I Swear I’m An Introvert

She left a practice she loved because God made it crystal clear it was time. She thought it would just be her. She looked up and had a whole staff. In this episode of I Swear I'm An Introvert, Your Savvy SheEO Lindsey T. Evans sits down with Arrie Simpson — therapist, group practice owner, and founder of The Heart of Counseling & Wellness PLLC and nonprofit Josephine's Way — for one of the most honest, layered, and necessary conversations of the season. Arrie opens up about growing up in a chaotic household that taught her how to adapt to change, finding her identity as an introvert who learned to turn it on when needed, building a group practice of seven therapists — six of them Black women — and running a nonprofit dedicated to bridging the gap between underserved communities and quality mental health care. She talks about imposter syndrome, rejection, the loneliness of being the boss, and why she still goes to therapy herself. Because how can you hold everyone else's weight if nobody is holding yours? This is the conversation Black women in business — and Black women in general — need to hear. In this episode we cover: Building a group therapy practice from one person to seven therapists Why Black women can absolutely work together — and do it well Navigating mental health as a mental health professional The loneliness of leadership and what it really feels like to be the boss Josephine's Way — bridging the gap between underserved communities and quality mental health care What positive representation of Black women in mental health really means Connect with Arrie: The Heart of Counseling & Wellness PLLC — theheartofcounselingandwellness.com Josephine's Way — josephinesway.org | Instagram: @josephines_way Connect with Lindsey T. Evans: heels2sneakers.net Girl, you got this. #ISwearImAnIntrovert #YourSavvySheEO #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #TheHeartOfCounselingAndWellness #JosephinesWay #BlackWomenInBusiness #MentalHealthAwareness #BlackMentalHealth #WomenFounders #EntrepreneurPodcast #BlackWomenLead #LegacyBuilders

She inspected and repaired locomotives as a 22-year-old Black woman walking into rail shops full of older white men who questioned why she was there. She fixed the locomotive — and never looked back. In this episode of I Swear I'm An Introvert, Your Savvy SheEO Lindsey T. Evans sits down with Nikeva Lawrence — electrical engineer turned wedding planner and owner of SouthWind Events — for a conversation about purpose, pivoting, people-pleasing, and why the most powerful thing you can do is trust yourself. Nikeva opens up about falling into wedding planning through a church committee, hearing God speak on a random Tuesday that changed everything, navigating entrepreneurship without a mentor, battling anxiety and depression while running a business, and why the same project management skills that served her in engineering are exactly what make her extraordinary at planning the most important day of someone's life. She's complex. She's calm in chaos. And she will tell you the hard truth with a smile every single time. In this episode we cover: The unexpected journey from electrical engineering to event planning Building a business with integrity while still working a 9-to-5 Navigating anxiety, depression, and finding the right therapist Why "no" is a complete sentence and boundaries are learned the hard way What it really looks like behind the highlight reel of wedding planning Positive representation of Black women in business and why legacy matters Connect with Nikeva: SouthWind Events on Instagram @southwind.events, TikTok, and Facebook Connect with Lindsey T. Evans: heels2sneakers.net Girl, you got this. #ISwearImAnIntrovert #YourSavvySheEO #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #SouthWindEvents #BlackWomenInBusiness #WomenFounders #EntrepreneurPodcast #BlackWomenLead #LegacyBuilders #WeddingPlanner

She made a promise to a cousin fighting leukemia. A contractor stole her savings. COVID hit before she could open her doors. And she still built Dreamers Academy and Dreamers Academy II from the ground up. In this episode of I Swear I'm An Introvert, Your Savvy SheEO Lindsey T. Evans sits down with Oladoyin (Doyin) Ajilore — founder of Dreamers Academy and Dreamers Academy II — two top-tier, Black-owned early childhood education centers serving the Chicagoland area with heart, curriculum, and community. Born in Benin and raised across Nigeria, England, France, Gabon, and India, Doyin brings a global perspective to early childhood education rooted in village, purpose, and promise. She gets real about losing her startup funds to a contractor who vanished, putting her home on the line when no bank would back her, paying eight employees to sit home during COVID just to protect her license, and the one woman who refused to let her walk away from her dream. This is not a highlight reel. This is the full story — the betrayal, the breakdown, the pivot, and the breakthrough. In this episode we cover: Building a business through loss, betrayal, and a global pandemic Why banks and minority-focused institutions still failed her The connection between entrepreneurship, mental health, and physical illness How to recognize and release the naysayers in your circle Raising daughters — and employees — who lead Why failure is not the opposite of success Visit Dreamers Academy: dreamersacademyhome.com Connect with Lindsey T. Evans: heels2sneakers.net Girl, you got this. #ISwearImAnIntrovert #YourSavvySheEO #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #DreamersAcademy #BlackWomenInBusiness #WomenFounders #BlackExcellence #EntrepreneurPodcast #BlackWomenLead #LegacyBuilders

