Impact Innovators with Felicia Ford

058 | The Evolution of Motherhood w/ Dr. Rosemarie Allen + Dr. Rikesha Fry Brown

Special National Black Girl Month™ Series | Co-hosted by Dr. Rikesha Fry Brown
You may not remember her reading parenting books, but she knew how to raise a household and keep a family intact. Big Mama didn’t need a manual—she had instincts, routines, and an unshakable sense of responsibility. She didn’t just take care of you; she taught you what it meant to show up, even when nobody showed up for her. She built structure out of very little and carried generations with her hands, her prayers, and her presence.
But now, you're the one leading.And you're doing it with memories of how it used to be and a front-row seat to how much has changed. Or maybe, you're starting from what you know in your heart. 
In this first episode of our National Black Girl Month™ series, I’m joined by Dr. Rikesha Fry Brown and our guest, Dr. Rosemarie Allen—an education leader and national voice on racial equity and childhood development. This conversation is about mothering without a blueprint and making daily decisions in a world that doesn’t always feel safe for your child—or for you.
You’ll hear how Dr. Allen went from being suspended in kindergarten to shaping national education policy.You’ll hear what happened when she had to teach her son to go limp during a chokehold—so he could come home alive.
“Have I been whipping my baby for no reason?”A young mother asked that on a bus.Dr. Allen didn’t shame her. She stayed. She answered. She mothered her.That child is now older.
This conversation is parenting at the intersection of love and fear. Survival and pride. Freedom and danger. And it’s the kind of conversation that millennial Black mothers aren’t always given the space to have—but desperately need.It’s about the systems that mislabel brilliance as defiance.What happens when Black children are expelled from daycare before they can talk?Where can you talk about the pressure of sending your child into schools that once failed you?
“Historically, through slavery, we learned to beat our children into submission because they had to survive. But we’ve evolved from surviving to thriving. Our job now is to help our children thrive.” – Dr. Allen
Whether you’re raising toddlers or teenagers, or carrying the weight of mothering others through your work, this episode offers room to reflect, release, and reimagine.
Because what’s passed down shouldn’t just be pain.It should be power.
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Visit drrosemarieallen.com for more on her work.Download the free National Black Girl Month™ Toolkit: bit.ly/nbgm2025Join the private community: facebook.com/groups/nationalblackgirlmonth
Dr. Rosemarie Allen - Dr. Rosemarie Allen is a distinguished leader and facilitator dedicated to fostering inclusive practices across all sectors of society. Currently serving as a Professor of Early Childhood at Metropolitan State University of Denver, Dr. Allen is also the Founder, President, and CEO of the Institute for Racial Equity and Excellence (IREE), supporting equity in educational, governmental, and corporate practices. With extensive experience, Dr. Allen has provided Keynote Addresses, training, facilitation, equity audits and other services for the United States Department of Education, 47 State Departments of Education, and the United States Customs and Border Protection, Public Broadcasting Service, TeachStone and various police departments, school districts, and other organizations, showcasing her commitment to creating equitable environments. An international expert, Dr. Allen is a respected keynote speaker, frequently presenting at global conferences. Her advocacy for justice and inclusive practices has significantly shaped policies in educational, governmental, and corporate settings. In addition to her teaching role, Dr. Allen serves as a faculty member for the Pyramid Model Consortium and as an Associate Professor of Research for The Children’s Equity Project (CEP) at Arizona State University. She also contributes as a consultant for the Positive Early Learning Experiences (PELE) Center at the University of Denver and guest faculty at Georgetown University. Her previous roles include directorship positions with the Colorado Department of Human Services, where she shaped early learning policies and programs. As the Equity and Culture expert for 9News KUSA, Dr. Allen hosts a weekly segment addressing race, culture, and child development. Her accolades include the prestigious T. Barry Brazelton Friends of Children Award, the MLK Peace Award, and the Rosa Parks Diversity Award, among others. Dr. Allen earned her B.A. from California State University, Long Beach, her Master’s in Education from Lesley University, and her Doctorate in Equity and Leadership in Education from the University of Colorado, Denver. Dr. Allen's unwavering commitment to education and equity continues to inspire change and drive progress towards a more inclusive future for all.

