The Wealth of Self

WADE KIEFER

In this episode I'm joined by a fantastic friend of mine from my days at the University of Missouri. Wade Kiefer. Wade is currently an IBEW 124 Business Representative serving counties in our home state of Missouri as well as select areas of Kansas. Wade and his family represent a critical part of the American economic ecosystem and what many would say is the bedrock of what makes this country tick. As a fourth generation union member his career path represents a strong lineage of the men and women who built our nation from the ground up… literally. Wade had a small town, mid-american upbringing and really got his first taste of serious cultural exposure when entering his college experience. While he was there he studied political science, which was a decision that was partially motivated by his parents desire for him to work outside of the trades given his dad’s first hand experience with how physically strenuous that lifestyle could be. However, as he neared graduation he felt himself at a loss for compatible job options and elected to more seriously pursue a life in his family's footsteps. This decision has opened new doors and certain freedoms that many young people today aren’t as accustomed to. With sound advice from family Wade made his first home purchase at only 22 years of age, electing to build his equity rather than navigate to a downtown living lifestyle in Kansas City that many young people decide to pursue. Wade has also dabbled in the political arena with positions on his local school board and a bid for State Representative. As a Business Representative of his local IBEW 124 his primary objective is to advocate for the working rights of his brothers and sisters in union and his young and informed voice is helping one of the country's oldest and most revered sectors of our working ecosystem enter the digital age with more fluency. I’m excited to share this conversation with all of your as we take some time getting to know Wade Kiefer. Thanks for joining us on this episode of the Wealth of Self. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow our content. Don't forget to check out our website: www.wealthofself.com/ You can support our creative efforts by donating to our Patreon www.patreon.com/wealthofself Video Production and Editing by Jon Hambacker www.jonhambacker.com/ If you're interested in the tools and technical gadgets that make this operation work seamlessly I encourage you to check out my kit. I earn a small commission on any purchases that you make using these links at no additional cost to you. Your support is greatly appreciated. kit.co/pinnaclecvs

JOSH FOSTER

Josh Foster is an advisory manager working in the DC metro area and even though he's in the early phases of his career, he is poised to do great things in the coming years. This is reinforced by his consistency and application of formative advice from family and mentors alike. Growing up in Dayton, Ohio, Josh had a front row seat to his dad’s entrepreneurial goals in the real estate sector. However, as with many big dreams, there were some sacrifices that had to be made. Josh distinctly remembers his family moving into a trailer park so his dad could continue the growth of the business. This experience and some of the peer pressure that accompanied such a move put a chip on Josh’s shoulder and created a competitive drive that he carries with him to this day. Josh's parents were incredibly supportive and encouraged him and all of his siblings to pursue their goals with truth and vigor, but maybe their greatest gift was teaching them how to be self-sufficient. This came in the form of cutting off financial support when Josh was in college and even though this required an adjustment, it forced him to understand the value of work, money management, and looking out for himself. He reflects on this decision as one of the best things that happened to him during that time of his life. As Josh veered away from his love of basketball and college playing career, he began to more fully devote himself to identifying a fulfilling career path. However, as he concluded his college career and found an absence of available job opportunities upon graduating, he began to assist his dad with his real estate business. This experience taught him the importance of perfecting your craft and the power of knowledge developed through repetition and consistent practice. Josh has a long road ahead of him but his appreciation of the process, not skipping any steps, and his positive outlook for achieving his goals is an enlightening message that many can benefit from. Thanks for joining us on this episode of the Wealth of Self. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow our content. Don't forget to check out our website: www.wealthofself.com/ You can support our creative efforts by donating to our Patreon www.patreon.com/wealthofself Video Production and Editing by Jon Hambacker www.jonhambacker.com/ If you're interested in the tools and technical gadgets that make this operation work seamlessly I encourage you to check out my kit. I earn a small commission on any purchases that you make using these links at no additional cost to you. Your support is greatly appreciated. kit.co/pinnaclecvs

KAYONA EBONY BROWN

Kayona Ebony Brown joins us to discuss her journey to becoming an Emmy award winning writer! Growing up as an only child to a single mom in D.C., Kayona wasn't raised to be a stereotypical girl. Her mom allowed her to be a child first and foremost, and let her curiosity and explorative nature guide her growth. This nonlinear rearing method provided Kayona with the flexibility to engage with a variety of subjects that she found interesting, but she often references her early interest in sports as a foundational element to the work she does now on many major sports related pieces of content. It wasn't until Kayona identified her own ability to control her perceptions and reality that she began to truly flourish within the creative space. This allowed her to navigate away from some very dark roads and past failures, so that she was no longer operating from a place of fear, but a place of confidence and control. She distinctly remembers reading Neale Donald Walsh's book "Conversations with God", which changed her life and her outlook on what was possible for her future during the beginning of the pandemic. This uncertain period made her ask, "why not" and was a catalyst for her to begin networking with other creatives more seriously than she had before. Her embodiment of the phrase, "you'll see it when you believe it" reinforces her narrative about controlling her own reality, and is a guiding force in the routines and methodologies she employs in order to find success in her creative process. Her writing has opened the door to working with high caliber talent, such as Viola Davis on some of the worlds, biggest stages such as the Super Bowl. It is an incredible honor to know and to have worked with Kayona in the creative space and her career trajectory is scaling at an impressive rate, which is to be expected when you're as talented as she is. I'm glad you're along for the ride, so let's jump into this conversation with Kayona Ebony Brown. Thanks for joining us on this episode of the Wealth of Self. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow our content. Don't forget to check out our website: www.wealthofself.com/ You can support our creative efforts by donating to our Patreon www.patreon.com/wealthofself Video Production and Editing by Jon Hambacker www.jonhambacker.com/ If you're interested in the tools and technical gadgets that make this operation work seamlessly I encourage you to check out my kit. I earn a small commission on any purchases that you make using these links at no additional cost to you. Your support is greatly appreciated. kit.co/pinnaclecvs

