Shows
Lost Ladies of LitHiatus Encore: The Letters of Zora Neale Hurston with Melissa KiguwaSend us a textHIATUS ENCORE: Zora Neale Hurston’s 1937 novel Their Eyes Were Watching God is widely considered to be a masterpiece, yet were it not for a renewed push by author Alice Walker in the 1970s, Hurston and her legacy might well have been lost. We have Melissa Kiguwa, host of The Idealists podcast, joining us to discuss Zora Neale Hurston: A Life in Letters. Support the showFor episodes and show notes, visit: LostLadiesofLit.comSubscribe to our substack new...
2024-08-1342 min
The Nonprofit ShowBeing An Idealist In The Real WorldA conversation providing valuable insights into the mindset, traits, and challenges of visionaries and idealists, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, inspiration, and personal growth in making a positive impact. Melissa Kiguwa, founder and CEO of TheIdealistsPodcast.co, discusses being an idealist in the real world. Melissa shares her background as a journalist and her experiences living in different parts of the world, which shaped her into an idealist. She delves into her journey and the development of her podcast, The Idealists, where she interviews entrepreneurs, activists, and creatives to understand how they navigate challenges and achieve success.Melissa e...
2023-05-1731 minLost Ladies of LitThe Letters of Zora Neale Hurston with Melissa KiguwaSend us a textZora Neale Hurston’s 1937 novel Their Eyes Were Watching God is widely considered to be a masterpiece, yet were it not for a renewed push by author Alice Walker in the 1970s, Hurston and her legacy might well have been lost. We have Melissa Kiguwa, host of The Idealists podcast, joining us to discuss Zora Neale Hurston: A Life in Letters.Support the showFor episodes and show notes, visit: LostLadiesofLit.comSubscribe to our substack newsletter....
2023-05-1642 min
THE IDEALISTS.#80: (re)wind: Dr. Vivienne Ming on Brain Hacks that Increase Human PotentialIn this episode: THE IDEALISTS. host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa, speaks with Dr. Vivienne Ming, theoretical neuroscientist, artificial intelligence expert, and one of BBC's 100 women. Frequently featured for her research and inventions in The Financial Times, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Quartz and the New York Times, Vivienne is the co-founder of Socos Labs-- her fifth company-- an independent institute exploring the future of human potential. In this episode, Vivienne discusses her exciting work around working memory, brain hacking, and increasing human potential alongside the phenomenal life path that set her on this journey.What...
2023-04-1857 min
THE IDEALISTS.#79: (re)wind: Dr. Helen Fisher on the History of High-Achieving Women and LoveThis week, THE IDEALISTS. podcast host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa resists her conversation with world-renowned Biological Anthropologist, Dr. Helen Fisher. As the Chief Science Advisor for Match.com and as one of the foremost researchers in the area of the neuroscience of love, sex, and relationships, Helen has conducted extensive research and written six books on the evolution and future of human sex, love, marriage, and gender differences in the brain. As a Senior Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute, she studies extensively how personality style shapes who you are and who you love.In this rich...
2023-04-1148 min
The Gathering Room PodcastThe Spirit of Audacity with Melissa KiguwaFor this very special Gathering Room, Martha is joined by extraordinary emerging thought leader Melissa Kiguwa. The two discuss why audacity is an underappreciated personal quality and an essential ingredient for an authentic life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2023-03-3032 min
THE IDEALISTS.#77: Allie Egan on the Science of Self-CareIn this week’s all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks with Allie Egan, the founder of skincare brand Veracity. Rooted in scientific research, one of Veracity’s core beliefs is as your life changes, so does your health, and it’s driven by your hormones. And so Allie is pioneering hormone based wellness through their skin and health hormone test, their skincare products, and their line of supplements. Before founding Veracity, Allie began her career investing in consumer and beauty brands at L Catterton. She then went on to becoming CEO of the fashion brand...
2023-03-2847 min
THE IDEALISTS.#76: Jessica Zweig on Finding the Beauty in Hitting Rock BottomIn this week’s all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks with Jessica Zweig is an international award-winning entrepreneur, expert in personal branding, and best-selling author. As the Chief Executive Officer of SimplyBe., Jessica facilitates sold-out workshops and masterminds around the world, and speaks on the power of authentic personal branding to corporations including Google, Blackstone, Morningstar, Salesforce, Motorola, Nike, Verizon, Mars, Pinterest, Bank of America, and more.Highlights:- Jessica starts the conversation by describing the financials woes she endured during the seven years she spent building her first company.
2023-03-2145 min
THE IDEALISTS.#75: Sarah Wells on How to Build an Olympian MindsetIn this week’s all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks with Sarah Wells, a 400m Olympian hurdler who made her debut at the London Olympics in 2012 despite an injury that had her sidelined for nine months just a year before. Most recently you may have seen Sarah pushing her limits on the latest season of The Amazing Race Canada. As an Olympic semi-finalist and Pan Am Games silver medallist, obstacles don’t scare Sarah Wells. Sarah’s reputation was forged through overcoming challenges and achieving the unimaginable.Highlights:- Sara...
2023-03-1440 min
THE IDEALISTS.#74: Martha Beck on Humanity's Infinite Capacity for JoyIn this week’s all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks to Martha Beck, a PhD Harvard-trained sociologist, entrepreneur, and Oprah's life coach. Her most recent book, The Way of Integrity, was an instant New York Times Best Seller and in it, using the hero's journey within Dante's Inferno, Martha challenges us to envision a life of complete joy... unencumbered by self-limiting beliefs and cultural programming.In this episode, Martha delves deep into how we all can achieve integrity, which she defines as absolute and total alignment of one's mi...
2023-03-0750 min
THE IDEALISTS.#73: Madeline Fraser on the Pros and Cons of MotherhoodIn this week’s all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks to Madeline Fraser, 3x serial entrepreneur who in 2021 Business Insider named one of the Top Women Entrepreneurs Under 30 to Watch. Today, Madeline is the founder and CEO of Gemist, a digital platform that allows consumers to customize and try on their jewelry before purchasing it. Gemist has been called the Warby Parker of the jewelry industry and has raised $4M with De Beers Group Ventures as one of its main funders. De Beers Groups portfolio of brands include De Beers Jewellers and Forevermark. In th...
2023-02-2154 min
THE IDEALISTS.#72: Jessica Buchanan on Surviving a Kidnapping and Redefining ResilienceIn this week’s all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks to Jessica Buchanan, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six.The book details how Jessica was kidnapped at gunpoint on October 25, 2011, while she was on a normal field assignment in Somalia as a humanitarian aid worker, and held for 93 days by a group of land pirates who demanded $45M ransom. On former President Barack Obama's orders, Jessica was freed by the same elite Navy SEAL Team that tr...
