Episode 423: Sisterhood, Entrepreneurship & Giving Yourself Grace: An Updated Convo w/ My Sisters Imani & Shaina

Shaina McGregor 0:02

You hear this phrase again and then again and again, and you start to use me over your life. Oh, I have imposter syndrome, and I'm like, you don't have into you're just experiencing self doubt. You may be nervous, you may be anxious, but you're not a fraud. Like into literally implies that you are a fraud. The more you tell yourself that, the more you minimize yourself and you don't even believe that you're worthy of entering these rooms. T minus 10

Speaker 1 0:26

seconds, welcome to the journey to launch podcast with your host Jamila Souffrant as a money expert who walks her talk, she helps brave journeyers like you get out of debt, save, invest and build real wealth. Join her on the journey to launch to financial freedom. 54321,

Jamila Souffrant 0:53

hey, hey, hey, journeyers, welcome to the journey to launch podcast. I am your host. Jamila Souffrant, now I'm so excited to bring you this week's episode of the podcast. It's going to be a little different, because I am sharing a conversation an episode from another podcast, the brown ambition podcast, with Mandy money. I was a guest on that show with my sisters, Shayna McGregor and Imani Manning, and so I am sharing that conversation that aired on Mandy's show, brown ambition. On this show, she was nice enough to let me also use the audio recording. And so what you're here is a conversation between myself and my sisters and Mandy talking about entrepreneurship growing up together and our journey thus far. Now, I've had both my sisters, Shana and Imani, on the podcast before. So the first time they both appeared on the podcast was on Episode 221 so that was back. That's actually ironic, because it's episode 221 and it was back in 2021 so a few years ago, and we were talking just about, well, I introduced them to you guys as my audience. But I also we were talking just about entrepreneurship, and they were really getting started with launching their entrepreneurship careers and figuring things out. So if you want to kind of hear where they started and what that was about, so you can compare their journey today, go check out that episode, episode 221, I will link it in the episode show notes. And then I also had Imani back on the podcast, most recently in November of 2024, Episode 401, where she was giving updates about her financial journey. So she was over my house. We were just, you know, she was being auntie and hanging out with the kids, and we started talking about money, and I wanted to have, like, this kind of conversation with her. So I said, Why not record it? And so she shared some really, I think, relatable updates back on that episode. And so now this conversation, I was happy to do because Mandy approached me, and you'll hear it in the tee up that she does, but she approached me and wanted me back on her show, because I've been on the show a couple times. She says she's been on this show before. And she was like, You know what, let's bring your sisters on, because she met them at my book launch party and has been around them a little bit. And so I was like, yes, because anytime that I can share the spotlight and put my sisters and my family on, I'm gonna do that. And so I was really just excited for her audience to get to know them, and then hopefully you guys to get to know them a bit more, because they are truly, truly talented. And so I hope you enjoy this episode. All right, let's get into it. If you want the episode show notes for this episode, go to journey to launch.com or click the description of wherever you're listening to this episode. In the show notes, you'll get the transcribed version of the conversation, the links that we mentioned, and so much more also, whether you are an OG journeyer or brand new to the podcast, I've created a free jump start guide to help you on your financial freedom journey. It includes the top episodes to listen to, stages to go through to reach financial freedom resources and so much more. You can go to journey, to launch.com/jump start to get your guide right now. Okay, let's hop into the episode.

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 4:09

Hey, ba, fam, it's your girl, Mandy bunny. Welcome back to another episode of the show. This is a special one. This is one that's probably been a couple of years in the making, at least a year in the making, ever since the day that I realized Jamila Souffrant, friend of the show, host of the journey to launch podcast, author of your journey to financial freedom book, that she is just one of three incredible powerhouse sisters. And I was like, I have to get you and your sisters on brown ambition. We have to talk about this sisterhood. We have to talk about y'all journey as sisters, as entrepreneurs, as all the things. And she said, Yes. They all said yes. And we made it work. All three of the sisters showed up. We have Jamila Souffrant, of course. We also have her little sister, Shayna McGregor, and. And the third sister, Ivani Manning, each of these women is carving out their own incredible path, and together, they are redefining what resilience, entrepreneurship and family support look like. Jamila, who is the big sister of the trio, is a financial freedom expert, as I mentioned, she's the author of your journey to financial freedom. She's inspired people everywhere to dream bigger than their cubicle and take control of their money. While Shayna is the creative genius. She's a professional dancer who's turned wellness coach and is now building her brand inward space while pursuing her master's in social work. And Imani, listen, it's hard because we don't have smell. O vision. I can't put you back at the event where Jamila had her book launch, where I tasted imani's food for the first time, but it's so good. IMANI is a culinary Queen who's serving up gourmet meals for kids while running her own catering business. We're going to talk about their journeys, how they've overcome challenges, how they've embraced pivots and supported each other along the way, from financial wins to career shifts and lessons and giving yourself grace, this conversation is packed with wisdom that you don't want to miss. So grab your coffee glass of wine, grab a basket of laundry, whatever y'all do on your own time when you listen to the show, that's your business, not my business, okay, but let's dive on in.

Hey, hey, VA, fam. I am your host. Mandy Woodruff Santos, welcome back to the brown table at Brown ambition. I am thrilled to get these ladies back together. I feel like I have brought back like Destiny's Child, you know, like, in a way, like three powerful women who started off together, grew up together and have launched their own successful careers. And Jamila, you sort of started it all. So I'll introduce you first, or you know her because she has been a multi time guest on brown ambition. We love Jamila, author of Journey to launch, also the same name of her podcast, which she's been doing since 2017

Jamila Souffrant 7:10

wait so Mandy, the the book is your journey to financial freedom, and the podcast is journey to launch. I know. Why

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 7:17

did you do that? Why didn't you just more like your fault than my fault, is what I feel like. But okay, right

Jamila Souffrant 7:26

behind me to

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 7:28

financial freedom, and this is true, but I can only see a little corner, okay, okay, all right, I took a risk and I failed. It's fine. VA family loves it. All right. Your journey to financial freedom, which has been out for you. Just had your year celebration, right? Your year anniversary in December. Yeah, yes, a little bit over a year now. Yeah, she got a toddler book. But I know how hard you worked on that, and I'm so proud of you. But journey to launch the podcast where you talk about how to find your financial freedom and how to, yeah, you talk about your your guac. Was it your guac budget, guac levels, your guac level? Like you want to live? Yep, it's such a great book. Like, if you are someone who, like, maybe you even have a base level of financial knowledge, but you want to retire early, you want to figure out how to find your own financial freedom. Love that book. But it wasn't until your book launch that I put the connections together that Shayna McGregor is your sister. Shayna and I had met at a separate event, but that's when I started to see, like, these are not just like, oh, this is my little sister. You were the MC for the book launch. You did a fantastic job. I was like, is she also famous? Like I don't understand. Then I started talking to you about your background. You come from a dance background, a life coach. You have a life you had a life coach practice. I'm going to get an update now, because I know in this original interview that y'all did together on Jamila podcast, we talked about launching that you had just started, and I'm excited to get the lowdown on that. And then at the same event, you just can smell like the this, like, I mean, it's not a huge venue, but like, you can look straight to the back and I just see this gorgeous spread of food. And this is not a crudite. This ain't like some ranch dip and a chip and some cucumber slices. This was delicious. You had some seafood there. There was all. I like my proteins, the most amazing food. And then I'm like, Who made this food? Jamila. Just casually says, Oh, my sister, Imani. She's just like, I don't know a Michelin award winning chef.

