We're back, baby. Give yourself your flowers.

Season 3 is HERE and we are back on the couch where we belong.

I'll be honest with you — I filmed this episode way more times than I'd like to admit. Between planning and executing The Intersection (a 100-person culture event that I threw entirely by myself), doing 75 Hard, co-hosting Shake the Room, and moderating at the Power Networking Conference in Atlanta where I shared a stage with Les Brown — I was not mentally available to show up for this podcast the way it deserved. But we're here now.

In this episode, we're catching up on everything that went down between Season 2 and Season 3: what it really took to pull off a first event solo and actually land sponsors, why I'm moving to Atlanta in September, how I'm redefining my relationship with time and the baby conversation, what it feels like to be almost 35 and still feel like you're racing the clock, and why this season I'm done being polished.

And more than anything — we're talking about giving yourself your flowers. Before someone else does. Before you're ready. Right now.

If you've been rocking with HWSL since Episode 0, this one is for you. And if you're new here — welcome. Get comfortable.

New episodes every two weeks. Subscribe so you don't miss what's coming.

🎙️ Hard Wig, Soft Life is available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

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This is it - the Season 2 finale of Hard Wig, Soft Life.

11 months ago, I started this podcast not knowing if I had anything valuable to say. I just knew I wanted to share my story - from being a felon who faced jail, eviction, and homelessness to building a life I'm proud of.

Season 2 became so much more than that. I trademarked the name (by myself, no lawyer). I got invited to speak at events. I moderated a panel at Nike Wellness Collective. I'm heading to Atlanta for a speaking engagement. This little idea kept growing.

But the real growth happened behind the scenes. Watching myself back on camera forced me to confront things about myself I didn't even realize - how I respond to trauma, how I've spent my life trying to be palatable, how I hide behind my guests instead of showing up fully as myself.

Therapy every two weeks alongside releasing episodes every two weeks? That combination exposed everything. I'm unlearning the need to assimilate. I'm learning to show up unapologetically. I'm embracing my accent, my directness, my authenticity - not as a buzzword, but as who I actually am.

This season taught me:

• Empty the clip on your ideas, even when it feels cringey
• Growth isn't linear and that's okay
• You don't have to be perfect to start
• Finishing something you're proud of is its own reward

Some personal news: My husband Ryan and I are actively trying for a baby. For the first time in my life, I feel ready to be a mom without resentment or feeling like I'm giving up on myself. I've accomplished things I'm proud of, and I'm ready for the next chapter.

Thank you to everyone who made Season 2 possible - Justin Story for Creators Escape, Sabrina and Imani from Blackstock Footage for producing, and every single guest who trusted me with their story: Tracey Baker-Simmons, Esso, Pastor Tekoa Pouerie, Jada Urban, Monique, and more.

Most importantly, thank you to my community. Without you listening, there's nothing for me to create.

Season 3? We'll see what happens. But I promise more episodes of just me talking. No more hiding behind interviews.

It's been real. See you soon.

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Sometimes the best conversations start with discovering you have the same favorite rapper! When I reconnected with Jada Urban in NYC after three years, we ended up bonding over everything from Jay-Z to growing up Afro-Latina in spaces where we were often the only ones who looked like us.
Jada's been behind the scenes on some of your favorite productions - from "Owning Manhattan" (where she watched people casually drop $7.7 million on apartments) to the Tony Awards. But what I love about her is that she shows up authentically in every space, no code-switching required.
In this candid girl talk, we dive into:

- What it's really like being the production assistant who speaks up about diversity on set
- The reality of working 12-hour days while being a mom to a three-year-old
- Our shared experiences growing up Afro-Latina and the identity confusion (like teachers asking me "how are you black AND Hispanic?")
- Why she prefers controlling the vision from behind the camera
- Her dream to work with Henry Louis Gates Jr. on PBS projects
- The art of advocating for yourself without burning bridges
- Music memories that shaped us (shoutout to Watch the Throne tour!)
- Secret talents that involve toes (yes, we went there)

This episode is for anyone who's ever felt like the only one in the room, anyone trying to balance career ambitions with motherhood, or anyone who refuses to dim their light to make others comfortable. Plus, we settle the age-old debate about whether KIX cereal still exists.

Two women just catching up and keeping it 100 about representation, motherhood, and making it in entertainment.
#HardWigSoftLife #ProductionLife #DiversityInMedia #WorkingMoms #AfroLatina #EntertainmentIndustry #BehindTheScenes #Authenticity #NoCodeSwitching #RepresentationMatters #SingleMom #ProductionAssistant #RealTalk #JayZ

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This episode is so special! 🎬✨ For the first time, I'm bringing someone from behind the camera to the front - meet Zebrina Lee, co-founder of Blackstock Footage and the creative genius who's been helping bring Hard Wig, Soft Life to life visually.

