The Kiana Hughes Podcast

This episode was actually recorded earlier and never released.I was supposed to post it back when I first attended my first women’s small business networking event, mental health panel, and pitch competition in Baltimore, but I held onto it for some reason.Listening back now, I’m honestly glad I did.Because this episode captures a real moment: the exact point where my mindset around entrepreneurship, networking, business, and my future started shifting in real time.In this episode, I talk about:feeling stuck between creativity and survivalrealizing I needed new rooms and new people around mewhy my business ideas kept “crashing”the importance of proximity, networking, and momentumhow one email unexpectedly opened a door for mewhy “being denied is knowledge”learning to ask questions instead of pretending I already know everythingThis isn’t polished. It isn’t perfect. It’s a real-time audio journal from the beginning stages of figuring things out.And honestly, I think that makes it more meaningful.So here’s the episode I never posted. The episode that almost stayed in my drafts forever.— Kiana Hughes

This was originally just supposed to be a voice memo and then I kept talking for like an hour.Anyway somehow we ended up discussing: Tiny Desk concerts, creativity, feminine energy, survival mode, why I think I’ve been rushing my entire life, why slowing down feels illegal to me, attachment issues probably, and whether becoming softer would make me lose my personality.Also I forgot what my original point was halfway through multiple times.This is basically just me driving around having thoughts in real time.

After almost talking myself out of going, showing up late, and even ending up at the wrong building, I still chose to show up for myself and it changed everything.In this episode, I share my experience attending an  entrepreneurship panel and the powerful lessons I learned about networking, collaboration, confidence, charging your worth, and finally stepping into the rooms I’ve always dreamed about being in.We talk about: • Building a network from scratch • Women supporting women in business • Collaboration over competition • Why your 9-to-5 shouldn’t drain your purpose • Charging for your gifts and respecting your time • The importance of showing up before you feel “ready” • Entrepreneurship, abundance, authenticity, and divine timingThis episode is raw, unfiltered, and recorded directly after the event while I was still feeling inspired, energized, and aligned. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to start putting yourself out there, this is it.

Welcome to Best Bud Gelato 🍦🌿A podcast by two best buds trying to heal, grow, laugh, reflect, romanticize life, and figure it all out in real time.This isn’t one of those polished “we have all the answers” podcasts. It’s real conversations. Deep conversations. High conversations. Emotional conversations. Funny conversations. The kind you have at 2AM with someone who actually sees your soul.We talk about everything:healing generational trauma, relationships, spirituality, emotional regulation, self-growth, anxiety, love, imagination, inner child healing, wellness, the universe, society, mental health, soft living, and learning how to pause before reacting.Some episodes might feel like therapy.Some might feel like chaos.Some might feel like you’re sitting in the backseat with your best friends while they accidentally unlock the meaning of life.Either way, you’re welcome here.We’re not trying to be perfect.We’re trying to be present.So take a deep breath, romanticize your existence a little, and come hang out with Best Bud Gelato.

In this episode, I’m talking honestly about my first 30 days of sobriety: the good, the bad, and the lessons I didn’t expect. I share what actually changed, what was harder than I thought, and what sobriety started to reveal about my habits, emotions, and relationships. This isn’t a “perfect recovery” story or advice from a place of having it all figured out. It’s a real reflection on choosing clarity, sitting with discomfort, and learning how to show up for myself one day at a time.If you’re sober-curious, early in your journey, or just reevaluating your relationship with habits that no longer serve you, this conversation is for you.