🔥LATEST EPISODE 🔥
11/7/24 | Episode #71
Bonnie Brindle - Crazymakers Code
Bonnie Brindle’s first book, “Cracking the Crazymakers’ Code: 9 Simple Steps to Ease Your Anxiety,” shares practical strategies to help you navigate the complexities of anxiety.
Buy at https://www.amazon.com/Cracking-Crazymakers-Code-Simple-Anxiety/dp/B0D2SPVNC5
6/20/24 | Episode #70
Vanessa Franco - Power of Resilience
Vanessa’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience and the importance of breaking new ground. She continues to inspire and uplift those around her, proving that being the “first” is just the beginning of an incredible journey.
6/06/24 | Episode #69
Susanne Mariga - Fractional CFO
The incredible Susanne Mariga is a superstar fractional CFO who is truly making her mark in the numbers world. She is breaking barriers left and right, being the first black woman in her family to graduate from college, the first female family member to become a certified public accountant, and the first to work at a Big Four accounting firm. She is also the author of “Profit First” and the first to become a millionaire in her family. Susanne Mariga is truly a trailblazer and an inspiration to us all!
5/23/24 | Episode #68
Benjamin Talin
Hey family! Let’s talk about the incredible Noreen Sumpter, a trailblazer who breaks barriers and inspires others to live on their own terms. Noreen is the first in her family to leave England and come to America, the first college graduate, a certified life coach, and the founder of the Live Life Your Way coaching program. Her clients lovingly call her the “Bully Coach” because she empowers them to take bold actions and conquer their fears. Let’s all learn from Noreen’s journey and embrace fully living life!
5/9/24 | Episode #67
Noreen Sumpter - Bully Coach
Hey family! Let’s talk about the incredible Noreen Sumpter, a trailblazer who breaks barriers and inspires others to live on their own terms. Noreen is the first in her family to leave England and come to America, the first college graduate, a certified life coach, and the founder of the Live Life Your Way coaching program. Her clients lovingly call her the “Bully Coach” because she empowers them to take bold actions and conquer their fears. Let’s all learn from Noreen’s journey and embrace fully living life!
4/11/24 | Episode #66
Sharrarne Morton - Skin Deep
I am so excited to introduce you to the incredible Sharrarne Morton, a true trailblazer in the media industry! 💪 Sharrarne is the first in her circle to launch, produce, and host a national SiriusXM Radio show called “Skin Deep” 🎙️. She also coaches small businesses, just launched her skincare line, also called “Skin Deep.” Sharrarne is truly an inspiration and a force to be reckoned with!
3/14/24 | Episode #65
Melvin Garlick and Lisa Qu - Toastmasters
Distinguished Toastmasters Melvin Garlick, known for his expertise in comedy, and Lisa Qu, the Founder & CEO at SIBO, were instrumental in leading the team of District leaders that achieved the prestigious Distinguished Club status for New York’s District 119 Toastmasters. Their remarkable achievement was celebrated at the 2023 Toastmasters International Convention in The Bahamas, where they basked in the satisfaction of knowing they had made a positive impact on the lives of others.
2/15/24 | Episode #64
James Manganiello - Toastmaster Extraordinaire
James Manganiello is a trailblazer in his family, being the first to graduate from college. He has a strong passion for being at the forefront of events and is always eager to lend a helping hand. James is deeply involved in Toastmasters, a renowned speaking organization, and has a particular affinity for theater, especially musicals. Despite not fitting the typical characteristics of an actor, he found his niche in working behind the scenes with props, lighting, and stage management. The meticulous preparation required for Toastmasters resonated with James, as it mirrored the meticulousness of theater.
2/1/24 | Episode #63
Sara Roccisano - French Kiss a Wolf
Look no further if you’re looking for inspiration, excitement, and a fresh perspective on life! French kissing wolves…Sara Roccisano is not your average adventurer – she is an author, international speaker, avid traveler, and an incredible storyteller. She has a unique claim to fame as the first person in her family to French kiss a wolf, which speaks volumes about her fearless spirit and willingness to embrace the unknown. Her company, Embolden Adventures, delivers experiences from ocean diving to conquering mountains. With each journey, Sara has discovered the world’s beauty and the power of storytelling to connect people from all walks of life.
1/4/24 | Episode #62
Lynne Lambert - Taking the Subway to Success
In my first episode of 2024, I enjoyed speaking with Lynne Lambert, the innovative mind behind the two iconic clothing and accessories lines: NYC Subway Line and Map’t Gear. Join us as we delve into her journey of creating unique and customizable products that will leave a lasting impression. With a background in acting and advocacy, she draws inspiration from trailblazers like Joyce Gordon, who paved the way for women in the industry. Listen to Lynne’s career journey marked by unexpected turns, but her passion for creativity and making a difference remains unwavering.
12/21/23 | Episode #61
Elizabeth von Habsburg - A Work of Art
Elizabeth von Habsburg is the Managing Director of The Winston Art Group which is the US’ most extensive independent art advisory and appraisal firm with 8 offices domestically and 3 overseas. They provide top-notch services like appraisals, art advisory, and collection management for seasoned art collectors and first-time owners. Elizabeth is truly a trailblazer in this industry, bringing personal service, expertise, independence, and confidentiality to the art advisory and appraisal business. And …she launched two tokenized funds ‐ an art fund and a wine/whisky fund.