Unknown Speaker 9:40

Yes, no, keep it. I love that. And then I didn't have

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 9:47

as much time to talk to you, but I just left that event thinking like, Well, damn, these three women from the same family are all incredible in their own right. And that's when I started to think about having on the show. But for whatever. A reason. It took me this long to finally make it happen. But welcome the what do I call you? What's your family name? Do you have a family name? What's y'all like? We

Jamila Souffrant 10:08

want to hyphenate it. I mean, we can, we can go through our family tree a bit, but you can just, I don't know, what do you want?

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 10:15

I know things can get messy. Okay, I got some hair that are no longer steps like it's fine.

Imani Manning 10:24

Let's hear the made up name that you came up with. You look like you have one. Who Mandy. Mandy. Mandy. Look like she had one. Yeah, she looked like she had one in the but she just don't want to say it. Let's see what

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 10:37

would the band be called? The band has got to have three in it. The triple threat, the triple threat. Sisters, triple threats. Yeah, I like that. All right. Jamila, I want to start with you. Tell me the story of your journey to financial freedom and building your podcast. And when did you, like, suck your sisters into this life of entrepreneurship? Where? How has that been? Because my siblings don't listen to me at all. So I'm just, well,

Jamila Souffrant 11:08

you know, they listen when? Yeah, no. So okay, I think we should go first to the family tree, and then we'll quickly go to, like, my backstory, because I do want to highlight them and all the amazing things they're doing. But and so let's see. Shayna and I share the same mom. That's how we're sisters. And so it's just the two of us for my mom. Then Imani and I share the same dad. And it's so funny because Imani, I was, you know, I always forget how many siblings we know of.

Unknown Speaker 11:37

So I was right. You got 23andme that's a

Jamila Souffrant 11:41

perfect so, Imani and I have the same dad and but all of us together, there's seven of us that we know of that share the same dad, and so that's kind of like how we're all siblings, and then the way we work as a family, though, Imani and Shaina just their siblings, just like, you know, that's how we work as a family. So they're sisters too, and I'm the second oldest of my dad in general. I'm just the biggest sister. I'm the big sister to everyone.

Unknown Speaker 12:06

Okay,

Jamila Souffrant 12:09

now, yeah, I'm big sis. You know, I was born on the beautiful island of Jamaica, and I came here to the United States, to New York, specifically, when I was just under two years old. And so ultimately, I think what was amazing about growing up and kind of having the Jamaican background and root is that because my father, if you didn't figure out yet, was Jamaican and he was in Jamaica. Most of my siblings from Him were all in Jamaica, and so I used to go back every summer and spend summers there. And that's how I met my siblings. And luckily, even though my father wasn't that involved in my life, my mom and his family were very close, so she would be able to send me, and that's kind of how I got this connection with my father's side of the family and my siblings, where it really feels like we grew up together, because I saw them every summer, like I was the big sister who was in America that came down and all this stuff, and then Shay and I, of course, We were just in New York together with my mom, but ultimately, I've I was always like, independent. Wanted to live life on my own terms. And then, you know, life happens where you realize you need to work to get money. And as a true Jamaican, I started working from the age of 14, and have been working ever since, and did all the right things. Went to college, bought a condo when I was pretty young, right out of college, got a full time job, but ultimately, I know that's not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I wanted freedom, and it wasn't until my early 30s that I said to myself on this long commute to work, to this cubicle that I did not enjoy or love. I needed something different, and it prompted me to search for ways to quit my job find financial freedom, and I found podcasts, blogs talking about financial independence. Was like, How can I get on that train? How can I learn more? And I started to learn over the years. Eventually started my own blog and podcast journey to launch, where I was documenting how I was going to quit my job and retire early, which eventually led to me quitting my job early writing a book that hopefully is helping people do the same. Think about their life bigger than the car and the cubicle, about what they really want. And that's kind of like where I am today. And then with my sisters, they can tell you about their journey, but honestly, I think they've always also been entrepreneurs at heart and free spirits, so it doesn't surprise me that they're in the fields that they're in.

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 14:24

I love it. Can y'all tell me as as Jamila is telling her story, because y'all are little sisters. What was it like and y'all have such different perspectives? Imani, you're watching this happen from Jamila. Shayna, you're here next to her. What was your impression like? Were you like, I don't know what's going on with Jamila. Like, she done, quit her job. I don't know what's going on. Were you worried? Was it like, oh, yeah, I always knew. What was that like for y'all,

Shaina McGregor 14:48

I'll hop in. I think I growing up, Jamila and I have a age gap that's over 10 years now. I feel like we were best of buds for growing up. She was like, Who is this little girl in that. I'm trying to live my best life. So I feel like growing up, she was always, I'm gonna to her over in a little bit, but she was always like a role model to me. I saw her as this really cool older sister that was just doing incredible things. I wasn't surprised before her job, because she told us she followed. She was like, starting to fall asleep on a wheel while she was pregnant, and we were like, Okay, I think some changes need to be like, your safety is gonna happen. That's why it shouldn't happen. But, you know, our family was always money conscious, so I feel like the reason why people like you listen to your older sister. I mean, granted, she went to college, graduated and bought a video. Yes, I'm listening. Wait, what did she do? And how could I do exactly that Brendan, she took the corporate route. I took the very creative route, strikingly different, but there was something that she did that worked, and I think for Jamila that a lot of us use in different ways, as a discipline. And I feel like that discipline and motivation can take you anywhere, and I saw that she was so focused, and it also saw that she was willing to take risk. It's not easy to have a really cushioning corporate job and then decide to leave because you are excited about something and you're you're allowing yourself to pivot. So I think I saw that, and I've been able to take parts of that in my own journey of being able to take risks, but also knowing when to be patient and to delay gratification, and then also knowing when it's time to pivot. And I've taken pieces of those into my own journey as well.

