Episode Description

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Shahezad joins me for a conversation about reinvention, risk, and what it really looks like to build something from the ground up without a blueprint.

Shahezad is the founder of Cousins Burger, a fast-growing restaurant brand that started from a single, reluctant decision to show up at a food festival.

Today, it’s a multi-location business generating millions in revenue.

But what makes this story interesting isn’t just the growth.

It’s how unexpected it all was.

Shahezad spent over two decades in IT, building a stable, predictable career. Entrepreneurship was never the plan. In fact, growing up, he was told he wouldn’t succeed in business at all.

And for a long time, he believed it.

But over the years, through small wins, moments of curiosity, and experiences that quietly built his confidence, that narrative began to shift.

Until one day, he decided to try something different.

What followed wasn’t a perfectly planned transition. It was messy, uncertain, and filled with moments of doubt.

From figuring out how to cook at scale, to managing teams, to learning how to build a brand through storytelling and social media—Shahezad built Cousins Burger in real time.

And he did it differently.

Instead of chasing rapid growth, he focused on building intentionally.

Instead of following industry norms, he leaned into creativity, community, and culture.

And instead of optimizing just for profit, he started redefining what success actually meant to him.

This conversation goes beyond restaurants.

We talk about fear, identity, scaling, and the tension between comfort and ambition.

Shahezad also shares how he’s using storytelling and AI to build his brand, why he’s selective about growth, and what it takes to build something that actually lasts.

This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt like they were starting late…

or questioning whether they’re “cut out” for something more.

If you’ve ever stood at the edge of a decision and wondered if you should leap,

This conversation is your reminder that you don’t need certainty to begin.

🎧Listen to the Episode

[Spotify] | [Apple] | [YouTube]

What You’ll Learn

• Why Shahezad left a 24-year IT career to start Cousins Burger

• How a single food festival turned into a multi-million dollar business

• The concept of “golden handcuffs” and why it’s hard to walk away

• How to scale a business without losing quality or control

• Why storytelling is one of the most powerful tools in business

• How Shahezad is using AI to create content and grow his brand

• The importance of choosing the right partners and team

• Why success isn’t just about money—and how that mindset shifts over time

Favorite Quote

“A bird does not worry about the branch underneath it breaking… because it trusts in the strength of its wings.”

A reminder that real security doesn’t come from what you hold onto, it comes from what you’re capable of building.

Favorite Books

📖 Roald Dahl collection

📖 The Da Vinci Code — Dan Brown

Stories that shaped imagination, curiosity, and a love for storytelling.

In This Episode, We Cover

(00:00) Introduction and Shahezad’s unexpected journey

(05:00) Growing up with limiting beliefs about entrepreneurship

(10:00) The food festival that started at Cousins Burger

(15:00) Early challenges and learning the business from scratch

(25:00) Scaling the brand and building the right team

(35:00) Using storytelling and AI in marketing

(45:00) Redefining success beyond money

(50:00) Lessons on growth, risk, and decision-making

(55:00) Final reflections and advice for builders

Referenced in This Episode

Cousins Burger and restaurant scaling

Entrepreneurship and career pivots

Storytelling in business and brand building

AI in content creation and marketing

Partnerships, hiring, and team building

Redefining success and long-term vision

New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday.

Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

Episode Description

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Melissa joins me for a conversation about identity, motherhood, and what it really looks like to build a company that challenges an entire industry.

Melissa is the founder of a K-beauty brand designed specifically for melanin-rich skin, but what she’s building goes far beyond skincare.

It’s about representation, science, and rewriting who beauty is actually for.

But the way she arrived here wasn’t linear.

Melissa grew up between cultures, Caribbean, Italian, and French, moving across countries and learning to adapt to different environments from a young age. That exposure shaped her curiosity, her worldview, and ultimately her ability to bridge gaps that most people don’t even see.

She started her career in high fashion, working closely with brands, models, and creatives. From there, she launched her first startup in swimwear, learning the realities of building a business from scratch, from sales to logistics to partnerships.

After stepping away and going back to school to sharpen her business skills, Melissa began connecting the dots that would eventually lead to her current company.

It started with a realization:

K-beauty, one of the most innovative industries in the world, wasn’t built with melanin-rich skin in mind.

And then it became personal. When her daughter told her, “I’m not pretty because I’m brown,” everything changed.

That moment became the foundation of what she’s building today. But this conversation goes far beyond beauty.

We talk about what it means to build something rooted in purpose, the realities of fundraising, and how to navigate entrepreneurship while raising a family.

Melissa also shares how she approached product development from a scientific perspective, why she chose to work directly with Korean labs and the government, and what it takes to build credibility in an industry that wasn’t designed for you.

This episode is for anyone building something that challenges the norm — especially if you’ve ever felt overlooked by the very systems you’re trying to enter.

If you’ve ever questioned whether an industry was built for you… This conversation is a reminder that sometimes the answer is to build your own.

🎧 Listen to the Episode

[Spotify] | [Apple] | [YouTube]

What You’ll Learn

• Why K-beauty hasn’t historically worked for melanin-rich skin

• The science behind skin differences and why “one-size-fits-all” products fail

• How Melissa validated a global market gap before building her brand

• What it really takes to fundraise in a competitive, saturated industry

• The importance of representation in both branding and product development

• How to build a team that truly understands your customer

• Why being close to your market matters more than online data

• The reality of balancing entrepreneurship and motherhood

Favorite Quote

“You can have everything — but not at the same time.”

—Betty Friedan

A powerful reminder that balance isn’t about doing everything at once, it’s about being intentional with where your energy goes in each season.

Favorite Book

📖 Pachinko — Min Jin Lee

A deeply moving story that follows generations of a Korean family, exploring resilience, identity, and the strength of women who carry everything forward.

In This Episode, We Cover

(00:00) Melissa’s identity beyond work and growing up between cultures

(05:00) Discovering K-beauty and realizing the gap for darker skin tones

(10:00) The moment her daughter said, “I’m not pretty because I’m brown.”

(15:00) Building a brand rooted in science, not just marketing

(20:00) Why representation in beauty still falls short

(25:00) Lessons from her first startup and learning business the hard way

(30:00) Building the right team and choosing the right co-founder

(35:00) Moving to Korea and working with labs + the government

(40:00) Understanding where customers actually shop and how they behave

(45:00) Fundraising, strategy, and building in a saturated market

(50:00) Balancing entrepreneurship, motherhood, and personal life

(55:00) Final reflections on purpose, impact, and building for the next generation

Referenced in This Episode

K-beauty and global beauty standards

Melanin-rich skin and dermatology insights

Startup fundraising and early-stage strategy

Building a beauty brand from scratch

Representation in consumer brands

Entrepreneurship and motherhood

Global market expansion and cultural positioning

New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday.

Be Bold. Be Real. Be Anomalous.

Episode Description

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Priya Ravindra joins me for a conversation about curiosity, self-belief, and building a business rooted in values in a world that often rewards speed over intention.

Priya’s journey is anything but linear.

She grew up in India, shaped by strong women, deep-rooted values around fairness, and an early belief that speaking up wasn’t optional. As a teenager, she moved to Australia to study engineering, eventually finding herself in tech as one of the only women coding in the room.