057 | Black Women - Silent. Seen. Still Carrying It: The Weight We Never Dropped w/ Dr. Rikesha Fry Brown

Movements don’t start in meetings. They start with lived experiences—the kind we normalize, dismiss, or bury until someone dares to say it out loud.
In this foundational conversation, Felicia Ford and Dr. Rikesha Fry Brown return to the moment they knew this work—National Black Girl Month™—had to exist. Not just as a celebration, but as structure. As strategy. As response.
“Our tired didn’t start in 2022. Our tired had a history.”
“We’re not anomalies—we’re the fabric. And our stories don’t begin in boardrooms. They begin in kindergarten.”
Together, they trace the threads from Silent Dangers of Black Girls in Education to the present moment, where visibility alone is no longer enough. This episode names what we’ve been carrying—as daughters, as mothers, as leaders, as women who were never supposed to carry it all—and sets the tone for a month of truth-telling, healing, and collective power.
“If we don’t name the dangers, how do we ever dismantle them?”
“The danger is in being silent and being silenced.”
They speak to the weight of advocacy work. The grief in realizing school was built for someone else’s success. The guilt in having had good experiences while watching others be pushed out. And the sacred power of claiming space in systems designed to erase you.
This is the kind of conversation you feel before you understand it—and once you do, you can’t unsee it.
“You belong here. Even if you’ve been hurt by other Black women. Even if you’re mothering through grief. You still belong.”
“Everyone operates in the space of mothering at some point. And everyone has been mothered—whether well or not.”
Whether you’re leading change, recovering from the systems you’ve survived, or simply listening in, this is your invitation to sit down with us, right here, and remember what you’ve known all along.
Join us as we kick off National Black Girl Month™ 2025. 
Next Steps: Get Your National Black Girl Month Toolkit: https://nationalblackgirlmonth.com 
Join the National Black Girl Month™ Community: https://facebook.com/groups/nationalblackgirlmonth 
Access Silent Dangers of Black Girls in Education: https://silentdangers.com 
Shop National Black Girl Month™: https://silentdangers.com/shop 
#nationalblackgirlmonth#BlackWomen#BlackGirls#BlackMotherhood#Mom#Woman#Girl #SpreadtheSpark

056 | How to Lead: When the Title Came Without a Map w/ Dee Ntšala

What happens when performance, people, and purpose collide.
Today, we’re joined by Dee Ntšala, founder of Nova Conxulting, whose work sits at the intersection of neuroscience, wellness, DIEB principles, and leadership strategy. Dee equips high-performing executives, founders, and teams with the tools to lead.
Every time I’ve been asked to fix a performance issue, it was actually a leadership issue. That’s a people problem.” – Dee Ntšala
Too many organizations think they’re solving for low numbers when they’re really facing high dysfunction. Promotions happen without preparation. Culture is treated like a memo. And when the spreadsheets show a dip, the blame lands on people instead of the systems leading them.
But as Dee, reminds us in this episode:
“If you're a founder, if you're a corporate leader, please hear us out here. We get it. There is a cost impact to all of this work. But the benefit on the other end of it is so, so worth the invest.”
We're talking sustained transformation. Dee has worked with top-tier leaders across corporate, nonprofit, and academic spaces, and she breaks down what most leadership programs miss:
Why micromanagement often signals a deeper gap in trust and team readiness
How real leadership requires self-awareness before strategy
And what happens when companies ask for change but resist the process required to make it stick
“Corporate has an unhealthy relationship with time and results when it comes to human behavior. Humans aren’t machines. You can’t flip a switch and expect transformation.”
This episode is for high-level leaders and founders who want better—but are done chasing surface-level solutions. If you’re ready to stop wasting budget on temporary fixes and start reinforcing the kind of leadership culture that retains talent, drives performance, and creates real alignment—press play.
We also go beyond frameworks and into the lived realities of founders and leaders navigating burnout, mismatched team dynamics, and corporate cultures that reward production over progress. Dee’s refreshingly honest perspective will have you rethinking how you lead, why you lead, and what alignment looks like in real-time.
Next Steps: 
Get more leadership insights from Dee Ntšala's interview in Strategic Edge: Power Moves for Businesses + Nonprofits magazine: https://media.feliciafordandco.com/power-moves
Connect with Dee Ntšala - https://www.linkedin.com/in/deentsala/
Join Momentum Lab - https://lab.feliciafordandco.com  
Get Free Resources - www.feliciafordandco.com/resources 

