Chatting with The Experts with Paula Okonneh

Gbotemi Babatunde, a clinical psychologist, discusses intergenerational trauma and how unresolved trauma affects child-parent relationships. Babatunde explains trauma as complex and subjective, noting that unprocessed experiences can shape perceptions, trigger protective responses, and be unintentionally transferred to children through modeling, emotional distance, overcontrol, and difficulties wi...

Oluwatoyin Puddicombe, Nigerian HR professional and career fitness coach, discusses what happens when who you are doesn't align with what you do. Puddicombe shares how societal expectations led her into medical school, where she struggled, failed key exams, and faced identity and family pressure before switching to Communication and Language Arts, excelling and graduating near the top of her class...

Avenice Thompson, profit-acceleration strategist, focuses on doubling profit without spending on marketing. Avenice shares common business-owner mistakes she observed in her corporate career, including underpricing, poor invoicing, and weak cashflow management, illustrated by a vendor unaware he'd been paid $1.2 million. She explains her proprietary profit acceleration tool that benchmarks a compa...

Dr. Susan Isiko Strba is the Counsel and Senior Fellow at the Geneva Center of Knowledge Governance and co-founder/Senior Research and Policy Advisor at the International Lawyers and Economists for Development (ilaed.org). She discusses women in technology in Africa. Dr. Strba says Africa's tech landscape is often described as "bleak" in global comparisons, yet technology exists across a spectrum...

Rebecca H. Mott, a founder of ReThought LLC & an author of Amazon #1 new release The Meeting Room, and "The Meeting Architect", discusses how the energy you bring into a room sets the tone for conversations, decisions, and outcomes. Rebecca shares a lesson from early customer service work that smiling affects tone even on the phone, and explains how stress and "nervous energy" influence how others...

Dr Cheryl Okoli, an advanced practice nurse and healthcare leader, discusses uterine fibroids, which she calls "unwelcome uterine guests." Dr Okoli explains that fibroids are non-cancerous uterine tumors ranging from microscopic to watermelon-sized, likely linked to estrogen dominance, and affecting any woman of childbearing age, with higher prevalence and more severe symptoms in Black women (60%...

Jenifer Hester, a makeup artist and licensed esthetician, discusses makeup for mature skin, emphasizing that skin prep and hydration are key. Jenifer explains hydrating from the inside out by drinking water and "eating your water" (leafy greens, cucumbers, melons, fruits), adding omega fatty acids (fish, walnuts, avocado), and choosing foods that support collagen and overall health. For makeup, sh...

Demetria Cox-Thomas, a plant-based registered dietitian nutritionist and CEO of Dee Veggie Nutrition, discusses practical, accessible healthy eating. Demetria explains her work in hybrid group nutrition counseling, plant-based presentations, and cultural cooking classes (Ethiopian, Jamaican Ital, and Indian) that emphasize spices, flexibility, and making food enjoyable rather than stressful. She a...

Jenifer Hester is a licensed esthetician with over six years of experience and certifications in chemical peels, oncology skincare, acne care, and holistic nutrition health. Jenifer explains that estheticians are state-licensed skincare professionals with over 600 hours of training who provide non-medical, non-invasive treatments, skin analysis, and product guidance, and refer clients to dermatolo...

Esther Wokoma, founder of EvolveLumina, a confidence amplifier coach and strategic engineering and operations leader with 18+ years in the energy sector,  argues many people don't lack clarity but lack alignment and self-trust, and explains how identity shapes decisions because people act in alignment with who they believe they are. She shares how she helps teens and women overcome fear, external...

Dr. Lisa Santiago McNeil—publisher, strategist, coach, transformational leader, and founder of Empowerment Publishing and Multimedia— has helped guide over 200 books into the world, many becoming bestsellers and platforms for impact, income, and influence. Lisa shares her desire to reintroduce herself and refocus on women "after a certain age," discussing how women can shrink into the background a...

Sheila Carmichael, a strategic advisor and Master Certified Coach, known as the "Blind Spot Strategist," discusses how leadership blind spots affect leadership presence. Carmichael describes common derailers for directors, VPs, and C-suite leaders: relying on the old competency playbook under stress, focusing on performance instead of influence, and waiting too long to speak up to avoid rocking th...

