The Shift with Giovanna

What happens when storytelling becomes more than entertainment? When film becomes a vehicle for representation, opportunity, and community transformation?

In this episode of The Shift with Giovanna, I sit down with Timothy Starks, actor, filmmaker, director, and founder of Urban Fest 360, for an engaging conversation about family, film, purpose, and the power of creating opportunities for others.

With more than 30 years in the entertainment industry, Timothy shares his journey from growing up in a creative family in Tucson, Arizona, to pursuing acting in Hollywood and eventually helping build a film festival committed to elevating independent filmmakers and underrepresented voices.

We explore:

🎬 The realities of Hollywood and the challenges independent filmmakers face in getting their work seen.

🎬 Why authenticity, integrity, and excellence matter more than industry politics.

🎬 Timothy's fascinating encounters with entertainment legends, including Eddie Murphy, Bill Withers, and Will Smith.

🎬 The importance of family, representation, and recognizing the humanity behind public personas.

🎬 How Urban Fest 360 is using film, mentorship, and its Creative Futures initiative to create opportunities for young people.

🎬 Why access, relationships, and community support can change the trajectory of someone's life. We also reflect on my experience with the documentary Unheard Voices, the importance of telling stories that might otherwise go unheard, and what it means to use your gifts to create lasting impact. This conversation is about much more than film. It's about taking chances, honoring your roots, standing in your truth, and opening doors for the next generation.

Connect with Timothy Starks and Urban Fest 360:

🌐 https://urbanfest360.com

📸 Instagram: @urbanfest360

📧 [email protected]

▶️ YouTube: Urban Fest 360

Connect with Giovanna: 🌐 https://giovannageathers.com

Subscribe to The Shift with Giovanna for real conversations that change the way you think, lead, and live.

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What does it take to walk away from the familiar and step into the unknown?

In this episode of The Shift with Giovanna, I sit down with Joleta “Jo” Littlejohn for a conversation about transitioning from employee to entrepreneur, embracing uncertainty, and finding the courage to pursue something greater.

We explore the mindset shifts that come with entrepreneurship, the challenges of leaving behind security and familiarity, and the faith, resilience, and self-belief needed to build a new chapter.

Whether you're considering entrepreneurship, navigating a career transition, or simply feeling called to something different, this conversation invites you to rethink what's possible.

Because sometimes the biggest shift isn't changing what you do. It's believing in what you can become.

The Shift with Giovanna — Real Conversations That Change the Way You Think, Lead & Live.

#TheShiftWithGiovanna #Entrepreneurship #CareerTransition #LeapOfFaith #PersonalGrowth #WomenInBusiness

Who are you beyond the expectations, labels, and roles that have shaped your life? And what happens when you begin to embrace your authentic self?

In this inspiring episode of The Shift with Giovanna, Giovanna Geathers sits down with Urmi Hossain for a meaningful conversation about identity, self-discovery, finding your voice, and living with purpose.

Together, they explore the importance of knowing who you are, challenging societal expectations, building confidence, and giving yourself permission to pursue a life that reflects your values and aspirations.

This conversation is a reminder that you don't have to fit into someone else's definition of who you should be. Your voice matters, your experiences have value, and embracing your authentic identity can open the door to greater fulfillment and personal growth.

Because sometimes the most powerful shift begins when you stop trying to become who others expect you to be and start embracing who you truly are.

The Shift with Giovanna

www.GiovannaGeathers.com

#TheShiftWithGiovanna #UrmiHossain #KnowYourself #SelfDiscovery #Identity #FindingYourVoice #Purpose #PersonalGrowth

What happens when life changes in ways you never imagined? How do you find the strength to keep living, loving, and moving forward after unimaginable loss?

In this deeply moving episode of The Shift with Giovanna, Giovanna Geathers sits down with Kiva Dawson for an honest and heartfelt conversation about grief, resilience, healing, and finding hope after heartbreak.

Together, they explore the emotional journey of navigating loss, the courage it takes to rebuild your life, and the reality that healing isn't linear. Kiva's story reminds us that moving forward doesn't mean forgetting what we've lost. It means discovering how to carry love, honor our experiences, and make room for life again.

In this episode, we explore:

Navigating grief and life after profound loss

Finding strength in moments of uncertainty

Giving yourself permission to heal at your own pace

Rediscovering hope, purpose, and joy

Learning to live again without minimizing what you've experienced

Whether you're navigating grief, supporting someone through loss, or learning to embrace life after an unexpected change, this conversation offers compassion, perspective, and hope.

Because sometimes the greatest shift isn't getting over what happened. It's learning how to live again.

The Shift with Giovanna

Real Conversations That Change the Way You Think, Lead & Live.

Hosted by Giovanna Geathers | Licensed Psychotherapist, Coach & Speaker

Visit: www.GiovannaGeathers.com

#TheShiftWithGiovanna #KivaDawson #GriefAndHealing #SurvivingLoss #Resilience #HealingJourney #LifeAfterLoss #FindingHope

What happens when life doesn't go according to your plan? What do you do when everything seems to be falling apart, yet something new is being built at the same time?

In this powerful and heartfelt episode of The Shift with Giovanna, I sit down with my friend, filmmaker, writer, producer, and creative visionary Tonya Nash, also known as Tonya Love, for an honest conversation about faith, purpose, perseverance, creativity, and navigating life's unexpected plot twists.

Tonya shares her journey from writing stage plays to filmmaking, the challenges of navigating professional relationships, and how seasons of uncertainty can become opportunities for personal growth and transformation.

