Moments That Define Us

Todya's epoiside is about money, but not just how to make money but how to help build better, healhier, happier world, planet, community with money we have. Today's guest is certified financial planer and money guru, Meera Shireem Meyer, whos mission is to help women build wealth , feel good about it and make a great impact. Meera is a first generation American, both parents immigrated to the United States from India. She shared many defining moments , growing up indian american, relationship she had with money and how she went from hating finances to building a business in the financial indistry. Meera is not a "dry money person", she bring humanity and community to the topics of money, finances and buiding wealth. This episode might be about money but there is soul in this conversation , there is education and there is an understanding that depending on how we look at money and what we can do with it, it doesnt always have to be evil and all of us can use money for good. To learn more about Meera and her business and book an appointment with her, please visit https://www.fullbodyfinance.com/

In this solo episode, host Iryna gets personal — sharing the life events that led her to pause the podcast to care for her family and prioritize her own well-being. She opens up about a major project she's been working on, gives a sneak peek at what's coming in Season 7, and reflects on why creativity is so central to who she is.This episode is also packed with wisdom for the Class of 2026 — from the value of travel and embracing creativity, to the power of staying open to wherever life takes you.#whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstorieshasapowertoheal

We are back with an incredible conversation with Sayre Blake, Technical Founder and CEO of SkillSaige — an AI-powered soft skills training platform. With over a decade of experience in the tech industry, Sayre is now building a women-led, Boulder-based app dedicated to soft skill development, helping people grow through their own defining moments.Sayre shared the mission driving SkillSaige: that AI should uplift people, not replace them — and why building ethical AI isn't just important, it's essential. She also opened up about her experience as a woman in tech, why she's choosing to do things differently, and the power of surrounding yourself with people who truly understand your vision.Sayre is a mother of two amazing children and she talked about building her business as a single mom , overcoming challenges and creating defining moments in the process.To learn more about SkillSaige, visit https://skillsaige.com/Sayre’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sayre-blake/SkillSaige LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skillsaige#whatsyourdefiningmoment #ethicalAI #softskills #sharingourstorieshasthepowertoheal #AI

In this episode , Iryna sits down with Ali Duncan who is the founder, creator, and visionary of Urban Sanctuary, the only black owned studio in Denver and in Colorado. This conversation is full of defining moments, from Ali's upbringing in Fort Collins, Colorado to opening a yoga studio in a historic neighborhood of Denver call Five Points or "Harlem of the West", in a historic, the Douglass Undertaking Building. They talk about the importance of preserving Black History , the importance of rest, especially for black and brown men and women to heal from systemic oppresion. Rest, slow down and take care of your body and mind in the world that tells you to never stop. Check out Urban Sanctuary's website to learn more about Ali and the history of the amazing space Ali and her team have created: https://urbansanctuary.love/about #sharingourstoriesishealing #whatsyourdefiningmoment #restisresistance

This mini episode is all about women's empowerment, conection and why we need more women entrepreneurs. Our host Iryna was part of an amazing event , Bloom and Brilliance, the event by women and for women. In this episode she talks about some of her takeaways from the event, why it is extremly important to support other women and inspire our next generation of young women. Enjoy this short episode and remember to always suppport and uplift women! #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstoriesishealing #businessowner #momentsthatdefineuspodcast #supportwomenentrepreneurs

The guest on the podcast today is Otisa Eads, the founder and owner of Otisa Eads,LLC https://www.otisaeads.com/about. Otisa has quite a story. Born is a very small town in Kentucky, she always dream of bigger things. She shared a big defining moment that happened after college that i think a lot of our younger listeners will relate. She was set to go to California with her then boyfriend but life had a different plan and she ended up in Denver, Colorado where is is currently living , thriving and building a life of her dreams. Otisa is a business owner and she shared her struggles, wins and defining moment in her entrepreneurial journey that changed everything. This episode was recorded in March and we spoke a lot about women friendships and how important they are, why we need to support one another and what it means to be a true sister! #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstoriesishealing #businessowner #fromkentuckytocolorado

Today's episode is all about beauty, confidence and uplifting women. We talk beauty that comes from within, how to achieve confidence and why it is so important to support and uplift other women. The guest on today's episode is Kim Davis. She is a makeup artist with over 20 years of experience in the makeup and beauty industry and she is the owner of Kim Clay Artistry, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Kim talked about her own experience with what it means to be beautiful , struggles she had growing up and how she eventually got into makeup and started her business. Kim spoke about enhancing women's natural beauty though makeup rather then covering it up. We also discussed why women chase perfection and get into relationship with wrong men who don't see their natural beauty. Thi8s episode is for women , by women! #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstorieshasapowertoheal #beautythatlieswithin #womenarepowerful