2023-02-1451 min
THE IDEALISTS.#71: Erica Keswin on the Evolution of Work CultureIn this week’s all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks to Erica Keswin, a workplace strategist who has worked for the past twenty years with some of the most iconic brands in the world as a consultant, speaker, author, and professional dot-connector. Her second book, Rituals Roadmap: The Human Way to Transform Everyday Routines Into Workplace Magic made the Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly and USA Today best seller lists and her work and insights can be seen in Harvard Business Review, NY Post, Forbes, Huffington Post, O Magazine, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, Mog...
2023-02-0737 min
THE IDEALISTS.#70: Andrea Bowers on Chronicling 30 Years of Contemporary HistoryIn this week’s all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks to Andrea Bowers who The New York Times calls one of America’s foremost political artists. For more than 30 years, Andrea has built an international reputation as a chronicler of contemporary history, documenting activism as it unfolds and collecting research on the front lines of protest. Her practice contends with issues such as immigration rights, workers’ rights, climate justice, and women’s rights, illustrating the shared pursuit of justice that connects them.Highlights:- Andrea leads the conversation by descr...
2023-01-3148 min
THE IDEALISTS.the*journal is here 📚Hi friends! Melissa Kiguwa popping in to tell you about something I’ve been cooking up. Over the last few months, I’ve been writing a beautifully stunning self-reflection journal just for our listeners. It’s the first physical product coming out of break*through, our sister venture focused on community, connection, and coaching.If you’re a fan of THE IDEALISTS. or break*through, you know I speak to poets, artists, nine-figure entrepreneurs, activists, scientists, farmers, venture capitalists, even mystics about what it means to live in their peak vision. From those conversations, I’ve mined t...
2023-01-2403 min
THE IDEALISTS.#69: Abby Davisson on what the Data Says about Money and LoveIn this week’s all-new episode, podcast host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa speaks with social innovation leader and co-author of the book Money and Love Abby Davisson. Most recently, Abby spent nine years as president of the Gap Foundation and co-founded the organization’s employee resource group for working parents, which has been featured as a best practice for how employers can support dual-career couples. In her book, Money and Love: An Intelligent Roadmap for Life’s Biggest Decisions, co-authored with labor economist Dr. Myra Strober, the two offer a cutting-edge guide for navigating life’s most conseque...
2023-01-1756 min
THE IDEALISTS.#68: Reyna Noriega on Miami Art Basel, Gatekeeping and Respectability PoliticsIn this week’s all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS., podcast host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa, speaks with the prolific visual artist, author, and breakout star of Miami Art Basel, Reyna Noriega. Born and raised, in Miami, Reyna paints an intentionally ebullient experience of Black and brown women. Her work has graced covers of The New Yorker, and Science Magazine, and has been featured at Brookfield Place overlooking Freedom Tower in New York City’s financial district. Through her major partnerships with Apple, Old Navy, Madewell, Apt2b, and Wayfair, thousands of collectors showcase her art in their homes around the...
2023-01-1046 min
THE IDEALISTS.#67: Dr. Jess Wade on the Secret Lives of WomenIn this week’s all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS. podcast, host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa speaks with the remarkable Dr. Jess Wade. The 33-year-old London-based physicist has become something of a phenomenon. Both an irresistible force and an immovable object, she was recently invited to Buckingham Palace to receive the prestigious British Empire Medal for her contributions to science. Ironically, she was being honored for her work honoring a whole host of other female scientists lost to history. Since 2017, the Imperial College Fellow has written nearly 1,800 Wikipedia pages for long-ignored wom...
2023-01-0352 min
The Kara Goldin ShowInterview Replay: Kara on THE IDEALISTS.In this week’s all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS. podcast, host, and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa, speaks with Kara Goldin. Kara is the founder and CEO of Hint, a $220 million beverage producer of fruit-infused waters and lifestyle goods, offering a healthy alternative to sodas and artificially sweetened drinks. Melissa sits down with the former AOL executive and current “accidental entrepreneur” to glean her insights on what it takes to start a category-changing business from scratch, as well as to learn how other dynamic female executives and would-be entrepreneurs can tap Kara’s pragmatic leadership wisdom. In this enl...
2022-12-3053 min
THE IDEALISTS.#66: Kara Goldin on How to Build a $220M Business from ScratchIn this week’s all-new episode of THE IDEALISTS. podcast, host, and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa, speaks with Kara Goldin. Kara is the founder and CEO of Hint, a $220 million beverage producer of fruit-infused waters and lifestyle goods, offering a healthy alternative to sodas and artificially sweetened drinks. Melissa sits down with the former AOL executive and current “accidental entrepreneur” to glean her insights on what it takes to start a category-changing business from scratch, as well as to learn how other dynamic female executives and would-be entrepreneurs can tap Kara’s pragmatic leadership wisdom. In this enlig...
2022-12-2753 min
THE IDEALISTS.#65: (re)wind: Veronica Webb & Marcellas Reynolds on what it takes to be a SupermodelIn this week’s last (re)wind episode, THE IDEALISTS. podcast host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa, revisits her conversation with celebrity stylist, entertainment journalist, filmmaker, and author of Supreme Models: Iconic Black Women Who Revolutionized Fashion, Marcellas Reynolds. Marcellas is joined by Veronica Webb, supermodel, actress, writer, and the first African American to land a major global cosmetics deal. Veronica appeared on covers of Vogue, Essence, and Elle magazine as well as on the runway for Victoria's Secret and Chanel. In this episode, Marcellas and Veronica explore self-love as a means of survival, the rarity of excellence, and how to...
2022-12-131h 08
THE IDEALISTS.#64: (re)wind: Ty Stiklorius on Managing the World's Greatest TalentIn this week’s very special (re)wind episode, THE IDEALISTS. podcast host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa, revisits her conversation with Ty Stiklorius, CEO of Friends at Work, a 21st-century management and social impact firm, which handles some of the world’s most respected and beloved artists, including John Legend, Lindsey Stirling, Charlie Puth, and the list goes on. Ty also served as Executive Producer on the Oscar-winning film La La Land and won an Emmy for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert on NBC. Bil...
