No Straight Path

Today we are continuing our celebration of Black folks by centering Black love. Our host, Ashley Menzies Babatunde, defines Black love as sharing a journey of love, support, and comfort with someone else who understands how to move through spaces, institutions, and a society that wasn't built for you. With this in mind, she welcomes her husband, Segun Babatunde, onto the podcast. 

Tuning in, you’ll hear about Ashley and Segun’s love story, Segun’s first impressions of Ashley, and how they both put out into the universe what they wanted in a relationship and the universe spoke back. Segun also shares more about his background, what it was like growing up bi-racial in two different homes with different cultural backgrounds and socio-economic statuses, and how this has informed who he is today.

Segun opens up about the value of listening to your inner voice before he talks about his legal career, why he enjoys the story-telling aspects of being a trial lawyer, and the legal doctrine that he is most passionate about. To hear all this, as well as what Segun learned from his own no-straight-path career journey in which he, at one point, took a break from practicing law to start an esports company, tune in today!

No Straight Path's One-Year Anniversary

We are celebrating one year of meaning content, connection, and storytelling. If the No Straight Path Podcast has added value to your life, please consider contributing to the Kickstarter here.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Segun Babatunde 

The Alchemist

Ashley Menzies Babatunde

Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram

Hubspot Podcast Network

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If you enjoy listening to No Straight Path, please make sure you write a review and rate the show. It helps other listeners find the podcast. You can rate and review the show here. Thank you! 

In today’s very special ‘Month of Love’ episode of No Straight Path, you’ll hear from best friends, husband and wife, and dynamic duo behind Two Fourteen Photography, Virath and Krizelle Pum. What they started 12 years ago out of Virath’s childhood hobby has grown into a wildly successful business, replete with a team of photographers and videographers serving couples all over the world.

While there were many difficult moments along the way, Virath and Krizelle chose to view these moments as opportunities to realign and reflect on the things that were most important to them, and ultimately decided to quit their full-time jobs to pursue their passion for photography. This has led them on an incredible entrepreneurial journey and a more fulfilling and intentional life together, which you will learn more about in today’s conversation.

Join us as these high school sweethearts share their love story and offer some insight into when they started thinking about photography as a viable career option, despite growing up in households that didn’t see it that way. You’ll also discover how Virath and Krizelle created beauty out of hardship, what work-life balance means to the couple that does everything together, and the ways that they complement one another in both business and life. Make sure to tune in today to hear all this and more!

No Straight Path's One-Year Anniversary

We are celebrating one year of meaning content, connection, and storytelling. If the No Straight Path Podcast has added value to your life, please consider contributing to the Kickstarter here.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Two Fourteen Photography

Two Fourteen Photography on Instagram

Flourish Newsletter

Ashley Menzies Babatunde

Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram

Hubspot Podcast Network

Rate & Review:

If you enjoy listening to No Straight Path, please make sure you write a review and rate the show. It helps other listeners find the podcast. You can rate and review the show here. Thank you! 

To kick off Black History Month, we are speaking with a professional storyteller, thought leader, self-proclaimed freedom fighter, and leading Black voice in the tech community, Alexandria Butler (otherwise known as Lexi B).

Considered one of Silicon Valley’s most candid and outspoken commentators, Lexi’s beliefs about how to build more equitable workplaces stem from her own experiences of working with some of the world’s most prominent tech companies, including Meta and Twitter. In 2017, these experiences also led her to create Sista Circle, a solidarity group and community dedicated to supporting the work of Black Women in Tech (BWiT).

In today’s episode of No Straight Path, Lexi shares some of the ways that oral storytelling was engrained in her upbringing, how professional theatre classes prepared her to “tap dance for the masses” despite being introverted by nature, and the unexpected introduction she had to the tech industry. We also discuss what a fulfilling life looks like to Lexi, how she has learned to center her humanity in her career, and the importance of having both a therapist and a financial advisor, plus so much more!

During the course of this thought-provoking conversation, you’ll gain insight into Lexi’s journey of finding her agency and commanding her power as a Black woman in tech without fear or compliance overriding what needs to be said. You’ll also learn more about her commitment to helping other BWiT find a like-minded community and grow their careers, and our hope is that she can help you do the same!

No Straight Path's One-Year Anniversary

We are celebrating one year of meaning content, connection, and storytelling. If the No Straight Path Podcast has added value to your life, please consider contributing to the Kickstarter here.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Lexi B

Sista Circle: Black Women in Tech

Lexi B on LinkedIn

Lexi B on Twitter

Lexi B on Instagram

Lexi B on YouTube

Ashley Menzies Babatunde

Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram

Hubspot Podcast Network

Rate & Review:

If you enjoy listening to No Straight Path, please make sure you write a review and rate the show. It helps other listeners find the podcast. You can rate and review the show here. Thank you! 