But the company she’s building today didn’t begin in tech.

It began with a question.

During the pandemic, as consumption skyrocketed, Priya found herself wondering: Where does all of this go? What happens to the clothes we buy, wear, and discard?

That curiosity led her down a path into textile waste, sustainability, and eventually into building Punar, an ethical brand working with recycled materials, conscious production, and a mission to rethink how we consume.

But this conversation goes far beyond sustainability.

We talk about growing up between cultures, navigating gender inequality across countries, the realities of building a business from scratch, and why visibility and speaking up are essential, especially for women founders.

Priya also shares the behind-the-scenes of entrepreneurship, the failed samples, delayed shipments, self-doubt, and the resilience it takes to keep going when nothing is guaranteed.

This episode is for founders, builders, and anyone trying to follow a path that doesn’t come with a clear blueprint.

If you’ve ever felt pulled toward something you couldn’t fully explain yet, this conversation is for you.

🎧 Listen to the Episode:

[Spotify] | [Apple] | [YouTube]

What You’ll Learn

• How curiosity can turn into a business

• Why self-belief is built through action, not confidence

• The realities of building a sustainable brand from scratch

• How to navigate being the only woman in male-dominated spaces

• Why speaking about your work is not ego, it’s a responsibility

• How flexibility in execution can unlock unexpected opportunities

• The importance of community and “finding your tribe” as a founder

• Why ethical and sustainable businesses require both conviction and strategy

Favorite Quote

“Everything you seek is inside of you.”

A reminder that the answers, the clarity, and the direction we’re searching for externally often already exist within us — if we’re willing to trust it.

Favorite Book

📖 Atomic Habits — James Clear

A powerful framework for understanding how small, consistent actions compound over time — and how real transformation doesn’t come from drastic change, but from steady, intentional shifts.

In This Episode, We Cover

• (00:00) Introduction and Priya’s early life in India

• (05:00) Moving to Australia and entering engineering

• (10:00) Being one of the only women in tech

• (15:00) Understanding gender inequality as a global issue

• (22:00) The curiosity that led to sustainability

• (30:00) Starting Punar and learning textiles from scratch

• (38:00) Early failures, product development, and persistence

• (45:00) Building a brand through storytelling and community

• (52:00) From B2C to B2B — evolving the business model

• (58:00) Sales, visibility, and speaking up as a founder

• (01:05:00) Mistakes, delays, and learning resilience

• (01:12:00) Advice for founders building unconventional paths

Referenced in This Episode

• Sustainable fashion and textile waste

• Ethical production and circular design

• Gender inequality in tech and entrepreneurship

• Founder mindset and resilience

• Building mission-driven brands

• Community and collaboration in business

Resources Priya Mentioned in This Episode

• United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• Founder communities and women-led business networks

New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday.

Be Bold. Be Real. Be Anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Natalie Trotta joins me for a conversation about nonlinear careers, curiosity, and what it really looks like to build a path that doesn’t follow a script.

Natalie describes herself as someone who translates strategy into action — helping founders and leadership teams take the ideas in their heads and turn them into something real.

But the way she arrived there wasn’t linear.

Natalie grew up in Ohio and knew from a young age that she wanted to build a life in New York. That intuition eventually led her to Pace University in the financial district, where she began building a career across multiple industries.

Over the past decade, she has worked across fashion, beauty, tech startups, neuroscience research, climate initiatives, and higher education, gaining a rare perspective on how different industries operate and how innovation actually moves from idea to reality.

After completing her MBA at Columbia Business School, Natalie eventually launched her own consulting practice, working with founders and emerging brands to turn big visions into executable strategies.

But this conversation goes far beyond career milestones.

We talk about curiosity as a career compass, the power of staying in motion when you don’t yet know the destination, and how working across industries can become one of your greatest strategic advantages.

Natalie also shares the practical systems she uses to run her consulting business, how she structures her days to stay productive when no one is managing her time, and why quitting the wrong things can be essential to focusing on what truly matters.

This episode is for anyone navigating career uncertainty, exploring entrepreneurship, or trying to figure out how to turn their ideas into something real.

If you’ve ever felt pressure to follow a traditional career path, this conversation is a powerful reminder that the most interesting careers are often the least linear.

🎧 Listen to the Episode

[Spotify] | [Apple] | [YouTube]

What You’ll Learn

• Why nonlinear careers can become a strategic advantage

• How to translate big ideas into real execution

• The real value of an MBA and when it makes sense

• How Natalie built her consulting business through relationships and network

• Practical systems for managing your time when you work for yourself

• Why curiosity can be a better career guide than rigid planning

• How founders can stay resilient when things don’t go as planned

• Why quitting the wrong things can unlock real progress

Favorite Quote

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

— Maya Angelou

A powerful reminder that impact often has less to do with titles or achievements and more to do with how we show up for others.

Favorite Books

📖 Quit — Annie Duke

A compelling exploration of why strategic quitting is often necessary for meaningful progress.

📖 Big Magic — Elizabeth Gilbert

A thoughtful look at creativity, courage, and learning to follow curiosity without fear.

📖 10x Is Easier Than 2x — Benjamin Hardy & Dan Sullivan

A counterintuitive approach to growth that challenges how we think about scaling work and ambition.

In This Episode, We Cover

(00:00) Introduction and Natalie’s early ambition to move to New York

(05:00) Growing up in Ohio and building independence early

(10:00) Internships, early career exploration, and learning across industries

(16:00) Moving from fashion and beauty into tech and innovation

(20:00) Why Natalie decided to pursue an MBA at Columbia

(28:00) Lessons from business school and building a powerful network

(32:00) Starting a consulting practice and formalizing the business

(36:00) Systems for productivity and time management as a founder

(42:00) Working with founders and translating strategy into action

(47:00) Reframing failure and learning from uncertainty

(50:00) Advice for anyone trying to figure out their next step

Referenced in This Episode

• Consulting and founder strategy

• MBA career paths and executive education

• Startup and founder productivity systems

• Career pivots across industries

• Building a consulting business

• Time management for entrepreneurs

New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday.

Be Bold. Be Real. Be Anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Shai Basys joins me for a conversation about empathy, leadership, and how some of the most meaningful companies begin with deeply personal problems.

Shai’s path is anything but conventional.

She began her career as one of the youngest U.S. diplomats, representing the United States overseas in her early twenties. Her work took her across countries and cultures, navigating complex political environments while learning how systems operate on a global scale.

But the company she’s building today didn’t begin in diplomacy.

It began much closer to home.

When someone in her family lost access to critical healthcare services, Shai experienced firsthand how difficult it can be to navigate the systems meant to provide care. What started as an attempt to solve a personal problem quickly revealed something much larger: a structural issue affecting providers, families, and patients across the healthcare system.

That experience eventually led her to build Carelumi, a company focused on automating insurance credentialing for healthcare providers so they can get approved faster and help more patients access care.

But this conversation goes far beyond startups.

We talk about growing up between cultures, the complexity of representing your country abroad, navigating leadership at a young age, and how empathy can become a founder’s greatest advantage.