2022-12-0645 min
THE IDEALISTS.#63: (re)wind: Wanja Muguongo on Building a Movement on Your Own TermsIn this week’s very special (re)wind episode, THE IDEALISTS. podcast host and entrepreneur, Melissa Kiguwa, speaks with Wanja Muguongo, world-renowned Queer social justice activist, Yale World Fellow, and founder of UHAI, Africa's first indigenous fund created for and by LGBTI communities in East Africa. Under Wanja, the fund raised and distributed over $12 million to LGBTI and sex worker human rights movements in East Africa. In this rich, revelatory conversation, Wanja and Melissa dive deep into what it means to raise funding to tackle deep structural and systemic discrimination on your own terms.Hi...
2022-11-291h 06
THE IDEALISTS.#61: (re)wind: Elise Loehnen on Witches, the Divine Feminine, and the Deep Ancestral Wound Women CarryWelcome to THE IDEALISTS. (re)wind, where we revisit some of our favorite past episodes. This week’s rewind is Elise Loehnen, the former chief content officer of goop, the lifestyle and e-commerce company established by Gwyneth Paltrow in 2008. You may have also seen and heard Elise co-host The goop Podcast and The goop Lab on Netflix. This episode was chosen by THE IDEALISTS. host Melissa Kiguwa because Elise brings so much ideology and depth to the topic of divine femininity.In the episode:- Elise begins the conversation by sh...
2022-11-1547 min
THE IDEALISTS.#60: Helen Fisher on the Biological Imperative to LoveThis week, THE IDEALISTS. podcast host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa speaks with world-renowned Biological Anthropologist, Dr. Helen Fisher. As the Chief Science Advisor for Match.com and as one of the foremost researchers in the area of the neuroscience of love, sex, and relationships, Helen has conducted extensive research and written six books on the evolution and future of human sex, love, marriage, and gender differences in the brain. As a Senior Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute, she studies extensively how personality style shapes who you are and who you love.In this rich, revelatory episode...
2022-11-0147 min
THE IDEALISTS.#58: Nikki Giovanni on Taking Full Poetic License of Your LifeThis week, THE IDEALISTS. podcast host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa speaks with world-renowned poet Nikki Giovanni—one of the foremost authors of the Black Arts Movement. Giovanni’s notable collections of poetry are Black Judgment (1968) and Those Who Ride the Night Winds (1983), which were influenced by her participation in the Black Arts and Black Power movements of the 1960s. She has published numerous books of poetry—from her first volume, Black Feeling Black Talk (1968), to New York Times bestseller Bicycles: Love Poems (2009). She has written several works of nonfiction and children’s literature and made multiple recordings, including the Emmy-awa...
2022-10-1147 min
THE IDEALISTS.#57: Merel Kriegsman on How Cancel Culture Impacts Women's WalletsThis week, THE IDEALISTS. podcast host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa speaks with globally-recognized Queer women’s wealth coach and high-net-worth money muse, Merel Kriegsman—known for empowering clients to grow their business bottom lines by over $25 million last year. A one-of-kind, neurodivergent mother of three, former opera singer, and regenerative farmer, Merel has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider, ABC News, CBS News, and Good Housekeeping.In this freeform and thought-provoking episode, Merel shares her thoughts on how the constraints engendered by the huge trend of “ethical marketing” can lead to a kind of “purity” culture that...
2022-09-271h 19
THE IDEALISTS.#56.5: break*through - stepping up to a confident, bolder, more authentic youIn this debut episode of break*through, host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa brings an entirely new show to life under THE IDEALISTS. roster. If you’re a fan of THE IDEALISTS in general, you know our guests are always talking about doing the work. Do the work, do the work, you’ve got to do the work. But what is the work and why is it so important? Well, now you get to see it in action as you listen in on visionary women journeying through an intimately personal session with their coach. break*through is a more...
2022-09-2048 min
THE IDEALISTS.#56: Anisha Singh on Taking a Leap for Her Daughters… and Women EverywhereIn this episode of THE IDEALISTS. podcast, host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Anisha Singh, entrepreneur, former CEO of Mydala.com, and Founding Partner of She Capital, India’s leading early-stage venture fund devoted to nurturing and growing the next generation of female-focused businesses.Anisha’s own journey as an entrepreneur has been full of breaking stereotypes, glass ceilings, and shifting traditional perceptions. Now as she dons a new role of investor, she is on a mission to cultivate female unicorns and role models that resonate with younger women aspirants.A role model herself, Anisha was...
2022-09-1349 min
THE IDEALISTS.#55: Tai Beauchamp on Being too Self-Reliant for LoveIn this episode of THE IDEALISTS. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Tai Beauchamp, co-founder and Chief Brand Officer of Brown Girl Jane, a disruptive, plant-based wellness and beauty collection named by Refinery 29 as Beauty Innovator of the Year and winner of Best in Beauty Awards by Instyle, Allure, and Popsugar. Formerly a top editor for Harper’s Bazaar, O, The Oprah Magazine, and Seventeen magazines, Tai uses her vast platform to empower, educate, and entertain women of all ages.In this episode, Tai shares what it means to grow up with the gifts of...
2022-08-3043 min
THE IDEALISTS.#54: Rebecca Clyde on How Underdogs Can Build ResilienceIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Rebecca Clyde, the co-founder and CEO of Botco.ai, a conversational marketing startup that enables businesses to engage customers with AI-enabled chatbots. She has raised over $4 million in venture capital for Botco.ai, but even before running her current startup, she has more than 20 years in digital marketing and the technology industry.In this episode, Rebecca shares some of the really hard things she went through when raising capital for her business. Her advice on how to build resilience is a game-changer...
2022-08-1744 min
KaisaFit Guest AppearancesTHE IDEALISTS: Kaisa Keranen on Redefining Fitness and Moving for Pleasure“Every single morning I look in the mirror and I look at my arms. My arms are huge… I have very muscular arms. The first thing I think is goddamn these big ass arms, a second later I remind myself these big ass arms help me do 10 pull-ups, 20 push-ups, crazy movement that I want to do every single day. They carry me throughout this life… they do not define me.
“It might be something that I look at because of media and because of everything else I’ve been told, but I don’t sit in that. I don’t dwell in that...
2022-08-0200 min
THE IDEALISTS.#53: Kaisa Keranen on Redefining Fitness and Moving for PleasureIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Kaisa Keranen, a personal trainer, fitness entrepreneur, and social media influencer with over 1 million followers on Instagram and Facebook. Kaisa has been featured in Vogue, Shape, SELF, Harpers Bazaar, Oxygen and ESPNW to name a few. She was featured on the Greatist as one of the most influential people in health and fitness and most notably was asked by Michelle Obama to be one of the go to trainers for her “Let’s Move” digital campaign. In this episode, Kaisa shares why health is a feel...
