Hard Wig, Soft Life Podcast

Meet Representative Angie Nixon — Florida State Representative, mother of five, union organizer, small business owner, domestic violence advocate, and US Senate candidate. She's the woman who brought a pink megaphone onto the House floor, got arrested the next day for a sit-in outside the Governor's office, and showed up the day after that ready to fight again. She's not performing....

Meet GittFai — Tampa-born producer, rapper, and the man behind one of the biggest records in the country right now. From making beats at 11 years old to landing a song on 200,000 TikToks and charting at #45 on the Billboard Hot 100 with BossMan Dlow's Motion Party, GittFai has been quietly putting Tampa on the map — and the city is finally getting its flowers. In this episode, we dive deep in...

Meet Jodi Campbell — Pilates instructor, founder of PRSNC Fitness, and the woman building Tampa's first Black-owned Pilates studio experience one pop-up at a time. From saying yes to a phone call that changed everything to surrendering her vision to God and watching it come back bigger, Jodi proves that unorthodox paths still lead to the destination. In this episode, we dive deep into: How a...

We're back on the couch and this time I brought someone with me. June Archer — media executive, author, entrepreneur, and what I can only describe as a dot connector — is sitting with me today and I need you to clear your schedule because this conversation is not one you're gonna want to rush through. We met backstage at the Power Networking Conference in Atlanta and I knew immediately t...

We're back, baby. Give yourself your flowers. Season 3 is HERE and we are back on the couch where we belong. I'll be honest with you — I filmed this episode way more times than I'd like to admit. Between planning and executing The Intersection (a 100-person culture event that I threw entirely by myself), doing 75 Hard, co-hosting Shake the Room, and moderating at the Power Networkin...

This is it - the Season 2 finale of Hard Wig, Soft Life. 11 months ago, I started this podcast not knowing if I had anything valuable to say. I just knew I wanted to share my story - from being a felon who faced jail, eviction, and homelessness to building a life I'm proud of. Season 2 became so much more than that. I trademarked the name (by myself, no lawyer). I got invited to speak at even...

Sometimes the best conversations start with discovering you have the same favorite rapper! When I reconnected with Jada Urban in NYC after three years, we ended up bonding over everything from Jay-Z to growing up Afro-Latina in spaces where we were often the only ones who looked like us. Jada's been behind the scenes on some of your favorite productions - from "Owning Manhattan" (wh...

This episode is so special! 🎬✨ For the first time, I'm bringing someone from behind the camera to the front - meet Zebrina Lee, co-founder of Blackstock Footage and the creative genius who's been helping bring Hard Wig, Soft Life to life visually. What started as a professional relationship has blossomed into a beautiful friendship, and today Zebrina shares her powerful journey of find...

Meet ESSO - entrepreneur, podcast host of Bag Fuel, and the man who's literally making business sexy for the culture. From surviving an attempt on his life at 22 to building a six-figure empire while navigating personal struggles, ESSO proves that authenticity isn't just a buzzword - it's a business strategy. In this episode, we dive deep into: - Why "marketing yourself like a...

Y'all, this episode is EVERYTHING! 🎬✨ Meet Tracey Baker Simmons - the Emmy-nominated executive producer and reality TV pioneer who literally created "Being Bobby Brown" and changed television forever. Twenty years ago, Tracey revolutionized how we watch television with "Being Bobby Brown," and she's STILL making moves! Just this past June, she dropped Nelly and Asha...

Y'all know Deshae Frost, Brooklyn Frost, and Amari Frost - but do you know the powerhouse woman who helped build their empire? 💪🏾 Meet Monique S. Carrillo - the ultimate momager who went from working with Nicki Minaj and Gucci Mane to managing four of the internet's biggest personalities. From getting an eviction notice to packing up and driving 18 hours to LA on pure faith, Monique&ap...

Y'all, this episode is about to SHIFT your whole perspective on what's possible for your life. 🐠✨ Meet Tekoa Pouerie - CEO, pastor, author, and the woman who made me ugly cry at Creator's Escape with her raw truth about turning trauma into triumph. From losing both parents by 16 and surviving poverty to becoming a powerhouse nonprofit CEO and co-pastoring with her husband, Tekoa&a...

Hard Wig, Soft Life | Season 2, Episode 3: "She Said No One Knew She Was Married" - A Chat w/ Giovonnie Samuels "All That" icon Giovonnie Samuels kept her 16-year relationship and 11-year marriage completely private—until now. In this vulnerable conversation, the actress, entrepreneur, and mother opens up about her recent divorce, ADHD diagnosis, and journey toward embracing he...

Hard Wig, Soft Life | Season 2, Episode 2: "Walking in Your Purpose" - A Chat w/ Justin Storey Digital marketing mogul Justin Storey shares his journey from teen actor to successful entrepreneur, revealing how faith, vulnerability, and community building became the foundation of his purpose-driven business empire and the transformative Creators Escape movement. What You'll Discover:...

Hard Wig, Soft Life | Season 2, Episode 1: "Do It Differently: Letting Go, Starting Therapy, and Trusting Myself, For Once" After months of silence, podcast host Melissa L. Atkinson returns with raw vulnerability, sharing why she abandoned her podcast, what sparked her comeback, and the transformative experience that changed everything. This deeply personal solo episode explores burnout,...

"Renegotiating the Price: The Real Cost of Growth" Growth isn’t cheap—it’ll cost you your time, energy, and even relationships. In this episode, I’m unpacking what it means to set your price, protect your peace, and align with the life you deserve. Inspired by Jay-Z’s 4:44 and my dad’s timeless wisdom, we’re diving into the layers of growth, from letting go of stagnant relationships to r...

In this powerful and eye-opening episode of Hard Wig, Soft Life , I sit down with Ricky Lane, who courageously shares his story of navigating life during and after incarceration. From missing out on his 20s to being released in 2020 during a global pandemic, Ricky reflects on the challenges of rebuilding his life and reclaiming his future. We discuss the friendships he formed in the most unlikely...

What do you do when one moment changes your whole life? For me, it all started with a car accident that flipped my world upside down—literally. In this episode, I’m taking you through everything: the crash, waking up in the hospital, trying to heal while drooling into a napkin, and realizing I’d been pulled into a system that felt impossible to escape. From the detective’s visit to the sentencing...

In this first episode of Hard Wig, Soft Life , I’m getting real with you about where this journey starts and why I’m here. Growing up as a first-gen Afro-Latina in a single-parent home, I learned early that life wasn’t going to be simple. By 19, I was working full-time, helping support my family, while friends were figuring out college. Then a car accident changed everything, leaving me labeled an...