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 16:37

What about you? Imani, yeah, thanks for sharing that. Shayna, yeah. I mean,

Imani Manning 16:41

I think, I think me and Shaina, we have the same view, but just from a different angle, like and even being in Jamaica, I think it was probably 10 times more exciting as Shaina, because you in Jamaica, you're growing up in the country, and yes, your sister, and at the time, she was doing that gymnastic stuff, so she will flip for us. And we would think it was cool, yeah, we think it was a

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 17:06

one of those kids who was like, and now welcome to the Jamila show.

Jamila Souffrant 17:13

Yeah, I did gymnastics so when I was younger. So when I go to Jamaica, they like do a cartwheel.

Imani Manning 17:22

So So, yeah, I would say, like, from then it was much more like, it was like, star quality, like, you know what? Yeah, even one time I wanted to cartwheel to us, like, I'm gonna do some cartwheel too. So I think she have always, like, I don't think sometimes she purposely knowing that she's setting the tone for everybody. But it comes so unnatural. So it's so easy. As Shaina said, like, why wouldn't you listen? Why would not not take a ounce of advice? And it's like, it's right in front of me. So she's always been there, like, it's not new. It's, I don't think it's new to us. Now,

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 17:59

that's so nice to hear. I mean, so I guess y'all don't have that jealous sibling bone like I did, because I was an older sister and my little brother was always nipping at my heels. And I'm like, No, I'm gonna do that. There's a bit of, like, competitiveness, but, you know, I've worked through that in therapy. I'm glad that you guys are really happy for your sis. But Imani, Shayna, y'all developed like Shayna, your career in dance, it didn't go the way that you planned. I mean, you were like a real dancer, professional dancer. You thought you would like work for a company, potentially Alvin Ailey or something like that. So, but the last time y'all spoke, you were like you had made peace with that, and you had seen what this new chapter could hold for you. So what did that at the time? A few years ago, you were launching your life coaching business and maybe some other side hustles, I'm not sure, but can you catch us up?

Shaina McGregor 18:52

Yes, buddy, I'm still dancing. So I think right now, I just really talk it up too, and I talk to people about how exciting it is to be multi passionate and that it's okay to go after these different parts of ourselves, and you don't have to put yourself in a box. You may not do the thing the way you thought you were going to do it, and every season, you're not going to do everything 100% but there's ways to enforce everything. So this past weekend, I actually flew to Detroit with Ali to teach with the Ailey experience, and I was a teacher. So Ailey has a lot of different parts to it. When you think of Ailey, everyone immediately thinks of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, which is the company. But there's also the Ailey extension, which Mr. Ailey always believed that dance is for the people and should be brought back to the people. So they have parts of the organization that's really heavy in teaching and education. So I would say that I both dance and I do the wellness part, which wellness is inclusive and somatic and dance in terms of dance I've been performing. So I decided to really base around project based work and do projects that speak to me, so it's not as full time as a company that. I'm going to be with all the time, but if there are projects that I can perform with throughout the year, then I'll do that. Along with that, I've been teaching and choreographing a bit more. So the teaching side is what brought me to Detroit with the ailing experience. And I also have shows that are premiering this weekend, because I've been choreographing on the extension dances for the last eight weeks, and that has been very exciting, like when I my younger self, I wanted to dance and I wanted to tour, and now I'm touring as an instructor, so you just don't know what that could look like when you're younger, and then I'm still doing the coaching. I've just I've given it a name, and I've called My wellness community and brand inward space, and it's just really designed to help people slow down, reconnect with themselves and to live lives of joy and intention. But along with that, I decided to go back to school, so I'm getting my Masters of Social Work, because I wanted to add therapy to my services as well. Alongside coaching, I think coaching is absolutely wonderful, and there's a space for therapy and coaching. So the power of the pivot and allowing yourself to expand. There's been a lot of shifts since the last episode. I listened to it right before this, and I was

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 21:07

like, what did you think? Were you like, oh, man, she didn't even know.

Shaina McGregor 21:14

I was proud of myself. And I think I've done so much work to not only think about the points where I didn't do enough, but also to look at something and be like, Wow, look at that version of myself. I'm so proud. She was so ambitious, so hungry. I mean, she was talking about being a millionaire by 30.

What I thought about is that we don't always know how to different versions of ourselves meet up to what we're doing now. And I think every chapter of my 20s has prepared me for this version in my late 20s, as doing all the things that I'm really excited about, but I needed to go through all of those inversions. So when people see me speak now, they're like, Wow, how is it to show up in this way? Is because I was a fitness instructor for so many years. I'm a dance teacher, I'm a choreographer, I'm a I did my first panel last week or two, a couple weeks ago on a woman and wellness panel, all of those versions of me were able to make me stand in the place I am now. So I was very excited and proud of myself watching that back. Yeah, and

Jamila Souffrant 22:20

I start Mandy, I just have to step in, because I just want to big up and highlight some of Shayna accomplishments. If you listen to the first or my on my podcast, you know this, but just in case, this is your first time. So Shayna went to the famed LaGuardia High School. I mean, this is like a big

Unknown Speaker 22:37

deal, like Nicki Minaj right

Jamila Souffrant 22:41

audition to get in, it's fame, right? The musical, or the show, was based on that high school, but then she went to Fordham through and for college and the Alvin Ailey program, right? That's where you, you graduated from. So, yeah, Andy

Unknown Speaker 22:55

Ford and BFA program, yeah,

Jamila Souffrant 22:57

yes. And she, she mentioned she does this work with Ali, but she was also mentioned in New York Times recently, right for yes, one of my students,

Shaina McGregor 23:09

they were doing like a day a day in the life. And once people take my class, I teach twice a week at the Ailey extension. I teach contemporary classes. And I will say, once people take my class, once they're hooked, because it's not just about movement, it's about the space I create. And I think we all need a space to unwind, to feel and dance. It's such an incredible place to do that. And as we get older, we create so much more shame around our bodies, about trying new things, around being around people who maybe are strangers. So I try to create a safe space in my classes for people to just explore and express themselves. See,

Jamila Souffrant 23:43

yeah, I just want to make sure we said that yes, proud, big

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 23:47

says energy. This is why we listen to her. Yeah? Because yeah. I mean, that's so I do know that sibling relationships. I'm fortunate to have two siblings that I am super close with a younger brother and an older sister, and I think all the time how lucky we are, and not that we didn't work for it, because I think we had, over the course of our childhoods and early like, we had so many opportunities to just be like, now I'm gonna go like, figure myself out other places, but we came back to each other again and again, and we've been through so much, and there's just nothing like a sibling. Like you really see someone through so many stages of life, and then you get to see that and like, you know what little baby Shana look like? Probably because you were, like, 10 when she was born. You're like, Girl, I used to wipe your butt, and now you're out here.

Jamila Souffrant 24:37

Fun fact, I never changed a diaper. I literally was that big sister, like, Who is this? A little kid?

