What Happened After?: Talks On Post-"Life Happens" Growth

This is a mini-episode leading up to the 2020 election. I sat down with Sarah Galvez and we talked through the reality of what “day to day” looks like on a campaign, how rapid the rapid fire response moment around the fly in the Vice Presidential debate actually was, but most importantly, how to make sure you feel empowered to GOTV this November.

IMPORTANT LINKS FROM THE EPISODE:

Text “Vote Joe” to 30330

Grief is a popular topic right now because of COVID, because of 2020, and because of how life is unfolding for us as individuals and as a collective. “Grief” as a universal concept is defined as deep sorrow, but on an individual level, it’s a constant, undeniable reality. It looks like sorrow sometimes and like laughter others. On this episode, I chat with Claire Bidwell Smith, an author and grief expert, who uses her own lived experiences with loss to draw connection points with others walking similar paths.

Whether you’re hoping to understand more of your own grief or to know how to best be there for a friend, I hope this episode is helpful.

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Lately I've been thinking about the importance of having faith in something outside of yourself, so call it synchronicity that Meli and I tried to answer how we've both been coping with these bigger questions. We look at faith specifically too as a pillar to hold onto as we navigate life as creatives. 

From the minute I hit record, Alica brought her whole self to this episode and let us in. We talked about grief, how coping mechanisms can shift, and that belonging and connection can come from sharing the details of your lived experiences. 

Most of all we landed on a very big truth — to be vulnerable online doesn't mean that you're sharing all of yourself, it means you're sharing the humanizing parts that you can put into words. 

Going from content creator to entrepreneur may be new territory for Jen Pinkston in some ways, but definitely not in all ways. Through all of her career changes, Jen was turning to the same foundation and values to help guide her. Above all else, she wanted to make sure she was happy and that she was setting her own pace. During our conversation Jen shares how she went from stylist to content creator to now the founder and CEO of La Paloma, a children’s lounge and sleepwear company.

This is the podcast episode you want to listen to at the end of a hard day/week/month/year. Stephanie Carcache, a singer and co-founder of the podcast Millennial Women, shares all during this episode. We talk about how necessary (and hard) it is to give ourselves grace during this pandemic. She offers insight on what to keep in mind if maybe you aren't where you thought you would be, but also exactly where you need to be. 

I found Jessie on TikTok of all places. I was looking for some inspo to revamp our home in the middle of COVID-19 and her corner of the Internet @JessieFinds gave me everything I needed. 

I invited her on the podcast because I want our rally call for the next few months to be — creating a safe space for ourselves no matter what's going on outside. Jessie shares home decor tips, behind-the-scenes on how she's grown on TikTok, and some hacks that will save you big money if you do plan to revamp your space. 

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Mike went from a photography career to building Janesi Comfort, an apparel company focused on elevating comfort for patients. In the times of COVID,  a conversation around comfort, grief, and mission-oriented growth doesn't just feel relevant, it feels necessary. 

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Brittany is an influencer, a trendsetter, and a mom. She's also a political science major, an alumnae of Nordstrom's retail floor, and someone who debated how life would change for her if she kept her baby when she got pregnant at 19. 

I've been a fan of Brittany's for a bit, so this conversation was everything I was hoping for and more. We talk about social media just as much as we talk about the decisions that got Brittany to where she is now. Listen to the full conversation to find out just why the title of this podcast is a play on "you live and you learn." 

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I know that it doesn't feel like it, being in the middle of a pandemic and all, but right now is the perfect time to face your fears, yourself, and find what triggers your happiness. Michelle Poler, the creator of Hello Fears, joins me for a conversation on how she did just this. It all started with 100 fears and now in the midst of launching her first book and navigating COVID-19, Poler shares how learning lessons in the middle of fear can lead to some major growth. 

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I open up the episode by saying so much had changed — in a good way. You see, we recorded this before Coronavirus was a present reality in the US and the biggest changes we were talking about involved a newborn and a trip to Vegas. While the changes (and wait) in this episode feel different than what we're all now dealing with the same lessons apply. 

Embrace the suck. Don't think about what you could or should, but instead about what you will do. You have power whether your corner of the universe is your apartment, the Internet, or your community. 

Jasmine Star is a force, a digital innovator, and this week's inspiring voice on What Happened After. 

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Allie and I have been friends (thanks to IG) for the last 3 years. We bonded over creative life and later found that we’d actually had a lot of life experiences in common. In this conversation, I wanted to talk about some of that very real stuff — like loss, infertility, and how to keep ourselves grounded through it all.

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Geraldine Ridaura Schumacher walks us through her big before and after — it involves a contractor giving up her, her realizing she couldn't keep building her dream for everyone else, and almost renaming Holy Matcha something else altogether. The matcha care owner has had her series of ups and downs, but after three years her biggest lessons learned come down to reframing friendships, redefining your own wants, and accepting not everyone is going to get it. 

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Cassandra Thurswell is the founder and CEO behind IG-favorite, Kitsch. The hair accessary brand was built on what Cassandra herself is built on — pure grit, self-awareness, and an embracing of how hard work and vision can make magic. We talk about the power of being yourself even when it’s uncomfortable.

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Ashli Stockton is the founder of Sunday Forever, a brand that is dedicated to helping you fight off the Sunday Scaries and build a life you love, every day of the week. Over 30 minutes we talk about the guts it took to leave her corporate job to follow a passion that others judged her for, how to silence those outside voices, and how to turn up the voice of your own gut.

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On this episode of What Happened After, Mike Porath (Founder of The Mighty) and I talk all things online communities and the true power they have in helping others feel less alone. Throughout our conversation you’ll learn how Mike’s own daughter’s journey inspired The Mighty and the ins + outs of growing an online community to reach its full potential.

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There’s a first time for everything and this is one of those moments. In this episode I mostly talk to myself (and you) about the power of moving out of a scarcity mindset and embracing abundance. I wanted you to get to know me a bit more, so I also work in stories about how I grew up, what I’m trying to unlearn, and the book I’m currently reading. This is a first go around in what I hope will be a series of conversations between us.

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In the first episode of What Happened After? I sit down with Mariana Atencio, journalist and author, and we talk about how being assertive about taking up space could be the the answer to owning your next move. Our conversation branches out to include how the universe works in your favor so long as you let it and how having the right people in your corner can make all the difference. So, the kind of conversation that can set the tone for your week and your life. If you like what you hear, pass along the episode to someone else who could use it.

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Meet What Happened After? and me, Vivian Nunez. Every Tuesday, over the next 12 weeks, we'll be diving into life conversations and tackling the question - what was your before and after?. But until then, here's a snippet of what you'll have to look forward to.