The Truth Prescription

Latest Episodes:

Ginni Saraswati - Keys for Creating Remarkable Podcasts Sep 13, 2021

Show notes

Good People,

Today I have the pleasure of chatting with Ginni Saraswati, Podcast Producer and Content Creation specialist. She is the Founder & CEO of Ginni Media, a Podcast & Content Production company specialized in podcast strategy, production, and creation for entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies. Ginni is an Award-Winning Journalist, Podcast Host, On-Air Radio Show Producer, and Communications and Public Relations specialist.

Our conversation revolves around the creative process, the consistency, and the driving force necessary to create a podcast and, most importantly, maintain it over time. We exchange thoughts on the creative process behind the creative process, and I share a bit of how it works for me, how I feel comfortable creating, and what triggers my imagination. We also look at the importance of having clear goals, being honest with our why, and asking ourselves about the real truth, the driving force behind our projects and aspirations.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Behind the scenes of the creation of The Truth Prescription Podcast (1:56)
What is one of the keys to consistency (4:49)
How can goal setting affect the creative process (11:31)
Three keys to keeping ourselves in constant growth (19:51)

Resources:

Ginni Media website
Ginni Media Instagram
The Ginni Show podcast

Connect with Ginni:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahmir Thompson - The Truth About Questlove - Part II Jul 05, 2021

Show notes

Good people,

Today's episode is part two of my conversation with the musician, producer, and author Ahmir Khalib Thompson, Questlove.

In this second part of the interview, we dive deep into the four tropes in which Black artists are automatically put when they emerge in the show business. We also talked about self-confidence and Ahmir's old mentality of not believing his music or any artistic piece produced by him was good enough.

Ahmir also shared an amusing story about the origin of his artistic name, and he brilliantly answered the yes or BS quest. Before the end, he shared some priceless insights about music and the show business.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

"You are brilliant; that is unexpected." When compliments reveal prejudices and racism (3:59)
The placebo syndrome and its positive effects (7:59)
Being always ready to pivot in case the worse happens. How Ahmir's mentality took him to never aiming to success (13:27)
The difference between 'I am!' and 'Am I?' (15:57)

Yes or BS:

In hip hop, your story needs to be bigger than your talent.
There is no better pizza than Valducci's.
Questlove's vaccinated food salons will be back in 2021.
Just Blaze is a top three hip-hop producer of all time.
Self-sabotage can be cured.
Andy Warhol is like Pete Rock for painters.
The Akai MPC drum machine produces a swing that is the closest to an actual drum.
Black thought is too good to be great.

Connect with Ahmir:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahmir Thompson - The Truth About Questlove - Part I Jun 21, 2021

Show notes

Good people,

Today I'm joined by Ahmir Khalib Thompson, also known as Questlove. He is an accomplished musician, producer, and author. Ahmir is the drummer of the Grammy Award-winning band The Roots. Since 2014, The Roots have been serving as the in-house band for The Tonight Show. In addition, he produced records for Elvis Costello, Jaz-Z, Amy Whinehouse, and John Legend, among many others.

Ahmir's truth is about living with lymphedema, but more specifically, how he decided to deal with the condition from the beginning. Coming from a family where people wouldn't go to the hospital unless they were about to die certainly contributed to Ahmir's decision of keeping his condition a secret, hidden in plain sight, wearing baggy clothes even after losing a considerable amount of weight.

In this first part of the interview, Ahmir, using his flawless storyteller abilities, takes us through his journey of how his life suddenly changed one morning and how he decided to deal with it. We had a fantastic conversation about acceptance and how often creative and gifted people commit self-sabotage. He kindly shared his experiences as a producer, and he also talked about his directorial debut.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Ahmir's truth and his first reactions seeing his body completely different overnight (4:28)
The body talks. Hiding Ahmir's condition started getting harder (12:30)
Superman to the fans, Clark Kent to himself. Ahmir's conflict of living two lives (18:21)
The jig is up. What happened when Ahmir's secret was no longer a secret (20:23)
After many years, Ahmir found an effective treatment that helped him (for a while) (24:30)
Ahmir finally decided to deal with his condition more seriously (34:25)

Resources mentioned:

Book: Gay Hendricks - The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level

Connect with Ahmir:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wendy De Rosa: A Truth About an Overlooked Talent Jun 07, 2021

Show notes

Good People,

Today, I had a fantastic conversation with Wendy De Rosa; she is an international intuitive energy healer, the School of Intuitive Studies founder, speaker, teacher, and author.

