40 Lessons

After 60 episodes over five years, the 40 Lessons podcast returns for one final conversation. In this special retrospective, host Todd B. Waldo takes the guest seat as longtime friend and the show’s final guest, Marc Cheatham — founder of The Black Baseball Mixtape and The Cheats Movement — steps in as interviewer. Together, they reflect on a decade of growth, the wisdom of past guests, and the ro...

For the season finale of the 40 Lessons Podcast, Marc Cheatham joins Todd B. Waldo to talk about the last ten years of The Cheats Movement and the impact it has had on Richmond.  They reminisce about Marc’s journey through 90’s hip hop and the impact 2020 has had so far on his family, career and service to his community. Marc Cheatham is a creator of The Cheats Movement. The Cheats Movement i...

Outside on a Saturday morning, Duron Chavis sits down at Canvas with Todd B. Waldo to discuss his “Resiliency Garden,” a project being constructed outside the VCU Institute of Contemporary Art in Richmond.  They discuss the importance of Black spaces, authenticity and collaboration.  Duron also shares stories from his life growing up in Richmond that still impact his family and his work...

Todd B. Waldo travels to Petersburg Virginia for a conversation with Yewande Austin.   They talk about the impact this year has had on their professional and personal lives. And Yewande shares insight from her work across continents to help us understand what is possible for our communities in America. From MTV to the historic Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Dr. Yewande Austin’s socially cha...

Todd B. Waldo invites back to the podcast his daughter Samaya for a special conversation.  They talk about this summer and their reactions to the pandemic.  They also discuss Camp Diva with Girls for a Change (GFAC)  and the impact it had this summer. Since 2013, GFAC has focused more deeply on the empowerment and uplifting of a population whose needs are most unmet—Black girls and...

Robert and Catina Jones join Todd B. Waldo to share the journey from their first date to leading multiple businesses together as husband and wife.  They talk about selflessness, commitment, communication and growth as well as the legacy they are building for their family and the community around them. Catina Jones is the founder and Principal Broker of ICON Realty Group. With 15 years of prov...

From his rehearsal studio,  Independent Reggae Artist Mighty Joshua joins Todd B. Waldo to begin a new season of the 40 Lessons podcast.  Mighty Joshua talks about growing up in Virginia and how it shaped his musical foundation.  They talk about life on stage and at home as well as the work in community.  And they talk about the pursuit of liberation in the midst of all that ha...

Robey Martin and Todd B. Waldo talk about their shared love for food and culture and what it means to come together to experience both in Richmond. They also share how their focus on mental health and self-care impacts how they live and work each day. Robey Martin lives an unctuous soup of a life. During a day, she balances human resources and contract staffing for Remx Specialty Staffing (need a...

#MentalHealthAwarenessMonth is here to remind us that our mental health deserves to be prioritized more now than ever. Whether it be supporting a friend or opening up to someone about your own experiences. In part two of his focus on mental health, host Todd B. Waldo talks with James Harris about his own journey with mental health and therapy. And why he created Men To Heal and the opportunities i...

#MentalHealthAwarenessMonth is here to remind us that our mental health deserves to be prioritized more now than ever. Whether it be supporting a friend or opening up to someone about your own experiences. In part one of his focus on mental health, host Todd B. Waldo talks about his experience with depression and anxiety and the importance of self care in his life today. He shares the impact of fo...

Todd B. Waldo is joined by long-time friend Radiah Rhodes as they look back on the journey through life after receiving their Engineering degrees from NC State. Radiah shares what she gained in her career moving from corporate leadership through entrepreneurship. They talk about what the process of introspection has done to transform her life, family and business. And the impact that process is ha...

From her home in Richmond, Enjoli Moon joins Todd B. Waldo for the 50th episode of the podcast. She shares how intuition and intentionality have impacted her family and career. And they talk about learning how to maintain balance with time and attention while pursuing passion. Enjoli Moon is the founder and creative director of the Afrikana Independent Film Festival, a festival dedicated to showca...

Mike Watts begins a new season of 40 Lessons from his home in Maine. He talks with Todd B. Waldo about family, marriage, business and self-care. They share what it takes to balance all of these and continue to listen, learn, grow and show grace. As an entrepreneur, speaker, and dad, Mike Watts has built a multimedia digital empire with his wife, Kate Northrup, that reaches hundreds of thousands gl...

