WHAT A MESS

MESS Report: Wrapping up Pride month, artist and performer, Saucy Santana performs at ATL dream, a Maryland mother and daughter kill their mother/ grandmother and try to dispose of her body by trying to burn/ grill her body parts, and former NFL player Travis Rudolph was found not guilty of murder.   This MESSage is sponsored to you by Momentum. Uniting Caribbean creators and entrepreneurs during Caribbean American Heritage Month. This event is sponsored by Carib Biz Network, founder, Dr. Nicole Grimes.   MESSage: Being Challenged in life is inevitable, but being defeated is optional.    ReCap: Kalilah recaps her years at Essence Festival. One of the largest festivals is quickly approaching in New Orleans and Kalilah is vending for MESS in a Bottle. She recaps her years doing this festival and how challenging being a vendor is. She talks about previous years and how she once brought the MESSage vending machine to New Orleans and when she was only 2-hours away from the venue, the truck breaks down. This summer, she prepares to vend at Essence Festival, Broccoli Festival, and Curl Festival. Kalilah is also set to teach people the ins and outs of vending and operationally, what to expect, during a session of her TEE Class.   TEE Class Vending- https://www.theteeclass.com/offers/B9VTXtr2/checkout

MESS Report: Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union going 50/50 in their household, Gun Play, Rick Ross and DJ Envy go at it and GoFund me donations are involved, and Jackie Oh's funeral was this week and DC Young Fly expresses how this tragedy will not have him waiver in his faith.   This MESSage is sponsored to you by Baltimore AFRAM. Meet MESS at AFRAM, this Juneteenth/ Father's Day weekend and celebrate with us.   MESSage: Sometimes we expect more from others because we would be willing to do that much for them.   ReCap: Kalilah is having a difficult week because she feels like her friends are not showing up for her in the way she needs. Business is difficult and she feels like she is always there to support others and now that she needs the support, she isn't receiving it. She is navigating having staff shortages, moving her company's fulfillment center, and going back to doing most of the production and fulfillment in-house. This is causing a lot of stress on Kalilah who is a little over 5 months pregnant. This conundrum of a MESS leaves her wondering, is it worth it?

MESS Report: Chika the rapper shades Zonnique's baby on the airplane, Jackie Oh unfortunately dies post Mommy make-over surgery, and Chicago community upset that the government is set to pass funding of 50+mil to help migrants who are being dropped into their neighborhoods.   MESSage: Learn to be silent. Let your quiet mind listen and absorb. Kalilah talks about another entrepreneur in which she has distain for and keeps running into her. She wants to be professional, but she struggles with protecting her peace and not having this person compromise it. She also talks about a bad video shoot experience she had for a very big campaign that almost fell through due to bad service from the videographer.   This MESSage is brought to you by The TEE Class. Learn how to start, stabilize and scale your own t-shirt company. www.theteeclass.com

Kalilah shares about feeling stuck in her MESS. The company isn't doing well and she is contemplating if she should close or what are her options. She is holding on to her mental health and shares that one of her mentees have committed suicide due to the pressures of life. She wants to hold on to protecting her peace, so no matter what is for the next chapter of MESS, she knows she has to un-stuck her self and make a move; it is time to pivot. Today's MESSage: Fear is the glue that keeps you stuck, but faith is the solvent that sets you free.

Kalilah heads to Atlanta for the second annual Strength of a Woman festival and summit. She talks about the people she meets and how it reminded her of her own strength as a woman. She was inspired by the amazing and talented women in the room and she was honored to be amongst them. Kalilah recaps going to Preakness, an event in NYC to honor her Dad, and then her childhood friend's wedding. It has been a whirlwind of adventures going on in her world and this episode shares a glimpse of it.   Today's MESSage: She was powerful not because she wasn't scared but because she did it despite of the fear.    This MESSage is sponsored by the Misa Hylton Fashion Academy. A mentorship program that is dedicated to grooming the next wave of fashion creatives through their curated courses in business, fashion styling, fashion technology, personal shopping streetwear and much more. www.misahyltonfashionacademy.com 

Never give up because great things take time. Kalilah talks about her fertility journey. She once considered doing IVF and other fertility treatments and now that she is expecting her second child, she talks about the highs and lows of trying to find a partner or even finding a donor to conceive with. Kalilah was unsure where this journey would leave her but she is happy she took her time and allowed things to naturally fall into place. In today's MESS report, Kalilah talks about the divorce of Kim Zolciak Biermann and Kroy Biermann and the response from Real Housewives of New York's Bethany Frankel. She also talks briefly about migrants being displaced all over the country and lastly about Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon being fired. Today's Episode is Sponsored by MESS in a Bottle. Be on the look out for the BIG BLOW OUT MESS, Memorial Day Sale 50-80% OFF your MESS.

