is just making it up as they go.
• The things you do so freely for others, like cooking, gifting, showing up, are the exact things you're withholding from yourself.
• If you birth with your brain, your business is your baby, and that reframe changes everything about how you show up for your work.

You'll walk away with permission to acknowledge burnout before your body forces you to stop, a reminder to treat yourself with the same generosity you give freely to everyone else, and the clarity that the timeline you've been following might not even be one anyone asked you to follow. You'll also gain the nudge to stop performing success for other people and start defining it for yourself, because the life you actually want is waiting on the other side of that decision. Plus, the reminder that being true to yourself, above anything else, is the simplest and most radical thing you can do.

Connect with Nathi:

• Instagram: @nathinarciso
• TikTok: @nathinarciso
• Community: @gostosa.energy

Let's Connect!
Website: https://mindingherownbusiness.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_mindingherownbusiness/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-m-mariscal/

Welcome back to Minding Her Own Business. Today we have Brit Perkins, a wedding and personal branding photographer who works globally capturing entrepreneurs, influencers, and life's biggest moments. Brit's work has been featured in Vogue, People, and Boston Magazine, and she's built a thriving photography business while raising two daughters. In this episode, we’ll get to know her story, dive into how she built her business from the ground up, and uncover the lessons she’s learned along the way. If you're ready to stop playing small and start showing up even when it terrifies you, this episode is for you. 

In this conversation:

• Brit started photography out of necessity: she was broke and literally just wanted enough money to buy her kids Starbucks cake pops without stressing about it
• Building a personal brand happened organically before she even knew what personal branding was. 
• The pivot from weddings to personal branding happened during COVID when she photographed local businesses and realized how fulfilling it was to help other small business owners succeed
• Running a photography business as a hobby versus a real business requires a fundamental decision: you need systems, workflows, clear monthly revenue goals, and an actual plan instead of just shooting blanks and hoping
• Your goals will evolve as you level up and enter different rooms. What seemed impossible five years ago, becomes your baseline when you surround yourself with people achieving more
• Fear isn't actually about being scared, but it's about letting go of your ego and the fear of looking bad in front of other people, which is exactly what's holding you back from the rooms that will change everything

You'll walk away with permission to start messy and build your personal brand before you even know what that means, a framework for deciding if your creative passion should become a real business with actual revenue goals, the reminder that consistency in the boring stuff is what builds the career and life you actually want, and that serving people well while doing excellent work is the simplest formula for success.

Plus, you’ll gain the mindset shift to stop letting fear or ego keep you out of the rooms that are meant for you.

Connect with Brit:

• Instagram: @britperkins_ 
• Website: www.britperkinsphotography.com

Let's Connect!
Website: https://mindingherownbusiness.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_mindingherownbusiness/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-m-mariscal/

Welcome back to Minding Her Own Business, today we’re talking about one of the most relatable topics for women in their thirties: the absolute chaos of modern dating. This is an honest breakdown on what works (and what definitely doesn't), why is it important to have clarity about what you want, and that the right person will show up when you're actually working on becoming your best self.

In this conversation:

• Dating in your thirties means everyone's in wildly different places; some have kids, some are divorced, and income gaps between potential partners can be massive for the first time in your life
• The pandemic created a weird dating fatigue where people are craving human connection but are so burned out by casual dating culture that they've stopped putting themselves out there
• Actions speak louder than words. If you're always initiating conversations and making plans, pull back and see if they match your energy before assuming they're equally interested
• Online dating apps are going out of style as people seek more intentional connections through social clubs, coffee meetups, and platforms that skip the endless swiping and set you up on actual dates
• You can't truly test a relationship until you've seen how someone processes conflict and deals with hard emotions: avoiding difficult conversations creates toxic patterns
• Personality compatibility, shared values, and aligned life goals matter more than physical attraction or financial status when building something that actually lasts

You'll walk away with a framework for evaluating compatibility beyond surface-level attraction, permission to stop dating when you're not ready instead of forcing it, and the confidence to have honest conversations about values and goals early on without scaring people away, plus the reminder that you deserve someone who puts in the same energy you do.

Let's Connect!
Website: https://mindingherownbusiness.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_mindingherownbusiness/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-m-mariscal/

Welcome back to Minding Her Own Business. In this episode we’re diving into one of the most polarizing topics in business right now: artificial intelligence. What it really means for your career, how to use it, and the uncomfortable truth: you've been training AI with your data for years. We’re also going to break down the practical realities of leveraging AI as your competitive advantage while staying aware of the legal gray areas, ethical considerations, and the difference between using AI smartly versus using it sloppily. 