Wendy's truth is the discovery of a gift after thinking there was something wrong with her. Although she was very sensitive since she was a child, it never occurred to Wendy that she had healing abilities.

Being the older of 8 siblings, Wendy had to work to help her family since she was 12. She didn't have the language to decipher her experiences as the intuitive, sensitive child she was throughout her childhood, so she ended up internalizing a lot of shame and blame. At age 19, Wendy suffered a mental breakdown; she simply couldn't deal anymore with the overwhelm and the heavy responsibilities she was exposed to. After an interview with a healing teacher who identified her talent, she understood she wasn't a hot mess; she only needed to explore and nurture her gifts as an emphatic healer.

We had a great conversation about Wendy's journey, divine interventions, bypassing the rational mind through energy, what it is like to be an empath, and guided meditation. Wendy kindly talked about the seven chakras; she explained the differences between them and where they are situated in our bodies. At the end of this episode, Wendy guides us through a delightful grounding exercise.

Some Questions I Ask:

I'd like you to share a truth, something that you either were ignoring or maybe you just weren't aware that once you experienced it created some breakthrough for you in your life. (4:12)
Could you talk a bit about how someone can know if they are, in fact, an empath? (21:29)
Could you go through each chakra and talk a bit about what they represent? (26:26)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

A pivotal moment in Wendy's life. The man with the ukulele and the halo (8:27)
Learning to feel and going through patriarchal teachings (15:30)
The different types of truths in our lives and how we deal with them (20:52)
The places we can only visit through a guided meditation (25:34)

Resources:

Wendy De Rosa website
School of Intuitive Studies
Book: Wendy De Rosa - Becoming an Empowered Empath: How to Clear Energy, Set the Boundaries & Embody Your Intuition.

Connect with Wendy:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bianca M. Forde: The Truth About the Real Purpose of Stigmatization May 24, 2021

Show notes

Good people,

Today I'm joined by Bianca M. Forde, Former Federal Prosecutor, Author, Global Ethics & Compliance Executive, Litigator, and Trial Attorney.

Bianca's truth is about stigma. She realized that the surest way to maintain inequity and any other injustice is to stop people from talking about it, which is achieved through stigmatization. After a racially motivated arrest, Bianca wrote her book "Prosecuted Prosecutor," a compelling memoir and call-to-action. Her book is an accurate analysis of how prosecutors can fulfill their mandates as law servants, tackling taboo subjects prosecutors can discuss, but for some reason, they don't. We talked about how stigmatization of black people, the preventive rather than reactive policies the justice system should adopt, and how she transformed pain into power throughout her arrest.

Bianca also emphasized how speaking on behalf of other women suffering from domestic violence helped her stand for herself and find her own voice and authenticity.

Some Questions I Ask:

I'd like you to tell the listeners something about your personal or professional life that you were ignoring, and once you accepted it, you had a significant breakthrough (4:18)
In your opinion, where does the legal system work, and where does it fall short? (9:42)
What would you do differently? If anything, if you were stopped by the police in a similar situation today? (16:27)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Bianca's truth about stigma (4:37)
Why stigmatization and the things people are not supposed to talk about feels like a threat (8:19)
The system should concentrate on creating preventive rather than reactive approach to crime (12:30)
Some of the policing problems we have, and why some procedures need to stop happening (22:26)
Bianca's journey on transforming pain into power (24:01)

Yes or BS:

If it was not for the events of 11/29/19, Bianca Forde would still be a US attorney (28:42)
Trinidad makes the best Roti, not Guyana (29:19)
Police reform will never happen (29:43)
The 11 lessons in your book "Prosecuted Prosecutor" have been graciously accepted by the prosecutorial community (32:59)
Dubai is more fun than Boston (34:02)
You should think hard before taking risks (36:01)
When getting married, the ring is more important than the dress (38:31)

Resources:

Bianca M. Forde's website
Book: Bianca M. Forde - Prosecuted Prosecutor: A Memoir & Blueprint for Prosecutor-led Criminal Justice Reform
Prosecuted Prosecutor's Instagram

Connect with Bianca:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Katie Duke: Removing the Bandages and Finding Our Value Instead of Scars Mar 15, 2021

Show notes

Good people,

Today, I'm joined by Katie Duke, nurse practitioner, mentor, creator, motivational speaker, and host of the top-rated Bad Decisions Podcast. She has a BS in Nursing from City University in New York Hunter College and a Masters of Science in Nursing from Columbia University in the City of New York.