Before we introduce you to the women breaking barriers this season, you need to meet the woman behind the mic. In this premiere episode of I Swear I'm An Introvert, Your Savvy SheEO Lindsey T. Evans gets interviewed by her producer, her partner, and her biggest supporter — her husband, Bryan Evans — in an honest, unfiltered conversation about who she really is beneath the titles, the businesses, and the boardrooms. Lindsey opens up about her ADHD diagnosis and the journey of discovering it as a superpower, her battle with major depressive disorder, a hospitalization that changed everything, and the tattoo on her wrist that reminds her to simply breathe. She talks about growing up in a blended family of entrepreneurs, what it means to carry imposter syndrome while still showing up, and why she built this podcast — because our little brown girls deserved to see themselves in women who looked like them, led with class, and told the whole story. This isn't a highlight reel. This is the real story. Topics covered: ADHD & mental health awareness, imposter syndrome, Black women in entrepreneurship, representation in media, the origin of Heels 2 Sneakers, and what it truly means to do it scared. Girl, you got this. 🎙️ Watch + Listen now on https://www.iswearimanintrovert.com/

She didn't get a single journalism offer. So she went to law school. Then became the second Black female dean in the United States. In this episode of I Swear I'm An Introvert, Your Savvy SheEO Lindsey T. Evans sits down with Patricia Mell, J.D. — attorney, former dean of John Marshall Law School, and co-founder of The Sociology — for a conversation about faith, redirection, and why the closed door is never the end of the story. Patricia shares a career that never went in a straight line — from trial attorney to assistant attorney general to law professor to dean — and the wisdom she gathered along the way about leading teams, navigating discrimination, knowing your triggers, and building something that serves the people who need it most. This is the kind of conversation our little brown girls need to see. The kind that proves the box was never built big enough to hold you. Girl, you got this. 🎙️ Watch + Listen now at www.iswearimanintrovert.com #ISwearImAnIntrovert #YourSavvySheEO #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #BlackWomenInLaw #BlackWomenInBusiness #LegacyBuilders

They called her Baldy Locks in sixth grade. She kept a journal with all their names in it and left it on her desk so they could read it. Now she owns Exotic Beauty Spa — and she makes people feel so good they fall asleep in her chair. In this episode of I Swear I'm An Introvert, Your Savvy SheEO Lindsey T. Evans sits down with Tyffanni Bickhem — founder of Exotic Beauty Spa — for a conversation about beauty, healing, self-esteem, and why bringing a luxury spa experience to urban neighborhoods is not just a business decision. It is a calling. Tyffanni shares how childhood bullying shaped her passion for lifting other women up, why a doctor told her the 9-to-5 was making her depressed, and what it felt like the first time she sat in someone else's chair and finally understood why her clients get so upset when she can't take them. This is the kind of conversation our little brown girls need to see. The kind that proves the box was never built big enough to hold you. Girl, you got this. 🎙️ Watch + Listen now at www.iswearimanintrovert.com #ISwearImAnIntrovert #YourSavvySheEO #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #ExoticBeautySpa #BlackWomenInBusiness #LegacyBuilders

She had never spoken publicly about it before. Being hospitalized against her will. Locked in a mental institution during COVID. Couldn't talk to her husband. Couldn't talk to her babies. She simply needed an adjustment in her medication. What she got instead was the most horrifying experience of her life — and the moment that turned her into an advocate for every Black woman who doesn't have a voice in those rooms. In this solo episode, Your Savvy SheEO Lindsey T. Evans tells the whole story. The businesses, the discrimination, the burnout, the breakdown, and the comeback. This one is necessary. 🎙️ Now streaming at www.iswearimanintrovert.com Girl, you got this. #ISwearImAnIntrovert #YourSavvySheEO #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #BlackMentalHealth #BlackWomenInBusiness #LegacyBuilders #MentalHealthAwareness

