Verbally Effective

Indianola, MS native, Tony Smith, has been setting the vibes for your Memphis night life for the past six years. The oldest of three brothers, Tony grew up in the church and moved to Memphis with his mother around the age of twelve. While attending Hickory Ridge Middle School, Tony played the violin in the orchestra and later moved to bass at Overton High School’s orchestra. Tony's love for night life began while in college at Middle Tennessee State University as an aerospace flight dispatch major. Upon graduating from MTSU, Tony moved to Memphis and eventually started his vibe curation in the city. He describes the vibe of his generation as young professionals with 401Ks who love to network and are chasing their goals. Tony gives his thoughts on how covid has affected night life but has not stopped this form of business. Nowadays, Tony is the face of Life Lounge where he sets the vibes and keeps the party lively. He is also a devoted husband and girl dad. Tune in to hear the amazing journey of my first guest of 2022, Tony Smith.

East Memphis native, Bianca Mcmillian, is an actress and entertainer with over 10 years of experience on the stage and a couple of years on film. She reluctantly began her thespian journey in the drama department at Kirby High School. Bianca shares that she was very shy and experienced bullying prior to entering the world of drama. However, she experienced an amazing breakthrough once she joined. These days you can see Bianca expressing herself on social media as a content creator or on the stage in "Soulful Murder Mystery" and "Mountaintop". Bianca now has an agent who keeps her busy juggling projects. Take a listen as Bianca shares a few secrets before she hits the stage with Ena such as mouth exercises and multiple accents. Enjoy!

Hailing from North Memphis, Jus Bentley is maximizing her craft. I first met Jus Bentley at Dream Fest showcase over ten years ago and I am so proud on the artist that she has grown into. She starts the pod sharing the legacy of her family's gas stations, King Grocery, which is a staple throughout the city of Memphis. Although Bentley went to three high schools (Cordova, Germantown and Bartlett) due to zoning, she says that Cordova was her absolute fav. Upon high school graduation, she attended MSCC which is now called Arkansas State Univ Mid-South on a basketball scholarship. After receiving her degree in the arts, Bentley went full force into music. She credits her artist development to both her Uncle and Don Trip who have assisted with the business aspect of the music industry. Bentley is taking her career to another level these days with music placements in both P Valley and The Aftermath. She has also fallen in love with something new as of late. Honey Glaze Visuals is a photography/videography company Bentley started on October of 2021. Take a listen as Jus Bentley shares her amazing journey.

South Memphis, TN native, Sherman Harper Jr., is the owner of Service Queens, Co-Creator of SneakFest and a member of Grind City Cycling. Take a listen as Sherman kicks off the podcast sharing insight on the why he started therapy during the pandemic and how it has changed his life. Find out how he and his wife started flipping houses and transitioned into renovations, construction and property investments with Service Queens. You'll also hear the back story of how SneakFest Sneaker Expo began in Memphis through mutual friends and has ultimately grown into a huge cultural event with over 70 vendors offering sneakers, apparel and entertainment. Lastly, discover how Sherman became a cyclist within the brotherhood of Grind City Cycling. Enjoy!

Chima Onwuka's God given purpose is to impact as many lives as I can before he leaves this Earth. After graduating college with a psychology degree, he became a recreational therapist and helped adults that struggled with mental illness such as schizophrenia, depression, bipolar, alcohol and drug abuse, and anger management. Now as a Clinician while finishing up his masters, he works with children struggling with problematic sexual behaviors.

As an entrepreneur, Chima is the Owner and CEO of Grind City Kicks which is a sneaker and apparel brand that also gives back to the communities. He is also the founder of the nonprofit organization, Grind City Cares, that provides substantial needs to communities who lack significant resources. Lastly, Chima is an inspirational speaker, motivating others that a change of mindset can result in a change of lifestyle. Take a listen to Chima Onwuka's remarkable journey.