During today’s episode, we welcome our first visiting actor to the show! Christopher Rivas is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after multi-hyphenates - an actor, author, podcaster, and storyteller to watch. His goal is to create art that facilitates spaces of belonging, and he is deeply motivated by his own experience of finding connection through art. 

Chris believes that we are all creatives in one way or another, and shares his story of pursuing his dream. He also reveals a pivotal moment in his life where he realized that the character of James Bond is based on a Dominican man, opening up a world of opportunity in his mind through the power of representation. His experience of being told by a public speaker that his heritage left him out of the conversation about race ignited a fire within to pave the way for others like him through writing, and that is how his work Brown Enough was first conceived.

In his podcast series, Rubirosa, Chris gets real about assimilation and code-switching, asking his parents significant questions about their experience and the decisions to follow. He highlights the power of sharing your story and asking bigger questions of your family as things change to facilitate freedom. He defines ‘Brown’ as everything between Black and White, and finds meaning in the more expansive way of being in between.

His story is sure to inspire so many listeners, especially those following a non-traditional career path. You can’t afford to miss it!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Christopher Rivas

Christopher Rivas on Twitter

Christopher Rivas on Instagram

Christopher Rivas on IMDb 

Ta-Nehisi Coates

The Moth

Live Storytelling Events

Rubirosa

Brown Enough 

Call Me Kat

Ashley Menzies Babatunde

Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram

Hubspot Podcast Network

Rate & Review:

If you enjoy listening to No Straight Path, please make sure you write a review and rate the show. It helps other listeners find the podcast. You can rate and review the show here. Thank you! 

Jessica Salinas did not have a blueprint. Growing up as a child of undocumented immigrants, experiencing childhood trauma, and being plunged into a new culture where she didn’t speak the language are just a few of the experiences that have made her who she is today. Her journey has also inspired her work to provide others with the support she didn’t know she needed when she was growing up. She is the Chief Investment Officer at New Media Ventures where she is responsible for developing the investment strategy, cultivating early-stage deal flow and portfolio management, building mission-driven partnerships, and leading the growth and direction of the investment team.

Previously, she was a partner at an impact fund moving the world towards zero poverty, zero disease and zero pollution. Jessica was also the founding Social Impact Lead at Headspace and the founding Director of the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative Education Program.

Jessica has a strong background in activism and serves on the board at Words Uncaged and Plug In South LA. She is here today to share a motivational story of resilience in the face of life’s challenges. Jessica’s story is an inspiration to so many people. We can’t wait for you to hear it! 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Jessica Salinas on Twitter

Jessica Salinas on LinkedIn

Words Uncaged

Plug In South LA

Headspace

Ashley Menzies Babatunde

Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram

Hubspot Podcast Network

Rate & Review:

If you enjoy listening to No Straight Path, please make sure you write a review and rate the show. It helps other listeners find the podcast. You can rate and review the show here. Thank you! 

Many of us are in a place of reflection and planning as we embark upon the new year. Staying in line with this theme, today you’ll hear some practical (and tactical) advice for upscaling your life and business from an established creator and entrepreneur who is passionate about helping others succeed.

Scott D. Clary is the CEO of OnMi Patch, a transdermal vitamin patch company, the host of the Success Story Podcast, and the founder of a weekly business newsletter with over 100,000 subscribers. From startups to large organizations, Scott has worked with executives and entrepreneurs alike and has sold and marketed to some of the most iconic brands in the world.

In this conversation, Scott encourages us to lean into the things that make us uncomfortable and shares his advice for taking a non-traditional career path, despite what others may think. Tuning in, you’ll gain some insight into a pivotal moment in Scott’s entrepreneurial journey. We discuss his secret to creating successful content, what he has learned about the transformative power of failure, his tips for building a personal brand, and more.

We also touch on Scott’s purpose as an educator and how imposter syndrome can be an asset, as well as why he hopes to challenge our thinking about burnout. For all this and more about crafting a life and business that aligns with your purpose, don’t miss this episode of No Straight Path with Scott D. Clary!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Scott D. Clary

Scott D. Clary on LinkedIn

Scott D. Clary on Instagram

Scott D. Clary on Twitter

How to Trust Yourself with Your Own Life: Webinar with Kristin Turner

Ashley Menzies Babatunde

Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram

Hubspot Podcast Network

Rate & Review:

If you enjoy listening to No Straight Path, please make sure you write a review and rate the show. It helps other listeners find the podcast. You can rate and review the show here. Thank you! 

