Jennie Raymer is a mortgage lender and our most recent member to join the lineup of Podcast Co-Hosts on The Face of Community & Business. Jennie talks about her upbringing in Gurnee, Illinois, where she was born to parents who were both teachers. 

Despite not having a lot, Jennie grew up surrounded by love, music, and spiritualness, which has had a profound impact on her life.

Jennie's journey to self-awareness started when she began acknowledging who she wanted to be and taking accountability for her actions. She wanted to be more than just a good person in words but in deeds. This realization has been the driving force behind her passion and has helped her become the woman she is today.

Jennie has been in the mortgage and business industry for many years, having started in the auto industry and worked her way up. She understands consumer loans and has extensive experience in the residential mortgage sector. Jennie's journey has not been without challenges, particularly in male-dominated industries. 

She had to learn how to be unapologetically herself, speak her mind, and choose the words she wanted to say. Jennie has overcome the challenges she faced and has become more resilient and able to navigate uncomfortable waters. 

Jennie talks about the difference between men and women's work experiences, particularly as a mother of three. Jennie's journey is a testament to the power of self-awareness and determination. She has shown that it is possible to be successful in a male-dominated industry while still being true to oneself.

Jennie's story is a source of inspiration and motivation for anyone looking to break into any industry. Her advice to young women is to be unapologetically themselves, to speak their minds, and to choose the words they want to say. 

She encourages young women not to allow others to dictate who they should be based on their perception. Jennie's story is a reminder that one's upbringing and past experiences can shape one's present and future.

Jennie's story is a powerful reminder that determination, resilience, and self-awareness are key to achieving success in any industry. Jennie's journey is a testament to the power of hard work, determination, and the willingness to be true to oneself. Her story is an inspiration to anyone who is looking to break into any industry and is a reminder that with the right mindset, anything is possible.

Jaymi Block, the newest co-host on The Face of Community and Business, has an inspiring story that put her on a path towards a career in real estate; after a car accident changed her course. 

She is a mother of four and has an impressive career, with several business partnerships. In this episode, Jaymi talks about her journey and the spiritual awakening that led her to a deeper understanding of life.

Jaymi grew up in the southwest suburbs and had never left the area until recently. She moved to the city, where she felt she belonged, but love brought her there, and now she focuses on self-love. Jaymi believes that everything we go through is part of the journey and happens for a reason.

Jaymi is a deep conversationalist and prefers to have conversations that are not superficial. She is on a spiritual journey that began when she was a child, as she was brought up in a conflicting religious background. 

Jaymi believes that her spiritual journey started from pain, and she began asking questions about life's purpose and what we are here for. She understands that spirituality can mean different things to different people, and it is becoming more prevalent in today's society. 

Jaymi and the host of the podcast, Jenny, connected on a deeper level, as they both went through breakups and were trying to understand themselves and life from a different lens.

Jaymi's story is an inspiration to anyone who is going through difficult times and looking to come out on the other side stronger and more aware. Her focus on self-love and spirituality is a testament to her strength and resilience. 

As a co-host of The Face of Community and Business Jaymi brings a unique perspective and experience to the table, and her interviews are sure to be insightful and inspiring.

In this episode of "The Face of Community and Business Podcast," attorney Mark Grzymala joins the host to discuss his journey from being a high school radio DJ to practicing law and advocating for human rights. 

Mark is a passionate music enthusiast and wonders how he ended up in law instead of pursuing a career in broadcasting. Mark explains that while he enjoyed being a DJ, he saw it as more of a fun hobby and believed that a career in law would allow him to help people, which is also a passion of his.

Mark's passion for advocacy began in college when he majored in political science and became interested in international relations and security issues. He went on to law school, where he focused on human rights law and worked on a case involving human trafficking.

Since then, he has continued to work with a focus on providing assistance and value to his clients and has been involved in advocacy efforts in his community.

Mark's passion for helping others may have been influenced by his upbringing as the oldest of three siblings. Mark agrees, saying that he always felt responsible for looking after his younger brother and sister and making sure they were safe.

Throughout the episode, Mark emphasizes the importance of pursuing one's passions, whether it's music or law or anything else. He believes that doing what you love is key to finding fulfillment in life and encourages others to follow their passions as well.

As the newest co-host on the podcast platform, Mark is excited to interview others and get to know the community of influencers. He sees it as an opportunity to learn from others and share their stories with a wider audience.

Mark's journey from high school DJ to human rights advocate and attorney is a testament to the power of following one's passions and pursuing a career that aligns with one's values. His dedication to helping others and his enthusiasm for music and advocacy make him a valuable addition to our Influencer Society™.

Discover the story of Ramiro Muñoz, a real estate developer from Mexico and his journey through college, architecture, and real estate.