055 | Style, Strength and Shattering Ceilings with Shahidah Rahman

How do you navigate expectations and perceptions while showing up with confidence?What does it mean to align your presence with your purpose?And why does image matter beyond just fashion?
For many, the pressure to present themselves flawlessly in boardrooms, on stages, or even in everyday life is an unspoken challenge. It’s not just about style—it’s about identity, perception, and the impact of first impressions. But what if curating a powerful presence wasn’t something you had to figure out alone?
Enter Shahidah Rahman, a professional model, image consultant, and confidence coach who is shifting the narrative around personal style, professional presence, and the power of showing up fully as yourself. In this episode, she shares how her work helps women cultivate confidence—not just in what they wear, but in how they carry themselves, communicate, and navigate their careers. Shahidah’s journey from the runway to coaching women in executive roles offers real insight into why image isn’t just about fashion—it’s a tool for positioning, leadership, and influence.
Inside this conversation, you learn:✔️ The unspoken rules of professional presence and how they impact Black women in leadership✔️ Why image consulting goes beyond clothing and into communication, self-perception, and strategic positioning✔️ How societal shifts, generational changes, and media portrayals influence how Black women are perceived—and how they can reclaim that narrative
Shahidah makes it clear—confidence isn’t just about looking good, it’s about knowing how to move with intention. Whether you’re stepping into a new leadership role, navigating professional spaces, or simply refining how you show up in the world, this episode offers strategies that make the process easier.
 
Next Steps:
Join the National Black Girl Month™ Movement - www.silentdangers.com/-join-the-movement 
Connect with Shahidah Rahman - www.iasimageconsulting.com
Join Momentum Lab: https://lab.feliciafordandco.com 
Get Strategic Edge Magazine: https://media.feliciafordandco.com 
 

054 | Art, Connection, and Community: Could Be Pretty Cool® w/ Kacie Luaders

The idea of the starving artist shouldn’t be a rite of passage. There are ways for independent creators to build sustainable careers—but they need the right access, support, and infrastructure.
Insert Kacie Luaders. 
Kacie Luaders, founder of Could Be Pretty Cool and host of You Heard Me Right, is working to change the way indie artists and creatives navigate their careers. From her background in theater and sound design to being named one of Podcast Magazine’s 40 Under 40, Kacie has spent years advocating for independent artists and ensuring their work is seen. 
Kacie shares, "I definitely went through the starving artist phase—the roommates, the mattress on the floor, breaking a ramen brick in half for lunch and dinner. But it's not necessary. I want to be an advocate for indie creators and creative entrepreneurs so they don’t have to go through that."
In this episode, Kacie shares:
The artists and creatives she works with. "We prioritize indie creators who are out here doing the work—whether they have a big social presence or not. Some have brick-and-mortar print shops, others perform in the back of coffee shops, but they’re working artists. That’s what matters."
Why visibility and access are essential for creative sustainability. "Being able to tell these stories means I can bring them to people who can actually make decisions. That might be funders, policymakers, or organizations looking to support smaller arts communities."
How podcasting and creative media are shifting. "Podcasting used to be either huge corporate networks or completely DIY. I want to see a space where creators putting out consistent, high-quality work can actually get resources without needing a million downloads."
Kacie shares what she did to build a sustainable career as an independent creator and how Could Be Pretty Cool® is creating a creative economy that values authenticity, inclusivity, and sustainability. Whether you’re an artist looking for funding, a podcaster working outside the big networks, or a creative entrepreneur carving your own lane, this conversation breaks down the systems, strategies, and connections moving your work forward. 
Next Steps: 
Connect with Kacie:  https://couldbeprettycool.com/
Get Strategic Edge Magazine: https://media.feliciafordandco.com
Join Momentum Lab: https://lab.feliciafordandco.com
 

