Episodes

  • EP 43- "Wealth, Purpose & Financial Literacy" | Stacia M. Morris | Author, Educator, and Executive Leadership Coach

    EP 43- "Wealth, Purpose & Financial Literacy" | Stacia M. Morris | Author, Educator, and Executive Leadership Coach
    Mar 26 2026
    In this episode of Let’s Talk Passion and Purpose, Nicole Thomas sits down with Stacia Morris—2025 Women Innovator honoree, author, educator, and executive leadership coach. From a small island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to corporate leadership at IBM and global financial literacy work, Stacia shares how she turned setbacks into a life of service, mentoring, and money confidence.

    You’ll hear how she reinvented herself after corporate downsizing, why she wrote Teen Money 101 as a “love letter” to her niece and nephew, and how her “Be the CEO of your household” framework helps families take control of their finances and future.

    Key Takeaways
    • How Stacia’s upbringing in a service-oriented family shaped her passion for teaching and giving back.
    • The moment a student told her, “You are our lifeline to this country,” and how it clarified her purpose.
    • Why even highly educated people struggle with money—and how to start with a simple income-and-expense statement.
    • The story behind Teen Money 101 and why financial literacy should start long before a crisis.
    • What it means to “be the CEO of your household” and practical ways to align spending, saving, and goals.
    Memorable Quotes

    “You are our lifeline to this country.”

    “If I knew what I teach now, I’d be on the rock I always wanted in the Caribbean.”

    “We need to start doing for ourselves what companies do long before there’s a crisis.”

    “Go after your passion first. Do something you would do even if you didn’t get paid—and your purpose will follow.”
    Show more Show less
    52 mins
  • EP 42- "How to Rewrite Your Story" | Krystal Glenn | Media Producer, Storyteller, Author and, Award-winning Teaching Artist

    EP 42- "How to Rewrite Your Story" | Krystal Glenn | Media Producer, Storyteller, Author and, Award-winning Teaching Artist
    Mar 19 2026
    In this episode of Let’s Talk: Passion & Purpose with Nicole Thomas, Nicole sits down with Krystal Glenn (SmartVideo Girl)—media producer, storyteller, and author—to explore how to rewrite your story, release limiting beliefs, and step into authentic self-love.

    Krystal shares her journey from studying accounting to stepping into media and storytelling, and how she moved from telling other people’s stories to bravely owning her own. Together, they dive into personal growth, mindset shifts, and what it really takes to move from limiting labels to living in alignment with who you truly are.

    If you’ve been feeling stuck, behind, or disconnected from your purpose, this conversation will inspire you to reconnect with yourself, trust your timing, and start creating a life that reflects your truth.

    What You’ll Learn:
    • The difference between self-care and true self-love
    • How limiting beliefs and labels impact your growth
    • Why personal growth requires inner work, not just action
    • Understanding delays as “on purpose,” not failure
    • How to trust your unique path and creative rhythm
    • The power of storytelling in shaping your life and purpose


    Key Takeaways
    • Self-love is deeper than self-care—it’s how you treat yourself daily
    • Labels can limit your identity and growth
    • Your journey unfolds in its own timing—trust it

    Quotes

    “Labels are limitations.”
    “Sometimes it may be put on pause, on purpose.”
    “You march to the beat of your own drum.”

    About the Guest
    Krystal Glenn (SmartVideo Girl) is a media producer, storyteller, author, and award-winning teaching artist who helps individuals and brands bring their visions to life through creative storytelling and media.
    Show more Show less
    33 mins
  • EP 41- "Creative Leadership in Action" | Sylvia Barchue | Transformational Healthcare Leader and Author

    EP 41- "Creative Leadership in Action" | Sylvia Barchue | Transformational Healthcare Leader and Author
    Mar 12 2026
    In this episode of the podcast, host Nicole Thomas sits down with Sylvia Barchue, an author, healthcare leader, and innovator with more than 35 years of experience in critical care and healthcare leadership. Sylvia shares her journey from training as a nurse in London to becoming a senior leader at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center in the Bronx, where she helped design intensive care units, develop innovative programs for healthcare professionals, and improve care for veterans.