Shai also shares her perspective on the future of AI, what it can automate, what it can’t replace, and why human judgment, ethics, and philosophy may become some of the most important skills in the years ahead.

This episode is for founders, builders, and anyone trying to turn lived experience into meaningful work.

If you’ve ever wondered how personal moments shape professional paths, or how empathy can become a strategic advantage, this conversation is for you.

🎧 Listen to the Episode:

[Spotify] | [Apple] | [YouTube]

What You’ll Learn

• Why empathy can be a founder’s greatest advantage

• What working as one of the youngest U.S. diplomats teaches you about leadership

• How navigating autism care for a family member revealed a broken healthcare system

• How personal problems can reveal massive market opportunities

• Why navigating broken systems often leads to innovation

• How cross-cultural experiences shape leadership and communication

• What founders should understand about AI and the future of work

• Why philosophy and ethics may become essential skills in an AI-driven world

Favorite Quote

“Your vibe attracts your tribe.”

A simple reminder that the energy you bring into the world, the way you think, lead, and build, shapes the people who choose to join you.

Favorite Book

📖 Parable of the Sower — Octavia E. Butler

A powerful novel about change, resilience, and shaping the future in uncertain times, a theme that resonates strongly in today’s rapidly evolving world.

In This Episode, We Cover

(00:00) Introduction and Shai’s journey into diplomacy

(05:00) Becoming one of the youngest U.S. diplomats

(12:00) Representing the United States abroad

(20:00) Leadership and navigating authority at a young age

(28:00) Leaving diplomacy and exploring new paths

(35:00) A personal healthcare challenge that changed everything

(42:00) Building Carelumi and solving credentialing problems

(50:00) What founders should understand about AI

(58:00) Why empathy may be the most valuable skill of the future

Referenced in This Episode

• Healthcare credentialing and insurance systems

• AI and automation in healthcare

• Cross-cultural leadership

• Founder of empathy and lived experience

• The future of work in an AI-driven world

• Building companies from personal problems

Resources Shai Mentioned in This Episode

• 80k hours is a fantastic resource, especially for anyone looking for non-technical careers in AI:

• U.S. diplomat career tracks

• Perplexity Comet Link

• Gemini Pro (free for students)

• Granola AI Meeting Notes

• Vercel (alternative to Lovable)

• 11Labs (amazing if anyone is interested in building voice agents)

• HeyGen (next level if you want to create a digital twin or give your voice agent a face)

New episodes drop every Monday and Tuesday.

Be Bold. Be Real. Be Anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Deepa Mani joins me for a deeply grounded conversation about reinvention, cultural identity, and what it really means to build differently.

Deepa is a former IT consultant who walked away from a long corporate career to build two purpose-driven ventures: a cultural dance institution rooted in discipline and identity, and a beauty brand, Proud of Color, created specifically for people of color who are often treated as an afterthought in the industry.

But this conversation goes far beyond career pivots.

Before becoming a founder, Deepa spent over two decades in corporate consulting — working long hours, navigating high-pressure environments, and building the skills that would later shape her entrepreneurial resilience.

Her story doesn’t begin with a startup idea.

It begins with moving countries, building a life from scratch, becoming a mother, and quietly questioning whether success on paper was enough.

In this conversation, Deepa speaks candidly about the internal shifts that entrepreneurship forces — imposter syndrome, loneliness, learning to say no, and the maturity required to protect your energy.

We talk about why she refused to build “half and half,” what bootstrapping really looked like in the early years, and how building a beauty brand for melanin-rich skin became both a business decision and a cultural statement.

This episode is for founders, creatives, and anyone navigating reinvention — especially those building across cultures, across identities, and across seasons of life.

If you’ve ever felt the tension between stability and purpose, ambition and alignment, or security and self-trust — this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen to the Episode:

[Spotify] | [Apple]

What You’ll Learn

• Why entrepreneurship can be lonely — and how to navigate it

• The difference between being humble as a person and confident about your business

• How corporate skills translate into founder resilience

• What bootstrapping actually looks like in the first few years

• Why networking is non-negotiable for entrepreneurs

• How growing up between cultures shapes leadership and adaptability

• Why can you have everything in life, just not at the same time

Favorite Quote

“You can have everything in life — just not at the same time.”

A reminder that life unfolds in seasons, and that ambition doesn’t require urgency — it requires timing.

Favorite Book

📖 Expert Secrets — Russell Brunson

A book focused on communication, storytelling, and positioning — skills every founder must develop to build trust and share their vision effectively.

In This Episode, We Cover

(00:00) Deepa’s early career and moving across countries

(06:30) Corporate life and the realization that something was missing

(12:00) Leaving stability and going “cold turkey” into entrepreneurship

(18:00) Building a dance institution rooted in culture and discipline

(26:00) Founder loneliness and imposter syndrome

(33:00) Launching a beauty brand for people of color

(41:00) Marketing yourself without losing authenticity

(47:00) Seasons of life and long-term vision

Referenced in This Episode

• Bootstrapping vs. side hustling

• Founder mindset and energy protection

• Building for underserved communities

• Entrepreneurial loneliness

• Women supporting women in business

• Cultural identity as leadership power

New episodes drop every week.

Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Mayssa Chehata joins me for a deeply honest conversation about entrepreneurship as identity work, rebuilding your life while building a company, and what it really takes to keep going when everything feels like it’s falling apart.

Mayssa is the founder and CEO of Behave Candy, a better-for-you candy brand created to remove sugar from the food system without asking people to give up joy. But this conversation goes far beyond CPG, startups, or product-market fit.

Before Behave, Mayssa built her career inside some of the most recognizable brands in culture — including the NFL, Uber, SoulCycle, and Daily Harvest — learning how systems work, how power moves, and how ideas get scaled.

But her story doesn’t start in a boardroom.

She grew up as a first-generation Tunisian-American, moving between cultures and never fully belonging to any one culture. That early experience taught her how to read rooms, adapt quickly, and survive in environments that weren’t built with her in mind — skills that later became foundational to her leadership style and entrepreneurial journey.

In this conversation, Mayssa is radically candid about the personal cost of building something from scratch. In the span of a single year, she got married, divorced, checked a parent into rehab, and continued building her company — all while navigating anxiety, financial pressure, and the nervous-system reality of entrepreneurship no one prepares you for.

We talk about intuition versus logic, why “go big or go home” nearly broke her, and how trusting her own taste and voice ultimately brought her back to the work.

This episode is for founders, creatives, and anyone rebuilding their life while carrying responsibility — for a business, a family, or themselves.

If you’ve ever felt caught between ambition and survival, stability and self-trust, or between knowing when to quit and when to keep going — this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen to the episode:

[Spotify] | [Apple]

What You’ll Learn

• Why entrepreneurship is as much about nervous system capacity as strategy

• How growing up between cultures shapes adaptability and leadership

• What “go big or go home” really looks like behind the scenes in CPG

• How to trust your intuition when external advice gets loud

• Why women deserve to want money, power, and influence — out loud

• The difference between quitting and honoring the right stopping point

• How to build something aligned without abandoning yourself

Favorite Quote

“My mom told me to marry rich. I said, Mom, I am.”

