The UpNUp Podcast

In this episode of 'The UpNUp Podcast', professional national insurance Advisor/Consultant, Mussa Asrat, takes us along his journey of growing and paying dues in the space of Insurance and financial literacy to ensure he can double back with a wealth of knowledge to give back to his community.

From his early life of navigating and leaning into the paths that weren't always mapped out for him, it was his commitment to staying studious, engaged and open minded that led him into a career of Advising individuals/families in making the wise/smart decisions that aren't always available for us when it comes to insuring our futures.

Whether its about how to properly plan out your finances, selecting the proper coverages to protect your home/auto/life insurance, or growing/excelling professionally in your career, this story is definitely one to keep us all on #TheUpNUp

In this episode of 'The UpNUp Podcast', Owner/Founder of the amazing 'Native Soul Cuisine', Jeremy Thunderbird(@nativesoulcuisine), shares with us a journey of truly finding freedom through not only serving the most amazing dishes, but more importantly amplifying and pushing his Native American culture/heritage to the forefront of his brand/platform.

From his early upbringing and growing up gradually understanding just how important it was to get connected to his roots and learn about just how much influence Native American culture has had on the culinary arts space, it was only a matter of time until he stepped in the kitchen himself and whipped up his own recipe for success. As an entrepreneur, navigating through the inevitable ups and downs, it was his ability to stay down that has help accelerate the growth of his brand/platform and its impact on his community.

Whether its introducing a whole new generation to the amazing culinary Native American experience, doing partnerships with the likes of 'Lumen Field', or chef'ing up meals that are good for everyones soul, this story is definitely one to keep us all on #TheUpNUp

In this episode of ‘The UpNUp Podcast’, Social Entrepreneur, Live-Event Curator and Founder of ‘Laid Back Allure’, Anthony J R(@anthonyujr) takes along a journey of truly finding a way to create space for himself and his people.

From his early upbringing of being fully immersed in the intersection between fashion, nightlife, entertainment and culture, he was looking for a way to package it all into a platform that can serve up the right experiences for them all to exist.

As him and his team have been working night and day to build up their amazing brand/platform 'Laid Back Allure', what’s always been at the forefront of their movement is, shifting our culture into a direction of royalty and excellence that we all deserve to enjoy.

The party never stops and neither does the journey,

and this journey is definitely one to keep us all on #TheUpNUp

In this episode of 'The UpNUp Podcast', Port of Seattle Commissioner and true trail blazer himself, Sam Cho(@samhcho), takes us along a journey of true self belief, determination for growth and a focus to contribute to our communities forward progress.

From his early taste of the political arena after college working under President Obama's administration as a political appointee, he was able to challenge himself to prove he belonged in a position of servitude, but also understanding how to keep striving for more. Whether it was him being forced to pivot from politics and betting on himself as an entrepreneur to launch a successful Export/Trade business known as 'Seven Seas Exports' which ultimately lead into him pivoting back into politics, but this time as the one steering the ship, his evolution remained on the rise.

In 2019 he was elected as not only the first ever Korean American but also the youngest at age 29, to be elected to the role of Commissioner for the Port of Seattle. It's no secret that this story is definitely one to keep us all on #TheUpNUp

In this episode of 'The UpNUp Podcast', Founder, Educator and Healer of 'Yoga By Biola', Abiola Akanni(@yogabybiola), takes us along her journey of merging her passion with the vision to revolutionize the Yoga/Wellness industry for the generations to come.

From her early beginnings of discovering the love and value the practice of Yoga can provide, she learned quickly that if she was going to create a lane in the industry, she had to make sure that the lane she creates would be inclusive and welcoming for those that the industry itself was never truly acknowledging.

Whether it's how she's built up her business through empowering others with a new Non-Performative approach that has inspired so many or creating her full-scale online education platform 'Iya'(@iya.well) designed to train and develop aspiring Yoga instructors to become their own bosses/leaders, this story is truly one to keep us all on #TheUpNUp

In this episode of 'The UpNUp Podcast', Owner/Operator of fast growing Barbershop/Grooming service company/brand, 'Day Makers', Fasil Eshete, takes us along his journey of truly pouring into a craft that has evolved into open doors for others and himself.