There is power in putting it out into the universe. Whatever you put out into the universe, you shall receive in return. Kalilah is back for a new season of “What a MESS” and there is a lot of catching up to do. In today's MESS report, Kalilah talks about former President Trump being found liable of sexual abuse, the win of LSU superstar Angel Reese, the death of Jordan Neely on a New York City subway, Ralph Yarl being shot because he went to the wrong house by an 85 yo white man, and a lot more MESS. In this episode, Kalilah unpacks the passing of her Grandmother in January and why she took this long hiatus from coming back to the podcast. She has an exciting announcement to share with her dedicated MESSengers. Kalilah is excited to share collaborations she recently launched with Luvvie Ajayi and with lead band member Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind and Fire. In addition, there's a lot of change happening at the MESS Shop. She is knocking down walls and converting the space into a multiuse space and in the process, she is also transitioning her business and her team. So as you can see, there's a lot of MESS still happening. She isn't sure if she is BACK BACK (to podcasting), but she is excited for this new season with MORE MESS! This episode is sponsored by The Strength of a Woman Summit in Atlanta, Georgia on May 13, 2023. Kalilah will be a panelist and is excited for a 4-day long summit of hip hop and entrepreneurship.

In today's MESS report, the police officer that killed Atatiana Jefferson was convicted and sentenced to 12 years and Bishop Lamar Whitehead was arrested for fraud, extortion and false statements. Relationship guru, Derrick Jaxn announced he is getting a divorce after allegations of him cheating (again) surfaced. Kalilah recaps her 2022 and is committed to having the best MESS ever in 2023. She explores what her year would look like as she cleans up her MESS in business and how having another baby would impact her year. She is prepared to shed her MESS by cleansing her space. She is starting by donating products to people in need in her Baltimore community with hopes that it will provide clarity and a refreshed outlook for a successful new year! 

In today's MESS report, Kalilah talks about a business mogul and entertainers MESSy relationship that spilled over onto Beyonce's internet and the Meg thee Stallion vs Tory Lanez shooting trail and how social media is reacting to all the MESS coming out.    Passion is the quickest to develop, and the quickest to fade, but commitment is the true metric to success. Kalilah talks about her commitment level to her business and things around her. She revisits her 12 Week Year, life goals and realize the reason she is so off kilter is because she has not identified what her focus should be and where her priorities lie. She is exploring her first conference and retreat in 2023 and looks forward to what MESS the new year has in store for her and her business.   Louise Gray = insta_grammiegray

MESS Report- Deion Saunders leaving HBCU Jackson State University to coach for a PWI in Colorado. Student loan relief sent out a letter stating 9 million student would have their loans forgiven, but it was an error. The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you're not going to stay where you are. Kalilah gives a recap of her 2022. She briefly runs down her accomplishments and places she has traveled for the year and she decides what things she is not bringing into the new year. She shares her commitment to the things she will continue to do in 2023, and how the year has impacted her next steps. She isn't totally sure what's next or where she is going, but she does know where she is not staying. 

MESS Report - Lensa App and Pinky Cole of Slutty Vegan Kalilah talks about wrapping up the year. She discusses canceling Christmas for her son and herself, getting a Christmas tree, and touches on fertility challenges. As Kalilah prepares to enter into a new year, she reminds her MESSengers that “life is like riding a bicycle, keep your balance and keep moving!” 

Kalilah heads to Dubai for her friend's 40th birthday. She has to assess some negative energy coming her way. Beware of the people you allow in your space. They will either drain or replenish your energy. Though she had an adventurous time with her son and her good friend Asia, she quickly realizes how unnecessary attitudes can shift her energy. Nonetheless, going to the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, eating all of the amazing food and dressing in the traditional garb made the whole trip worth it.

Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. Kalilah updates Messengers on finally pulling the trigger and buying her new EV car. She is having a rough time balancing life as a CEO and questions if it's time for her to exit from this position in her company. It is the 5th year anniversary of the robbery and she reflects on how things have evolved and where she is in all her MESS.

Luxury must be comfortable, or else it is not luxury. Kalilah prepares for a trip to Dubai with her son. As the holiday approaches and Kalilah is trying to figure out her MESS for Black Friday, she bask in the luxury of being able to take her son on these luxurious trips around the world. She is happy with the memories she is creating and the comfort of where all her MESS continues to take her.

Kalilah has a big party to celebrate being on Revolt x Target Season 2 Bet on Black. Being challenged in life is inevitable, but being defeated is optional. Kalilah reflects how challenging the year has been, but recognizes, this is the ebbs and flows of being in business. Kalilah is working on getting her first investment property and though she isn't sure if she's getting into more MESS, she is committed to not be defeated by the obstacles ahead. 

