Stella Podcast

NOTE: This interview was conducted in July 2024.

Key moments:

00:46: The journey that led to founding The WritersBlok—dating all the way back to childhood

6:02: Building a “purpose portfolio” and why you shouldn’t be afraid to show your personality and share your story online 

8:33: Building mental toughness and learning to accept the fact that not every client or opportunity is for you 

10:47: Effectively branding and creating a pipeline for aspiring Black and Brown women ghostwriters 

12:16: “Success leaves clues”—how to create your own opportunities 

13:16: The necessary (and transferable) skills for pursuing a ghostwriting career

16:44: Leading and training a team of ghostwriters comprising all women of color and the process of assessing and taking on clients 

20:54: Favorite projects—past and present 

23:14: Finding fulfillment with ghostwriting 

25:33: Advice for people looking to break into ghostwriting 

28:44: The unique set of challenges that come with working directly with celebrities 

30:32: Diving into the choice to offer free mentorship and resources on social media with “Quick Advice from Big Sis” and beyond

33:33: Tips on how to best show up as a mentee

NOTE: This interview was conducted in May 2024.

Key moments:

0:00: Building mentorship pipelines 

2:25: Breaking past the fear of networking (especially lateral networking)

3:01: Korsha’s food media journey and impactful contributions thus far 

5:47: Can you succeed in journalism without specialized degrees? 

6:31: Forming a name and reputation in a competitive, underrepresented field 

10:18: Staying optimistic in the early-stage period of cold pitching and working to make ends meet 

12:00: Developing a system for self-promotion and finding sources of community 

14:05: Guidance for people feeling siloed and are seeking more intentional, creative and feasible ways to connect with other industry professionals

17:33: Is the industry improving in terms of representation and opportunity?  

18:37: Navigating the complicated world of press trips and PR relationships 

23:04: The pitching process and breaking through idea fatigue 

24:47: Overcoming complacency and getting pigeonholed  

27:07: The ongoing projects fueling industry excitement and optimism—and manifesting more

NOTE: This interview was conducted in June 2024.

Key moments:

00:11: Travel as a creative stimulator 

1:59: Introducing Nana, what the EveryStylishGirl (ESG) brand is and who it's for

4:13: Nana’s professional background before launching ESG—including an early realization that she could carve out the roles she wanted in media. 

6:40: The realities of nebulous media tiles—and why you’re probably more qualified than you think 

7:31: The beauty of transferable skills 

8:46: To degree or not to degree? (And what worked for Nana…)

11:18: Clarifying what social media management entails and how it can effectively support media brands

14:16: The value of maintaining relationships with brands (even once you’ve moved on)

15:32: How being professionally multidimensional has contributed to business success  

16:14: The challenges (and fun!) of red carpet interviewing

18:47: Pursuing aligned brand collaborations and sponsorship opportunities—and how a robust professional and educational background (+ a solid circle) helps with this

24:44: Determining the right time was to build EveryStylishGirl full time—and how it’s evolved since

28:40: Growing ESG’s Sip N’ Slay—and how this summer’s next iteration (“Pivoting Into Your Passion”) is taking things up a notch

31:29: What does celebrating your wins look like?

33:13: How is ESG aiming to be accessible for Black and Brown women looking to tap in?

NOTE: This interview was conducted in May 2024.

Key moments:

00:21: The academic (Yale) and activism background that led to a thriving journalism career

5:57: The first big radicalizing moment, and the others that followed 

9:51: When and how did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

14:07: How do you navigate writing in various formats: from traditional/reported journalism to op-ed writing? As an activist with a distinct voice, do people ever question your journalistic integrity?

17:59: How does your activism ever prevent or impact work opportunities?

21:38: Can you create a sustainable (financially stable) career while still being intentional about what you write about and the brands you write for? 

23:44: The beauty of having transferable skills—can a journalism background open doors for other career paths?

25:35: The value of taking a break; writing lighter (still impactful) pieces

30:52: Navigating different editing processes and editors across brands as a freelancer

34:39: The journey to writing her debut book, Rooted, and insights on the publishing industry as a new author

NOTE: This interview was conducted in May 2024.

Key moments:

00:56: A walk down (award-winning) memory lane, including the road the led to Essence

4:39: Breaking down the timeline at Essence (and a lesson on the power of networking in and out of the office)

9:17: When working at Essence started to feel like pressure

12:56: The realities of print publishing, cover stories, working with talent and maintaining ethics

23:00: Helming editorial operations at Essence—and leading a multifaceted, multigenerational newsroom

31:40: Supplementing professional growth when you’re not getting all you need from your manager

42:05: Breaking free from feeling pigeonholed, transitioning to freelancing and finding new opportunities

NOTE: This interview was conducted in May 2024.

Key moments:

:26: How and where did you get your start in the industry?

3:24: What was the process of starting your PR agency?

6:42: Who were some of your biggest mentors and how have they supported you? 

9:30: The intentional choice to be based in Trinidad and Tobago.

12:25: Advice for how current and aspiring media professionals can stay true to who they are.

15:53: Navigating being both a publicist and writer.

22:05: Building genuine relationships, with pitching and beyond.

24:18: Cultural allyship and shaping stories through a Caribbean lens.

31:10: The impact of Caribbean American Heritage Month.