Most people think professionalism is about fitting in, but what if it’s actually the reason we feel disconnected from ourselves? This podcast explores the tension between who we are and who we feel pressured to be at work, in relationships, and in everyday life.

Through candid conversations, we unpack how different environments shape our behavior, how limiting beliefs form, and what it looks like to actually understand yourself beyond the roles you play.

Tools like ⁠⁠Plurawl⁠⁠ can help you break down your thoughts and understand what’s driving them → https://plurawl.com/

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Stephanie Venegas is a multi-disciplinary creative born and raised in Uptown, NYC.  Her experience as a brand designer and photographer within the last decade led her to start her own creative studio - Natives.  Under the Natives umbrella, she has been able to work with clients such as NYC Parks, Nike, Adidas, Hennessy, KrinkNYC, American Giant, and Chromat to name a few. Stephanie also currently serves as the Creative Director for MRFU, a streetwear/lifestyle brand located in Uptown, NYC.

In this week’s episode, Steph tells us how she went from being a community-taught computer expert to owning her own graphic design company and accepting household name brands as clients. Since she’s gone out on her own, all of her clients have come to her. She’s been able to attract her clientele because her work and her portfolio speaks for itself. Even though she wasn’t always very confident, especially when she was working for not-so-diverse agencies, she is leaning into her passions and taking the graphic design world by storm. Tune in to learn more about how she grew her confidence, got over her imposter syndrome, and had the courage to become a highly successful entrepreneur.

Follow Steph on: 

Website: https://www.dotsav.co/about 

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

MFRU: https://mrfu.nyc/ 

Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST.

Most people think professionalism is about fitting in, but what if it’s actually the reason we feel disconnected from ourselves? This podcast explores the tension between who we are and who we feel pressured to be at work, in relationships, and in everyday life.

Through candid conversations, we unpack how different environments shape our behavior, how limiting beliefs form, and what it looks like to actually understand yourself beyond the roles you play.

Tools like ⁠⁠Plurawl⁠⁠ can help you break down your thoughts and understand what’s driving them → https://plurawl.com/

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Most people think professionalism is about fitting in, but what if it’s actually the reason we feel disconnected from ourselves? This podcast explores the tension between who we are and who we feel pressured to be at work, in relationships, and in everyday life.

Through candid conversations, we unpack how different environments shape our behavior, how limiting beliefs form, and what it looks like to actually understand yourself beyond the roles you play.

Tools like ⁠⁠Plurawl⁠⁠ can help you break down your thoughts and understand what’s driving them → https://plurawl.com/

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Brittany Chavez is the visionary entrepreneur behind Shop Latinx (SLX), a vibrant community of Latinx creators and entrepreneurs with deeply intentional practices. Founded in 2016, SLX is more than just a marketplace; it's a celebration of the rich tapestry of Latinx culture, carefully curated to ignite a sense of belonging and pride. Throughout her career, Brittany has recognized the power of community. She emphasized that the community itself is the product. It's a belief that allows her to maintain a safe and inclusive space for both creators and consumers. 

Join us in this week’s episode as we listen to Brittany's inspiring story from a life of perpetual survival mode to becoming a driving force in the Latinx cultural marketplace. In her role as a founder, Brittany focuses on safeguarding the interests of her community of shopkeepers and ensuring their success aligns with the company's growth and investors' expectations. It's an incredibly delicate balance but she’s taking it one step at a time. 

Follow Brittany on: 

Website: https://www.shoplatinx.com/ 

Instagram: @chavezbrit

Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST.

Most people think professionalism is about fitting in, but what if it’s actually the reason we feel disconnected from ourselves? This podcast explores the tension between who we are and who we feel pressured to be at work, in relationships, and in everyday life.

Through candid conversations, we unpack how different environments shape our behavior, how limiting beliefs form, and what it looks like to actually understand yourself beyond the roles you play.

Tools like ⁠⁠Plurawl⁠⁠ can help you break down your thoughts and understand what’s driving them → https://plurawl.com/

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Lisa Francoeur is a powerhouse figure known as the "Oprah of Tech." With a diverse background ranging from fashion styling to enterprise sales, Lisa's journey is a testament to her unwavering commitment to being her authentic self, even when faced with resistance from her family. As a Haitian American Hall of Famer, Lisa's story is one of resilience and innovation. She founded Fancyfied, an innovation lab of human engineering, showcasing her dedication to pushing boundaries and exploring new frontiers.

Lisa's impact in the tech sphere is undeniable. Ranked #30 on the list of Top 50 Most Influential People in Crypto worldwide, and holding positions as the Chief Revenue Officer of Crypto Tutors and Founder/CEO of Fancyfied, she's a force to be reckoned with. Her thought leadership in emerging tech, blockchain, digital currencies, and web3 has earned her a spot as a sought-after speaker at prestigious institutions like Harvard University, Meta, and more.

But Lisa's journey wasn't without its challenges. This week, Lisa tells us how she navigated family dynamics shaped by the effects of war and genocide, ultimately choosing to forge her own path toward authenticity. From using her charm to cut lines at clubs to mastering the art of enterprise sales, Lisa's story is one of incredible determination and transformation.

Follow Lisa on: 

Website: https://www.cryptotutors.com/about-the-founders 

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

Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST.

Most people think professionalism is about fitting in, but what if it’s actually the reason we feel disconnected from ourselves? This podcast explores the tension between who we are and who we feel pressured to be at work, in relationships, and in everyday life.

Through candid conversations, we unpack how different environments shape our behavior, how limiting beliefs form, and what it looks like to actually understand yourself beyond the roles you play.

Tools like ⁠⁠Plurawl⁠⁠ can help you break down your thoughts and understand what’s driving them → https://plurawl.com/

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Reyna Noriega is a 29-year-old Visual Artist and Author, born, raised, and working in Miami, FL. Having seen the power of introspection, self-reflection, and healing, Reyna’s work centers that aspect of our journeys as we seek to rise and be our best, most authentic selves so that people may experience sustainable peace and happiness. 

In her creative work, she has centered women of color. As an Afro-Caribbean Latina, she has seen firsthand how damaging it can be to not see positive representation. She aims to fill the world with vibrant, joyful depictions of marginalized peoples. Her work has graced covers such as Science Magazine and The New Yorker and thousands of people collect and showcase her art in their homes around the world.

This week, Reyna joins us at HGAB Studio in Miami, Florida to tell us all about how she found freedom through artistic expression. Through her art, Reyna has become more confident in herself and her choices. She no longer seeks validation from others and instead trusts herself to live her own life. If you’re looking to validate yourself more often, this episode is for you! 

Follow Reyna on: 

Website: https://www.reynanoriega.com/ 

Instagram: @reynanoriega 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0DqVRxteqWQk4L14HKlfgA 

Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST.

Most people think professionalism is about fitting in, but what if it’s actually the reason we feel disconnected from ourselves? This podcast explores the tension between who we are and who we feel pressured to be at work, in relationships, and in everyday life.

Through candid conversations, we unpack how different environments shape our behavior, how limiting beliefs form, and what it looks like to actually understand yourself beyond the roles you play.

Tools like ⁠⁠Plurawl⁠⁠ can help you break down your thoughts and understand what’s driving them → https://plurawl.com/

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Mag is the founder of EVEN. It's a creative platform that enables artists to sell their music directly to fans. In the first month on EVEN LaRussell generated $100K in revenue with the support of 4,000 fans. Artists on EVEN include French Montana, Jidenna, Omarion, LaRussell, Kota the Friend, Ransom, 38 Spesh, and many others. 

Mag founded the platform last year to help black and brown artists retain equity in their creative work. EVEN is a way for fans to connect directly with their favorite artists, and it’s also an opportunity for the artists to monetize to take a bit more control over the monetization strategy compared to streaming - which is often criticized for not giving artists a quality cut of the revenue.

This week Mag Rodriguez tells us all about his journey through the music industry and his experience as an entrepreneur. Having started his music management career while he was still in high school, he has learned a ton of lessons on the way. And while he feels like he’s gotten wiser as he’s gotten older, he still takes tips from his younger, more rebellious self.

Follow Mag on: 

Website: https://www.even.biz/ 

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

Instagram: @magisformagic

Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST.

Most people think professionalism is about fitting in, but what if it’s actually the reason we feel disconnected from ourselves? This podcast explores the tension between who we are and who we feel pressured to be at work, in relationships, and in everyday life.

Through candid conversations, we unpack how different environments shape our behavior, how limiting beliefs form, and what it looks like to actually understand yourself beyond the roles you play.

Tools like ⁠⁠Plurawl⁠⁠ can help you break down your thoughts and understand what’s driving them → https://plurawl.com/

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Juliana Londoño is a proud Latina, bilingual, and licensed mental health therapist in NJ. Her business focuses on the intersectionality of mental health and the Latino/BIPOC communities. Her mission is to bring awareness, education, and resources through various outlets. Juliana has served as a thought leader, keynote speaker, and podcast guest. 