Her guidance counselor told her hair wasn't a real career. She told her she'd be very successful at it. Then she went and proved it. In this episode of I Swear I'm An Introvert, Your Savvy SheEO Lindsey T. Evans sits down with Tiara Wright — Mrs. T — founder of Inspired Looks Hair Studio, for a conversation about passion, purpose, and the power of speaking things into existence. Tiara shares how she went from doing hair in the neighborhood to opening her own studio, why she wakes up genuinely excited every single day, and what it really means to change someone's life from the chair. She reminds us that hairstylists aren't just stylists — they're therapists, friends, and sisters — and that the end result isn't just beautiful hair. It's a woman walking out the door feeling like herself again. This is the kind of conversation our little brown girls need to see. The kind that proves the box was never built big enough to hold you. Girl, you got this. 🎙️ Watch + Listen now at www.iswearimanintrovert.com #ISwearImAnIntrovert #YourSavvySheEO #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #InspiredLooksHairStudio #BlackWomenInBusiness #LegacyBuilders

She didn't know who she was outside of her marriage. And when it ended, she had to find out — the hard way. In this episode of I Swear I'm An Introvert, Your Savvy SheEO Lindsey T. Evans sits down with Monique Michelle — founder of Mo-te Beauty Experience and creator of Divorce Recovery University — for a conversation about healing, identity, and why dealing with self is the most important business decision a woman can make. Monique shares how three years in the emotional pit of divorce almost cost her everything, why she couldn't make a single sound business decision until she faced what was really going on inside, and how she turned her pain into a purpose-driven platform to help women find themselves on the other side of one of life's hardest transitions. This is the kind of conversation our little brown girls need to see. The kind that proves the box was never built big enough to hold you. Girl, you got this. 🎙️ Watch + Listen now at www.iswearimanintrovert.com #ISwearImAnIntrovert #YourSavvySheEO #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #DivorceRecovery #BlackWomenInBusiness #LegacyBuilders

She applied for a paralegal job and accidentally ended up at the Chicago Housing Authority. She called it a mistake. God called it a plan. In this episode of I Swear I'm An Introvert, Your Savvy SheEO Lindsey T. Evans sits down with Trish Seye — founder of Stay Sweet Desserts and Director of Independent Living at Access Living — for a conversation that is equal parts laughter, tears, and truth. Trish shares how a frugal decision to make her kids' birthday cakes turned into a thriving dessert business, how a mentor taught her to be unbothered when the green-eyed monster showed up, and why the loneliest moment of her career became the moment she learned to trust God the most. She also delivers one of the most important reminders of the season: Black women have got to learn how to rest. This is the kind of conversation our little brown girls need to see. The kind that proves the box was never built big enough to hold you. Girl, you got this. 🎙️ Watch + Listen now at www.iswearimanintrovert.com #ISwearImAnIntrovert #YourSavvySheEO #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #StaySweetDesserts #BlackWomenInBusiness #LegacyBuilders

She lost her dream job overnight when the pandemic canceled her show. No plan. No backup. Just faith — and 10 years of genuine relationships she had spent her entire career building. In this episode of I Swear I'm An Introvert, Your Savvy SheEO Lindsey T. Evans sits down with Shari' Nycole — television producer, podcast host, and media personality — for a conversation about what it really takes to build a career in entertainment as a Black woman without kissing up, compromising your character, or waiting for someone to hand you an opportunity. Shari' shares the moment a television executive told her she was too good to stay somewhere she was miserable, why she left a stable job with nothing lined up, and how one decision to show up for herself on Instagram Live changed the entire trajectory of her career. This is the kind of conversation our little brown girls need to see. The kind that proves the box was never built big enough to hold you. Girl, you got this. 🎙️ Watch + Listen now at www.iswearimanintrovert.com #ISwearImAnIntrovert #YourSavvySheEO #BlackWomenEntrepreneurs #BlackWomenInMedia #BlackWomenInBusiness #LegacyBuilders

She left a practice she loved because God made it crystal clear it was time. She thought it would just be her. She looked up and had a whole staff. In this episode of I Swear I’m An Introvert, Your Savvy SheEO Lindsey T. Evans sits down with Arrie Simpson — therapist, group practice owner, and founder of The Heart of Counseling & Wellness PLLC and nonprofit Josephine’s Way — for one of the most honest, layered, and necessary conversations of the season. Arrie opens up about growing up in a chaotic household that taught her how to adapt to change, finding her identity as an introvert who learned to turn it on when needed, building a group practice of seven therapists — six of them Black women — and running a nonprofit dedicated to bridging the gap between underserved communities and quality mental health care. She talks about imposter syndrome, rejection, the loneliness of being the boss, and why she still goes to therapy herself. Because how can you hold everyone else’s weight if nobody is holding yours? This is the conversation Black women in business — and Black women in general — need to hear. In this episode we cover: ∙ Building a group therapy practice from one person to seven therapists ∙ Why Black women can absolutely work together — and do it well ∙ Navigating mental health as a mental health professional ∙ The loneliness of leadership and what it really feels like to be the boss ∙ Josephine’s Way — bridging the gap between underserved communities and quality mental health care ∙ What positive representation of Black women in mental health really means Connect with Arrie: The Heart of Counseling & Wellness PLLC — theheartofcounselingandwellness.com Josephine’s Way — josephinesway.org | Instagram: @josephines_way Connect with Lindsey T. Evans: heels2sneakers.net Girl, you got this.

She inspected and repaired locomotives as a 22-year-old Black woman walking into rail shops full of older white men who questioned why she was there. She fixed the locomotive — and never looked back. In this episode of I Swear I’m An Introvert, Your Savvy SheEO Lindsey T. Evans sits down with Nikeva Lawrence — electrical engineer turned wedding planner and owner of SouthWind Events — for a conversation about purpose, pivoting, people-pleasing, and why the most powerful thing you can do is trust yourself. Nikeva opens up about falling into wedding planning through a church committee, hearing God speak on a random Tuesday that changed everything, navigating entrepreneurship without a mentor, battling anxiety and depression while running a business, and why the same project management skills that served her in engineering are exactly what make her extraordinary at planning the most important day of someone’s life. She’s complex. She’s calm in chaos. And she will tell you the hard truth with a smile every single time. In this episode we cover: ∙ The unexpected journey from electrical engineering to event planning ∙ Building a business with integrity while still working a 9-to-5 ∙ Navigating anxiety, depression, and finding the right therapist ∙ Why “no” is a complete sentence and boundaries are learned the hard way ∙ What it really looks like behind the highlight reel of wedding planning ∙ Positive representation of Black women in business and why legacy matters Connect with Nikeva: SouthWind Events on Instagram @southwind.events, TikTok, and Facebook Connect with Lindsey T. Evans: heels2sneakers.net Girl, you got this.

Meet Oladoyin (Doyin) Ajilore She made a promise to a cousin fighting leukemia. A contractor stole her savings. COVID hit before she could open her doors. And she still built Dreamers Academy and Dreamers Academy II from the ground up. In this episode of I Swear I’m An Introvert, Your Savvy SheEO Lindsey T. Evans sits down with Oladoyin (Doyin) Ajilore — founder of Dreamers Academy and Dreamers Academy II — two top-tier, Black-owned early childhood education centers serving the Chicagoland area with heart, curriculum, and community. Born in Benin and raised across Nigeria, England, France, Gabon, and India, Doyin brings a global perspective to early childhood education rooted in village, purpose, and promise. She gets real about losing her startup funds to a contractor who vanished, putting her home on the line when no bank would back her, paying eight employees to sit home during COVID just to protect her license, and the one woman who refused to let her walk away from her dream. This is not a highlight reel. This is the full story — the betrayal, the breakdown, the pivot, and the breakthrough. In this episode we cover: ∙ Building a business through loss, betrayal, and a global pandemic ∙ Why banks and minority-focused institutions still failed her ∙ The connection between entrepreneurship, mental health, and physical illness ∙ How to recognize and release the naysayers in your circle ∙ Raising daughters — and employees — who lead ∙ Why failure is not the opposite of success Visit Dreamers Academy: dreamersacademyhome.com Connect with Lindsey T. Evans: heels2sneakers.net Girl, you got this!

Before we introduce you to the women breaking barriers this season, you need to meet the woman behind the mic. In this premiere episode of I Swear I’m An Introvert, Your Savvy SheEO Lindsey T. Evans gets interviewed by her producer, her partner, and her biggest supporter — her husband, Bryan Evans — in an honest, unfiltered conversation about who she really is beneath the titles, the businesses, and the boardrooms. Lindsey opens up about her ADHD diagnosis and the journey of discovering it as a superpower, her battle with major depressive disorder, a hospitalization that changed everything, and the tattoo on her wrist that reminds her to simply breathe. She talks about growing up in a blended family of entrepreneurs, what it means to carry imposter syndrome while still showing up, and why she built this podcast — because our little brown girls deserved to see themselves in women who looked like them, led with class, and told the whole story. This isn’t a highlight reel. This is the real story. Topics covered: ADHD & mental health awareness, imposter syndrome, Black women in entrepreneurship, representation in media, the origin of Heels 2 Sneakers, and what it truly means to do it scared. Girl, you got this.