What started as a professional relationship has blossomed into a beautiful friendship, and today Zebrina shares her powerful journey of finding her voice through art, healing, and entrepreneurship.

In this episode, we dive deep into:

• Her evolution from journalism dreams to becoming a cinematographer and visual storyteller
• How endometriosis and trauma led to a profound healing journey through holistic health
• Building Blackstock Footage with her husband to preserve and celebrate Black culture
• Using art as medicine - from photography to painting to herbalism
• The importance of authentic representation in media and stock footage
• Creating with intention: "I'm creating with a clear mind and an open heart"
• Supporting women entrepreneurs in telling their visual stories

Zebrina's story is one of resilience, creativity, and the power of using your voice to heal not just yourself, but your community. From sexual assault survival to endometriosis battles to building a groundbreaking stock footage company, her journey proves that our greatest challenges can become our most powerful purpose.

Connect with Zebrina: 📱 Instagram: @ArtByZebrina
🌐 Blackstock Footage: blackstockfootage.io 🎬 Visual storytelling for women entrepreneurs and healers

This conversation will inspire you to see art as more than creativity - it's healing, it's purpose, and it's a pathway to finding your authentic voice.

#HardWigSoftLife #ZebrinaLee #BlackstockFootage #ArtHealing #VisualStorytelling #Endometriosis #HolisticHealing #BlackRepresentation #WomenEntrepreneurs #CreativeJourney #FindingYourVoice #ArtAsMedicine

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Meet ESSO - entrepreneur, podcast host of Bag Fuel, and the man who's literally making business sexy for the culture. From surviving an attempt on his life at 22 to building a six-figure empire while navigating personal struggles, ESSO proves that authenticity isn't just a buzzword - it's a business strategy.
In this episode, we dive deep into:

- Why "marketing yourself like a rapper" changed his entire approach to business
- How putting your heart first in everything creates genuine connections and opportunities
- Building from rock bottom: losing everything in 2010 to hitting 100K YouTube subscribers
- The power of authentic networking without asking for anything in return
- Why he only talks to 3 people a day and how that protects his energy
- Creating the Business Brunch movement and teaching financial literacy to youth
- Having his biggest year financially while going through his hardest time personally
- Why vacation and travel opened his mind more than any college degree
Building multiple revenue streams and knowing your worth ($3,500 speaking fees!)

Connect with ESSO:
📱 Instagram: @EssoWrld
🎙️ YouTube: Bag Fuel
🎓 ESSO University: SKOOL app ($47/month)
📅 Upcoming: Business Brunch Texas (Sept 13)
ESSO keeps it 100 about everything - from his champagne habit to intermittent fasting, from authentic networking to turning personal pain into business profit. This is what happens when authenticity meets entrepreneurship.


#HardWigSoftLife #esso #MakingBusinessSexy #AuthenticEntrepreneurship #BagFuel #BusinessBrunch #BlackEntrepreneurs #EntrepreneurMindset #AuthenticNetworking #FinancialLiteracy #YouTubeSuccess #BusinessEducation #GenerationalWealth #ESSOwrld
Keywords: ESSO, making business sexy, authentic entrepreneurship, bag fuel podcast, business brunch, financial literacy, authentic networking, entrepreneur mindset, black entrepreneurs, YouTube success, business education, generational wealth

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Y'all, this episode is EVERYTHING! 🎬✨ Meet Tracey Baker Simmons - the Emmy-nominated executive producer and reality TV pioneer who literally created "Being Bobby Brown" and changed television forever.

Twenty years ago, Tracey revolutionized how we watch television with "Being Bobby Brown," and she's STILL making moves! Just this past June, she dropped Nelly and Ashanti's highly anticipated reality show, proving she's the queen of authentic celebrity storytelling across generations.

From finessing her way into Houston's restaurant with a strategic resume to convincing Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston to do reality TV (when reality TV barely existed!), Tracey's got the ultimate playbook for divine positioning and she's sharing ALL the game.