How you ever heard of a black swan event? Do you know what a black swan event is? A black swan is a catastrophic incident or event that no one could have foreseen or imagined because of its unprecedented impact. On today episode we have an international author Helen Hynson Vettori. What a privilege it was to speak to this amazing author. She currently has 2 books out from her trilogy, "Black Sawn Impact" & "Black Swan Shock". This is how Helen describes her books, "Black Sawn Impact": "Black Swan Impact is a sci-fi political thriller that takes place in 2113. Having recovered from the devastation of World War III and reaching new scientific advancements, people believe only prosperity lies ahead until an emerging deadly pandemic threatens all of humanity. Dr. Syia (sī-yuh) Case, National Institutes of Health Director of Epidemiology, is invited to advise US President Daniel Piper and the White House Crisis Action Team to try to mitigate the threat. Actions required to protect US citizens from the lethal virus become increasingly challenging. However, when Piper steers the country toward questionable courses, Dr. Case and the strident voices on the task force find there is more than a virulent virus to fight.""Black Swan Shock" picks up about two and one half decades after Black Swan Impact ends. Y However, readers do not have to read Black Swan Impact before Black Swan Shock because each book can stand alone.Marla Case, an elite Olympic-bound athlete, finds her devotion to competition fading and chooses to step away. She considers becoming a medical responder and learns about the profession from a paramedic friend. Before committing to the rescue service, Marla accompanies her mother on an academic tour that ends abruptly when a massive earthquake strikes. The athlete reacts to save victims with her physical skills and newly acquired understanding of some emergency medical actions. She becomes a beacon of hope for the citizens of St. Louis, Missouri. However, personal tragedy affects Marla, as well, and she struggles to find catharsis herself." To learn more about the author, visit her website at https://www.helenhynsonvettori.com/ #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstoriesishealing #readmorebooks #blackswanevent

"Self-love is the foundation of our loving practice. Without it our other efforts to love fail. Giving ourselves love we provide our inner being with the opportunity to have the unconditional love we may have always longed to received from someone else" , this beautiful passage is from the book by bell hooks-"All About Love". Today's episode is all about love, self-love, love for our communities, childhood love lessons, honest love and so many other acts of love that bell hooks talked about in her amazing book. To help our host Iryna discuss this book, China Borjas , our guest & therapist from season 5 returned to the podcast for the second time. She gave a perfective of a therapist when it comes to love, as well as her own personal take on what love means to her. If you truly want to understand love, read this book. It will help you see love in the whole new light! #whatsyourdefiningmoment #momentsthatdefineuspodcast #thebeststorytellingpodcast #allaboutlove #bellhooks

Our guest on the podcast today is Lani Gonzales. She is a clinical hypnotherapist, author, and keynote speaker . Lani shared many defining moments , some that include childhood trauma, rape, sexual abuse and story of family member who committed suicide. This episode is heavy and enlightened all at the same time. Lani spoke very openly and beautifully about her life story, being an immigrant , experiencing trauma, achieving more but feeling more empty and unfulfilled the higher she climbed and what led her to changing her life and creating from a space of love. She had a lifechanging experience with ayahuasca and hypnotherapy and now she is helping others. Lani wrote two incredible books, "Rebirth of a Sage"- and "METANOIA" that you can purchase by going on Lani's website at https://lanigonzales.com/. There are quite a few free resources to you to check out, learn more about Lani's story and her work. #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstorieshasapowertoheal #momentsthatdefineusodcast #thebeststorytellingpodcast

Welcome to season 6!!! Our first guest is a novelist, Leigh Shalloway. She wrote an incredible book called "Journey back to you". In today's episode Leigh shared her experience with mental health, being diagnosed with clinical depression at 30 , and how that deepen he writing. She opened up about experiencing emotional extremes and how it allowed her to write characters who feel real and complex. Leigh took us into her writing process, research that went into this book, personal stories, past relationships that helped her built Kathleen, Jase and Richard. Journey back to you is the first novel in the Hilltown Trilogy for the author. Its a romantic novel, with complex interpersonal relationships, heartbreak, once thriving small town , turned to addiction and drugs because of greed but there is hope, there is love and there is survival. To learn more about Leigh Shalloway and to order your copy of the book, visit https://www.hilltownseries.com/ #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstorieshasapowertoheal #thebeststorytellingpodcast #mentalhealthmatters

In this final episode our host Iryna is doing a recap of season 5 (the season of women) and of 2025 all together. She is talking about lessons she's learned from her guests in season 5, lessons she learned so far by doing her podcast , why it is important to stay consistent and what is is proud of. This episode is short but its full of gratitude! #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstorieshasthepowertoheal #momentsthatdfineuspodcast #finalepisodeofseason5

