Crossroads & Callings

Welcome back to Crossroads + Callings . If you have ever walked into a high-level corporate room and felt the invisible weight of people underestimating your technical brilliance, this episode will validate your experience and arm you for the battle. In Episode 13, host Chimere Brown sits down with Salesforce Senior Director Kathryn Charleston . Kathryn has spent over 20 years driving data and AI...

Welcome back to Crossroads + Callings . If you have ever felt forced to maintain a picture-perfect exterior while quietly falling apart on the inside, this episode will meet you right where you are. In Episode 12, host Chimere Brown sits down with Chicago’s iconic brow veteran and founder of Poise Beauty , LaGena “Lala” Cain . Lala spent a decade operating as the ultimate corporate achiever—hiding...

Welcome back to Crossroads + Callings . If you have ever felt restricted by traditional definitions of success or waited for permission to share your creative gifts with the world, this episode will ignite your spirit. In Episode 11, host Chimere Brown sits down with emerging multidisciplinary artist and curator Dej Hood . Dej represents a fresh voice on the show—a pandemic graduate who didn’t wai...

Welcome back to Crossroads + Callings . If you have ever let an excuse, an illness, or a number on your birth certificate convince you that it’s too late to change, this special live episode recorded at Thryve Fest will completely flip your perspective. In Episode 10, host Chimere Brown sits down with powerhouse coach, MBA graduate, and natural bodybuilder Terran Lamp . Terran doesn’t just talk ab...

Welcome back to Crossroads + Callings . If you have ever felt constrained by a traditional resume or wondered how to pivot into an entirely different industry, this episode will blow your mind. In Episode 9, host Chimere Brown sits down with tech executive and AutoRabbit Vice President Michael Hornsby . Michael’s career defies every corporate rulebook. He started his professional life as a fourth-...

Welcome back to Crossroads + Callings . If you have ever tied your entire self-worth to your title, your business, or your productivity, this episode will challenge and free you. In Episode 8, host Chimere Brown sits down with social entrepreneur and founder of The Gray Matter Experience , Britney Robbins . Britney has empowered over 2,500 youth with the training and capital to launch their own bu...

Welcome back to Crossroads + Callings . If you have ever felt like your career potential is constrained by a traditional corporate box, this masterclass will shatter your ceiling. In Episode 7, host Chimere Brown sits down with global operator, creative strategist, and founder of No Translation , Zander Van Gogh . Zander’s journey is a masterclass in intentional design. After spending 7 years clim...

Welcome back to Crossroads + Callings . If you have ever wondered what it looks like to walk away from a stable, decades-long corporate career to answer a deeper call in your community, this episode will anchor your soul. In Episode 6, host Chimere Brown sits down with hospitality veteran and co-founder of Chi Gives Back , Sandi Robinson . Sandi spent over 28 years shaping Chicago’s hospitality la...

Welcome back to Crossroads + Callings . If you have ever stayed in a toxic corporate environment a little too long because you were trying to outlast the politics, this episode will speak directly to your soul. In Episode 5, host Chimere Brown sits down with human resources expert, executive coach, and founder of Voice Nerve Motion , Victoria Montgomery . Victoria’s journey is a powerful reminder...

Welcome back to Crossroads + Callings . If you are a creative or a founder with a massive vision but find yourself drowning in the day-to-day operations, this episode is for you. In Episode 4, host Chimere Brown sits down with operations strategist and entrepreneur Lena Ryals . After spending 22 years mastering operations in corporate America, Lena took a faith-filled leap six years ago to step ou...

Welcome back to Crossroads + Callings . If there is one overarching theme to our second season, it is learning how to stop outrunning our own healing. In this episode, host Chimere Brown sits down with wellness practitioner and founder of The Walking Hour , Pamiya Opoku . Pamiya’s journey is a powerful testament to the fact that transformation doesn’t always require running on a treadmill until yo...

Welcome back to Season 2 of Crossroads + Callings . If our premiere episode taught us anything, it’s that grit gets you through the door, but surrender is what lets you heal. In Episode 2, host Chimere Brown visits the Live and Believe Wellness Center in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood to sit down with founder and wellness educator Morgan Nicole Martin . Morgan’s story is a profound reminder that y...

Welcome to Season 2 of Crossroads + Callings . We spent our off-season resting, reflecting, and rethinking what this platform means to you. We are moving away from surface-level success stories to bring you raw, uncompromised blueprints for navigating life’s most difficult shifts. For our season opener, host Chimere Brown traveled to Changing Faces Atelier on Chicago’s Gold Coast to sit down with...