A reflection of Mayssa’s belief that women don’t need permission to want wealth and that money, power, and influence are tools women deserve to hold.

Favorite Book

📖 The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success — Deepak Chopra

A book Mayssa returns to again and again, using it as a daily grounding practice to reconnect with purpose, flow, and trust, especially during the hardest seasons of building.

In This Episode, We Cover

• (00:00) Mayssa’s origin story and growing up between cultures

• (05:30) Corporate life, ambition, and learning to speak up

• (12:00) Leaving stability and stepping into uncertainty

• (18:30) The nervous system side of entrepreneurship

• (26:00) Fundraising, money, and early mistakes founders don’t talk about

• (34:00) Trusting intuition when logic isn’t enough

• (41:00) Power, money, and rewriting what success looks like for women

• (48:00) Knowing when to keep going — and when to pause

Referenced in This Episode

• Low-sugar and better-for-you CPG innovation

• Nervous system regulation and entrepreneurship

• Founder intuition vs. external validation

• Women, money, and power dynamics in business

• Adaptability as a leadership skill

New episodes drop every week.

Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Jessica Williams joins me for a grounded, wide-ranging conversation about marketing as human behavior, creator-led entrepreneurship, and what real influence looks like inside powerful systems.

Jessica has spent her career inside some of the most influential companies shaping modern culture and commerce — from Visa to Coinbase, and now Shopify, where she leads Brand Marketing for a platform powering millions of entrepreneurs globally.

She’s worked closely with creators, founders, and global icons — helping turn influence into real businesses, community into distribution, and culture into strategy.

But Jessica’s story doesn’t start in a boardroom.

She grew up in a home where her mother ran a psychology practice out of their living room — surrounded by athletes, high performers, and people navigating mental health challenges. That early exposure shaped how she understands people, behavior, ambition, and decision-making.

It’s also why she believes marketing isn’t just a business function — it’s behavioral psychology.

In this conversation, Jessica offers a rare, honest look at what it means to build influence without being the loudest voice in the room. She talks about risk in a world that moves too fast to cancel you, why “playing it safe” is often the most dangerous strategy, and how ambition evolves as life, leadership, and responsibility grow.

This episode is for founders building from scratch and for corporate leaders navigating power, culture, and decision-making from inside the system.

If you’ve ever felt caught between stability and creativity, safety and impact, or structure and self-trust — this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen to the episode:

[Spotify] | [Apple]

What You’ll Learn

• Why marketing is fundamentally about human behavior, not tactics

• How creator-led entrepreneurship actually works behind the scenes

• Why being “safe” is the fastest way to become forgettable

• What community-driven brands do differently from big box companies

• How to build influence without chasing visibility

• Why boundaries are a leadership skill, not a weakness

• How ambition changes — without disappearing — as life gets fuller

• What it really takes to adapt in fast-moving industries

Favorite Quote

“A rising tide lifts all boats.”

A reflection of Jessica’s belief that influence, leadership, and success aren’t zero-sum and that the best work happens when people build together, not in competition.

Favorite Book

📖 Atomic Habits

A book that helped Jessica reframe growth, ambition, and learning as a series of small, sustainable actions — rather than dramatic breakthroughs.

In This Episode, We Cover

• (00:00) Jessica’s origin story and growing up around psychology

• (03:45) Why marketing is behavior, not just business

• (06:30) From Visa to Coinbase to Shopify — building brands at scale

• (10:15) Leadership, mentorship, and protecting your people

• (13:00) Why being “safe” is the riskiest strategy

• (18:00) Creator-led brands and the power of authenticity

• (24:00) Why most celebrity brands fail

• (30:00) Community as the new distribution

• (36:00) Confidence, networking, and finding your voice

• (40:00) Boundaries, ambition, and redefining success

• (43:00) Advice for founders and corporate leaders navigating change

Referenced in This Episode

• Creator-led and celebrity-founded brands on Shopify

• Community-driven commerce and pop-up retail

• Behavioral psychology in marketing

• Boundary-setting as a leadership practice

New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday.

Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Aparna Piramal Raje joins me for a rare, deeply honest conversation about ambition, mental health, and what it actually takes to redefine success on your own terms.

Aparna grew up in Mumbai, studied at Oxford and Harvard, and became a CEO in her twenties — following a path many of us are taught to admire and aspire to.

From the outside, it looked like success. But inside, something wasn’t adding up.

Aparna lives with bipolar disorder, and for over two decades, she has navigated manic episodes, depression, long periods of remission, and the quiet, daily work of building a life that prioritizes sustainability over validation.

Most people don’t talk about what happens when the “right” path starts costing you your well-being. Aparna does.

She doesn’t romanticize struggle. She doesn’t simplify mental health. Instead, she offers a clear, grounded look at what it means to stop living by the outer scorecard — titles, credentials, approval — and start trusting an inner one rooted in meaning, craftsmanship, and care.

In this conversation, we talk about leadership as a set of everyday habits, not heroic moments. About mental health as a medical condition — not a personality flaw. And about the courage it takes to choose success that actually fits the life you want to live.

If you’ve ever felt like you were doing everything “right” and still felt deeply misaligned — this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen to the episode:

[Spotify] | [Apple]

What You’ll Learn

• Why mental health is so often mistaken for a personality problem

• What it feels like when even professionals don’t have clear answers yet

• The difference between the outer scorecard and the inner scorecard

• How leadership is shaped by habits, energy, and relationships

• What real support looks like — beyond crisis moments

• Why sustainability matters more than spectacle

• How to redefine ambition without abandoning it

Favorite Quote

“There is a pleasure in being mad, which few but mad men know.”

Favorite Book

📖 How Will You Measure Your Life?

A book that helped Aparna rethink success beyond external achievement and focus instead on meaning, values, and long-term fulfillment.

In This Episode, We Cover

(00:00) Introducing Aparna — beyond titles and credentials

(03:00) Growing up with expectations and ambition

(07:00) Living with bipolar disorder and early denial

(12:00) Mental health as a medical condition, not a flaw

(16:00) Harvard, ambition, and the pressure to be “normal.”

(21:00) Leadership as habits, not heroic moments

(26:00) The outer scorecard vs. the inner scorecard

(32:00) Support systems and “daily download friends.”

(38:00) Writing Chemical Khichdi

(44:00) Redefining success through craftsmanship

(50:00) Advice for young founders and leaders

Referenced in This Episode

• Chemical Khichdi — Aparna’s memoir on living with bipolar disorder

• Working Out of the Box — leadership through habits and workspaces

• Fear to Empowerment | Aparna Piramal Raje | TEDxChitkaraUniversityHP

• How the words we use can heal our minds | Aparna Piramal Raje | TEDxAnantU

New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday.

Be Bold. Be Real. Be Anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Farah Meghji joins me for a grounded, honest conversation about identity, reinvention, and what it really means to navigate healthcare when the system isn’t designed to guide you.

Farah grew up as a South Asian kid in a small town outside Toronto—raised by immigrant parents who believed in education, sacrifice, and blending in to stay safe. But her life and work eventually pulled her in the opposite direction: toward visibility, voice, and building something that challenges the way healthcare has always been done.