2022-08-0241 min
THE IDEALISTS.#52: Michaela Boehm on Sex, Intimacy, and Reconnecting to the BodyIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Michaela Boehm, a gifted speaker and counselor whose unique body of work centers around the intersection of intimacy and embodiment. Michaela travels and teaches internationally as an expert in intimacy, relationship and sexuality, and in her private practice, she coaches high-performing individuals and couples, including Oscar-winning actors, producers, writers, multiple Grammy-winning musicians, CEO’s, and multi-billion dollar fund managers. You can also see her on Netflix’s Unwell, as well as, Sex, Love, and Goop, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Red Table Talk. In this e...
2022-07-1957 min
THE IDEALISTS.#51: Jenny Atout Ahlzen on Women’s Economic Participation in the Arab WorldIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Jenny Atout Ahlzen, one of the Managing Founders of Amam Ventures, an impact investment fund based in Jordan that provides risk capital to Small and Medium Sized enterprises that are committed to diversity and inclusion. In this episode, Jenny shares how her and her business partners are moving the needle on women’s economic participation in the Arab world......In the episode:- Jenny begins the episode by de...
2022-06-2842 min
THE IDEALISTS.#50: Joy Harjo on Poetry, Mysticism, and Becoming Poet LaureateIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Joy Harjo, who served three terms as the 23rd Poet Laureate from 2019 to 2022. She is the author of nine books of poetry, several plays and children's books, and two memoirs. Her many honors include the Ruth Lily Prize for Lifetime Achievement from the Poetry Foundation, the Academy of American Poets Wallace Stevens Award, two NEA fellowships, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. In this episode, Joy shares how she moves between the physical and mystical in order to make sense of the world around her.
2022-06-1441 min
THE IDEALISTS.#49: Sonya Erickson on Why Women Should Talk About MoneyIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Sonya Erickson who is a lawyer, partner, and member of the board of directors at Cooley Law Firm. The recognition for Sonya’s work is vast. She has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America Venture Capital Law category since 2004 and is listed as a leading attorney in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business since 2013. In this episode Sonya shares why she believes more women at the table means better resources for women as a whole.......
2022-05-3142 min
THE IDEALISTS.#48: Chrissy Sayare on Luxury, Birkin Handbags, and Walking through the World in BeautyIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews serial entrepreneur Chrissy Sayare. Chrissy is the co-founder of To Be Continued and Resale Revolution, luxury Resale stores across Arizona, California, and Texas. Chrissy bootstrapped her six stores to almost 8 figures in annual revenue and is only getting started.In this episode, Chrissy is full of stories filled with entrepreneurial gems. From not paying herself for 7 years while growing her company to taking out a loan against her bridal dowry to start her first company......In the episode:- Chrissy begins the episode by...
2022-05-1745 min
THE IDEALISTS.#47: Jillian Haslam on Rising from the Slums of Calcutta to the top of Bank of AmericaIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Jillian Haslam, an internationally bestselling author, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker, who grew up in the slums of Calcutta where she faced a bruising childhood of extreme poverty, discrimination, abuse, and disease. Jillian’s gift of seeing beauty amongst the grit led her to rise to success as President of Charity at India’s Bank of America and launched her career as an internationally renowned motivational speaker. She has been honored with a growing list of awards, including the prestigious Mother Teresa Memorial International Awar...
2022-04-1942 min
THE IDEALISTS.#46: Dr. Sian Proctor on Launching into Orbit and Piloting a SpacecraftIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Dr. Sian Proctor, who was launched into Earth orbit, on September 15, 2021, as the pilot of the Crew Dragon with SpaceX. A geoscientist, artist, poet, and astronaut, not only was she was on the cover of Times Magazine but she was also in “The Colony” on The Discovery Channel, “Genius by Stephen Hawking” on PBS, “Strange Evidence*”* on the Science Channel, and “Countdown” on Netflix.During the show, Sian takes us into space with her. It is quite a marvel....
2022-03-2944 min
THE IDEALISTS.#45: Shellye Archambeau on Being One of Silicon Valley's First Black Woman CEOsIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Shellye Archambeau who has over 30 years of experience in technology ranging from her role as the former President of Blockbuster.com, as well as, the former CEO of MetricStream, a Silicon Valley-based software company. She currently serves on the boards of Verizon, Nordstrom, Roper Technologies, and Okta.During the show, Shellye shares the sacrifices she made to get ahead, as well as, how she tackles goal-setting when confronted with complicated, high risk crises.....
2022-03-1538 min
THE IDEALISTS.#44: Dr. Anna Pechenkina on Russia’s Military Invasion of UkraineIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa talks to Dr. Anna Pechenkina about Russia’s recent military invasion of Ukraine. Dr. Pechenkina received her PhD in Political Science at Penn State University and works as an assistant professor at the Political Science Department at Utah State University. Her research seeks to understand how peace emerges out of war and why it succeeds or fails.During the show, Dr. Pechenkina provides insights into what is currently happening in Ukraine and the context for Ukraine’s relationship with Russia prior to the inva...
2022-03-0148 min
THE IDEALISTS.#43: Alicia Dara on Why Women Need to Find their Power VoiceIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Alicia Dara, a nationally recognized speech and presentation coach who has helped thousands of people including CEO’s, Global VPs, Executive Directors and Presidential candidates find their Power Voice and put it to work. Her corporate clients include Microsoft, Amazon, and Planned Parenthood. Her private clients include the National Women's Political Caucus, the Female Founders Alliance, and members of Facebook, Merrill Lynch, and Twitter.During the show, Alicia explains the importance of a power voice and why her clients sometimes need to ov...
2022-02-1549 min
THE IDEALISTS.#42: Alisa Jacobs on NFTs, the Metaverse, and the Future of the InternetIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Alisa Jacobs, a serial entrepreneur who co-founded and served as CEO of Queens Gaming Collective, a venture backed startup for women gamers, streamers, & competitors. Alisa also founded LOOP, a women-run marketing agency that executes across sports, music, fashion, spirits, gaming and tech for the likes of Sean "Diddy" Combs, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, The Kardashians, The Recording Academy, the NBA and NYFW.During the episode, Alisa breaks down the new world order of NFTs, the Metaverse, and Web3. You might want to...
2022-02-0141 min
THE IDEALISTS.#41: Torri Yates-Orr on Leveraging Feminine Power to Get What You WantIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Torri Yates-Orr, an Emmy-nominated historian who co-hosts the podcast, “Skeleton Keys Pod” dedicated to unlocking the mysteries of mythology and history in pop culture.If you’re a fan of “The 48 Laws of Power” by Robert Greene or “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu, this episode is for you. We’re breaking down archetypes of power... but the feminine edition.During the show, Torri takes us into the fascinating world of feminine archetypes using examples in pop culture. If you are interest...
