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Safiya Paul is the co-founder and CFO of Allez. She is also the Owner of PACE Inc. In addition to being an Entrepreneur, Safiya is also an Athlete, Event Planner, Property Manager & Artiste Manager. Safiya loves travel, music, culture, youth development & innovation.

Safiya's Take Aways from her business journey and actionable tips:
- Use other people's money including loans and grants, instead of using savings
- Write things down and prioritize
- Keep your word and practice good communication

Recommended Book(s):
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

References:
- NABA - National Association of Black Accountants

Resources:
- Time with Safiya Paul; please reach out to Safiya using the contact information below, letting her know that you heard her on our podcast.

Contact Information:
- Website: https://wiallez.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wiallez
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiallez/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starfyah/ -Personal Account
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8v322_HPt4Yf2xkddH7s3A
- Email: plentypace@gmail.com

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Shanita Joy Murray, BSN RNC CD CPD CBC CBE CPNE is certified as a birth and postpartum doula, as well as a childbirth and perinatal nutrition educator. Shanita is an Evidence Based Birth instructor teaching private sessions virtually. As a certified breastfeeding counselor, she is currently studying to become an internationally board certified lactation consultant. Her background includes over 4,000 hours of delivery, operating room/recovery room and breastfeeding experience. In addition, Shanita is trained in home birthing and she is specialized in assisting high-risk and AMA (advanced maternal age) pregnancies, VBACs (vaginal birth after cesearian), twin births, waterbirths, stillbirths and NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) postpartum clients. As a practicing registered nurse, at The Birth Center of New Jersey, Shanita is also skilled in low intervention and natural births in various settings. Lastly, Shanita is certified in neonatal, pediatric and adult CPR. She's an advocate for all women, especially those in the black community as maternal mortality disparities are great. Shanita mentioned that we are often unaware of our baseline health information which in combination with systemic racism in healthcare yields very poor outcomes. Shanita invests time into teaching her clients practical ways to prevent and recognize conditions of pregnancy as well as helping them understand the changes occurring within their bodies during the process.​

Shanita's Take Aways from her business journey and actionable tips:
- Research your industry and undertand your target area
- Mentoring especially business mentoring
- Get out of your own way
- Start the Busines; your gifts will make room for themselves

Recommended Book(s):
- Things I Wish I Knew Before My Mom Died: Coping with Loss Every Day by Ty Alexander

References:
- IncFile - now Bizee
- National Black Doulas Association
- Pacify Health
- Irth App

Resources:
- Time with Shanita Joy Murray; please reach out to Shanita using the contact information below, letting her know that you heard her on our podcast.

Contact Information:
- Website: https://www.iamchoosingjoy.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thee_rndoula
- Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/shanitachoosingjoy
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanita-joy-murray
- Email: rndoula@iamchoosingjoy.net
- Phone : 908-456-4187

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Shanita Joy Murray, BSN RNC CD CPD CBC CBE CPNE is certified as a birth and postpartum doula, as well as a childbirth and perinatal nutrition educator. Shanita is an Evidence Based Birth instructor teaching private sessions virtually. As a certified breastfeeding counselor, she is currently studying to become an internationally board certified lactation consultant. Her background includes over 4,000 hours of delivery, operating room/recovery room and breastfeeding experience. In addition, Shanita is trained in home birthing and she is specialized in assisting high-risk and AMA (advanced maternal age) pregnancies, VBACs (vaginal birth after cesearian), twin births, waterbirths, stillbirths and NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) postpartum clients. As a practicing registered nurse, at The Birth Center of New Jersey, Shanita is also skilled in low intervention and natural births in various settings. Lastly, Shanita is certified in neonatal, pediatric and adult CPR. She's an advocate for all women, especially those in the black community as maternal mortality disparities are great. Shanita mentioned that we are often unaware of our baseline health information which in combination with systemic racism in healthcare yields very poor outcomes. Shanita invests time into teaching her clients practical ways to prevent and recognize conditions of pregnancy as well as helping them understand the changes occurring within their bodies during the process.​

Shanita's Take Aways from her business journey and actionable tips:
- Research your industry and undertand your target area
- Mentoring especially business mentoring
- Get out of your own way
- Start the Busines; your gifts will make room for themselves

Recommended Book(s):
- Things I Wish I Knew Before My Mom Died: Coping with Loss Every Day by Ty Alexander

References:
- IncFile - now Bizee
- National Black Doulas Association
- Pacify Health
- Irth App

Resources:
- Time with Shanita Joy Murray; please reach out to Shanita using the contact information below, letting her know that you heard her on our podcast.

Contact Information:
- Website: https://www.iamchoosingjoy.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thee_rndoula
- Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/shanitachoosingjoy
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanita-joy-murray
- Email: rndoula@iamchoosingjoy.net
- Phone : 908-456-4187

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Samanda René is a Brooklyn native who wears many hats. Samanda is an attorney by day and Samanda is also a certified life coach who has started her own life coaching business, Loving The Journey. She's also the owner of a chocolate business named Sam's Delights.

Samanda's Take Aways from her business journey and actionable tips:
- Do what you Love
- Take time to evaluate your life and figure out what steps you'd need to take to get to where you want to be in your life
- Ask for help when you need it

Recommended Book(s):
- Do The New You by Steven Furtick

References:
- 2024 Greece Retreat: https://www.lovingthejourney.co/greece-retreat-2024

For the 2025 Retreat, if interested, do sign up for Samanda's mailing list for updates on the retreat.

Resources:
- Time with Samanda René; please reach out to Samanda using the contact information below, letting her know that you heard her on our podcast.