From her office in Richmond Virginia, Anedra Wiseman Bourne talks with Todd B. Waldo about the impact of her family on her life and career. She talks about being wife, mom and friend while making time to listen, lead and serve communities. Anedra Wiseman Bourne is a wife and mother of two, but by day she’s the Deputy Executive Director at Venture Richmond, Downtown Richmond’s Marketing organizatio...

James Warren sits down with Todd B. Waldo for a candid conversation about family, fatherhood and how they experience forgiveness and freedom in relationships. They share lessons on community building and what it means to work in a diverse community pursuing common goals. James Warren is a storyteller and a strategist, passionate about the intersections of human and digital, and brands, culture and...

Todd B. Waldo joins City of Richmond Fire Lieutenant Keron Tull for a conversation about his journey from Guyana to Richmond and his career of service. They talk about family, fatherhood, and the drive to give back to the community. And what it means to learn and grow from our past and pursue a better future. Keron Tull has been an active member of the City of Richmond Department of Fire and Emerg...

From his studio in Richmond, Artist S. Ross Browne joins Todd B. Waldo to share the journey with family and loved ones that shapes his work. And the deep convictions and passion that motivate him through struggle. They talk about the impact of art on the community and how it can be used to help heal after difficult and tragic moments in our lives. S. Ross Browne studied Communication Art and Desig...

Dr. Hollee Freeman joins Todd B. Waldo on the podcast sharing how she leads the MathScience Innovation Center and cares for her family, while also creating space to live out her passion. They talk about the hard work of building community in Richmond and what is possible when you push through fear and step out of your comfort zone. Dr. Hollee Freeman is the Executive Director of the MathScience In...

Kelli Lemon joins Todd B. Waldo for a conversation about her family, career and her journey to discover how she could weave together all that she is to connect people, create experiences and help shape the world around her. Kelli is socially connecting people through food, sports, arts and education. This week she is celebrating the first year of her social cafe Urban Hang Suite in Richmond’s Hist...

Adrienne Cole Johnson joins Todd B. Waldo for a conversation about what she has learned creating intentional spaces and balancing her work at home and in the community. Adrienne Cole Johnson is a social justice professional focused on creative approaches to change and has done this by focusing on building robust engagement strategies for various communities for over 15 years. She is an innovator a...

Sandi Cauley joins Todd B. Waldo for a conversation about family, career and life in Richmond as she leads her business and serves the community. Sandi Cauley is the owner and founder of TURN Cardio Jam Studio, a fitness instructor and also a choreographer and instructor for Dance Trance Richmond; She discovered the program while working as a television news producer in Birmingham, Alabama in 1998...

Micah “Bam-Bamm” White joins Todd B. Waldo for a conversation about family, fatherhood, faith and how he is still figuring out how to use his passion and gifts to make a difference in his family and community. Micah White has spent over 20 years in the entertainment industry as a stand-up comedian, host, and philanthropist. He has performed in four countries, and in over 80 U.S. cities in 30 state...

40 Lessons started as a way to celebrate host Todd B. Waldo’s 40th birthday, highlighting a series of the lessons he had learned and their impact on his view of the world. Now, Todd continues to share his stories, insight and wisdom to encourage listeners to take care of themselves and each other. In this next season of the 40 Lessons podcast, every Tuesday Todd B. Waldo invites friends and collea...

40 Lessons - Episode 38 - Lessons from an engineer's journey from fear to freedom This episode Todd B. Waldo discusses his latest Medium article ( medium.com/@toddwaldo ) about his career transition and journey from fear to freedom. The event spotlight for this episode is the Hill Topper 5k Sunday March 24, 2019. This annual race organized by Church Hill Rotary Club benefits the Robinson Theater....

Todd B. Waldo returns to the podcast after taking a self-care break. He shares what he learning about life, family and relationships. And what it means to focus on the center. The event spotlight for this episode is the Robinson Theater’s Annual Fall Festival Sunday 10/28 3-6p. It is part of artoberVA which promotes events, pop-ups, exhibits, science, history, collaborations, and any arts or cultu...