YOU Better!

Growing up Anthony Cole dreamed of being a recording artist, but like many talented creatives who enter the job market, corporate pursuits became his source of stability.  But you know that saying, wherever you go, there you are... Well, eventually Anthony’s musical self became a part of his corporate life which has led to the artist in Anthony taking center stage in his life. In October of 2022, he released his first album, Good Vibes Only.  In this interview he shares with Kiesha about how he finds fulfillment and what he has learned about embracing his full self and speaking up for what he wants and needs in life.

Episode Resources:

• Anthony Cole Rise Up: Rise Up (Official Music Video) | Anthony Cole & Precision Productions - YouTube
• Anthony Cole Rock It Back: Rock It Back (Official Music Video) | Anthony Cole & Precision Productions - YouTube
• Mentioned in the episode:
  • Sesame Flyers International Incorporated
  • The STAR Method of Behavioral Interviewing (vawizard.org)
  • Kasey Phillips (@kc_kasey) • Instagram photos and videos

Contact Info

• Want Kiesha to host a YOU Better Workshop for your team? If you are ready to strengthen the foundation of your team culture by investing in your team members’ self-development, reach out for a free discovery call:  kieshagarrison.co/freecall
• Send speaker booking inquiries for Kiesha to (send an email to:  info @ kieshagarrison.co)
• Follow Kiesha on IG: @kiesha_garrison

Directly support the podcast financially:

• Cash App
• Venmo
• PayPal.Me

To connect with host Kiesha B. Free, visit kiesha.org

Chipalo Street has worn many hats throughout his life – in addition to being a groundbreaker and mentor in the tech world, he’s had a “nights and weekends” career refereeing international, professional, and collegiate soccer matches.  In this episode, Chipalo talks with Kiesha about how his dreams of playing in the NBA morphed into something else - a life filled with solving dynamic problems in a variety of spaces. Currently, Chipalo is combining his excitement for problem solving with his desire to create positive change in the world by running for the office of Washington State Representative for Legislative District 37.  Join Kiesha to learn about Chipalo Street in this season of his life where he is experiencing the whirlwind that is running for office in America. 

Episode Resources:

About Chipalo Street: Chipalo Street – The path forward (electchipalo.com)

Contact Info

• Want Kiesha to host a YOU Better Workshop for your team? If you are ready to strengthen the foundation of your team culture by investing in your team members’ self-development, reach out for a free discovery call:  kieshagarrison.co/freecall
• Send speaker booking inquiries for Kiesha to (send an email to:  info @ kieshagarrison.co)
• Follow Kiesha on IG: @kiesha_garrison

Directly support the podcast financially:

• Cash App
• Venmo
• PayPal.Me

To connect with host Kiesha B. Free, visit kiesha.org

After reaching many of her professional and personal goals, Joy White still found herself unfulfilled and unhappy.  Once she allowed herself to acknowledge things that she survived, feel her way through her painful past, and love her inner child better, she was able to move forward boldly towards a more fulfilling and authentic life.  In this interview, she shares with Kiesha her about her decision to tell her story publicly to help other women like her find their path towards healing.

Episode Resources:

• Watch Joy's Short Film: Finding Joy in the Journey - A Flawed Masterpiece | Short Film (2021) 
• Follow Joy Online: Flawed Masterpiece® (@flawedmasterpiecebyjoy) • Instagram photos and videos
• Book Pairing: Unbound by Tarana Burke

Contact Info

• Send booking inquiries for Kiesha to (info at kieshagarrison.co)
• Kiesha on IG: @kiesha_garrison

Directly support the podcast financially:

• Cash App
• Venmo
• PayPal.Me

To connect with host Kiesha B. Free, visit kiesha.org

In this solo episode, Kiesha reflects on one of the areas of personal work that continues to unfold for her - honoring her limits.  This commitment to a lifestyle that allows for more reasonable expectations of mind, body, & spirit is not as simple as making the decision.    Check out the episode to find out more of how this work is informing Kiesha's identity today.

Episode Resources:

• Books: 
  • Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey
  • The Sleep Revolution by Arianna Huffington

Contact Info

• Send booking inquiries for Kiesha to (info at kieshagarrison.co)
• Kiesha on IG: @kiesha_garrison

Directly support the podcast financially:

• Cash App
• Venmo
• PayPal.Me

To connect with host Kiesha B. Free, visit kiesha.org

While serving time in San Quentin State Prison Troy Williams was able to step all the way outside the box of one would typically imagine for an inmate and create a media organization inside the walls that confined him.  In this episode of YOU Better!, Troy shares with Kiesha about his passion for being a student of life, his evolution towards listening to his inner knowing, and how love for his family kept him anchored in his humanity.  They also discuss the power of storytelling and why Troy sees it as a powerful tool in personal and societal transformation. 

Episode Resources:

• The Prison Within Documentary: The Prison Within
• Troy's website
• (7) How parolees are sentenced to fail | Troy Williams | TEDxSanQuentin - YouTube
• Books
  • They Came Before Columbus: The African Presence in Ancient America,  Ivan Van Sertima (Author)
  • The African Origin of Civilization: Myth or Reality,  Cheikh Anta Diop (Author)  Mercer Cook (Editor)

Contact Info

• Send booking inquiries for Kiesha to (info at kieshagarrison.co)
• Follow Kiesha on Instagram: @kiesha_garrison

Directly support the podcast financially:

• Cash App
• Venmo
• PayPal.Me

To connect with host Kiesha B. Free, visit kiesha.org

Kena Tchiteya is a skincare entrepreneur who puts nutrition and discipline as top priorities in her message; She rapidly grew an audience of over 1 million followers on TikTok in only 9 months by sharing her vulnerable journey to clear skin after suffering from severe acne, deep hyperpigmentation and more. She is widely regarded for using her platform to share the steps she took to achieve her skincare goals to empower other acne sufferers to do the same.

In this interview, Kena shares with Kiesha how she gained deep insight about herself through her relationships, how she cultivates her inner voice of awareness and how she continues to practice self-discipline in her thoughts and actions. 

Episode Resources:

• Books:
  • Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time
  • The 10x Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure

Contact Info

• Find Kena online:
  • KENA | SKINCARE (@missskena) TikTok | 
  • Acne & nutrition advisor | Linktree
• Send booking inquiries for Kiesha to (info at kieshagarrison.co)
• Follow Kiesha on Instagram: @kiesha_garrison

Directly support the podcast financially:

• Cash App
• Venmo
• PayPal.Me

To connect with host Kiesha B. Free, visit kiesha.org

Prairie Rose is an author, trained sommelier, wine and spirits educator, and host of the popular podcast Bit by a Fox. She is also a woman who, after a childhood that began in a hippie commune, found herself making bold choices to show up for herself.  From saving up to take a life-changing solo trip to Europe in her twenties, to launching the Bit by a Fox platform after a major heartbreak, Prairie has moved through her life making friends her family and her wholeness her priority. 

Episode Resources:

• Books:
  • Mixology for Beginners: Innovative Craft Cocktails for the Home Bartender
  • Imbibe by David Wondrich
  • The Alchemist
  • The YOU Better! Bookshop

Contact Info

• Find Prairie online: Prairie Rose | Bit By A Fox 🍸 (@bitbyafox) • Instagram photos and videos
• Listen to the Bit by a Fox Podcast
• Send booking inquiries for Kiesha to (info at kieshagarrison.co)
• Kiesha on IG: @kiesha_garrison

Directly support the podcast financially:

• Cash App
• Venmo
• PayPal.Me

To connect with host Kiesha B. Free, visit kiesha.org

In this episode Kiesha goes inside the life and lessons of Kim Blue, an HR powerhouse who cherishes her role as a mom first and foremost.  She shares her blueprint for self-care and her reflections on a life of big moves and even bigger lessons.  She's a woman who is using her voice, practicing her boundaries and continually making space for her own healing.

Episode Resources:

• Books:
  • Right Within by Minda Harts
  • Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen: The Emotional Lives of Black Women by Inger Burnett-Zeigler
  • The YOU Better! Bookshop

Contact Info

• Find Kim online: Kim Blue | LinkedIn
• Send booking inquiries for Kiesha to (info at kieshagarrison.co)
• Kiesha on IG: @kiesha_garrison

Directly support the podcast financially:

• Cash App
• Venmo
• PayPal.Me

To connect with host Kiesha B. Free, visit kiesha.org

In this interview with Kiesha Garrison, Dr. Shelly Bhowmik discusses her own personal journey of self-discovery and recovery after experiencing burnout so bad it motivated her to launch a platform for helping others not end up in the same place.   Her practice is based on the belief that mindset is medicine, a belief she came to realize through her own journey that began at the edge of a subway platform. Shelly is impacting the world through her work as a physician specializing in Preventive Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine and her programs for companies who appreciate having employees who enjoy professional growth and success without having to sacrifice their health and wellbeing. All the while, she is a human being on the continual path to learning and loving herself just like all of us. 

Episode Resources:

• Book: Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle
• The YOU Better! Bookshop
• Colorism resource: Yaba Blay (@yabablay) • Instagram photos and videos

Contact Info

• Reach out to Dr. Bhowmik: Coaching, Consulting, and Clinical Services for Burnout (shellybhowmik.com)
• Send booking inquiries for Kiesha to (info at kieshagarrison.co)
• Kiesha on IG: @kiesha_garrison

Directly support the podcast financially:

• Cash App
• Venmo
• PayPal.Me

To connect with host Kiesha B. Free, visit kiesha.org

In this interview with Kiesha Garrison, wellness consultant Latorsha Peake shares her lessons of learning to care for herself better.  Her experiences led her to write a book titled Iced Coffee and Self Care® in which she aims to help us move ourselves higher on our own to-do lists.  Self-care is not only about spa treatments! So join this conversation where Latorsha and Kiesha share their insights on what else it entails. 

Episode Resources:

• Iced Coffee and Self Care by Latorsha Peake
• Professional Troublemaker by Luvvie Ajayi Jones
• Untamed by Glennon Dyole
• The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health: Navigate an Unequal System, Learn Tools for Emotional Wellness, and Get the Help You Deserve
• The YOU Better! Bookshop

Contact Info

• Send booking inquiries for Kiesha to (info at kieshagarrison.co)
• Kiesha on IG: @kiesha_garrison

Directly support the podcast financially:

• Cash App
• Venmo
• PayPal.Me

To connect with host Kiesha B. Free, visit kiesha.org