Asked By Ayana

This week's episode features Courtney White ( @courthousecouture ) to discuss how she balances her job as an attorney with her fashion blog. Courtney walks us through how she got through law school with imposter syndrome, the struggles of practicing family law (CW: mentions of abuse), pivoting to corporate law, and launching her blog as a creative outlet. It's a great conversation, and I...

So excited to be joined by Julia Dzafic, the blogger behind @lemonstripes today! She's been blogging since 2010 and has a cookbook releasing next year. We discuss how she launched her blog and found success, dealing with unsolicited advice online, what cookbook writing is really  like, and advice she has for aspiring creators. Connect with Julia: instagram.com/lemonstripes lemonstripes.com

Danielle Bayard Jackson ( @daniellebayardjackson ) is on the show this week, and it's a delight! We discuss how she became a friendship coach, growing  a social media audience, setting boundaries on the Internet, her upcoming book, and much more. Connect with her below: http://betterfemalefriendships.com /

This week's episode features Lauren Maffeo, an author and service designer for a government contracting firm (we discuss what that means).  Lauren shares how she ended up in her career field and why she decided to write a book. She provides pointers for anyone who's trying to write a book while balancing other responsibilities — it's a must-listen for authors with full-time jobs. Co...

Shannon Leyko (@shannonleyko) is on the show today!  She's an author and ghostwriter, previously served as Miss New York, and has three young children. Shannon has a fascinating career journey, and we discuss how becoming a mother changed her view of work. We talk about how society often pits at-home and working parents against each other and how to break out of that mindset. Connect with her...

This week's episode is a treat! I'm joined by Megan Mensink, founder of Folklor ( @_folk_lor ), a Canadian pre-loved jewelry brand with a focus on sustainability. We discuss how Megan went from studying to be a doctor to her present-day role,  how her love of consignment shops inspired Folklor, launching a business, and finding daily stability as a busy business owner. online shop: folkl...

Katie Crenshaw ( @katiemcrenshaw ) is on the show today! She is a best-selling author, mental health advocate, and speaker. We talk about how she got her start blogging about motherhood, the chaotic experience that is going viral on the Internet, deciding how much to share online, and being the coolest mom ever because Taylor Swift recently liked her TikTok.  Connect with Katie: katiecrenshaw.com...

If you're an aspiring writer, this is the episode for you. Danielle Sinay is an associate beauty editor at Glamour, and we discuss how she landed the role. Also discussed: her experience writing for TV,  dealing with writer's block, why you don't need a journalism degree to be a writer, and whether her job is *really* as glamorous as it seems. Instagram: instagram.com/daniellesinay...

Tanorria Askew ( @tanorriastable ) is on the show today! She's a personal chef, food creative, public speaker, podcast host, and racial injustice change-maker based in Indianapolis. We discuss her experience on  MasterChef that led her to quit her day job, where her love of cooking came from, and how she sets boundaries while doing social justice work. Follow her below: Website Instagram Buy...

Asked by Ayana is back after a six month hiatus, and I'm kicking off the new episodes with a good one! Chelsey Cox and Rachel Rector are the brains behind Chinotto House ( @chinottohousedesign ), a Florida-based commercial and residential interior design firm specializing in relaxed, creative and contemporary design. We talk about their personal design philosophies and how they became busines...

I'm joined by Laney Schwartz ( @lifeisbutadish ) today! Laney has a fascinating story about how she became a successful food blogger. We talk about how she started blogging with her kids at home and turned it into a job, tips she has for people who want to learn to cook at home, and how to build an audience as a creator. Use code AYANA for $100 off her course: https://www.lifeisbutadish.com/a...

Aubrey Johansen ( @thatswhatsheeats ) is on the show today! She's a personal chef to professional athletes and incredible recipe developer who recently competed on Chopped. We talk about it all — how she became a food photographer, building a social media presence, how she comes up with new ideas, and why she thinks it's important to make accessible recipes. Connect with her below: insta...