In this episode, we dive deep into:

• The Houston's restaurant resume strategy that launched her entertainment career
• How she created "Being Bobby Brown" through pure divine positioning and six degrees of separation
• Why "every image makes an impression" and the responsibility of Black creators in media
• Her code-switching mastery and connecting authentically across all walks of life
• The "do you want my face or my voice?" approach to navigating white spaces
• Turning grief into purpose through documentaries and passion projects
• Why "your life can be someone's survival guide" for others
• How she's evolved reality TV storytelling from Bobby & Whitney to Nelly & Ashanti

Tracey keeps it 1000 about finessing the industry, staying woke unapologetically, and building authentic connections that open impossible doors. Twenty years later, she's still setting the standard for how celebrity reality TV should be done.

Connect with Tracey: 📱 Instagram: @TBakerSimmons
🌐 Website: TraceyBakerSimmons.com 🎙️ Upcoming Podcast: "TV Decoded"

This is Hard Wig, Soft Life at its finest - strategic positioning meets divine favor. Grab your notebook because Professor Tracey is in session!

#HardWigSoftLife #DivinePositioning #RealityTV #MediaRepresentation #BeingBobbyBrown #BlackWomenInHollywood #TelevisionProducer #EntertainmentIndustry #TraceyBakerSimmons #RealityTVPioneer #AuthenticStorytelling #BehindTheScenes #TVProducer #DivinePositioningPlaybook #NellyAndAshanti #MelissaLaboriel

Keywords: divine positioning, reality TV producer, Being Bobby Brown, Emmy nominated producer, Black women in entertainment, television industry, media representation, entertainment executive, reality TV pioneer, Tracey Baker Simmons, Nelly and Ashanti

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Y'all know Deshae Frost, Brooklyn Frost, and Amari Frost - but do you know the powerhouse woman who helped build their empire? 💪🏾
Meet Monique S. Carrillo - the ultimate momager who went from working with Nicki Minaj and Gucci Mane to managing four of the internet's biggest personalities. From getting an eviction notice to packing up and driving 18 hours to LA on pure faith, Monique's story is about pivots, resilience, and building something from nothing.
In this episode, we talk about:

How an eviction became the catalyst for their move to LA
Managing four kids' careers while they navigate fame
The balance between being mom vs. manager
Quitting her day job after her son's first $50k YouTube check
Why she lets "the world humble" her kids instead of correcting them publicly
Starting therapy for the first time and breaking generational patterns

Connect with Monique:
📱 All platforms: @MoniqueSCarrillo
🎬 YouTube: Monique S Carrillo
🍳 Cooking show: "We Got Food at Home"
This conversation gets real about the sacrifices, the wins, and what it takes to raise kids in the spotlight while finding yourself in the process.
#HardWigSoftLife #MoniqueCarrillo #DeshaeFrost #BrooklynFrost #AmariFrost #MomagerLife #ContentCreator #FromScratchToSuccess

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Y'all, this episode is about to SHIFT your whole perspective on what's possible for your life. 🐠✨
Meet Tekoa Pouerie - CEO, pastor, author, and the woman who made me ugly cry at Creator's Escape with her raw truth about turning trauma into triumph. From losing both parents by 16 and surviving poverty to becoming a powerhouse nonprofit CEO and co-pastoring with her husband, Tekoa's story will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about your own limitations.
In this episode, we dive deep into:

The goldfish tank principle that will blow your mind (seriously, you'll never look at your environment the same way)
How speaking life over your circumstances literally rewires your soul
Why "God is my homie" approach to faith hits different
Trauma-informed care and why empathy changes everything
Breaking generational cycles and speaking your future into existence
The real tea on affordable housing, criminal justice reform, and giving people their flowers while they can smell them
Building a ministry rooted in business integrity and community service.

Tekoa keeps it 100 about depression, survival mode, and finding purpose in your pain. If you've ever asked "when will I be happy again?" - this conversation is your sign that breakthrough is coming.
Connect with Tekoa:
📖 Book: "I Am Courageous: Discovering the Power of Affirmations" (Amazon)
📍 The Sharing Center - Seminole County's largest homeless services nonprofit
⛪ Co-Pastor with her husband (business Bible study turned ministry)
📱 Instagram/LinkedIn/Facebook: Tekoa Pouerie
This is Hard Wig, Soft Life at its finest - doing the internal work to create the external freedom. Grab your tissues and your journal because Pastor Tekoa is about to pour into your spirit.
#HardWigSoftLife #TraumaInformed #PurposeInPain #NonprofitLeadership #AffordableHousing #CriminalJusticeReform #GenerationalWealth #BlackWomenInLeadership #FaithJourney #Affirmations #SpeakingLife #GoldfishTankPrinciple #CreateorsEscape #TekoPouerie #PastorLife #MinistryWork

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