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 24:48

Man, the way I make my five year old fetch me diapers and wipes all he's not actually doing it, but I will make him. I will see how long I can sit on the couch without moving how many Aaron runs for me, I love it, just the good vibes. Um, okay, so Imani, your food. Have I mentioned how delicious it is, and I only had that one experience, but I am that kind of person. Food holds a lot of memory for me, and I believe, like at my wedding, I wanted the food to be so delicious, and to this day, they still talk about my wedding, but the food, I think that's why they remember it the same way I remember your book event so vividly. I think the food is tied to that. So can you just to, like, give you your flowers? Can you talk about your journey? Because it's not easy to make a career out of cooking, especially when you are wanting to move to a different country. So catch me up on what the past few years have been like for you, building this career, um,

Imani Manning 25:42

the past few years. So now I I work in the educational system where I still cook, but I get to, you know, acknowledge and be around kids. And that's something that I've always wanted to do. Like, how can I, like, pair food with being around kids, and I feel like I got locked up, and I'm in a great job right now that where we give kids like restaurant style, quality food. And you know, kids will give us your their most honest opinion. A kid won't lie to you about a food. And I will tell you that feeding kids might be a little bit harder than adults. It is,

Unknown Speaker 26:27

oh yeah, for sure,

Imani Manning 26:30

yeah. And I see and I feel like it helps you to it helps you grow in a way which people be like, sometimes it's hard to understand. But a kid, you could make a dish and feel like you don't did your best, and the kid would look at you and be like, Chef harmony, be saying it like, what? But then you realize that kids, I feel like kids, hold you to a higher accountability than grows. So if you give them a quality food Monday, they want it. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, there is no excuse, because they don't know the dynamic of the kitchen. So you giving them excuse is like, yeah, they not trying to hear that. So I feel like I kind of locked up on pairing something that I really like, which is cooking. And I've always had a love for kids, but didn't want to be a teacher, so now I'm kind of, I feel like I'm just in a good spot with it. So

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 27:31

yeah, that is such a green flag for a human when they say they love kids like because, of course, they're the best. And also I was,

Imani Manning 27:38

I mean, I mean, not to cut you. You could say that a lot when you don't have kids to your own. So I think that's why, yeah, oh no,

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 27:46

I have them, and I still like them, shockingly enough. So wait, talk about because my friend worked for a nonprofit. What was something about a rabbit or something in New York, and it was gourmet lunches for schools. Is that similar to what you're

Imani Manning 28:01

doing now? Yes, similar.

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 28:04

So how does that work? Because, like, I'm just talking about, I had the square pizza when I was growing up. You had your fruit cocktail, dry hamburgers, like that was my vibe. But

Imani Manning 28:15

I think, I think what our main goal is is just trying to have kids understand food a little bit more, because I feel like when you understand food, you tend to eat better, like most kids you you have kids that are shockingly like, they don't know what a broccoli is. So you, you're, you're feeding and teaching at the same time, and then, like kids, like my cafeteria sometimes, like a kid would be like, chef, I don't want veggies, and I'll be like, hey, try it. It make you see better, for real. And they go eat it. Oh, it make your hair grow, like, stuff like that. Just, like, just educate on them about, like, certain stuff. It is, like a good feeling while doing the same quality of cooking that I enjoy to do, like the level of cooking is not dropping, but I get to dabble in a little different environment, which is

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 29:10

pretty cool customers every day. So do you work at one school? Or do you serve many

Imani Manning 29:14

schools? So yes, so now I serve like three schools, so three outside schools, and then on in house schools. So, like, even yesterday, their menu was, I think they had teriyaki chicken, garlic rice and spicy broccoli. Like those are the stuff that the kids they get on their menu. So,

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 29:36

yeah, deliver to work, from home moms

Jamila Souffrant 29:40

at all, right, and to my kids school so they can no

Imani Manning 29:43

that might be a business venture. You know, Jamila

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 29:46

food made for your family for a minute when you're

Jamila Souffrant 29:50

working on my book. A couple years ago, we did hot we had someone who would just bake us or make us the bulk meals for the week. But I want our money to also share, so I know you do that. That. Took your main thing, but you also still lose. And I

Imani Manning 30:02

still do, yeah, I still do my catering on the side. And as Shana was saying, like with me, like I've grabbed myself that space to feel like balancing both working and just the two. I work for a black owned company. So what I do is I look at the company that I work at and like, you know, put pointers towards my own business, because I am a black owned business too, while working for a black owned business. So, you know, it helps to balance out both gigs. Like, I have a catering coming up for like 200 people. So, you know, I do little on and off, here and there, and it still keeps me in tune with my dishes, because I'm not changing the quality of cooking. So from gourmet right into Gourmet,

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 30:52

and correct me if I'm wrong, but like in restaurant business, because I've watched the bear, so like, I'm an expert now, and you work so late, like, you're there from like, 4pm and you'll be there, like, maybe even earlier, but like, super late. So does the school environment give you better hours? Like, are you able to

Imani Manning 31:08

I mean, so that was part of the reason why I took my job. It was so the job still allows me to find time, to not neglect my business, but still learning more stuff at the same time. So it's a win win situation. You're making an income, and I'm learning and it's fine tuning me for my side gig. So that was honestly one of the main reason why I took the job working there. Of the hours,

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 31:36

I love that, and I mean for you too, Shaina and Jamila, like just to acknowledge that. I mean, there has been times in the past year when I've been like, should I be on LinkedIn looking for one of these good like 95 because I'm talking about stability is, I mean, even though no job, I don't believe any job is stable, they can all obviously, what we're going through right now, even the government, ain't good government jobs anymore, but I think that's so wise, and you're right. I think if we just have realistic pictures of what entrepreneurship can look like in this country, we need more of that, right? Jamila, like,

Jamila Souffrant 32:12

Yeah, listen, I'm with you. Mandy, I mean, I feel like for me, I love my freedom and flexibility, my goal. You know, I never thought that I want, I never wanted to take over the world with journey to launch or my business. It's not that I didn't have big aspirations, because you guys who know me know I I dream big and I want things, but I think from the stage and place I am in my life, especially my kids, ages like I'm happy with where I am, but more stability would be great, right? And being an entrepreneur, you just don't know when things are coming in, and it's a lot of eat, what you kill, and there's no boss. So even though I hated having a boss and hated someone telling me what to do, sometimes when someone told you what to do, it alleviated the responsibility of having to figure things out. And so I would say why I love being an entrepreneur, and I do think that it's a great vehicle to have the time freedom that we want. It adds a lot more pressure and stress when you need income to kind of live the life you want, live the guac lifestyle that I talk about. Because, you know, if I didn't want to maybe spend as much money, I could just chill and be okay. But I do want to do certain things with my kids and live this life, and so income is a requirement. And I think one of the things that I have, you know, grown to just accept over time, is that no matter where you are, whether you're listening to this or watching and you're an entrepreneur or you have a stable job, the other side always looks a little appealing for the benefits of the other side. But then when you're on the other side, you're looking at it like, dang, I kind of want that too. And so I love especially for Armani, which is why I'm so proud of her, too, for finding the stability. Because for so long she didn't have like, she didn't have like, a stable she can get benefits. And stability is that she's able to have that and have time to pursue her entrepreneurial things where and Shayna, same thing. I know she's working towards more civility, but she's also still able to pursue her, you know, passions and all the things that she can do. So I just, I think talking about entrepreneurship and being real about it is important, because it's not just all, you know, free time and doing nothing like there is a lot that goes into it that people need to be aware of before they make the leap 100%

