Leading Ladies Corpus Christi

Heidi Hovda, overall badass who has been involved with VisitCC and the DMD, as well as the co-founder of CC7D and Fiesta de la Flor, discusses the lightening in a bottle idea that led to the formation of the Corpus Christi 7-Day Film Contest, her inspiring and sobering interactions with the Quintanilla family as she co-founded Fiesta de la Flor, her work on the Hip Hop musical about the life of Dr...

Daisy Holsenbeck, Jewlery Designer and Founder of The Darling Southern Lifestyle Blog, discusses the unexpected inspiration to start her own business designing jewelry, the work ethic she received from her parents causing her to become a homeowner, have a full-time career and a lucrative side-business at 23, and how she relies on her faith and family during life's ups and downs in episode 68.

Monica Benavidez, Home Interior-Decor Stylist and Creator of the blog Monica Wants It, discusses her entrepreneurial spirit from as early as elementary school, the trial and error of finding her signature style, tips on how to begin a home makeover, and the tea towel that inspired her very own decor line in episode 66.

Elizabeth Tabor, owner of the Corpus Christi Moms Blog, discusses her nontraditional upbringing in the world of musical theater, her mission of connecting with her family and peers IRL through limited screen time and Moms Blog events, the inspirational bucket list she's sharing with her followers in her "Adventuring into my 40s" project, and how she continues to evolve "like a Pokemon" in episode...

Jackie Dolson Ewald, entrepreneur and self-described Jackie of all Trades, discusses her innate desire to be a mother, the passion to make people feel better about themselves, and why she hosts a movie night for women to have a relaxing and judgement-free experience in episode 64. Bonus: we take the first beer-break EVER for this podcast and an extra shot of tequila!

Things get real in episode 63 with Mandi Bever, Health and Happiness Coach, as she discusses the importance of mental health as it relates to physical health i.e. why no one is happy on a 500 calorie/day diet, how motherhood led to her becoming a certified health coach, and why she incorporated the "woo woo" practices of Reiki and Access Consciousness Bars into the services she offers. BONUS: she...

Clarissa Serna, Singer and Host of the new lifestyle show Coastal Living, discusses the many ways she's utilized her voice throughout her exciting career, the importance of family as she transitions into the world of television, and this gem of wisdom: saying "no" to taking a chance means you know what happens next, but when you say "yes", the possibilities are endless in episode 62.

Julia Prokhorova, owner of Wild Veggie Bouquet, discusses her desire to provide bouquets that are useful as well as remarkably beautiful, how the Cottage Law led to her becoming the only legitimate company to provide this unique product in the United States, and her view on Corpus as a tropical paradise in episode 61.

Katia Uriarte, Anchor for KRIS 6 News, discusses learning to assimilate in America when she moved with her mother to New Orleans from Honduras, the early opportunity she regrets not taking, her very first assignment as a news station intern, and, unless it's fight or flight, fear is just in your head in episode 60.

Nikki Riojas, owner of Thirteen & Market and Made in Corpus Christi, as well as the founder and President of the Women's Entrepreneur Society of Corpus Christi, discusses the major learning experience of starting a small business right after college, how her push for women business owners in the Coastal Bend to meet and share best practices turned into the much-needed nonprofit organization WES CC...

Sarah Estrada, owner and lead stylist of Styled by Sarah, discusses the moment she realized she could turn her passion into a business, how everyone should make clothes work for them (and not the other way around), the amazing support she's received from other badass local women, and how she finally fell in love with Corpus in episode 58.

Swat Kasham, CEO and portrait photographer of Swat Kasham PhotoImagery, discusses her big dreams to become a performer while growing up in Nigeria, the way portrait photography makes her heart sing, why she enjoys photographing women, and how photography found her(and not the other way around)in episode 57.

Veronica Guerra, owner and baker of the delicious Trendy Eats and Vegan Treats, discusses her inspiration to go vegan after the birth of her daughter, the tremendous support she's received from the community as a small business, her ambitions to open up her own storefront, and how she was inspired to throw Corpus Christi's first ever Vegan Brunch in episode 55.

Samantha Thurman, owner of Alpacas Some Wine Jewelry, discusses her angsty attempts at art as a teenager, the origin of the brand immediately after having her first child, the design process of those signature dainty pieces her line is known for, and her latest endeavor with Salt Botanics in episode 54.

Jelli Carranco, Co-Executive of NICO, discusses her fearless approach to bringing the NICO brand to life through runway shows, her ability to translate a collaborative vision into an event for all ages in the community, and the iconic friendship that has evolved into a successful partnership in episode 53.

Christina Hernandez and Peggy Benavidez, responsible for the growing trend of VIsion Board Parties in Corpus Christi, discuss how their friendship began from a mutual desire to achieve their goals, their lifestyle as THRIVErs, the importance of a female support group, and why everyone needs to allow themselves to dream without limits in episode 52.

Kylie Cooper, the Managing Editor of The Bend Magazine, discusses transitioning straight from college to a job she loves, her involvement with The Art Museum of South Texas, using her talents to share the stories of people in the Coastal Bend, and the why Local's List holds a special place in her heart in episode 51.

Tina Lain, the owner of GoldDust Cosmetic Tattooing, gets philosophical as she discusses being a walking oxymoron, the ideals her family strives for in both their business and personal lives, and the importance of determining whether an opportunity is an asset or a liability in episode 50.

Evana Elysa, Professional Hair Artist and Photographer, discusses her unique approach to social media in growing her business, how she studies all of her clients to give them the best possible hairstyle, her creation of a viral hashtag, and why you should pursue all of your interests in order to find the right path in episode 49.

This week I was joined by Jeannette BB Canales and her beautiful children as we discussed her experience as an oddball model in a cookie-cutter industry, the mixed media art she created for her parents to enjoy, her ability to make anyone comfortable in front of a camera, and why the "ideal" beauty standard is all wrong in episode 48.

If you don't know Liz Perez, Founder and Executive Director of the Corpus Christi Maternal Mental Health Coalition, it's time to get your shit together. This woman founded the Coalition when she moved back to Corpus Christi and realized no such support group existed. Oh yeah, also while 20 weeks pregnant with her third child. Since starting the CCMMHC, she has raised awareness on the importance of...

Laura Commons, Real Estate Agent and President of CASA in the Coastal Bend, discusses the self-motivation that led to her successful real estate career, how to become a volunteer at CASA Coastal Bend (spoiler: you need to have thick skin), and why you should be extremely picky when it comes to all aspects of buying/selling a house in episode 46.

Melissa Zamora, founder of student-led Islander Green Team and Facilities Coordinator at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, discusses intuitive gardening, how her desire to minimize waste and greenhouse gases led to developing the Islander Green Team, the basics of composting, and why you shouldn't limit yourself to what your good at in episode 45.

Jennifer Gracia and Bernice Gonzales, business partners and masterminds behind J19Social, surprised your host with a custom cocktail called the "Leading Lady", discuss their innate ability to throw well-organized ragers since high school (and we're not talking cake and punch here), and the wild ride that's led to the start of their public relations business in episode 44.

Jennifer Hernandez, music artist and CEO of Passionate Working Women's Society, discusses her love of writing, singing and producing music, the drop of her album A Royalty's Love, and her desire to create a society to support and promote like-minded women in episode 43.