2022-01-1852 min
THE IDEALISTS.#40: Melinda Hsu Taylor on Transforming Hollywood One Character at a TimeIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews award-winning American television writer and producer, Melinda Hsu Taylor. Melinda is currently Executive Producer and show-runner of Nancy Drew and Tom Swift on the CW Network. She is well known for her work on the ABC series Lostwhere she was nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award for best drama series for her work on the fifth season of Lost, as well as a Primetime Emmy for the series' sixth and final season. She’s also worked as a writer on The Vampire Di...
2022-01-0443 min
THE IDEALISTS.#39: Dr. Alexis Petra on Dealing with Rejection while Building Her BusinessIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Dr. Alexis Petra. Alexis received her MD from University of Pittsburgh, is board-certified in Emergency Medicine, and is licensed in more than 25 states in the united states. For the past 20 years, she's been personally and professionally involved in the transgender community. In 2020, Alexis founded Trans Clinique a practice that provides hormone replacement therapy, letters of referral and trans life coaching via telemedicine. It currently serves over 500 transgender and non-binary individuals.Transitioning from an emergency room doctor to a startup founder is brave...
2021-12-1415 min
THE IDEALISTS.#38: Dawn Dickson on Raising $4.5M Startup Capital through Personal Networks and CommunityIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Dawn Dickson, a serial entrepreneur and inventor with over 20 years of experience in technology entrepreneurship, marketing and business development. She has founded five successful companies and since 2017, Dawn has raised over $1M from venture capital and angel investors and she has raised over $4.5M via equity crowdfunding.In this episode, she shares why she believes equity crowdfunding is a better alternative to venture capital.....In the episode:
2021-11-3021 min
THE IDEALISTS.#37: Fariel Salahuddin on Innovating the Bartering Economy for the 21st CenturyAbout Episode:In this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Fariel Salahuddin, the founder and CEO of UpTrade, a bartering service that enables rural communities in Pakistan to exchange livestock for solar-powered water pumps and solar home systems. Over 40% of Pakistan lives off the grid and without lights in their homes and electricity to pump water, women can spend up to four hours a day fetching water from distant wells.The BBC calls UpTrade a solution for the desert and after listening to this conversation, you'll...
2021-11-1644 min
The Mindful Hustle34. Melissa Kiguwa on Achieving Enterpreneurial Success During the Pandemic and Maintaining Mental HealthIn this episode, Toni talks to Melissa about what it was like to start a company in the middle of a pandemic and how she maintains her mental health through it all. We discuss: Melissa’s career journey prior to starting Obanj What it was like to start Obanj in the middle of the pandemic How Melissa was mentally impacted while starting a company during the pandemic Equity crowdfunding & how it helps Obanj and potential investors How Obanj is able to thrive during the pandemic Host Contact: Email: hello@toniking.co Inst...
2021-11-0358 min
THE IDEALISTS.#36: Olayemi Keri on the Role of Mentorship in Securing InvestmentIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Olayemi Keri, one of the foremost Women in Technology in Nigeria. She is the Chief Executive Officer of Heckerbella, a Technology Business Transformation company, and while her list of accolades and titles runs long, she is especially committed to Rising Tide Africa which she cofounded in 2018. Rising Tide Africa is a women’s movement of women angel investors harnessing their power, network, passion and capital to positively impact and actively create a New Africa. Yemi also sits on the board and is the Director of...
2021-11-0233 min
Wealth and Wellness UniversityMelissa's Gems: Luxury SustainabilityMelissa Kiguwa's background spans three continents— Europe, the United States, and Africa, but she is currently based in Los Angeles where she is CEO of Obánj, the luxury sustainability company she founded in 2020.
Before founding her company, Melissa worked as a radio and television host; a producer for both commercial and broadcast radio including the BBC World Service; and for Get Lifted, John Legend's production company. She currently hosts the podcast, Grit & Grace, in collaboration with the London School of Economics Accelerator for Women Founders where she interviews brilliant women with an audacious vision for the world...
2021-11-0125 min
THE IDEALISTS.#35: Jenn Harper on the Ojibwe and Iroquois Teachings that Guide Her BusinessIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Jenn Harper, founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty, a Canadian, Indigenous-owned beauty brand that gained popularity after being on the hit show, Dragons Den. And excitingly, on November 6th, Cheekbone Beauty products will be available in Sephora. So make sure to support and pick up a Warrior Woman Lipstick on Sephora's website because as anyone listening to this podcast knows— our money and patronage matter.In this episode, Jenn shares her deeply personal reasons for building a business that helps indigenous youth se...
2021-10-1945 min
THE IDEALISTS.#34: Dazzle Angels on Investing in Zebras instead of UnicornsIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Charlotte Luzuka and Lee Zuks, two of the four co-founders of Dazzle Angels, South Africa's first female-focused angel fund. They chose their name because a group of Zebras is called a Dazzle and after you hear how they describe the potential of African entrepreneurs, you'll understand why they root for Zebras instead of Silicon Valley Unicorns. In this episode, Charlie and Lee share how, from the ground up, they are building South Africa's women's angel investment ecosystem. *Note: The article mentioned in t...
2021-10-0544 min
THE IDEALISTS.#33: Dr. Silvia Mah on Cultivating the Next Generation of Women Angel InvestorsIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Dr. Silvia Mah, the founder and Chairwoman of Stella Labs, an accelerator for women-owned businesses. Silvia is also the founding member of Stella Angels, a female angel investment group, and a founding partner of Ad Astra Ventures, a fund that invests in female founders who are redefining the future of business. In this episode, she breaks down how she is cultivating the next generation of women angel investors.... .In the episode:
2021-09-2140 min
Be Brilliant in Your BusinessBuilding a Triple Bottom Line Business.Today I am joined by Melissa Kiguwa, CEO and founder of Obanj Jewelry. Obanj is a luxury sustainable startup where members can borrow high-end designer jewelry like Chanel, YSL, Dior, Hermes, and more for a small monthly fee (current packages start at $29 a month). They are on a mission to democratize luxury and help people look and feel like a million bucks without having to spend it. Rental fashion like Obanj makes it fun to play because the risk is low and you may just discover something new about your style in the process.
2021-09-1337 min
Diversity DishEp. 39 – A Love Letter to Black Women | Melissa KiguwaLinks for Melissa KiguwaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/obanj.jewelry/Obanj Website: https://www.obanj.com/Invest in Obanj: https://wefunder.com/obanj“The Idealist” Podcast: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theidealists.podcastBe an Investor via Republic: https://republic.co/---------------------Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to Review, Rate, & Share to help more people find us - Also come be a patron!--------------------Set up your "VIP Discovery Date with Sedie" Today CLICK HE...