Ramiro Muñoz is a man of many worlds. Born in Mexico, raised in northern Indiana, and educated in Miami and Rome, Ramiro has lived in Chicago for the past 14 years. He has always had a passion for architecture, engineering, and art, and his education allowed him to pursue these interests. However, after entering the workforce, he quickly realized that his dream of designing beautiful buildings was not quite as fulfilling as he had imagined.

Despite this realization, Ramiro has built a successful career in property management and real estate development. His hard work and determination have been inspired by his parents, who embody the values of work, faith, and sacrifice. 

Ramiro's grandfather was also a significant influence on him. A patriarch of the family, he was a successful real estate developer who instilled in his children and grandchildren a love for the land and a strong sense of family.

Ramiro's roots run deep, as his family comes from a small town in Mexico that is known for its natural hot springs and Mexican healers. This magical place is where Ramiro learned about the power of spirituality and how it can heal both the body and the soul. 

Ramiro has been blessed with the ability to adapt to many different worlds, from the red state of Indiana to the blue state of Illinois, from the University Club to the mountains of Mexico.

Ramiro's respect for Bruce Lee has also influenced his life. Lee's famous quote, "empty your mind. Be formless. Shapeless be like water," has stayed with Ramiro, reminding him to be flexible and adaptable to all of the different worlds he encounters.

Ramiro Muñoz is a man who has lived a life full of diversity and challenge. He has learned the importance of family, faith, and hard work, and he has used these values to build a successful career in the world of real estate. 

He has the unique ability to adapt to different worlds, and he uses this skill to bring different perspectives to the table in his business dealings and personal life. Ramiro's life story is a testament to the power of determination, hard work, and the values instilled in us by our families.

Zachary Koran joins us on The Face of Community & Business Podcast to discuss the start of his business, Dwellish, which partners with landlords to design, stage, and host Airbnb properties. 

He and his girlfriend began the business this summer and have already gained almost five properties under their management. Dwellish takes care of the design and staging of the properties to make them Airbnb-ready and handles the hosting and management of the rentals.

They are planning to add more in the near future, particularly as the spring market approaches and travel to Chicago, where they are based, becomes more popular. 

Zach also opens up about the impact of his recovery from substance abuse and his relationship with his son. He attributes the tools he has gained from recovery with helping him grow exponentially in all areas of his life, including as a father.

He is able to be more honest, less reactive, and better able to understand and be supportive because of the skills he has learned in recovery. He also discusses the importance of addressing emotions and creating connections in the brain that help individuals want to address them, rather than running from them. 

Zach advises others who are struggling with substance abuse and trying to be responsible parents to seek out support and recovery resources.

Tune in to hear more on how Zach has grown with the experiences he’s gone through both personally and professionally and the wisdom gained from them.

On this episode of the Face of Community & Business Podcast, Alicia Dale discusses her childhood growing up in the Brighton Park neighborhood of Chicago to her career in ghostwriting. She comes from a family of five children, with her father immigrating to the United States from Lithuania in the 1950s.

Alicia and her siblings grew up in a hardworking family, with both her mother and father working. The family values centered around work, school, and family. Alicia mentions that she started working at a young age and that the women in her life, including her mother, godmother, and aunt, were all working women. 

“We all did it because there was an economic need for sure. There was money for school, but there wasn't money for anything extra.If there was something that was extra, we were expected to find a way to do it; and we did.”

Alicia discusses the transformation of the publishing industry and the various options available to authors today. She has chosen to focus on writing for leaders, lawyers, and changemakers, and defines a changemaker as someone who is in it for the long haul and works to build something new over time, rather than just causing change and then moving on. She talks about the importance of tenacity and experiencing failures in order to achieve success.

“As you work with successful people, you see that overnight success is a myth.Ten years is about right and it takes time to build something new, it takes tenacity and it takes lots of failures and rebuilding. 

I've experienced it myself and, and I enjoy hearing stories of people who are doing good things.”

Tune in to hear more about Alicia and her journey into ghostwriting and her new venture in Podcast Hosting on The Face of Community & Business.

Imran Khan

Abby Torres grew up taking care of others from an early age. Her parents, new in a country in which they didn’t speak the language, would rely on Abby to translate for them in matters of life and even finance. It’s no surprise that she’d find her calling in the mortgage lending business. 

“I remember my dad just saying, ‘I have to go to the bank.’ Every Saturday was the day we’d go to the bank. He would always take me with him and have me ask about this loan or about this and that. I was only like 10 or 11 and I didn't understand a lot of the stuff, but I just wanted to make sure that my parents weren't taken advantage of. It was a lot of learning for me and I had to mature very quickly.”

Now the mother of two young boys, she’s made a home for herself in Chicago, but keeps close to her Mexican roots. Though she was born in the United States, she is deeply connected to her heritage. Something she shares with her children to help them understand who they are. 

Yet more than her upbringing or roots, it’s how she views life that is the most meaningful to her. The lessons she shares with her kids are the same advice she shares with others. 

“I try to tell my kids that your day is determined by your attitude. Sometimes my oldest one will fight me on certain things, then he gets mad and I'm like ‘You know, you choose that attitude and you choose to have that, your day will be determined by it.”

Navigating life can oftentimes be difficult and frustrating, but as Abby points out, it’s about having the right people in your life to keep you grounded and above all honest about yourself. 

“We're all bound to have bad days when stuff happens. There are days when you have insecurities. I've had my many insecurities, and I still do, but that's something that I have to learn to overcome. Your partner, your friends, family, whoever it is for you, I think there always has to be that one person who's going to call you out on stuff. I don't think we all have that person where you're like ‘You did not just tell me this,’  but you love that person for telling you the truth.”

Tune in to hear more about Abby, her journey, family and the way she has found success in real estate, relationships and life.

Anya Rivtis is a Real Estate Broker with Jameson Sotheby's International Realty with a story that many American immigrants can identify with. Now also a TFOCB Podcast Host, she joins us to share her journey and she gained the confidence to create new experiences for herself. 

Born in Ukraine, she and her family migrated to America in the late 1980’s when she was 6 years old - migrating through Austria, then Italy, and finally Chicago. Leaving Ukraine so young, she only has little memories that have stayed with her - like being at her grandmother’s unique house and playing with her brother and friends at the park across from her childhood home. 

She attended a Russian/Jewish school, only speaking Hebrew for the first three years in the U.S. Not learning English means not making many friends.

Though Anya eventually learned English while attending American schools, communication was still hard -  jokes, mannerisms, and how you express yourself have cultural differences. 

But awkward moments helped shape her, and she overcame these cultural differences when moving back to the city in her late 20’s. That’s when her confidence came out and Anya learned how to stand on her own two feet and walk into new places by herself.

Her advice on making friends: “just have fun.” Not everyone is going to appreciate you or be your best friend, so follow your heart and be genuine. Show them who you really are and the rest will follow. People who need to be in your life and respect you will be in your life. 

It took her a while to get out of her shell, but being in the city and building her confidence helped her meet new people no matter where she goes. That opens the door to networking and connecting people from all walks of life. She’s building a network of people, growing her business along the way

Anya also shares her thoughts on the war in Ukraine, and what she’s done to aid her home country. With the help of the United Nations Women’s League of America, she has been able to raise funds and ensure they go directly to the women and children in Ukraine. 

Connect directly with Anya to donate through the United Nations Women’s League of America.

The Vice President of Tax & Beyond [a full service accounting firm providing a wide range of services to individuals, closely held corporations and nonprofit entities], Paola Meinzer is no stranger to overcoming adversity. Yet, in meeting Paola you’d never know that  through her positive attitude on life.  

“I was raised pretty much by my dad, but then he passed away when I was 12. So, that's where all of the challenges through life started shaping who I am today. I always saw you have two options: the glass is either half empty or the glass is half full. So I was being a very positive person and this placed me in a position to start traveling the world.”

When asked about where she drew her inspiration from, to create a positive outlook for herself, Paola is the first to express her gratitude for her faith.

“I really started to get to know God and believe in Him and, and the promises that He had made to my life. I'm very thankful for that because that has shown me and kept me on the right path in life, and also to be very helpful and very positive. If we put our mind to whatever we want, have the right attitude and have the right beliefs and believe in a bigger thing than us. And for me, like I said, it's God.”

Those beliefs led Paola to experience different cultures in her travels to other countries. It’s also what taught her to connect with others in a meaningful way. Leading her to create beautiful friendships wherever she goes. She took those experiences and found an opportunity for herself to use those skills when working for a Fortune 500 company. It was during that time that Paola began to grow her professional network and develop relationships within the community. She goes on to share how, despite loving the experience, she felt something was missing for her.

“I was out there doing a lot of community outreach, being involved with different organizations and growing my network, which is very important. Every time I attended these events I was wondering like, okay, so I love this. I'm meeting all these people, but I think that we're missing something. We need a space that is catered for us ladies, Latinas who are like-minded. We need a space where we can come together to really feel welcome; feel like we belong. We love to feel we belong.”

It was from that point that Paola set the wheels in motion to create L.E.E.N. or Latinas Executives and Entrepreneurs Network. With the help of other Latina Executives and Entrepreneurs, LEEN creates opportunities for Latinas to come together through social events and gatherings. 

Tune in to hear more about Paola, her journey, and the powerful network she’s created for Latina Executives and Entrepreneurs.