053 | Protecting the Vision: Attorney Casey Hand-Smith on Contracts, Creatives and Control

Entrepreneurs create valuable content, but too many don’t realize they’re leaving it unprotected—until someone else profits from their work. Contracts, trademarks, and copyrights aren’t just legal formalities; they determine who truly owns what you build.
In this episode, Casey Handysmith, founder of C. Hardy Law, explains:
The hidden risks in handshake deals and informal agreements. Business owners assume an email confirmation or a simple invoice is enough, but without the right legal protections, you may be giving away more rights than you think.
Why trademarks and copyrights aren’t interchangeable. If you think securing a domain name or registering an LLC means your brand is protected, think again. Casey breaks down the difference, what each protects, and when you need both.
How contracts protect against "overly inspired" competitors. Someone taking “inspiration” from your content isn’t flattery—it’s a legal issue. Learn what clauses to include in contracts to prevent others from repackaging your work as their own.
Your ideas, content, and business model are valuable. Understanding how to legally secure them isn’t optional—it’s essential.
Next Steps: 
Connect with Casey Handy-Smith: www.contractcasey.com 
Connect with Felicia: https://media.feliciafordandco.com/connect
Join Momentum Lab: https://lab.feliciafordandco.com 
Get Strategic Edge: https://media.feliciafordandco.com/power-moves/

052 | Failure is Knowledge: How to Get Seen & Heard with Terryl Humphrey

Twelve hours in evacuation traffic. Uncertain of what would be waiting for him back home. And yet, Terryl Humphrey still showed up.
"Excuses are the tools of incompetence," Felicia says—a phrase that shaped how she approached this conversation. But what does it really take to keep moving forward when everything is stacked against you?
Terryl, a Marine Corps veteran turned media entrepreneur, shares how he built one of the most consistent podcast platforms, producing over 893 episodes and growing his brand from $0 to $100K in 90 days. But his journey started long before that—with a single video during the pandemic, a realization that visibility is everything, and a commitment to amplifying voices that deserve to be heard.
In this episode, he breaks down:
The reality of obscurity: Why so many businesses and entrepreneurs struggle to get seen, and how to make sure your message reaches the right people.
What most people get wrong about storytelling: Why just "sharing your story" isn’t enough—and how to connect with your people.
The moment that changed everything: From growing up in a single-parent home to training as a Marine to building a platform that reaches thousands—how each experience shaped his ability to create impact.
The mindset shift that makes visibility easier: The difference between waiting for an opportunity and creating one.
"You have to start with something. You have to plant the seed and let the foundation build before you see the growth."
If you've ever felt like your work isn't reaching the people who need it, this episode will challenge you to think differently. Press play to learn what it really takes to get seen and build momentum.
Next Steps: 
Connect with Terryl Humphrey: https://www.terrylhumphrey.com/
Get Strategic Edge Magazine: https://media.feliciafordandco.com/
Join Momentum Lab by Felicia Ford & Co.®: https://lab.feliciafordandco.com
Connect with Felicia: www.threads.net/@friendscallmefe 
 
#marketing #podcast #visibility #mindset #momentum #failureisknowledge #dream

051 | Big Brands, Bigger Moves: The Brand Partnership Playbook with Kemuel C. Brown

