Përpara

Gjina Lucaj is an accomplished corporate attorney and partner at the international law firm Foley & Lardner LLP. At Foley, Gjina works on mergers & acquisitions, private equity transactions, and offerings, and has represented some of Michigan and the U.S.’s largest companies, retailers, and providers in multi-billion dollar sales and transactions. Gjina graduated from the University of Michigan summa cum laude and obtained her law degree from Wayne State University Law School, where she was elected to Order of the Coif, an honor society for law school graduates, and also served as an editor for the Wayne Law Review. During her time in law school, she clerked for a federal judge and worked as a summer associate at Foley, where she became a partner after less than a decade at the firm. In this episode, we talk about her upbringing, the biggest lessons she's learned from her parents when it comes to work ethic and values, and what it takes to succeed at one of the country's top law firms.

Vedat Gashi is a prominent legislator based in Westchester County, NY, currently serving the cities Ossining, Somers, and Yorktown in the New York area. After finishing his Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and his law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law, Vedat returned to his hometown of Pristina, Kosovo to start his legal career. After working as the Chief Legal Advisor for the Deputy Prime Minister and the Advisor on Legal Transition for the United Nations Development Programme in Kosovo, Vedat returned to the U.S. and started his own firm, the Gashi Law Group. Since 2020, he has been serving as Legislator for Westchester County, focusing on some of the community’s biggest issues, including keeping taxes down and investing in infrastructure. 

In this chat, we talk about everything from his experience working with the United Nations, clerking for Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and his hopes for the future of the Albanian community.

Rina Gocaj-Bekiri and Floriye Elmazi are co-founders of Sisterwould, an innovative and inclusive haircare brand, which launched in Fall 2022. Sisterwould, which is cruelty-free, vegan, and Australian-created, has partnered with Vision Australia as part of its goal to meet the needs of the visually impaired and blind community. One of the first of its kind, the brand includes Braille and tactile imprinting to meet its inclusive mission, and recently won the Beacon Award for Inclusivity Champion by digital publication Beauty Independent. In the past year, the brand has been featured in Forbes and Smart Company, partnered with massive retailer Revolve, and now counts celebrities like Matthew McConaughey and the beauty teams of Dua Lipa and Nicole Kidman as fans.

In this chat, we talk about why they started their company, unique social media tactics you can use to expand your business, and the importance of growing a brand close to your heart.

Valentina Juncaj is the Founder and Creative Director of Vajzë and Burrë, luxury jewelry brands operated out of metro Detroit. After working in marketing for years but always harboring a passion for the arts, Valentina decided to start her own company in 2016. Since then, Vajzë has taken off, being worn by big names such as Grammy-nominated singer Bebe Rexha, Emmy-winning television host Jeannie Mai, and Miss Universe contestants, in addition to being featured in publications like Vanity Fair and Buzzfeed. In this chat, we talk about how to succeed in corporate America, why she started her companies, and the power of social media when it comes to brand awareness.

Valbona Vulaj is a Senior Systems Engineer at Polaris Inc., one of the leading power sports companies in the U.S. With a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering under her belt, she's worked with some of the largest auto brands and companies in the country, including FCA Fiat. We chat about how she got her start in engineering, how to succeed as a young woman in a male-dominated industry, and her passion for giving back to her community, including her position as Chair of The Gjergj Kastrioti Scholarship Fund, a non-profit scholarship organization for promising Albanian-American students.

Vetone Ivezaj, Linda Nikaj, and Florida Hoxha are three talented and hardworking attorneys, determined to use their law degrees to further their passions and help those in need. In this chat, we talk about why and how they got into law, navigating and defeating “imposter syndrome”, and their hopes for themselves and Albanian women in general for the future. 

Kreshnik Jonuzi and Luftar Von Rama are two of the most talented, innovative, and leading filmmakers in the movie, television, and documentary space today. They are the directors of the 2017 award-winning documentary Triumph, which centers around the Albania national soccer team and their qualification into the 2016 Euro Cup. We talk about how to get your foot in the door in the filmmaking industry, the art of "reading the room", and their experiences working at some of the biggest entertainment companies in the world, including Marvel Studios, NFL Films, CBS, and more.

Mediha Gega is a licensed clinical social worker and founder of her own private therapy practice, Mediha Gega Therapy. We discuss breaking through the societal stigma often attached to discussing mental health, advice for people pursuing a career in the therapy space, and how being the oldest daughter in an Albanian family helped shape her.

*To note, this episode contains discussions on topics involving mental health, abuse, addiction, and many other issues. Listener discretion is advised.

Bona is an Albanian American artist currently based in New York, who incorporates aspects of her culture and family into her work. We chat about who first encouraged Bona to pursue her artistic talents, how to navigate the “business” side of the art world, and her take on the impressive rise of Albanian women achieving success in numerous fields today.

Gjon is a federal prosecutor who has worked for the U.S. Department of Justice for over 20 years. We chat about his upbringing as a first generation Albanian-American in Detroit, what first sparked his interest in law, and his time as the Resident Legal Advisor at the U.S. Embassy in Albania.