The Illuminate Podcast

Charlotte Simpson joins the podcast today! Charlotte Simpson is a retired guidance counselor and solo traveler from Indianapolis. After losing her husband of 31 years, she decided to begin traveling solo and seeing the world. Charlotte traveled to all 50 states with her husband and since he passed away she has traveled around the world.

Charlotte started her Instagram page The Traveling Black Widow to share her solo travel photos with family and friends. She has now grown to over 13,000 followers and shares messages of positivity, book recommendations, and more along with all of her fun travel photos!

In this episode, Charlotte shares about some of her travel experiences, where she recommends traveling to, why she started traveling solo, what traveling has taught her about herself, her favorite things about her husband, and her work as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). Charlotte’s joy for life is contagious and you will come away from this episode feeling so much positivity!

This episode is hosted by Emma Benner.

What we talked about:

2:15- Introduction to Charlotte Simpson & how she got the Instagram name “Travelling Black Widow”

4:06- How her and her husband met

5:45- Charlotte’s work as a special education teacher and guidance counselor

8:40- Stories of travelling with her husband

12:30- When and why she started travelling solo

16:20-What drew her to travel to Italy for her first solo travel

22:35- Her favorite things about her husband

25:00- Favorite place that she has visited

26:15- What type of accommodations she likes to utilize when travelling

27:05- Her experiences using travelling companies when travelling solo and planning trips

29:40- Places that she dreams of travelling to

34:45- What she has spent her time doing since she isn’t able to travel due to COVID

36:45- Her volunteer work as a CASA

47:30- How she fits in her volunteer work with her busy travel schedule

53:45- Things that she has learned about herself from her travels

58:30- End of podcast questions

Show Notes:

Charlotte on Instagram

Charlotte on Facebook

Book recommendation: The Rent Collector by Camron Wright

NAACP

Information about becoming a CASA

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The post Episode 57: Charlotte Simpson- Traveling Solo appeared first on SandyBoy Productions.

Carrie Rickenburg is the Director of Donor Relations at Wheeler Mission Ministries in Indianapolis, IN. Wheeler Mission is the largest homeless shelter in the state of Indiana – they provide Addiction Recovery, Residential Program, Emergency Shelter services to the Indianapolis community.

In this episode we talk about how the onset of COVID affected Wheeler Mission and how they operate, how they adapted and going forward, in light of our new normal. We also get to hear about how the Indianapolis community and restaurant community stepped up to help Wheeler during these trying times.

Coming soon is the 2020 Drumstick Dash which is Wheeler’s largest fundraiser of the year. They have a modified in person event planned but also have big things going on with the virtual option as well. Make sure you register because 100% of the proceeds go directly to Wheeler Mission.

Show Notes:

Register for the Drumstick Dash

Wheeler Mission

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Businesses in Indianapolis who have helped out Wheeler Mission during this time!

Donated food/meals without a business sponsor:

Here are the restaurants who prepared meals with help from sponsors:

Here are the sponsors who provided funding so the restaurants could get a boost:

The post Episode 56: Carrie Rickenberg – Wheeler Mission appeared first on SandyBoy Productions.

Mark Tabb joins The Illuminate Podcast today! Mark is an author and has written his own books as well as been a co-author for over twenty books. Mark has worked with so many incredible people to co-author their books including YouTube stars Cole and Savannah Labrant, Olympian Lopez Lomong, actor Alec Baldwin, Superbowl champion Ben Utecht, and so many more! He was the co-author of the New York Times Bestselling book Mistaken Identity.

In this episode, Mark shares about the collaborative writing process, what he loves about writing and storytelling, how he seeks out these stories, some of his favorite books that he has written, authors and books that he loves, and so much more! If you love reading and writing, you will love hearing this interview with Mark.

This episode is hosted by Emma Benner.

