Episodios

  • First Light Coffee: Brewing a New Beginning After a Government Layoff
    Nov 5 2025

    On this week’s episode - I sat down with Annie Leverich - founder of First Light Coffee. a Maryland-based coffee company rooted in connection, community, and giving back. Before launching her business, Annie led the press team for USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance and held communications roles with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the UN World Food Program. Annie worked for USAID for over a decade and When the Trump Administration shut down the agency, her role disappeared overnight. At first there was shock… and then she did the only thing that felt true: bet on the dream she’d been saving for…A coffee company.

    In this episode, Annie and I get into how we went from working at USAID to taking a leap of faith into entrepreneurship, how she is blending her background in storytelling and humanitarian work to fuel her business, and her mission of giving back.


    • Resources:
    • Website: lighthousecoffeemd.com
    • Instagram: lighthousemornings

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    46 m
  • Lola Capital Group: Flipping, Funding, and Forging a New Future for Baltimore
    Oct 22 2025

    On today's episode, I spoke with Cornelius Weaver - the Fund Manager of the Baltimore Flip Fund, managed by Lola Capital Group—a real estate investment firm on a mission to breathe new life into Baltimore’s neighborhoods. With more than fifteen years in construction management and engineering, Cornelius has overseen over half a billion dollars in commercial projects—everything from university buildings to hospitals.

    Alongside his wife and business partner, Ellena Weaver, he’s spent the last three years in the residential space, flipping and restoring homes that had been sitting vacant and turning them into affordable, beautiful places for families to live. Together, they’re not just building properties—they’re building pathways to wealth and revitalizing communities one house at a time.

    Cornelius lives by the scripture, “To whom much is given, much is required.” That principle guides both his work and his purpose—using what he’s been given to create lasting impact in the city of Baltimore.


    In this episode, Cornelius and I discuss the transformative impact of real estate investment in Baltimore. We explore the vision for Lola Capital Group, focusing on eradicating vacancies, creating affordable housing, and building generational wealth. Cornelius shares insights into the challenges and successes of flipping homes, the importance of community impact, and the personal journey of working alongside his wife.












    Email: partners@thelolacapitalgroup.com

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lolacapitalgroup/

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    1 h y 13 m
  • The Black Bar Applicant Fund: Helping Aspiring Lawyers Overcome The Financial Barriers of Admission
    Oct 15 2025

    On today’s show, I’m joined by Octavia Carson — an attorney, advocate, and the founder of The Black Bar Applicant Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing Black representation in the legal profession by helping aspiring lawyers overcome the financial barriers of bar admission.

    A first-generation attorney and valedictorian of Thomas Jefferson School of Law, Octavia created the Fund after witnessing firsthand how systemic inequities and economic hardship prevent many talented Black graduates from becoming licensed attorneys. Through her leadership, the organization has provided critical financial and emotional support for bar applicants across the country—covering exam fees, living expenses, and mentorship during one of the most challenging phases of their legal journey.

    In addition to her nonprofit work, Octavia is the principal attorney of Carson Legal Strategies PLLC, where she helps creatives and entrepreneurs protect their brands through trademarks, contracts, and business formation. Her mission across all of her work is to create access, equity, and empowerment in spaces where Black professionals have historically been excluded.

    When she’s not advocating for the next generation of Black attorneys, Octavia enjoys traveling—having visited over 40 countries—and uses her global experiences to inspire her approach to justice, creativity, and leadership.

    In this episode, We’ll talk about her personal journey, why the bar exam is more than just a test, and how her nonprofit is changing lives one applicant at a time.


    Chapters


    00:00 Introduction to Octavia Carson and Her Mission

    02:52 The Bar Exam: Myths and Realities

    05:47 Octavia's Journey to Law and Advocacy

    08:33 Law School Experience During the Pandemic

    11:34 The Movement for Diploma Privilege

    14:36 Researching the Bar Exam's Racist History

    17:37 The Impact of COVID-19 on Legal Education

    20:22 Bar Exam Costs and Accessibility Issues

    27:19 The Costly Journey to Becoming an Attorney

    29:54 Advocating for Diploma Privilege

    33:20 The Push for Bar Exam Reform

    35:58 Founding the Black Bar Applicant Fund

    39:54 Impact Stories from the Fund

    45:54 Policy Changes for a Fairer Legal System

    49:43 Making Law School Accessible

    52:45 Supporting the Mission of Change


    Resources

    To learn more, visit blackbarapplicantfund.org, or email support@blackbarapplicantfund.org. You can also follow them on social media at @blackbarapplicantfund.


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    1 h y 1 m
  • Infinity Mobile Cigar Lounge: Redefining the Cigar Experience, Building a Legacy
    Oct 8 2025

    On this week’s episode - I sat down with Quincy and Tara Tucker, the founders of Infinity Mobile Cigar Lounge. The Infinity Mobile Cigar Lounge goes beyond the traditional brick and mortar setting by bringing an upscale cigar lounge experience directly to you! From Chesapeake, Virginia through the DMV and all over the east coast, Infinity Mobile Cigar Lounge’s sleek and sophisticated mobile lounge is designed to create an oasis of relaxation and sophistication wherever they park their wheels.