This week, I'm joined by the fabulous Gulin Cetin ( @coffeecupsandroses ). She's one of the most creative people I follow online, and I loved getting to hear her story. We talk about how she became a full-time content creator while a Comparative Literature PhD candidate, where she finds inspiration and how she plans out shoots, and her thoughts on curated sharing vs. in-the-moment posts....

Welcome back to the show! After a quick summer break, we’re back and better than ever with an incredible guest. Charlene Carruthers ( @charlenecarruthers ) is a feminist activist, author, and filmmaker. We talk about her award-winning film The Funnel, her background as an activist, and why she became a filmmaker. You can connect with her below: thefunnelfilm.com instagram.com/thefunnelfilm twitter...

After a brief hiatus, the podcast is back — and I'm joined by Camile Lofters ( @inliteralcolor ) to discuss leaving the classroom after 15 years. Camile is a brilliant educator who is passionate about teaching high school English and journalism, and she graciously shared her experience with me. We discuss how the pandemic changed schooling, what it's like for Florida teachers now that th...

One of my favorite parts of the show is learning about jobs I didn't know existed, and that's what this week's episode is all about! I'm chatting with Erin Andersen ( @yourbrandnetworker ) about her job as a career transition coach and LinkedIn marketing strategist. Erin became a career coach after leaving a toxic work environment herself, and now she helps people change career...

This week, I virtually hopped across the pond to chat with the one and only Chloé Watts. She's the founder and CEO of chloédigital, the premier business development and digital strategy membership for creators. It's been a huge help to my business, so I was thrilled to chat with her. We cover how she started her career as a self-taught designer, what keeps her motivated, what it's b...

Josie Bullard ( @josie.bullard ) is on the show today! She's one of the first influencers I ever followed, and she has so many insights to share. We talk about her dropping out of college to become a full-time content creator and how that paid off, along with how she's been able to find success on multiple social platforms. Josie also shares her daily routine and advice for aspiring crea...

Tabitha Sewer (@tabithasewer) is on the show today (and yes, that's her real last name). She's a fashion and sewing content creator who specializes in creating colorful, vibrant clothing. We discuss her career journey — going back to school after leaving the military, how she fell in love with fashion, learning to sew, and getting past creative blocks. She also provides quick pointers fo...

I'm joined by the one-and-only Jess Kirby today, who's one of my absolute favorite bloggers to follow. We discuss how she got her start in the industry, her decision to walk away from Instagram in a few months, the boundaries she's drawn about sharing her daughter online, and staying politically minded as an influencer without feeling overwhelmed by the news. You can read her blog b...

I'm chatting with Marnely Murray ( @marnely_murray ), a professionally trained pastry chef, food writer, and the co-founder of a digital marketing agency! We discuss how she moved to New York from the Dominican Republic to attend The Culinary Institute of America, how she started food blogging, and where she found her love of baking and cooking. Connect with Marnely below: cookingwithbooks.ne...

Today is the first ever episode with multiple guests, and it's a treat. I'm chatting with Winter Dunn and Mikayla Bartholomew about Dear Mama, a short film that centers Black family, loss and hip-hop. Winter directed the short, and Mikayla stars in it. We discuss how they ended up in the entertainment industry, how Dear Mama materialized, the importance of telling Black stories, and the...

I'm joined today by Courtney Caldwell, the co-founder and CMO of ShearShare.  ShearShare — affectionately known as "HairBNB" — is an app that lets beauty professionals rent out their salon spaces, and it's available in more than 900 cities. Courtney has an incredible story about how she and her husband came up with the app (while eating at Chipotle!), how ShearShare survived th...

Thrilled to introduce y'all to Lizzetth Bellot, the director of people operations at Light. Lizzetth has worked at companies like Curai, Dropbox, FireEye, and Facebook. She went back to school as a single mom to get her bachelor's and master's degrees and has worked in Silicon Valley since. We talk about the importance of networking, the example she's set for her daughter, and...

I'm joined by the fabulous Natalie McMillan ( @nataliemcm ) this week! She's the founder and sole creative behind her self-titled lifestyle brand and focuses on unique and slightly off-beat pieces. We discuss how she got started with jewelry making, what it's like to make the leap to full-time entrepreneurship, why she doesn't feel the need to have a niche, and why she's o...