THE CITY CONFESSIONS

By Mariann Yip

In The City Confessions, host and Native New Yorker Mariann Yip leads an ongoing, causal and raw discussion with real people living in the city to share and laugh about their highs and most importantly their lows. She invites guests to open up about what they’re really going through on a daily basis, what the city has taught them, and ultimately gives them a platform to talk about what’s on their mind and what keeps them up at night.

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Ep 117: Melissa Bolona- Founder and CEO of Beauty & the Broth- Benefits of Bone Broth- Challenges Launching a Company During Pandemic- Mixing Business and Creativity- Rituals to Staying Grounded

THE CITY CONFESSIONSSep 21, 2021

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Ep 163: Mariann Yip- Solo Episode wrapping up Season 8 - Current Pregnancy Symptoms - Changing Friendship Dynamics and Relationships - Fears surrounding Motherhood, Future and Finances

This is the last episode which is a solo one featuring yours truly Mariann Yip. Wrapping up Season 8 of The City Confessions, I give my life updates. I open up about my current pregnancy symptoms as well as fears about the future regarding motherhood, finances and stability. I talk about how pregnancy has changed friendship dynamics and relationships. As we also close out 2023, I reflect on what this year has brought me and what this year has taught me. My biggest lessons were learning to stay in my lane, not taking things personally and to trust my gut. As I gear up for my last month of pregnancy, my confession revolves around anxiousness about giving birth. I currently don't know what next year holds or looks like for my podcast, but make sure you follow me on my social channels for life updates. I wish you all a happy new year and from the bottom of my heart, I thank you all for listening.

Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

Dec 28, 202223:05

Ep 162: Esther Santer - Lifestyle and Fashion Blogger - Opening up about Fertility and Motherhood on social Media - Advocacy for IVF - Importance of Having Support System as a Full time Mom

Today's guest is Esther Santer, a lifestyle and fashion blogger based in NYC and also a mom to a one year old boy. We talk all things related to blogging, social media, motherhood and more! Topics covered include:

How Esther got started as a fashion blogger 10 years ago by crashing Anna Sui fashion show and how that moment sparked her blogging career Struggle of deciding whether or not to share her son on social media Advocacy for IVF and personal fertility journey Importance of having a support system with raising a child Biggest Surprises about Motherhood Taking care of her Mental Health as a first time mom Opening up about lack of confidence in starting things

ABOUT ESTHER SANTER:

Esther Santer is a lifestyle blogger based in NYC. Esther uses her platforms to share her daily life as a first time mom, alongside outfit inspiration and shopping recommendations. She is also passionate about advocating for infertility awareness. You can find her on EstherSanter.com or on social @esthersanter.

Dec 21, 202231:37

Ep 161: Michelle Lin - Founder and CEO of Mooncat- Running her Business as a Female Leader with Taiwanese Values - Opening up about Mental Health as an Entrepreneur - Top Nailcare Tips

This week's guest is Michelle Lin, the founder and CEO of Mooncat, which is a Taiwanese-owned nail brand. The nail polishes are all vegan and cruelty-free and the motto is weirdos, welcome home. In this episode, we talk about the below topics including:

- Michelle Lin adapting to American life as a first generation immigrant
- Dropping out of college to run a business with her brother and started painting her own nails as a stress reliever
- Rebranding Live Love Polish to Mooncat and making a niche but inclusive brand
- Role of social media in Mooncat’s success
- Being involved and active on social media and connecting with her community
- Opening up about mental health and leadership struggles as a female leader with Taiwanese values
- Full process of having an idea for nail polish collection to execution to final product
- Nailcare Tips

ABOUT MICHELLE LIN:

Michelle Lin is the founder & CEO of Mooncat, a nail polish brand offering otherworldly, special effects nail lacquer that's long-lasting, vegan, and cruelty-free. She is a first generation immigrant from Taiwan, and was named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Retail & eCommerce.

Mooncat:

www.mooncat.com
https://www.instagram.com/mooncat/
https://www.instagram.com/checkyesmichelle/
https://www.tiktok.com/@checkyesmichelle?lang=en

Dec 14, 202226:14

Ep 160: Alyssa Brieloff- Spiritual Soulpreneur and Reiki Healer- How to Find Alignment- Power of Recognizing Signs from the Universe- Difference between Fear and Intuition- Reframing Rejection

This week's guest is Alyssa Brieloff, a Spiritual Soulpreneur and Content Creator. She is a Reiki healer working with the chakra system to help rebalance energy and unearth people's purpose. Her mission is to help individuals find more alignment and discover their guide within so they can live their best life.
In this episode, we talk about the following topics:
- What the term soulpreneur means and what reiki healing is
- Opening up about hiding her spirituality and how she’s learned to embrace it
- Introduction to spirituality: upbringing, grandma’s role, learning reiki healing at a young age
- Power of recognizing signs from the universe
- Struggle with identity to New York and detaching yourself from labels and job titles
- Challenge: finding abundance within and asking for help
- How to find your alignment with your soul, inner compass, intuition: awareness is key before alignment
- Difference between fear and intuition
- Reframing failure and seeing rejection as redirection
Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com
www.instagram.com/alyssabrieloff/
www.alyssabrieloff.com/angelnocollection

Dec 06, 202234:45

Ep 159: Hong Thaimee- NYC Chef and Entrepreneur- Struggles and Challenges Making it in NYC- The Power of Resilience - Advice on Cooking during the Holidays

Hong Thaimee is a chef, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who has served as a global ambassador for Thai cuisine and culture for nearly a decade and the owner of Thaimee Love, a thai restaurant in NYC. In this episode, we dive deeper into her story and her journey of making it NYC as a chef. Other topics include:

Why Hong moved to NYC from Thailand to pursue her dream: opening up about the struggles and challenges throughout her journey
Her love for Thai culture and serving people and how she incorporates that as a chef
How she picks herself back up after burnout and experiencing lows in her business
The power of resilience and belief in "if there’s a will there’s a way"
Being a student of life
Story about unfortunate experience in her restaurant: customers and disrespect
Advice on cooking during the holidays: keeping it simple and respecting yourself first

Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com

ABOUT HONG THAIMEE:
Originally from Chiang Mai, Thailand, Hong Thaimee is a chef, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who has served as a global ambassador for Thai cuisine and culture for nearly a decade. After successful careers as both a model and business executive in Bangkok, Hong felt drawn to pursue a more personally meaningful path.
Armed with drive, a Master’s Degree in business, but little professional kitchen experience, Hong set off for New York City with the goal of sharing her love for Thai food with the world. She used her tenacity to secure cooking jobs at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s acclaimed Spice Market and Perry Street restaurants, where she spent several years mastering classic technique.
Hong went on to open Thaimee Box and Thaimee Magic, fast-casual concepts serving her signature style of Thai cooking. In the Fall of 2020, Hong debuted her latest venture, Thaimee Love. After a successful pop-up restaurant to trial the concept, her permanent new restaurant, Thaimee Love opened in October 2021, in New York’s W Houston Street, specializing in “Baan Baan” cuisine, replicating the comforting, home-style Northern Thai dishes.
www.hongthaimee.com/
www.instagram.com/hongthaimee/

Nov 29, 202223:43

Ep 158: Laura Caruso- Dating, Relationship, & Sex Therapist based in New York City - Importance of Emotional Intimacy in Relationships - Understanding Your Partner’s Love Languages and Triggers

This week's guest is Laura Caruso, a dating, relationship and sex therapist based in NYC. In this episode, Laura explains how her passion for mental health motivated her to switch career paths and pursue psychology and counseling. We talk all things related to dating and relationship including the below topics: The role of sex in relationships Importance of emotional intimacy in relationships and how to grow it in relationships Difference between how a male and woman’s brain is wired How to keep it spicy in a relationship Having conversations about the bare minimum and relationship needs Understanding your partner’s love language and how that stems from childhood Different Attachment Styles and how to heal triggers and symptoms Confession: Hoe dating phase in NYC Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com. ---------------------------------- About Laura Caruso: Laura Caruso is a dating, relationship, & sex therapist based in New York City. She is the host of Emotionally Available, an upcoming dating & relationship podcast, which features unhinged conversations about modern dating culture and explores ways to find deeper connections in a superficial world. IG - https://www.instagram.com/lauracaruso.therapy/ Podcast - https://www.instagram.com/emotionallyavailablepodcast/ Website - https://lauracarusotherapy.com/

Nov 22, 202233:05

Ep 157: Stevie Bowen- Founder and Author of The City of Dating - Finding Yourself Through Dating and Enjoying the Process - Not Giving Herself Emotionally Early on in Relationships