We discuss the tension that many of us carry—wanting to fit in as kids, then spending our adulthood unlearning that survival strategy. Farah shares how her worldview shifted as she moved through school, work, motherhood, and caregiving—until she realized the “rules” of healthcare aren’t neutral. They reward confidence, access, and self-advocacy. And most people aren’t taught how to do any of that.

That’s what led her to co-found Unum—a company built on a simple but radical idea: lived experience is expertise. Not as a nice-to-have. As something that should shape decisions, policies, and solutions.

We also get into the role AI is already playing in healthcare—how it can help patients translate complex information, prepare for appointments, and advocate more effectively—without replacing the human heart of care.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed inside a system that expects you to “just know,” this episode will make you feel seen—and better equipped.

🎧 Listen to the episode:

[Spotify] | [Apple]

What You’ll Learn

• Why “blending in” can be a childhood survival strategy—and an adult limitation

• How Farah’s immigrant upbringing shaped her relationship to identity and success

• What self-advocacy actually looks like inside healthcare (and why it matters)

• Why navigation—not treatment—is often the hardest part of the system

• How Unum helps organizations hear the voices they’ve historically overlooked

• Why niche-ing your work feels terrifying (and necessary) as a founder

• How AI can support patients and caregivers through clarity, translation, and preparation

• Why purpose isn’t “found”—it’s created, and it evolves with you

  ---

Favorite Quote

“Effort counts twice. Consistency over everything.”

Farah’s reflection:

Entrepreneurship will mess with your nervous system if you let it. The highs are high, the lows are low, and the only thing that stabilizes the chaos is showing up anyway. Not because you feel ready. Not because anyone’s clapping. Because the work matters, and you’re building trust with yourself through repetition.

Favorite Book

📖 Atomic Habits — James Clear

A reminder that identity is built in small choices, not big declarations—especially when you’re trying to stay consistent through uncertainty.

📖 A Return to You - Hina Khan

A grounding read that reinforces a hard truth: most of the barriers between you and the life you want aren’t “out there.” They’re internal narratives you’ve been rehearsing for years.

In This Episode, We Cover

• (00:00) Farah’s origin story—before the accolades

• (03:30) Immigrant parenting, fitting in, and the cost of “don’t draw attention.”

• (06:00) Identity, difference, and learning to see it asa strength

• (09:30) How she thinks about raising her kids differently

• (11:00) Choosing education without a fixed destination

• (13:00) The “there’s more” voice—and the entrepreneurial restlessness

• (16:00) Purpose evolves: ambition, motherhood, meaning, impact

• (18:30) US vs Canada healthcare: what people misunderstand

• (22:00) Self-advocacy in healthcare: why education is the foundation

• (25:00) Why she built Unum + the belief that lived experience is expertise

• (28:00) What patient voices reveal that organizations miss

• (31:00) System change = mindset change (and why that’s where resistance lives)

• (34:00) AI in healthcare: clarity, translation, and better navigation

• (38:00) What Unum is building next

• (41:00) Consistency, effort, and staying in the work when it’s hard

Referenced in This Episode

• Immigrant identity, blending in, and unlearning survival strategies

• Healthcare navigation and the power of self-advocacy

• Caregiving and what the system demands of families

• Patient voices as expertise—not a checkbox

• AI as support for understanding, preparation, and access

• Founder fear: niching, evolving, and building in real time

New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday.

Be Bold. Be Real. Be Anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Cici Stefanova joins me for a raw, thoughtful conversation about curiosity, perfectionism, and what it actually takes to build brands — and yourself — in real time.

Before the titles, before the companies, before the external validation, Cici describes herself simply as a curious, creative human who likes doing hard things — even when she’s not immediately good at them.

That mindset has shaped everything she’s built.

Cici is a founder and brand builder who didn’t wait to feel “ready.” She experimented. She tried things. She failed fast. She learned faster. And she gave herself permission to evolve publicly, imperfectly, and with intention.

In a world obsessed with polished outcomes, Cici chose process.

In this conversation, we discuss what it means to stay curious in a results-driven culture, how perfectionism can both fuel and hinder growth, and why learning to be bad at something might be the most underrated skill in entrepreneurship.

We also dig into the emotional side of building — the identity shifts, the pressure to have it all figured out, and the quiet resilience required to keep showing up when the path isn’t linear.

If you’re building something — a brand, a business, or a new version of yourself, and you’re tired of pretending you have all the answers, this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen to the episode:

[Spotify] | [Apple]

What You’ll Learn

• Why curiosity is one of the most powerful (and overlooked) founder traits

• How to move forward without needing to feel confident first

• The difference between productive discomfort and burnout

• Why perfectionism isn’t the enemy — but unchecked perfectionism is

• How trying things (and being bad at them) accelerates growth

• The identity shifts that happen when you evolve faster than your environment

• What it really means to trust yourself while building in public

Favorite Quote

“Life happens for you, not to you.”

Cici’s reflection:

So many people stop before they start because they’re afraid of being seen in the learning phase. But growth requires friction. Skill requires repetition. And confidence is built after action, not before it. Permitting yourself to be a beginner isn’t a weakness. It’s a strategy.

Favorite Book

Personal:

📖 Trick Mirror — Jia Tolentino

A collection of essays that helped Cici reframe self-optimization culture, social media, and the pressure to constantly “level up.” She’s rereading it because it creates distance from the noise and clarity around identity.

Professional:

📖 The Tipping Point — Malcolm Gladwell

A foundational book she’s reading now to better understand how ideas, products, and brands move from niche to mainstream — and how to intentionally work toward that moment in business.

In This Episode, We Cover

(00:00) Introducing Cici — beyond titles and roles

(02:00) Curiosity, creativity, and liking hard things

(05:00) Perfectionism: when it helps and when it holds you back

(08:00) Learning to be bad at something — on purpose

(12:00) Building brands through experimentation, not certainty

(17:00) Identity shifts and evolving publicly

(22:00) The emotional resilience required to keep going

(27:00) Trusting yourself before the external proof arrives

(33:00) What growth really looks like behind the scenes

(40:00) Letting go of timelines and expectations

(45:00) Redefining success on your own terms

Referenced in This Episode

• Supernova

• Brand building through experimentation

• Founder identity and evolution

• Learning in public vs. waiting for perfection

New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday.

Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Charlotte Trecartin — founder and CEO of CharCharms- joins me to break down what it really looks like to build something from nothing, trust your instincts, and move fast without losing yourself in the process.

Charlotte started CharCharms at just 20 years old during the height of the pandemic with nothing more than a kit from Hobby Lobby, a pile of beads, and a simple thought: “Why can’t I hang this hair tie on my water bottle?”

Most people have those ideas and move on. Charlotte didn’t.

She followed the spark. She tested. She pivoted. She handmade every single product for two years.

Today, CharCharms is an eight-figure brand sold in Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Urban Outfitters, and more — all without outside funding, without a roadmap, and without waiting for permission.

