Leader and Lover

It is the end of 2021 and I cannot believe how much has happened. This year has been one of challenge and triumph, great loss, but also one of abundance. I thought I'd close out the year by talking about our bodies, the food we consume, and how the food in our community reflects our resilience. I'm really excited about today's episode and to be talking with someone near and dear to my heart, Jessica Featherson. Join Jessica and I as we  discuss what having it all means to her, her journey, and common misconceptions associated with having it all.  She has a creative background in dance and it has played an important role in saving her life.We also explore The relationship of food and Black culture and the role it plays in having it all with health, and Seeking and accepting your gifts and embracing your purpose as the path to having it allMeet Jessica FeathersonJessica self-identifies as a womanist who advocates for amplified representation, visibility, and culturally relevant wellness solutions for black womxn. She wears many hats: performance + culinary artist, experience curator, scholar, educator, health + fitness coach. She is deeply passionate about health, wellness, and the unique, interconnected relationship between the mind, body, and soul.​She received my BFA in dance performance from Temple University and my MFA from Rutgers University. She has performed nationally and internationally with Kariamu & Co: Traditions, Laurie Taylor/Soul Movement, and Eric Taylor Dance and taught on faculty at Rutgers University/Mason Gross School of the Arts and Ballet Hispanico.​In 2016, Jessica obtained her Health Coach certification from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN). Jessica's mission is to teach and empower women to be loud and unapologetic in their existence and to radically love and care for themselves so that they can flourish in all aspects of their lives. I want to send a special thank you to Jessica for being so open and willing to have this important conversation. A special thank you to all of you for tuning in this season and contributing to the conversation. We will continue this much-needed conversation in the new year. As always please like, follow, and share the podcast within your circle. Happy New Year and here's to having it all!Connect with Jessica:For Updates on her work in the health, realm check out WellBodyKitchenTo connect with Jessica via her creative endeavors visit her personal website jessicacamille.comYou can also find Jessica on Facebook. Connect with me:I would love to hear from you; send me an email at: cheri@leaderandloverpodcast.comWant to find out more about the show? you can do that at: www.leaderandloverpodcast.comFind Leader and Lover on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leaderandloverFind me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheri_spigner/

As Black women, many of us can agree that we have a complex relationship with sex and understanding our sexuality. Religion and the purity culture that permeates our community make it almost impossible for us to have safe spaces to speak candidly about our sexual desires and ideas around sex. Now, ya'll know that I love speaking about sex, especially good sex and that is why I am so excited for you to meet today's guest, Ashley Cobb, also known as Sex with Ashley, a woman who has dedicated her life and work around one idea: to help black women have better sex.Join Ashley and I as we have a candid conversation on perceptions around sex within the black community, the impact of trauma on black women's sex lives, the importance of therapy, and why now more than ever, it's important for black women to have safe spaces. Listen in as Ashley dishes on her evolution from Ashley Cobb to Sex with Ashley and her journey to having it all.Meet Sex with Ashley (Ashley Cobb)Ashley Cobb is the millennial microphone that brings the conversation of Black Sexuality to the forefront, and across generational lines. Ashley is a sexpert, blogger, and influencer known for her fun, down to earth and practical commentary that's been featured in top media outlets to include Huffington Post, Cosmopolitan, Self Magazine, Women's Health, Black Love Doc, Shape, and many more.  She's also the Sex Advice Columnist for the lifestyle publication Madame Noire. Ashley also is the creator of the digital news and entertainment platform, Gossip and Gasms, which has been coined "The Shade Room of Sex."  In addition to that, she co-hosts a sexuality-centered podcast, "Hoe And Tell" that features real-life sex stories from strangers.Join Ashley and I as we discuss:What having it all means to her, her journey, and common misconceptions associated with having it allHer background within the church and breaking free of purity cultureThe importance of having conversations around sex within the black community The impact of Trauma on sexuality and the importance of therapyWalking in your purpose and how this can help you have it allI want to send a special thank you to Ashley for this honest conversation. Thank you for your wisdom, vulnerability, and sense of humor. A special thank you to you as well for listening to today's episode. I hope it starts a much-needed conversation within your own life and communities. Feel free to like, subscribe, and share this episode within your circle. Here's to having it all!Connect with Ashley:For Updates on her work, as well as her five favorite sexual wellness products, check out her website.Listen to her podcast Hoe and Tell.Check out Gossip and Gasms Find Ashley on Twitter and InstagramConnect with me:I would love to hear from you; send me an email at: cheri@leaderandloverpodcast.comWant to find out more about the show? you can do that at: www.leaderandloverpodcast.comFind Leader and Lover on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leaderandlover/?hl=enFind me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheri_spigner/