From his early upbringing in South Seattle of navigating various ups and downs, it was a pair of clippers that gave him an outlet to find his passion in developing within a craft that taught him not only the skillset at the highest level, but the essence of true entrepreneurship and relationship building. Whether it was learning the ropes from his barber mentors in the city, to eventually launching and opening his own shop/company, 'Day Makers', the process has come with a lot of teachings along the way. Opening doors for his extended ventures such as 'Whips N Cutz', which is his new creative company/brand, or mentoring up and comers in his city, this story is truly one to keep us all on #TheUpNUp

In this episode of 'The UpNUp Podcast', Founder and Operator of the fast rising and growing clothing company/collective, 'Mediums Collective', Roger Maldanado takes us all on a journey of truly building a brand and movement that has empowered their community in the most fashionable way possible.

From their early arrival in the industry back in 2015, the 'Mediums Collective' has poured into the fabric of its community by empowering self-expression through clothing. With his brother as his business partner they've been able to navigate the fashion industry and create their footprint near and far. As two young Latinos representing in their own unique way, they've been able to expand their vision of inspiring the hustlers of the world through fashion by putting the power back into the people in a real way. With the help of their partners, they created their own local Music/Arts/Culture festival series known as 'Fremont Fridays', designed to give up and coming artists and small business owners/vendors opportunities to express their hustles, dreams and passions. With such an undeniable dedication to pushing culture forward, this story is definitely one to keep us all on #TheUpNUp

In this episode of 'The UpNUp Podcast', Wellness provider and Author of newly released book 'Love, Sex & Sorrow', Tigest Beyene(@lovetigest25), takes us along a powerful journey of finding your truth and utilizing it to show us all that our truths deserve to be empowered and amplified.

In a reflective and honest way, she's been able to take what was once viewed as mistakes and hardships, and transferred that energy into intentional/impactful work. Whether it's her work in mentorship with the 'Seattle CARES' group "Community Wellness Circles", helping guide mothers and young women in their pursuit in bettering themselves, or her writing and publishing a book that will serve as a resource for current/future women/girls to use for their growth and development, this story is definitely one to keep us all on #TheUpNUp

('Love, Sex & Sorrow' is available on Amazon Books)

In this episode of 'The UpNUp Podcast', Award-Winning Sports Journalist/Writer, Michael-Shawn Dugar, takes us along his journey of truly finding his passion within the pen. From his early up-bringing growing up in South Seattle, where he was surrounded by the best in sports, he found a way to stay close to the games he loved, and that was by amplifying the voices/stories of athletes who he wanted to make sure we're being humanized while being admired for their success in their sport.

From entering an industry of Journalism/Media that has been historically lacking in diverse representation, he's now helping break barriers as a lead writer/contributor for 'The Athletic' covering the @Seattle Seahawks along with various other sports. Whether it's him winning the NSMA 2021 "Best Reporter Under 30" Award or creating and co-hosting his own sports radio programs, it's safe to say this story is definitely one to keep us all on #TheUpNUp

In this episode of ‘The UpNUp Podcast’ Seattle Seahawks legend, Super-Bowl Champion, Pro-Bowler and Community leader, Doug Baldwin Jr., takes us on a journey of truly leading with love to inspire us all. From his early upbringing in the Florida Panhandle, he found that his passion for football would eventually lead him on a journey to becoming a champion on and off the field. In becoming one of the greatest wide receivers to ever wear a Seahawks uniform, it was all preparing him for the championship type impact he plans to make in the world. Whether it’s through the building of his ‘Family First’ Community Center, ‘Champions of Change’ Non-profit, or leading and advising companies in the tech-space, this story is definitely one to keep us all on #TheUpNUp