The REAL Room with Lacretia Mitchell

What happens when you decide to bet on yourself when nothing around you looks like it’s working?In this episode of The Real Room, LaCretia Mitchell sits down with Raven, mom, creative, serial entrepreneur, content creator, and founder of Her Circle Social Club, a women’s social club designed to create intentional, elevated spaces for connection and community.Raven shares her story of growing up in Spencer, Oklahoma, becoming a young mom, navigating survival mode in her 20s, losing a job, and taking her last $300 to invest in a lash course that changed the direction of her life. From there, she built a brand rooted in faith, self-care, lifestyle, and what she calls romanticizing your life.This conversation is for anyone trying to figure it out in real time, trust God in uncertainty, build something meaningful from where they are, and create the kind of community they have been craving.In this episode, we talk about:• Betting on yourself when life feels uncertain• Faith, risk, and trusting God as your provider• Going from survival mode to building a soft life• Becoming a young mom and finding direction• Why community matters for women• Creating Her Circle Social Club in Oklahoma• Romanticizing your life and changing your mindset• Choosing your hard and becoming your best selfIf you have ever felt overlooked, stuck, or unsure of your next move, this conversation will remind you that you can create the space, life, and community you are looking for.Like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations from The Real Room.

Growth isn’t complicated.But it is uncomfortable.In this episode of The Real Room, we get honest about what actually holds people back from growing, both in life and in leadership.This conversation challenges the excuses, avoidance, and mindset patterns that keep people stuck, even when they know they’re capable of more.If you’ve ever felt like you’re not where you should be, this episode will help you take a hard look at why and what to do about it.In this episode, we cover:• Why most people avoid the truth about their situation• The role of accountability in real growth• How avoidance shows up in leadership and life• The mindset shift required to move forward• Why growth always requires ownership• The difference between knowing and actually doingThis is a real conversation for people who are ready to stop making excuses and start making progress.Tap in, take notes, and apply it.Like, comment, and subscribe for more real conversations that push you to grow.

Most leaders don’t fail because they lack vision.They fail because they refuse to change.In this episode of The Real Room, we dive deep into what it actually takes to grow as a leader, build a team, and step into the next level of your calling.This conversation unpacks the hard truths around leadership, including letting go of control, embracing discomfort, and learning how to truly develop people instead of doing everything yourself.If you’re a founder, entrepreneur, or leader trying to grow your business without burning out or staying stuck, this episode is for you.In this episode, we cover:• The difference between strategy and identity in leadership• Why growth always requires discomfort• How to build and empower a team the right way• The truth about accountability and leadership• Why most founders struggle to let go of control• How to shift from doing everything to leading effectively• The mindset needed to build legacy, not just successThis is real leadership. No fluff. No shortcuts.Tap in, take notes, and apply it.Make sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations that challenge how you think and lead.

What does real leadership actually look like?

In this episode of The Real Room, Lucretia Mitchell sits down with leadership coach, pastor, and entrepreneur Dr. Rodney Payne for a powerful conversation about leadership that transforms from the inside out.

From building stronger teams to confronting hard truths, Dr. Payne shares the mindset shifts founders and leaders must embrace to grow their businesses, expand their capacity, and step fully into their purpose.

They discuss the realities of leadership growth, the importance of accountability, and why true leaders focus on developing people, not just building companies.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:
• Why growth requires discomfort
• How great leaders stretch others beyond their comfort zone
• The difference between transactional and transformational leadership
• Why accountability is one of the highest forms of leadership
• How founders transition from doing everything to building teams
• The mindset required to build legacy instead of just chasing success

If you're a founder, entrepreneur, or leader navigating growth, this conversation will challenge the way you think about leadership, responsibility, and purpose.

Like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations from The Real Room.

