UNSUGARCOATED with Aalia

In episode 57 of UNSUGARCOATED with Aalia, your favorite host caps off a season of looking for silver linings with Lindsey Brooks, who knows how to find them better than most. Co-founder of Instapreneur, Brooks is the marketing mind behind TV’s most recognizable products, like the Slap Chop and ShamWow, selling billions’ worth over her career. But Brooks’ greatest successes appeared hand-in-hand w...

In this episode, Aalia sits down in-studio with Jonathan George to discuss personal branding. Jonathan George is no simple cut-throat ad man, however. His company, Unleash Your Rockstar, focuses on personal branding through personal empowerment and telling your authentic story. Jonathan discusses when he first came to L.A., trying to build a career in music, only to have producers drop him because...

In Ep 55 of UNSUGARCOATED with Aalia, your favorite host sits down with Starlight Runner CEO, Jeff Gomez, a film and TV producer who overcame disability and a hard scrap childhood (12:35) to work on some of the biggest franchises from Disney, 20th Century Fox, Sony, Mattel, and Nickelodeon. They share a tragically honest conversation about bullying, abuse, and the power of storytelling to provide...

In episode 54, Aalia’s husband, entertainment attorney and major motion picture producer, Joseph Lanius, joins her for a conversation with Ali Sabet – an internationally-acclaimed artist and the creator of the famous art brand, Pixopop. Aalia, Lanius and Sabet discuss non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and how they are empowering artists. This ever-growing form of blockchain technology creates a digital c...

In episode 53, Aalia Lanius and guest co-host, Sarah Jayne Johnson, share a deep, emotional, and relevant conversation with trauma recovery coach and narcissistic personality disorder specialist, Erica Lauren— a survivor helping other victims of emotional abuse. Lauren has faced a long journey of trials and tribulations within the entertainment industry and her own life that brought her to a caree...

In Episode 52, Aalia leans on the amazing teaching of neuroscientist and YouTuber, Dr. Grace Lee, Ph. D, to discuss powerful secrets to articulate yourself, how it empowers the people passionate about creating social impact through their story and creates effective communication skills to advance a cause. Hear the traumatic, yet inspirational story of being orphaned by age 11(4:07) and how it led...

In Episode 51 Aalia digs into the gaming world with this episode with special guests Dena Mekawi and Greg Zinone. Dena, besides founding the consulting company Style and Residency and serving as an advisor for the UN, co-founded the gaming studio ThunderPixel. Greg is a philanthropist who got his start by connecting active military to their favorite pro athletes to play esports. Now, he runs ROI C...

In episode 50, Aalia shares an intimate and enlightening conversation with bestselling author, public speaker, host of the Release the GENIE podcast, and an expert guide in personal transformation, Paul Rogers— a true survivor in more ways than one. Rogers has faced down skin cancer and a devastating train accident resulting in a traumatic brain injury (TBI), but he has lived to tell the tale (5:5...

In episode 49, Aalia sits down with chart-topping musician, producer, song writer Alexander King, and his tour manager and fellow creative, BMill. The duo sit down to discuss how they’ve been finding silver linings through the pandemic as artists and most recently on the hot new social app, Clubhouse (13:20). They share the experience of helping other artists hone their skills, grow their opportun...

In episode 48, Aalia sits down with Laura Kimpton, artist, activist, mother, lover of mind-body expansion, and dyslexic. Kimpton talks about her beliefs of the idea that anyone can be an artist, it is just a mindset, rather than a particular skill set (8:27). despite having dyslexia, she has learned to use it as a superpower (10:34), inspiring some of her artwork. Kimpton discusses her iconic huge...

E47 Sean Swarner is a two-time cancer survivor, a philanthropist, and the founder of The Summit Challenge, a new initiative to help struggling people overcome their challenges. Sean joins Aalia to talk about his cancer diagnoses (7:58), climbing Mount Everest with one lung (10:55), and the Amazon Prime documentary based on him, True North:The Sean Swarner Story. Sean talks about falling to his kne...

E46 Taff Zangana, GNC Manager and owner, speaks to Aalia about being a single woman in business. Taff recalls working early in life and her place of authority as the boss’s daughter (10:15). As an adult, she quit corporate culture when she discovered an astonishing wage gap between herself and her male co-workers (13:00). She now works for herself, opening her own store, where she sells vitamins,...

