In this episode, I talk about 2-year-old Parker Curry and her adorable moment with Michelle Obama, rant about how much I hate texting (because I'm YoungOld), show love to ESSENCE Magazine, and talk with ESSENCE’s Editor-in-chief, Vanessa K. De Luca.

Open Closed Doors (with Vanessa K. De Luca)

Creating a life that is authentic, bold, and purposeful takes audacity. It takes disruption. That is what it means to be a Professional Troublemaker. Join New York Times bestselling author, Luvvie Ajayi Jones, as she brings perspectives, conversations and deep dives about culture, business and leadership. 

Her guests are world movers and change agents who have gotten where they are through their tenacity, their truth telling and commitment to making good trouble.

Personal Journals

Society & Culture

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Education

Training

Language Courses

Higher Education

K-12

Educational Technology

Business

Investing

Careers

Management & Marketing

Business News

Shopping

Entrepreneurship

Self-Improvement

In this episode, Luvvie sets the scene for her journey to rebuilding. She dives deep into The Fallout post-Crumbling, and reveals the full truth about the aftermath of the chaos. She reveals the gaps she's had to fill, the holes she's had to fix, and the implications of all the mess to her personal and entrepreneurial life, including the erosion of her trust, the dark days she's had to sit through, and what kept her going. In navigating through her toughest business year, she emphasizes the importance of finding one's courage, the role of faith, and the love and support from one's village.

Brave the Fallout (How I Managed the Aftermath of Business Failing)

In this mini episode, Luvvie looks back and expresses gratitude for the heartwarming feedback she's received for this season of Professional Troublemaker. Listeners are also invited to visit askluvvie.com and to drop their business-related questions, so that Luvvie may answer them in a future episode. Stay tuned for a sneak peek of the next episode, where Luvvie hints at the amazing insights that will be dropped by a renowned guest.

Ask Me Anything!

In this episode, Luvvie is joined by Sally Thornton, HR Consultant and the Founder of Forshay, to give her insider perspective as 'team gardener' on the dysfunction, blind spots, and the necessary overhaul of Awe Luv Media. Luvvie and Sally explore the complexities of leadership, the importance of truth-telling in business, and managing team dynamics through turbulent transitions. They share insights on the significance of financial management, the challenges of scaling, maintaining productivity amidst internal conflicts, and the journey of rebuilding a more intentional and focused company. Sally emphasizes the importance of aligning work with energy and passion, and shares practical tips on team building for solopreneurs and small business owners.

More About Sally: 

Sally is the CEO & Founder of Forshay, a firm that takes a holistic lens on how hard work can accomplished more easily, as it’s essential to have both the right players on the team, and the culture and organizational structure that enables people to do their best work. Forshay does this in two ways – with a modern approach to executive recruiting, and by supporting overworked teams with interim experts in the People/HR and Marketing domains -- all grounded with inclusion, diversity, equity and belonging. Sally has done two TEDx talks and has been featured in numerous media including Wall Street Journal, BBC, and Harvard Business Review, aside from her regular lectures at Stanford and UC Berkeley.

Pull the Weeds (with Sally Thornton, Team Gardener)

In this episode, Luvvie dives deep into 'The Crumbling' - the most tumultuous period of Awe Luv Media - as it faces operational chaos, underperformance, and financial distress in the first half of 2023. Luvvie recounts experiences of unexpected challenges, including unmet deadlines, poor productivity, and critical financial losses that brought the company to the brink of bankruptcy. Despite overemphasizing core values, setting clear priorities, and empowering the team, mistakes continued left and right, leading to the firing of all but one of seven internal team members. 

In the midst of these challenges, Luvvie also celebrates the successful launch of their fourth book, 'Little Troublemaker Makes a Mess,' which, in spite of all the seemingly insurmountable hurdles, becomes a New York Times bestseller, providing a glimmer of hope and validation amidst the crisis. The episode reflects on leadership, the importance of trust within a team, and the personal and professional toll of navigating business failures, setting the stage for the next episode: recovery and rebuilding.

Experience the Valley (How I Almost Went Bankrupt)

In this episode, Luvvie pulls back the curtain on the rollercoaster of transitioning from being a solopreneur to running a 7-figure business. Needing to diversify revenue streams, she went from having one executive assistant to 7 full-time salaried employees (with benefits!). And all the plans she had for 2023, with strategy. How she created systems, strategy and plans to double her revenue. She walks us through her business transformation, from the highs of scaling up to a multimillion-dollar company, to the lows of shrinking down her 'dream' team.

Open Closed Doors (with Vanessa K. De Luca)

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