Today's conversation is the one for the soul. It will feel your heart with so much hope & love. Iryna sat down with Wafa Saeed, a brilliant woman, an immigrant an avid reader, humanitarian and a proud member of the Sudanese community. Iryna & Wafa talked about their stories about coming to America, what it means to be an immigrant and where do we really belong as immigrants. Wafa shared so many defining moments that shaped her, how her life changed after 9/11, how going back to Sudan for 2 years helped her understand her identity and what wearing hijab means to her.Wafa also spoke about the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and why it is so important for us to comer together . This conversation will make you think deeply about the world we live today. #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sudan #humanitariancrisisinsudan #sharingourstorieshasthepowertoheal #immigrantsstories

It was such an honor to have Suzzie Vehrs, the founder and owner of She Births Bravely on our podcast. She is a certified doula, based in Seattle Washington, who has been part of almost 300 births. Suzzie also provides childbirth education and and abundance of resources on pre and post birth. Check out her resources here: https://shebirthsbravely.myclickfunnels.com/sbbbcDuring our conversation with Suzzie we discussed her motherhood journey, the loss she experienced with her first pregnancy and dealing with grief. Suzzie opened up about struggles in her marriage, going though divorce and coparenting. There were a lot of defining moments that led Suzzie to become a person she is today, to make decision to become a doula and open her own business and support women in this wonderful journey of becoming a mother. To lean more about Suzzie and her organization She Births Bravely, check out her website at https://shebirthsbravely.com/suzzie-vehrs-author-bio/ . You can also follow her on Instagram @shebirthsbravely #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstorieshasapowertoheal #motherhood #childbirthisbeautiful

Today's episode is a special one. Iryna is talking to Eman Abdur-Rahman, who is a mom and entrepreneur. Eman had quite a journey when it comes to motherhood. With her first child she had a very difficult birth followed by severe postpartum depression and in the midst of going through postpartum depression, she started her business. Eman tells a story of how starting her business while battling postpartum depression saved her life. This is the most honest and open conversation about postpartum depression. In the second part of the episode Eman opened up about the pregnancy and birth of her second baby and she called that birth a "redemption birth" . She also talked about building her business while raising 2 kids under 6, hiring other moms to work with her and how important it is to have a strong community around. Eman is a founder and CEO of Your Virtual Keeper, Accounting and Full Charge Bookkeeping Services for Mission-Driven Service Providers. To learn more about Eman's company and book her services, please go to https://www.yourvirtualkeeper.com/ #whatsyourdefiningmoment #motherhood #postpartumdepression #momprenuer #bossmom

Today's episode is all about motherhood. Iryna opened up about her journey, her pregnancies, breastfeeding and why being a working mom makes her a better mom, why showing her kids there are different options out there is very important for her.Do you want to be a stay-at-home mom or go back to work, should you breastfeed or give your baby formula? Why women still judge other women for choices they make as moms? Is it ok to touch a pregnant woman's belly? But why not? These and some many other questions were answered in this episode. We all have an idea of what it means to be a mom but all of us have different journey, motherhood comes to us in all different forms and that what makes it beautiful. Iryna opened up in a way she has never done in the past so press play and enjoy this episode. #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstorieshasapowertoheal #whatitmeanstobeamom #motherhood #stagesofmotherhood

Today's conversation is about a mom , who lost her son to a gun violence, and how through grief and with a help of a very strong community she created a foundation to keep her son legacy alive. Angel Shabazz is the founder of The DJ Armstrong Foundation. The mission of the Foundation is twofold: to empower young people and families through scholarships, mentorship, mental health support, and grief assistance, and to walk alongside grieving mothers through A Mother’s Love, a healing community rooted in faith, empathy, and shared understanding. Angel talked about her son Davarie and what an amazing young man he was, that tragic day in 2020 that charged her life forever, and how community have been showing up for her for the past 5 years. I talked to Angel about forgiveness, grief and what kind of gun laws and gun prevention she would like to see. To learn more about The DJ Armstrong Foundation, to donate and get involve , please visit https://www.djarmstrongfoundation.org/ . Folow them on Facebook and Instagram at dj.armstrong_foundation_ #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstoriesishealing #gunlaws #gunviolenceandprevention #thoughtsandprayersbutnoactions #djarmstrongfoundation