In this conversation, we talk about the discipline behind momentum, what it means to be first to market in a category that didn’t exist yet, the emotional cost of building publicly on TikTok, and the kind of character it takes to grow this fast while staying grounded.

If you’ve ever had an idea you couldn’t shake — and wondered whether you’re “qualified” to chase it — this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen to the episode:

[Spotify] | [Apple]

What You’ll Learn

• How a college sophomore turned a hair-tie inconvenience into an eight-figure brand

• The power of acting before you have the blueprint — and why being first to market mattered

• What bootstrapping actually looks like behind the scenes

• How Charlotte navigated TikTok growth, being “cringe,” and showing up anyway

• The realities of retail partnerships: Target, Dick’s, Urban Outfitters

• How to trust yourself when you’re leading a team, facing doubt, and moving fast

• The mindset behind resilience, audacity, and self-generated momentum

Favorite Quote

“Every day you wake up with 16 poker chips. How you spend them is how you build your life.”

Charlotte’s reflection:

We all get the same 16 waking hours — the same 16 bets. Where you place them matters. Whether it’s two hours with someone you love, an hour learning something new, or three hours creating — your habits shape your future. Your time is your currency. Spend it on the life you actually want.

Favorite Book

Mindset by Carol Dweck

In This Episode, We Cover

(00:00) Why Charlotte started CharCharms during the pandemic

(02:00) Her upbringing, discipline, and early signs of entrepreneurial drive

(04:00) The tiny idea that wouldn’t leave her alone

(06:00) Realizing water-bottle accessories weren’t a thing yet

(08:00) Being first to market — and owning the category

(10:00) Handmaking every single product for two years

(12:00) TikTok: cringe, consistency, and building publicly

(17:00) Bootstrapping vs. raising money — and why she chose autonomy

(20:00) Learning finances on the fly + PO financing for major retail orders

(24:00) Packaging, retail expansion, and the realities of scaling

(28:00) Persistence, her chess-coach story, and figuring things out

(30:00) Friendships, relationships, and the emotional cost of building

(36:00) Hiring her team and becoming the leader the company needs

(43:00) Shark Tank: the pitch, the rejection, and the unexpected upside

(50:00) Building CharCharms into the accessory company

(53:00) Her long-term vision: becoming the CEO of a billion-dollar brand

Referenced in This Episode

• CharCharms — hydration + bottle accessories

• Wall Candy — Charlotte’s second brand

• Target, Dick’s, Urban Outfitters — early retail partners

• Shark Tank Season 15 — Charlotte’s episode

• Charlotte’s Substack — weekly quote + founder reflections

New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday.

Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, I take you back to the origin story, the real reason this platform exists, why these segments matter, and the 10 lessons that reshaped my life this year.

For most of my life, I never fit into any box — too Indian in some rooms, too Western in others. Too ambitious, too quiet, too much, not enough. I spent years shapeshifting to make other people comfortable…until I finally realized my difference wasn’t the problem. It was the power.

But I didn’t see people who looked like me or thought like me in the rooms I wanted to be in. I didn’t see stories about navigating identity and ambition at the same time.

So I built the space I needed.

Be Anomalous is a home for the ones who don’t fit neatly anywhere: the founders, the creatives, the cultural hybrid kids, the rebels, the self-taught, the reinventors.

Those building a life outside the lines.

In this solo episode, I walk you through:

• Why Be Anomalous exists

• Why each segment (Off Script, Under the Hood, Skin Deep, and The Debrief) was created

• And the 10 most important lessons that helped me reset my mindset, ambition, identity, and habits this year

This isn’t a motivational talk; it’s a grounding point. A reset button.

A reminder that being an anomaly isn’t a burden.

It’s your advantage.

If you’re heading into the new year wanting meaning, clarity, and a deeper sense of who you’re becoming — this episode is your starting point.

🎧 Listen to the episode:

[Spotify] | [Apple]

What You’ll Learn

• The true origin story of Be Anomalous and why it had to exist

• How each segment serves a different part of your growth: identity, strategy, mindset, and reflection

• Why discomfort is direction, not danger

• How to build systems, declutter your life, and make space for bold potential

• The mindset shift that helps you release judgment and reclaim your agency

• The rituals and practices that pull you back into clarity

• Why being “different” is the most powerful asset you have

Favorite Quote

“You are not here to fit in. You are here to stand out — in the exact way only you can.” — Sai Menon

In This Episode, We Cover

(00:00) Why Be Anomalous exists and what it was built to solve

(00:02) Being “too much,” “not enough,” and realizing difference is power

(00:03) Why the podcast is our shared lab — real stories, real lessons

(00:03:45) Under the Hood: the real business, strategy, and founder mindset

(00:04:30) Skin Deep: identity, rituals, culture, and the body as memory

(00:05:30) The Debrief: weekly reflection and real-time learning

(00:06:30) Resetting before the new year — grounding, clarity, intention

(00:07:00) Lesson 1: Stop caring about what people think

(00:08:00) Lesson 2: Discomfort is direction

(00:09:00) Lesson 3: Make mistakes quickly

(00:10:00) Lesson 4: Protect your circle

(00:10:45) Lesson 5: Read — fiction, nonfiction, anything that expands you

(00:11:30) Lesson 6: Move your body

(00:12:00) Lesson 7: Track your time (green/yellow/red method)

(00:13:00) Lesson 8: Write things down

(00:14:00) Lesson 9: Plan, organize, and systemize your life

(00:15:00) Lesson 10: Declutter your space, mind, and circle

(00:16:00) Final message: You’re not here to fit in — you’re here to stand out

(00:17:00) Closing: Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

Referenced in This Episode

• Let Them by Mel Robbins

• The Green / Yellow / Red time-tracking method

• Debrief, Under the Hood, Skin Deep — weekly Be Anomalous segments

• Identity, psychology, productivity, habit systems

• Founders and creatives who shaped this year’s lessons

New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday

Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Angela Ubias, beauty industry veteran and co-founder of Common Heir, joins me to talk about building with conviction, navigating identity in an industry built on perfection, and redefining what leadership looks like when you lead with values over validation.

Angela has spent over a decade behind the scenes helping shape some of the most influential beauty brands — including Native — before launching Common Heir in 2020, a clean, sustainable skincare brand that went on to be acquired by Flamingo Estate. Now, she’s the founder of Halo Haus, an agency helping purpose-driven founders build brands that actually mean something.

In this conversation, we explore what it means to stay grounded while growing fast — the realities of fundraising as a woman of color and queer founder, the lessons she learned from selling her company, and the power of leading with kindness in an industry obsessed with perfection.