As African American women, we serve as the backbones of our families and communities. This idea is so deeply entrenched in us that we are expected to be everything for everyone and nothing for ourselves. While our strength is something to be proud of, carrying it as a badge of honor and centering it as our identity can lead to burnout and resentment.Today, I am joined by Dr. Zoe Shaw, a woman who has experienced the burnout that comes with superwoman syndrome, like many other African American women. It is precisely this that caused her to take a step back, re-evaluate her life and learn to prioritize herself. Join Dr. Zoe and I as we have a candid conversation on mental health, vulnerability, self-care, boundaries, and the importance of therapy. Listen in to find out how her self-care journey empowered her and her community and finally enabled her to truly have it all. Meet Dr. Zoe Shaw:Dr. Zoe Shaw is a licensed psychotherapist, motivational speaker, podcast host, life coach and fitness fanatic. She is passionate about helping women who struggle in difficult relationships- especially that sometimes difficult relationship with themselves. After 15 years in traditional psychotherapy practice, Dr. Zoe jumped off the couch and now helps women using a different modality with a mix of virtual therapy, coaching services and programs designed specifically for women trying to have it all, who sometimes struggle in the superwoman game.  Dr. Zoe is a graduate of UCLA and Pepperdine University. She is a frequent blogger (writing about helping women redefine their Superwoman) and loves answering women's burning questions in her advice column at the Grit and Grace Project (online women's magazine). I want to send a special thank you to Dr. Zoe for imparting her wise words. A special thank you to you as well for listening to today's episode. I hope it helps you as much as it has helped me. Feel free to like, subscribe, and share this episode with your sister circle. Here's to having it all!Connect with Dr. Zoe:Check out her website to stay up to date with her: https://drzoeshaw.com/Ready to begin your self-care journey? Check out her book ‘A Year of Self-care': https://drzoeshaw.com/a-year-of-self-care/Listen in to her podcast, The Dr. Zoe Show: https://drzoeshaw.com/category/radio-show/Find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drzoeshaw/?hl=enConnect with me:I would love to hear from you; send me an email at: cheri@leaderandloverpodcast.comWant to find out more about the show? you can do that at: www.leaderandloverpodcast.comFind Leader and Lover on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leaderandlover/?hl=enFind me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheri_spigner/

Today you are in for a treat. I am so excited to be talking with Nikkia McClain about “having it all” on her terms. Nikkia McClain, in her former career, worked as a very successful real estate agent in which she managed million-dollar properties. After several years of helping clients realize their real estate dreams, Nikkia wanted to explore other opportunities aligned to her personal goals to pursue a career in marketing and public relations — a very bold decision given Nikkia had no background in the two fields. She established her marketing and public relations firm, TENÉ NÍCOLE, and she put her knowledge and creative skills to work immediately, carving out her path to becoming successful.​​ Nikkia raised the level of conversation and opportunities for clients and garnered keyrelationships to enhance their publicity via television, magazine, and radio. Her efforts continue to maximize the level of exposure clients receive on a national and international level. Since pursuing her dream of building her very own well-known, recognized brand, she has experienced tremendous success. Black Enterprise Magazine touted her as a PR maven. Her firm has represented a roster of past and current clients including Fortune 500 and Inc 5000 companies and notable multi-million dollar brands. Nikkia is a powerhouse in her own right and executes public relations initiatives at the highest capacity. She's strategic, creative, savvy, generous, and extremely resourceful. She has successfully leveraged her expertise and network to produce top-notch campaigns and practical projects for her clients. Additionally, Nikkia is a public relations ninja; her clients have been featured on The Wendy Williams Show, The Real, NBC, ABC, FOX, TMZ, BOLD TV, Sister Circle TV, The Steve Harvey Show; The Breakfast Club, Hot 97; and numerous print/digital outlets including ESSENCE, OK!, Life and Style, Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Forbes, to name a few. You can follow and learn more about Nikkia and her work on all social platforms as Nikkia McClain or via her website at www.nikkiamcclain.com.A special thank you to Nikkia for her passion, honesty, and wisdom and I am truly honored to have been sharing the space with her.Connect with me:cheri@leaderandloverpodcast.comwww.leaderandloverpodcast.com

