Stories Podcast

Emily Woods does it all. What started as a project to monetize her skills in nutritional education quickly turned into a professional coaching program that garnered her first million in revenue. Emily is kind, hilarious, and in every sense of the phrase a GIRL BOSS! Emily and Bria talk about the spark that allows people to believe in their brand and the grit it takes to take your business seriously. Through extensive mentorship programs, hundreds of pages of written educational resources, and a full stack of marketing services, Emily explains how she empowers women to achieve success through their online business and the freedom their own life.

Also enjoy a special guest in the intro who has never listened to the podcast before, but surely will now.

POD: https://open.spotify.com/show/2UdFjcIXcxHwsFu73THPbt?si=BtLFhQ71TIyj2SW7WwfpFQ

Podcast TikTok/financial education: @thefirstmillion_podcast

Instagram: @emilyclairewoods_

Website: emilywoodswellness.com

Whether you have been 25 or are 25 while listening to this, I think we can all agree the amount of reflection and understanding or lack thereof is shocking. If you aren’t 25 yet and listening to this, take it as a sneak peak and know that the years in front of you are much more free than the year you’re in and what you have left behind. This episode is about the honesty that comes with growing up and the strength to admit you don't know the answer, yet.

Maybe our girlfriends are our soulmates and guys are just people to have fun with. I know what it feels like to worry for a friend and to struggle with connecting. I also know the best aspects of friendship because of the people the Lord has put in my life. A dating question crept its way in too, so you know I’ll have something to say to that! Thank you to those of you that submitted your questions and topics are creating a really awesome bridge for me to connect with everyone listening. So, let’s jump in!

Welcome back to The Stories! After taking some time to let my identity and creativity come back to me, I am honored to share that with you. As we enter back into conversations focused on empowerment, free thought, and a few laughs, I want to share what the past few months have shown me during my hiatus. In this episode, I share my thoughts on how our greatest strengths can be our most hindering weaknesses and how self awareness is a key on a ring of many to find freedom. Enjoy and see you next week.

Cole Arthur Riley is the creator and writer of Black Liturgies, a space for spiritual words of liberation, lament, rage, and rest; and a project of The Center for Dignity and Contemplation where she serves as Executive Curator. Born and for the most part raised in Pittsburgh, Cole studied Writing at the University of Pittsburgh. Her debut book, This Here Flesh, will be published in February of 2022.

In this episode, Cole and I have an inspiring and uplifting conversation on blackness, faith, her new book, and everything in between.

I wanted to share my recent life change in a way people could listen and hopefully relate it to something big or small within their own. A promise of this podcast was honesty, and honestly, I have been in a valley ignoring signs from the Lord for some time. This is a story about preparing my logistical and earthly mindset for a supernatural interference - there is something to be said for that.

There is liberty in restraint and joy in self-awareness. This episode is a vulnerability deep dive. I hope it gives you some insight into how loneliness in the midst of groups does not make you an outcast, but presents a hard-pressed opportunity to choose yourself for the love of others.

I start this episode with a poem by Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib called “And What Good Will Your Vanity Be When The Rapture Comes?" When summer comes around, I start thinking about “What’s next?” I truly think this has to do with the 16+ years of school we undergo, but spring brings change where summer brings action and I have no idea whether that is accurate or not anymore. People change during many other parts of the year, of course, but this particular time is stirring for me. There are many worries in my mind wondering if I will continue to search for what is next, so much so that I forget where my feet are. Speaking about change, grief, and the supernatural as we move through these unprecedented times.

Each person has different circumstances and deserves the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome. I wonder if the world and the creator view us in that same way. Aside from the policy and technical implications, what if equal outcome means reason for life? And what if there is no single outcome? I wonder if we have what we need for our current circumstance, and will continue to receive at different timeframes and with different tools the experiences needed to reach our own purpose. When thinking of it this way, it makes the justification behind comparison essentially void.

Nonprofit mentioned: Dear Future Colleague, @dearfuturecolleague

DFC seeks to address inequity in educational opportunity by providing free support to underrepresented students applying to graduate school* and to competitive undergraduate and graduate scholarships. While the American education system is often referred to as a ‘meritocracy,’ pervasive systemic barriers tied to race, socioeconomic status, disability, and level of parental education prevent applications from being a level playing field.