Contact Information:
- Website: https://www.lovingthejourney.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovingthejourney1
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LovingTheJourney1
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanda-rene/
- Email: Sam@lovingthejourney.co
- Phone : 347-871-1557

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Naa Adoley Pappoe is a licensed social worker and psychotherapist with almost a decade of experience supporting the mental and emotional health needs of individuals, children, adolescents and families. Naa earned her Bachelor's in Psychology and French Studies from the University of Albany and her Master's in Social Work from Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. She is licensed in both NY and NJ.

As a social work professional, Naa has provided support in direct and clinical practice with diverse populations including: Child Welfare, Developmental Disabilities, Serious Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities, Medically Fragile, Traumatic Brain Injury and Geriatrics. Naa also has a significant background in providing crisis intervention and Intensive counseling services to children and families. Naa specializes in helping women work through emotional and mental health challenges related to infertility, and the perinatal experience including pregnancy and postpartum periods; as well as a host of other issues related to and affecting women including: anxiety, stress, depression, trauma, grief and loss, life transitions, relationship and interpersonal issues.

Naa's Take Aways from her business journey and actionable tips:
- meditate/pray; sit with yourself and make sure that you are in alignment with your purpose
- surround yourself with people who will support and challenge you
- START even when you think that you are not ready

Recommended Movie(s)/Series:
- Call The Midwife

References:
- Business Coach/ Professional Consultation - Dr. Kimberly Bonds-Grocher
- When Naa refers to 'Back Home'; she's referring to Accra, Ghana

Resources:
- Time with Naa Adoley Pappoe; please reach out to Naa using the contact information below, letting her know that you heard her on our podcast.

Contact Information:
- Website: https://www.naapappoe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naapappoelmsw
- Email: admin@naapappoe.com
- Phone : (862) 256-5581

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Mix a creative mind with a number-cruncher, then throw in a dash of New York City and what do you get? Kelly Gonsalves - a true entrepreneur that is all in, all the time. She has started three companies and is a force to be reckoned with.
Her first endeavor began in 2015 when Kelly founded Totally Booked (TM). The purpose: to assist every small business in becoming more profitable by utilizing efficient accounting processes.

Where else has this passion for small business solutions taken her? Kelly is a QuickBooks Advanced Certified ProAdvisor (™), an Alumni member of the Intuit Trainer Writer Network (sunset after 20 years), a HubDoc Top 50 Cloud Accountant, and a two-time Insightful Accountant Top 10 ProAdvisor! Kelly has also spoken at many industry conferences and hosted countless webinars to share her knowledge with other accountants and bookkeepers so that they can excel at what they do.

In her downtime Kelly spends her weekends paddle boarding on the lake with her dog, Nina, cooking up a great meal, or taking on DIY projects at her new home.

Kelly's Take Aways from her business journey and actionable tips:
- DO IT!!! Taking the first steps like getting an Employer Identification Number, choosing a name, starting a bank account, pushes you to get it done.
- Be persistent; work within your network and
- Be consistent - Keep going

Recommended Book(s):

- Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You

- How to Make Sh*t Happen: Make More Money, Get in Better Shape, Create Epic Relationships and Control

References:
Marketing Genius: MarketingMax

Resources:
- Small Business Administration (SBA)
- Eventbrite
- Time with Kelly Gonsalves; please reach out to Kelly using the contact information below, letting her know that you heard her on our podcast.

Contact Information:
- Website: https://totallybooked.nyc
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/totallykellyg/
- Telephone: 718-218-4941
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/totallybookedny

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Jacqueline Gathers is a NY State licensed home inspector and owner of Pillar To Post home inspections. She is the only black female home inspector in NYC. Jacqueline is also retired from the New York City Housing Authority after 30 years of service. She has expressed that she is happy to share her expertise by educating first time home buyers on the importance of a home inspection when purchasing property.

Jacqueline's Take Aways from her business journey and actionable tips:
- research your industry; know everything there is to know about your industry
- look at successful people in your industry and see what they have that you don't have e.g. certifications and other credentials
- create a great customer service; be consistent
- do something a little different to separate yourself from everyone

Recommended Book(s):
- The Bible

Resources:
- Time with Jacqueline Gathers; please reach out to Jacqueline using the contact information below, letting her know that you heard her on our podcast.

Contact Information:
- Website: www.pillartopost.com/jacquelinegathers
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jacqueline.gathers
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacqulinegathers
- Email: jacqueline.gathers@pillartopost.com
- Phone : 917-670-8536

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Thaddeus 'Bram' Simeon is a seamoss farmer in the beautiful village of Laborie, St. Lucia. He has worked as a fisherman and he also had a shoe repair business. He is the father of two, including father of the host Clarita. He is grandfather of four grandkids; three resides in Australia and one in the US (NY).

Thaddeus' Take Aways from his business journey and actionable tips:
- need start up cash to buy essentials like ropes, anchors etc.
- need the sea moss crop to start
- hard work and passion goes a long way
- be happy and do the work with love and happiness


References:
- Documentary about Thaddeus 'Bram' and his sea moss business
- At the beginning of the episode, Bram's holiday is referenced. To provide some context, the podcast was recorded on a Wednesday. Bram has chosen Wednesdays as his personal holiday/sabbath. He doesn't work on that day and instead rests and engages in activities that reconnects him with nature such as hiking.
-

Resources:
- Time with Bram; please reach out to Bram using the contact information below, letting him know that you heard him on our podcast.

Contact Information:

- Phone : 1-758-733-3520