In Episode 45, host Aalia Lanius invites “Aware Now” Editor, Allié McGuire, to share her journey of creating social impact through publishing and how her own personal diagnosis of multiple sclerosis created an even bigger drive to show the world how important certain causes are! From a young age, we are taught to not judge a book by its cover, and this discussion takes on what a lot of people livi...

In Episode 44, host Aalia Lanius and Kent Speakman discuss the constant change and growth of the media and television industry, and the critical role of socially conscious media in this pandemic. In a world where everyone is stuck at home consuming media all day, creating content for social good has never been more important, and no one knows that better than innovative producer and philanthropist...

When Sharet Garcia crossed the border to the United States, all she knew was that she’d follow her mother anywhere. Now, after years of both women fighting for Garcia to get the education that her mother lacked, Garcia joins Aalia for an intelligent discussion of the DACA program and the immigrant experience. Garcia is the founder of UndocuProfessionals, a mentorship and career opportunity program...

In Episode 42, Aalia discusses the importance of education with Amen Rahh, also known as Principal Rahh, a current leader revolutionizing the culture of American education. Principal Rahh begins by explaining how he has built and founded “The U,” a distinguished urban public school in South Central Los Angeles (7:50) and the difference between a teacher and an educator (14:40). The conversation tu...

In Episode 41, Aalia speaks with Josh Fogel, a professional photographer on the subject of the ways that photography both capture and propel social causes. Ironically, on the day of taping, the events of January 6th 2021 were unfolding at Capitol Hill and this interview captures their authentic reactions. Fogel, shares his experience in portraiture, travel, social commentary, and using the arts to...

Comic books may simply seem like adventurous stories for young boys, but Michael Uslan joins Aalia to shed light on the mythological history behind these stories and the impact they have on society. Uslan is the executive producer and originator of the multi-billion dollar Batman film franchise, which has undeniably influenced modern culture (5:20). Aalia and Uslan discuss the concept of good vers...

In episode 39 Michael Anthony, author of the best-selling book Think Unbroken, is a coach, mentor, and educator for adult survivors of child abuse who spends his time helping take back their lives. As a survivor himself, Anthony discusses the circumstances of his childhood (5:30) and the inspiration of his mentoring program, Think Unbroken Academy (7:56). He explains the importance of having a gro...

In episode 38, Aalia is joined by Joud AlAmri, a Saudi Arabian film director, screenwriter, and producer with a background in photography and design. AlAmri begins the conversation by explaining her motivation for entering the world of filmmaking (5:17), the barriers she broke down to make it happen (7:30), and how she fine-tuned her focus (10:49). She addresses the importance of her short film, B...

In episode 37, Tim Ryan, addiction specialist, recovering addict, and author of From Dope to Hope, and his wife, Jennifer Gimenez model, actress, and recovery advocate discuss the reality of addiction in their lives and what they are doing to help others with recovery. After the couple catches up with their good friend Aalia (4:00) Tim discusses how his heroin addiction uprooted his life (11:35) t...

In episode 36, Aalia meets with Jill Gurr to discuss her nonprofit organization, Create Now. As the podcast begins, Gurr explains how she transitioned from an impressive career in script supervising to working on the frontlines with vulnerable children (4:40). Bringing the conversation to current time, Gurr explains the considerable impact that COVID has had on these children (10:50). In the face...

In episode 35, Aalia sits down with rapper, songwriter, and recording artist, That Yung Lad; also known as TYL (‘till’). TYL explains who he is and what he represents in his art (4:45). His focus is on empowering oneself and providing quality and equity in his music. The conversation turns to what it's like being a white rapper (7:55) the role of white privilege in America, and the necessity to ad...

In Episode 34, Aalia welcomes co-founders of the new virtual beauty platform BEAUTYKWEEN; Richie Rich, a renowned American fashion designer, legendary Club Kid, and pop culture star and Mister D, celebrity collaborator and beauty brand guru. The conversation starts with the two discuss BEAUTYKWEEN, a glamorous platform for everyone who loves makeup, music, and pop culture (5:15). Richie Rich talks...

Season 5 premieres with Episode 33!! Aalia is joined by Patrick Erlandson––Founder of Father-Con and See It End It Human Trafficking. Patrick shares the tragic story that inspired him to fight against human trafficking (5:05). He focuses on prevention (7:00), specifically how supportive male figures can lessen the amount of vulnerable kids (9:03). Aalia and Patrick dive into this topic, agreeing o...