Show Notes

Mark Tabb Website

I’ll Have Another Interview with Lopez Lomong

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What we talked about:

3:00- Introduction and how he got started writing

10:00- Why he kept trying after 27 rejections of one book and how he finally got it published

11:45- What type of books he writes these days

13:30- He shares about his book Convicted: An Innocent Man, the Cop Who Framed Him, and an Unlikely Journey of Forgiveness and Friendship

18:10- The process of doing collaborative writing and working with other people

28:35- How he finds the stories to co-author

30:15-The length and time commitment of the writing process

31:50- What it feels like when he finishes writing a books

34:25- Authors that he looks to for inspiration and ideas he pulls from other authors

39:00- Negative reviews he has gotten and he uses them to help improve his writing

45:50- What he loves about writing other people’s stories and the power of storytelling

46:20- The marketing of his books

49:10- Working with Lopez Lomong to write his book Running for My Life: One Lost Boy’s Journey from the Killing Fields of Sudan to the Olympic Games

52:50- The dream story to write about or person to work with

54:15- Favorite book that he has written

57:05- End of podcast questions

The post Episode 55: Mark Tabb- The Power of Storytelling appeared first on SandyBoy Productions.

Debra Des Vignes joins us today on the Illuminate Podcast. Debra is the Founder of the Indiana Prison Writers Workshop. The nonprofit works to improve the lives of Indiana offenders through creative writing and expression.

Debra began her career in the News industry and moved to working in the Nonprofit sector before starting the Indiana Prison Writers Workshop. She is the author of Sunday Sweet Sunday and The Green Balloon.

This episode is hosted by Lindsey Hein.

Show Notes:

Indiana Prison Writers Workshop

Just Mercy – Bryan Stevenson

The Central Park Five – Sarah Burns

Solitary – Albert Woodfox

Lydia Davis

Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter – 50 Cent

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IN Prison Writers Workshop on Instagram

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The post Episode 54: Debra Des Vignes – Indiana Prison Writers Workshop appeared first on SandyBoy Productions.

Blu Robinson is the founder of Addict II Athlete as well as a mental health counselor. Blu struggled with addiction early on in his life but when he found a passion for mountain biking he found the power in replacing his addiction with a new love and passion for endurance sports and the Wasatch Mountains. He shares that he found himself “erasing addiction and replacing it with a more excellent way of life.”

Blu became a therapist working with people struggling with addiction and found that some of his clients were not getting what they needed out of the traditional 12-step program so he started the free community group, Addict II Athlete. Addict II Athlete is a non-profit organization that helps individuals struggling with addiction to replace their addiction with things of greater value while maintaining sobriety. Addict to Athlete hosts group runs, practices and races to help individuals pour their energy into something other than their addiction. They offer free community support groups, online support and resources, service projects, races and events and personal training.

In this episode, Blu shares about his own journey through addiction and how he established sobriety, starting Addict II Athlete, their mission through their running and community service projects, some stories about athletes that he has worked with, and so much more!

Addict II Athlete is putting on a virtual race during the month of September for National Recovery Month. You can enter to win an entry to the race through The Illuminate Podcast by leaving a rating and review for The Illuminate Podcast and/or subscribing to the show and emailing a screenshot of it to [email protected].

This episode is hosted by Emma Benner.

Show Notes

Addict II Athlete on Instagram

Addict II Athlete on Facebook

Addict II Athlete

Addict II Athlete Podcast

Addict II Athlete Virtual 5k Race

Broken Open by David Clark

Live on Purpose with Dr. Paul Jenkins

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The post Episode 53: Blu Robinson- Turning the Mess of Addiction into the Message of Sobriety through Addict II Athlete appeared first on SandyBoy Productions.

Today’s guest is an 11-time mom. Elizabeth Friedland has been a foster mom to 11 children. One of her foster children became Elizabeth’s adoptive child. In this episode Elizabeth talks about what it has been like to be a single woman fostering children and the journey to adopting her son, Jack, in an open adoption. Elizabeth dives into the joys, challenges and realities of fostering, where there are challenges with the system, why she has decided to take this path and her advise for anyone considering fostering.

Elizabeth’s optimism, energy and humor are contagious and uplifting. She is a believer and builder of community. And her outlook on life is that we are here to help others and we all need to try to impact other people’s lives for the better.

You will leave this episode refreshed, with new knowledge on foster care and thinking about what you are doing for your corner of the world to make it better and to get “in the arena.”

This episode is hosted by Kristin Srour

Show Notes:

Foster moms mentioned by Elizabeth:

Hallie

Brianna Claassen

Meghan Lauer

Book recommendation:

To The End of June

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Elizabeth on Instagram

Instant Mom Podcast

https://www.elizabethfriedland.com/

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Sponsor:

Hello Fresh

Use code “Illuminate80” for a total of $80 off your order.

