The Hats Podcast

What if failure isn't something to fear but one of the greatest tools for growth? In this episode of The Hats Podcast, Melissa Dumaz and Kerri Harper-Howie welcome entrepreneur, author, and business leader Dee Robinson for a powerful conversation about wearing The Fail Fast Hat. With more than 30 years of entrepreneurial experience, Dee shares why some of her greatest successes were built on the l...

What if the life you're dreaming about is waiting on the other side of one courageous decision? In this episode of The Hats Podcast, Melissa Dumaz and Kerri Harper-Howie put on The Risk Taking Hat and explore why every meaningful step forward in life, leadership, business, and relationships requires a willingness to take risks. From launching The Hats Podcast during the uncertainty of the pandemic...

What do you do when you simply don't feel like showing up? In this episode of The Hats Podcast, Melissa Dumaz and Kerri Harper-Howie tackle a reality that every ambitious woman, leader, parent, and professional eventually faces: the days when motivation is low, energy is depleted, and yet life still expects you to show up. As part of the Boss Bitch Season, Melissa and Kerri explore the difference...

What does it really take to make a boss move? In this episode of The Hats Podcast, Melissa Dumas and Kerri Harper-Howie sit down with powerhouse leader Monique Earl to explore what it means to make bold decisions, lead with confidence, and create impact without losing yourself in the process. With more than two decades of leadership experience across both the public and private sectors, Monique br...

Small talk. Argh, right?! Most of us do it. Many of us dislike it. Yet somehow, it remains one of the most important social skills we use in our personal and professional lives. Small talk is a bridge that helps people move from strangers to genuine connection. So, let's talk about small talk: how to make it easier and do it better.  Melissa shares why small talk can create anxiety for her as a th...

In this episode of The Hats Podcast, co-hosts Melissa Dumaz and Kerri Harper-Howie explore the Lifelong Learner Hat and why continuous growth is essential for anyone looking to level up personally and professionally. As part of the Boss Bitch Season, Melissa and Kerri discuss how lifelong learning extends far beyond classrooms, certifications, and formal education. It includes learning through lif...

The Hats Podcast is back for Season 9! We are bigger, bolder, and brighter than ever. In fact, we are coming back in full Boss Bitch mode! In this season opener, hosts Melissa Dumaz and Kerri Harper-Howie officially introduce the "Boss Bitch Season" - a season focused on elevation, expansion, leadership, reinvention, and what it truly means to step into your next level personally and professionall...

Season 8 was different than all the others. So, we had to mix things up for our closing episodes as well. Episode 198 was all about the highs and lows of Season 8 from co-host Melissa and Kerri's perspectives. This final episode of Season 8 is how their husbands, Khalel and Sanford, felt being on the hot seat all season long. Listen in to see how it went for them. Connect with us: Facebook Twitter...

Well, maybe we didn't say everything - impossible, right? But, we talked about fatherhood, sex, layoffs, dates, being black men and so many other things. Listen to co-hosts Kerri and Melissa wrap up season 8 and our favorite moments from this unique season with our husbands as our only guests. Connect with us: Facebook Twitter Instagram thehatspodcast@gmail.com Thank you for listening! We tip our...

Men balance life differently than women ... at least our husbands, Khalel and Sanford, do. They even see the need to balance through a different lense. So, co-hosts Kerri & Melissa thought the Hatters could benefit from hearing how they balance their busy lives and careers with our busy lives and careers. They shared some insights even we had not thought of. Listen in so you can get them too! Conn...

You've made it through Black Friday (which is not a full week!) and Cyber Monday. So, you may already have gotten all the gifts you will purchase this holiday season. But, if you are still trying to figure out the perfect gift for that last person on your list, this is the episode for you. Co-hosts Melissa and Kerri share some best bets on how to be a thoughtful gift giver, and how to gingerly rec...

"Turn off the lights! And, come closer." Yes! Barry White invokes the romance in all of us. Listen in to this episode where Kerri and Melissa welcome their husbands Sanford and Khalel to talk about how to keep the romance alive in relationships ... even when it seems impossible! Connect with us:   Facebook   Twitter   Instagram   thehatspodcast@gmail.com   Thank you for listening! We tip our hats...