Today's episode is dedicated to all the teachers and educators everywhere. Teachers are there to help us raise our children and create defining moments that are fundamental in our children's lives. Our guest today is Rachel Schopp, former classroom teacher with over a decade of experience and founder of Allied Education. Allied Education is dedicated to providing personalized guidance and support to families and students. Rachel understands the complexities of the education system and is committed to helping families make informed decisions for their child's academic journey.On this episode Rachel talked about growing up in Louisiana and being the youngest of 6 children , how she found her own voice and why leaving Louisiana was the right choice. Rachel takes listens on the journey of some of her defining moments that led her to become a teacher , her experience of teaching abroad and finally deciding to start her own business, helping families navigate education system in Colorado. To learn more about Rachel and her organization Allied education to to https://www.youreducationally.com/. Also, follow her on Instagram at youreducationalally #whatsyourdefiningmoment #thebeststorytellingpodcast #alliededucation #sharingourstoriesishealing #teachersareourheros #

On today's episode we have a licensed therapist China Borjas, she is the Founder of Ubuntu Wellness LLC - https://www.ubuntuwellness.me/Therapist corner is a new segment on Moments That Define Us Podcast and you can write in your questions for our therapist to [email protected]. Today, we got to know China and her defining moments that led her to become a therapist, from her family business to her own journey with therapy. China talked about overcoming stigma around therapy and understanding the benefits of it, becoming a trauma therapist and how important it is to be honest with ourselves. China also answered some of the questions our listeners wrote in. If you are thinking about starting therapy or you've been in therapy for years, this episode is for you. To learn more about China and her practice visit her website https://www.ubuntuwellness.me/ #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstorieshasahealingpower #therapy #benefitsoftherapy #mentalhealth

On today's episode Iryna had a great conversation with the CEO of Helios Worldwide, Yuki Bi. They spoke about leadership , specifically women leaders and how even in 2025 , even in industries that are targeting women as their primary customers, there are not enough women in the decision making positions. AI has been a big topic , especially in the past year and Yuki gave her take on positive and negative effects AI has. Yuki is from China originally. She spoke about her upbring and navigating life as a immigrant in Canada as well as in US. To learn more about Yuki Bi and her company Helios Worldwide, please visit https://heliosww.com/ #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstoriesishealing #momentsthatdefineuspodcast #thebeststorytellingpodcast #leadership #womenleaders #immigrants

In today's episode Iryna had one of the most honest, open and vulnerable conversation with the a certified Image Consultant, celebrity stylist, and keynote speaker, Celeste Moore. Celeste shared some of the hardest moments that happened in her life to shape her to be the woman she is today. She shared the lessons she learned going through divorce at 22 and building her empire as a single mom. Celeste shared some of the defining moments that shaped her entrepreneurial journey and why its so important to stay true to who you are and not what everyone else wants you to be. Today Celeste is a power house business woman, she speak on stages around the country and does exactly what she was meant to do , she helps high-achieving entrepreneurs and executives step into their full confidence and command every room they enter through her signature 4x4 color analysis and VIP styling experiences. Celeste also hosts her podcast called Moore Style- you can check out her podcast everywhere you get your podcast and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@CelesteMooreImage.To learn more about Celeste Moore and hire her , visit her website at https://celestemoore.com/#whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstoriesishealing #thebeststorytellingpodcast #momentsthatdefineuspodcast

In today's episode Iryna is in conversation with a Keynote Speaker and Feminine Leadership and Soul Coach , Ber-Henda Williams. She is a resident of Detroit and woman with many gifts and so much wisdom. Ber-Henda offered a very valuable lesson to our listens on how to find your your true calling in life or as she calls it "your soul's calling". She spoke about some of her defining moments that lead her to be the woman she is today and why its so important to be still and listen to what life is whispering to you. You can learn more about Ber-Henda at https://www.ber-hendawilliams.com/ and follow her on Instagram at berhenda. You can also listen to her podcast Soul of a Lead(Her) on spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1fJlneD... or wherever you get your podcast. #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstorieshasapowertoheal #soulcoach #berhendawilliams #SoulofLead(Her)Podcast

Welcome back to Moments That Define Us Podcast. This is the first episode of season 5. Our host Iryna is talking about what's happening in the county today when it comes to immigration, what it means to be an immigrant, and why its extremely important to treat everyone with kindness. She raised a question "What would you do if you had to flee your county and save your family, provide a better life for them?" Why its important to practice empathy and put yourself in somebody else's shoes and try to understand where people are coming from. #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstorieshasapowertoheal

In today episode Iryna is joined by Lisa Conway. She is a beautiful human, a heart-led human who opened up in such a vulnerable and authentic way. Today Lisa is a mom, wife, business owner of a hair salon called Vantage Salon in Arvada, CO, community member and so much more. Life hasn't always been easy for Lisa. She started living on her own at the age of 16 in NYC and had to grow up fast but there have been so many beautiful lessons in her journey. Lisa opened up about her experience being an entrepreneur and why she loves so much what she does, how becoming a mom changed her life and why it is important to be who you are and lead life with heart, compassion and gratitude. To find out more about Lisa and her business , visit her website at https://www.vantagesalon.com/. You can also follow Lisa on Instagram at thedenverhairstylist #whatsyourdefiningmoment

