Recovery and Resilience: Jamel Freeman's Story of Self-Worth and Sobriety

Join host Chad Smith in a compelling conversation with Tamika Carlton, CEO and co-founder of Couples Experience, as they delve into the state of relationships within the black community. From the significance of traditional courting to navigating modern dating landscapes, they unpack the challenges of forming authentic connections in an age dominated by social media and technology. Tamika shares her own love story with her husband Logan and gives us a glimpse into her work as a relationship coach, including her luxury retreats for couples. She also offers invaluable insights on the importance of communication, vulnerability, and aligning with a partner's core values. If you're looking to deepen your understanding of love and partnership or seeking to enhance your own relationship, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

**Timestamps:**

- 00:00:00 - Introduction to the show and welcome Tamika Carlton

- 00:02:35 - Discussing the impact of the lack of male role models on traditional courting

- 00:06:20 - Exploring why women may not demand traditional courtship

- 00:10:15 - The importance of dating with intention and clarity

- 00:15:40 - Understanding the value of vulnerability in building relationships

- 00:21:50 - Tamika shares her love story with Logan and their swift journey from meeting to marriage

- 00:28:30 - Growth and communication as the cornerstones of Tamika's successful marriage

- 00:32:45 - The role of conflict resolution and articulating feelings in relationships

- 00:37:00 - Tamika introduces her relationship coaching approach

- 00:40:50 - The art of listening and avoiding misunderstandings in conversations

- 00:47:15 - Handling differing opinions and passionate disagreements

- 00:52:00 - The influence of social media persona versus real vulnerability

- 01:00:00 - The potential impact of the pandemic on intimate relationships

- 01:05:30 - Overview of Couples Experience and upcoming retreats

- 01:12:00 - Announcing Tamika's relationship masterclass and providing resource links

- 01:17:30 - Chad's closing thoughts on fostering a love revolution

**Links Mentioned:**

- Couples Experience: https://www.couplesexperience.com

- Tamika's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamikacarlton

- Relationship Masterclass Sign-Up: https://www.couplesexperience.com/masterclass

Remember to subscribe to "Life, Love, and Hustle" to stay updated on all our latest episodes. If you found value in this conversation, please share it with a friend and help us spread the wisdom on building better relationships. Together, let's be part of the love revolution!

**Life, Love, and Hustle Podcast**

**Episode: LLH Takeover Edition: Women's Wisdom From 30s to 50s"**

**Host:** Renee Miller

**Guests:** Alana Joyner Stevens, Lisa Watford

**Episode Description:**

In this insightful and empowering episode of "Life, Love, and Hustle," host Renee Miller sits down with two remarkable guests, Alana Joyner Stevens and Lisa Watford. They dive deep into the themes of financial independence, personal growth, and spiritual foundation. From sharing their inspirational journeys to discussing societal pressures and embracing one's essence – this episode is a deep dive into evolving through life's hustle with grace and intention.

**Timestamps:**

- [00:00:00] Introduction: Renee introduces the podcast and welcomes listeners to a special episode of "The Takeover."

- [00:02:15] Meet the Guests: Renee introduces Alana Joyner Stevens, a mental health professional and life coach, alongside Lisa Watford, who brings her perspective as a free thinker with strong financial insights.

- [00:05:40] Spirited Beginnings: Lisa shares her reflections on financial progression, career milestones, and the reality of attaining six figures.

- [00:10:20] Empowering Affirmations: Alana Joyner Stevens recites affirmations shaping her mindset and provoking audience reflection, prompting an enthusiastic response from both Lisa and Renee.

- [00:15:55] Musical Icons: A light-hearted discussion ensues about choosing between Prince and Michael Jackson, revealing each guest's personal preference and how these legendary musicians have impacted their lives.

- [00:18:30] Financial Finesse: Alana speaks candidly about her unexpected journey as a female entrepreneur, touching on the impact of financial success and the shifting landscape for women in business.

- [00:23:45] Digital Dissonance: The guests expound on the complications of building authentic relationships in the age of technology and social media.

- [00:27:30] Self-Reflection and Social Media: A conversation unfolds around societal ideals of beauty, body image, and the impact of social media on self-perception, particularly for women.

- [00:35:10] Generational Wisdom: The dialogue shifts as Renee and her guests share the advice they would give to their younger selves and discuss the fears and fascinations with age and entrepreneurship.

- [00:40:45] Spiritual Anchors: Alana and Lisa delve into their spiritual beliefs, with Alana recounting a transformative experience involving "The Lion King," which underscores the value of self-care and discovery.

- [00:45:00] Closing Remarks: Renee wraps up the episode with words of wisdom, reminding listeners to live fully, love earnestly, and hustle diligently. The guests and host exchange their final thoughts on spirituality, authenticity, and personal growth.