Dr. Christina Hector is a board-certified physician specializing in non-surgical sports medicine and regenerative aesthetic medicine and founder of Nature's Puree, a physician-founded natural skincare line for the whole family. Dr. Hector shares how her medical school experience led her to avoid chemicals in hair and skincare products and begin creating her own natural formulations. She explains t...

Jraya Nicole, a career advancement coach and corporate transition strategist, discusses how high-performing professionals can leverage corporate success to pursue entrepreneurship without starting over. Jraya introduces the idea of "success survivors"—people who have achieved external markers of success yet feel disconnected, guilty, and misaligned—and distinguishes burnout (a depletion problem) f...

Dr. Farah Laurent, a trained nurse, nurse career coach, keynote speaker, and podcaster, talks about why nurses are moving into business and the many career options beyond bedside nursing. Farah shares her journey from Canada to New York City, including being discouraged from emergency nursing as a student, securing ER roles, working in the ER for 13 years, and later advancing into nursing educatio...

Tempest Williams, president and CEO of the Tempest Financial Group, PLLC, and a financial professional and intergenerational planning strategist, emphasizes the critical importance of having conversations about financial planning across generations. She shares her personal experiences of family losses and how it highlighted the necessity of discussing money matters to avoid conflicts and ensure pr...

Dr. Annouchka Ondias-Kouamé, a pharmacist, entrepreneur, wellness expert, and AI healthcare innovator, shares her inspiring journey from being a clinical pharmacist to founding NaturEllie and PharmaEllie, where she combines wellness, medication safety, and AI to improve healthcare outcomes in Africa and the diaspora. She discusses her transition motivated by a personal battle with cancer, her fait...

Precious Nyarambi, the founder and CEO of Vessels of Virtue, discusses the importance of using one's voice to shape identity and the power of maintaining balance. She shares her journey, her recent nominations and awards, and her efforts to empower women and youth through entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Precious also highlights her experience with the Cherie Blair Foundation and its impac...

Kuda Mupawose, a board-certified trichologist,  pharmacologist with over 25 years of experience in the hair care industry and founder of Feso Hair Care Brand, discusses the intricate relationship between hair and identity, particularly in the context of African and Caribbean women. She shares her journey from pharmacology to developing an organic hair care product derived from the plant Feso, expl...

Dr. Debora Kayembe, a Harvard Kennedy School fellow and the youngest ever to receive an honorary doctorate in the Democratic Republic of Congo, shares her inspiring journey from growing up in a challenging environment in DRC to becoming the first person of color to hold a leadership position at the University of Edinburgh in its 437-year history. She emphasizes the importance of education as a mea...

Naeemah Elias, a leadership coach, speaker, and TEDx storyteller, who was diagnosed with autism and ADHD at the age of 49, shares her experiences of growing up in a neurodivergent family, raising her autistic son, and building a successful career while understanding her unique wiring. The conversation delves into how her diagnosis brought clarity and confidence, her journey of self-discovery influ...

Maureen Aryee, a seasoned business and HR executive, discusses how women can advance from mere representation to influential leadership roles while maintaining purpose and long-term impact. Maureen shares her diverse career journey from IT to HR leadership roles at top corporations like Johnson & Johnson. She emphasizes the importance of emotional capacity, the ethical integration of AI in decisio...

Dr. Ukpong Nwankwo, a physician, transformational coach, and Amazon best-selling author, shares her journey of overcoming breast cancer and the importance of finding a unique eating style that aligns with one's body and lifestyle. She emphasizes the significance of epigenetic testing in identifying personalized nutrition plans and explains how stress management and overall lifestyle adjustments ca...

Mijiza Green, an accomplished entrepreneur and co-founder of the Opulent Lady Business Association, shares her journey from cosmetology to leading an organization that empowers women entrepreneurs globally. She discusses the importance of collaboration, resilience, and faith in building successful businesses. The conversation highlights the transition from traditional solo entrepreneurship to a mo...

Dr. Nicole Bryan, a psychologist and leadership coach specializing in introverted women in leadership roles, explores the complex issue of work addiction, particularly how it disproportionately affects high-achieving introverted women. Dr. Bryan explains that work addiction is a real behavioral addiction, not just busyness, and outlines various symptoms such as compulsive working, mental preoccupa...