This week's guest is Stevie Bowen, the founder and author of The City of Dating, her memoir turned dating community platform dedicated to helping others date to find themselves, not their soulmates. In this episode, we talk all about dating in NYC as we both wrote a book about our experiences.
We also cover the below topics:
- What inspired Stevie to write The City of Dating: how her memoir gave her closure, changing the narrative in dating and managing expectations
- Biggest dating lesson: not giving too much to another person before having the exclusivity talk or being in a relationship - The beauty of going on dates and putting yourself out there
- Her outlook on dating apps: bumble, hinge, raya, foreplay
- Starting conversations in dating because communication is key
- Crazy NYC story, Never Have I Ever Edition, NYC Fire Round Questions
Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com
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About Stevie Brown:
Stevie Bowen is the founder and author of The City of Dating, her memoir turned dating community platform dedicated to helping others date to find themselves, not their soulmates. Writer and dating enthusiast, Stevie writes a weekly dating advice column for The City of Dating, sharing dating stories, tips, and inspiration for singles and daters. The City of Dating hosts single-inspired events in New York City, focusing on enjoying dating as an experience rather than a means to an end. Stevie has published works in Residence 11 and works as a Fashion Director in NYC.
Buy The City of Dating, A Memoir (Hardcover): www.thecityofdating.com/shopbook
Buy The City of Dating, A Memoir (E-Book): books2read.com/thecityofdating
Instagram: @thecityofdating
TikTok: @thecityofdating
Facebook: @thecityofdating

Nov 15, 202229:52

Ep 156: Tara West- Psychology behind Styling- Healing from a Traumatic Childhood and Learning to Trust Yourself

This week's guest is Tara West, a fashion stylist, blogger and podcaster. In this episode, we talk about Tara's background and how she got into fashion. Other topics include:
- How and why she pursued therapy in school
- Opening up about her past trauma and healing process
- How she learned to find her strength and trusting herself
- Being authentic on social media about her story
- Celebrating all her wins and brand collaborations
- Finding balance in her life as an entrepreneur and mom of three
- Importance of Consistency in life
- Fall Styling Advice
ABOUT TARA WEST:
“Don’t wait for opportunity. Create opportunity”. These are the inspiring words of Tara West, a mother of three, former psychotherapist-turned-stylist and fashion podcaster, go-getter, and survivor. Tara is the visionary for the Tara West Fashion brand, an award-winning fashion and lifestyle blog. Since 2011, Tara has captivated audiences with her impeccable style, travels, beauty trials, and custom shopping experiences from Boston to NYC to LA. But Tara is much more than an influencer. Born in Beverly Hills, the daughter of a wealthy trust fund mother and a prominent criminal attorney father, Tara had what appeared to be a picture-perfect childhood from the outside. She grew up in the glamorous hills of Hollywood, attended the best schools with celebrity classmates, and shopped on Rodeo Drive regularly. Her life seemed fabulous to an onlooker, but that wasn’t the case. Tara’s painful story takes you through the dark and disturbing side of growing up in an environment with addiction, abuse, and abandonment, and how she survived - even thrived. Today, Tara has amassed a first-class roster of clients, enviable designer relationships, various industry awards, and a robust and rapidly growing audience who tune in to her content across her site, her appearances, and social media. One of her proudest accomplishments has been fostering confidence in her styling clients through one-on-one interactions. “I work with some of the most incredible people I’ve ever met. But even the most successful person might have an insecurity or two that they are working through. I use my tools to create elevated and empowering looks for my clients, making all the difference in how they see themselves, and I love that.” Tara has been featured in outlets such as NBC 10’s The Hub, Huffington Post, Boston Magazine, and others for her incredible work.

Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

Nov 08, 202233:10

Ep 155: Ashika Kalra- Co- author Behind Her Vision: Women of New York City- Reality of Self funding Writing Project while working Full-Time:

Today's guest is Ashika Kalra, who is the co-author of Behind Her Vision: Women of New York City, a book featuring 25 pioneering women across the arts, social impact, entrepreneurship, finance, and more. In this episode, we talk more about her journey of publishing this book in 2021 and writing this during the pandemic. Other topics include: How she and her co-worker Jade Chen decided to write their book Behind Her Vision: Women of New York City How they approached the idea, the process behind writing a book from beginning to end, what their inspiration was, how they hand selected the 25 featured women, and how they overcame the difficulty in writing this during the pandemic Power of cold emailing, networking, researching Reality of self funding writing project while working full time: how they approached distributors, stores, and investing their own money in the process Lessons, challenges and highlights of getting the book published and in NYC bookstores Ashika’s goals with her book for the future Her confession including prioritization and not feeling guilty about productivity About Ashika Klara: Ashika Kalra currently works at a venture capital firm based in New York. In her day job, Ashika has the opportunity to meet with some of the most game-changing entrepreneurs of our generation and collaborate with them as they launch their business from the ground up. She is also a Tedx Speaker and has been recognized as a Global Shaper at the World Economic Forum. Last year, she released her first book, Behind Her Vision: Women of New York City, co-authored with her dear friend, Jade Chen. The book explores a rare angle on perseverance from the lens of 25 pioneering NYC women, including: Samantha Barry, Editor-in-Chief Glamour Mahogany L. Browne, Award-Winning Poet & Writer Nina Davuluri, Former Miss America ... and many more! Inspired by their own need for role models, Ashika and Jade set out to expand their love for design and photography in a beautiful coffee table book that sparks vulnerable conversations about societal norms, imposter syndrome, career-defining moments, and heartbreak. Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

Nov 01, 202231:16

Ep 154: Melanie Ramos- Professional Dancer and Choreographer from Miami - Breaking the Tradition of Dancing for a Company to Freelancing- Redefining Happiness- Confession about Sugar daddies in NYC

This episode features Melanie Ramos, a professional dancer and choreographer from Miami, Florida. We sit down and dive deeper into her dance background and her journey from her dance training to where she is at now as a freelancer. Other topics we discuss include:

- Mel’s dance background: life revolving around dancing, school and career
- Breaking the path of being a traditional dancer in a company to freelancing and teaching
- Pros and Cons of discipline in dancing and sacrifices in the process
- Learning to speak up and standing her ground along her journey
-Redefining happiness

And we end this episode with Mel’s confession revolving around dating, sugar daddies, NYC and universe timing that you don't want to miss!
Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend!
You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.
--------------------------------------------------------------
About Melanie Ramos:
Melanie is a professional dancer, choreographer and fitness trainer at P.volve. Originally from Miami, Florida, Melanie moved to New York to attend SUNY Purchase College to receive her BFA in Dance. Now living in NY for 8 years, she continues to work as a freelancer in the dance industry as a contemporary ballet choreographer while pursuing a full time job at P.volve as a trainer teaching at their NYC studio, filming workouts for their on demand platform and leading new teacher trainings at the NYC studio to ensure that the P.volve method delivery meets their top-quality standards.
linktr.ee/melanieramosss

Oct 25, 202231:56

Ep 153: Stephanie Rommelt- Founder of Her Studio New York - How her Groundedness and Mindset Helped her Business- Balancing Work and Mental Wellbeing- Power of Support and Manifestation

This episode features Stephanie Rommelt, the director and founder of Her Studio New York, which is a creative agency connecting upcoming brands with emerging creatives to build conceptual imagery. We dive deeper into Stephanie's story and discuss the following topics:

-What her marketing experience in FIT taught her Finding her values and interests in sustainability, diversity and community
- Being self reliant and determined in running her business Her Studio New York Balancing work and mental wellbeing
- Not separating her business and her personal life Finding happiness in the little things
-Where her groundedness stems from Power of manifestation and visualization

About Stephanie Rommelt: Stephanie Rommelt is the creative director, producer and founder of Her Studio New York, led by emerging creatives based in NYC offering full-service photo and video shoots. The agency provides content creation and marketing catering to the rise of women owned-businesses while capturing self-discovery and sharing our stories through authentic imagery.

About Her Studio New York: We believe that when women work together, incredible things happen. We are building an inclusive network of photographers, stylists, branding specialists, aspiring art directors, talent, and everything in between. Our mission is centered on amplifying voices by diversifying representation in and behind content creation. Work with us or start planning your shoot: https://bit.ly/3Fjy82T

Oct 19, 202234:09

Ep 152: Ilana Dunn- Host of podcast Seeing Other People- Importance of Asking for What you want in dating - Pursing Her Podcast Fulltime - Balancing Work and Personal Life- Biggest Lesson from Dating

Season 8 of The City Confessions kicks off with Ilana Dunn, the host of the podcast Seeing Other People and her mission is to help you feel less alone and more empowered in your dating life. From one podcast host to another, we dive into a conversation revolving around the reality of dating in NYC.