A few weeks ago, Iryna had a chance to have a wonderful conversation with the CEO and co-founder of a Detroit based social enterprise Rebel Nell, Amy Paterson. Rebel Nell is a women owned and mission driven jewelry company. Not only each piece of their jewelry has a unique story but they use reproposed graffiti in their jewelries."Rebel Nell is a social enterprise that provides employment, equitable access, and holistic support to women navigating barriers to work—whether due to housing insecurity, incarceration, displacement, disability, or other systemic obstacles".Amy and Iryna spoke about how Rebel Nell came to be and what is the mission behind it. Amy opened up about hardships and great successes of being an entrepreneur, what motivates her to do this every single day and why building community is not only important but necessary.To learn more about Rebel Nell and purchases their beautiful jewelry pieces, please visit https://www.rebelnell.com/. You can also follow them on social media at @rebelnell

Today is another solo episode. In recent weeks Iryna finished reading The Anxious Generation book by Jonathan Haidt and watched 2020 documentary " The Social Dilemma", two amazing and very informative pieces of work. In this episode Iryna discusses her take on the documentary an the book, growing up without technology ,the effect social media has on her life ,and why it is important to pay attention between using technology as tools and when those tools become addiction. If you have stories about positive or negative effects of technology, social media or ChatGPT on your life, submit them to [email protected] #whatsyourdefiningmoment #momentsthatdefineuspodcats #socialdilemma #thenxiousgeneration

Today's episode was recorded on April 27, which is Iryna and her husband's 11th wedding anniversary. This is a short solo episode where Iryna talks about her life as a mom, wife, friend and gives unsolicited life advice to anyone out there who needs it on marriage and relationships. She tells the story of how her and her husband met, why its ok to not like your partner sometimes, and how important it is to marry someone who love and support you no matter what. This episode is light and funny so enjoy it. #whatsyourdefiningmoment #marriageadvice #relationships #sharingourstoriesishealing

In today's episode Iryna is joined by an amazing woman, author, film and culture critic Jonita Davis. In this episode we only scratched the surface of the amazing life this creative woman has lived. We talked about her writing process and should you stay in "one lane " as a creative, why it is important to speak up against injustice, especially in the state of world today. Jo was diagnosed with ADHD and she opened up about how getting diagnosed helped her navigate creativity, writing and her life better. Jo newest project is coloring books called Starseed Panic Pages. These coloring books offer structured coloring activities that soothe the mind and engage neurodivergent thinking. These unique pages and journal prompts are designed to help manage panic, anxiety, and overthinking. To lean more about these coloring books and purchase some for yourself, friends and family, head to https://panicpagescomdomainonly.wordpress.com/. To lean more about Jonita Davis, her books, projects and publications go to https://jonitadavis.com/#whatsyourdefiningmoment

In today episode Iryna is joined by the founder of GraceFull Home, a Denver based furniture bank, EmilyJane Zahreddine. EmilyJane is a powerhouse, who saw a problem in her community and decided to create a solution. She launched her non profit in 2024 and already helped over 200 people in Denver metro area who are exiting homeless and need help furnishing their new home. EmilyJane spoke about how the idea of creating GraceFull Home came to her and why helping our community members is so important. To learn more about GraceFull Home , go to https://gracefullhome.org/EmilyJane was graceful enough to let the listeners in to her personal life, like motherhood, being a business owner and she even gave her thoughts on today's political climate as she has 13 years of experience working in federal government. As always, it is powerful conversation when a powerful woman speaks! #whatsyourdefiningmoment

In today's episode Iryna is joined by Emily Mara, who is a personal trainer, accountability coach and the founder and owner of EMpower by Emily Mara https://www.empowerbyem.com/. This conversation is extra special for many reasons. One of the reasons is in this episode Emily and Iryna talked about the beauty and challenges of motherhood. Emily lost her mom over 10 years and she spoke about lessons she learned from her mom, her grieving process and her approach to her journey as a mother of two girls. Emily started dancing at a very young age and the love for dance provide her with great opportunities of travelling around the world and performing in front of amazing audience. As Emily said, "movement has always been medicinal to me". Today, Emily owns her own business EMpower by EM, she is empowering women to look and feel their best though her coaching and personal training. This episode is good for the soul and the heart! You can learn more about Emily and her business at https://www.empowerbyem.com/ and follow her on social media @emilychristinemara #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstoriesishealing #thebeststorytellingpodcast #empowerbyem