- [00:48:50] Contact Info and Social Media: Alana shares her social media handles and talks briefly about her herbal life journey and professional organizing business.

- [00:50:25] Acknowledgments: Renee thanks the listeners for tuning in and engages the audience with a final message of appreciation.

**Mentioned Links:**

Alana Joyner Stevens' socials: 

IG: @akaallanverna' and @redefiningchaos 

Facebook: Allana Verna and Redefiningchaos215

Renee Miller's  website:

The Love Camp - www.thelovecamp.co

This episode of 'Life, Love, and Hustle' titled 'Kava Culture', hosted by Chad Smith, features guests Caroline Rusher and Jacqueline, co-founders of Kava Culture Kava Bar. They discussed the kava root, expanding their business, and the importance of authenticity. Here are some key timestamps and topics covered during the podcast:

- [00:00:30]: Chad Smith introduces the episode and guests.

- [00:01:35]: Caroline and Jacqueline introduce themselves.

- [00:03:35]: Caroline shares her discovery of kava.

- [00:06:09]: Opening their first bar and plans to franchise.

- [00:10:08]: Current number of corporate and franchised bars.

- [00:10:57]: The growth of Kava Culture and fulfilling a need.

- [00:13:23]: Background on the kava plant and its uses.

- [00:15:06]: The process of sourcing kava and product development.

- [00:18:21]: Ideal qualities of a Kava Culture franchisee.

- [00:20:26]: Discussing principles for business success.

- [00:23:03]: Caroline's coaching approaches.

- [00:28:22]: The electro frequency of emotions and authenticity.

- [00:28:55]: Personal questions about marital status and family.

- [00:30:38]: Balancing life, family, and business.

- [00:34:14]: Family involvement in business operations.

- [00:35:05]: Future goals for Kava Culture and how to become a franchise partner.

- [00:36:19]: Potential locations for new franchises.

- [00:38:22]: Chad encourages listeners to leave five-star reviews.

Links mentioned for more information on the company and products:

- Kava Culture website: https://www.kavaculture.com

- Botanical Brewing website: https://botanicalbrewingco.com/

- Join our community to continue the conversation!

Check out the Kava Culture website to explore franchising opportunities or try their products, which are shipped across the country.

"Can I Do This?" by Jamel Freeman - https://a.co/d/4D7PC4F

1. Introduction of Jamel Freeman

- Background as an author, speaker, educator, advocate, and NASW Maryland board director.

- Overview of his book "Can I Do This?"

2. Recovery and Coping Skills

- Chad's personal experience with loss and recovery.

- Jamel's definition of recovery and the use of healthy coping mechanisms.

- The one-day-at-a-time approach to recovery.

- The significance of support during the recovery process.

3. Emotional Wellness in Black Families

- Secrecy and trauma impacting mental health.

- Jamel's insights into intergenerational trauma and unaddressed emotions.

- The call for open dialogue and mental health support within families.

4. Importance of Mental and Emotional Well-Being

- Jamel's advocacy for recovery and sobriety.

- The necessity of help-seeking behavior and providing support.

- Chad's endorsement of Jamel's community work and literary contribution.

5. Personal Growth and Recovery

- Encouraging listeners to move beyond comfort zones.

- Emphasis on prioritizing mental health for personal development.

- Jamel's personal experiences with relapse and the importance of honesty and boundaries in recovery.

6. Discussing Substance Abuse and Suicide Prevention

- Jamel's reasons for past drinking habits and overcoming feelings of unworthiness.

- The critical nature of creating a safe environment for emotional expression.

- The aim of suicide prevention and mental wellness initiatives.

7. Vulnerability and Predatory Behavior

- Comparisons between predators and their prey in the context of recovery.

- The role of support systems and accountability in staying on track.

8. Stigma and Seeking Help

- Jamel addresses the challenges of admitting the need for help.

- Discussions around surrendering control and growing weary of destructive behaviors.

9. Spirituality and Recovery

- The serenity prayer and its relevance to recovery efforts.

- Relying on a power greater than oneself as a foundation for healing.

00:00 - Episode introduction and introduction of guest, Dr. Lynn Anderson.

02:10 - Dr. Anderson talks about her background as a Karma Master and the philosophy of Karma Yoga.

05:25 - Chad and Dr. Anderson delve into the concept of Karma, its misconception as a punishment, and its actual understanding as a path to personal evolution.

12:15 - Explanation of reincarnation and the opportunities it provides for self-correction.

19:35 - Dr. Anderson discusses her published works on Karma, prosperity, nutrition, naturopathy, and sexual health.

23:50 - Importance of sexual health for well-being and success.

29:30 - Discussion on the book "Think and Grow Rich" and the role of sexual energy in personal development.

38:20 - The concept of us as energy in the universe and how we can harness and direct it.

43:00 - Dr. Anderson shares her vision of a world where Yoga and Karma are the guiding philosophies.