If you set your goals ridiculously high and its a failure, you will fail above everyone else's success. Kalilah is excited to share she is on Season 2 of Revolt TV x Target show, BET on BLACK. It highlights 12 entrepreneurs who will compete for the grand price of $200,000! Listen as Kalilah recaps her journey of getting through the MESS to get to this amazing moment. 

Kalilah talks about some badass women. From going to San Francisco for “Lesbians who Tech”, connecting with Arlan Hamilton, Bozoma Saint John, Leanne Pittsford, and Brooke Baldwin were the highlight of her trip. To then flying back to Cancun for her first international speaking gig at Epic woman, she engaged with a badass woman pilot that through their interaction, metaphorically reminded her that she had stopped dreaming. “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

There is more to life than increasing its speed. Kalilah completes her third full marathon in the windy city, Chi-Town. Running 26.2 miles is extremely difficult. Kalilah talks about her travels and spending time with her childhood friend. Of course she runs into some MESS getting to the start point of the race, causing her to be flustered and frustrated; none-the-less, she finished. 

Patience is not simply the ability to wait- it's how we behave while we're waiting. Kalilah contemplates getting a new car and the price tag has her rethinking her MESS. She realizes that the math is not mathing. While she toggles between electric cars, she gets devastating news that her grandmother has suffered a stroke, causing her to stop and contemplate all her decisions. 

We should give to others what we intend to get. What enters into a circle will complete a full cycle and return to its origin in kind. Kalilah talks about her mental health and feeling isolated as people are not checking on her. She feels like the perception of her doing “well” on social media, hinders those closest to her from checking on her. She reminds the audience and listeners to “check on your strong friends”.

Once you realize the power of your presence, you won't be just anywhere. Kalilah is being extremely selective on where she spends her time and with who. As she is submerged in the MESS of her day-to-day and preparing to run the Chicago Marathon in a couple days, she analyses the best places she should be to occupy her time. 

Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen, that stillness becomes a radiance. Kalilah is upset with herself because she wants to be still after her trip to Cancun revealed how much of a MESS things were. She is afforded a big opportunity that takes her to Atlanta to work for a week, missing her son's 9th birthday, but FOMO won't let her turn this job down. She is conflicted because she did not negotiate her terms for this project and at times she feels like she's compromising herself and her standards of what she requires. Everything ends up working out well in the end but Kalilah is still trying to find a moment to be still. 

Keep your face always towards the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you. Kalilah recaps the end of the summer and talks about her trip to Mexico, part of it a solo trip, and the other half a girls trip that was a big MESS. Overall, Kalilah used this time to allow the sun to rejuvenate and energize her as she prepares for all the MESS to come in the 4th quarter. 

Do something today that your future self will thank you for. Kalilah gives a wrap-up of Summer 2022, a lot of MESS happened. This episode, Kalilah talks about the unfortunate murder of a childhood friend's mom and severe injury to her son and how it impacted her summer. She talks about vending events and speaking events, Momentum, Essence Fest, and Invest Fest. Kalilah wraps the episode detailing her experience at Invest Fest with the folks from Earn Your Leisure Podcast in Atlanta. Her lessons, mishaps and meeting one of her favorite entertainer, Steve Harvey. Listen to how Kalilah upset the LGBTQIA+ community and how she got herself out of that MESS.

There is no real ending, just the place where you stop the story. Kalilah is excited to come back to her listeners for Season 6. Kalilah talks about the hardship she experienced over the last couple of months in business. This is the end of MESS as you know it. She is ready to explore who Kalilah is in her next chapter.    Nicole Walters- Chef Jeff- Kela- Fancy Fingerz- Black Ass Flea Market- Claire Sulmers- 

One cannot plan for the unexpected but the best things happen unexpectedly. Kalilah talks about the departure of an integral employee. She examines how the company makes her feel and if she is happy in her MESS. She explores what her life would look like without MESS and how the unexpected loss of employees impact her emotional investment in MESS in a Bottle. Should she leave her MESS behind?

Kalilah talks about a racially driven incident that occurred when a customer attacked her on her personal social media page over a lost package. Privacy is power; privacy isn't negotiable and it's a human's right. Kalilah is upset about this customer invading her privacy and talks about how black-owned businesses continuously get the brunt of being scolded as “unprofessional” or “doing bad business”. 

The fear of missing out on things makes you miss out on everything. Kalilah talks about the life you want versus the life you have and if we are letting FOMO (fear of missing out) coerce us into making decisions we don't need to make. Does the fear of missing out brings us down paths we don't need to go down?

Kalilah recaps current events happening in the US. She talks about the Buffalo mass shooting, a racist act that happened in Tennessee with a black family and her son almost getting into a fight. These acts of violence and accessibility to guns are weighing heavy on Kalilah, causing anxiety. Maybe it's not always about trying to fix something, but maybe it's more about focusing on how you will live through it. 