Michael Sykes is the founder of the organization called Equitable Solutions and the director of culture, equity and leadership for Denver Public Schools. This conversation was deep, meaningful, vulnerable and we talked about variety of topics. Michael was open enough to talk about his life in a very profound way, things he had to learn and overcome to become a person he is today. Michael wrote a book "Easy Equity" and he dedicated this book to some of the strong , powerful and important women in his life and he talked about them with such love, gratitude and respect and how they helped shaped him into the person he is today and how instrument their love has been for me. Because both Iryna and Michael are parents they talked about how parenthood changes us forever and make us want to be a better person for ourselves and our children. We also discussed topics around racism, black lives matter movement and why self love is so important when it comes to these and other issues . To learn more about Michael Sykes, the work he does and to purchase his book visit https://equitablesolutions.net/. You can also follow Michael on Instagram @equitablesolutionscolorado

I had a pleasure of having a wonderful conversation with Karen Olson, the founder of national non profit organization call Family Promise. Karen joined me on the podcast to talk about her book "Mean For More" . In her book Karen captured her incredible journey from a single act of kindness to a lifetime of service. Karen wrote a beautiful story about her childhood and tragedy she experienced at a young age and how helping others helped her heal herself alone the way. To learn more about Family Promise, go to https://familypromise.org/ . You can find local affiliate in your state to volunteer and donate. To learn more about Karen Olson and to purchase her book, head to https://www.karenolsonauthor.com/#momentsthatdefineuspodcast #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstoriesishealing #meantformore #author

In today's episode Iryna is joined by an incredible fashion designer Michael Sullivan. Michael went all the way back to his childhood and talked about little Michael, his hopes and dreams for the future and how he is living that dream right now. Michael's grandfather was a big inspiration for him because of his impeccable style and his wisdom. Michael has been honoring his grandfather in his recent clothing collection. Not only Michael is a great fashion designer, he is builds his community for people to feel seen and loved and most importantly be themselves. Michael is a founder of fashion house HAUS. HAUS is a black - queer owned design-haus that creates urban contemporary, gender & size inclusive, clothing with an eco-friendly, gender-affirming, and cruelty-free focus. To learn more about HAUS go to https://www.hausclothing.com/. You can also follow Michael on IG at michaelcsully #momentsthatdefineuspodcast #whatsyourdefiningmoment #nyfw #fashiondesigner #sharingourstoriesishealing

Bella and Iryna were invited to be part of the discussion panel on the Outlier's Edge Podcast. We discussed what it means to be an entrepreneur, obstacles we had to overcome to get to the place we are today and why failure is necessary and perfection is the killer of all joy. Visit https://niiamahashong.com/oepodcast/ to learn more about the ultimate Outlier behind the podcast and the outliers community Niiamah Ashong.#whatsyourdefiningmoment #outlierscommunity #entrepreneur #lifelessons

Welcome to Season #4!!!!!! In the first episode of season 4, Iryna and Bella sat down for a beautiful conversation. They talked about why Bella has been MIA from the podcast, the loss she experienced last year that give her clarity on how to move forward and what's in store for the podcast this year. You don't want to miss this episode because there is big announcement on expansion within the podcast!!!!! #momentsthatdefineuspodcast #whatsyourdefiningmoment #bigannouncement #newyearnewopportunities

In today's episode Iryna is joined by Denise Izso, the founder and host of Blacadian podcast. Through social media , Iryna and Denise became listeners of each other's podcast and finally decided to sit down for a conversation on Moments That Define Us Podcast. Denise was born and raised in Canada but both of her parents are from Barbados. She spoke about growing up in Canada , in a predominantly white neighborhood and how she navigated her childhood, friendships and the world around her mixing her two cultures. Denise talked about Canada and answered the question we all want to know - "Are Canadians really that nice". She also spoke about racism in Canada and the comparison to the United States. Denise has had to navigate life as a woman of color her whole life so she decided to share her experiences through storytelling and that's when Blacadian podcast was born (she is black and canadian so blacadian, get it? Check out Denise podcast here https://open.spotify.com/show/2yLBboXfmlaVRZjxPlYTmo#whatsyourdefiningmoment