In her role as a social media leader, Katie uses her experience to offer guidance on how to turn bad decisions into part of a successful story.

Katie's truth is about value. She realized that being in abusive relationships, whether in her personal life or at work, is the product of her not valuing herself. Katie understood that how we show up is what we attract and that if we find ourselves in abusive environments often, it is because we feel our value is low and that treatment is what we deserve.

Some Questions I Ask:

In terms of your trajectory in the next five years, what do you want to accomplish? And what's holding you back? (6:53)
What stops you from going in there tomorrow and resigning from your nursing position at the hospital? (11:16)
Let me ask you this, throughout the relationship, did you feel valued? (16:56)
The question is, does Katie Duke value Katie Duke?

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Where was Katie four years ago, and where she is now (2:36)
The struggle between passion for what we do and where we have to do it (7:03)
The perks of putting the work in what we love (14:02)
The moment the truth sees the light (24:07)
Stepping into an abusive relationship every day at work (29:19)

Resources:

Concept to Creation - Online Course
Bad Decisions Podcast with Katie Duke
Katie Duke website

Connect with Katie:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lydia Lee: Growing Wings To Fly Out of The Cubicle Mar 01, 2021

Show notes

Good people,

Joining me today is Lydia Lee, career change coach and meaningful work advocate. She guides corporate employees transitioning from a 9 to 5 job to a business they love, based on their strengths, values, and personality.

Originally from Malaysia, Lydia and her parents moved to Canada, looking for a brighter financial future. She grew up in Vancouver, where she was very successful in the corporate world; Lydia worked as a business developing manager, project sales coordinator, marketing specialist, and the list goes on.

After suffering a burnout during a business trip that ended with her flying on an emergency flight back home, Lydia started thinking about meaning and purpose in life.

Lydia's truth is about realizing there is no connection between success and overworking herself. Being a humble family in a foreign country, Lydia's parents planted on her the seed of working twice as hard to be considered worthy of an opportunity. That mandate of overproducing led Lydia into a path of exhaustion, including long years of work without a single vacation break that made her reconsider her life choices and eventually inspired her "Screw the cubicle" idea.

Some Questions I Ask:

Tell my listeners something either in your personal, professional life where you had a breakthrough after accepting something real about yourself. (4:43)
You gave me three truths here. Listen to your body. Don't follow a script or somebody else's script for your life. And then, success is not overworking. Tell me which one you feel is the most prominent. (11:49)
Did you decide to move to Bali as part of a plan to live in a country that allows you more financial flexibility? Do you recommend that to clients? Put yourself up financially first, and then figure the next move? (13:00)
If you were to choose a movie theme that identifies your process of helping people transition from corporate to out of the cubicle into the entrepreneur partnership, what would that theme be? (29:03)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

We can't separate personal from working life (5:05)
Where following someone else's path can take us (10:05)
You can get out of the cubicle; still, the cubicle might follow you (12:21)
Waiting for the right moment could take forever (15:47)
The difference between bringing the goal with us and going after it (23:40)
Reinvention happens more than once in a lifetime (29:09)

Yes or BS:

The cubicle is a safe space (35:12)
Pineapples are the best fruit to eat with meat (37:53)
All business can be location independent (38:37)
Freedom is not a destination (40:01)
Talents and gifts are the same (40:57)
Lydia Lee is going to run out and get the COVID-19 vaccine (43:39)

Resources:

Screw the Cubicle website

Connect with Lydia:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Castro: A Custom-Made American Dream Feb 15, 2021

Show notes

Good people,

Joining me today is Will Castro, car customizer to the stars, reality TV star, and author of the bestseller book, Unique Hustle. Will customized cars for celebrities like LeBron James, Pamela Anderson, Busta Rhymes, Bernard Hopkins, Carmelo Anthony, and the list goes on.