2021-09-0750 min
THE IDEALISTS.#32: John E.B. Myers on Why the Criminal Justice System Struggles to Believe WomenIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews the second man on the show, John E.B. Myers, an authority on child abuse and domestic violence. He has written fifteen books and more than 100 articles and chapters on child maltreatment, domestic violence, evidence, criminal law, and family law. Professor Myers’ writing has been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court, the California Supreme Court, and nearly 200 other courts. He has given more than 400 presentations on maltreatment across America and abroad.In this episode, John breaks down the history of the Un...
2021-09-0751 min
THE IDEALISTS.#31: Dr. Faten Ghosn on How the Taliban took AfghanistanIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Dr. Faten Ghosn, a Political Scientist and Professor at the University of Arizona's School of Government and Public Policy. Dr. Ghosn received her Bachelors and Masters from the American University of Beirut, and her Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University. Her research and teaching focuses on the interaction of adversaries and how adversaries handle their disagreements. Her articles have appeared in the British Journal of Political Science, Conflict Management and Peace Science, International Negotiation, International Studies Quarterly, Middle East Journal, and more....
2021-08-2441 min
THE IDEALISTS.#30: Elise Loehnen on Witches, the Divine Feminine, and the Deep Ancestral Wound Women CarryIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Elise Loehnen Fissmer, writer and editor best known for being the former chief content officer of goop, the lifestyle and e-commerce company established by Gwyneth Paltrow in 2008. You may have also seen and heard Elise co-host The goop Podcast and The goop Lab on Netflix. Now she's writing a book on how women rise in the world and the deep wounds all women carry. In this episode, we dig deep.... .In the episode:
2021-08-1746 min
THE IDEALISTS.#32: Marilyn Rodriguez on Turning Arizona BlueIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Marilyn Rodriguez, the go-to policy and politics advisor in Arizona. One of the foremost government relations professionals in the state, Marilyn founded and runs the lobbying firm Creosote Partners which represents progressive organizations in front of local, legislative, statewide, and federal lawmakers. In this episode, she describes the hard collective work involved in turning Arizona blue and the ways her firm is fighting to keep the state blue....In the episode:- Marilyn begins...
2021-08-0351 min
THE IDEALISTS.#29: Brigette Romanek on Interior Design as a Love Letter to SelfIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Brigette Romanek, one of Los Angeles’ most sought after Interior Designers and one of Architectural Digest’s 2019 “AD 100,” which lists their picks for the one hundred top designers in the world. In this episode, Brigette shares the importance of filling your life with what is marvelous and beautiful.....In this episode:- The episode begins with Melissa describing the new changes to the podcast and why we rebranded.- Brigette then sha...
2021-07-1345 min
THE IDEALISTS.#28: Priscilla Owusu on the Future of AfroBeatsIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa interviews Scilla Owusu, the face of Africa Forbes last 30 under 30 cohort. Scilla is a Ghanaian-British director and producer. Working in both narrative film and music videos, she is best known for directing music videos for some of Africa's most prominent musicians like Burna Boy and Mr. Eazi. In this episode she shares her stories working alongside heavyweight musicians and how she became an unaccidental-accidental creative.... .In the episode:- The episode b...
2021-06-2244 min
THE IDEALISTS.#27: Karen Washington on Food Sovereignty & Urban FarmingIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa partners with Sadie Nash Leadership Project, a not for profit that strengthens, empowers, and equips young women and gender-expansive youth of color as agents for change in their lives and in the world.Melissa co-hosts this episode with a Sadie Nash student, Sammi Lin, and together they interview Karen Washington. The New York Times calls Karen Urban Farming’s de facto Godmother and in 2014 she was awarded the James Beard Foundation Leadership Award. In this episode, Karen delves into food sovereignty and acknowledging th...
2021-06-0854 min
THE IDEALISTS.#26: Imani Ellis on Bringing your Full Self to Work & Standing on the Shoulders of GiantsIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host and entrepreneur Melissa Kiguwa partners with Sadie Nash Leadership Project, a not for profit that strengthens, empowers, and equips young women and gender-expansive youth of color as agents for change in their lives and in the world.Melissa co-hosts this episode with a Sadie Nash student, Tasnuva Shehrin, and together they interview Imani Ellis, Director of Communications at NBC and the CEO & Founder of CultureCon and The Creative Collective NYC. CultureCon is a first of its kind ideas conference that caters to all aspects of creative life. P...
2021-05-2535 min
THE IDEALISTS.#25: Dr. Vivienne Ming on How to Increase Human PotentialIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), entrepreneur and host Melissa Kiguwa talks to the amazing Dr. Vivienne Ming. Frequently featured for her research and inventions in The Financial Times, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Quartz and the New York Times, Vivienne is a theoretical neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and author. She co-founded Socos Labs, her fifth company, an independent institute exploring the future of human potential. In this episode we discuss her exciting work around working memory and human potential alongside the phenomenal life path that set her on this journey.Join the conversation about THE...
2021-05-1157 min
THE IDEALISTS.#27: Dr. Vivienne Ming on Neuroscience, Cognitive Health, and How to Increase Human PotentialIn the twenty-seventh episode of Grit & Grace, entrepreneur and host Melissa Kiguwa talks to the amazing Dr. Vivienne Ming. Frequently featured for her research and inventions in The Financial Times, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Quartz and the New York Times, Vivienne is a theoretical neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and author. She co-founded Socos Labs, her fifth company, an independent institute exploring the future of human potential. In this episode we discuss her exciting work around working memory and human potential alongside the phenomenal life path that set her on this journey.
2021-05-1157 min
Brand Ambassador Select PodcastObanj Offers Designer Jewelry To Stun! It's Where Stylish Women Borrow Luxury Pieces Each MonthObanjMelissa KiguwaFounderhttps://www.obanj.comhttps://www.facebook.com/obanj.teamhttps://www.instagram.com/obanj.jewelry
2021-05-0614 min
THE IDEALISTS.#24: Anna Jones & Debbie Wosskow on How to Tap into your DarkIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), entrepreneur and host Melissa Kiguwa talks to Anna Jones and Debbie Wosskow, the founders of Allbright which connects smart-minded women through digital and physical spaces all over the world.Anna Jones is the former CEO of Hearst Magazine and Debbie Wosskow (OBE) is a serial entrepreneur with multiple exits. Debbie is also a Member of the Mayor of London's Business Advisory Board. In this episode they discuss the power of working as cofounders and how female founders can tap into their dark.Join the conversation...