What happens when a lifetime of corporate execution meets an unexpected, life-altering halt? In our Season 1 finale of Crossroads + Callings , host Chimere Brown is joined by Jennifer Alexander, a powerhouse IT program delivery lead currently steering initiatives in the energy sector. Jennifer is a master of managing complex, global corporate scopes —but in this episode, she steps into her most vu...

How do you leverage a background in analytical chemistry and corporate sales into a diversified portfolio of successful businesses? In this episode of Crossroads + Callings , host Chimere Brown welcomes Jeff Osuji, co-founder and CEO of Eventnoire and Entrepreneur in Residence at 1871. Jeff discusses his upbringing as the son of Nigerian immigrants, explaining how early discipline, a relentless wo...

"Trouble doesn't last always." — Ashonti Sharkey How do you find your voice when you feel silenced by your circumstances? This week, Chimere Brown welcomes Ashonti Sharkey , the visionary behind “Work of Arch” and the viral “Makeup Monday” movement. While Ashonti is a master of aesthetic strategy, her personal journey is a testament to the grit required to move from victimhood to victory. Why you...

"My body is only a reflection of how I feel on the inside... I want my light to shine every time I step on stage." — Alicia Williams What do you do when the "long-suffering" of life feels like too much to endure? Alecia Williams joins the podcast to share her raw journey from being "done with God" to finding Him again on the bodybuilding stage. This episode is a masterclass in resilience for anyon...

“I just believe that God designed me for this type of stuff.” In the 18th episode of Crossroads + Callings , host Chimere Brown sits down with the ultimate "Renaissance Woman," Tamika “Mimi” Smith. As an award-winning creative producer, professional singer, and the founder of EyeKan Studios, Tamika has mastered the art of blending soul with strategy. Tamika’s journey is a masterclass in divine ali...

What happens when you realize that in order to build something to last, you have to be willing to start over? In this episode of Crossroads + Callings , I’m joined by Troy Martin—a man who masterfully balances the worlds of high-stakes corporate implementation and cinematic art. By day, Troy manages complex financial data solutions; by night, he is a filmmaker and the 2022-2025 SAIC Tower Artist i...

How do you bridge the gap between Sunday worship and high-stakes commercial success? In this episode of Crossroads + Callings , host Chimere Brown sits down with the multi-talented Paul Hall—drummer, singer, producer, and the creative force behind the Verzatile Band. Paul has shared the stage with icons like Lupe Fiasco, Avery Sunshine, and Syleena Johnson, but his journey began in the church. We...

How do you stay true to your vision when the world is trying to label you? In this episode of Crossroads + Callings , I’m joined by Chicago’s own G. Green—a renaissance man, curator, and the visionary behind the SVNGRN art gallery and the global lifestyle brand Nobodies a Nobody. G. Green isn’t just an artist; he’s an ecosystem builder. From the streets of Chicago to the galleries of Miami and NYC...

What does it take to reshape an entire industry? In Episode 14, host Chimere Brown welcomes Troy Pryor—a multi-award-winning producer and founder of Creative Cypher. Troy takes us behind the scenes of his 20-year career, sharing how he successfully pivoted from athletics to entertainment and why he is committed to building bridges for Black and Brown creators. This conversation is a masterclass in...

In this episode of Crossroads + Callings, host Chimere Brown sits down with licensed architect and community advocate Deon Lucas to discuss the powerful transition from corporate prestige to community-driven purpose. Deon, the Director of Design for Beehyyve and co-founder of E.G. Woode, shares his journey from growing up on Chicago’s West Side to working for the legendary firm that designed the S...

What do you do when the rug is pulled from under you? In Episode 12, Chimere Brown welcomes serial entrepreneur and three-time founder AdeOla Fadumiye to explore what it truly means to be a “builder”. AdeOla shares her vulnerable transition from being an unemployed graduate in a recession to creating a life of agency. She reflects on the “season of silence,” the power of asking for a sign, and how...

“Pressure does not break you, it produces you.” This powerful belief is at the heart of Crystal Marshall’s mission. After nearly a decade serving as Chief of Staff and Executive Assistant to the President of Media Sales at BET, Crystal made the radical choice to choose her health and her vision over her corporate title. In this episode, Crystal joins host Chimere Brown to discuss her “robust” care...