    Throughout the conversation, Sylvia explains how creative leadership and innovative thinking can transform healthcare systems and help leaders solve complex challenges. She discusses building programs for new nurses, mentoring future healthcare leaders, expanding organ donation efforts, and creating initiatives to support women’s health. Sylvia also shares the personal story behind her books My Sister, My Friend, My Miracle and The ABCs of Women’s Health, inspired by advocating for her sister after a stroke and promoting patient education and wellness. This episode offers practical leadership insights for healthcare professionals, leaders, creatives, and anyone looking to create meaningful impact through their work.
    What You’ll Learn in This Episode

    • How to apply creative leadership in structured and high-pressure environments
    • Ways healthcare leaders can solve complex problems through innovation
    • How mentorship and strong leadership development programs support teams
    • Why advocacy and patient-centered care are essential in healthcare leadership
    • Lessons on building a career focused on service, impact, and leadership
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 8 mins
  • EP 40- "Turning Vision Into Results" | Antoy Grant | ICF Credentialed Coach, Execution Strategist and Creative Consultant

    EP 40- "Turning Vision Into Results" | Antoy Grant | ICF Credentialed Coach, Execution Strategist and Creative Consultant
    Mar 5 2026

    In this episode, guest Antoy Grant, an ICF-credentialed coach, execution strategist, and former president of the ICF NYC chapter, shares how creativity becomes powerful when vision turns into action. Antoy shares her journey from growing up in Jamaica writing poetry under an apple tree to building a career in acting, producing, and coaching. She discusses creativity as more than having ideas—it’s about executing them.

    The conversation explores the challenges women of color face in the entertainment industry and how creating original work can open doors when opportunities don’t exist. Antoy recounts co-creating the off-off-Broadway show Goddess City, founding Mango Seed Entertainment to unite passionate creators, and launching The Antoy Show as a platform for storytelling and performance. She also shares insights from her Best Year Ever books, which offer practical frameworks for goal setting, accountability, and execution. Antoy emphasizes resilience, the importance of a strong “why,” and how she uses AI as a thought partner while pursuing a mission of transformation and creative impact.

    Why Listen
    If you’ve ever had a big idea but struggled to bring it to life, this episode is for you. Antoy Grant shares powerful insights on turning creativity into action, building opportunities when doors don’t open, and staying resilient while pursuing your purpose. Her journey through entertainment, coaching, and entrepreneurship offers practical lessons for creatives, leaders, and anyone looking to turn vision into real results.
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 8 mins
  • EP 39 - "A Life in Service of Healing" | Sarah Alayne Martin | Poet and Teaching Artist

    EP 39 - "A Life in Service of Healing" | Sarah Alayne Martin | Poet and Teaching Artist
    Feb 26 2026
    Poet and teaching artist Sarah Alayne Martin joins the podcast to explore creativity as a tool for identity, healing, and community transformation. As executive creative director of Talk to Me Nation, she designs trauma-informed arts and wellness programs for families impacted by incarceration and violence, integrating poetry, storytelling, and somatic practices into community healing spaces nationwide.

    In this conversation, Sarah shares her path to becoming a writer, experiences organizing in St. Louis, and how burnout led her to reshape her work around sustainability and care. We talk about her creative rituals, the vision behind Talk to Me Nation, and what it means to create art in service of liberation and legacy.

