Welcome back to Women in Progress with Maura Chanz, a show about the women we're becoming and the shared wisdom of those navigating change, growth, and new chapters in life. Here's what we're talking about with Jameelah Watkins-Mallett—Spelman alumna, Emmy-nominated design producer for HGTV's "Married to Real Estate," interior designer, real estate agent, and entrepreneur who's been building businesses since she was 12. A creative force who's learned that true design—whether for homes or lives—requires the courage to wait for what you want without settling for less.

The Evolution of Creative Fearlessness: How moving from naive creative freedom at 12 to seasoned intentionality has both limited and liberated Jameelah's artistic process, and why sometimes knowing too much can cripple your creativity.

Sunday Morning Energy, Every Day: Jameelah's philosophy is that your home should replicate the slow, peaceful feeling of Sunday morning throughout the week, and why she asks clients about their spiritual practices, favorite scents, and what a perfect day looks like.

The CASE Method: Life and Design Are Synergistic: Breaking down Jameelah's design framework—Consultation, Anchors, Shell, Enhancements—and how the same principles that create beautiful spaces can guide you through major life transitions.

I'm Waiting, But I'm Not Settling:
The delicate balance between taking your time to curate what you truly want versus the pressure to hurry up and make your space (or life) look "finished."

The Reality of TV Design vs. Soul-Centered Work: What it was really like managing 12 simultaneous renovations for HGTV, why Jameelah was called "rigid" for maintaining her standards, and the spiritual cost of moving fast in a medium that demands depth.

HomeGoods Addiction and Facebook Marketplace Treasures: Practical advice for budget-conscious decorating, why Jameelah had to stop going to HomeGoods three times a week, and the $300 Italian leather counter stools she had to return because she couldn't find a fourth one.

Fast Furniture vs. Sustainable Design: The parallel between fast fashion and fast furniture, why vintage and secondhand pieces have better quality, and how to shop with intention rather than impulse.

Progress Is the Time Between Breakdowns: Jameelah's honest take on measuring growth, why neutral and normal are underrated, and her ultimate goal of being bra-less on a beach somewhere.

And if that didn't convince you, here are the quotes from Jameelah Watkins-Mallett that hit different:

"I'm no longer waiting, but I'm not settling. I am waiting, but I'm not settling. I want it to be curated however long that takes."

"You want to try to replicate Sunday morning every day in your home if you can."

"Progress for me is the length of time in between the breakdowns."

"Just because I can doesn't mean I should."

"Energy is transferable, but it is not infinite."

"We've done enough for now. We deserve a little break, a little pause here and there."

Connect with Jameelah: 

Instagram: jameelahdivine

Website: jameelahdivine.com

Connect with Maura:
Instagram: @maurachanz
Join the Women In Progress community on Substack: maurainprogress.substack.com for updates, extra insights, and more conversations like this.

Episode Notes

Welcome back to Women in Progress with Maura Chanz, a show about the women we're becoming and the shared wisdom of those navigating change, growth, and new chapters in life. This week, Maura's flying solo and getting vulnerable about the major shifts happening in her life right now—new job, new house, new love—and why none of it looks like what she planned, but all of it feels exactly right.

From Entrepreneur to Employee (And Why That's Not a Step Back)

After more than a decade of running her own show, Maura made the decision to go in-house. She breaks down why she needed a break from carrying it all, the reality of working in entertainment right now, and how this season is about learning systems she can use to scale again later.

The House That Chose Her + Vision Boards That Work

How living with her grandmother, a gut feeling about family changes, and working with Daedre Financial led to Maura buying a four-bedroom home in just one week. Plus, the power of writing down "save for a house" at a vision boarding session and how manifestation works even when it doesn't look like what you pictured.

From Fireworks to Peace: Dating Someone Who Isn't Threatened

Maura gets honest about ending a long-distance relationship, meeting someone new who's actually interested in sharing the light, and why her therapist's advice about fireworks being short-lived changed everything about how she approaches love.

And if that didn't convince you, here's the quote from Maura Chanz that hit different:

"Progress for me has never been linear. It's looked like solo apartments and shared spaces, like being the boss and starting over, like heartbreak and healing and being brave enough to try again."

Connect with Maura:
Instagram: @maurachanz
Join the Women In Progress community on Substack: maurainprogress.substack.com for updates, extra insights, and more conversations like this.