46:15 - Personal stories from Dr. Anderson’s 40 years of work in the field.

54:40 - Ways to reach out to Dr. Anderson for consultation and resources.

56:50 - Closing remarks from Chad, the promise of a future interview with Dr. Anderson.  

1:00:10 - Discussion on the Western and natural medicine dichotomy and the need for their integration.

1:08:45 - Discussion on the importance of vitamins from sunshine and B group for mood and energy levels, the emphasis on prevention in natural medicine.

1:15:20 - Dr. Anderson discusses the state of nutrition and exercise in the US and their impact on overall health.

1:23:00 - The importance of yoga for maintaining health, particularly in terms of balance and flexibility.

1:31:15 - Closing remarks and sign-off.

Dr. Lynn's Website 

"Hustle Club" Listener Community

Life, Love, and Hustle: Interview with Lorene Cowan Host: Chad Smith Guest: Lorene Cowan Show Notes: 

[00:00] Introduction - Chad Smith introduces guest Lorene Cowan, business coach, Harvard graduate, and founder of Coaching to Courses. 

[02:30] Early Hustles - Lorene shares her first business venture cutting up cards to make holiday bookmarks. A reminder that the journey to success starts from humble beginnings. 

[10:45] Lorene Cowan on Personal Development - Importance of Discipline, Routine & Structure on Entrepreneurial Success. - Methodology of "be, do, have" and how that influences business success is discussed. 

[18:15] Reading Recommendations - Chad Smith mentions the game-changing book: "Rich Dad, Poor Dad." 

[21:30] Lorene's Journey to Harvard and beyond - Lorene Cowan shares her journey as a black Harvard graduate and her plans for further studies in business administration. 

[29:55] Building a Successful Coaching Business - Lorene talks about the importance of target audience, testing your product or service, lean into your idea and more. - Introduction to her Coaching Company: Coaching to Courses. 

[44:00] Importance of Press & PR in Marketing - Chad Smith's perspective on the often overlooked press/PR in favor of social media. 

[50:00] Scaling your Business venture - Lorene stresses the need for systematic plans and thorough research for successful business scaling. 

[1:00:00] Affiliate Marketing - Advantages of Affiliate Marketing without creating a product. - The usage of affiliate platforms like ClickBank, and the benefits of recurring commissions. 

[1:10:00] Personal Interests - Lorene shares her love for laying by the pool, sailing and listening to rappers. - Chad adds humor by asking about her relationship status and shares her favorite rappers. 

[1:22:00] Lorene Cowan Promotes her Services - She encourages listeners to follow her coaching services and shares her social media handles. 

[1:25:00] Farewell and Acknowledgment - Chad thanks Lorene, expresses his enjoyment of the conversation and looks forward to a potential future episode. 

[1:27:30] Call To Action - Chad requests listeners to rate, review, and share the podcast. - He also encourages listeners to follow the show on social media channels for more content. 

[1:30:00] Final Words - Chad extends his gratitude towards the listeners for their ongoing support and loyalty.

The Expert's Tribe

Hustle Club Community

Adoption: "They told me that I was loved and that it was really hard for my birth mom, my mom, to give me up for it."

— Steven Roberts [00:11:23 → 00:11:35]

The Importance of Knowing Your Roots: "I just wanted to get a whole lot of questions answered. I wanted to see where I was from. I think that's really important as an adult, to know where you come from and to know what stock you have."

— Steven Roberts [00:18:12 → 00:18:22]

Finding Identity: "after going to Hagerstown, without a doubt, I know exactly who I am, and I would have turned out exactly the same."

— Steven Roberts [00:20:10 → 00:20:16]

The Evolution of House Music: "I tell people it's the sound of house music is the cross between it's like, you take R and B, you take soulful R and B, put it in a blender with disco, and then I believe outcomes."

— Steven Roberts [00:23:58 → 00:24:11]

Becoming Number One: "And I wasn't going to be satisfied with being number two or number 20 or number 100. I was like, okay, I'm in it. To get the crown, to get the depth of big, giant I needed that big giant king crown. I wanted it."

— Steven Roberts [00:26:59 → 00:27:12]

"Rapid Rise to Number One: 'And once I got there, some growth, I knew I was like, oh, I'm going to number one.'"

— Steven Roberts [00:28:37 → 00:28:42]

Modern Broadcasting and the Power of Starting Small: "My home studio, my broadcast equipment is digital and high definition and it puts the hometown station to shame. I could show him a thing or two about modern broadcasting and things like that."

— Steven Roberts [00:29:41 → 00:29:55]

Breaking into Marketing: "I just would look up companies online like Home Depot and look up marketing people and start calling and eventually I find the person or the department in charge of marketing and I would just simply print the station's ratings or scan it and then digitize it and start showing them. Look what I can do. I can reach out and touch over 100 countries around the world. I can also do streams where only listeners in the United States can hear your commercial us."