Kalilah is going through a difficult time with personal and business challenges.  The strongest people are not those who show strength in front of us, but those who win battles we know nothing about.  Kalilah shares how her mental health has been tested this month and how she is working through all the MESS.

The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new. Kalilah is focused on reinventing herself. As the pandemic dies down and we shift into new MESS, the structure of her business and personal goals yearn for change. Employees are resigning from the business, forcing Kalilah to restructure and come up with a new plan. 

Kalilah recounts the MESS she has made with taxes and warns other entrepreneurs. Doing well with money has little to do with how smart you are, but a lot to do with how you behave. As tax season approaches, are you making the best financial decisions for yourself and your business? 

If you never heal from what hurt you, you'll bleed on people who didn't cut you. Kalilah recaps the 2022 Oscars MESS-hap with Chris Rock and Will Smith having a physical altercation. We assess what could have caused Will Smith to react this way and the impact of his actions. Was this the best way to deal with his MESS?

There is no passion to be found in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living. Kalilah reassess her life and questions if the things she is putting effort into, worth her energy. She finds herself “nesting” and preparing for the birth of something new. 

Kalilah recaps her 38th surprise not surprise birthday party and the funeral of her slain uncle, Uken Cummings. She brings listeners in on her intimate moments with friends and family as she celebrates life and the coming together of her family to mourn the dead. Death is not the opposite of life, but a part of it.

Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others. Kalilah talks about her journey with employees and other relationships that have come to an end and how she is handling the separation. She questions herself about navigating business and friendship.

There are no happy endings. Endings are the saddest part, so just give me a happy middle. Kalilah enters into 2022 with the unfortunate murder of her Uncle Uken Cummings, known as Uncle Bing. She reflects on how the untimely passing of her uncle and Cheslie Kryst, Miss USA 2019 who committed suicide on the same day, has affected her next steps and her determination to live a happy middle. 

Love what you do and do what you love. Passion is the key that opens the door to joy and abundance. As the year comes to an end, Kalilah examines if she is losing her passion for what she loves. She thinks the obligations you place on your passion, creates unwanted pressure that ultimately makes you unhappy. In 2022, Kalilah is committed to preserving her joy in abundance. 

Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another. The death of Virgil Abloh impacted many across the world, Kalilah talks about death, your legacy, and how you want to be remembered after dying. 

You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight. As the end of the year approaches, Kalilah contemplates the many different directions in which she can go in to arrive at the same destination. She assesses the smartest, easiest, and safest route to get to where she's going. 

Be at tables not only where there is an empty seat, but one that is welcoming to your different thoughts. Kalilah talks about different tables she has recently been invited to and questions if the empty seats at these tables are actually for her, and if they are receptive to the diversity she brings. 

You don't drown by falling in water, you drown by not preparing to know how to swim. Kalilah is in a space were being prepared is key. She has lived a life full of spontaneity but as she gets older, she is seeing the importance of not yelling YOLO! 

For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness. Kalilah is excited about some unexpected accolades she receives and how she is choosing to smile and embrace the good when it's good. If you don't celebrate yourself, who else will?

The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this, decide what you want. Kalilah wants it all! She questions her path and how to get everything she wants out of the life she is living. Her aspiration to be more forces her to compare her self to some of the greats around her. How do you get the most out of life with doing the least?

Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most. Kalilah recaps running the Paris marathon and all the MESS that lead up to her trip. She talks about her trek through Paris and London and how discipline is aiding her into being the best version of herself. 

You don't build a business, you build people, then people build the business. Kalilah is inspired to build an empire and mentions various entrepreneurs who are disrupting their industries by dreaming big. She wants to inspire others to play chess, and not checkers. 

Kalilah is only two days away from the marathon and oh, what a MESS. She talks about training for the marathon and the mental difficulty of preparing to run 26.2 miles. She encourages her MESSengers to start where you are, use what you have and do what you can. 

Kalilah gears up to run the Paris Marathon and she recaps on her running journey and how she is currently training to run 26.2 miles. She talks about the importance of her mental health and how running has helped her on her wellness journey. She doesn't run to add days to her life, but to add life to her days. 

Sometimes, we need to be brave enough to outgrow the life we've built. Kalilah enters Season 4 of What a MESS recapping all the MESS she has made on her hiatus from the podcast. She acknowledges the change she is experiencing in her business and personal life and allowing this time of unknown to do what it is going to do and she embraces this. Dismantling the life we've built may not be a bad thing. 

Starting over is opportunity informed by failure, which is opportunity made intelligent. Kalilah wraps Season 3 with an exit strategy plan. She has some difficult decisions ahead for her life and her business and she is trying to figure out which way to turn to make less of a MESS.

Hire people who are better than you. Kalilah talks about her amazing assistants on her team and how they help her not make a big MESS. She recounts her journey of finding different assistants and how they’ve become an integral part of her business.