Welcome back to Women in Progress with Maura Chanz, a show about the women we're becoming and the shared wisdom of those navigating change, growth, and new chapters in life. Here's what we're talking about with Jackie Nickelberry—Spelman and Georgetown Law graduate, attorney, philanthropist, LPGA board member, lifestyle filmmaker, and founder of Jackie Unfiltered. A true woman's woman who embodies what it looks like when Black women live fully, expansively, and unapologetically.

The Art of Sliding into DMs (Respectfully)

How Maura's 2016 Instagram message to Jackie turned into a beautiful friendship, and why sometimes telling someone you admire them is the beginning of everything.

When Your Soil Isn't Fertile

Jackie breaks down her gardening philosophy and why being okay with failure is everything—sometimes the sun wasn't right, the water wasn't right, but most importantly, your soil just wasn't fertile for that opportunity.

The Red Flag Rule About Female Friends

Why Jackie has a hard and fast rule: if you don't have any female friends, you're not her people. The non-negotiable importance of being a woman's woman.

Grieving Forward, Not Just Backward

The profound shift from grieving her mother's death to celebrating her mother's 49 years of life, and how intergenerational friendships taught her to see grief through different lenses.

The Wedding Dream That Changed Everything

Jackie shares the prophetic dream she had at 22 about her future wedding—with blurred faces of women yet to meet who would fill the gaps her mother left behind.

From Jack's List to Jackie Unfiltered

How being the go-to girl in New York for last-minute gala emergencies turned into a lifestyle brand, and why owning your own narrative on the internet matters.

Golf Will Change Your Life (If You Let It)

Why Jackie's mentor was right about golf, how it creates the most diverse friendships, and practical advice for women who are golf-curious but don't know where to start.

The Physical Act of Connection

Jackie's weekly practice of physically mailing something to someone, and why she judges people who don't know how to properly address an envelope.

And if that didn't convince you, here are the quotes from Jackie Nickelberry that hit different:

"If you don't have women friends, they are not my people, Maura. I check for women. I check for women. I am in everything that I do. You know, I am supportive of women. I see the value in us. I know that we make the world better. They're who I lean on."

"Sometimes your soil is not fertile for that opportunity. And being okay with that."

"To have a friend, you have to be a friend."

"I want to be remembered as somebody who gave more than she took."

"Work out your shit. Like go find people who can help you unpack, uncover, heal from this trauma so that you can move on."

Connect with Jackie: 

Instagram: @jackieunfiltered_

Website: jackieunfiltered.com

Connect with Maura:
Instagram: @maurachanz
Join the Women In Progress community on Substack: maurainprogress.substack.com for updates, extra insights, and more conversations like this.

Welcome to Women in Progress with Maura Chanz, a show about the women we're becoming nd the shared wisdom of those navigating change, growth, and new chapters in life. Here's what we're talking about with Anne Dereaux of Dereaux Studios. An architect, multidisciplinary artist, musician, and designer for everyone from royal families to Grammy-winning artists, including Victoria Monét and Janelle Monáe. 

The Art of Quitting Spectacularly
Anne breaks down her pandemic decision to leave corporate architecture with absolutely no backup plan—and why sometimes the scariest leap is the only one worth taking.

When Rick Rubin Hits Your DMs
The untold story of Anne's music career, from recording in closets to catching the attention of legendary producers, and why she chose to step back when things were heating up.

Designing for Icons
What it's really like creating spaces for Grammy winners, thinking about Victoria Monét as "the jaguar in her jungle," and why designing for artists hits different when you've walked that creative path yourself.

The $150 Million Projects You'll Never See
Anne gets real about working on massive luxury projects that can't be shared publicly, the NDA life, and why the best work often happens in the shadows.

Dating as a Creative Boss
The raw truth about attracting people who want to dim your light instead of helping it shine, why she refuses to center romantic relationships, and what partnership looks like when you've built your own universe.

Playing the Long Game
Why Anne chooses craft over clout, the strategic brilliance behind her social media moves, and her belief that "those two things will collide and the great work will collide with the visibility."

And if that didn't convince you, here are the quotes from Anne Dereaux that hit different: 

"I could go without the visibility if it meant that I was doing great work. Now my goal and my plan and what I think is inevitable when you just continue to be consistent and put forth the effort is that those two things will collide."

"The challenge for me, honestly, is that I tend to attract people who want to extract [my light] rather than allow it to flourish."

"I truly am so happy. I live a very fulfilling life. I would like to add a partner to that if it can also add to my life. But if it's not gonna do that, I don't see the point."