In this conversation:

• AI isn't replacing jobs, it's replacing people who refuse to learn how to use it as a competitive advantage in their careers
• You've been training AI and giving away your data for free for years through Amazon, Spotify, Instagram, and every online platform you touch
• The biggest risk isn't using AI, it's using it sloppily without checking output quality or understanding when you're sharing proprietary information
• AI forces you to think critically and ask better questions instead of just memorizing information or going through repetitive motions
• The global workforce is now truly borderless, which means top talent can live anywhere and companies can source skills from anywhere at different price points
• Using AI for therapy, love advice, or medical guidance is a dangerous gray area; it mirrors your own biases back to you and shouldn't replace professional help

If you're ready to stop being scared of AI and start using it strategically, this episode is for you.  You'll walk away with a clear understanding of where AI fits ethically in your workflow, how to protect yourself from legal and professional risks when using these tools, and the mindset shift to see AI as your competitive edge rather than your replacement, plus the honest truth about what you're trading when you input your data into these platforms.

Let's Connect!

Website: https://www.victoriamariscal.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_mindingherownbusiness/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-m-mariscal/

Let's Connect!
Website: https://mindingherownbusiness.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_mindingherownbusiness/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-m-mariscal/

Welcome back to Minding Her Own Business. Today's a special solo episode where I'm pulling back the curtain on why this podcast exists, what "minding her own business" really means, and how I went from being the kid told to stay quiet to building a community for women who refuse to be put in a box. This is Season 2's kickoff, and it's time you knew the real story.

In this episode:

• The three powerful meanings behind "Minding Her Own Business"  and how a phrase once seen as dismissive or negative was transformed into a philosophy for living authentically. 
• Why taking a year off Instagram as a content creator wasn't career suicide, it was the reset that saved my integrity and sanity
• How the pressure to perform a "perfect life" on social media was creating a version of myself I didn't recognize, and the moment I decided to delete the app
• Why doing "all the things" is actually your superpower and the liberation that comes from being a multi-hyphenate woman who refuses to niche down
• How to build a business and brand that respects your privacy while still showing up authentically for your audience
• Why this podcast exists as a safe space for the messy middle, where you're supposed to have it all figured out but you're still scared as hell

If you're tired of performative success content and ready for real talk about building a life that's actually yours, this episode is for you. Here I’ll tell you my journey from  being told to stay quiet as a child, to building a platform that celebrates unfiltered voices and proves that your "too much" is exactly what someone else needs to hear, and that you don't need anyone's permission to take up space. You'll walk away with permission to stop performing, clarity on how to protect your peace while building in public, and the reminder that being multi-faceted isn't a liability, it's your competitive advantage. Plus, you'll understand why this community exists: not just as a podcast, but as the safe space you wished you had when you were going through it.

Let's Connect!
Website: https://mindingherownbusiness.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_mindingherownbusiness/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-m-mariscal/

Welcome back to Minding Her Own Business – today we have something truly special as we celebrate our one-year anniversary! I'm your host Victoria, and instead of bringing you another incredible guest, I'm opening up about my own journey as a founder, podcast host, and woman doing all the things. 

This episode is my most vulnerable yet, sharing the raw reality of what this year has taught me about burnout, boundaries, and building a business that aligns with who I actually am. 

In this conversation: 

• How saying "yes" to everything led to physical and mental breakdown – and the wake-up call that changed everything
• Why aligning professional goals with personal values is non-negotiable for sustainable success
• The three core things that bring joy to work: developing people, creative storytelling, and building community
• How burnout forced a complete business pivot from survival mode to intentional, purpose-driven work
• Why taking care of yourself isn't selfish – it's the foundation for taking care of everyone else
• The power of getting intentional about your goals and creating daily reminders that keep you accountable

If you're ready to stop operating in survival mode and start building a business and life that actually fulfills you, this episode is for you. My journey from saying yes to everything to finally asking "what do I actually want?" proves that burnout doesn't have to be permanent, and that clarity comes when you're brave enough to pause and listen to yourself. 

You'll walk away with permission to prioritize your well-being, a framework for evaluating whether your goals align with your values, and the confidence to make changes that serve your future self – plus you'll hear exactly what's coming next for our Minding Her Own Business community as we expand to YouTube, live events, and deeper connections.