2021-04-1334 min
THE IDEALISTS.#23: Ti Chang on Designing Products Solely for Women's PleasureIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), entrepreneur and host Melissa Kiguwa talks to Ti Chang, award-winning industrial designer and co-founder of CRAVE which makes luxury sensual products for women. Ti has been the leading voice in bringing modern sex toys to the mainstream and her work has helped pioneer the category of sex jewelry. She shares why it's so important to design products that push pleasure products out of the dark shadows of stigma and into mainstream conversations. Correction: The podcast teaser mentions 30% of women, but it is actually less than 18% of women who c...
2021-03-3033 min
THE IDEALISTS.#22: Norma Kamali on Survival Instincts & Protecting 53 years of Her Creative VisionIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), entrepreneur and host Melissa Kiguwa talks to iconic fashion designer Norma Kamali about her survival instinct and perseverance. Norma is best known for popularizing shoulder pads in the 80s; designing the red one-piece bathing suit worn by Farrah Fawcett in Farrah's famous 1976 poster, as well as, the bathing suit worn by Whitney Houston on the back cover of her 1985 debut album; and designing the popular Sleeping Bag Coat.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https...
2021-03-1652 min
THE IDEALISTS.#21: Marianne Williamson on Running for President & the Role of Conscience in PoliticsIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), entrepreneur and host Melissa Kiguwa interviews Marianne Williamson, a #1 New York Times best selling author and spiritual thought leader. You may have seen her running for president during the United States 2019 presidential race or on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday as Oprah's spiritual friend and counselor. In today’s episode, she talks about her campaign, why she advocates for reparations, and the role of conscience in politics. Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theid...
2021-03-0243 min
THE IDEALISTS.#20: Dr. Nina Ansary on the Lure & Fallacy of ProgressIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), entrepreneur and host Melissa Kiguwa interviews Dr. Nina Ansary. She is an author, a historian, a Board Member for The Center for Human Rights, and a United Nations Women Global Champion for Innovation working alongside Fashion Designer Rachel Roy and actress Zoe Saldana.In this interview, she speaks to the transformative role women have played throughout history and why as writer Virginia Woolf wrote so many years ago, “I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman.”
2021-02-1641 min
THE IDEALISTS.#19: Irene Ikomu on Uganda's Recent Election & the Internet ShutdownIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), entrepreneur and host Melissa Kiguwa interviews Irene Ikomu, a lawyer and consultant on civic spaces in Eastern Africa. Irene co-founded Parliament Watch Uganda, a civic tech parliament monitoring initiative and received the Young Female Lawyer of the Year Award by the Uganda Law Society in recognition of her contribution to Uganda’s democratic development. She talks to us about the recent election in Uganda, the internet shutdown, and the unlikely campaign of one of Uganda's top celebrities.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. ...
2021-02-021h 06
THE IDEALISTS.#18: Stefanie Mach on the Potential of Democracy in the Midst of TragedyIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), entrepreneur and host Melissa Kiguwa interviews Stefanie Mach, former congresswoman who served as a Democratic Member of the Arizona House of Representatives from 2013 to 2017. Stefanie and Melissa recorded this interview a week after the siege on the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. and in true Stefanie style, she reorients the focus back to the bigger picture of democracy and its potential.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/
2021-01-1945 min
THE IDEALISTS.#17: Julee Wilson on the Long Journey to Becoming Beauty Director at CosmopolitanIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), entrepreneur and host Melissa Kiguwa interviews Julee Wilson, Beauty Director at Cosmopolitan. Julee currently leads the brand's robust beauty coverage across all print, digital, and social platforms. Previously, Julee was Global Beauty Director at Essence and Senior Fashion Editor at Huffington Post. She shares her stories about trying to make it in the fashion industry— including charging a $5000 dress for an interview— and how transparency is necessary to move social media culture forward. Correction in audio: Helen Gurley Brown was Cosmo's Editor in Chief for 32 years, but she was n...
2021-01-0547 min
THE IDEALISTS.#16: Cindy Gallop on Why Sex Tech is the Next Frontier & Why Investors are Terrified of ItIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), entrepreneur and host Melissa Kiguwa interviews Cindy Gallop, the founder of MakeLoveNotPorn, a social sextech platform launched at TED 2009 designed to promote good sexual behavior. Cindy’s background spans over 30 years in brand-building, marketing and advertising — she started up the US office of ad agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty in 1998 and in 2003 was named Advertising Woman of the Year. Cindy is many things, but maybe what best describes her is her tagline: 'I like to blow shit up. I am the Michael Bay of business.' In this episode, Cindy tells us w...
2020-12-2947 min
THE IDEALISTS.#15: Reese Scott on How Zen Awareness Can Save Your LifeIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), entrepreneur and host Melissa Kiguwa interviews Reese Scott, former heavyweight, registered amateur fighter and licensed USA boxing coach, who trained over 1,000 women and girls on her mission to open New York's first women's boxing gym.She founded Women’s World of Boxing Club in 2007 and opened the first women’s boxing gym in New York in 2018. Reese has received Citations from U.S. Senator Charles Schumer and has been featured in Bloomberg News, MSNBC, the 2018 Global Reebok Campaign, Vice, Shape, ESPNW, Refinery29, and so much more.In t...
2020-12-1443 min
THE IDEALISTS.#14: Tina Wells on Walking Away From a $50 Million ContractIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), entrepreneur and host Melissa Kiguwa interviews Tina Wells. Tina has been listed as one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People, Billboard’s 30 Under 30 Power Players, and Inc’s 30 under 30 world’s coolest young entrepreneurs. For over two decades she led Buzz Marketing Group, an agency she founded at age 16 with clients like Dell, The Oprah Winfrey Network, Kroger, Apple, P+G, Johnson & Johnson, and American Eagle. And what’s most exciting, Tina’s new book series, The Zee Files launches today, December 1st! The Zee Files is a spin-off ser...
2020-12-0143 min
THE IDEALISTS.#13: Jane Murray on Addressing Your Shadow Self & Realizing Life Force as PowerIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), entrepreneur and host Melissa Kiguwa interviews Jane Murray, a former lawyer who spent decades running a venture capital fund overseeing investments in start-up/early stage companies in a broad cross sector of industries. With first-hand experience of the world of cut-throat competition, individualism and isolationism, now Jane is reimagining the role of the entrepreneur and recently authored The Path of the Entrepreneur, Understanding Your Shadow with the London School of Economics accelerator LSE Generate. She talks to us about understanding one’s shadow and understanding power. Join the...