We all spend money on a daily basis but do we really know what the organizations we support stand for? Who make those critical decisions for the company? Do they really represent community they serve and who they have on their board of directors and why that is so important to know for us as consumers ? In today's episode we sat down with Sara Finesilver , who is on of the founding partners of Board First Consulting, LLC , a women-owned board effectiveness consulting firm. We often think boards of directors as bunch of middle-aged white men, which can be true but Sara and her partners through the work they do helping organizations, non profit and for profit have a board that really represent communities they serve. In this episode, Sara helped us understand how we all can make a difference and change by finding organizations that do the work we truly care about and serving on a board. You can learn more about Sara and the work she does at https://boardfirstconsulting.com/#whatsyourdefiningmoment #momentsthatdefineuspodcast #sharingourstorieshasahealingpower #boardofdirectors #whatyourboardsaysboutyourorganization #weallcanmakeachange

Todays episode is a special one! Bella sat down with Iryna to talk to her about turning 40. They covered topics from aging and beauty to becoming more mature and caring less about what other people think of you. Bella took Iryna on a journey though her life, from looking back to her 20 and 30 to what lies ahead for the next decade. Iryna gave some very good advice to young people and shared some of the defining moments that makes a person she is today! If you need wisdom and inspiration in your life, this episode is for you! #whatsyourdefiningmoment #turning40 #wisdom #gettingolderisbeautiful

In today episode we are joined by an incredible human Assetou Xango. They are a poet, an author , a coach and so much more.. In this conversation we discussed variety of topics from election and the state of our country today to creativity , writing and how being creative can be beautiful but also make us face everything in ourself we are scared to face. When it comes to creativity Assetou said, "You have to listen when spirit is talking to you" This conversation was was real, authentic and vulnerable and it will make you think about the world, your contribution to it and creativity in whole new way. Check out Assetou's work at https://assetouxango.com/#whatsyourdefiningmoment

Our guest today is Tennisia Littleton-Broberg. Tennisia is a survivor of many things but she is warrior. She love unconditionally and her family is everything to her. She opened her heart and soul on this episode and shared some of her defining moments. Tennisia has been surrounded by very powerful women in her family which is why she is a POWERHOUSE herself. Tennisia grew up with parents who were addicts and she talked in great details how that effected her growing up. She opened up about her own addictions and explained that addiction is not always drugs and alcohol but so many other things, like love, work caretaking and more. Tennisia opened up about some of her relationships with partners who were or are addicts and how she was was able to navigate those relationships , be there for her partners but also create boundaries to protect herself. we are so grateful for Tennisia openness and trusting us to share her story!#whatsyourdefiningmoment #momentsthatdefineusodcast #survivor #trauma #warrior #sharingourstoriesishealing #beststorytvellingpodcast

Do you ever feel like you don't belong? Are you trying to find your place in the world? The topic of today's episode is belonging. Its a sole episode without guests and without Bella, where Iryna is opening up about belonging as an immigrant living in the US. She tells a lot of stories from her life, living in US, being Ukrainian and how she found herself in the world. Today she is a confident and independent woman but it took her almost 20 years to find a place where she belong, where she can be her authentic self!#whatsyourdefiningmoment #momentsthatdefineuspodcast #storytellingpodcast #wheredoibelong #brenebrown #lupitaNyong'o #storiesthathealsus

This week's episode is all about THE DEBATE! Bella & Iryna sprinkled this conversation with humor and laughter . They talked about a few quotes that resonated with them the most and what they agreed and disagreed with both candidates (oh should I say one candidate.......????). The conversation turned serious when they spoke about gun control, immigration and climate change. Let's all remember , we don't have to agree on everything but hopefully, as a country we can all agree that we all want to live and enjoy life, have roof over our heads, have food in our fridge and see our children grow and be safe. These our just the few basis things that EVERY HUMAN DESERVES. Below are the link where you can register to vote if you havent done so already. https://www.usa.gov/register-to-votehttps://www.sos.state.co.us/voter/pages/pub/home.xhtml#whatsyourdefiningmoment #momentsthatdefineuspodcast #registertovote #thedebate

WELCOME TO SEASON 3!!!!!! We are starting season 3 with our Behind the Mic series. Today Iryna and Bella opening up about pressures we have in our society to be perfect in everything we do. To have kids or not to have kids, to get married or not get married? Am I a good mother? Do I have enough date nights with my spouse? Why is my body not perfect? What IS perfect body? Do you ever ask yourself any of these questions? If so, this episode is for you. Join Gen Z (Bella) and Millennium (Iryna) to hear their take on some of the questions we all need answers to. #whatsyourdefiningmoment #momentsthatdefineuspodcast #perfectionisnotthatgreat

This is the last episode of season 2. Its called takeover of moments that define us podcast. Takeover happened when Roy (Iryna's husband) and Spencer (Bella's boyfriend) decided to be hosts for one episode and ask us, very deep and meaningful questions about the "why" behind the podcast and our vision for the future. We think you will learn different side of Bella and Iryna , why we stand what we stand for and why its important for us to be true to who we are. This episode is full of wisdom, laughter and deep philosophical thoughts. Bella, Roy and Spencer dove deep into 4th dimension for the last 8 minutes. Enjoy this fun and lighthearted episode and we will see you all in season 3. Love, Iryna&Bella