— Steven Roberts [00:31:11 → 00:31:53]

"The Power of Internet Radio: 'I can tell you which cities in the United States the station does really well in.'"

— Steven Roberts [00:32:27 → 00:32:31]

The Power of Streamlined Broadcasting: "I use nice software to do my broadcast where you can take your entire playlist, say 500 songs for a day, drop it into software, and then you can drop all the liners and commercials you're going to use for that show. And you can do it while you're broadcasting in real time, which makes things fast, efficient, so good that the software that I use is better than what most commercial radio stations use."

— Steven Roberts [00:39:27 → 00:39:53]

House Music 101

Life Love and Hustle Community

We delve into the concept of the fourth turning, a cyclical event occurring every 90 years and its potential implications on our current world. We also discuss the ideal of the trickle-down economy and the hurdles in making it a successful system. Wrapping up our chat, Rick shares his experiences of performing his poem "Jazz for Peace" at the United Nations and the upcoming performance of "Autumn in New York." Join us on this insightful journey as we dissect these pressing topics and hear about Rick's passionate efforts to use art as a catalyst for change.

--------- EPISODE CHAPTERS ---------

(0:00:01) - Jazz for Peace

(0:09:29) - Poem to the United Nations

(0:23:25) - Trickle-Down Economics and Corporate Addiction Impact

(0:36:59) - Free Jazz and Autumn in NYC

More information: www.jazzforpeace.org

Join me as I engage with Dr. Dan Ritchie, co-founder of the Functional Aging Institute, in an enriching discussion about aging, fitness, and wellness. Together, we explore the growing interest among baby boomers in maintaining their vitality and activity levels as they age. Dr. Richie offers his insights on the significance of research-backed training, lifestyle adjustments, and the power of purpose and productivity in promoting successful aging.

Dr. Ritchie's approach to fitness is about more than just physical strength—it's about creating an age-appropriate training program that matches an individual's goals and activities. In our chat, he shares how minor adjustments to diet and lifestyle can have a significant impact on overall health. We discuss the different dietary needs of different people, the importance of hydration, and the impact of food on our physical and mental wellbeing.

Our conversation extends beyond individual health to the potential business opportunities that exist in the fitness industry for those interested in working with the aging population. With baby boomers making up a large portion of the population, there is a clear demand for services tailored to their unique needs. We also discuss the future of the Functional Aging Institute, the impact of COVID-19 on the fitness industry, and how power training plays a unique role in competitive sports and can be affected by age. Don't miss out on this insightful conversation with Dr. Ritchie, where he shares his knowledge and advice for baby boomers seeking to maintain their health and vitality.

--------- EPISODE CHAPTERS ---------

(0:00:01) - Exploring Functional Aging Institute With Dr. Richie

(0:14:38) - Fitness Coaching and Nutrition Referrals

(0:19:22) - Simple Changes for Health and Fitness

(0:26:42) - Training the Aging Population for Business

(0:40:50) - Future Plans for Functional Aging Institute

(0:48:49) - Training for a Special Wrestling Match

(0:55:08) - Encouragement and Appreciation for Supporters

Functional Aging Institute

Life, Love, and Hustle Community

Join us as we share the incredible journey of Rich Doctridge and Greg Mills, co-founders of Warehouse Cinemas, a small but mighty cinema company based in Western Maryland. Hear their fascinating story of how they took on the challenge of a historic, underperforming theater in the middle of a cornfield and turned it into a thriving business. They recount their beginnings with the historic Lightersburg Cinemas in late 2008 and how they transformed it from serving 60,000 people a year to nearly 370,000 by 2018.

Listen in as Rich and Greg share insights about the unique challenges of the movie industry, from paying advances for films to developing relationships with studio executives. They discuss their strategies for succeeding in different markets and the necessity of adjusting marketing tactics accordingly. Their story is not only about business acumen but also about resilience and the power of building strong relationships in Hollywood.

In the final part of our conversation, we explore the future of independent cinemas. Rich and Greg talk about the demand for out-of-home entertainment options, the importance of a healthy theatrical window, and the role of independent cinemas in elevating the movie-going experience. They share their insights on the advantages and challenges of being an independent owner in an industry that is constantly evolving. They leave us with encouragement and tips on staying ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving entertainment industry. Don't miss this episode full of inspiring stories, practical tips, and an inside look into the movie industry.

--------- EPISODE CHAPTERS ---------

(0:00:00) - The Journey of Warehouse Cinemas

(0:14:02) - Warehouse Cinemas

(0:26:54) - Challenges and Relationships in Hollywood

(0:35:52) - The Future of Independent Cinemas

(0:51:44) - Appreciation and Encouragement for Listeners

***LINKS***

Warehouse Cinemas

LLH Community