What becomes possible when someone sees more in you than you see in yourself?In this episode of The Real Room, Lacretia Mitchell sits down with Coach Keith Sinar, a former middle school coach who helped shape the lives of countless students and has since grown into the Superintendent of Yukon Public Schools.Before titles, before leadership platforms, and before professional recognition, there were mentors who believed in potential and pushed young people toward it. This conversation explores the powerful role educators and coaches play in shaping lives, building discipline, and developing future leaders.Coach Sinar shares his journey from the classroom and locker room to leading an entire school district, and the responsibility that comes with guiding thousands of students and educators.This episode explores leadership, mentorship, growth, and the lasting impact of people who challenge us to become more than we believed possible.In this episode we discuss:• The impact of coaches and educators in shaping young lives• Leadership lessons learned from working with students• The transition from coach to superintendent• Discipline, accountability, and belief in young people• Why great leaders see potential before others do• The responsibility of shaping future generationsIf you believe great mentors change lives, this conversation will resonate with you.Subscribe for more conversations about leadership, legacy, and the people who shape who we become.

This episode is about the part nobody celebrates.

In Episode 51, the conversation centers on what it actually feels like to build something from nothing. Not the highlight reel. Not the success story after it works. The early stage. The invisible stage. The disciplined, repetitive, uncomfortable stage where consistency matters more than confidence.

This discussion unpacks the reality of starting when no one is watching. The pressure of showing up without applause. The tension between wanting immediate results and committing to long-term growth. The difference between saying you want something and proving it through daily action.

At its core, this episode challenges entitlement and replaces it with ownership. It speaks directly to anyone who feels overlooked, underestimated, or frustrated by slow progress.

You will hear about:
• The invisible work required before recognition
• Why visibility must be earned
• The discipline required to build momentum
• The emotional weight of starting at zero
• Why repetition beats motivation
• The difference between interest and commitment
• Owning your growth instead of blaming circumstances

This is not a hype episode. It is a grounding one.

If you are in the building phase of your life, career, or leadership journey, this conversation is meant to recalibrate your mindset and remind you that progress is earned long before it is seen.

Like, subscribe, and share with someone who needs to hear the truth about the process.

Leadership does not start when you open doors. It starts when someone sees more in you than you see in yourself.

In this powerful episode of The Real Room Podcast, host Lacretia Mitchell sits down with her former mentor, Heather Shepler, founder of Heather & Company Realty Group, to unpack what it truly takes to build a business rooted in depth, culture, and integrity instead of speed and ego.

From launching her brokerage in 2017 during one of the hardest seasons of her life, to leading nearly 70 agents and producing over 900 transactions and $255M+ in volume, Heather shares the emotional weight, leadership shifts, and personal growth required to sustain long-term success.

This episode dives deep into mentorship, trust, relinquishing control, leading through grief, scaling with intention, and why quality over quantity still wins in a world obsessed with fast growth.

In this episode, we discuss:
• Starting a brokerage during personal loss
• Building culture over chasing numbers
• Leadership as clarity, safety, and vision
• Trusting others when your business outgrows your capacity
• When to lead from the front versus from the side
• Why great leaders challenge instead of rescue
• The emotional weight founders carry
• Scaling without losing depth
• Marriage and entrepreneurship
• Mentorship, patience, and evolving as a leader
• Believing in others before they believe in themselves

This conversation is honest, reflective, and deeply practical for founders, entrepreneurs, real estate professionals, and anyone navigating leadership growth.

If you are building something and questioning whether you are ready to lead at the next level, this episode will speak directly to you.

Like, subscribe, and share with someone who needs encouragement in their leadership journey.

Watch more episodes of The Real Room Podcast for real conversations about leadership, growth, faith, and purpose.