Son of a single mom, Will grew up in Lower East Side Manhattan, a neighborhood where fancy boutiques alternate with dusty streets, bars, and Public Housing Projects buildings, where he sold newspapers as a kid. He got his first A-list client thanks to one of his brothers who happened to be friends with the rapper Erick Sermon. After Sermon showed up in his customized Lexus 300E at a concert at the Apollo Theater, every person wanted to know who was responsible for such a customization masterpiece.

Will's truth is related to having too many "yes-man" around him and that his arrogance and brashness was both a curse and a blessing. When he started succeeding in business, he thought that the best thing to do was to have his friends close because he knew they will have his back and never let him down. But certain situations require a no as an answer, or a harsh word, that a friend might lack. That lack of limits led Will to almost go to prison for tax issues.

Some Questions I Ask:

Could you tell listeners a story about a truth that you either ignored or you weren't aware of, and once you accepted it, you had a full breakthrough? (5:47)
Can you tell me a story about the yes-men, where a yes should have been a no? (11:49)
How do you approach customers in general and how it's changed over the years? (13:18)
How do you think that interactions between the creative and the technician go together in your business? (23:28)
Creatives, artists, entrepreneurs, everybody has to understand basic business principles. How has it changed over the years? And what's the biggest lesson you learned? (27:24)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

The result of having too many yes-men around (5:56)
The cost of not having enough educated minorities in the US (10:53)
Customer service now and back in the day (13:48)
Important lessons they don't teach in high school (18:58)
Life is more precious than anything (22:17)
The importance of having a trustworthy name in any business (28:08)

Resources:

Book: Will Castro - Unique Hustle
Worldwide Autosports website

Connect With Will:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Obinna Obilo: Poetry - The Truth about Jobs and Passions Feb 01, 2021

Show notes

Good people,

Today I'm joined by Obinna Obilo, poetry writer and Vice President of Credit Management at BNY Mellon. His vast experience in the corporate world includes Credit Specialist roles for the Citi Group and Sr. Project Manager in Fannie Mae. Obinna is a public speaker, and author of the newly-released Memories of the Future (2020) and the previously published Within This Welded Spirit (2004).

Obinna's truth is related to his identity as a writer and his career in corporate roles. The publishing of his latest volume made him face the truth of returning to his writing self and rediscovering the passion and energy writing gives him. He also shared his thoughts on the importance of knowing our strengths while articulating them with our needs and his relationship with the creative writing process.

Tune in and find out what it looks like to merge the corporate world and literature in Obinna's head.

In This Episode You Will Learn

Obinna's truth about writing (4:29)
The importance of having advocacy and agency for a successful career (6:28)
Understanding how we articulate our value (13:10)
Obinna's favorite part of performing poetry (16:25)
The possibility of leaving the corporate world to become a full-time writer (19:54)
Memories of the future (24:30)

Connect with Obinna:

LinkedIn
Book: Obinna Obilo - Within This Welded Spirit
Book: Obinna Obilo - Memories of the Future
The Hashtag Igwe Website
The Hashtag Igwe Facebook
The Hashtag Igwe Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TJ Stouder: Enhance Your Body & Soul's Wellness Jan 18, 2021

Show notes

Good People,

Today I had the pleasure to talk to TJ Stouder, founder and CEO of Holistik Wellness, a company that produces CBD infused powders you can mix in your drink to enhance your sleeping, relaxation, digestion, and more.

TJ's truth was realizing that 'haters gonna hate'. TJ talks about his childhood, how hard it was for him growing up in Indiana, being the only brown kid in a Catholic School, and letting what the other kids say get to him. He shares his memories of the day he decided to stop caring about what other people said about him and how that realization at a younger age leveraged his personal development. He also talked about his relationship with his grandfather, also an entrepreneur, who taught him core values he fully embraced and applied in his life about respect and dignity. We talked about his leap of faith from 10 years working in Procter & Gamble to starting his own company.

I encourage you to open your mind and let TJ's truths flow. Enjoy!

Some Questions I Ask:

Tell us how did you realize that 'haters gonna hate'? (06:06)
What challenges did you face when you made the transition from working at P&G to starting your own company? (07:20)
What was your grandfather's impact on you in terms of connecting with people? (09:17)
How can a consumer feel confident in the purchase of your product? (11:30)
What does 'broad spectrum' mean and why it's important? (14:30)

In This Episode, You Will Learn: