Radically Honest

On the sixth episode of Radically Honest, your host Dasom Lee falls into deep conversation with Intuitive and Life and Wellness Coach, former blogger and blog-business mentor, metaphysical practitioner, and Manifest It Sis podcast Host Danielle Faust. Get comfortable and sink into her introspective mantras. After the first few minutes, you'll realize her vulnerability is profound—prepare to be inspired.

When prodded on her why, the first thing out of her lips was her children. Graduating with a Health major and a double minor in Psychology and English, a sudden motorcycle incident left her husband bedridden with a toddler at home. Juggling the difficulties of a second pregnancy as the now-primary breadwinner, Danielle sprinted in her business journey—incentivized by the need to survive.

Her streams of income?  Diversified with the occasional sponsorship with oh, you know, Disney. Her podcast empowers all people, but specifically women of color, to own the potential they possess within and break down their mental barriers. Notably, she also experienced a spiritual awakening that changed her life and re-informed her purpose as a guru, which she leverages to coach other women.

"Here's the industry standard and here's what I'm doing. When in doubt, be yourself. You are the differentiator." - Danielle Faust.

Her stories are awe-inspiring. "I am not a victim. I am not weak. I'm capable. I'm strong. I can do the hard things," she boldly declared in discussing her battle with postpartum rage,  a stage of her life when her anxiety reached its peak and therapy was unaffordable, and much more. Danielle is not holding back, because she knows the truth. Her power lies in her response to the struggle. Her brand is golden because it vibrates out waves of palpable authenticity.

In the end, she grasps onto gratitude and encourages herself and others to lead with love. The hardest of struggles to overcome are often the most invisible and concealed. Danielle unpacks her epiphanies with a mature level of mental clarity that can only be achieved through peace—with her past.

So, what methodologies can you latch onto to center and trigger your purpose? Listen to the episode to find out.

Join the movement.

Support:

Instagram and Facebook: @thedanifaust and @manifest_it_sis; Email: [email protected]; Website: okdani.com and daniellefaust.com

On the fifth episode of Radically Honest, your host Dasom Lee collaborates with Infinite Minds Podcast Host, CTO of the startup Vize, and Software Engineer at Facebook—Entrepreneur and Professional—Julian Alvarez. Our youngest guest at 23 years old, his journey toward success had  many twists and turns. You'll want to swallow his bite-sized takeaways, that perfectly balance practicality and necessary optimism. Hold onto your earbuds—it gets interesting.

Indisputably,  entrepreneurship is glorified in our day and age. What you aren't exposed to online are the behind-the-scenes barriers to sustenance—low company morale, personal challenges, team member turn-over, etc. So how do you possibly keep going? Julian declares this: your mission must be solidified. It must appeal to you at your core. It must be worth it. And most importantly, it must go beyond yourself.

Get your hands dirty. It took investing time listening to the stories of Tijuana factory workers—who are suffering from broken promises from employers, unsafe working conditions, and a lack of base-level respect—to revive and root his belief that this startup was more than worth it.

Can your business idea's legacy outlast you? Chasing learning opportunities like Tony Robbins seminars or silent retreats pushed him further to create a sustainable lifestyle that not only nourishes his capacity for success, but the potential of his work to help others find quality employment in third-world countries. Now this is the truth: Vize is worth hearing about.

"The only failure in life is the failure to learn" - Julian Alvarez.

Moreover, his resumé has accumulated an impressive portfolio of companies. Goldman Sachs. LinkedIn. Facebook. What's surprising is that this all sprouted from one major rejection: the Silicon Valley giant Google. Julian realized that what is painful now can only benefit you in the future. Why? Because reconciliation is not only possible, but beneficial, when you take what you learned and simply invest it elsewhere.  Don't settle, but don't give up either.

So, how can you not be a victim to your circumstance but a warrior of your why? Listen to the episode to find out.

Join the movement.

Support:

Instagram and Facebook: @julian.alvarez42 and @infinitemindspodcast; Email: [email protected]; Website: infinitemindspodcast.com

On the fourth episode of Radically Honest, your host Dasom Lee brings in this week’s double threat—Influencer and Entrepreneur—Marie Denee. This powerful Black woman is Creator and Editor-in-Chief of The Curvy Fashionista, a magazine and plus-size fashion resource. Her mega-platform celebrates the beauty in diversity. Don’t miss it—all ears on deck.

The Great Recession hit the United States in 2008—and suddenly Marie found herself unemployed. Propelled by the insecurity entrenched in her retail career, she began building her dream business from her laptop screen. An early adopter in the blogging world, Marie was forced to become comfortable with ambiguity. Mutually beneficial relationships sprouted, as bloggers rallied toward an incomprehensible state of financial success on premature platforms. Two driving factors pushed her: bills to pay and her empathy for plus-size shoppers, derived from her own in-between sizing.

Originally a boutique idea, she launched her personal brand on mariedenee.com. She recognized something valuable: women of color are dominating the plus-size industry and deserve to be praised. Today, her digital platform illuminates the positive voices of diverse, plus-size influencers all over the globe.