Welcome to another episode of the Leader and Love Podcast and today I am so excited for my conversation with Samone Blakely.Samone Thomas Blakely (aka TorahCents) is the founder of Curved to Cuffed, the #1 program for ambitious women of faith who want to attract high-quality men and confidently date them for marriage. She has a combined following of over 170K across all social media platforms, garnered over 20 million video views, and, over the past 9 years, has reached thousands of women in over 46 countries. As a married woman to one, in her spare time, she loves to travel, dance in the mirror, watch Youtube videos and mindlessly watch Instagram stories. Her mantra is “Live for God and Love the Life You Live” because she believes women should be able to live their dream lives of joy, love, and freedom without having to compromise their faith. Her role in making that a reality is to help women of faith connect with high-quality men and land marriages with loving husbands who provide, protect and build for them. In her spare time, she loves to travel, dance in the mirror, watch Youtube videos and mindlessly watch Instagram stories.Samone is an absolute powerhouse in the dating space for women of faith and I want to send a special thank you for her time and for all the gems she dropped on today's show. Connect with Samone via FB, Instagram, and Twitter @torahcents.Connect with me:cheri@leaderandloverpodcast.comwww.leaderandloverpodcast.com

Welcome to another episode of the Leader and Love Podcast and today you are in for a treat! Today we are joined by Dr. Pia and Levett Washington. There's so much talk around getting married, but we also need to see examples of good marriages and be able to see behind the scenes of how couples are doing the work to sustain their marriages. This is where the Washingtons come in. Tune in to hear their take on “having it all” in a successful marriage and how they navigated trust, finances, and intimacy along the way through their 5 Essential Elements of Effective Relationships.Dr. Pia Washington is a dynamic speaker, coach and attraction specialist dedicated to helping people produce extraordinary results in their lives, careers and organizations. Pia is a results-oriented professional with over 20 years of experience across a wide range of industries including Media & Entertainment, Technology, Biotech, Retail, Financial Services, Healthcare and Manufacturing. As a finance executive, she has achieved extraordinary results for many Fortune 500 companies including NBC Universal, DineEquity, Amgen, Guitar Center, Wellpoint, JP Morgan Chase, Exxon Mobil and Eaton Corporation. Pia is the loving mother of four children and she has been happily married to her junior high school sweetheart, Levett, for over 20 years. Levett and Pia are principals of The ECI Group which provides consulting and coaching services to Executives, Couples and Individuals. Together the two co-authored the books, Shades of Love: Portraits of Successful Marriages and Love is Never Enough: The Five Essential Elements of Effective Relationships. The vision for their coaching practice is to inspire others to maximize their potential by living an authentic life. The couple has appeared on THRIVE with Sandra Bishop, KKZZ AM 1400, KISS FM 102.7 and numerous Internet radio talk shows. You can connect with the Washintons via their relationship blog at  Lovesneverenough.blogspot.com. Connect with me:cheri@leaderandloverpodcast.comwww.leaderandloverpodcast.com

Welcome to another episode of the Leader and Love Podcast!Tune in to hear me share my relationship story on a dear friend's relationship panel. I reflect on how  I met, dated, and married my husband online during COVID in one year. There have been so many questions about relationships including: How long should we date? Does a man know when they have met someone they want to marry? How can we move our relationship from interest to dating, dating to exclusivity, and exclusivity to marriage. I answer all of these questions and more!Connect with me:cheri@leaderandlover.comwww.leaderandlover.com

Trust is what makes all relationships last. It is the foundation and when it is missing from a relationship, chaos is sure to follow. Today's episode features an interview of my husband and I and our journey to love, trust, and marriage. We are by no means experts but we have gained wisdom from our own relationship experiences over the years and at the end of the day we both agree: it all comes back to trust.

I am back!What a season it has been, both in my personal and professional life. I am honored and blessed to be back. In today's episode, I will share what has been going on in my life and what is in store for the podcast. The best is yet to come.

Life can be overwhelming at times, even if you are surrounded by good news and positive people, keeping everything perfect is exhausting. On this episode of Leader and Lover, I share a little bit about my most recent personal experience, getting married. I am a few weeks away from my wedding and even though I know everything is going to be magical, wedding planning has been exhausting. I’ve had to learn to let go of the little things and stop expecting everything to be perfect.Listen to this episode to find out more about how my husband and I met and our journey along the way.Episode overview:How I met my soon-to-be husband and what online dating felt like. (02:17)Letting go of toxic relationships and attracting people who truly love you. (03:40)Dating during a pandemic. (04:24)The beauty of dating via zoom, with no make-up and no filters. (06:20)The hassle of planning a wedding and how this and my workload has driven me to my limits. (08:08)Learning to roll with the imperfections of my wedding. (09:36)Bringing down high expectations, failing is okay. (10:02)

