Chapter Twenty-Something

Trinity Jagdeo is a CEO, 5X-published author, advocate, motivational speaker, AND just 22 years old. After learning of the lack of representation there is in the media for people with disabilities– through her best friend Alexus's experiences– Trinity decided to take matters into her own hands, and create that representation herself. She has published 5 children's books that each center around a superhero with a certain disability, and each character is based off of a real child who lives with it– sharing their struggles, but more importantly, their incredible strength and powers. Trinity and her work have been featured in Forbes and on The Today Show– just to name a few. She is also the founder and CEO of From We Can't to We Can, which raises awareness and funding for families of children with disabilities. She and Kylie have a conversation about the substantial difference that representation in the media can make for a group of people, balancing life being young and professional, and how we can all be a little bit more compassionate in our day to day lives.

Kailee Billerbeck is the founder of Everyday Armor, an organization that empowers women through self-defense. Kailee combined her experience in the martial arts (she's a black belt in Taekwondo... slight flex), and her B.A. in psychology from Chapman University, to create a program that proves how important it is to not only know how to defend yourself physically, but mentally, as well. Everyday Armor seeks to empower women, and men, to be independent, instinctual, confident, and to always be their own advocate. Kailee shares with us tips and advice to stay safe in today's world (including with social media), how she built a business where she travels the country teaching her own course, and the true value of knowing your self-worth.

New job, new city, new chapter: It's been a whirlwind of a month, and we're discussing it all.

Alyssa Sullivan is a reporter and multimedia journalist for PHL 17, and is Miss New Jersey 2021. She discusses with Kylie her journey of competing for the title of Miss New Jersey 6 times before she finally obtained it, and then, what it was like to compete at Miss America. They also discuss her original career path in musical theater, and how she came to the decision to leave those dreams behind, and pursue a career in another passion: Journalism. Her story is one of persistence, ambition, learning who you are, and proof that putting in the work will always lead to a successful outcome– even if it doesn't go exactly like you originally planned.

Alexiou Gibson is the founder and CEO of The Transformation Factory: A company that provides the tools to help people come their “2.0 version,” or the best version of themselves. Its sea moss products, that Alexiou started making in his kitchen during CoVid to help boost his grandmother’s, and local nurses’, immune systems, rank in millions in sales every year, and the business is only growing. In 2022, Alexiou and his sea moss was featured on Shark Tank, and (spoiler!) he ended up signing a deal with Mark Cuban AND Kevin Hart– in what is the show’s most viewed episode, to date. Becoming the healthiest version of yourself is also a personal topic for Gibson: After being told, at the age of 21, that he would not live to see 30, Alexiou lost 300 pounds, and completely changed his lifestyle. Now, he’s living the dream, and hustling every day to keep increasing his potential. Side note: He’s also a retired NASA scientist. This episode features an incredible story, and also shares tons of tips for people looking to grow their own businesses, straight from the voice of someone’s whose life has completely changed in the past 3 years.

Tire stories, the history of American Idol, and the power behind decision-making. 

Happy Valentine's Day! In accordance with today's holiday, we have the perfect guest for you all, no matter where you are at, dating-wise: Amber Grubenmann. Amber is the host of the Women's Dating and Confidence podcast, and also works full-time as a dating coach, guiding each of her clients through their specific relationship journeys– not only with potential significant others, but with themselves as well. First, Amber tells us how she built her business from the ground up, and shares her advice on how to persevere when the road to success is long. Then, we discuss her approach to dating, and how, before you seek anyone, you must find confidence, and love, within yourself.

A little life recap with Kylie, which includes a series of fun, unexpected, and some unfortunate recent events. But, because we like to look for the silver lining here, she then chats about how to handle any obstacle that comes your way, staying solution-based, and keeping yourself- and your goals- a priority, in good times and bad.

Nile Fortner is a multimedia journalist, who was written, and hosted, for publications such as The Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale Magazine, Boca First, and The Miami New Times. Focusing his work on the people– and happenings– of South Florida, he shares with Kylie his experiences on the power that local journalism can have on a community, and more-so, the influence that serving a specific demographic can have on growing a career. Kylie and Nile also have a conversation about the state of the news world today, where they think journalism is headed in the future, and how to keep your eye– and actions– on what that future is, in order to keep evolving in your career.

Our first return guest! We're back with Racquel Goldy, formally of the Millennial Girls, to talk about everything she's been up to since we last spoke. In 2021, Racquel took the leap and moved to LA to continue pursuing her hosting career: She discusses with us the realities of taking a big move... The highs, the lows, and everything in between. She also shares with Kylie how she has achieved becoming a radio host on Sirius XM, how she found a passion for KPOP and has built a career off of that love... that even led to a trip to Korea, and how, through it all, she has learned to value herself and her well-being, no matter what.