After George Floyd died, co-hosts Kerri and Melissa felt compelled to record The Black Woman Hat. It is one of the shows most listened-to episodes of all time, and for sure one of the most emotionally raw. On this episode, the co-hosts welcome their husbands to share about being Black men in America - the ups, downs, stereotypes and everything in between. If you've ever wanted real and authentic i...

In our busy lives, having a hobby becomes vital. Hobbies decrease stress, increse confidence and can expand your horizons. Explore this topic with co-hosts Melissa and Kerri who talk about their hobbies and give you tools and tips that will allow you to incorporate satisfying and fulfilling hobbies into your already hectic lives. Connect with us: Facebook Twitter Instagram thehatspodcast@gmail.com...

Everybody loves a good date night. And YET! Everybody struggles at times to consistently plan and execute them. Whether you have kids, animals, parents or intense careers (or all four of the above!), making sure you and your boo take time to nurture your relationship one-on-one is vitally important to keeping things fresh, connected and intimate. Listen to co-hosts Kerri and Melissa dish about dat...

Change is inevitable. For better or worse, change also impacts relationships. Individual interests and ideals change, finances change, family structure changes, and the list goes on. The Relationship Evolution Hat explores what happens to relationships over time and how they can evolve. Listen in as co-hosts Kerri and Melissa welcome their husbands for another episode to talk shop.  Connect with u...

Last week we talked fatherhood, and sometimes fathers are important role models in our lives. But, a role model can come in many shapes and sizes. In this episode, co-hosts Kerri and Melissa explore what it means to serve as a role model (whether you choose to be or not), and how to find one when you need one.  Connect with us: Facebook Twitter Instagram thehatspodcast@gmail.com Thank you for list...

Melissa and Kerri both had fathers that were absent for much of their childhood and all of their adulthood. To have active and wonderful fathers in their own households has been a beautifil experience. Listen to their husbands, Khalel and Sanford, talk about their experiences as sons of actively involved fathers and fathers to multiple children. This is a fun and enlightening episode for anyone wh...

Are forgiveness and reconcilitation the same thing? Not quite. While both are extremely important to healthy relationships - which inevitably experience hurt and rifts - they can be quite distinct processes with very different outcomes. If you've struggled with moving past pain in a relationship, go back and listen to episode 24 The Forgiveness Hat, and then fast forward and list to this episode....

Black women are having a moment. Asian women are having a moment. Women are having a moment. The United States is having a moment! Vice President Kamala Harris earned the nomination of the Democratic party and is now running for POTUS! This is a MOMENT!! We are excited to introduce The No Agenda Hat series. In each of these episodes, co-hosts Kerri and Melissa will take a beat to talk and record w...

We shared recently about the devastating loss of dear friend of The Hats Podcast, Waraire Boswell. His passing reminded us that life is short and we have limited opportunities to say all the things we need to say. So, we tried in this episode to capture some of the messages we want to convey to some of the most important people in our lives. We get raw and vulnerable in this episode. We hope to in...

At your first high school party, someone passed around red cups holding "punch". When you put the cup handed to you up to your mouth, your nose tells you that this is no ordinary punch! What do you do? What about when the joint is passed around outside the office party? Or, when you go shopping with girlfriends and everybody else is spending amounts of money you know you don't have? Peer pressure...

"Honey, I got laid off." The words are said. What happens next? Co-hosts Kerri and Melissa's husbands share what happened to them after they had to utter these words ... more than once. Listen in to find out what Kerri and Melissa did right and wrong when they found out their husbands had been laid off, and how both households managed to get to the other side of layoffs that impacted their lives. ...

It's a moment so many adults dred - you have to walk into your home or get on the phone and inform your partner or loved one that you have been laid off. What happens in that moment can be groundshifting for any relationship. Will an earthquakegive create a divide in the relationship and household that cannot be bridged? Or will the earth squeeze together creating a mountain you agree to climb tog...

CEO. CFO. CMO. CHO? What is a Chief Household Officer? Co-hosts Melissa and Kerri explore this concept in this episode. Households do not run on their own. Somebody has to drive the ship. Sometimes it's one person, in other households there are co-CHOs. Listen in to find out how things flow in Melissa and Kerri's homes, assess how your your household functions, and decide if you want to keep thing...