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 34:23

my little brother actually is a filmmaker, and he works nine to five as Head of Sales for AI software company. And he always jokes with me where he's like, Yeah, Mandy, I just did what you did, but I decided I wanted to, like, have a house, and more like, I wanted to be able to afford things where I sort of had that starving artist mentality as I was a writer, journalist, and then I did have a stable career, but then I when I went entrepreneur, I was like, All right, let's go

Shaina McGregor 34:49

stop even using that. I was like, Okay, I don't want to call myself a starving artist, but that means that sometimes you have to make choices, and this is one of the biggest choices where I decided to go back to school. Yeah. I was like, I want more stability as I overthink and think about my 30s and the life I want to live, the freedom, the flexibility, maybe I do want to have a stable job along with everything else, or just build more of a career for myself so that I can do the things that I want to do. And that's what really propelled me to go back to school, also to see dance more than just performing, but to bringing the teaching and the choreographing, which can give you more opportunities and more money. I remember, I choreographed for the early school last summer, and when they sent me the check, I was like, Oh, okay. Like, so choreographing is where it's at. Got it, so I think it's giving yourself opportunity and permission to expand. And my younger self was like, I'm not a choreographer, and I think we put ourselves in boxes so easily, because we think if I do that, then I'm no longer this. And what if we could do this and that? Yeah. So I think it was giving myself opportunity to go back to school. When I tell people that they're like, Oh, you're MFA, and I'm like, No, I'm getting my master's in social work, and that does mean that for these next two years, things look a little different, but once I graduate, I already know, okay, this is the career path that I have for myself. I am in grad school full time, I'm at an unpaid internship, so I know that things are going to look a little different during this time period, but it's just this season, and I'm setting myself up so that this next season brings the stability, but I have the flexibility now to do all the different things that by the time I graduate, I have my wellness community set up, so maybe that becomes my private practice. And I already have these people who are following me in this way, who, once I open up this thing, are ready to go. So it's like the different building blocks, yeah,

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 36:42

right. Studying it with no experience, doing it exactly.

Shaina McGregor 36:46

It's funny. You bring that up. I think I recently did a panel and we spoke about imposter syndrome. And I think so many of us, you hear this phrase again and again and again, and you start to use it over your life. Oh, I have imposter syndrome. And I'm like, you don't have imposter syndrome. You're just experiencing self doubt. You may be nervous, you may be anxious, but you're not a fraud. Like imposter syndrome literally implies that you are a fraud. The more you tell yourself that, the more you minimize yourself and you don't even believe that you're worthy of entering these rooms. And yes, when I got my life coaching certification, and I'm 24 years old, and I'm working with people in their 30s, 40s, 50s, you have to believe that you're worthy of being there and that I have something to share that they can benefit from. And it takes it does take confidence, but that's where the experience and education comes in, so that, yeah, I can sit with you. You may be 20 years my senior, but I truly believe that I have something to offer you. Same thing now in my internship where I am working as a case manager right now, but then my next year will be more clinical, and I may have clients in their 60s. I'm like, I know I can still speak to you, even though I might look like I'm 12, I'm not, and I trust myself and I know what I have to offer. I think as women that confidence is so important, because we take ourselves out of situations too often, and this administration is already trying to do that. We can't do that before they do.

Jamila Souffrant 38:09

Hey, journeyers, if you are loving this podcast, then you will love my book, Your journey to financial freedom, a step by step guide to achieving wealth and happiness. I wrote this book for you. This book is for you if you want a clear and enjoyable path to having more money, options and a rich life. This book is for you if you hate your commute and the fact that you need to seek approval or permission from a boss, I hated that when I worked. This book is for you. If you weren't born into wealth, you didn't marry rich or win the lottery, but you still want freedom. This book is for you. If you're at a crossroads, a major decision or event is imminent, maybe a career change, marriage, starting a family, pressures are reaching a tipping point, and the discomfort and the desire for more can no longer be ignored. And this book is for you. If you find yourself zoned out at meetings, looking out the window or daydreaming about the life you truly want. So go pick up your journey to financial freedom.com. So I can show you how to map out how to get from where you are today to where you ultimately want to be. And enjoy the journey while you're on the path, head over to your journey to financial freedom.com. To see where you can pick the book up. It's available on Amazon, bookshop.org. Barnes and Noble, your local bookstore everywhere go to your journey to financial freedom.com. To get the book now,

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 39:37

I'm really excited for you too. I feel like dance is so therapeutic. I'm not a trained dancer, but when I need to release something, I'll just, I will spin around this house. I will plea at, I don't play because I don't know what that is technically, I'll just play at, I'll do whatever like it just, and if you can, and it just makes, it makes perfect sense to me, you know. And you can use it with. Kids and all ages, and to have, like, a dance studio that ties in the mental health and, like, breath work. And I think that's really exciting, because we're

Shaina McGregor 40:10

so used to breathing so shallowly in our chest, and I try to get people to breathe more deeply into their diaphragms, and it makes

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 40:17

skinny on camera, you know, like, I don't want to. And

Shaina McGregor 40:22

I think the dance, I'm like, Oh, it's from dance. It's from how you carry yourself, how you you know, but the two mess so beautifully, yeah,

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 40:34

I think Imani and I both need, like, some trap massages, because I do the same thing. I'm like,

Shaina McGregor 40:40

I just think, I'm like, open up the shoulder blades. Take deep breath. This is

Imani Manning 40:43

the kitchen on my back right now. This is the kitchen like, you know,

Unknown Speaker 40:46

that's the weight of, like, 506 year

Imani Manning 40:49

olds on your back, probably no more, like 800 800

Unknown Speaker 40:54

and what are the ages you didn't mention?

Imani Manning 40:56

Um, from first, first kindergarten to do up the account that I'm on now, it goes up to, I think, sixth grade. Okay,

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 41:06

oh, yeah. Okay, yeah. Well, I want to get your take. Can you talk a bit about that and how you are, yeah, how you're approaching, like the vision you have for your life, and how it may be different.