Join us as we talk with Mazda Miles about what having it all means to her. We discuss the misconceptions that may be holding you back from having it all. By redefining what abundance means, Mazda got clear on what she wanted in her life as she worked on unlearning society norms and releasing the expectation that the other shoe had to drop when it all seemed too good to be true. You are in for something good!Mazda is a professional fire starter, speaker, podcast host, entrepreneur, and self-described “results fanatic.” She is the founder and principal of Perfection Events, an award-winning Philadelphia-based firm that produces meetings and events worldwide. She is also Chief FireStarter of her business consulting firm, Mazda Miles & Company, which provides consulting and mentoring of women entrepreneurs through her FireStarter Mentoring Program. As a past President of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Greater Philadelphia chapter (the first woman of color to hold this position in two decades), she is also a respected voice in the conversation on diversity and inclusion both regionally and nationally. As host of Restrooms and Boardrooms podcast, she informs and inspires women on the topics of business, entrepreneurship, leadership culture, and life.Resources mentioned in episode:Podcast - wavve.link/restroomsnandboards/Instagram - www.instagram.com/mazdamiles_/Clubhouse - www.joinclubhouse.com/@mazdamilesYoutube - www.youtube.com/channel/UCAF-C7XZx_v46bekpJ2ao_g/channelsTikTok - www.tiktok.com/@mazdamiles?Facebook - www.facebook.com/1mazdamiles

Today we talk with Dr. Tana M. Session about what having it all means to her. Many of us get caught up in thinking that having it all means having a good work-life balance; however, this is unrealistic. We discuss entrepreneurship, relationship, childhood, and family life. Tana also shares with us her journey to becoming a coach and author. Dr. Tana M. Session is an award-winning International Speaker, Executive-level Performance Coach, Best-selling Author, recognized Inclusion, Diversity & Multigenerational Thought Leader and Media Contributor. She has been recognized by Huffington Post as a “Top Female Expert to Follow;” by Forbes as a "Top Diversity & Inclusion Business Leader;" and by Fond.co as a "Top 10 Company Culture Consultant." As an Organizational Development Strategist, Tana partners with multiple clients to help assess their individual company cultures and develop transformational workplace strategies to increase employee retention and engagement with a focus on inclusion, diversity, equality & belonging. As a corporate trainer and performance coach, Tana provides actionable tools & strategies catered to each organization to help both leaders AND employees excel in the workplace. Her unique skill is making people MORE of who they already ARE!​Tana holds the PHR, GPHR and SHRM-SCP certifications as well as multiple ICF-approved performance coaching certifications. 

We are delving into the Couples Corner. Today we welcome relationship experts Dr. Chris and Darlene Reid. Chris and Darlene share with us how they started seeing each other back in college and how gender rules, childhood upbringing, and society norms played into their relationship. Join us as we discover what having it all means to Dr. Chris Reid and Darlene Reid. Christopher Reid is a relationship cardiologist. “Doc” Reid, as he is affectionately, not professionally known, has a specialty in matters of the heart. For the last 11 years as a relationship coach, author, and speaker, Doc Reid has helped to empower women all over the world to no longer accept less than what they deserve in their relationships. He uses his calm and non-judgmental demeanor to make his clients feel at ease about revealing their innermost secrets about life, love, and loss. Doc Reid has an uncanny ability to help his clients move past the surface layer defense strategies they naturally present, to help them see and understand the source of their own destructive habits that can rob them of loving relationship experiences they deserve. This journey of self-discovery that he coaches them through, helps them heal their own broken hearts. Doc Reid's unique blend of humor, God's Word, and unapologetic straight talk are the reasons women of all backgrounds and ethnicities flock to his message of self-love. Revealing the mind of a man in a way that takes the mystery out of his behavior is also one of Doc Reid's greatest talents. Doc Reid believes in practicing what he preaches about how a man should treat a woman by constantly pursuing his wife's heart of 25 years. He affectionately still calls her his girlfriend because he knows how important it is to never stop taking her on dates and romantic getaways without the kids, so they can constantly reconnect. Doc Reid has also taught his daughters, who are 18 and 15, how a man is supposed to treat them by routinely taking them on daddy-daughter dates. Doc Reid is the co-author of “The Forbidden Secrets of the Good box” which teaches women what their father didn't tell them and their mother didn't know about men and relationships. He also produced the video “Why He Married Her Instead of You” to teach women a man is not looking for a woman he can live with but the one he can't live without.