2020-11-1744 min
THE IDEALISTS.#14: Ankita Bansal on Dating as an Entrepreneur, Indian Matchmaking, & Taking RisksIn the fourteenth episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), entrepreneur and host Melissa Kiguwa interviews Ankita Bansal star of the hit Netflix reality series, “Indian Matchmaking.” Ankita runs a successful denim brand called THERE! with her sister Gayatri. THERE!, an antithesis of fast fashion, has been featured in Vogue, Forbes and other media outlets. Ankita talks to us about taking risks, dating as an entrepreneur, and being on Indian Matchmaking. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/support
2020-11-0339 min
THE IDEALISTS.#13: Bold on Being Featured on Beyonce’s Black Parade & African ExcellenceIn the thirteenth episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), entrepreneur and host Melissa Kiguwa interviews the founders of Bold, an award-winning, Ugandan-based, retail outlet that houses over 30 emerging designers from countries across the African continent. The founders, Nunu, Janet, and Angel create opportunities for designers to retail their collections. Recently featured on Beyonce’s Black Parade, in this episode they dish on African excellence. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theidealists/support
2020-10-2034 min
THE IDEALISTS.#12: Katie Kalvoda on How to Have an Abundance Mindset & Break Past LimitationsIn the twelfth episode, host Melissa Kiguwa interviews Katie Kalvoda, hedge fund dynamo turned political activist. Early in her career, Katie founded Newport Wealth Management, investing in hedge funds, and after retiring founded Asian Americans Rising, a political action committee specializing in innovative philanthropy and community advocacy. In this episode, she tells us the difference between a scarcity and abundance mindset and what it means to think beyond limitations.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram:
2020-10-0635 min
THE IDEALISTS.#11: Marcellas Reynolds & Veronica Webb on Self-Love as a Means of Survival & Using Fashion as ArmorIn the eleventh episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host Melissa Kiguwa flips the script by having a man on the show. Marcellas Reynolds is a celebrity stylist, entertainment journalist, and the author of Supreme Models: Iconic Black Women Who Revolutionized Fashion. He is joined by Veronica Webb, supermodel, actress, writer, and the first African-American to land a major cosmetics contract. Veronica appeared on covers of Vogue, Essence and Elle magazine and on the runway for Victoria's Secret and Chanel. In this episode, Marcellas and Veronica explore self-love as a means of survival, the rarity of excellence, and...
2020-09-221h 05
THE IDEALISTS.#10: Glenda Wina on Witnessing the Birth of a Nation, Recognizing Greatness, & Saying Yes to AdventureIn this episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), host Melissa Kiguwa interviews Glenda Wina who at 22 moved from Los Angeles to Northern Rhodesia, now called Zambia. She married one of Zambia's founding fathers and received a front row seat to the building of the nation. Glenda later returned to Los Angeles and became the first African-American news anchorwoman with a network owned and-operated television station in Los Angeles. She tells us about witnessing the birth of a nation, recognizing greatness, and saying yes to adventure when it comes calling.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS...
2020-09-0842 min
THE IDEALISTS.#8: Scharrell Jackson on Being the Only One in the Room & Why Diversity Inclusion Doesn’t Really WorkThis week Melissa Kiguwa interviews Scharrell Jackson, Principal and Chief Operating Officer of BPM, one of the largest public accounting and advisory firms in the United States. The conversation is so good, in the middle of the interview Scharrell coaches Melissa through something Melissa’s currently struggling with. The conversation gets nitty and gritty in all the best ways. You don’t want to miss this episode. Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through. At our website: https://www.theidealistspodcast.co/On Instagram: @theid...
2020-08-1132 min
THE IDEALISTS.#5: Wanja Muguongo on the Power of No & the Myth of Work-Life BalanceThis week’s episode is all about the power of the word no. The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace) host Melissa Kiguwa interviews Wanja Muguongo, the founding Executive Director of UHAI, an African philanthropic grant-making organization that has distributed more than $10 million to LGBTI and sex worker human rights movements in East Africa. This interview will inspire you, it will definitely challenge you, and it will make you laugh. Correction: the podcast says $6 million, but we've been informed the number is $10 million.Join the conversation about THE IDEALISTS. and break*through.
2020-06-301h 06
THE IDEALISTS.#4: Courtney Nichols on Decadence & Only Pivoting When it Makes SenseThis week’s episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace) is all about play. But would you expect anything less from a guest who Bravo TV describes as "Chez Panisse meets Studio 54?” This week host, Melissa Kiguwa talks to Courtney Nichols, the Founder of Disco Dining Club - a thematic food and drink event that revels in all the excess of disco. You can find profiles of Courtney's eccentric feasts in LA Times, Vogue, Food and Wine, Oxygen, Playboy, and a slew of other esteemed outlets. -Described by Bravo TV as "Chez Panisse meets Studi...
2020-06-1724 min
THE IDEALISTS.#3: Ty Stiklorius on What Friends at Work Really Means & Matriarchal Work CulturesWelcome to the third episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace), where host, Melissa Kiguwa, gets deep... and a little wild with this week’s guest. Ty Stiklorius manages some of the world’s most respected & beloved artists, including John Legend, Lindsey Stirling, Charlie Puth and the list goes on. She also served as Executive Producer on the Oscar-winning film La La Land & won an Emmy for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert on NBC. Billboard named Ty one of the most powerful women in music and after this interview, you’ll know why.-Ty Sti...
2020-06-0245 min
THE IDEALISTS.#2: Emma Toshack on the Future of Capitalism & Fighting the Status QuoWelcome to the second episode of The Idealists. (formerly Grit & Grace) where host, Melissa Kiguwa interviews entrepreneur Emma Toshack. She is a law school dropout, former chef, and Harvard MBA… in that order. Now she’s the Founder of Nomadica, a craft canned wine company found in different Whole Foods & music festivals across the United States. Inc. Magazine calls her the millennial breaking all the rules of the wine industry… well, let’s find out for ourselves!-Emma's Bio:Emma's story starts in Sydney - where she dropped out of law school t...
2020-05-1922 min
THE IDEALISTS.#1: Arlan Hamilton on Diversifying Access to Capital & Transformative CompaniesFor our debut episode, host Melissa Kiguwa interviews Arlan Hamilton, venture capitalist who built her $10 million fund from the ground up, while homeless. Arlan is both fascinating and inspiring - you don’t want to miss this episode!-Arlan's Bio:Arlan Hamilton built a venture capital fund from the ground up, while homeless. She is the Founder and Managing Partner of Backstage Capital, a fund that is dedicated to minimizing funding disparities in tech by investing in high-potential founders who are people of color, women, and/or LGBT. Started from sc...
2020-05-0523 min