    Chapters


    00:00 Introduction to Infinity Mobile Cigar Lounge

    03:04 The Journey of Entrepreneurship

    05:47 The Concept and Design of the Lounge

    09:00 Expanding the Business and Services Offered

    12:04 Targeting the Female Audience in Cigar Culture

    15:09 Creating a Unique Cigar Brand

    17:56 The Importance of Product Diversification

    20:55 Personal Background and Tobacco Heritage

    24:47 Unexpected Paths: From Corporate to Entrepreneurship

    27:22 Building Community Connections

    28:24 Cigars and Motorcycles: A Unique Business Idea

    29:22 Working with a Spouse: Trust and Comfort

    31:29 Best Practices for Spousal Business Partnerships

    32:54 Overcoming Initial Challenges in Business

    34:24 Balancing Full-Time Work and Entrepreneurship

    37:09 Learning from Mistakes in Business

    40:19 The Power of Exposure and Networking

    42:17 Generational Wealth: Beyond Money

    45:11 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

    46:17 Looking Ahead: Future Plans for the Business


    Resources:

    Website:https://www.infinitymobilecigarlounge.com/services

    Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/infinitymobilecigarlounge/


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    52 m
  • A Bright Idea: Lessons I Learned from Students
    Oct 1 2025

    This week I'm bringing you a solo episode highlighting my recent speaking engagement with undergraduates at American University. Turns out I learned just as much from them as they learned from me. Here are 5 questions they asked me during Q&A that I think could benefit all of you. Enjoy!

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    37 m
  • CDL Driving Academy: Bootstrapping from scratch to 7-figures and how he is helping businesses do the same
    Sep 24 2025

    This week, I am joined by Jonathan Marques, founder of CDL Driving Academy, one of the most recognized CDL training schools in the country, with over 150,000 subscribers on YouTube and a multi 7-figure business he built from the ground up.

    Jonathan recently launched a business consulting firm specifically to help small business owners doing $250,000+ in annual revenue scale up to $1,000,000+ in sales, $1,000,000+ in profit, and structure their companies to scale and sell.

    He’s passionate about sharing the exact systems, hiring frameworks, and mindset shifts that help everyday entrepreneurs break free from the “operator trap” and actually grow a business that runs — and sells — without them.

    In this conversation, Jonathan and I speak about his early years from starting his first business as a college athlete to building a successful truck driving school. Then we get into the importance of focusing on cash flow, the value of personal development, and innovative marketing strategies like leveraging YouTube to grow his business.


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    1 h y 12 m
  • The People's Institute for Common Good: Education Entrepreneurship and the Disruption of Traditional Education Systems
    Sep 17 2025

    On this week's episode, I am joined by Dr. Lance Bennett - the President and Founder of The People’s Institute for the Common Good, a non-profit organization with a big vision to create spaces where people come together to learn from each other, wrestle with hard questions, and serve their communities for the common good. He is also a Visiting Scholar at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity & Justice and Center for Minority Serving Institutions at Rutgers University.

    Dr. Bennett is an adjunct faculty member in the Doctor of Education in Leadership and Higher Education Program at St. Edward’s University. In the higher education profession, he serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of Liberal Education, the flagship magazine of the American Association of Colleges and Universities. He is also a published author with articles published in the disciplines of higher education, teaching learning, and interpersonal communication.

    In this episode - Dr. Bennett and I sat down to chat about how went from being on the track to becoming a university president to an educational entrepreneur. We get into how he's challenging traditional systems with the People's Institute for the Common Good, insights on creating spaces for lifelong learning, the importance of community-focused education, and his vision for a more inclusive and impactful educational landscape.


    Chapters


    00:00 Introduction to Dr. Lance Bennett and His Vision

    12:11 Dr. Bennett's Journey in Education

    20:14 Catalyst for Change: The Birth of the People's Institute

    26:26 Building the People's Institute for Common Good

    28:08 Exploring Community Learning Spaces

    32:05 Creating Safe Spaces for Tough Conversations

    36:14 Bridging Theory and Real-World Impact

    40:26 The Future of Educational Entrepreneurship

    45:12 Redefining Higher Education

    50:41 Envisioning Success for the People's Institute


    Resources


    Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/instituteforcommongood/

    Website: https://instituteforcommongood.org/

    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-people-s-institute-for-the-common-good/

    https://instituteforcommongood.org/

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    57 m
  • Prescription Chicken: Chicken Noodle Soup, Working with Family, and Just Starting over being Perfect
    Sep 3 2025

    This week, I’m joined by cousins Valerie Zweig and Taryn Pellicone of Prescription Chicken - A chicken noodle soup delivery business based in Washington, DC. Valerie and Taryn always knew they’d work in the food industry. As young girls, they would help their families host dinner parties, attend cooking camps and would eventually work to develop fast-casual and dining restaurants… But being entrepreneurs was not in the cards…until Valerie caught a bout of Laryngitis and couldn't find a delivery option for chicken noodle soup to give her the relief she needed. That’s when she called in her little cousin Taryn with the bright idea to make their own chicken noodle soap. With a dream, a concept, and some determination, the founders started prescription chicken in September 2016.

    Now - prescription chicken is not only a soup delivery business. It can also be found in grocery stores and online. Not to mention, their newest product Cookstix - which is a new and sustainable take on chicken broth.

    In this episode, we discuss how this simple idea turned into a thriving business, the challenges and triumphs that come with being food entrepreneurs, and the beauty behind forgetting about being perfect and just starting.


    Resources:

    Website: Prescriptionchicken.com

    Socials: @prescriptionchicken


    Chapters:


    00:00 Navigating Stress and Risk in Business

    01:32 The Culinary Roots of Prescription Chicken

    05:41 From Personal Experience to Business Idea

    14:36 The Journey of Starting Prescription Chicken

    22:48 Scaling the Business and Learning from Experience

    30:49 Funding and Financial Growth Strategies

    36:36 Innovating in the Chicken Stock Market

    41:42 Challenges and Growth in Entrepreneurship

    46:36 Advice for Aspiring Food Entrepreneurs

    48:35 Future Plans and Innovations




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    53 m