In today's episode we continue the conversation with the survivor of domestic violence and sexual abuse, Kiah Peterson. This is part two. If you want to understand the whole story, listen to part one that was released last week. Kiah shared with us what happened to her after police showed up and arrested her. She spoke about just how awful our justice system is and how at one point a mental health professional told her that she was too far gone and they cant help her. But today, Kiah Peterson is a survivor. Despite everything she went though and all the trauma that happened, today she is one of the kindest people and treats everyone around her with love and respect. #whatsyourdefiningmoment #momentsthatdefineuspodcast #survivor #survivorstory #racialdiscrimination #domesticviolencesurvivor

This is a part one of two parts story of an incredible woman name Kiah Peterson , who survived domestic violence, sexual abuse , racial discrimination in the justice system , homeless and so much more. She shared her story in greater details in hopes to help other survivors. The name of the abuser and a couple of other peoples were not real. Unfortunately Kiah's story is one of many. If any of our listeners are going through something similar, we hope this story will help you not only know you are not along but there is a way out. Tune in next week to listen to part 2. #whatsyourdefiningmoment #momentsthatdefineuspodcast #womensurvivers #sexualabuse #domesticviolence

This is a new edition of Behind the Mic with Bella & Iryna, where our fabulous hosts talked about self care. In this lighthearted episode Iryna and Bella give unprofessional advice to the listeners on how to take care of yourself on a very little budget or completely free. They talk about things that has worked for them and things that didn't (Iryna doesn't like taking a bath.....what? is she crazy?). They talk about their love for books and how reading helps them relax, journaling and talking to yourself through writing (Bella shared her journal entry and it was deep and funny all at the same time. Iryna shared how she overcame fear she carried since childhood. Lots of laughs and funny stories in this episode! Enjoy!!!!! #whatsyourdefiningmoment #momentsthatdefineuspodcast #selfcaretipsandtricks #bekindtoyourself #behindthemicwithbellaandiryna

In today's episode we are talking about real estate and the process of buying a home but doing it in the right way We sat down with the amazing real estate agent Jessica Argo who spoke about her passion for real estate, especially helping first time home buyers and women own their first home. She shared with us how having teaching background helped her become a better real estate agent. Jessica has been in real estate for almost 9 years and she has so many stories, some good and heartwarming and some crazy ones. Jessica also talked about the time when women could not own a home on their own and when that has changed. Who will be surprised because its was not that long ago. If you are thinking of buying your first home and have questions, this episode is for you. You can reach Jessica at https://www.coloradohomerealty.com/agents/jessica-argo/ #whatsyourdefiningmoment #momentsthatdefineuspodcast #homebuyingprocess #womeninhomebuying #firsttimehomebuyer

This is part two of two part episode with the CEO of Judi's House Micki Burns. We continued talking about grief and bereavement. Micki talked about recourses Judi's House provides to families when explaining death to children. She emphasized how important it is to use correct language so kids can understand death. We also spoke about death by suicide and again using the correct language so kids can understand why someone made that choice and how to support families who experienced this kind of loss. Again , the education piece of different types of losses that Micki provided was so valuable. But, If this is something that might be hard for anyone to hear, please skip this part 2:48 to 12:29. Micki spoke how pandemic effected us and and results of it we still experiencing today. This episode was heavy and some of the statistics Micki shared was absolutely heartbreaking. We hope this conversation will help people who are going through grief and loss, people who wants to understand more about this topic to be able to help a bereaved friend or a loved one or simple have more knowledge and understanding around grief, loss, bereavement and death. #whatsyourdefiningmoment #momentsthatdefineuspodcast #importantconversation #grief #bereavement

Another incredible human that we had a chance to sit down for a deep and meaningful conversation. On today's episode we have Micki Burns, the CEO of Judi's House. "Judi’s House is a community-based nonprofit bereavement center for children and families with the vision that no child should be alone in grief."Micki has such a beautiful presence about her and having her on our podcast was an honor. This is part 1 of two parts episode. In part one Micki dives into her story, losses she experienced early in life and some of her defining moments and how she decided to do the work she does now. Sometimes it can be hard to talk about death, bereavement and loosing someone we love. In this conversation, Micki normalizes talking about hard thing and provides wonderful recourses that people can get at Judi's House. This episode will provide you with understanding of bereavement, grief and loss and services you can get at Judi's House. To learn more about Judi's House, please visit their website at https://judishouse.org/