Ilana Dunn is the host and founder of the Seeing Other People podcast. She takes us on her career journey from starting out in the music industry, to becoming the "face of Hinge," to entering the life of an entrepreneur, and finding success with her own brand, and, on her own terms.  She shares with us tips to help your resume stand out from the rest, what it is like to have a job become your identity (and why that is not the way to live), finding the balance between sharing your life online and keeping your personal life sacred, ways to build a successful brand, and of course, Ilana answers YOUR (& Kylie's lolz) dating questions!

November. Today, we're discussing how we have the option to let other people influence our happiness and self-worth, or, how we can take control of it for ourselves (and the ghosting that led up to this realization lolz). Also... Bear in the Big Blue House. Very Important.

Sydney Sadick is the founding editor-in-chief and publisher of SPOTLIGHT Magazine, as well as an entertainment and style expert. At the age of 28, she has made appearances in hundreds of TV segments– including The Today Show, Good Morning America, and E! Daily Pop– and she is also the author of the book, "Aim High," which debuted #1 on Amazon in Fashion & Business.

She shares with Kylie the story of just how she has reached such levels of success, and the two discuss the difference between being an influencer and an entrepreneur, the power of knowing your audience, the importance of looking out for your own career longevity, and how you can never be afraid to go after exactly what you want.

October. Today we're discussing the subject of validation: Where it stems from, how it affects us in all areas of our lives, and what we can do to combat the judgement of people who *do not matter.* It's your life, and you should live it exactly how you want to.

Gabrielle Sieber is currently an original content coordinator at Audible, and has previously worked at ViacomCBS, Watch What Happens Live!, and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon– among other shows. She shares her story of how she started out with truly just a love of creating stories, and how, at the age of 27, she has earned her stacked resume. Gab and Kylie also discuss the importance of passion projects, pushing past the hesitancy of asking questions or reaching out to strangers, the need for community in your career field, as well as the value of re-framing a "perfectionist" mindset, and realizing that there are many paths to find your way to success. 

August: We dive into the debate of either, making your passion your career, or keeping it as a hobby. Kylie discusses the pros and cons of each path, shares her own journey with this topic, and how she's learned that you must make room in your life for the things that you love most– no matter what. 

Hi! Re-releasing this episode, because something unknown occurred, and it was deleted. Happy to have it saved, and back up for everyone to hear!

Cody Cooley is an actor, musician, and dancer, who has most notably, thus far, traveled the country playing the role of Squidward Q. Tentacles in the first national tour of “The Spongebob Musical.” He shares with Kylie his childhood experiences as a competitive tap dancer; his lessons learned as an actor; how Covid-19 took away The Spongebob tour overnight; how he’s coped and used his creativity to continue, and how he’s viewed his future since that time.

June: Roe v. Wade, listening (and ignoring) your inner voice, Kylie's travel stories, ostriches, and her latest show recommendations!

Leo Rocha is a multimedia journalist, producer, writer, and currently works as the social media strategist for Mic, out of Bustle Digital Group. Throughout his career, Leo has focused on telling the stories of the LGBTQ+ community, and of marginalized people. His work is an amazing example of the power that journalism can have to humanize the headlines, and connect us all. Leo has been recognized as a GLAAD & Teen Vogue 20 under 20 Inaugural Honoree, and an Out100 Honoree. He and Kylie discuss the importance, and meaning, of representation in the media; what makes for a powerful, effective "post"; Leo's work on the documentary, "Keep the Cameras Rolling: The Pedro Zamora Way," and more.

May: Texas travels, summer lists, and the celebrations and complications of Hot Girl Spring.

Kylie:

Sarah Trott is a social media influencer, podcaster, ALS Advocate, and reality TV personality who appeared on season 25 of ABC's The Bachelor. Kylie and Sarah discuss her journey from broadcast journalist, to reality TV, to taking a step back from her career to care for her father, Tom, while he was fighting his courageous battle with ALS.

After realizing that there wasn't a voice for young caregivers who had experienced what she had, Sarah decided to become one, and started Sarah's Caregiver Community: Through her social media platforms, Zoom sessions, retreats, and a growing Facebook group, Sarah offers support, guidance, and connections for young women who are trying to balance their new adulthoods, while also caring for a parent who has ALS.

The two also discuss what it is like to live life as a content creator; the balance between having a brand that is so personal, and also maintaining a private life; Sarah's realization that "beauty and brains" can co-exist; and how authenticity has become the driving factor in her career.

April (Celsius- Induced).