In this week's episode, Juliana shares her experiences as a Latina woman in mental health spaces. At the beginning of her career, she felt pressured to give in to respectability politics. Now as a licensed therapist, she focuses on representing authenticity within herself so that her clients can feel comfortable working with her. Considering that only 10% of therapists can speak Spanish, she is often a beacon of light for Latine clients. 

Follow Juliana on: 

Website: www.juliana-londono.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliana-londono18/ 

Instagram: @julianalondono18_ 

TikTok: @julianalondono18

Follow Pabel on:

Website: https://plurawl.com/ 

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@plurawl 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/plurawl/ 

Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST.

Most people think professionalism is about fitting in, but what if it’s actually the reason we feel disconnected from ourselves? This podcast explores the tension between who we are and who we feel pressured to be at work, in relationships, and in everyday life.

Through candid conversations, we unpack how different environments shape our behavior, how limiting beliefs form, and what it looks like to actually understand yourself beyond the roles you play.

Tools like ⁠⁠Plurawl⁠⁠ can help you break down your thoughts and understand what’s driving them → https://plurawl.com/

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Giselle Mota is a Chief of Product Inclusion at ADP, where she leads DE&I throughout the 200+ product portfolio, ensuring an inclusive mindset in design and delivery. She has an MBA in Organizational Design and Change Management, and a B.S. in Business, Management, and Marketing.

In this week’s episode, Giselle shares how she has maintained her rebellious authenticity, how her curious personality has made her more open-minded, and how she shares her aspiration to reconnect with her childlike essence. Her story is a reminder that embracing your authentic self and exercising self-control are not mutually exclusive goals. We also discuss George Floyd and how the events that unfolded after affected how she presents herself and her idea of race.

Follow Giselle: 

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

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

Most people think professionalism is about fitting in, but what if it’s actually the reason we feel disconnected from ourselves? This podcast explores the tension between who we are and who we feel pressured to be at work, in relationships, and in everyday life.

Through candid conversations, we unpack how different environments shape our behavior, how limiting beliefs form, and what it looks like to actually understand yourself beyond the roles you play.

Tools like ⁠⁠Plurawl⁠⁠ can help you break down your thoughts and understand what’s driving them → https://plurawl.com/

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This episode will have you on the edge of your seat as we dive into Fulana's remarkable story of navigating a tumultuous career journey and the challenges she faced due to her ethnicity. From facing a flawed interview process to feeling pressure to conform to societal norms by straightening her hair, Fulana shares the layers of hierarchy and discrimination she encountered while working at SHREK firms and non-profits.

Fulana tells our host how she finally found the strength to stand up for herself, stop tolerating mistreatment, and asserted her worth in the workplace. Battling feelings of self-doubt and PTSD, she is now on a path of healing and self-empowerment. Listen to this episode to witness Fulana's transformation from a victim of workplace discrimination to a warrior of self-acceptance and resilience. 

Post-production for this episode was provided by CCST, a podcast production company. 

Most people think professionalism is about fitting in, but what if it’s actually the reason we feel disconnected from ourselves? This podcast explores the tension between who we are and who we feel pressured to be at work, in relationships, and in everyday life.

Through candid conversations, we unpack how different environments shape our behavior, how limiting beliefs form, and what it looks like to actually understand yourself beyond the roles you play.

Tools like ⁠⁠Plurawl⁠⁠ can help you break down your thoughts and understand what’s driving them → https://plurawl.com/

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Manny Valentin was named Skidmore College's head men's and women's crew coach in May 2021. Valentin was previously the Saratoga Rowing Association (SRA) head varsity boys coach and the Advanced Rowing Initiative of the Northeast (ARION) men's coach. Valentin's athletes have had success on the national and international levels, with a men's lightweight quad winning the 2018 USRowing trials and then competing in the 2018 World Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Valentin was one of 13 coaches across all three divisions, including just one of just four coaches in Division III, to be recognized with the award. He represented the New York region under Division III.

In this week's episode, Manny shares how he leads by example and creates positive representation for his athletes. He makes sure to present himself as a man of color in professional spaces so that he can encourage other athletes of color to present themselves as authentically as they can. This kind of representation was not there for Manny when he first started so he ensures that the next generation will have that in him. 

Follow Manny on: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emanuel-valentin/

Post-production for this episode was provided by CCST, a podcast production company.