One year. One platform. Countless real conversations.In this special milestone episode of The Real Room Podcast, Lacretia Mitchell pauses to celebrate one full year of showing up honestly, amplifying voices, and creating a space where stories heal, challenge, and connect us. This episode is both a reflection and a turning point as The Real Room steps into its next chapter. Lacretia shares gratitude for every guest, listener, and supporter who helped make The Real Room what it is today. She also announces an exciting shift into a new series-based format, starting with a focused leadership series rooted in her new book, The Founder Shift: 15 Transformations You Must Make to Become the Leader Your Business Needs.This episode sets the foundation for what is coming next. Leadership that goes deeper than titles. Conversations centered on responsibility, stewardship, growth, and legacy. Before bringing other leaders into the room, Lacretia invites listeners to reflect inward, because leadership does not start with what we build. It starts with who we are becoming.In this episode, you will hear about:• Celebrating one year of The Real Room Podcast• The power of real conversations and community• Gratitude for guests, listeners, and supporters• The shift into a series-based podcast format• Why leadership is the focus of the next season• The story behind Lacretia’s new book, The Founder Shift• Leadership as responsibility, not just position• Setting the foundation before scaling vision• Why your voice, engagement, and presence matterThis episode is an invitation to celebrate, reflect, and prepare for deeper conversations ahead. If The Real Room has ever encouraged you, challenged you, or helped you see yourself more clearly, this moment belongs to you too.Like, follow, subscribe, and join us as we step into year two and continue elevating voices together.

What happens when representation stops being symbolic and becomes responsibility?In this powerful roundtable episode of The Real Room Podcast, Lacretia Mitchell passes the mic to Simone, a former student leader and founder of Girlfriends at Douglas High School, for an honest conversation with Black student leaders representing campuses across Oklahoma. Together, they unpack what it truly means to carry a crown, a sash, or a title while still becoming yourself. These students represent excellence, resilience, and unity across both predominantly white institutions and historically Black colleges and universities. They speak candidly about the unseen work behind leadership, the pressure of being visible, navigating identity in spaces not built with them in mind, and the emotional weight of being a voice for their communities.This conversation goes beyond pageantry. It is about accountability, empathy, mental health, community service, courage, and the responsibility that comes with being seen.In this episode, we discuss:• What Black college royalty means beyond the crown and sash• The hidden workload and pressure behind student leadership• Representation as responsibility, not visibility• Navigating leadership at PWIs versus HBCUs• Community service and being a safe space for peers• Mental health, therapy, and breaking generational cycles• Taking up space without losing individuality• Learning to say no, set boundaries, and protect your peace• Growing into leadership before feeling ready• Why representation matters for the next generationThis episode is for students, educators, leaders, parents, and anyone who believes representation should lead to real impact. It is a reminder that leadership is not about titles. It is about service, presence, and accountability to something greater than yourself.If this conversation resonated with you, like, subscribe, and share it with a student or leader who needs encouragement.Watch more episodes of The Real Room Podcast for real conversations about leadership, identity, community, and purpose.

What does it actually cost to choose peace in a world that keeps demanding violence?In this powerful episode of The Real Room Podcast, host Lacretia Mitchell sits down with a community leader who lives this question every day. This conversation goes beyond statistics and soundbites to explore what violence prevention really looks like on the ground. It is about presence, accountability, healing, and the unseen weight carried by those committed to protecting their communities.This episode unpacks the emotional toll of violence intervention, the pressure placed on leaders in underserved communities, and the reality that peace is not passive. It requires sacrifice, courage, and consistency. The discussion challenges performative leadership, exposes systems that profit from chaos, and highlights why community must be led by those who understand it from the inside.In this episode, we discuss:• What it truly costs to choose peace• Community violence prevention beyond programs and policies• The emotional and mental weight carried by frontline leaders• Why presence matters more than publicity• Healing trauma while still showing up to lead• Accountability, integrity, and real impact• The role of community in breaking cycles of violence• Why sustainable change must come from withinThis is a raw, honest, and necessary conversation for leaders, advocates, parents, and anyone who cares about building safer, healthier communities.If this episode challenged or encouraged you, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.Watch more episodes of The Real Room Podcast for real conversations about leadership, healing, community, and purpose.