In this episode, I spoke with Rob Kowalski, Author and Founder of City Fam, a non-profit organization established in Baltimore City, MD.  Before surrendering to his calling, Rob was regarded as one of the most requested male strippers in Baltimore. You name it he has done it. Rob lived an exciting life of fame, women, money, and pretty much anything he wanted right at his fingertips. However, while on vacation in Cancun Mexico, Rob woke up from a night of sex, alcohol, and partying to realize that he was not living the life he intended to live. He recalls hearing God's voice telling him to give it all up and trust in him. As we continued our conversation, you will discover that Rob’s courage in answering not only the call to change his life for the better but empower others in his now newer and more compact circle to make a change as well.

Since starting City Fam, Rob has coordinated numerous missionary trips around the world. He has inspired so many to give to those less fortunate and has also created a space for people who are also recovering from traumatic episodes in their lives. I know you will enjoy the interview. Take a listen. 

Lotus Quan is a spoken word artist residing in Maryland. I had a chance to speak with Mr. Quan regarding his style of spoken word music in which he pays tribute to women. Mr. Quan was raised by a single mom and has high regard for women, as they should be treated with the highest level of respect. In Mr. Quan's spoken word album, his songs are geared towards women, encouraging them to recognize the power that they possess and the value they hold. Mr. Quan was inspired by Maya Angelou, Michelle Obama, Coretta Scott King, Cicely Tyson, Sojourner Truth, and many other women pioneers who have paved the way for women to achieve anything they desire at the highest level. Mr. Quan is working on releasing his second spoken word album in October, but for now, Mr. Quan is focusing on doing work in the community. The pandemic has put a damper on much of his activism but that does not stop him from being creative and finding alternative ways to contribute to his community. I'm sure we will be hearing much more from Mr. Quan in the future. He is committed to working in the community and contributing to the betterment of humanity. 

In this episode, I speak with Danny McGhee, a Baltimore MD native who fought his way through heroin and alcohol addiction at an incredibly young age. After reading his book, “Chasing a Flawed Sun”, I realized that Danny was always a leader, he was always an entrepreneurial spirit and he had resiliency. I'm thankful he lived to see how channeling that energy in a positive direction not only changed his life but changed the lives of so many other people. After recovering from addiction, Danny has given so much to not only the Baltimore community but countries that have suffered from poverty and devastation through natural disasters. Danny is an entrepreneur, a philanthropist, a husband, and a friend to anyone in need. Danny enjoys hearing stories of how his book has changed the lives of so many people. Danny has come close to death several times, but it is obvious that God was not done with him because he has touched the lives of so many people. This interview was very inspiring as it was a display of vulnerability and courage. The Phoenix Rising from the Ashes is an understatement. Danny has risen from hell and back several times over. I hope this interview inspires you, I encourage you to share it with someone who could be experiencing the same pain of addiction. Who will you inspire today? Danny McGhee has inspired the lives of so many, by sharing his personal testimony of fight and determination. 

Taking advantage of the American dream and enjoying the benefits of entrepreneurship is the ambition of many. In this podcast, we talk with Ella Pritsker, a fashion designer who runs a fashion design school in Baltimore who arrived over 30 years ago to the United States with a dream and a desire to create garments that were fashionable and would be enjoyed by many fashion enthusiasts. Ella describes her opportunities to mentor and coach others in the fashion design industry. Ella discusses her journey while embarking on the leadership and fashion industry and also discuss the many lives she has impacted as a teacher and influencer. We discuss what entrepreneurship should mean to many and we also discuss what strategies are beneficial to prevent giving up on your entrepreneurial dreams. Ella describes her challenges as an upcoming fashion designer and what has kept her motivated during her journey. She has been determined not to give up on her dream, through encouraging so many to keep the big picture in mind. Join us as we learn entrepreneurial ship from the perspective of a well-respected fashion icon in Baltimore. You will learn how to be patient when pursuing your dreams and how to keep your passion flaming by always working on your God-given craft. Listen up! because there is plenty to learn from the Queen of fashion in Baltimore, Maryland. 

Over the last several years our country has experienced racial profiling, social injustices, and police brutality at a level this generation has never experienced before. Janelle provides insight into her experiences of racial profiling and social injustices and how she keeps her children safe from Its impact. Janelle is in an interracial marriage with biracial children and has educated herself on the cultural activities that bring awareness to these injustices. Her experiences with living in Mexico with her husband has given her the opportunity to experience the best of two cultures. Janelle comes from an upbringing where diversity and respect for everyone were practiced and preached. Janelle became aware of social injustices during her interaction in minority communities. In this podcast, Janelle explains to us her take on what can help us remove social injustices and what it will take for us to become a collaborative community. In this week’s podcast, we learn from her experiences with racism and social injustices. We also learn the best approach to keep ourselves safe from the backlash that comes along when standing up for truth in the presence of friends and family. Janelle has been through it all when it comes to standing up for social injustice and has no plan on backing down when it comes to speaking up for what is right. 

In this week's episode of Speak Inspire Love in Leadership, we chat with Lisa Chapin, a licensed counselor, specializing in addiction and trauma. Lisa runs a private practice in Colorado and has extensive professional experience with getting her clients unstuck. Lisa is going to give us tips and techniques on how to move past emotional trauma. I'm sure many of you listening have experienced some sort of trauma in your life, where you get stuck in that hamster wheel of emotions. You want everyone to hear about your disaster. You run friends and family away by bleeding their ears with your trauma. This episode is going to help you get unstuck and show you how to move on from emotional trauma. Lisa is going to give us advice on when to notice the warning signs of emotional trauma that will help us turn the tide before we drown ourselves.  

 In this podcast series, I talk about the events that transpired in my personal and professional life that led me to believe that the power of having a conversation would help me heal from the residual pain of surviving a negative manager. But you’ve heard, it does take two to tango, so I would also like to explore what role does the receiver play in undesirable leadership. 

Why did I even start this podcast? What inspired the idea? 

• I was constantly finding myself validating my importance. Working 10xs harder convincing leadership that I was truly the person everyone else saw me as.
• Fighting Jealousy from co-workers
• Experiencing a lack of gratitude and appreciation from managers. 
• Constantly watching hopeless managers rip good intentions from the hearts of dedicated employees, and not being able to interject. 

The only thing I could do is share my experiences with those who have a desire to be great leaders. I hope you get what you're looking for in this episode of how it all evolved. 

Happy listening!  

In 2019 alone, more than half of the employees that were surveyed admitted to leaving their jobs based on a dissatisfaction with their corporate culture. Managers would like to believe employees leave the organization to earn more money, but that is not always the case. People do not leave jobs, they leave people. Lack of appreciation has ranked the #1 reason in many independent studies as to why talented and tenured) employees seek opportunities elsewhere. 

A bad manager can clear out an organization faster than a virus. Toxic work environments impose stress and unnecessary tension on hard-working employees. Have you ever asked your manager how they actually got into the position they are in?

Join us as we take a deep dive into all career fields on what makes a bad manager so toxic and what makes a good leader so infectious. Who is right and who is wrong? Learn about the dos and don'ts of leadership through real discussions. If you are a future leader looking for advice, this podcast is where you need to be. Or maybe you’re just looking to engage in a leadership conversation. Do you have what it takes to be a strong influencer and a powerful leader? If you do, or don’t, join us anyway on the speak inspire love in leadership power hour. Every opinion is welcome.