If you’ve ever felt like the outsider in the room — and still chose to show up anyway — this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen to the episode:

[Spotify] | [Apple]

What You’ll Learn

• How Angela went from a small Texas town to building global beauty brands

• The lessons behind co-founding, scaling, and selling Common Heir

• What it means to fundraise and lead authentically as a queer woman of color

• How to protect your peace while being visible and ambitious

• The mindset that helped her move from imposter syndrome to self-trust

• Why she believes clarity is the most underrated form of kindness

  ---

  Favorite Quote

  “Being clear is being kind.” — Mary Berry, Angela’s mentor

  Favorite Book

  A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

  ---

  In This Episode, We Cover

  (00:00) Angela’s upbringing in Texas and her early love for beauty

  (06:00) Breaking into the beauty industry without connections or credentials

  (11:00) Helping build brands like Native and the rise of clean, indie beauty

  (17:00) Founding Common Heir and raising capital as a first-time founder

  (24:00) Fundraising bias and being told to bring on a male co-founder

  (33:00) Building a brand rooted in inclusion, sustainability, and real community

  (40:00) Navigating identity, visibility, and online hate

  (47:00) Selling Common Heir to Flamingo Estate

  (53:00) Starting Halo House and rediscovering her love for building

  (56:00) The rituals that keep her grounded — journaling, affirmations, EFT tapping

  (58:00) What she’s learned about success, clarity, and leading with compassion

  ---

  Referenced in This Episode

  • Common Heir — clean, sustainable skincare brand

  • Halo House — Angela’s new brand-building agency

  • Native Deodorant — one of Angela’s early client success stories

  • EFT Tapping and affirmations for grounding and mindset work

  ---

  New episodes drop every Monday.

  Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, entrepreneur and founder of T363, Troy Alexander, joins me to share how a two-year prison sentence became the greatest turning point of his life and how discipline, faith, and radical self-honesty helped him rebuild everything from the ground up.

From journaling behind bars to waking up every morning at 4:30 a.m. to sit in silence, Troy’s journey is a masterclass in self-reinvention. He breaks down the mirror technique, his belief that “most people choose sleep over their dreams,” and the mindset that turned pain into purpose.

Today, he’s building T363, a men’s skincare brand born from lived experience, focused on helping men reconnect with strength, vulnerability, and self-worth.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re starting over, this conversation reminds you that rock bottom can be the foundation for greatness.

Listen to the episode:

🎧 [Spotify] | [Apple Podcast]

What You’ll Learn

• Why facing yourself is the first step to transformation

• How prison became the “pause” that changed Troy’s direction

• The power of routines, discipline, and writing goals as if they’ve already happened

• Why most people underestimate the cost of greatness

• How vulnerability, faith, and mentorship shaped the creation of T363

Favorite Quote

“ Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean down on your own understanding and all your ways, but acknowledge him and he will guide your paths. ”

Favorite Book

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

In This Episode, We Cover

(00:00) Troy’s upbringing and early exposure to entrepreneurship

(06:00) How prison became the greatest lesson in self-awareness

(12:00) The mirror technique and rebuilding mental strength

(18:00) Faith, manifestation, and writing goals as if they’re already real

(25:00) The cost of greatness and learning to sacrifice for purpose

(33:00) How kindness and mentorship opened unexpected doors

(41:00) 4:30 a.m. routines and reclaiming time

(47:00) Building T363 and redefining masculinity

(52:00) Books, quotes, and practices that keep him grounded

Referenced in This Episode

• Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

• The Art of the Deal (early catalyst)

• The Mirror Technique and Journaling as tools for reflection

• Positive Affirmations and 4:30 a.m. routine

• The creation of T363 and the mission to uplift men

🎧 New episodes drop every Monday.

Be bold. Be real. Be Anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Nicole Harvey, founder of EmpowHer, joins me to talk about building with purpose while balancing a full-time career, creating a global women’s community from scratch, and learning that success doesn’t have to come at the cost of stability.

Nicole’s story is one of intention and persistence. She built EmpowHer — a platform bringing women together through honest conversations around money, health, and leadership — while still working full-time in tech and traveling constantly. What started as small coffee meetups in New York has evolved into a movement that spans curated panels, summits, and ambassador-led events across cities.

In this conversation, we explore what it really takes to grow something from the ground up — without outside funding, without shortcuts, and without losing your center.

If you’ve ever wondered how to chase your dreams without burning down your current life, this episode is for you.

Listen to the episode:

[Spotify] | [Apple]

What You’ll Learn

• How Nicole built EmpowHer while maintaining a full-time role in tech

• Why she believes in scaling slowly and staying self-funded

• The mindset shifts that helped her manage two full-time jobs

• What it means to create spaces for women where vulnerability becomes power

• How to know when it’s time to leave your 9–5 (and when it’s not)

• The value of integrity, patience, and doing the work even when it’s not visible

Favorite Quote

“It doesn’t just happen. You have to make it happen.” — Nicole Harvey’s dad

Favorite Book

MEDDIC: The Ultimate Guide to Winning Complex Sales

In This Episode, We Cover

(00:00) Nicole’s upbringing, entrepreneurial roots, and the influence of her mother

(07:00) Building a career in retail, e-commerce, and tech — and how that shaped EmpowHer

(15:00) The birth of EmpowHer: from coffee meetups to community movement

(24:00) Balancing two full-time roles and the myth of “work-life balance”

(28:00) Knowing when (and how) to leap into entrepreneurship

(33:00) Why she’s not taking outside investment — and what thoughtful scaling looks like

(40:00) Building partnerships with integrity and learning to say no

(47:00) Lessons from EmpowHer’s events and the power of women sharing the real stories

(55:00) Navigating imposter syndrome and learning to trust your own voice

Referenced in This Episode

• EmpowHer community events and the ambassador program

• Recharge (Nicole’s full-time company in the e-commerce tech space)

• Dagne Dover and Margaret Josephs (The Real Housewives of New Jersey)

• Financial literacy for women and closing the gender pay gap

• Public speaking, negotiation, and building partnerships rooted in purpose

New episodes drop every Monday.

Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

Subscribe now

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Kara Brothers, former President of Starface, joins me for a conversation that’s raw, grounding, and deeply human.

From building her career at Google, where ambition met misalignment, to leading one of the most creative, culture-shifting beauty brands of our time, Kara opens up about what it really takes to find your voice in spaces that weren’t built for you.

We talk about self-doubt, identity, leadership, and the ongoing work of trusting yourself even when everything around you tells you not to. Kara’s story is about creating your own lane, finding balance as a parent and a professional, and learning to keep showing up even when it’s hard.

If you’ve ever questioned your path, your pace, or your place, this episode is your reminder that strength isn’t about never doubting yourself. It’s about having the courage to keep going anyway.

🎧 Listen to the episode

Spotify | Apple Podcasts

What You’ll Learn

• How Kara navigated self-doubt and near burnout while climbing the ranks at Google

• Why did she walk away from safety and stability to join a small startup called Starface

• The lessons she learned about leadership, vulnerability, and intuition in male-dominated rooms

• How motherhood reshaped her definition of ambition and success

• The role of therapy and coaching in rebuilding her confidence and leadership style

• Why slowing down became her greatest act of power

Favorite Quote

“Fortune favors the bold” — Kara Brothers

Currently Reading

📖 The Prism by Laura Day

In This Episode, We Cover

(00:00) Introduction to Kara Brothers

(02:30) Growing up in North Carolina and early lessons in curiosity

(06:00) Working at Google — self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and rebuilding confidence

(14:00) Redefining success and learning that misalignment isn’t failure

(18:00) Transitioning from tech to beauty — joining Starface

(24:00) Leadership, risk, and building a team grounded in trust

(32:00) Motherhood, balance, and what “having it all” really means

(40:00) Therapy, coaching, and learning to lead with empathy

(48:00) Why intuition and patience are the new power moves

(55:00) The cost of pretending — and choosing authenticity instead

(01:00:00) Kara’s favorite quote & book

Where to Find Kara Brothers

• Say It Out Loud Podcast

• Substack: Kara Brothers

• LinkedIn

• Instagram

Get to Know Kara

• How Tech Veteran Kara Brothers Ended Up President of Beauty Brand Starface

• 39-year-old executive says embracing this ‘flaw’ has made her a better boss

• Starface founder Kara Brothers shares her secret for achieving tighter, brighter skin

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Kristin Turner, VP of Brand Operations at Global Brand Equities, joins me to discuss the power of ambition, the evolution of celebrity-founded brands, and how she built a career leveraging influence into infrastructure.