    Key Takeaways
    • Creative practice can support both personal expression and community healing.
    • Trauma-informed arts programs can reframe how communities understand violence.
    • Sustainable leadership often requires reimagining pace, expectations, and care.
    • Creative identity develops through lived experience and community context.
    • Purpose-driven work grows through alignment rather than urgency.
    Show more Show less
    37 mins
  • EP 38 - "Nurturing Creativity through Faith & Resilience" | Canessa Thomas | Digital Mixed Media and Collage Artist

    EP 38 - "Nurturing Creativity through Faith & Resilience" | Canessa Thomas | Digital Mixed Media and Collage Artist
    Feb 19 2026
    In this episode, multidisciplinary artist Canessa Thomas shares how a life-altering chronic illness led her from writing to faith-led abstract art—and how creativity became a pathway to healing, purpose, and resilience. She opens up about creating through limitation, trusting intuition, and “doing it scared” despite fear and imposter syndrome.

    What you’ll gain from this episode:
    · How to keep creating when life disrupts your plans
    · Ways faith and intuition can guide your creative process
    · Encouragement to stop hiding your gifts and share them boldly
    · Perspective on using what you have—even in hard seasons
    · A reminder not to compare your creative journey to others

    Canessa also shares the story behind powerful works like Shrinkage (“it’s safe to come out now, shine”) and previews upcoming projects supporting youth arts and music education.
    Show more Show less
    51 mins
  • EP 37 - "Crafting Legacy through Faith and Purpose" | Dorinda Walker |President, Expectant Media and Author of Protected by Purpose

    EP 37 - "Crafting Legacy through Faith and Purpose" | Dorinda Walker |President, Expectant Media and Author of Protected by Purpose
    Feb 12 2026
    In this episode, Nicole Thomas sits down with Dorinda Walker—equity architect, inclusivity innovator, President of Expectant Media, and author of Protected by Purpose —to explore how faith, legacy, and purpose can transform even the most difficult beginnings. Dorinda shares how discovering her great-grandfather’s journey from young immigrant to millionaire in 1920s Newark reshaped her vision for generational wealth, equity, and impact.

    She opens up about navigating corporate America as a Black woman, building a $100M multicultural business, and ultimately walking away from a six-figure role to protect her peace. Dorinda also reflects on grief, caring for her late husband, launching Expectant Media, and why she believes God keeps waking her up because there is still more work for her to do.

    This is a powerful conversation about resilience, knowing your worth, and crafting a legacy rooted in faith and service.

    In this episode, we cover:
    • How knowing your legacy can expand what you believe is possible
    • Why generational wealth often breaks down—and how to rebuild it
    • The reality of microaggressions and “hateration” in corporate spaces
    • When it’s time to protect your peace and walk away
    • The power of personal branding, especially for Black women
    • How grief, faith, and courage led Dorinda to co-found a media company serving Black content creators and HBCU communities
    Show more Show less
    40 mins
  • EP 36 - "Resilience, Creativity, and Passion" | Alexander Boyce | Artist

    EP 36 - "Resilience, Creativity, and Passion" | Alexander Boyce | Artist
    Oct 16 2025
    Alexander Boyce is an artist and creative visionary who transforms challenges into opportunities, using his multidisciplinary talents to challenge stereotypes and celebrate black culture. Through music, visual art, and fashion, he demonstrates the power of resilience, passion, and purpose. His journey reveals how creativity can emerge from necessity and how believing in oneself can overcome societal limitations. Boyce's work is a testament to the transformative power of art and the importance of staying true to one's unique vision.

    Personal Philosophy

    Motto: "You are better than you think"

    • Believes in following your passion
    • Emphasizes the importance of purpose

    Powerful Quotes:
    • "Go in the direction of your excitement"
    • "Everything that wants you, wants you back"
    • "When you're passionate about something, you need that childlike hopefulness"

    Key Lessons:
    1. Embrace your multi-talented nature
    2. Turn limitations into opportunities
    3. Passion can sustain you through challenges
    4. Your unique perspective is your greatest asset

    Inspirational Moment:
    • Overcame cancer, viewing it as a transformative experience
    • Used challenge as an opportunity for growth

    Recommended For:
    • Creatives
    • Entrepreneurs
    • Artists
    • Anyone seeking inspiration and purpose
    Show more Show less
    36 mins