In the finale of season 1, we dive into a tutorial I've been getting asked to make for almost a decade - how to choose your word for the year.  It's a quick episode, but a valuable one, and I hope it helps you move into 2021 with the kind of energy you want to bring.

I’m going to share with you the most important lesson I’ve learned over the past decade of doing this, I am going to share what my words have been each year and what they invited in, and I’m going to provide some suggestions on how to choose the word that’s right for you. 

At the end, I’m going to share my 2021 word and a few very special guests are going to share theirs too. 

Thank you to Lionel T. Djaowe for our music. Find us on Instagram at @WhoMadeYouGreat. Enjoy the show!

Today we're talking to Amanda Villarreal, a Texicana, business-minded powerhouse who works in human-centered design. Amanda grew up in a Mexican-American family surrounded by brothers and worked across social work, politics, academia, tech, and business before landing at frog, the legendary 50+ year-old strategy and design consultancy that worked with Steve Jobs in the 1980’s to design the first Apple products.

As I mention a few times during the show, it's fun to watch how fast Amanda's mind moves. This episode is for you if you've been wondering how to connect the dots and find the superpowers in what feels like your own patchwork career - as Amanda shows, those varied backgrounds give us strength and the ability to approach challenges in creative, multi-disciplinary-informed ways.

For Amanda - this ability to connect seemingly disparate things came from two places: 1) growing up as an artistic kid and 2) the superpower of an ADHD mind when given the tools to thrive and let go of the judgement of a non-linear path.

In the second half of the show, you'll hear about Amanda's amazing dad Jesus, who grew up a mile from the Mexico - US border, ended up at Boston University as an engineering student, then got his Masters from MIT, where he founded the first Latino Students Organization. Amanda credits not only his academic intelligence, but his immense emotional intelligence and empathy for all he's been able to accomplish, and all he's been able to do for their family.

Learn more about Amanda and her work at amandanvillarreal.com - check out this post about entering the design field as a non-designer.

Thank you to Lionel T. Djaowe for our music. Find us on Instagram at @WhoMadeYouGreat. Enjoy the show!

Today we're talking to Desi, the Brooklyn-based powerhouse, lifestyle creative, storyteller, and hospitality pro who believes you deserve to live well (and sets an amazing example of self-investment and self-love for you to follow).

She has a multitude of creative and business projects that support and advocate for Black, Brown, and other marginalized communities, and uses her skills to constantly uplift others. Be sure to check out her IGTV series Bomb Brands & Beyond, enjoy her #haikusinthemorning, and head over to LifeByDesi.com for more gems.

In the episode, you'll hear the story of how she first came to NYC at the age of 19 looking to replace Free on 106 & Park, and how she hustled her way back to thriving in Brooklyn.

You'll also hear about Desi's grandmother who raised Desi on the south side of Chicago. Jean was a powerhouse herself who had adopted Desi's mother and aunt, learned to lead by example, and always kept Desi creatively occupied.

Thank you to Lionel T. Djaowe for our music. Find us on Instagram at @WhoMadeYouGreat. Enjoy the show!