Ep 151: Solo Episode- Season 8 Introduction- BIGGEST ANNOUNCEMENT AND LIFE UPDATES- Mourning Old Identity and Embracing Changes and Motherhood- Creating space for Growth and New Chapter

Welcome to Season 8 of The City Confessions! I am back with a solo episode, and updating all of you on my biggest life updates with a huge surprising announcement. I am finally ready to share that I AM PREGNANT! Since the closing of season 7, I have kept quiet about everything going on in my life as I needed time to digest the news myself. I talk more about the last three months including:

Why I’ve kept my pregnancy a secret, not following the traditional route of marriage and relationships, how I met my partner and celebrating this unexpected, but exciting and beautiful journey Details regarding my pregnancy journey thus far (first trimester symptoms, feelings, hormonal changes, etc) How I’m feeling now, the moment I decided to finally celebrate and talk about it openly Mourning old identity and version of my old life and making room for this new life ahead Confession: Being scared of the future but embracing changes and motherhood

Thank you for listening and supporting me! You can also follow me on Instagram as I'll be updating you all on my pregnancy journey now that the news is out. www.instagram.com/mariann_yip

Oct 05, 202226:14

Ep 150: Solo Episode - Mariann Yip- Opening Up About Personal Struggles- Advice on Getting Through Rough Times in Life - Seeing Life as a Movie Script - Finding Light in the Darkest Times

This episode is the 150th episode and the last episode of Season 7 of The City Confessions! This is a solo episode featuring me, your host Mariann Yip. I open up about what I'm currently going through by offering insight and advice on how to weather out the storms. I also reveal my technique of seeing life as a movie script as a healing tool to restore power back into your life. I advocate for mental health and explain why I'll be taking time for myself to take care of her mental well being and emotional health. Please share this with a friend who might be going through a rough patch and please use this episode as a reminder that it's okay to rest and to put yourself first. Thank you for all your support and I'll see you on other side when Season 8 premieres later this year.

Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend!
You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

Jun 28, 202217:31

Ep 149: Marilyn Hucek- Emerging American Pop Singer- Songwriter Based in NYC/ DC- Moment She Decided to Follow Her Dreams- Auditioning for The Voice- Being Her Own Fan and Cheerleader

This week's guest is emerging American Pop Singer/ Songwriter based in NYC and DC, Marilyn Hucek. In this episode, we talk about her pursuing her dream as a music artist and her rebirth and rediscovery for her passion. The topics we cover include:
– Marilyn Hucek's internal struggle of wanting to be a singer but not thinking it was possible
– Auditioning for the Voice without anybody knowing (why she kept it a secret and what she learned from it)
– The moment she decided to follow her dreams (how covid pushed her to be an artist, struggling with personal family matters, overcoming fears and insecurities)
– Asking for help and tapping into her network
– Being Her own fan and cheerleader
– Behind the scenes: creative process, releasing a song, booking concerts
– Confession about funding and believing in herself
If you are available on June 27, definitely check out Marilyn Huckek's show at Mercury Lounge. Tickets can be found here: www.ticketmaster.com/event/00005CA2059F5596

ABOUT MARILYN HUCKEK:
Marilyn Hucek, is an American-Chilean pop singer-songwriter. Born in Washington D.C., Marilyn currently resides in New York City. After dreaming of being a pop star since before she can remember, Marilyn auditioned for The Voice with hopes of finally starting her career. After not securing a spot on the TV show, Marilyn had all but lost hope in a career as an artist. During the stay-at-home order of 2020 her father, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, contracted coronavirus while at a retirement home. In order to cope with her inability to visit him, Marilyn returned to songwriting, which she had used to express her emotions since she was young, and gave life to a special song she dedicated to her father and soon became her debut single. Since then, Marilyn has released several singles and an EP which collectively received hundreds of thousands of streams on Spotify. Marilyn is currently working on new music.

Music, Concert Ticket, Socials: listen.marilynhucek.com/profile

Jun 21, 202224:09

Ep 148: Debora- NYC Content Creator, Youtuber and Photographer - Maintaining her Identity with Social Media -Pros and Cons of being an Empath- Power of Goal Setting- Her Relationship with NYC

In this episode, I am joined by my good friend Debora also known as Deb, who is a NYC content creator, Youtuber and photographer. We sit down to talk about her journey and story with social media.

Ep 147: Phillip Lim- Asian Fashion Designer- What is House of Slay and How He Got Involved - Partnership with Diageo - Opening up about Stage Fright Being a Public Figure

I am so thrilled and honored to have American fashion designer, Phillip Lim on this week's episode of The City Confessions to talk all about House of Slay, partnership with Diageo and his commitment to amplify Asian voices.
The structure of this episode is as follows:

- How Phillip Lim got started in the fashion industry: breaking the expectation of being a lawyer and doctor growing up in an asian family and following his dreams as a designer and creative
- House of Slay: what it is and how it got started (social platform to amplify Asian voices and create a safe and fun community)
- Partnership with Diageo: how that came to be and why the partnership makes sense for both companies
- What his Superpower is in House of Slay Comic: protecting family, friends and community
- Opening up about stage fright as his confession even though he is a public figure and fashion designer

Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.
About House of Slay and Diageo partnership:
In Celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, DIAGEO Partners with Asian Creative Collective, House of Slay to Bring a Sensorial Day/Night Market Experience to NYC From coast to coast, DIAGEO honors the rich Asian diaspora with pop-up night markets in NYC and LA, striving to shape a more inclusive and sustainable world for all. Diageo and its brands Johnnie Walker, Tequila Don Julio, Tanqueray and Smirnoff Pink Lemonade are honoring AAPI Heritage Month by partnering with House of Slay: designers Prabal Gurung, Phillip Lim, designer and creative director Laura Kim, socialite Tina Leung and Ezra J. William; collectively known as the “Slaysians.” The AAPI-founded, fashion-forward collective is united by a single mission: stop anti-Asian discrimination while creating safe, inclusive spaces for underrepresented people from all walks of life.
thehouseofslay.com/
www.instagram.com/houseofslay/
www.instagram.com/therealphilliplim/

Jun 07, 202214:28

Ep 146: Alison Hall - Reporter and Anchor in NYC - Challenges and Highlights of Being a Journalist- Clarifying Misconceptions as a Reporter - Covering the Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

This week's guest is Alison Hall, a reporter for Inside Edition and Anchor at Law & Crime. In this episode, we dive into what it's really like being a journalist and reporter in NYC, covering breaking news and navigating the media industry. Alison and I also discuss: - How she got into journalism and why she moved to NYC - What it’s really like being a reporter and anchor in NYC (including highlights and challenges) - How she carved out a niche for herself at Inside Edition - Understanding the theory of journalism and the core values of the industry - Misconceptions of journalists and the challenges of being a reporter - Overview of her schedule and mastering the skills of being camera ready in 10 minutes - How she viewed success before moving to NYC and what success means to her today - Being grateful and celebrating the present - Confession involving being alone in the rain in Central Park Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com. ----------------------------------- ABOUT ALISON HALL: Alison is the host of Between Headlines and is a multimedia journalist based in New York City, currently serving as a Correspondent & Producer at America’s longest-running national news magazine, Inside Edition. Alison launched the podcast, Between Headlines in Fall 2020, interviewing newsmakers and the people behind today’s biggest news stories. Alison’s first independent documentary-short ‘Ken’s Story’ was published online by Canada’s largest national newspaper, The Globe and Mail in 2017 to much critical acclaim. With Inside Edition, Alison has traveled across the United States, telling the stories that people talk about and share. She has covered the biggest stories of the last decade, from the Black Lives Matter protests of 2014 and 2020, to how America is adjusting to the new reality of Covid-19 to serving as a court reporter for the landmark #MeToo cases of both the Weinstein and Cosby trials. Alison is equally versed in legalese as entertainment jargon, having covered award shows, red carpets and the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in England in 2018. Alison frequently appears on the Inside Edition YouTube channel which is the #1 news and politics channel with 10 million subscribers. Alison has put her passion to work in both the United States and Canada in online, television and documentary mediums, always striving to understand the people behind the headlines. Alison is the co-founder of a charity event, The Challenge for Life, that has raised over $8 million dollars for cancer research in her hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Alison was once named Canada’s Top 20 Under 20 and carried the Olympic torch over the Esplanade Riel Bridge helping to kick off the 2010 Winter Olympics. She lives in New York City with her fiance and bernese mountain dog. https://www.instagram.com/alisonhallreporting/ www.betweenheadlines.com

May 31, 202230:17

Ep 145: Berto Calkins- Vegan Social Media Content Creator from NYC- Why and How He decided to Adopt a Vegan Lifestyle - His Love for Traveling and Fear of Flying- Being a Private Person on Social Medi

Today's guest is Berto Calkins, a Vegan Social Media Content Creator from NYC. Like myself, Berto grew up in the Lower East Side and now resides in Brooklyn, so we have a shared common foundation. In this episode, Berto and I talk about the following topics:

- How he started his vegan journey: why he decided to become vegan and what that transition was like
- Why having support is important when you’re making a lifestyle change
-What Berto’s friend group and circle is like and how they dine together
- How he cultivated a detachment mindset in life which has helped him on his lifestyle change
- Showcasing travels on his social media and bringing his audience on his vegan food adventures: how he is impacting the people around him
- Opening up about what traveling has done for him
- Why he keeps a lot of his private things in life to himself
- A city confession that a lot of people don't know but is valid!

Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.
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ABOUT BERTO:
Based in Brooklyn, Berto is a vegan food, travel and wellness content creator who has been vegan for over 8 years. Sharing his life observations with a dose of positivity and sometimes humor, he provides his followers with different ways to move your body and accessible vegan food options on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Be sure to tune in for his podcast series, The Berto Calkins Podcast, for a peak into his day-to-day life, and thoughts on the ever evolving world of wellness. He is also a former CPT, Fitness Nutrition Specialist, and eCornell Plant-Based Nutrition Certified.
www.instagram.com/whatsgoodberto/?hl=en
www.youtube.com/channel/UCN5DbX_Kt2qVq038KN_U3WA
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-berto-calkins-podcast/id1539170580

May 24, 202236:18

Ep 144: Kira Jones- Founder of Cacti Wellness Collective- Moving to NYC & Love for City - Connection Between Wellness and Productivity - Power of Habits - Productivity Tips- Breaking Cycles/ Routine

This week's guest is Kira Jones, the Founder of Cacti Wellness Collective, which is a wellness and productivity platform for ambitious women. In this episode we talk all things related to mindset, productivity and wellness. The topics we discuss include:

How and Why Kira Jones created Cacti Wellness Collective Finding What Works for You: morning routine, workout, habits Productivity Tips for Beginners and getting clear about your goals Manifestation affirmation: Universe, show me how good it gets Breaking our routines and cycles to level up How to Reprogram our minds and lifestyles A City Confession from a new New York resident

You can all use the code 'CITYCONFESSIONS' for a free month of membership on the Cacti Wellness Collective platform*

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ABOUT KIRA:

Kira's wellness journey began in 2015 when she was a marketing undergrad at DePaul University with a full academic schedule, an internship, and two part-time jobs. Working that hard was causing extreme stress and anxiety, so she turned to fitness and meditation as a way to release that pent up energy and calm her mind.

In 2019, she set out to combine her business background and passion for wellness & productivity into a blog, Cacti Wellness. Flash forward to 2020, she launched 'Cacti Wellness Collective', an OTT platform for ambitious women who want to take care of business while taking care of themselves. After living in Chicago, Los Angeles, and now- NYC, Kira is passionate about bringing access to innovative, urban wellness trends and practices to the masses across the US and beyond.

Website: www.cactiwellnesscollective.com

App: www.cactiapp.com

Instagram: instagram.com/cactiwellness

May 17, 202236:21

Ep 143: Divya Gugnani - Co-Founder & CEO of Wander Beauty- Difficulties and Realities of Being a Serial Entrepreneur- Using Instagram Community as a tool for the Business and New Product Launches

This week's guest is Divya Gugnai, the Co-Founder and CEO of Wander Beauty, a serial entrepreneur and a mom of two. As someone who has built several companies and have sold them, we sit down to talk about her journey, what she's learned and where she's at now. Other topics we discuss include:

Divya Leaving Corporate Finance World to Being an Entrepreneur: her story and journey
Skills and Traits of a Serial Entrepreneur: difficulties and realities of growing and selling businesses
How the idea of Wander Beauty came to be, how she met her Co-Founder Lindsay and the company grew with social media
Using Instagram Community as Focus Groups and Taking the consumers along the journey
Truth when it comes to balancing life with being a mom and being an entrepreneur
Evolution of Success and Happiness and what how those definitions have changed throughout the years
Her City Confession involving makeup and fire round answers to questions involving NYC

Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

About Divya Gugnai:
Divya Gugnani, CEO and Co-Founder of Wander Beauty, spent nearly 20 years searching for beauty essentials that could keep up with her on-the-go lifestyle.After earning her B.S. from Cornell University and M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, Divya began her career in investment banking at Goldman Sachs before moving on to private equity and venture capital at Investcorp International and FirstMark Capital. A self-proclaimed ‘accidental entrepreneur,’ she later left the finance world after selling her first business, and, bitten by the startup bug, went on to become a serial entrepreneur. After co-founding multiple companies and having children, she found her former beauty rituals tossed to the wayside asshe became more time-starved than ever.
Balancing a thriving career and motherhood left Divya applying concealer during her morning subway commute and touching up her lipstick in between meetings in the backseat of a cab. She soon realized that her beauty products and routine weren’t made for beauty in motion: There were too many products, an arsenal of “must-have” tools, and products were housed in packaging that was too heavy, bulky, and fragile to take beyond her vanity. She needed products that saved time in her day, space in her beauty bag and that never sacrificed on performance.
Thus, Wander Beauty was born. Launched in 2015 with Wander Beauty creates effortless essentials you reach for every day, wherever you wander. Each essential is co-created with our community and enriched with clean, globally sourced ingredients that work with your skin, not against it. With over 30 prestigious beauty awards, Wander Beauty has a loyal following of celebrities, top journalists, and notable beauty and style influencers.

www.wanderbeauty.com/
www.instagram.com/wander_beauty/

May 10, 202228:41

Ep 142: Dr. Lauren Becker - General and Cosmetic Dentist based in NYC - Changing Stigma on Dentistry - Realities of Being a Dentist - Creating a Comfortable Ambiance and Culture - Dental Tips

Today we are joined by Dr. Lauren Becker, a general and cosmetic dentist based in NYC. Topics that we discuss include the following:

• How Dr. Lauren Becker got into dentistry and the moment she decided she wanted to be a dentist
• Transition of working for someone else to working by herself, including challenges and highlights of opening her own practice
• Realities of working a as a dentist: day to day activities working on patients and behind the scenes of her work
• Creating a comfortable ambiance in her office: why she loves her team and her business
• Dental and hygiene tips
• How her definition of success has evolved over the years
• Her city confession involving the love for the theater

Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.
About Dr. Lauren Becker
Dr. Lauren Becker is a general and cosmetic dentist with a wide range of skills and experience in the field of dentistry. Dr. Lauren Becker received her Bachelor of Science degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from Binghamton University. Immediately following her undergraduate education, Dr. Lauren Becker was accepted to New York University College of Dentistry where she received a Doctorate of Dental Surgery. Dr. Lauren Becker has completed a postgraduate residency at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, New York.

Dr. Lauren Becker returned to her alma mater New York University College of Dentistry to advance her training in implantology, where she completed a 2 year fellowship in the placement and restoration of dental implants.

Dr. Lauren Becker lives on the upper east side of Manhattan where she enjoys spending time with her husband, Michael, two daughters, Marlowe and Chandler, and their dog, Herschel. She enjoys traveling, Broadway shows, all things Bravo and Bachelor, and is a Friend of The Pod.
literallythebestdentistever.com/
www.instagram.com/drlaurenbecker/

May 03, 202230:19

Ep 141: Emily Roberts- Cofounder of Monday Network- American Living in London - Struggles of Transitioning Lifestyles - Power of Self Development, Networking and Patience - Embracing Life Changes

Today's guest is Em Roberts, a content creator, podcaster, and co-founder of Monday Network. She is an American now living in London, and we chat about her current life and the below topics:

- Why she moved to London and what that transition was like
- Realities of moving to a new city and finding her footing through networking and patience
- What inspired her to start her podcast, The Big Move and why she co-founded Monday Network
- Why Em values self development and mental health (in her personal and professional life)
- Similarities and Differences in New York and London lifestyles
- Challenges and Highlights of her blogging/podcasting career
- Defining Happiness and Joy
- Confession regarding her first NYC apartment involving bed bugs and mice and what NYC has taught her

Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

About Emily Roberts:
Em is a content creator, podcaster, and co-founder of Monday Network. An American now living in London, she created her style blog, The Lipstick Fever in NYC in 2015 alongside working full-time in adtech. She's been recognized by The Huffington Post as a top micro-influencer in 2018, as well as The Evening Standard, Elle, and Sheerluxe, and continues to grow her audience and platforms in the UK / EU through content creation and partnerships with her favorite brands (Elemis, French Connection, NARS, and Tommy Hilfiger to name a few). She built her podcast 'The Big Move' in 2019, inspired by global boss ladies who are making #moves both professionally and geographically. With guests like Marianna Hewitt, E! Host Zanna Rassi Roberts, and authors like Luvvie Ajayi Jones and Sarah Knight, she is sharing some of the top female founders and entrepreneurs success stories and their 'big moves' to in turn inspire audiences to do the same. She is now also the co-founder of a new podcast network called Monday, a female-led collective aiming to bring together podcasters and listeners around themes of self-development.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-big-move/id1459351637
www.instagram.com/emroberts.m
www.instagram.com/monday_network/
www.instagram.com/thebigmovepodcast/

Apr 26, 202234:04

Ep 140: Taylor Fellman- Founder of Sh*t You Should Eat - Leaving Her Job to Build Her Own Brand- Love for Food and Art- Confessions Relating to Olives and Chopped Liver - Top NYC Restaurants

Today's guest is Taylor Fellman, who is the founder of Sh*t You Should Eat. We are recording this episode together in person, and we discus the following topics:

- How Taylor founded her brand and came up with the name Sh*t You Should Eat
- How we met and the power of energy and intentions
- Challenges running and starting her own business
- Her unique and funny trip to Burlington involving baby shoes
- Her love for food and confession about olives and chopped liver
- Favorite NYC Restaurants
- Thoughts on unexpected food combinations and creations and more!