Imani Manning 41:17

I mean, recently, what I've started doing that, I'm finding out it's working. I start giving myself grace. Like, you know, sometimes we we set like, time periods for our success, and if the time period run out, we just, ah, you're not successful. You're a loser. Like, I stopped doing that. Like, I start, like, just celebrating my very small wins, because then it just, it gives you that energy to be like, Alright, next win now, then the next win. Like, not because it's small doesn't mean it doesn't deserve a celebration. So I think I've been giving myself a lot of grace, and just like just every little celebration. Just take it one step at a time, and just know that, hey, even if you're in a moment right now where you feel like, because sometime, I think I was having this conversation with Jamila earlier, like I mentioned, like, sometimes people have, like, writer's block, I feel like sometimes it's okay, like, for me to have like, a little bit of entrepreneurship block. Doesn't mean that I still don't run this big restaurant or this, but sometimes I feel like we move faster than our brain is trying to align us to move. And if I'm moving faster than my brain, the plan is not gonna work out, because we're not on the same page. And I think now I'm just even if it doesn't look like a win to somebody on the outside, if I'm happy and I'm giving myself a round of app, I could have a party for myself with my celebration. And I know that, like, this is it? So I think when I started to do that, my clarity for what I really want got wider, it got clearer, like it's not a whole bunch. Because sometimes I feel like we got a whole bunch of jumbled dreams, and we're not following like that fact. So I feel like, since I took the step back, start giving myself some grace, it's getting clearer. Like I could be like, it's like, I'm seeing the one, then the two, then the three before, it was just like, all the numbers, but it wasn't in specific order. So now I am, I'm just trying to and again, watching some machine and stuff, watching that inward space, though it's like, and I think that's something that you if you have to give yourself grace, like I've been cooking strongly for probably over a good 27 years, and within my career, I never start

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 43:47

being like seven years old. All of you guys are like 25 Thank you. That's

Imani Manning 43:52

a nice compliment. I didn't I didn't think I'll start like reaping and seeing the rewards that I deserve until probably, like a good 15 years. Imagine how long I've been cooking, putting my all in. It really takes like you any go back to saying like, just finding something that you naturally love to do. Like, yes, I want money to pay my bills. Yes, I want to do this, but do I actually love being in the kitchen? Yes. So when I have these moments and stuff is not going good or money is it doesn't stop me from wanting to be that same bright visionary in the kitchen, because I'm not really leading with money. Even though that's what I want, I'm not leading with it. I got to the point where I literally start listening to my body. I never did. So if my mind is telling me, hey, Imani, slow down. Don't take that catering. I won't take it. And I have to because and I won't feel bad about it. And I feel like. So the fact that I'm in the position to decline a catering that's a win, because I'm not saying like it, you know, it's not rich, or we're not at the final going where we want to be. But I've been learning to be okay with just Yeah, pausing, like, just pause.

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 45:22

What was it like? Well, I want to, yeah, a little breath work. Now I'm just, I'm really curious, because your life experience is so different to your sisters a bit because, you know, you grew up mostly in Jamaica. You've been here for how long? You said, 10

Imani Manning 45:35

years? Yeah, probably sometime I'll be getting, I was

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 45:39

telling her before y'all got on that, she chose the wrong 10 years. But hey, if you want some of this, I'm curious with this conversation about immigration, all of that, like, how, what is it like for you coming here and building in life? Did you already have some like, status here? Have you had to build?

Imani Manning 45:55

I mean, the good, the good thing about this, which a lot of people don't know, like my story is like the opposite of Jamila. So I was born in New York, and I was raised in Jamaica. So I lived in Jamaica for years with Social Security. I had that in Jamaica, but I just didn't, I didn't came back to America until I probably was like, 19, like, somewhere around that age. So I already, I was a citizen. It was easier for me to travel, so thank God I didn't have to go through that part. Yes, interesting.

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 46:31

Okay, and now Jamila, that story you tell about your mom and she had to move here without you, and then, yes, went back and got you. Yeah.

Jamila Souffrant 46:39

I mean, so my mom, she my my grandfather at the at the time, he's passed away since, but he had only filed for her. Didn't know I was even around. That's how involved he was in her life. And when he came to tell him, then he was like, oh, like, Who's this baby? Because I only have papers for you to go to the States. And so she did have to make a really difficult choice. But not unlike many parents and people do make and have made to get their families here, like they leave family behind. And so she left me as a baby with my grandmother. And then things were simpler back then, and apparently easier, quote, unquote, you know, like things were faster to get so, you know, they quickly filed for me, and then, I don't know, I forgot how long it took, but a few months later, maybe it was like 12 months I was I got my papers, I was able to come up with my grandmother and my uncle to the states to be reunited with my mom. And, you know, I feel very privileged. I think that's one of the things. So we have other siblings, Imani and I, through our dad, that we're not privileged to have been born in the United States. And I say that because it did provide a lot more opportunities, whether it was me being able to have citizenship so early, or Imani being born with citizenship. You know, I have a lot of all my all my siblings are talented. I believe, I think they're amazing, and they are doing great within their own right. But I also know that, you know, there's just, there's opportunity here, and if they were able to come here, they could probably, you know, expand and have more security. And so I never take that for granted. It's actually something that I was, I was aware of growing up, that I did have siblings in Jamaica, and I did feel a responsibility.

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 48:21

Yeah, it's really beautiful. That's some big CIS energy right there. I wanted to ask about, just to clarify something, and just like to underline this point, right now we are at a stage where the government wants to end birthright citizenship. So Imani, like, if it had been now when you were born here, like, I mean, it's not officially like a policy change, but it's crazy to think someone as talented as you might have been withheld from having that opportunity if things were a bit different.