Orange Mound, TN native, DJ Squeeky, has produced music for a plethora of talented artists from Memphis and beyond. This Paper Route Empire producer shares with us how his mother and uncle were very instrumental in how his musical journey began. DJ Squeeky attended Melrose High School with MJG and was immediately known for music after he djed a high school pep rally. Immediately following he began creating mixtapes showing off his DJ skills and later mixtapes with his very own beats. Although DJ Squeeky has had quite a few other jobs including working in carpentry and the morgue, music has always been the constant in his life. Fast forward to today where you can catch DJ Squeeky at Digital Studio Memphis. He opened this state-of-the-art studio at the start of the pandemic and has been booked ever since. You can find many of your favorite artists coming through Memphis at Digital Studio Memphis creating hits. Pastor Troy, Criminal Mane and the late Young Dolph are just a few artists that DJ Squeeky has been making magic with in the studio most recently. Take a listen to the amazing story of legendary Memphis producer DJ Squeeky.

Originally from Pelham, AL, Amy Speropoulos has graced our televisions in Memphis since 1999. This award-winning journalist entered our homes and our hearts delivering compelling content on all 4 TV stations in Memphis including WREG, WMC-TV, ABC 24, and WHBQ, Fox 13. Take a listen as Amy shares quite a few peaks and valleys working in news television. From constantly being reminded of her southern accent, receiving low compensation and constant in-fighting, Amy has experienced it all. You'll also hear how Amy was able to balance being an amazing mother and wife while juggling a rigorous schedule with extreme demands. Fast forward to today Amy has pivoted into a new direction as the Marketing and Communications Associate with New Hope Christian Academy. Amy's story is truly inspiring being a woman who has been able to navigate tv news and now venture into a new career servicing the community.

On EP 187, we welcome Whitehaven, TN native Kier C. Thomas. He is currently the Executive Director at Western Tennessee A&M School of Engineering and Design. Kier's colorful background includes working for the Shelby County Government Law Enforcement and the Shelby County School System. He shares his experience on having the epiphany to become an entrepreneur starting his very own school. Kier understood that there were many alternatives to higher education that were not being normalized. As a result, Western Tennessee A&M was born and has provided individuals with certifications in various trades across the board. Tune in to hear Kier's amazing journey as he strives to shift the mindset of what we know as traditional careers.

Whitehaven native, Marvin Todd, has an extensive skillset in the areas of marketing, project management and strategic planning and implementation. Marvin currently serves as a Marketing Manager at FedEx corporate after mastering numerous roles during his eighteen-year tenure. He’s the Board Chair for Vision Prep Charter School, Board Member of Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change and is a mentor for youth via recreational sports programs at the Kroc Center. Marvin is also an entrepreneur and owns his own marketing & promotions company called Marvin Todd Marketing. Take a listen as Marvin discusses his current role at FedEx and how the pandemic has affected business both domestically and globally. In addition, Marvin shares many lessons learned over the past thirteen years as a curator in Memphis nightlife. He also speaks on breaking barriers that are not traditionally urban when acquiring venues, passing the torch to upcoming curators and his thoughts on why nightlife is a male dominated industry. Marvin is currently undergoing new levels as he plans to open a new venue while simultaneously putting Memphis on the map to becoming a metropolitan force.

Blues bloodlines don’t come any stronger or run any truer than those of Rodd Bland. As the son of immortal singer Bobby “Blue” Bland, Rodd was destined to follow in his father’s footsteps—though not from behind a microphone. Instead, Rodd regally sits behind a drum kit, supplying a propulsive beat that powers so many bands in and around Memphis. Rodd began playing with his father at the age of five years old. His new EP, Live on Beale Street: A Tribute to Bobby "Blue" Bland, is giving Rodd a chance to reintroduce his father's legacy to the world as he shares his remarkable gift. As you take a listen to Rodd's journey, he shares that Memphis is 'UNDENIABLE" in its sound and culture.