About: Taylor Fellman, Founder and CEO of Sh*t You Should Eat
Taylor Fellman is originally from Florida and is a nationally-ranked figure skater. She traveled and competed year-round and also danced for The Florida Panthers before heading to college. She studied Hospitality Management and Business and created SYSE in 2022.
She's been the biggest foodie practically her whole life and has always enjoyed connecting with people. This is where her passion for creating Sh*t You Should Eat began. SYSE’s mission is to inspire positivity and a hunger for new experiences.
shityoushouldeat.com/
www.instagram.com/shityoushouldeat/

Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

Apr 19, 202232:31

Ep 139: Alexis Wolfe- Founder of NYCDateNite - Reality and Struggles of Dating in NYC - Relationships Lessons from Online Dating - Staying Relevant on Social Media - Faking it till You Make it

Today's guest is Alexis Wolfe, founder of NYCDateNite, a New York based blog that has become the go-to resource for dating in New York City. We sit down and talk about the below topics:

How and why she started her blog: love for food and dating in NYC
How she met her boyfriend on Hinge, biggest lesson with dating and focusing on if you like them, rather if they like you
Building her community and followers on Instagram: how she structures her day and posting schedule and restaurant visits
Realities and difficulties of dating in a city like New York and seeing someone for who they are instead of romanticizing the relationship
Struggles with stressing about the future and not living in the present
Confession Relating to ‘faking it till you make it’

About Alexis:
Dating can be a treacherous road, potentially leaving a girl pretty frustrated. On the other hand, dating can also be an amazing time — that is, of course, if you know exactly where to go and what to do. That’s why I launched NYCDateNite.
NYCDateNite is an ever-evolving repository of the trendiest places to take your date, while also serving as a guide to enjoying a night out with friends, brunch with family, and everything in between. I’m here to help you navigate the maze that is dating, especially in a city like NYC where the choices seem endless (including the wrong choices).
At times, you almost want to give up — at least I did. That’s why this platform was born. I realized that even if I didn’t have control over finding my perfect man, I did have control over where to meet him. So even if the guy wasn’t for me, it would never again be a total loss because, hey, at least the food was good.
Assembled here are some of my most trusted recommendations to ensure that you’re dating both efficiently and enjoyably. You will hopefully find, as I have, that there’s no such thing as a failed date if you’re equipped with a game plan.

www.nycdatenite.com/
www.instagram.com/nycdatenite/
Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

Apr 12, 202228:01

Ep 138: Jacob Lucas- Professional Dating Coach- Sneaky Relationship Red Flags - NYC Independent Women - Why Most Relationships Fail - UK Flirting Slang - Differences in UK and US Dating Culture

Today's guest is not from NYC, but is currently in NYC and has many clients in New York. This episode is all about relationships and dating! We are joined by Jacob Lucas, a professional dating coach from the UK and has a popular social media presence of over 500,000 followers learning tips and advice on dating. We sit down and talk all about all things related to dating including:
- How he became a dating coach and the psychology of attraction
- Should women make the first move?
- Sigma Female traits and why it’s so unique and rare
- Alpha males and ego
- Feminine and Masculine energy and traits in relationships
- Emotional spiking, poison dripping and Relationship Cycles
- Relationship Red Flags and Why Most Relationships Fail
- How and Why Anger is a Form of Pleasure
- Why Women Can't Change Men and Not falling in Love with Potential
- Difficulty for New York Women to Find Love
- Secrets to a Healthy, Successful Relationship
and a confession you will definitely not expect!

About Jacob
Jacob Lucas is Professional Dating Coach who is from the UK and has a popular social media presence of over 490,000 followers learning his tips and advice on dating. Jacob favours a more psychological, analytical approach to dating and has great success in educating many people on how to be successful in their dating lives. Jacob has a firm understanding of social dynamics and the psychology of attraction. His methods of teaching are very effective as his knowledge of human behaviour can be applied to most social situations and he makes it very easy for anybody to understand and learn how to be happy and successful in their love life.
Jacob has always had a fascination with social dynamics and the psychology of attraction and in a short time grow very popular for his methodologies of how to become successful in dating. Jacob has had multiple viral videos, with millions of views, of his teachings circulating the internet and has been featured in news articles, live TV appearances and world famous podcasts.

Jacob’s mantra to finding happiness and success in your dating life is, ‘Education is the key to your happiness’ Jacob finds great joy in helping people become more confident and happy and believes love is one of the greatest joys that everyone should have in their lives

www.jacoblucasdating.com/
Instagram: @jacoblucas101
TikTok: @jacoblucas10

Apr 05, 202251:22

Ep: 137: David Lesser- Founder & CEO of Numina - Helping People Discover Their Gifts and Talents - Why Transformation is So Important in Personal Growth - Emotions Driving Change and Finding Purpose

This week's guest is David Lesser, the Founder & CEO of Numina, whose main mission is to empower people to discover their unique gifts, strengths and talents and create the most conducive setting to express them. They also launched The Numina Transformation Retreat at the beginning of the pandemic, which is a half-day experience of deep reflection and vision to fuel the next chapter of your life.

In this episode, David Lesser and I sit down and talk about his coaching background and what led him to finding Numina. As an executive coach, David Lesser thought it would be helpful to create a program where people can experience a do it yourself, at home transformation retreat, using the following 5 key processes:

Discover the future you want, reveal what matters most to you. Learn from past experiences, explore basic problems on your own. Understand what drives you, realize your unique gifts, strengths and talent. Recognize what holds you back, take different points of view and unleash sabotage. Commit to your next steps, walk away from the retreat with new ideas you have come up with.

We also talk about the most common emotions driving change, and why it's so important for people to discover their true passions and gifts in order to live a purposeful, fulfilling life. Other topics include how to handle emotions, which involves observing them, rather than associating your identity with them, how to handle intensity or certain flaws/ traits that disturb others, embracing who you are and the power of self awareness, change and transformation.

Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

SPECIAL OFFER: Get 20% off the Numina At-Home Transformation Retreat from March 29th- April 28 by using this link here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/mpc/A1BAOGBKKKQBNK

About David Lesser:

David is a social entrepreneur who believes the best way to change the world is to empower people to be more fully themselves. He has guided people and organizations through crucial transitions for over 35 years, acting as coach and confidant to CEOs and senior executives aspiring to the highest levels of personal growth in a variety of fields.

David is passionate about helping executives, teams and individuals to discover their unique gifts, strengths and talents and to find the most conducive setting to express them. He believes strongly in the power of creating personal networks of support for people to encourage and inspire each other to realize their full potential.

David has an MBA from London Business School. Formerly CEO of a $100m London-based real estate and construction group and executive director of a $40m worldwide not-for-profit operation, he combines a strong management pedigree with perceptive facilitation skills and clear insight in working with people. David has held senior corporate positions in marketing, real estate and corporate finance. He has taught as visiting professor at Redlands University and spoken at a number of conferences in the US, Europe and Africa. David is trained in emotional process work with Shadow Work training, facilitation with Interaction Associates and in coaching with New Ventures West, and is a certified transformational forum facilitator for Young President’s Organization. He has learned Golden Shield Qigong under Paul Holden and Attunement Energy Work under Roger de Winton.

David was born in London, England. He moved to Colorado, USA, in 1994. Since 2004, he has been living with his wife, Chellsa, near San Francisco, California.

https://numina.team/

Mar 29, 202249:01

Ep 136: Taylor Worden- Celebrity Esthetician- Her Personal Skin Journey- How She Built Her Clientele in NYC - Challenges and Highlights of Opening Her Spa in Soho - Skin Tips and Skincare Routine

Today's guest is Celebrity Esthetician, Taylor Worden, who has a NYC spa tucked away in Soho. Her facials are all known for being #TaylorMade, as they are all customized to each of her client's skincare needs. In this episode Taylor and I sit down to talk about her personal skin journey and struggle with acne. She began to research own skincare tips and products, which sparked her curiosity and passion for skincare. Taylor Worden has an impressive list of clients and explains how she built her roster and how she managed to open a spa in Soho. She also offers skincare tips and chimes in on Jlo's skin, the fascination with skincare tools and gadgets and reveals a funny confession, obviously related to skin.