Let's Connect!
Website: https://mindingherownbusiness.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_mindingherownbusiness/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-m-mariscal/

Welcome back to Minding Her Own Business, today we have Ledi Vokshi, founder of Voltek IT and the PowerUP Woman community who went from Albanian pop star to building multiple successful businesses while raising two young sons. She's a visionary entrepreneur who transformed viral fame into sustainable business success and now mentors thousands of women to create their own financial freedom.

In this conversation:

• How going viral at 19 taught her that fame without a financial strategy leads nowhere—and why she learned to separate her identity from her public persona
• The power of building both ways: you can either build a personal brand first and create businesses around it, or build a business and then develop your personal brand to scale it
• Why showing up online for 18+ years isn't about beating the algorithm
• How stepping back from music to be present for bedtime routines wasn't giving up
• Why taking time to slow down and just "be" rather than constantly "doing" is the only way to get unstuck when you're feeling overwhelmed in business

If you're ready to stop chasing likes and followers and start building a purpose-driven business that aligns with your life goals, this episode is for you. Ledi's journey from viral Albanian pop star to successful tech entrepreneur and business mentor proves that sustainable success comes from clarity about your values and the courage to make choices that honor them, and that building a business around your purpose—not just profit—creates lasting impact. 

Connect with Ledi:

www.PowerUPwoman.com 

www.VoltekIT.com 

Let's Connect!
Website: https://www.victoriamariscal.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_mindingherownbusiness/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-m-mariscal/

Welcome back to Minding Her Own Business, today we have Dr. Sophia Visanji, an optometrist practicing in Manhattan and the founder of Aliana Rose Eyewear, a vintage-inspired eyewear line made from Italian acetate. She's also been a fashion blogger for over 10 years under the alias "The Monocle Muse," proving that you can successfully blend traditional professional careers with creative entrepreneurship.

In this conversation:

• How to recognize when your traditional career isn't fully filling your cup and what to do about it without abandoning financial security.
• The strategic approach to building multiple income streams - from content creation to product development - while maintaining your primary profession.
• The importance of scheduling self-care like business meetings to prevent burnout before it happens, not after you crash.
• How to leverage your unique professional background as your competitive advantage in saturated markets.

If you're ready to design a career that truly fulfills you without sacrificing stability, this episode is for you. Sophia's journey from feeling unfulfilled in her optometry practice to building a thriving eyewear brand while still seeing patients proves that you don't have to choose between financial security and creative fulfillment, and that your professional expertise can become your secret weapon in entrepreneurship. You'll walk away with practical strategies for building multiple income streams, a framework for bootstrapping product development, and techniques for maintaining your mental health while juggling multiple businesses, plus the mindset shift that will help you see your current career as an asset rather than a limitation.

Connect with Sophia:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/themonoclemuse
• Alianna Rose Eyewear Instagram: www.instagram.com/alianaroseeyewear
• Website: www.alianaroseeyewear.com

Let's Connect!
Website: https://mindingherownbusiness.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_mindingherownbusiness/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-m-mariscal/

Welcome back to Minding Her Own Business, today we have Yanna Williams, the founder behind House of Audacia, a management company for founders ready to scale beyond the business they built. 

Yanna is a former professor turned multi-million dollar business builder who's helped secure over $6 million in funding. She's the woman power players call when they're ready to become the face of their brand and turn audacious dreams into action. 

In this conversation: 

• Yanna transitioned from academia to entrepreneurship after realizing the limitations of her academic salary
• Multiple streams of income are crucial for financial stability and success
• Understanding your business inside and out is essential for successful grant writing
• Women often play small in negotiations; it's important to advocate for yourself
• Building relationships in business requires a balance of friendliness and professionalism
• Kindness in business must be balanced with accountability to ensure success

If you're ready to stop playing small and start asking for what you deserve, this episode is for you. Yanna's journey from academia to building a multi-million dollar business proves that the security of a traditional job is often an illusion, and that real growth happens in the messy middle of entrepreneurship. You'll walk away with practical grant writing strategies that could secure your funding, leadership insights on balancing kindness with accountability, and the mindset shift to channel "white man audacity" in your business decisions.

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalyannawilliams/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hausofaudacia/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yannabeans/?hl=es-la

Let's Connect!
Website: https://mindingherownbusiness.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_mindingherownbusiness/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-m-mariscal/