The post Episode 52: Elizabeth Friedland – In the Arena as a Foster & Adoptive (Single) Mom appeared first on SandyBoy Productions.

David is the Founder & CEO of Previnex. His passion for optimal health, wellness, and prevention started when he was a research analyst covering the health and wellness industry. David specialized in nutritional supplements, reading clinical studies, touring manufacturing facilities, meeting with various companies, and immersing himself in the supplement and wellness industry on all levels.

What I love about David’s story is his decision to change his career path after spending several years as a hedge fund manager. His passions and vision for how he wanted to spend his career changed and he pursued a new dream.

One of the coolest things about what his company previnex is doing is that for very customer order, they donate a bottle of our premium children’s multivitamin, Super Vites, to malnourished children. Get Health, Give Health®.

Show Notes:

Previnex

Atomic Habits

Essentialism 

Shoe Dog

CMMB

Evil Queen Candles

Follow Previnex:

Previnex on Instagram

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The post Episode 51: David Block – Health & Impact appeared first on SandyBoy Productions.

Rachel Gersten joins the show today! Rachel is the co-founder of a mental health practice in New York City, Viva Wellness. She is passionate about helping others live their happiest and healthiest lives whether that be in their job, relationships, family or finding their passions. She describes herself as an “obsessed runner” having run over 150 New York Road Runner’s races. Rachel’s work is founded on the belief that a person’s mental, physical and social health are all very important.

In this episode, Rachel dives deep into how her own journey with chronic pain has lead her to encourage others to be an advocate for their own health. We also talking about how her and Jor-El became business partners and started their own practice, the behind the scenes of Viva Wellness and her passions within the therapy field.

This episode is hosted by Emma Benner.

Show Notes

Rachel on Instagram

Rachel on Twitter

Viva Wellness

Viva Wellness on Instagram

The Viva Wellness Podcast

Jodi Picoult’s The Book of Two Ways

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The post Episode 50: Rachel Gersten-Being Your own Healthcare Advocate appeared first on SandyBoy Productions.

Hawa Kipilili joins The Illuminate Podcast today! Hawa is from Arusha, Tanzania where she is the founder of the non-profit organization, Senda Success. She started this organization because she saw a disconnect between teachers, parents and children even while they were all facing big challenges. Hawa is very passionate about education and reforming education in Tanzania so she got creative in how to help her country and village. Senda Success provides teachers’ training and consultancy, parenting seminars, and after school and holiday programs. At the beginning of the COVID-19 shutdowns, Hawa was upset when hearing that children would not be attending school and not have the resources to continue learning during those times. She gathered teachers from around the area to put together a radio program where teachers would share a daily lesson that kids could use to learn from home.

In this episode, Hawa also talks about her tough upbringing where both of her parents and the rest of her family abandoned her and left her to raise her siblings by herself. She went on to attend university and become a school teacher all while raising her younger siblings. Hawa was such a fun guest to have on the podcast because of her passion for education and children, her love for everyone around her and the joy that she brings to everything that she does.

This episode is hosted by Emma Benner.

Show Notes

Senda Success on Instagram

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The post Episode 49: Hawa Kipilili-Educating the Next Generation appeared first on SandyBoy Productions.

Today’s guest is a woman who is admired by many, is truly courageous and leads her life, business and family with a value system that strives to make the world a better place. Jessica Honegger is the author of the book Imperfect Courage, founder and CEO of the socially conscious fashion brand, Noonday Collection and host of the podcast Going Scared. Jessica shares her the windy career and life journey that included the adoption of her son from Rwanda and eventually led to starting her company. The remarkable mission of Noonday Collection is to create a flourishing world, where women are empowered, children are cherished, people have jobs and we are all connected. In this episode you’ll hear about Jessica’s courage, or how she puts it “courage cornered me”, how she chose vulnerability, her beliefs that we are meant to create and the power of community building. Jessica is a light in this world and you will leave today’s episode inspired!

The episode is hosted by Kristin Srour.

Show Notes:

Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi

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Noonday Collection on Instagram

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The post Episode 48: Jessica Honegger – Creating Opportunity and Finding Courage appeared first on SandyBoy Productions.