You can find more about Taylor Worden at www.taylorworden.com/ and follow her on Instagram @taylorwordenskin
Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

Mar 22, 202228:52

Ep 135: Kate Kerner -Owner of Kate Communications Group - Being a Perfectionist and Running Her Own Business- Balancing Clients and Tasks - NYC Favorite Spots and Restaurants

Today's guest is Kate Kerner, the founder and owner of Kate Communications Group. In this episode, Kate Kerner talks about her background and how she started her business during the pandemic, when she decided working in an office wasn't for her. As a Type A perfectionist, Kate has learned how to use those traits to her advantage when running here business, but does acknowledge that balancing clients and tasks is a struggle. We also talk about finding balance in life, the power of our breaths and our favorite NYC favorite spots. Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

ABOUT KATE KERNER: Kate Kerner is the founder and owner of Kate Communications Group. She honed her communications, sales and marketing skills at The Pennsylvania State University’s College of Communications where she majored in Telecommunications. Upon graduating in 2016, Kate worked for Bloomberg Media at its headquarters and for a financial start-up in New York City. Building upon her relevant academic background, robust training, and solid corporate experience, she acted upon her entrepreneurial spirit and launched her own company. In heading up Kate Communications Group, she helps clients in various sectors, including fitness, wellness, lifestyle, food and entertainment, achieve their business goals and grow their brands. Kate confidently guides her clients in motivating their teams and engaging their customers. She understands how strategic engagement and cultivation of partner relationships can and will successfully transform companies and enhance brands. Kate also is an expert in event management. She pours her heart and soul into every single detail to ensure that she exceeds her clients’ expectations. In everything Kate does from creating content on social media, raising the profile of her clients’ brands to flawlessly executing impactful events, she always is the consummate professional and is results-driven.
Instagram: @katekerner
www.katecommunicationsgroup.com

Mar 15, 202226:47

Ep 134: Jen Smiley- Founder of Wake Up and Read the Labels and The Clean Eating Academy- Truth about Food Industry- Importance of Knowing Ingredients in Your Food - Restaurant Tips when Dining Out

Today's guest is Jen Smiley, the founder of Wake Up and Read the Labels and The Clean Eating Academy an innovative and sustainable program that is designed to simplify your approach on how to eat clean. In this episode, Jen Smiley talks about the importance of knowing ingredients in your food and the truth about the food industry. She saw that clean eating was an issue for a lot of people and realized educating people on reading ingredients was a necessity. She also talks about the moment that jumpstarted her business from a client wanting her to take her grocery shopping and her special relationship with NYC and her clients. Jen Smiley also offers restaurant tips when dining out and reiterates that balance is key. If you are interested in finding more about Jen Smiley's programs and offerings, go to https://jensmiley.com/ and connect with her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wakeupandreadthelabels/

About Jen Smiley:

Jen Smiley is the Founder of Wake Up & Read the Labels, a multi-platform brand that encompasses online courses, a new membership community called The Wake Up Jumpstart, and an engaging, informative Instagram account with 100k+ followers. Jen’s special sauce? Teaching people to feel amazing while still eating the foods they love. Often, that’s as simple as swapping-out “normal” (but often nutritionally unsound) ingredients for clean options. She’s all about seeking out REAL food with real ingredients - none of this artificial nonsense marketed to simply sound healthy.

Since its inception, Wake Up & Read the Labels has helped thousands of individuals conquer everyday issues such as fatigue, skin breakouts, weight gain and more simply by helping them to become more mindful about what they’re eating. By avoiding the traps laid for them in the grocery store, Jen’s clients have become empowered to take charge of their health and making lasting changes to their well-being and sense of vitality.

Carving a new path in food coaching, Jen and her team encourage clients to avoid calorie-counting and imposing limits on food intake. Instead, they learn to trust their new label-reading skills and instantly make better choices.

Mar 08, 202228:58

Ep 133: Mariann Yip- Book Launch Celebratory Episode - Preface and Conclusion of UN-HINGED- Celebrating Big Moments in Your Life- Saying Yes and Letting go of Self Doubt and Fears

Today's episode is a special one as it's the official launch date of my book, UN-HINGED What I Learned from Saying, "It's You, It's Not Me" in the NYC Dating Scene. I am using this episode as a solo and celebratory one to honor this big moment in my life. I read my preface of my book to give viewers and listeners a snippet of what to expect from my book, what my writing style is, what my author's voice is and understand why I decided to write this book. I also reveal a confession relating to being proud of myself and learning to embrace that feeling and changing it from discomfort to comfort. I close out the episode with a section from my conclusion in the hopes to get you thinking about what's on your bucket list and fear list and how to overcome self doubt and go after your dreams. I would love any and all support in this journey that I am on. You can purchase my book using this specific link https://amzn.to/3Ko7XdL or go to www.un-hinged.com. You can also find my book on Barnes & Noble and Mascot Books. Feel free to leave reviews and share this episode or my book with a friend :)

Mar 01, 202220:11

Ep 132: Mariana Monks- Host of Gossipnista podcast - Moving From LA to New York - All things NYC: navigating the city and subway experiences

This week's guest features Mariana Monks, who is the host of Gossipnista podcast. Hear how two New York residents chit chat about their relationship and experience in the city (one as a recent New Yorker and one as a native New Yorker). Mariana Monks explains her love for the city and why she decided to get married here and also what motivated her to start her podcast 'Gossipnista.' Her podcast is educational and meant to act as a resource for NYC lifestyle because she didn't have the tools when she moved here. We also talk about NYC subway, her favorite and worst thing about New York, and more!
Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.
ABOUT MARIANA MONKS:
Mariana Monks is a New Yorker, podcaster, and creative entrepreneur at heart with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and an immense love for New York City. Her interviews on the ‘Gossipnista’ podcast include native New Yorkers, transplants, experts and Empire staples on all things living in the city, and how to navigate it. Demystifying and sometimes confirming NYC stereotypes along her journey of meeting city inhabitants, you’ll most often find her exploring the Empire State with her husband or connecting with her podcast guests, and helping all who love New York City to live their best life in it.

You can find Gossipnista on Instagram: www.instagram.com/gossipnistapodcast and gossipnista.com/

Feb 22, 202227:24

Ep 131: Jordana Guimarães - How she started FASHINNOVATION- Valuing Sustainability & Inclusivity - Cold Emailing Speakers for FASHIONINOVATION - Reframing Her Relationship with Money

Today’s guest is PR specialist and entrepreneur, Jordana Guimarães. She is the Co-Founder of Fashinnovation: bridging the gap between the fashion & technology industries, bringing innovations to the forefront based on the latest tendencies. In this episode, we talk about her background in fashion and PR, how she started Fashinnovation and why she values inclusivity and sustainability. Jordana also talks about the surprising method of cold calling as that was how she landed her 600 speakers to date for her company. She also covers the challenges along the way. We also talk about her definitions of success and happiness, her reframing narrative on money, and the importance of embracing all stages in life. At the end, Jordana reveals a confession regarding her kids and husband, so you’ll have to listen to the full episode for that!

You can connect with Jordana on her personal Instagram and Fashinnovation: https://fashinnovation.nyc/

JORDANA GUIMARÃES

PR specialist and entrepreneur, Jordana Guimarães is the Co-Founder of Fashinnovation: bridging the gap between the fashion & technology industries, bringing innovations to the forefront based on the latest tendencies. She's participated as curator, producer and host in major fashion/technology events, and hosts her now online weekly show "Fashion & Wine Talks with Jordana". Philanthropically, Jordana has recently published her first book in the aims of “humanizing homelessness” titled: It Can Be You. She is married to Marcelo Guimaraes, Fashinnovation's Co-founder, and has two baby girls.

Feb 15, 202234:16

Ep 130: Jeff Lee- CEO and Co-founder of Dibs Beauty- Career Pivots and Parallels of Law and Beauty- Advocating for Women Leadership and Empowerment- Living Ethically- Love/ Hate Relationship with NYC

This week's guest is Jeff Lee, the CEO and Co-Founder of Dibs Beauty, which is all about mistake-proof products you reach for again and again. As someone who has received his Law degree from Yale and has even been a coach on Miss Universe, Jeff Lee talks about his career pivots. He also explains what the similarity is between law and beauty and how he met Courtney Shields (his partner in Dibs Beauty) and why they started this beauty business during Covid. Other topics in this podcast include why Jeff Lee advocates for women leadership, how he lives his life ethically, how to look at things positively and approach life humbly and reminds us all to not live in the moments of the lows, but also to not live in the moments of the high. We close out this episode bringing it back to NYC as Jeff explains his love and hate relationship with NYC and confession regarding Times Square that is definitely one not to be missed!

ABOUT JEFF LEE:

Prior to becoming CEO and Co-Founder of DIBS Beauty, Jeff was the COO of ARod Corp, where he consulted and helped build multiple household names in beauty and wellness, totaling in the hundreds of millions in revenue. Jeff practiced law at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, the most selective corporate law firm in the U.S., after three years at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. He has worked on some of the most transformative mergers and acquisitions in the world, as well as numerous first-of-their-kind deals for clients ranging from AT&T and Diageo, and Lands’ End. Jeff currently serves on the alumni board of the Stanford Humanities Center (undergrad). Jeff received the Firestone Medal, Stanford’s highest research honors, for his work on examining ways to elect more women to presidencies in Latin America, a topic near and dear to him. Jeff received his accreditations in personal training from the National Academy of Sports Medicine and in jewelry from the Gemological Institute of America In his early 30s, Jeff was a Miss Universe coach, check out this GQ article HERE

You can connect with Jeff:
Website: HERE, Instagram HERE

Feb 08, 202240:30

Ep 129: Joey Healy- Celebrity Eyebrow Specialist- Launching His Own Business (Studio, Product Line), Highs and Lows of being an Entrepreneur- Power of Gratitude- Having a Positive Mindset in NYC

Welcome to Season 7 of The City Confessions! We are kicking it off strong with Joey Healy, our first guest of the year, who is a celebrity eyebrow specialist. In this episode, we talk about how he got into the business and how he learned that eyebrow shaping was his skill. Joey walks us through his entrepreneurial journey and talks about the highs and lows of his career. He began to offer virtual appointments to adapt to the pandemic and how that change proved to still be successful for his business. We also talk about the power of gratitude, how he cultivated and maintains a positive mindset in NYC and reveals a confession relating to America's Next Top Model that you don't want to miss!

ABOUT JOEY HEALY:
Known for his trendsetting vision and amazing technical skill, Joey Healy is one of the most influential and sought-after eyebrow specialists in the industry. With his skill for crafting the ideal arch, Joey launched his eyebrow empire in 2010 with his signature product line, Joey Healy Eyebrow Collection, following in 2011. In 2012 Joey opened his flagship Fifth Avenue Joey Healy Eyebrow Studio, a stylish eyebrow sanctuary for his jet-setting, unisex clientele. With his popularity rapidly growing, Joey expanded with a new team of brow proteges to a larger NYC location in 2015.
Joey realized his passion for the beauty industry at a young age. Infatuated with geometry and symmetry, eyebrows soon caught his talented eye, intrigued by their delicate form and precise lines. After graduating with a degree in marketing from Villanova University and an advanced esthetics education from Aveda Institute, Joey was poised to start his own business in the beauty industry.
You can connect with Joey Healy on Instagram and find more about his business here.
Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

Feb 01, 202232:08

Ep 128: Solo Episode- Mariann Yip- Kicking Season 7 of The City Confessions- Feeling Overwhelmed with Goals- Excitement and Anxiousness in Launching my first Book Un-Hinged

We are kicking Season 7 strong with a solo episode from your host Mariann Yip! In this episode, I give my quick life updates as we are in the first month of 2022. I talk about my current headspace and discuss the following topics:
- feeling overwhelmed with goals and confusion on where and how to start the year
- taking a step back to calm anxiety and being strategic and realistic about my goals
- announcing my book release for March 1, 2022 and being excited, but also anxious about the launch
I also talk about my word and motto for the year which are expansion and There's no other option. For the most part, I am excited about what this year will bring and as someone who is turning 30 or just turned 30, I am at a great place. If you would like to pre-order my book, Un-Hinged: What I Learned from Saying, "It's You, It's Not Me" in the NYC Dating Scene, you can do so in the below links:
Barnes and Noble | Amazon
You can also support me on my personal Instagram and The City Confessions.
Feel free to also share this episode with a friend or leave a positive review on iTunes Podcast or Spotify if you feel called to. You can also email any feedback or questions to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

Jan 25, 202225:27

Ep 127: Mariann Yip - Solo Episode- Lessons I’ve learned in 2021: Stop Outsourcing Intuition to others- Trusting myself more- Being Comfortable with Setting Boundaries- Choosing to be Happy

This episode is a solo one from yours truly, Mariann Yip. As I close out season 6 of The City Confessions, I talk about three lessons I've learned in 2021 including:

Stop looking for others to fill me in relationships: becoming more selective with information to disclose and learning to stop outsourcing my intuition so I can trust myself more Understanding triggers and setting boundaries: Seeing triggers as a reflection of what areas I still need to work and being more comfortable with setting boundaries because it's a way for me to protect myself Redefining Happiness: Stop relying on others for happiness, validation or approval. No one is responsible for my happiness but me and choosing to be happy is a choice and a choice I'm deciding daily

I also talk about life updates and mention how I plan on taking The City Confessions to a new level starting 2022 as well as releasing a book about dating, self development and self discovery. I also reveal a confession about relationships, so be sure to listen to the end to hear what it is! I am grateful for each and every one of my listeners and you can show your support to rating this podcast on iTunes, sharing it with a friend and giving me and the podcast a follow on Instagram!

Feel free to direct any questions, comments or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

Nov 30, 202130:01

Ep 126: Teona Ostrov- Entrepreneur- Founder of Teona Ostrov PR - How she got into PR- Journey of Starting Her Own Company - Love for NYC and Subway Confession

Today's last guest for Season 6 of The City Confessions is Teona Ostrov, an entrepreneur and founder of Teona Ostrov PR, which is a boutique PR agency in NYC specializing in beauty, lifestyle and wellness. In this episode Teona and I speak about how she got into PR and the journey of starting her own company. She also mentions the challenges and highlights of her career thus far. We bring it back to NYC and Teona expresses her love for the city and ends the episode with a confession involving the NYC subway that you don't want to miss! You can find more about Teona and where to find her below:

About Teona Ostrov: https://www.teonaostrovpr.com/

For the past 15 years, Teona has specialized in beauty, wellness and lifestyle PR. After working both in-house and at agencies, she left agency life in 2017 to freelance. After less than a year, she built up a roster of her own clients and decided that it was time to expand and build an agency. TOPR was born in September of 2018 in a shared WeWork office with her Maltese, Reese as the agency's VP - Vice Pup. A month later she adopted a pointer mix named Jeff who currently serves as TOPR's director of Barketing. While Teona loves nothing more than a good blowout, she is also an avid hiker and backpacker. When she's not on the trail with her dogs you can likely find her on a SoulCycle bike. Follow Teona Ostrov on Instagram!

Feel free to email any questions, comments or feedback regarding this episode to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

Nov 23, 202135:36

Ep 125: Rafaella Alberts- Digital Marketer and Native New Yorker- Owning her Personality Traits - Love Hate Relationship with NYC- Taking Care of Yourself - Look Good Feel Good

Today's guest is Rafaella Alberts, a digital marketer and Native New Yorker. Born and raised in Brooklyn NY, Rafaella loves makeup & skincare (cruelty free only), sneakers, music, and is super obsessed with animals. In her spare time, she loves doing anything creative or outdoorsy.

In this episode, Rafaella and I talk about what it's like growing up in NYC and her love/ hate relationship with the city. As a social and hyperactive individual, Rafaella explains how she has many hobbies and interests and doesn't think she or anybody else should be defined by their job titles and careers. We also touch briefly on astrology as she is a pieces. Rafaella opens up about what stresses her out and that involves both work and living costs of NYC. We close this episode by encouraging people to take care of themselves and to treat people the way you want to be treated.

You can connect with Rafaella on Instagram. And feel free to direct any comments, feedback or questions to thecityconfesions@gmail.com regarding this podcast.

Nov 16, 202137:28

Ep 124: Marie-Pierre- Founder of new skin-fitness brand, HERB + FLORA- Her Love for NYC and Living in Tribeca - Combining Science, Sports and Beauty- Entrepreneurial Advice on Never Giving Up

Today's guest is Marie-Pierre, the founder of new skin-fitness brand, HERB + FLORA. Marie-Pierre Stark-Flora is a French triathlete and ex beauty executive of L’Oréal, Estée Lauder, and Coty. This entrepreneur previously launched her own beauty technology company, but her latest endeavor marries her passion for sports, with her love of science and clean beauty. HERB + FLORA’s skin-fitness line helps mimic the anti-aging effects of exercise on the skin and is clinically proven with a blend of naturally derived ingredients. The collection features autophagy-inducing topicals, clinically-proven ingestibles that promote cell health and increase antioxidant capacity, and a silk pillowcase woven with copper threads that helps reveal glowing skin and hair after just a few uses.
In this episode, Marie- Pierre and I sit down and we talk about the following topics:

Why she decided to choose NYC as her home and what she loves most about the city
Herb + Flora: combining science and beauty to create a brand and how sustainability and packaging affected her process
How she got into endurance sports, role of movement and activity in her life
Offering advice from the challenges and lessons she's learned being an entrepreneur and never giving up
Confession regarding her background with theatre and how her love for theatre brought her into NYC
Recalling 9/11 and living in Tribeca

You can find more about Marie- Pierre's company below:
Website: herbandflora.com/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/herbandflora/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/herbandflora
Feel free to direct any comments, questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

Nov 09, 202133:54

Ep 123: Irina Gottesman- CEO and Founder of House of Grō- Lessons from being a Serial Entrepreneur- Turning Failures into Lessons- Cultivating a Healthy Mindset for Business

Today's guest is Irina Gottesman, CEO and Founder of House of Grō, an inclusive clean beauty brand offering plant based, all natural, and sustainable CBD skincare products. House of Grō is at the forefront of the clean beauty movement with a wellness line focused on plant-based, genderless skincare products. Managing multiple startups at a time, Irina is the creative brain and industry innovator focusing on the integration of the House of Grō plant-based products into mainstream markets.
In this episode we talk about her background with NYC and what she loves most about the city, what it was like growing up in Queens and her memorable city experience with her mom in Soho. We also dive into her journey with starting House of Grō and she reveals how this beauty idea came to be, the struggles and lessons she's learned along the way, the mindset she's adopted when it comes to being a serial entrepreneur, what makes House of Grō unique and more information regarding the brand's values of sustainability and clean beauty. Irina further reveals her entrepreneurial highs and lows and talks deeper about the importance of embracing the journey, how she turns failures into lessons, not taking no for face value and reveals a confession regarding her outlook on NYC boroughs and suburbs.
You can find more about Irina and her brand below:
About Irina Gottesman: Irina Gottesman is an entrepreneur who hit the ground running by the young age of 20. Over the course of 24 years, Irina has managed revenues ranging from $1-5M in long- and short-term engagements in real estate, franchise, hospitality, retail and wholesale. All of her diverse and well-devised business engagements demonstrate Irina’s ability to dominate any industry she enters, with her long-term focus being plant-based skincare and wellness.
Irina has the ability to trend forecast and build brands. With a passion for wellness and holistic health, she utilized her knowledge of industry trends and resources to launch House of Grō alongside her brother, Sam. Irina has been building brands together with Sam for decades; they have a 25 year track record in the luxury market, both with their own passions for wellness. After the pair found themselves in the CBD industry, Irina and Sam learned about the skincare benefits of CBD and decided to dive head first into the cosmetics industry, thus House of Grō was born. This dynamic duo now own and operate the 1st CBD brand to be certified Microbiome-Friendly.
Website: houseofgro.com/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/houseofgro/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HouseofGro/
If you have any questions regarding this episode, feel free to email thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

Nov 02, 202144:15

Ep 122: Brooke Miccio- Lifestyle Vlogger & Youtuber, Co-Host of the Gals on the Go podcast - Balancing Sharing Personal Life & Private Life on Social Media- Highlights of Career -Embracing Being Basic

Today's guest is Brooke Miccio, a lifestyle vlogger and youtuber and Co-Host of the Gals on the Go podcast. In this episode, we dive deeper into Brooke's social media journey as she talks about how she started her Youtube channel 10 years ago. Since growing a strong and loyal community, Brooke opens up about the struggle with being an open book and being relatable while wanting to keep certain things in her life private. Brooke also talks about the importance of trying to live int he moment and not stress about the future or what others think of her since she is in the public eye.

We also touch upon topics including:

- past experiences with being bullied in school
- rewarding moments of her career and being able to receive positive feedback from her community
- Gals on the go podcast: the premise, how she met her podcast partner and why they decided to start the podcast together
- Confession regarding and embracing her basicness when it comes to NYC recommendations
- her zest for life and how her family has impacted her

You can connect with Brooke Miccio on the below platforms:

Website: https://www.brookemiccio.net/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr60fJmsgoT-d5Wxf5zeIMA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brookemiccio/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brookemiccio?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

If you have any questions regarding this episode, please email thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

Oct 26, 202133:59

Ep 121: Amanda Bybel - CEO and Founder of The Inner Bybel and The Sparkle System- Journey from Corporate Dropout to Entrepreneur and Life Coach- Power of Manifestation, Affirmations and Mindset

Today's episode features the lovely Amanda Bybel, who is a Master Certified NLP Practitioner and Trainer, Master Certified Success & Life coach, as well as a Master Certified Hypnotherapist. She is also the CEO and Founder of The Inner Bybel and The Sparkle System, which is a practitioner certification program, specifically designed for high-achieving, driven women who are ready to claim their next level identity as a true influencer, leader + masterful coach in just 4 months. Her mission is to empower women to pursue their true calling by shifting their identity and smashing their fears, so that they can create an authentic and fulfilling life, on their terms. She has helped over 100 women become the best versions of themselves through her accredited programs. She is also the co-host of the Related podcast with her sister Carli Bybel. In this episode, Amanda recounts her journey from being a corporate dropout to an entrepreneur, life coach and motivational speaker. She talks about the breakdown she had that forced her to rethink her life path. After going through a personal development program, she realized her life purpose was to serve others and help women transform their life and gain confidence in all facets of their lives. As a spiritual individual, Amanda dives deep into the power of manifestation, affirmations and mindset. She also shares the affirmation that changed her life, her journal activity and recommendations, and how she channels Posh Spice as has higher self. Amanda also acknowledge that self development is a journey and there will be low moments, as she personally opens up about her struggle with having self sabotaging thoughts and limiting beliefs. She gives advice on how to handle those lower frequency feelings and reminds us all of the power of our mindsets. You can follow Amanda on Instagram and check out her website: http://innerbeautybybel.com/. Feel free to also direct any questions, comments or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

Oct 19, 202140:18

Ep 120: Hilla Narov and Samantha Woolf, Co-Founders of Official Partner- Challenges and Lessons as Female Entrepreneurs During Pandemic- Realities of working with A List Celebrities & Living Dream Job

Today we are joined by two entrepreneurial women, Hilla Narov and Samantha Woolf, co-founders of Official Partner, a premiere marketing and entertainment agency that connects brands with A list talent and influencers and New Yorkers. Prior to founding Official Partner, Samantha and Hilla each spent over 20 years at notable entertainment management agencies but then last year decided to pivot by starting their own agency. This was a little over one year ago during an unlikely time – the beginning of the Covid-19 global pandemic. While they faced many challenges, they have come out the other side and are even stronger. Hilla Narov and Samantha Woolf have an instinct for what’s next, what’s newsworthy and the ability to architect a winning deal that translates to success for their clients.

In this episode, we cover the below topics:

- Lessons from their first year as female founders and their life in NYC Challenges they faced during the Covid-19 pandemic
- Why they believe mentoring other women is key to their success
- The fun and challenging experiences working with A list celebrities

We also talk a lot about New York and how the city has affected their mindset, the way they approach business and what the city has given them.

You can learn more about Samantha and Hila below:

About Samantha: Prior to starting Official Partner, Samantha was Head of Marketing, NY at United Talent Agency (UTA), one of the leading talent, influencer and entertainment agencies in the world. With over 20 years of experience, Samantha has worked with branding powerhouses Deutsch Inc., Grey Global Group, and PEOPLE magazine, and brands such as Covergirl, Pantene and Head & Shoulders. She has also worked closely with some of the most highly respected and sought-after talent faces across digital media, television, music, and live entertainment including Sofia Vergara, Taylor Swift, Queen Latifah, Ellen DeGeneres, Katy Perry, Selena Gomez, P!NK and James Charles.

About Hilla: A forward-looking thinker and creative problem-solver, Hilla has built trusted relationships across the entertainment, luxury, fashion, beauty, and lifestyle industries – always with an interest to drive brand visibility and business growth. Hilla brings over 20 years of public relations and brand management experience. She led the relaunch of Jordache’s luxury denim collection securing Sarah Jessica Parker, partnered veterans non-for-profit Dog Tag Bakery with Starbucks and secured a multi-year sponsorship for Heidi Klum’s Halloween with Party City. Hill has brokered numerous high profile talent deals for brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, Tiffany, Bulgari, Coach, Maybelline, HSN, QVC and Mattel.

Website: https://official-partner.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialpartneragency/

Feel free to direct any questions, comments or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com.

Oct 12, 202146:40

Ep 119: Ian Ginsberg - Third Generation Owner of C.O. Bigelow, America's Oldest Apothecary- History Behind The Company - How The Family and Employees Maintain Brand Integrity through Storytelling

Today's guest is Ian Ginsberg, who is a pharmacist, president, and the third-generation owner of C.O Bigelow, which is America’s oldest Apothecary. In this episode, Ian and I discuss his role at C.O Bigelow and the history behind the company. Ian also discusses what makes the company so special and how they successfully cultivate brand integrity throughout all these years and the importance of storytelling to keep their brand relevant and aliv