Imani Manning 48:52

And you know what's crazy is just say, if it were to happen, I think I have the mentality that I have now is Imma be great, regardless of here I'm at Jamaica America, that's just how I look at it now. And I mean, I am grateful that I had the opportunity to just buy a ticket and come to America. A lot of people don't have that so. But I mean, as I said, the mentality that I have now, it could be Jamaica, wherever I'm still gonna be that shining star Imani, like, it doesn't matter,

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 49:30

yes, then that goes for it. We gotta, I feel like we're at a time now where America's losing and shine. And I'm like, good, humble her. Humble her. I want every other we need other countries like to to there are so many shining stars, obviously, outside of here, and I'm just glad we're lucky to have you. But I would come find you. If you were like, I'm going to Paris, I'd be like, cool. I will be coming, and I'll go to your restaurant or wherever. So let's talk about money for a sec, because Jamila, when you had them on a. Originally y'all had been talking about, I think Roth IRAs y'all had opened, Shayna was trying to get in. You know, start investing, if you don't mind. What do you think? How do you think we should do it? Jamila, just like, what kind of financial update do we need? So

Jamila Souffrant 50:14

I think it'd be maybe just a quick, quick background. You kind of said a lot, but I want to maybe talk about, just as you know, Mandy, you talk about money, you have friends, real friends and family in real life, right? Who maybe listen, maybe don't listen to your stuff, but and other people who don't know you at all, and then, like, listen and take your advice. And while I do think they take my advice, I still think they're, you know, they have their own priorities and things that they want to do. And so I feel like, for the longest, I was telling them, like, invest like, I don't care how little it is open a Roth IRA, especially because of both of them at that time, were even, I think, had less stability with income. And so I knew that it wasn't going to be easy, but I felt like, Okay, you could do something, right? And so I was just just inspiring them, hopefully, to do that. And so I think at that last episode, they started to, or what, like, they had started to do that. And, you know, I continue to tell them, but I try not to give too big sis energy where, like, I am making it seem like they're failing if they don't. But I am like you, if you have a question, you can always call me. And I remember the one time Imani like she did, she had put money into her Roth IRA, and then she did look at it like, forgot all about it. And then she looked at it, like, a year or two later, and she saw it, the value increased. And she was like, wait, you were right. I'm like, Yes, I was and I am. And she Imani was actually recently on my podcast, because we had a whole she came over, not about money. She was just hanging out with us and then, but money started to come up. And I asked her, you know, about her debt and credit card debt and her Roth IRA, and so I actually recorded that conversation. That's when she was on the podcast about her updates, because she did do some amazing things that she can share, and I'm sure Shannon can share about following through with their financial goals. Because even though I know that there's a little bit of instability, and they're still working on it, especially Shayna, establishing themselves with their career, is that this is, they're still fairly young, and time is of the essence. And so when they are a little bit older, I want them to know like this is, you know, you set yourself up to have even more stability for your future self. And so let's not, let's not just like, let that time squander away. Let's, you know, do the right things to put you in a great place in the future.

Unknown Speaker 52:31

Yes, ma'am,

Jamila Souffrant 52:34

so Imani, do you want to talk about what you did, like, with your finances, that you feel proud of in the journey you can go

Imani Manning 52:40

next? Yeah, I think when we was on the podcast, you know, we were talking, and I went ahead and I cleared my whole entire credit card bill, like just one time and again. Let's, let's, let's point this out. The fact that I am in a position to do that is a celebration moment. Let's, let's celebrate that. And I think I should have called you and give you the update. Jamila, but yeah, the credit score went

Unknown Speaker 53:12

how many points? It was probably like 50 points,

Imani Manning 53:14

right? No, I think I went up. No, I think it was like I went up like 62 points or something like that. Yeah, that will do it.

Unknown Speaker 53:23

Do you mind saying how much you paid off?

Imani Manning 53:26

Yeah, it was $5,400

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 53:31

girl, that is not even that much. I thought you like 57 America, listen, credit

Imani Manning 53:36

card debt for me, yes, for me, 5000 on a credit card. Yes. I mean, when you have a sister like Jamila, like, over budget too, that's over budget,

Jamila Souffrant 53:50

especially when she had the money, I have a friend who actually also took my advice and actually paid off her credit card, like they have the money because, yeah, but they just don't want they're like, I screw the credit card company like they think that they're doing something to the credit card company by

Unknown Speaker 54:04

not paying. No, I just didn't want to let go like that.

Jamila Souffrant 54:06

I get that. I get that you want to hold on to the cash. You never know, right? But she had enough to where she still had a buffer. So I said, you know, it's better you paid off. But yes, the fact that, like, she was able to do that in one setting just shows you, like, how much she built up herself financially and so proud of that.

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 54:24

Yes, yes. And I will just say, I hope that 5000 continues being way too much debt, because it you just I'm just so used to hearing like 1520, 35, you know, $50,000 credit card debt. And in this country, I just feel like it's so easy and like we're taking on so much more debt now, but kudos, I think

Imani Manning 54:47

for me, like, especially again, like having a sister, like Jamila, like, why I take, like, the financial advice very serious from her, right? And I tend I don't use nothing on my credit card that I don't have to pay right away. So if I can't pay it, I'm not spending it. And that's, that's how I treat my credit card like even though they keep secretly increasing the amount. I'm not paying attention to that I just pay, I just spend what I could pay back right away.

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 55:23

Yeah, amazing. All right, Shaina, you're the baby of the family. What you got going on? You said you're under 30. You're not 30 yet.

Shaina McGregor 55:31

No, I am 28 I turned 29 in August.

Unknown Speaker 55:36

You guys are so genetically gifted. I just It's insane. All right, but go ahead, which

Shaina McGregor 55:43

is insane. Listening to the episode when I said I was 24 and I was like, Yeah, I know. I think COVID really shift shifted our agents. Like, I don't even mid 20s, feels like a blurb because of COVID that like, I went in early, beginning. I left Lee, and I was like, Wait, it's on my earlier. Because of my discipline, I had savings saved up so that I was able to have a little bit of a buffer in this time period of not working as much. And I think that's why the discipline is so important one, because besides student loan debt, I don't have credit card debt, and I think I've been having more candid conversations with friends, and you would be surprised. Maybe you're right. People have a lot of credit card debt. So for me, even though I'm not in a period where I'm able to save and invest as much as I would like to without, I'm honest about that, I am really grateful that I don't have the debt because I'm able to manage my money in a way where I'm like, Okay, this is where I am now. And I realized at the end of the day, sometimes you could save and invest as much as you want. Is an income issue. So if you're able to increase that, then you're able to have a lot more of a gap to pay for things you want. So my biggest thing right now is don't live above your means. And then you talk to people on the inside and you realize, Wait, you have five six figure or four or five figure debt, and then you're like, wow, okay, we need to have more honest conversation, because this is really happening. Like you have to keep up with people, but it's better to live within your means. It means that you're not accumulating, yeah,

Jamila Souffrant 57:18

and I want to say too, like knowing the season of life you're in is so important, and it doesn't matter your age can play a factor. But meaning, yes, whether you're building in the building your career phase and investing in yourself, right, there are sometimes we're going to be investing in education, we are just going to be making it because there's other ways in which we're spending our time, energy and money outside of investing in a retirement account, right? And so I just feel like you can't measure your points of life that you're in with other people, when you have no clue of all inputs and factors that make their life their life, whether that they have kids, they're taking care of someone else in their family, you know, they're changing careers like their income. Income is obviously, like the driving factor to accomplishing a lot of the financial goals that we have. It's the thing, right? Obviously, expenses are important, but it's really income. So if you're in a low income season,

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 58:16

yeah, and I mean, I mean, sorry, not a money Shana, I feel like in that career path as a coach and therapist, like your life experiences and the fact that you've shown that you have you've done the things that you're going to encourage your clients to do. And I think that makes me a stronger coach, and I feel like it makes you a stronger coach. And right

Shaina McGregor 58:33

absolutely, you know that things are a give and take. If I wanted to go the corporate route, I would. I might have been in a different place right now, but would I have been awarded the flexibility and the joy and the different things that I have now? Who knows? So in knowing that there's so many different paths that you can take, or I could have stayed at that fitness job and probably continue to excel in it, but I had to check in with my gut and realize that I was no longer happy there, so I had to make a shift so sometimes you may be able to get the income you desire, but then when you lay your head, or you lay down, and now you realize, oh, but I'm not really fulfilled. And some people don't mind that, like that's why you have to check in with yourself. Some people say a job is a job. It pays a bill. It doesn't have to make me happy. That's fine. Some people don't operate like that. They just have to know what season you're in and what you prioritize?