In an even more courageous fashion, Marie shares stories of overcoming anxiety and depression to help her audience realize that they are not alone. Her career has been shaped by a few key ideas, gifted by her role models. Never diminish yourself in your act of uplifting others. Project your light. Radiate outwards and bring your purpose full-circle

“I realized that I wasn’t recognizing my own dope-ness.“ – Marie Denee.

A challenging twelve years later, her success speaks volumes of her hard work ethic. Don’t restrict yourself to a moment where you’ll finally breathe, “I made it.” Her philosophy is to break down the confines of your perceivable success and expand your reach. To put it simply, the sky is not the limit. In light of COVID-19 affecting the state of our nation, her Facebook Live series inflamed her spark once more. Business owners have united in an online community where advice is shared and ideas are exchanged.

So, how can you combat mental barriers and bring your vision to life? Listen to the episode to find out.

Join the movement.

Support:

Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter: @mariedenee; Instagram & Facebook: @thecurvyfashionista; Instagram: @tcfstyleexpo; Twitter & Pinterest: @tcfstyle; Email: [email protected]; Website: mariedenee.com, thecurvyfashionista.com

On the third episode of Radically Honest, your host Dasom Lee brings in this week’s Professional—Gary Nowak—global consulting leader and former Partner at KPMG Australia and KPMG China. His impressive career and riveting stories will keep you on your feet.

A first-generation college student from Detroit, Gary took a leap of faith and moved to LA post-grad—finance degree in hand. After decades of global experience, he is now a coach striving to guide, mentor, and develop young professionals.  If you want to pursue a career in professional services or be successful at any company, tune in.

Gary compiled resumés and worked for free his first week as a receptionist at a small production company. His diligence, sincere work ethic, and desire to deliver caught the attention of many. He eventually left the comfort of home in the US, embarking on unfathomable adventures and challenges across the world in offices from Glasgow, United Kingdom, Shanghai, China, to Melbourne, Australia. How do you lead when expectations are unrealistically high and support is low? His mantras are simple but powerful.

No one owes you anything. Let humility seep from your actions and uphold your moral character. The more responsibility you are given, the more questions you need to ask. Understand your audience, and specifically the generations that preceded you—because they’re the ones hiring.

“My mindset shifted from “just roll your sleeves up and get in there” to “ask for help when you need it”” – Gary Nowak.

Whether you’re a student or a working professional, this episode will equip you with the right attitude and unfiltered stories of leadership, overcoming cultural differences, how to become the change you want to see in your environment, and more.

And the best part? Gary is available as “Gary P. Nowak” on LinkedIn—and his mentorship efforts will soon be multiplied as he shares his widespread wisdom unto university campuses.

So, how can you climb up the corporate ladder without losing yourself? Listen to the episode to find out.

Join the movement.

On the second episode of Radically Honest, your host Dasom Lee addresses manifesting the refreshing power of visibility in your life—through four tools—to properly equip your mindset to begin refining the art of being radically honest.

In Robert Waldinger’s TED Talk titled “What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness,” the 75-year-old study expressed that a meaningful life is sustained through fulfilling relationships. Have you ever felt unseen or unheard for you who you really are? And dwelled in a state of discouragement leading to inaction and complacency? How do you break a habitual cycle of procrastination ingrained in your very lifestyle?

It begins with yourself. In a place of free expression, use meditation, prayer, or creative art forms to satiate your curiosity on your current state. Who are you now and who do you want to become? Discover further what you want and what you need from others. Internally elevate yourself and heighten your sense of affirmative value. Then project that outwards, through clear and honest expression of your true self to friends, family, your significant other, co-workers, and even bosses.

“Are you empowering yourself AND others?“

To be radically honest, these four tools are your dearest friends: emotional intelligence, empathy, transparency, and human connection.

So, how can you tangibly apply these four tools? Listen to the episode to find out.

Together, let’s nourish our relationships: by being more aware, emotionally and actionably affirming yourself and others, and seeking out the value in human connection.

Join the movement.

On the first episode of Radically Honest, your host Dasom Lee addresses the 5 Ws—Who, What, When, Where, and Why—of this journey you’re invited on.

Generation Z Digital Natives aspire to become influencers, entrepreneurs, or professionals. Essentially, self-employed or high-up in a prestigious company with a robust brand image that’s personal but also profitable. Radically Honest is a story-telling lifestyle podcast that unravels what separates self-help consumers from those who make it—penetrate the “dream” bubble. Our focus? It’s unconventional. The power of adversity to shape us, the hidden stories and low points we’re too afraid to share, and the vulnerability that we think outcasts us. It doesn’t. It unites.

“We don’t offer advice, we gift life lessons.”

Undoubtedly, our social media pages could use more empathy. How do we amplify it in a world heavily saturated by the “glamour” facade separating an audience from their guru? We peel it back. Our goal is to shed light on the difficult-to-talk-about, stripped, and uncomfortably raw aspects of being an influencer, entrepreneur, or professional who seemingly has it all. We combat misconceptions on fame or wealth with authenticity. Vulnerably, we invite each of you behind the curtain and into the outlandishly imperfect paths to making it big.

So, what are our 5 Ws? Listen to the episode to find out.

Our manifesto for the future of this podcast is simple: let’s stop hiding and discover something real.

Join the movement.