Kristin’s career has spanned PR, Warner Records, music partnerships, and now helping launch and scale brands like Gran Coramino Tequila with Kevin Hart, Mercer + Prince with A$AP Rocky, and Maison No. 9 with Post Malone. What makes her story so powerful is the way she’s embraced pivots, leaned into discomfort, and learned to detach her worth from outcomes — while operating in some of the highest-stakes rooms in entertainment and business.

If you’ve ever wondered what really makes a celebrity brand succeed (or fail), or how to reinvent yourself across industries without losing your edge, this episode is for you.

Listen to the episode:

🎧 [Spotify] | [Apple Podcasts]

What You’ll Learn

• Why product–market fit matters more than star power

• How Kristin built confidence moving from PR to Warner Records to VP of a global beverage company

• What it takes to negotiate multimillion-dollar deals without losing yourself in the outcome

• Why resilience and reinvention are non-negotiable in a nonlinear career

• The hidden truth behind why so many celebrity brands fail

Favorite Quote

“Ambition isn’t about chasing every outcome. It’s about building the courage to pivot, reinvent, and keep learning at every stage.”

Favorite Book

Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

In This Episode, We Cover

• (00:00) Kristin’s definition of ambition and where it came from

• (08:00) From PR internships to Warner Records: learning brand partnerships from the ground up

• (17:00) Building celebrity deals — and why many fall apart

• (25:00) The shift from endorsements to equity: why ownership matters

• (33:00) What really makes or breaks celebrity brands

• (42:00) Redefining her relationship with money and ambition

• (49:00) Building confidence as a minority in high-stakes rooms

• (57:00) The importance of resilience, mentors, and learning to let go

Referenced in This Episode

• Warner Records and the music industry’s brand deal evolution

• Global Brand Equities portfolio: Gran Coramino (Kevin Hart), Mercer + Prince (A$AP Rocky), Maison No. 9 (Post Malone)

• Personal finance podcasts and tools (Money with Katie, Monarch Money)

• The power of curiosity and continuous learning

🎧 New episodes drop every Monday.

Be bold. Be real. Be Anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, screenwriter Arielle returns for Part 2 of our conversation — and this is where things get deep.

We talk about what it took to walk away from Google and leap into the unknown world of Hollywood, why fear never really disappears, and how ancestral grounding helped her stay rooted when everything around her felt uncertain.

This is a conversation about risk, resilience, and redefining success — not as a title or a salary, but as alignment with who you really are.

If you’ve ever wondered how to make a bold pivot, or how to keep going when fear won’t let up, this one’s for you.

Listen to the episode:

🎧 Spotify | Apple Podcasts

What You’ll Learn

• Why Arielle walked away from a “dream job” to chase her own

• How fear and imposter syndrome show up — even when you’ve “made it”

• What it means to divest from people and environments that keep you small

• Why reconnecting with your ancestry can be the most powerful compass

• How Arielle defines success now — and why it has nothing to do with status

• What it’s like to cry every night in your dream job — and still choose to stay in the room

Favorite Quote

“When your heart truly desires something, the entire universe conspires in your favor.”

Favorite Book

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

In This Episode, We Cover:

(00:00) Recap + why Arielle left Google

(06:30) How she landed her first job in Hollywood

(11:15) What it felt like being the only new writer with no industry experience

(18:00) Learning to regulate fear — even while living her dream

(22:00) Why success doesn’t silence imposter syndrome

(26:00) The spiritual practices that helped her stay grounded

(32:00) Letting go of generational scarcity — and choosing her own voice

(38:00) Redefining belonging, purpose, and what it means to be “ready”

Referenced in This Episode:

• The Last Man on Earth (Fox)

• Navigating fear in creative careers

• Choosing a spiritual anchor in high-pressure industries

• Generational patterns — and how to break them with grace

• Walking away from certainty to choose alignment

Missed Part 1?

Catch up on how Arielle’s early rejections, career pivots, and relentless curiosity set the foundation for the life she’s living now.

🎧 Apple | Spotify

🎧 New episodes drop every Monday.

Be bold. Be real. Be Anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, screenwriter Arielle joins me for a conversation about growing up fast, dreaming big, and learning to return to yourself, no matter how many detours life throws your way.

We talk about what it’s like to be the emotionally mature one as a child, the path from rejection to reinvention, and how curiosity can lead you back to your truth, even if it takes a decade.

This is the first part of a two-part conversation that explores how Arielle navigated identity, fear, and ambition while building a career she never saw coming.

If you’ve ever felt like you had to be “the responsible one,” or that your dreams were too big for the life you were handed, this episode is for you.

Listen to the episode:

🎧 [Spotify | [Apple Podcasts]

What You’ll Learn

• Why rejection doesn’t mean the end — it means redirection

• How Arielle navigated being the child of teenage parents

• Why “knowing” something in your bones matters — even when no one else sees it

• How to prototype your way to purpose (before you have a plan)

• What she learned from 10 months of cold emails, flights, and curiosity-led meetings

• How working at Google gave her the confidence — and connections — to leap into TV

Favorite Quote

“When your heart truly desires something, the entire universe conspires in your favor.”

Favorite Book

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

In This Episode, We Cover

• (00:00) Introduction to Arielle and her essence of warmth + curiosity

• (05:00) Childhood responsibility, being raised by teenage parents

• (12:00) Rejection from both business and media schools — and what she chose instead

• (20:00) The Costa Rica trip that reignited her desire to write

• (26:00) The emotional aftermath of rejection — and how she focused on the solution

• (30:00) Entering the workforce and realizing she was in the wrong fit

• (33:00) Launching her “Out of Office Revolution” — a career prototype experiment

• (38:00) Cold emails, coast-to-coast coffees, and the power of curiosity

• (41:30) Finding belonging not in places — but through ancestral grounding.

Referenced in This Episode

• MVP (Minimum Viable Product) career strategy

• Google and the power of networked friendships

• Travel journaling as a portal back to purpose

• The hidden power of “weak ties” in your career journey

Coming Up in Part 2:

How Arielle leaped from tech to television, why she believes in “doing things afraid,” and how her spiritual grounding and ancestral lineage helped her hold onto herself inside the chaos of Hollywood.

🎧 New episodes drop every Monday.

Be bold. Be real. Be Anomalous.