We talked with Tyomi Morgan about what having it all means to her. Tyomi is a Certified Sexologist and Pleasure Coach. Tyomi discusses the taboo subject of sex and how being in tune with her sexuality helped her discovered her authentic self. Tyomi is a Certified Sexologist, Authentic Tantra Practitioner and International Pleasure Coach with 9 years of experience in the sexual health field. Her down-to-earth approach to sexuality has garnered the views of millions of eyes around the world via her advice-based Youtube channel and interactive social media presence. She is the founder of Sex Ed blog Glamerotica101.com and emphasizes sexual empowerment of black women worldwide. Tyomi's advice has been featured on several platforms and traditional media publications including Essence.com, EBONY Magazine, Blackdoctor.org, Huffington Post, Comedy Central, The New York Times, SHAPE.COM, Blacklove.com, Vogue.com, Cosmopolitan.com, Washington Post's The Lily, Clear Channel Radio, CBS Radio, Sirus XM, Playboy Radio and dozens of others. Tyomi currently serves as the Resident Sexpert and Seminar Coordinator for the Exxxotica Expo and is a member of the National Coalition for Sexual Health. Resources mentioned in the episode:Instagram - www.instagram.com/realglamazontyomiBlog Instagram - www.instagram.com/glamerotica101Twitter - www.twitter.com/glamazontyomiBlog Twitter - www.twitter.com/glamerotica101Website - www.glamerotica101.comYoutube - www.youtube.com/glamerotica101Clubhouse - TyomiMorgan

In today’s episode, I am joined by Janiece Evans and we talk about having it all. What does this really mean? Everyone has a different definition, each significantly different especially for black women. Janiece shares what having it all means to her both in career and personal life. Janiece is the CEO of Tides Network, a philanthropic partner and nonprofit accelerator dedicated to building a world of shared prosperity and social justice. Earning her B.S. in Social Sciences/Organizational Behavior at the University of California at Berkeley and an Executive M.B.A. from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, Janiece went on to put her true ‘changemaker’ abilities to work. She accomplished a 20+ year career at Hewlett-Packard Co. in Silicon Valley where she transformed HP’s $20M philanthropy portfolio and launched their $600M+ Imaging and Printing Attach Organization. Prior to joining Fossil, Janiece led community engagement at AT&T, launching company initiatives that inspired AT&T employees to invest time, technology and resources in their communities.She currently serves on numerous non-profit boards, including IDEO.org, AT&T Performing Arts Center (Dallas), Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, Jesuit [College Prep] Foundation’s Board of Trustees (Dallas), and Southern New Hampshire University. She has received numerous honors and accolades for her personal and professional commitment to inclusion and impact. She was named one of Ebony Magazine’s 2018 Power 100 “Women Up” honorees.

You cannot have it all if you first do not begin with yourself. Today on the podcast, we are joined by Sherron Washington as she speaks about what it means to have it all while tuning into your authentic self. Sherron has been described as the “real-deal” when it comes to engagement. She is tremendously skillful at creating and cultivating authentic interactions that generate synergy that flourish into countless opportunities. She uses a combination of her marcom business acumen, online and offline to create a distinctive and lasting presence that encourages and influences others to be more willing to build an integral relationship. Sherron’s goal is to educate businesses on how to develop and execute better marketing and communication strategies that will have successful outcomes. Sherron Washington, M.A. is a marketing and communication (marcomm) professional who has imparted her wisdom and expertise for over two decades. She has been deemed “The Marketing Whisperer” by many, due to her uncanny ability to assist businesses in developing innovative, results-driven, yet, simple marcom solutions. Sherron is the founder and CEO of the P3 Solution, a full-service marketing and communications that specializes in providing easy marketing strategy, messaging, design and social media solutions for businesses. Sherron has a Masters of Arts in Communications and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a double minor in Business and Media Technology.Resources mentioned in episode:Sherron Washington - https://www.sherronwashington.com/author

In this episode, we delve into Careers. Our careers can be what defines us. It measures our success. Being a black woman means we often have to work twice as hard while feeling like we are constantly going through “survival of the fittest” challenges. I also share my personal story on discrimination I face for being a “good working black woman.”

In this episode, we talk about relationships. Do relationships define you? Is having a great relationship considered having it all? Many times relationships are not what they seem. What will we accept in relationships to portray a having it all image? How does our childhood affect how we view relationships?

In this podcast, we will discover all things having it all means with powerful black women. We will discuss the relationships, careers, romantic love, self-love, religion on how it impacts how we show up. I share “what having it all” means to me and challenges in my childhood that set the stage and tone to how I show up.

How can a powerhouse woman under pressure tune into her pleasure? Can you be sharp in the boardroom and soft in the bedroom? Welcome to Leader and Lover Podcast. We will take a journey and explore all aspects of black women and having it all. We'll talk about relationships, career status, religion, spirituality, love, and sex, all the things that contribute to the total.So please join us as we take the journey on the Leader and Lover Podcast because girl, you definitely CAN have it all.