The Art & Science of Storytelling

You know that feeling at the end of a Netflix episode where you MUST find out what happens next? It makes you skip the end credits to get straight to the next episode and if there isn’t one… 

….you immediately google release dates of the next season because you just. can’t. wait. 

Why does that happen? 

The answer might surprise you…

There’s actually a neurobiological reaction that takes place within us called the ‘cliffhanger effect.”

So what does this mean for our work?

There’s an art to telling a great story. And at the same time, there is a science to what happens within our nervous system when we experience a great story. 

So every great storyteller must master both the art and science of storytelling. 

Whether you’re planning a presentation at work, raising money for your nonprofit, creating a movement for an important cause, or trying to connect with your customers…

...it all comes down to good storytelling. 

In this week’s episode, I share with you 3 ways you can improve your storytelling skills. 

And how the 3 neurobiological reactions these storytelling tactics will create within your audience members. 

Tune in to learn the biggest secrets of good storytelling you don’t know yet...

Let’s do it. 

Listen to "The Art & Science of Storytelling" on Spreaker.

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Compassion, Curiosity & Deep Meaning With Fiona Harvey and Tasneem Noor

Where are you going deeper in your life?

What’s a journey you are willing to take through all of life’s ups and downs? 

This episode kicks off a new series that sets out to explore these very questions. 

Each month I’ll be sharing with you two people who will give us a peek into what depth looks in their lives. 

And most importantly...what fuels that drive for them.

This week I introduce you to Tasneem Noor and Fiona Harvey. 

Both Tasneem and Fiona are moved by their meaningful and personal missions they are sharing with the world, and now you.

In 6 words or less, Tasneem describes herself as: “Sincere. Curious. Compassionate. Spiritual. Adaptive. Authentic.”

In 6 words or less, Fiona describes herself as: “Compassionate. Empathetic. Driven. Joyful. Humorous. Intentional.”

On this week’s episode,  they each explore how compassion and curiosity are important values to take with you on any journey of depth. 

Are you ready for this deep dive?

Let’s do it. 

 Learn more about Tasneem here.

 Learn more about Fiona here.

Listen to "Compassion, Curiosity & Deep Meaning With Fiona Harvey and Tasneem Noor" on Spreaker.

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An Intention Greater Than Yourself With Sudduf Wyne

Living spiritually. Building community. Growing purposefully.

These are the 3 pillars that guide this week’s guests, Sudduf Wyne. 

Over the span of my podcast,  it’s been an honor to interview almost 300 remarkable entrepreneurs so far. 

 But this is one of the most courageous, real, honest, vulnerable, and inspiring conversations I’ve ever had. 

Why can I say that?

With each question I asked, Sudduf would take us to a deeper level with each of her answers. 

I almost don’t want to spoil the journey this episode is by revealing too much of what we talked about. I’m that excited for you to listen to it. 

So… If you're looking for a deeper meaning, 

If you believe we are here for a reason, 

If you have ever felt excluded, overlooked or not seen,

If self-doubt has ever held you back, 

Then this episode is for you. 

Let’s start this journey. 

Hit play. 

More About Sudduf: 

Sudduf runs the INTENTION membership. She stands confidently in her faith and leads intentionally and passionately. 

Sudduf weaves her spiritually fuelled business approach into the lives of entrepreneurs struggling to gain clarity and purpose in their business. 

Living spiritually. Building community. Growing purposefully. These are her pillars.

Sudduf’s magic has been affirmed and celebrated by many sources. The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, and the Canadian House of Commons to name but a few.

Her circle is grateful for her dedication, drive, passionate presence and unwavering commitment to up-level the Muslim business community.

WEBSITE | IG | FB

Listen to "An Intentional Greater Than Yourself With Sudduf Wyne" on Spreaker.

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Let’s Talk About Burnout

Let’s talk about burnout. 

We’ve all sung this song before. 

Whether it was out front leading the tune, 

Joining in the chorus,

Or subconsciously humming it to ourselves as we pick up the broom.

We can’t sweep away the exhaustion, 

The depletion of energy. 

The jagged, gnawing feeling, 

That we are nearing our candle’s end. 

For too long burnout has seemed that necessary friend

You must deal with if you want to achieve. 

If you want to be the best at ______. 

Fill in that blank with whatever extrinsic achievement we are 

Chasing, 

Hoping it will finally show everyone we are enough. 

But we can out hustle our worthiness. 

Or we’ll find ourselves buried in a hole of our own making. 

We need to redefine what it means to be winning. 