RANDI BRYANT

Randi Bryant is a diversity, equity, And inclusion expert with over 25 years of masterful work in the space. Her messaging is aimed at creating better workplace environments for minority communities across the nation. Randi's confident voice is one that she refined over years of dedicated practice, but she continually harks back to the fact that this confidence developed most rapidly as she began to speak her truth. Growing up in Hampton and Williamsburg Virginia, Randi was faced with an interesting shift in her perspectives about difference, diversity, and inclusion. Spending some of the first years of her life within walking distance of a major HBCU created an atmosphere of familiarity that was challenged as she continued to grow up and face situations that were less familiar than what she had formerly known. At only eight years old, Randi tragically lost her father in a car accident and by the time she was in her early 20s also lost her loving mother. Their absence reinforced her desire to make them proud by being courageous enough to be who she was uniquely designed to be. As Randi concluded her studies at Tuskegee University she began to explore ways in which she could better help marginalized groups in corporate spaces and recognized there was a dire need for authentic conversations instead of silently pushing away problems in the workplace. Randi has made it her mission to create stronger, more equitable, and more inclusive work environments in the corporate models of businesses around the nation and the world. She truly has become a voice for those who feel like they do not have one and her empowering and encouraging message is one we can all glean a little inspiration from. Thanks for joining us on this episode of the Wealth of Self. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow our content. Don't forget to check out our website: www.wealthofself.com/ You can support our creative efforts by donating to our Patreon www.patreon.com/wealthofself Video Production and Editing by Jon Hambacker www.jonhambacker.com/ If you're interested in the tools and technical gadgets that make this operation work seamlessly I encourage you to check out my kit. I earn a small commission on any purchases that you make using these links at no additional cost to you. Your support is greatly appreciated. kit.co/pinnaclecvs

NATASHA DURKINS

In this episode we're joined by Natasha Durkins who is a senior executive leader with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and a soon to be author finalizing her book on how to be “ fiercely, joyful” Despite her joyous demeanor and great career achievements, she didn’t begin her life this way. Her journey to radical self acceptance, comfort, vulnerability, and speaking her truth were tasks that took consistency, diligent work, and healthy mentorship in order to achieve. Natasha was blessed from an early age with these great mentors, namely, her parents, who were vocal civil rights advocates in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Despite this, she found herself in a strange position of “trying to fit in” in a town where the majority of her peers were white and didn’t necessarily accept her into their social circles and her black peers teased her for “acting white”. This created a sense of isolation, and an inability to fit in that proved to be yet another obstacle she would have to overcome on her journey to wealth down the road. She distinctly remembers her father’s mayoral campaign and his surprise support from the one and only Muhammad Ali and even though her dad lost his bid at office she always remembers his lesson of learning from defeat and his view of the outcome as a win for all who were able to hear his message about equality. Just as soon as Natasha began her college experience at Howard University she had to pause in order to help with her mother's illness, which later claimed her mom's life. However, she always remembers the immense outpouring of love, support, and impact that her mom had as she watched friends, family, and loved ones pour into her appreciation ceremony. This event showed her that she wanted to affect people positively just like her mother had done. Through many more obstacles of self acceptance, overcoming limiting beliefs, and personal realizations, Natasha has made a name for herself, that she is immensely proud of and shares some of her most vital lessons that she has utilized to achieve this growth during our conversation today. I’m very honored to have her as a guest on the podcast and hopeful that any viewers or listeners will be able to take away some actionable steps for growth and wealth in their own life. Thanks for joining us on this episode of the Wealth of Self. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow our content. Check out The Wealth of Self Website [https://www.wealthofself.com]. Support our mission on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/wealthofself] Video Production and Editing by Jon Hambacker. Visit the website HERE [https://www.jonhambacker.com]. If you're interested in the tools and technical gadgets that make this operation work seamlessly I encourage you to check out my kit. I earn a small commission on any purchases that you make using these links at no additional cost to you. Your support is greatly appreciated. See the KIT HERE [https://kit.co/pinnaclecvs]