Hey Change Maker,
We're on the heels of the 50th episode with another conversation centered around collaboration - but this time, in exploring if you're ready for someone to manage those brand partnerships for you. And as we learn today, you want to ensure your brand is structured enough to hold its own first. If you’ve ever wondered how to bring strategy and creativity together, you’ll love this conversation
In this episode of Impact Innovators, I’m joined by Kemuel C. Browne, founder of FYI Management Group, where you get to hear about the systems and sequencing that support healthy and thriving brand partnerships.
Because bringing in the right partners isn’t just about who you align with—it’s about whether your systems and processes are ready to support the weight of that alignment.
You'll learn:
Why partnerships work best when they’re interdependent—not dependent.
How the sequence of your decisions affects long-term sustainability.
The role of systems and structure in making sure partnerships amplify your brand instead of distracting from it.
Your business isn’t just growing—it’s evolving. And as you scale, the question isn’t just who can I bring in, but what do I need in place before I do?
If you’re thinking about scaling, outsourcing, or strengthening your brand’s foundation, this episode will help you put the right pieces in place—before making your next big move.
Next Steps: 
Connect with Kemuel and Fly Young Intellectual
Join Momentum Lab: https://lab.feliciafordandco.com
Get Strategic Edge: https://media.feliciafordandco.com 
 

050 | The Cost, The Conflict, and The Truth... Lucinda Cross, Dr. Rhonda Simmons, Lena West

Let's Celebrate, Change Maker!
 
We're 50 Episodes in and you're growing, connecting and thriving! For this special episode, we're bringing three separate conversations centering collaboration. Grab your notebook, pull up a chair, you're in for a good one!
Your vision is clear, your momentum is strong, and the impact you’re creating is undeniable. But even the most powerful leaders know—growth at the highest level doesn’t happen alone.
Collaboration isn’t just about working together. It’s about aligning with the right people, in the right rooms, at the right time—where influence is built, strategies are executed, and expansion is inevitable.
In this 50th episode of Impact Innovators, we’re bringing you three powerhouses who have mastered high-level collaboration, scaled their influence, and led through transformation:
Lucinda Cross – Leading movements, elevating visibility, and making bold leadership moves.
Dr. Rhonda Simmons – Navigating leadership, balance, and the courage to set boundaries that create success.
Lena West – Commanding the room, shifting power dynamics, and making sure strategy turns into results.
This conversation is about what it really takes to build with the right people—and how these leaders have done just that.
Next Steps: 
Connect with Lucinda Cross - www.lucindacross.com 
Connect with Dr. Rhonda Simmons - www.tsefi.org 
Connect with Lena West - https://ceorising.co  
Join Momentum Lab: https://lab.feliciafordandco.com
Get Strategic Edge: https://media.feliciafordandco.com 
Celebrate National Black Girl Month: www.nationalblackgirlmonth.com 
 
#Connection #Community #Collaboration #BlackWomen #PowerMoves #50

049 | Black Wealth, Bartered and Built with Nicole Murphy

Barter Black: How Nicole Murphy is Reshaping Business Growth Without Cash
Scaling a business is hard enough—doing it alone makes it even harder. Enter Nicole Murphy, founder of Barter Black, a platform designed to help Black entrepreneurs exchange services, build networks, and grow without financial strain.
In this episode, Nicole shares:
How the pandemic led to the creation of Barter Black
The game-changing role of customer discovery in refining her platform
Why "Stop trying to be the Chief Everything Officer" is the advice every founder needs
How bartering can help you preserve cash flow while getting what you need
Nicole’s insights are a wake-up call for solopreneurs trying to do it all alone. If you’re serious about scaling, building wealth, and creating a support system, this episode is a must-listen.
#growyourbusiness #barter 
Next Steps: See Nicole in Strategic Edge: media.feliciafordandco.com/power-moves
Connect with Felicia: www.threads.net/@friendscallmefe
Get Year End Power Moves: https://bit.ly/yearendpowermoves 
Get Your Free Resources: www.feliciafordandco.com/resources