To recognize that perfectionism

And burnout often goes hand in hand. 

Where is the balance? 

Where is the rest? 

What are the flags, 

Warning signs, 

And hints 

That can suggest when we’ve gone too far. 

On this week’s episode, 

Let’s talk openly about burnout. 

Together, let’s explore ways

We can invite more balance into our lives. 

Not just when it gets so bad it can’t be ignored.

But as a practice. 

A commitment. 

A path.

That leads us back home to ourselves. 

Listen to "Let’s Talk About Burnout" on Spreaker.

If you'd like to learn more about T.H.E. Celebration Academy.  Here's 30 days of Free Membership.

Creativity is: Complicated, Poetic and History-Telling with Lloyd Wilkey and Liz Prisley

We are all creatives

Each day we are engaging in creative work. 

In our thinking, unique way of approaching our life, and in what we are building. 

But what does it mean to be a creative? 

This episode kicks off a series that will be exploring this very question. 

Each month I’ll share with you two people who dive into what creativity means to them. 

Our guests this week are Liz Prisley and  Lloyd Wilkey. 

Both are brilliant creatives and I am blessed to count them as good friends. 

In 6 words or less, Liz describes herself as: “Passionate. Intersectional. Feminist. Poet. Leader. Educational.”

In 6 words or less, Lloyd describes himself as: “It’s Complicated.”

On this week’s episode, Liz and Lloyd explore how creativity can be complicated, history-telling, and poetic. 

And of course so much more. 

Get ready to dive into your unique creativity. 

You can learn more about Liz here.

You can learn more about Lloyd here.

Listen to "We are all creatives: Liz Prisley and Lloyd Wilkey" on Spreaker.

If you'd like to learn more about T.H.E. Celebration Academy.  Here's 30 days of Free Membership.

How to Succeed With Ads Without Breaking The Bank

You need a huge budget to make an impact using ads.

This is one of the biggest misconceptions I come across. 

The truth is - with as little as $1 a day - you can get into the paid ads game. 

My mission is to get more people like you - impact-driven businesses - to start working on their FB & IG ads funnel. 

In this week’s episode, I pull back the curtain and share the ad strategy that we’ve been perfecting over these past 18 months. 

The title says it all:  

“How to Succeed With Ads Without Breaking The Bank”

By the end of this episode, you’ll have taken a giant leap forward towards creating an ad campaign that consistently generates high quality leads. 

Specifically, I show you how to tap into the power of relationships, and apply it to marketing. 

Storytelling + Dialed In Messaging = A Winning Ad Campaign. 

Let’s get started on creating yours! 

Listen to "How to Succeed With Ads Without Breaking The Bank" on Spreaker.

If you'd like to learn more about T.H.E. Celebration Academy.  Here's 30 days of Free Membership.

Living In Legacy & Breaking The Curse With Khalisa Rae

Have you ever had a conversation that changed your life? 

This week’s episode, ‘Living In Legacy & Breaking The Curse’, with Khalisa Rae, is all of that and more. 

Our guest, Khalisa Rae, is an award winning poet and journalist that speaks with furious rebellion. She is also the author of Ghost in a Black Girl's Throat (Red Hen Press 2021). 

This day, Khalisa gifted all of us with her honesty, poetry, insights, brilliance, and creativity. I am truly grateful for the courage and vulnerability she brought to our conversation. We explored:

-Healing from trauma

-How to create your own team of superheroes 

-The importance of honor your gifts

-The power of words 

-Protecting your light 

Khalisa shared some really powerful stories that left me feeling more grounded and connected to my inner power. 

Not to mention that she shared with us two poems that hit me right in my soul. 

I’m telling you - this episode will be a game-changer. For anyone who is serving a mission greater than themselves - this episode is for you. 

You can learn more about Khalisa through her website.

Or you can follow her on Twitter @k_lisarae

--

Here is Khalisa Rae’s Full Bio:

Khalisa Rae is a poet and journalist in Durham, NC that speaks with furious rebellion. She is the author of Ghost in a Black Girl's Throat (Red Hen Press 2021). 

Her essays are featured in Autostraddle, Catapult, LitHub, as well as articles in B*tch Media, NBC-BLK, and others.

Her poetry appears in Frontier Poetry, Florida Review, Rust & Moth, PANK,  Carousel, HOBART, among countless others. 

She is the winner of the Bright Wings Poetry contest, the Furious Flower Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Prize, and the White Stag Publishing Contest, among other prizes. 