Kylie:

Arianna Davis is a star of Lizzo's new reality series, Watch Out For The Big Grrrls, and an actress, singer, and dancer. She and Kylie discuss the impact that the show is having on the dance world, and the message it shares about our society, its fixed view on what health and outer beauty look like, and how it is more than time for that image to change. Ari also tells us more of her own story: She shares what it was like to grow up being an incredible dancer, yet consistently being told that she wasn't the right "type"; Building a career as a working actor in New York, only to have it all come crashing down in March 2020; and now, the lessons she is learning from the success of the show, and the bigger picture that she is now a part of.

March: Imposter Syndrome, Con Artist Szn, and The Slap.

Casey Silvestri is the Instagram Video Editor for the Washington Post: She is the first to hold this position in the publication’s history. Previously, she was a producer at NBC. A journalist for the modern age, Casey shares with Kylie just what her job entails, including: Catering news for social media and its audiences, dealing with/ combating misinformation, and creating connective content, all while remaining completely fact-driven. She also tells us about her own story, and while deciding to go to college for creative filmmaking, she followed her instincts for her own future– and the amount of money she that *didn’t* want to spend– which led her to her unexpected path of community college... Revealing to her a more diverse, and complex, society, and a newfound desire to use her skills to tell the stories about its people. Casey gives us all the advice we need on how to be our own advocates in the workplace, being prepared for the opportunities that come your way, and working with integrity in a complicated industry.

February.

Nicole Asherah is the author of A Life Cycle: A Guide To Healing and Rediscovering Yourself, which will be available on March 14th, and is available for pre-order now! She opens up with Kylie about the harder chapters in her life, and how channeling her emotions into her art helped her to heal– culminating into her debut book. The two also discuss Nicole’s decision to not attend college, after attending a college prep school; her findings after backpacking around 15 countries; her experiences with self-publishing; and the beauty that art can have in our lives.

January.

Liv Whalen is the founder of Liv Your Fit, where she helps her clients to find a healthy relationship with food and exercise. Liv and Kylie discuss what exactly intuitive eating is; how our mental relationship with food is formed from a young age; the difference between a "driven" mindset and unhealthy habits; creating online content for your business that is unique to you; what to look for when following fitness influencers; and how we can remind ourselves just how incredible our bodies are. 

Tee Williams is a non-profit employee and teacher, currently living in Thailand. She shares with Kylie how she grew up wanting to explore the world, and then, she made that her reality. Tee details her experiences moving to Thailand after college; living through the events of the past few years while being in a foreign country; learning the realities that cultural differences can bring; her experiences being a Black American abroad; the best ways to budget and solo-travel; and why she chooses not to limit herself to the societal norms.

Rob Lawless is the man behind Rob’s 10K Friends. His mission for the past 6 years, and full-time job, is to spend 1 hour, 1 on 1, with 10,000 people…. and he will be checking off number 5000 in the upcoming months! Rob shares with Kylie what inspired him to start this project; his experiences with his growing popularity and media attention– including appearances on The Today Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and On Air with Ryan Seacrest–; what the reality of making friends, as a career, is like; and most importantly, his perspective on what conversation, and connection, can do for us all.

Madison Jantzen is a full-time Social Media Marketer and Content Creator. Up until earlier this year, however, she was a kindergarten teacher. Madison shared her teacher tips, tricks, and bubbly personality on TikTok, and grew a large, dedicated following. This platform, however, caused turmoil in her career and day-to-day life, with people– anonymously– contacting her employers with the faults that they were finding in her (trust me) nothing but positive, and professional, content. This situation left Madison with a very difficult choice: To stay at her steady job, but let go of the brand and name that she had built for herself, or to say goodbye to the career she had worked for– and dreamed of– for her entire life, in order to fulfill a bigger purpose. Her story is one of knowing your worth, finding places where you are valued, trusting in yourself, allowing your identity to change as your life does, and seeing just how many people you can help on your rise to the top– and it’s only just beginning.

Dan Laverde is a Communications and Media Relations assistant for the New York Yankees. He tells the story of the winding path that led him to this exciting position, and how even when he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do, sticking to what he enjoyed helped him to land in the right places. Dan also shares with Kylie the vital importance that networking has had in his career; acting on opportunities when you least expect to find them; what the bravery to “open the door” for yourself can bring; the recognition of the people who helped you get to where you are, and the necessity to pay it forward; and the most important question of all… After growing up a Mets fan, where does he stand now?

Marissa Diedrick is a teacher for the visually impaired. She shares with Kylie how, after pursuing a career as a classroom teacher, she decided she wanted to specialize in her current career field, and explains how she made the move to pursue it. Her passion for her work shows, and she tells us where it stems from– personally– and why her main focus is instilling confidence and independence in her students. Marissa also shares what she does on a daily basis with her work, and her opinions on why people need to give physically disabled individuals the freedom to live independently, because they are more than capable of doing so.