12/7/23 | Episode #60
Anjel Burgess - Dispelling Stereotypes
Anjel is all about sharing new ideas and concepts with her loved ones while emphasizing the importance of old ones. It’s amazing to see how she’s making a positive impact within her own family! It was during Career Day at her middle school that she discovered her passion for law. Anjel is now a Social Security Disability lawyer with her own firm, Burgess & Christensen. She’s dedicated to helping people with their disability claims and guiding them through the complex social security process.
11/24/23 | Episode #59
Mark Amell - From AI to Conservationist
Mark was the first to bring artificial intelligence in the 80’s to the military. With AI being today’s top discussion item, he uses that background to offer small businesses valuable marketing and business planning expertise through his proprietary platform giving them 30 different ways to market. His current passion is to become a conservationist and save animals.
11/9/23 | Episode #58
Jose Acevedo - Finding Arizona Podcast
Growing up, Jose Acevedo listened to his Native American Indian grandfather use storytelling to pass on his people’s history. He decided to become that storyteller and was the first in his family to graduate college with a Master’s Degree, and, better yet, to fulfill his storytelling dream by creating the Finding Arizona Podcast for owners to get promotions.
10/12/23 | Episode #57
Dr. Salisha Allard-Blaisdell - Defender
Dr. Salisha Allard-Blaisdell hails from the island of Grenada, but was adopted in the USA. Now, she is paving the way in her family, friends and colleagues by being the first person in her doctoral cohort at Northwest to complete the Ph.D. degree, then became the first woman of color to defend a Ph.D. dissertation at Northwest University. Her new nonprofit, the Shara Foundation, honors her adopted mom, who was instrumental in her success. Let’s welcome Dr. Salisha Allard-Blaisdell to The First.
9/28/23 | Episode #56
Kendra T. Allison - Speechologist
My guest, Kendra T. Allison, created her “first” when she was the first to leave home. Then she became a pathologist and created her private practice company, Speech Communication Services, PPLC. She now has an annual summer conference, The 8% Summit, that is the first of its kind – she brings BIPOC speech pathologists together to learn from each other.
9/14/23 | Episode #55
Paul Lamar Hunter - The Success of The 19th Child
Paul Lamar Hunter is the blessed 19th child of the first woman in history who birthed 21 children by her husband–11 girls and 10 boys. His parents produced 63 grandchildren and 87 great-grandchildren. His mother was pregnant for 15 years in total, with about 6 weeks in-between pregnancies. As #19, His older siblings helped to raise and discipline him. He was the first to break a generational curse on both sides of his family-that curse was the lack of valuing the importance of education. He became the first to graduate from college, paving the way for the next 2 generations who have earned higher-level degrees. Read about it in his book, No Love, No Charity–the success of the 19th Child. Paul’s message is “Don’t magnify your circumstances, magnify your God!”
8/17/23 | Episode #54
Elena Arecco Bridgmon - Parenting Up, Parenting Down
Elena Arecco Bridgmon’s podcast,🎙️ Parenting Up|Parenting Down, has touched hearts and minds for two successful seasons, becoming a first by offering insights and strategies for all parents. Another first for her is introducing LUMO’s app – a revolutionary platform that empowers professionals, especially fellow moms, to transition seamlessly between their corporate roles and the joys of parenthood. 📲👩💼👨👩👧👦
8/4/23 | Episode #53
Melissa Leon - Two Sense Consulting
Melissa Leon is a co-owner of Two Sense Consulting. They provide fractional CFOs to help business owners understand their financials and their reports to utilize them in making critical business decisions. She has also authored a book called Efficiency Bitch: How Ambitious Women Can Have It All Without Doing It All.
7/20/23 | Episode #52
Dr. Paulette J. Evans – The Efficiency Expert
Today, my guest is Dr. Paulette J. Evans of Evans Efficiency Experts, a process engineering company that supports business owners in implementing processes and procedures. She is the first in her family and friends to register her business, earn a doctoral degree, and get her Six Sigma black belt certification. She is an avid traveler who traveled to all 50 states before she turned 30 and was the first to travel to South Africa.
7/6/23 | Episode #51
Bird Mejia – Shaman Master
Bird Mejia is like no other. She is a shaman, and the first in seven generations to remove a generational curse of family trauma.
6/22/23 | Episode #50
Michael Rada – A Wasteless World
Meet Michael Rada. A human, who started his business career as a steel factory worker in 1990. Back in 2013, he invented and developed the systematic waste prevention methodology called INDUSTRIAL UPCYCLING. He then started to implement it in the real business and industrial environment of Czechia. Two years later, INDUSTRIAL UPCYCLING became the ground stone of INDUSTRY 5.0. All this from a man with no Academic Education, he is not a scientist, politician or celebrity. In spite of that, he has held webinars and talks at more than 450 Universities, Schools, and Zoom calls to help us create a wasteless world.
5/25/23 | Episode #49
Sheila Volante – Industry 5.0
Sheila Volante is on a mission to create awareness of Industry 5.0. The term Industry 5.0 refers to people working with robots and smart machines. It is about robots helping humans work faster by leveraging advanced technologies such as big data analytics. Sheila is a pioneer in this area and her passion for improving our current world for tomorrow’s leaders shines through in this podcast.
4/28/23 | Episode #48
LaTeasha Davis – Therapeutic Focus
From a little girl with a speech impediment, LaTeasha is now the CEO of Therapeutic Focus, she is the first black female to create a pediatric therapy clinic in her Crittenden County, Arkansas town. She is the first entrepreneur in her family to have a 21-employee company and the first to pursue a doctorate degree.