Asked By Ayana

Latest Episodes:

Christie Catan on leaving a consulting job to start a dog training company Oct 19, 2021

Show notes

This week, I’m joined by Christie Catan, who’s the co-founder of Tails of Connection, which is an online dog training community. Christie has an incredible story about how she landed where she is currently, and I'm so glad she took the time to share it with me. We discuss how health problems in college changed her career trajectory, taking a leap of faith to start a company and being okay with failing, and how her relationship with her sheepadoodle transformed her mental health and led her to found her training company. Thanks for listening!
instagram.com/tailsofconnection

tailsofconnection.com
https://www.tiktok.com/@tailsofconnection

Ayana & Vagner talk full-time ministry, influencing, and their respective career journeys Oct 05, 2021

Show notes

It's the 25th episode, so it's time for something special! My husband Vagner is on the pod today to chat about our respective career journeys. When we got married, he was a full-time worship leader at a church, and he now works at a software company. I never dreamed of being an influencer and thought I'd work in newspaper journalism my whole career. We talk about what it's like to pivot to a non-journalism job, how I share my life online while also having healthy boundaries, my thoughts on being a "ministry wife," where we've landed in our faith. Thanks for listening!
FOLLOW VAGNER'S MUSIC: instagram.com/boyhoodclubmusic

Elizabeth Holmes on becoming a royal family style expert and writing a bestselling book Sep 28, 2021

Show notes

Excited to welcome Elizabeth Holmes, bestselling author of HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style and creator of the SMT Instagram Story series, to the podcast today. We talk about her decision to walk away from her prestigious title at the Wall Street Journal and how she started chronicling the outfit choices of the Duchess of Cambridge (aka Kate Middleton) and the Duchess of Sussex (aka Meghan Markle). Elizabeth is truly a pleasure, and this is such a good episode. Follow her below:
INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/eholmes

NEWSLETTER: http://somanythoughts.bulletin.com

BOOK: https://bit.ly/2ZG6lJy

Kate Baer on writing poetry and advice she has for writers Sep 21, 2021

Show notes

Hi there! New York Times bestselling author Kate Baer is today's podcast guest! I love her work and find it so moving, so I'm thrilled to have her. We discuss her writing process, how she started with erasure poetry, the work she did before coming a full-time writer, and the complicated emotions surrounding "mom guilt" as a working parent. Follow her and check out her work below:
https://www.instagram.com/katejbaer/
What Kind of Woman: https://bit.ly/3u6QSxd
I Hope This Finds You Well: https://bit.ly/3kqyWKS

Rachel Mansfield on how she fell in love with cooking while recovering from disordered eating Sep 14, 2021

Show notes

I'm hanging out with Rachel Mansfield (@rachlmansfield) for today's episode! She's an incredible cookbook author and recipe creator who has a really cool story. We talk about how she didn't get into cooking until she was an adult and how she found a love for it while recovering from an eating disorder, why getting fired from a job made her decide to work for herself, and her recent exciting announcement that her husband is working full-time with her.
HER FAVORITE RECIPES:
Cashew Chicken Bowls: https://rachlmansfield.com/insanely-good-paleo-basil-cashew-chicken-bowls/
No-Boil Pasta Bake: https://rachlmansfield.com/the-easiest-no-boil-baked-penne-recipe/
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies: https://rachlmansfield.com/insane-gluten-free-brown-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies/
FOLLOW HER:
instagram.com/rachlmansfield
https://www.tiktok.com/@rachlmansfield

Caroline Moss on her writing process, how much authors actually make, and podcasting Sep 07, 2021

Show notes

Author and podcast host Caroline Moss is on the pod today, and our conversation is a treat! We talk about the pressure to always be productive and how to handle it, what it's like writing children's books, and how much authors actually make (hint: less than you think). Caroline also talks about how her podcast Gee Thanks, Just Bought It! came about. Thanks for listening!
Buy Hey Ladies!: https://bit.ly/3l5VI9J
Buy the Work It, Girl series: https://bit.ly/3BR3yuN

Follow her on Instagram: http://instagram.com/geethanksjustboughtitpod
Listen to the podcast: https://apple.co/3jTjHde

Lisa Respers France on covering all things pop culture for CNN Aug 31, 2021

Show notes

Today, I’m joined by the one and only Lisa Respers France. She’s a longtime journalist who has worked at CNN for over a decade as a senior entertainment writer. She’s the queen of all things pop culture and graciously agreed to share her journey to her dream job with me. We talk about how she became a writer (the story involves Oprah!), her most memorable celebrity encounters, her tips for young journalists, and how she bravely decided to write about her dad’s battle with COVID.

Follow her on Instagram: instagram.com/lisafrance

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisaFranceCNN

Read her newsletter: https://www.cnn.com/specials/pop-life-chronicles

Her dad’s COVID fight: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/05/opinions/father-covid-19-death-grieve-france/index.html

Emily Amick on using Instagram to help people understand the news Aug 17, 2021

Show notes

This week, I’m joined by Emily Amick, better known as @emilyinyourphone. She shares nuanced political opinions from a partisan perspective on her Instagram account, and I love learning new things from her. We discuss her time serving as counsel to Senator Chuck Schumer, going to law school and becoming an attorney for terrorism victims, and what daily average news consumption looks like. Thanks, as always, for listening!

Follow her Instagram: instagram.com/emilyinyourphone

Listen to her podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/weve-got-issues-with-emily-and-jess/id1572072422

Rep. Anna Eskamani on becoming the first Iranian-American elected in the Florida House Aug 10, 2021

Show notes

I’m thrilled to welcome Rep. Anna Eskamani to the pod today! If you’re not familiar with her, you should be — she’s a progressive leader in Florida making a huge difference both in our state and our country. We talk about why she ran for office and flipping her seat in 2018, what it’s like to balance a full-time job with public service, and how she handles the racism and misogyny she faces. Thanks for listening, and follow Anna below:

facebook.com/annaforflorida

instagram.com/annaforflorida

twitter.com/annaforflorida

annaforflorida.com

Arielle Estoria on her creative journey to becoming a poet and writer Aug 03, 2021

Show notes

Hey, friends! I’m back with another episode of Asked By Ayana, this time featuring Arielle Estoria (@arielleestoria). She’s a poet, speaker, author, actor, and model whose words bring me so much joy, and I’m honored to have her here. We talk about how she struggled at the beginning of her career, what content creation looks like for her, and how she’s navigated faith and deconstruction. Thanks for listening!

1:00: How she started writing

11:05: Arielle’s thoughts on a “big break”

16:50: The shift in opportunities she saw after the resurgence of Black Lives Matter last summer

25:30: Creating content she loves, regardless of what the Instagram algorithm says

Connect with Arielle below:

instagram.com/arielleestoria

twitter.com/arielleestoria

arielleestoria.com