We also explore the importance of making space for the parts of ourselves that often get lost beneath our responsibilities as wives, mothers, professionals, and caregivers.

In this episode, we discuss:

✨ Finding your identity beyond your roles and responsibilities

From Pain to Purpose with Clintoria Session

What if the pain you’ve experienced isn’t the end of your story—but part of what prepares you for your purpose?

In this powerful episode of The Shift with Giovanna, Giovanna sits down with **Clintoria Session—Human Resources Director, Minister, and Coach—for an honest conversation about navigating painful seasons, finding meaning in what you’ve endured, and allowing your experiences to shape who you are becoming.

Clintoria shares her journey of moving through adversity, embracing faith, and discovering how some of life’s most difficult moments can become catalysts for growth, healing, and purpose.

Together, they explore what it means to stop allowing your past to define your future, trust God through seasons you don’t understand, and recognize that purpose can emerge from places you once thought would break you.

If you’ve ever wondered how to move beyond what happened to you and step into what may be waiting for you, this conversation is for you.

The Shift with Giovanna

What if some of the most powerful technology available to us isn’t something we hold in our hands—but something we access within?

In this episode of The Shift with Giovanna, I sit down with Dan Willms — Senior Leadership Consultant, Keynote Speaker, and Executive Coach — for a deeply personal and thought-provoking conversation about what he calls “Technologies of the Soul.”

Dan explores how we can quiet the noise, tap into our higher selves, access spiritual wisdom and divine resources, and become more open to the insights and “downloads” that can guide how we think, lead, and live.

But this conversation goes far beyond leadership.

Dan shares his remarkable personal journey—from coming to the United States with just $100 in his pocket, to navigating the complicated legacy of an abusive father who died by suicide, to the sacred and heartbreaking experience of holding his mother as she died.

Through tremendous loss, transformation, and self-discovery, Dan has developed a different understanding of what it means to be fully alive—and what becomes possible when we learn to listen beyond the noise around us.

In this conversation, we explore:

What “Technologies of the Soul” actually means

Learning to access wisdom beyond our intellect

Recognizing intuition, insight, and spiritual “downloads”

How our experiences shape who we become

Healing from complicated family relationships

Grief, loss, and finding meaning through difficult experiences

Moving beyond survival into greater purpose and possibility

Becoming more intentional about how we think, lead, and live

This is a conversation about leadership, spirituality, grief, resilience, consciousness, purpose, and the extraordinary resources available to us when we become willing to listen.

🎙️ The Shift with Giovanna

If this conversation creates a shift for you, LIKE, COMMENT, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE to join us for more conversations that challenge perspectives and inspire transformation.

Content Note: This episode includes discussion of suicide, abuse, grief, death, and parental loss.

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In this episode of The Shift with Giovanna, Giovanna sits down with Dr. Nika White, Founder and Principal of Nika White Consulting Group, for an honest conversation about what it really means to humanize how we work and live—especially for leaders and high performers.

They explore the importance of giving ourselves and others space to pause, process, and simply be human in environments that often reward constant productivity and performance.

Dr. White shares insights on emotional regulation, self-awareness, boundaries, and recognizing the signs of overwhelm before they become burnout. Together, they discuss why high performers can become so accustomed to pushing through that they miss what their minds and bodies are trying to tell them—and why slowing down isn't the same as falling behind.

This conversation is a reminder that sustainable leadership and success require more than performing at a high level. They require learning to regulate, creating space for ourselves and others, and recognizing that we can be productive without sacrificing our well-being in the process.

🎙️ The Shift with Giovanna

In this powerful episode of The Shift with Giovanna, Giovanna sits down with Raven McKinney, Trauma-Informed Somatic Breathwork Facilitator, for a conversation about what happens when trauma doesn’t just live in our memories—but in our bodies.

Your Body Remembers explores the connection between unresolved trauma, the nervous system, emotions, and the physical ways our bodies can hold onto experiences long after they’ve happened.

Raven shares insights into somatic healing and breathwork, why understanding the body’s response to trauma matters, and how becoming more aware of what our bodies are communicating can be an important part of healing.

Together, Giovanna and Raven discuss moving beyond simply thinking our way through difficult experiences and learning how to reconnect with the body with greater awareness, compassion, and intention.

If you’ve ever wondered why certain experiences, emotions, or triggers seem to stay with you even when you thought you had “moved on,” this conversation may help you see healing through a different lens.

🎙️ The Shift with Giovanna

Answering the Call on Your Life | With Vannessa Lindsay

What happens when life gets so busy that you can no longer hear the call on your life?

In this episode of The Shift with Giovanna, Giovanna sits down with Vannessa Lindsay for a powerful conversation about purpose, faith, obedience, and creating enough space to hear what God may be calling you to do next.

Together, they explore what it means to recognize the call on your life—even when it requires you to slow down, move beyond fear, release what’s familiar, and trust God with what comes next.

This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt there was more for their life but struggled to hear the direction clearly through the noise of responsibilities, expectations, and everyday life.

In this episode:

Recognizing when busyness is drowning out your purpose

Learning to slow down and listen

Moving through fear, doubt, and uncertainty

Trusting God when the next step isn’t completely clear

Giving yourself permission to answer the call

Becoming aligned with the life you were created to live

Sometimes the shift isn’t about doing more. Sometimes it’s about getting quiet enough to hear what’s been calling you all along.

The Shift with Giovanna