Connect with Anne:
Instagram: @annedereaux
www.dereauxstudio.com

Connect with Maura:
Instagram: @maurachanz
Join the Women In Progress community on Substack: maurainprogress.substack.com for updates, extra insights, and more conversations like this.

Grammy-winning artist Melanie Fiona has navigated every high and low the music industry can throw at someone and emerged stronger each time. Host Maura Chanz warmly welcomes Grammy Award–winning artist and The Mama's Den co-host for a heartfelt conversation about resilience, reinvention, and what it really takes to survive and thrive, both in the industry and in life. 

Melanie opens up about growing up in Toronto with parents who trusted her enough to give her the freedom to explore a career in music. She gives Alicia Keys her flowers, praising her as a great example of balancing music with motherhood. Discover how music flows through Melanie’s motherhood, from turning Sam Cooke and Nat King Cole classics into lullabies to passing down her musical legacy to the next generation. She also shares the mission behind The Mama's Den—a podcast and community dedicated to creating authentic spaces for mothers to show up as they are. This episode delves into the intersection of artistry and motherhood, the strength found in vulnerability, and how the moments that try to break us can ultimately remake us into who we’re meant to be.

Connect with Melanie:
Instagram: @melaniefiona
https://melaniefiona.com/

Connect with Maura:
Instagram: @maurachanz
Join the Women In Progress community on Substack: maurainprogress.substack.com for updates, extra insights, and more conversations like this.

If you're tired of conversations about wellness, this episode may not be for you. But if you're interested in a career that feels as good as it looks, press play on episode two of Women In Progress, where host Maura Chanz is joined by a guest who deeply understands the power of well-being: Tai Beauchamp As the former Chief Brand Officer of Brown Girl Jane, founder of Morning Mindset with Tai, and a respected voice in media and personal development, Tai embodies the idea that being well is paramount, even more than career success.

In this week's conversation, Maura, who is exploring her own connection to Pilates and community movement, and Tai dive into what it means to make intentional pivots and find spiritual grounding. They discuss building a career that is impactful and rooted in wellness.

Tai opens up about the woman who shaped her outlook on life, sharing a heartfelt story about her grandmother’s unwavering faith and the wisdom she’s gained from trusting life’s detours. Plus, Maura and Tai play a round of This or That, where we find out if Tai is more at home in LA or NYC.

You’ll also learn more about the mission of Morning Mindset with Tai, a platform built on four pillars: affirm, move, connect, and reset. Though the experience centers Black and Brown women, Tai emphasizes its universal message: "When you serve the underserved, you help to serve the greater good.” In a time when DEI efforts and marginalized communities face increased scrutiny, Tai speaks openly about remaining committed to work that fosters equity, healing, and belonging across all communities.

Connect with Tai:
Instagram: @taibeau
Morning Mindset: morningmindsetwithtai.com

Connect with Maura:
Instagram: @maurachanz
Join the Women In Progress community on Substack: maurainprogress.substack.com for updates, extra insights, and more conversations like this.

In the first episode of Women in Progress, host Maura Chanz gets real about the chaos and clarity that comes with your Saturn return, that astrological shake-up in your late twenties that pushes you to grow up, slow down, and figure out who you really are.

Maura shares her personal story of navigating career slowdowns, big life changes, and a cross-country move that brought her back to her roots. What started as a daily walk turned into a deep dive into identity, purpose, and the messy magic of becoming. Along the way, she talks about why intergenerational relationships matter and the women, from mentors to pop culture icons, who help us find our way.

If you're wondering what a Saturn return means, how to survive a Saturn return, or just feeling stuck about what’s next, this episode is for you. Women in Progress is all about growing through it together.

Make sure to subscribe to the Women in Progress Substack at maurainprogress.substack.com for updates, extra insights, and more conversations like this.

Welcome to Women in Progress, a podcast hosted by Maura Chanz—creative producer, writer, director, and so much more (you’ll find out). Launching 4/27, this show is for any woman navigating change, growth, or a new chapter in life.

Each episode explores the wisdom and stories that help us embrace our evolving identities, featuring personal reflections and conversations with trailblazing women. It’s a space for learning through lived experiences and creating a living archive of HERstories.

Subscribe now for inspiring, empowering conversations reminding you you’re never alone.

Follow along on Instagram @maurachanz and Substack at maurainprogress.substack.com.