Currently, she serves as Assistant Editor for Glass Poetry and co-founder of Think in Ink and the Women of Color Speak reading series. Her second collection Unlearning Eden is forthcoming from White Stag Publishing in 2022. Follow her at @k_lisarae on Twitter. Find more information here and here.

Listen to "Living In Legacy & Breaking The Curse With Khalisa Rae" on Spreaker.

If you'd like to learn more about T.H.E. Celebration Academy.  Here's 30 days of Free Membership.

Marketing: Ethics, Biggest Mistakes, and Lessons Learned

Can marketing be ethical? 

What are the biggest mistakes I can make in my marketing? 

These are just two of the big questions I cover in this week’s Q&A episode. 

Q&A really allows us to leave the world of generality and get specific. Chances are if it’s a question you have, others are asking it too. 

We go to some deep and uncharted waters on this one.

If you are a thought leader, are in the nonprofit world, are an entrepreneur, side hustler, a leader or you want to learn how to communicate your ideas more effectively - this one is for you. 

Each of the questions we cover will build a strong foundation for you to move the dial on your passion, your business, what matters most to you, and your thought leadership. 

Do yourself this favor. 

Hit play. :)

Listen to "Marketing: Ethics, Biggest Mistakes, and Lessons Learned" on Spreaker.

If you'd like to learn more about T.H.E. Celebration Academy.  Here's 30 days of Free Membership.

Getting Deep, Ugly & Honest With Your Spirituality + Money Blocks With VibeQueen and Suki Eleuterio

“Your business will be as successful as your mindset will allow you to.” 

This was one of the themes that this week's episode is centered around.

My guests - VibeQueen and Suki Eleuterio - believe business and spirituality go hand in hand. 

This episode is a timely reminder that you are perfect as you are.

Your business isn’t a vehicle by which we can prove our worthiness.

You’re already worthy - just as you are

Suki and VibeQueen explored how to process and move through our money stories, our self-image, and our limiting beliefs.

Suki Eleuterio is a spiritual and business coach focusing on helping people harness their creative energy to create the life and business their SOUL desires. She is also an award winning blogger, podcaster, wife, and mommy.

You can follow her on IG here

VibeQueen is an artist who has been in the music industry for 15+ years. Her mission is to entertain while uplifting her audience through guided meditation, self-awareness, and sharing her journey through her music, blog, and podcast Vibe Talk Awaken. 

You can follow her on IG here

 This conversation was so empowering. 

Do yourself this favor.

Hit play. 

Listen to "Getting Deep, Ugly & Honest With Your Spirituality + Money Blocks With VibeQueen and Suki Eleuterio" on Spreaker.

If you'd like to learn more about T.H.E. Celebration Academy.  Here's 30 days of Free Membership.

The Unexpected Gifts Of Failure

Failure.

A complete sentence. 

Is it a teacher 

Or a jailer? 

Is it a beginning 

Or does it end there? 

Where do you place your next step 

When the ground beneath you begins to erupt? 

Maybe if there was something to grasp, 

If it wasn’t so abrupt.

Perhaps if no one was watching, 

Not even me seeing me.

 Then this…

Failure

Would be easier to swallow. 

If self-criticism were a competition, 

I’d be a tough act to follow. 

Perfection.

Maybe it can serve as my protection. 

From any and all

Ridicule  

And rejection

And failure. 

There is fog on the glass of my reflection. 

I find the courage to wipe it, 

I shine back clearer. 

I need to reexamine my definition. 

A life without failure 

Actually sounds 

Kind of boring. 

Where would be the discovery? 

The intrigue? 

The lessons learned from walking through the fire 

And getting just a bit burnt. 

Realizing the nightmare scenes 

Are actually just branches of trees 

Scratching at my window.

Scary shadows revealed to be nothing. 

But it’s the confronting. 

The facing. 

The tasting the fear on your tongue 

And rather than deciding to run...

Moving forward. 

Moving toward that which I find to be frightening. 

Failure. 

It can be a beautiful teacher. 

Not gentle. 

But honest.  

Failure. 

Unexpected gifts found within if I’m willing to persist. 

To insist:

I know. I know. 

There is danger waiting. 

But I’d rather lose it all

Than die knowing 

I never even tried. 

I had all of these ideas

And just kept them shut inside. 

We get to decide when failure is an ending. 

A complete sentence. 

A teacher or 

A jailer. 

And when failure 

Is actually the greatest of all treasures. 

P.S. I hope you enjoy this week’s episode: ‘The Unexpected Gifts Of Failure.’

Listen to "The Unexpected Gifts Of Failure" on Spreaker.

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