Samantha Wood is the Customer Support Manager of Digital Apps and NFTs at The Topps Company. She shares with Kylie the journey of her career, thus far, and how she has learned to stand her ground, and speak her mind, as a woman in charge, in the workplace. Samantha also speaks of becoming a mother- while having a full time career- including its struggles, and how she has learned to find a way to prioritize everything. Additionally, she and Kylie share their experiences of learning why the customer is truly “always right,” and how Sam is navigating the new, ever-expanding world of NFTs.

Kaia Gettings is a poet and author of the upcoming book, of her poetry, SweetBitter. Kaia shares with Kylie her journey with writing, and parallel to that conversation, her journey with becoming more comfortable with herself, her thoughts, and her purpose. The two have a talk about the perks, and embarrassment, of using social media to propel your career; poetry’s place in today’s world; how writing can be used to help us communicate in a healthier way; and how we can use our “ugliness” to leave an authentic mark on the world.

Lexi Zanghi is the owner of Always Reason Clothing, and one of the stars of the new Peacock TV Series, Born For Business. She shares with Kylie how her journey to becoming a business owner and reality star, all at the age of 23, started with struggles with anxiety. Lexi opens up about her hardships, how she found her way out of the darkness, and what she is doing now, with her platform, to raise awareness for mental health. Kylie and Lexi also talk about what being on a reality show was really like, how to define success, and how Lexi’s viral TikTok of her engagement taught her the value of authenticity.

Gabrielle Stone is the best-selling author of “Eat, Pray, FML,” and the newly- released “The Ridiculous Misadventures of a Single Girl,” podcast host of FML Talk, as well as an actress and director.  She shares with Kylie her story, which starts with heartbreak, and ends up with a best-selling book about her experiences. Gabrielle also tells us how she created her “self-love cocktail”, balancing personal and professional images on social media, tips for self-publishing, and the power that comes with authenticity and vulnerability.

Just a lot of straight up inspo in this episode. A little reflection, with Kylie, on the lessons this podcast has taught her over the past year. Covering everything from taking a chance on yourself, dealing with comparisons, the “timeline,” self-talk and how if affects your life, how to actually balance everything, being your own advocate, lifting others up through doing what you love, and letting your light shine.

Amy Boehly is the founder of Treasure Trove Entertainment, as well as an actor, writer, and model. She explains how Treasure Trove is a business that allows for more BIPOC representation with the princess characters that children know and love, and the two have a conversation about representation in the media, where they have seen it lacking, and what Amy is doing to create change.

Kennedy Taylor is an architectural, and interior, designer. She shares with Kylie how she got into the business of designing homes from the ground up; the process she is currently enduring to see her own interior design firm, Studio K, thrive; how she handles being a young woman in charge; and what role art plays in her daily life.

Maddie Parrotta is a sensitivity reader and editor. She shares with Kylie how her life’s experiences have led her to her career path; why representation matters in the media, and why it is vital who tells the stories of an underrepresented group; how she has worked to break the stereotypes involving disabled people; and how her mission is flourishing into a career that will help so many others.

Kara Garbarino is a fitness trainer and online influencer, who shares weekly workouts through her instagram page, and has scored ambassadorships/ sponsorships with brands such as Lululemon and Fabletics. Kara tells Kylie about her extensive background in gymnastics and diving, and how she incorporates both the physical & mental lessons, from those experiences, into her life now; the correlation between body image, social media, and mental health- and what we can do to combat the pressures from the online world; tips for growing your instagram; how she lives life by the 80/20 rule; and how she realized how truly strong and beautiful every body is.

Sarry Ibrahim is the founder of Financial Asset Protection. He shares with Kylie why he lives by the “Bank on Yourself” concept, what exactly that is, and how everyone can use it. He also shares the best mindset to have when it comes to planning for a financially stable future; not being afraid of making a career change; necessary vs. unnecessary risk- taking; the importance of being the face of your own business; and always leading with your own objective in mind.

Sarry:

Sabrina Safran is the Director of Casting and Talent Development at Hearst Magazines. She has previously been a casting producer at Buzzfeed, and as a freelancer in Los Angeles, as well as an entertainment host. Sabrina shares with Kylie her experiences working in LA versus NYC; what exactly a casting director does; what it takes to make it in the entertainment industry; how taking chances on yourself is vital for success; and how she keeps herself grounded.

Cat Corbett is a graphic designer, specializing in visual brand identity. She shares with Kylie her journey of how she has come to work for herself: The two chat about the importance of educational resources from a young age; mental health, and just how vital it is for success; finding the balance between needing to make money and going after your true passions; and why Cat believes visual branding is the most important tool for a new business to invest in.