There are so many societal markers of success that it can be challenging to figure out what your definition of success is. When I was asked by the host of another podcast to unpack the word ‘success', I realized that my version of success is living a fulfilling life while doing impactful work. As we enter the new year, today I unpack my definition of success, what it means to me, and how I reached it. You’ll hear a bit more about my journey; how my over-achieving hustle approach to life made me exhausted and less interesting and how I realized I needed to redefine success when I became aware that my values were changing. I then break down my four-part version of what success looks and feels like to me. I explain what my values are now and how I adjusted my life to be one that is reflective of them. I believe that even just defining success leads to fulfillment so if you want a great start to the new year, tune in for some insight on why you too may need to redefine your definition of success! 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Time Smart: How to Reclaim Your Time and Live a Happier Life 

Whillans Book Talk

Time Affluence Article

Zone of Genius Article 

How to Figure Out your Zone Genius

Becoming

Education, Imagination, and Wellbeing with Darius White

The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level 

Becoming Your Best Teammate with Kristin Turner (Part 1)

Becoming Your Best Teammate with Kristin Turner (Part 2)

Ashley Menzies Babatunde

Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram

Hubspot Podcast Network

Rate & Review:

If you enjoy listening to No Straight Path, please make sure you write a review and rate the show. It helps other listeners find the podcast. You can rate and review the show here. Thank you! 

The festive season and looming end-of-year deadlines can often feel like a mad dash to wrap up everything we hoped to achieve. Instead of rushing this week’s episode, I decided to honor my version of success in a healthy, sustainable manner by taking a break and spending the holiday with my family. So, even though we’re off this week, I wanted to take a moment to share my appreciation with all of our wonderful listeners. The No Straight Path community has been a beautiful and surprising gift, and I’m so grateful to every single one of you for joining me on this journey. Take care, and I can't wait to connect in 2023!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Ashley Menzies Babatunde

Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram

Hubspot Podcast Network

Rate & Review:

If you enjoy listening to No Straight Path, please make sure you write a review and rate the show. It helps other listeners find the podcast. You can rate and review the show here. Thank you! 

When we pay attention to the life that we want to lean into and how to create it, we realize that it’s all a bit of a delicate dance. No one knows that better than today’s guest, strategic advisor, dancer, and leader, Raha Francis. She shares many pearls of wisdom with us during part two of our conversation, including a deeper look at what it means to embrace a love-based mindset over fear and how to pay attention to yourself and lean into your light. Pulled from her own experience of pivoting between strategic, management consulting, and tiny tech roles, she shares how her current role as a strategic advisor for the Business Development Bank of Canada is aligned with her logical path as well as her internal path. Raha makes time each week to write down her ideas and prioritizes activities that help her to stay moving in the direction of her light. We touch on the delicate dance of practicality and creativity, why Raha is an evangelist for people listening to themselves, and what success means to her. Tune in for an episode packed with powerful wisdom you can implement today.

Rate & Review:

If you enjoy listening to No Straight Path, please make sure you write a review and rate the show. It helps other listeners find the podcast. You can rate and review the show here. Thank you!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Raha Francis on LinkedIn

Subscribe to Raha’s Newsletter

Becoming Your Best Teammate with Kristen Turner (Part 1)

Becoming Your Best Teammate with Kristen Turner (Part 2)

Business Development Bank of Canada

Ashley Menzies Babatunde

Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram

Hubspot Podcast Network

Raha Francis is a writer and strategic advisor for entrepreneurs who has navigated several career pivots by paying attention to what makes her come alive. In her thoughtful newsletter, she writes about self-compassion, tapping into your inner child, and achieving a life well-lived by engaging in work and activities that help you come alive. Her career has encompassed working in intellectual and property law in New York City, moving into a management consulting role, and working in Canadian retail strategy and tiny tech startups. Today, she lives in Vancouver and works as a strategic advisor at the Business Development Bank of Canada where she focuses on empowering entrepreneurs. Starting our conversation, Raha shares why she marvels at her childhood and the combination of fear-based and love-based experiences that characterize it. We dive into what motivated her to pursue her studies at Harvard Law, and what the first ten years of her career were like before she questioned her ‘why’. Raha goes on to share what it meant for her to create a space where she could find the answers that mattered to her, and much more. This is a two-part episode series pulled from the archives and recorded more than nine months ago. Our hope is always that you leave the conversation inspired, motivated, and excited about your journey. We have no doubt that today’s episode will do exactly that. Thanks for tuning in! 

Rate & Review:

If you enjoy listening to No Straight Path, please make sure you write a review and rate the show. It helps other listeners find the podcast. You can rate and review the show here. Thank you!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Ashley’s Newsletter Sign-up Doc

Raha’s Newsletter

Raha Francis on LinkedIn

Business Development Bank of Canada

Ashley Menzies Babatunde

Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram

Hubspot Podcast Network