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 59:22

Well, I wish I could just be a part of this sister circle for longer, but we gotta stop. We gotta end, but we gotta wrap up. I want to wrap up by first asking y'all Shayna, Imani, where can we find y'all, what Instagram handles you want to plug Imani, how are we going to book you for catering, even though you might say no, and we love that. For you,

Imani Manning 59:46

I want to go first. Um, you can find me. My Instagram handle is at yard. Chef, 45 um, the yard is just a shortening, and that's how we say Jamaica.

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 59:57

Chef, why is it yada? Chef, in my head, no,

Imani Manning 59:59

y'all. What is in like, instead of yard, as in y, a, r, d, it's a yawn, as in the pot, 1y, A, A, D, so it's y, A, A, D, C, H, E, F, underscore, 45

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 1:00:14

All right, we'll put that in the show notes. Perfect, perfect. And you want us to book for your DMS you don't have Yes, yes, yes, yes, directly

Shaina McGregor 1:00:21

to the DMS. So you can find me on Instagram and also on Tiktok at Shaina dot McGregor. So my first name.my, last name. You can also find my wellness community and brand inward space at inward dot space on Instagram. I also have a website, Shayna mcgregor.com, at the top of the year, I created a free breath work program. It's a seven day nervous system. We charge is seven days of pre recorded videos. So you can find that on my website, there's a little announcement bar at the top to sign up if, especially they're like 1850 minutes, so they're not long. And it's a wonderful way to get into introduced to my brand. So

Jamila Souffrant 1:01:00

my book your journey to financial freedom. You can buy it anywhere books are sold. You can also go to your journey to financial freedom. Com, I'm also doing something pretty cool that I think is cool. I created discussion guides around the book so you can start your own book club, whether it's by yourself, with family or friends. And these discussion guides give you prompts, takeaways really allow you to take what you're learning in the book and really encourage you to implement what you're learning. So you can go to journey to launch com slash book club to get more information about that. Or, again, you can go to your journey to financial freedom com, that's the direct book site. And then, of course, wherever you listen to this podcast, you can check out journey to launch podcast, and I'm on social media at journey to launch and at Jamila Souffrant,

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 1:01:49

the brands are strong, all right. Well, I'll make myself an honorary sister and y'all little. It'll be a qua it'll be we'll come up with a new band name.

Jamila Souffrant 1:01:59

It was for them at one point. That's, yeah, they started out as for who's

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 1:02:03

going to be the one that got kicked out? Like, I don't want to put that as usual. Well,

Jamila Souffrant 1:02:07

we all know who Beyonce is. I got the Beyonce

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 1:02:12

we don't know. Oh, oh, we do. Then there's Michelle and there's cuddly, because they're both, they're both equally.

Imani Manning 1:02:20

Fantastic. This is shoes. Why we gotta be our own, because then we Yeah, I mean, I'm just glad to be I'm just glad to be part of the group. I ain't go. I'm just here. You're Michelle.

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 1:02:37

Thank you. All right, thank you. Oh, you want to end with a deep breath? Okay?

Unknown Speaker 1:02:46

Yeah, my five

Unknown Speaker 1:02:48

year old is

Unknown Speaker 1:02:49

walking so, yeah, I need it.

Jamila Souffrant 1:02:53

I'm going to be kicking my kids up. He's coming with me. She's in my house recording this upstairs. We're going to pick the kids up. So we need some we need some peace before we get them. Oh, okay,

Shaina McGregor 1:03:03

everyone, just sit up tall. Ground your sit bones into your seat. Open up your collarbones, close your eyes down, and if you would like, place your hands over your stomach. You know, we just cultivated so much energy during this podcast episode, bringing ourselves, bringing our voices together. Take a deep inhale in, filling up your belly as if it was a balloon, pressing your belly button in towards your hands, and then a big exhale out. Let's take that two more times. Inhale in, allowing your belly to inflate, dropping your shoulder blades down as you exhale, pressing your belly button back towards your hands. Now this last one, feel your lips, inhale and exhale through your nose, inhale in and a big exhale out, we could put her eyes open.

Unknown Speaker 1:04:09

I'ma call you after this. All right, girl,

Unknown Speaker 1:04:12

we look, I look,

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 1:04:14

it's important. Oh, you got to go to her website and get the course 1815, minutes.

Shaina McGregor 1:04:21

So much stress in our bodies, it's so important to release. Yeah,

Mandi Woodruff-Santos 1:04:25

yeah. Chef Imani, what's going on back there? I want my legs. I want my I want my creme brulee and you'll, you'll, they'll be like, you'll be like, I'm sorry. I'm just centering myself. You little maniacs. Leave me alone. All right, y'all are amazing. Thank you, Jamila.

Jamila Souffrant 1:04:44

Don't forget, you can get the episode show notes for this episode by going to journey to launch.com or click the description of wherever you're listening to this and you can still grab your jumpstart guide for free to help you on your journey to financial freedom by going to journey to launch.com Slash jump start, if you want to support me and the podcast and love the free content and information that you get here. Here are four ways that you can support me in the show. One, make sure you're subscribed to the podcast wherever you listen, whether that's Apple podcast, that purple app on your phone, your Android device, YouTube, Spotify, wherever it is that you happen to listen, just subscribe so you are not missing an episode. And if you're happening to listen to this in Apple podcasts, rate review and subscribe there. I appreciate and read every single review. Number two, follow me on my social media accounts. I'm at journey to launch on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and I love, love, love interacting with journeyers. There three, support and check out the sponsors of this show. If you hear something that interests you, sponsors are the main ways we keep the podcast lights on here, so show them some love for supporting your girl. Four. And last but not least, share this episode, this podcast, with a friend or family member or co worker, so that we can spread the message of Journey to launch. All right, that's it until next week. Keep on journeying. Journeyers. You.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai