Your Blank Canvas

To all the single moms who alone carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. To all the single moms whose only wish is to lay the world on our feet. To all the single moms who strive to give their children a better life, this one is for you. In this episode, I sat down with Taylor Grisson where she shared her story about being a single mom– the struggles, the highs, and lows. For those who don't know, Taylor is one of my good friends, who continues to inspire and motivate me to become a better individual each day. In my eyes, she is an extraordinary single mother of a beautiful little boy. If you're struggling to be a single mom, listen to this. This one is for you. 

More about Taylor Grisson: Recently receiving her Masters in Special Education, she pursues a career as an elementary school SPED teacher. She finds great joy in organizing, however, she’s at her happiest when she is surrounded by her loved ones.

Sometimes, you need to escape your comfort zone. You need to challenge yourself. You need to see what you’re capable of achieving when you let your bravery take control. You might need a change of pace. You might need a fresh start. You might need to start moving in another direction because if you stay right there forever you’re never going to grow, never going to evolve, never going to test your own potential. In this brutally honest conversation, I sat with the great and talented storyteller and photographer, Pat Nabong– a staff visual journalist at The Chicago Sun-Times and an assistant editor at Reading the Pictures, all the way from Pasig City, Philippines. This episode is dedicated to all the young Filipino kings and queens– know that you have the potential to be great, even if it's stepping outside of the Philippines. Sometimes, you need to put yourself in uncomfortable situations. You need to make the first move instead of sitting around and waiting for someone else to ask you out on a date. You need to apply for your dream position instead of settling for the one you have right now. You need to go out and see the world — or at least see your town. You need to really live your life instead of settling for an okay existence. Listen to this– let it motivate you to move so that you can soar higher for your dreams. 

More about Pat Nabong: 

Prior to joining the Sun-Times, she worked as an independent visual journalist in the Philippines, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., and has been published in ProPublica, Chicago Magazine, and Buzzfeed News, among others. She was the location photographer for a documentary that was nominated for an Emmy and an Amnesty International Student Journalism Award Finalist. She has won awards including a Chicago College Emmy and a Peter Lisagor Awar for Best photography. She has been supported by fellowships with the International Women's Media Foundation and the Pulitzer Center. She graduated with a master’s in journalism from Northwestern University and is a member of Authority Collective, Women Photograph, and Diversify Photo. Find her and ask questions on IG at Patnabong. 

There are no maybes in life. You need to get up every day and say, “I want a life of abundance!” Let your mind visualize what the finished product should look like. The process may take longer than you would like, but it can be done. In this conversation, Morgan Jones and I sat down and spoke about the importance of having a vision. We believe that you need to get up and show up in life, plant the seeds, and take the action necessary to achieve the result. Have the vision to see the desired life in front of you. If you're struggling with identifying what your vision is, this episode is for you. 

More about Morgan Jones: 

Morgan Jones was the #9 basketball player in the country coming out of her 2011 high school class, selected as a McDonald's All American, competed in the ACC with an NCAA Top 10 program, and finished her playing career professionally in Puerto Rico. Morgan Jones is now the Founder of Athletes to Visionaries & The Vision-Box. Her organizational efforts are focused on creating intentional products, programs & events to inspire young ladies to discover their path, voice & purpose in life. Guiding them to see the Vision so they can become the Vision. Her work has most recently been acknowledged by Essence Magazine, CBS & ABC.

The best way to love someone is to love them without a set of rules. Love them without following the rules you’re used to following. Love them the way you want to be loved. Love them without an agenda. Be who you are with them. In this conversation with Carolina Rodriguez, an aspiring writer who is also interested in styling, interior design, and psychology, she shares her story about how to love and how to deal with heartbreaks. Her open mind has led her to become a very introspective person, always willing to learn about herself and others. In addition, she enjoys reading and being surrounded by mountains and nature.

Blame is a very common device to escape responsibility and protect ourselves from pain by pointing the finger at other people. Once you fully understand this, you can decide to take action to fix what needs to be fixed or let go and move on, not from a place of anger, but from a place of humility. No matter what, you can always decide your attitude toward life. So in a way, you are always in control. Being stuck is never your fault, but getting unstuck is always your responsibility. Listen to this and really take some time to reflect. And when you do, let's chat. 

If you're like me, I love having conversations with my previous mentors, especially at a crazy time like this. It gives me so much hope for my future. In this brutally honest conversation, I sat down with my former boss lady at Tumblr, Tatiana Oliveira Simonian, where she shared her thoughts on what it's like being a woman of color in tech and entertainment. She also spoke about her passion for mentorship and how to be our authentic selves at work. You can find her on Instagram, Twitter, and Medium. 

Marisa Melton is a 26-year-old entrepreneur, CEO, and founder of Ris Events LLC and Ris Home Co. She is a single mother to a beautiful 9-year-old with special needs and a spoiled chihuahua. In this brutally honest conversation with Marisa, we spoke about how and why she started her business and the ups and downs of being her own boss-babe. If you're looking to start your own business, this conversation is for you. Tune in now and let's chat! 

More about Marisa: 

Marisa is a South Side Chicago native, she enjoys being crafty, decorating, and spending time with her loved ones. You can find her volunteering, giving back to her community, and helping her friends and family whenever she can. Her passion for all things decor is visible in the work that she does. You can visit her online at www.ris-events.com & www.rishomeco.com.

"Can I touch your hair?" "Why does your hair feel like that?" In this brutally honest conversation, I sat down with one of my good friends, Olivia Goethals, where she shares her story about her natural hair and being biracial in her workplace. Olivia Goethals is a marketer who enjoys creating unique content and partnerships professionally and personally. Her personality opens up many doors to new experiences as she is a risk-taker and isn't afraid to step out of her comfort zone. Fun fact: she is a cat mom and loves to stay active. 

It’s safe to say that most people had their world rocked by the passing of Kobe Bryant. Whether you knew him or not, you felt the impact of him being taken from this world. Unfortunately, this happens to countless people every single day, either from a heart attack, a car crash, or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And I hate to say this but it’s true, life is short. It really is. In this brutally honest episode, I share how Kobe Bryant saved my life and how we should start our own legacy because that's what he would've wanted. Listen to this, take notes, and reflect.

Questions to ask yourself:

What do you want your legacy to be? 

Who do you want to be remembered as?

Sometimes, it seems like no matter hard you work, nothing much is changing in your life, but in all honesty, that’s probably your ambitious and overly self-critical self in action. In this conversation with Kim Wilson, Senior Analyst (eCommerce) Customer Supply Chain at The Kraft Heinz Company, she shares her story about her experience when she received a rejection letter from her "dream" internship with the FBI. How did she move forward, you may ask? Tune in and find out!