Entering The Inspiration Zone Juliette Mayers

Juliette engages with the visionary Shellee Mendes to uncover the secrets of resilience and success in this episode. From humble beginnings to owning two esteemed salons on Newbury Street, Shellee shares her inspiring journey of overcoming adversities and making remarkable strides in the business and beauty industry.
They explore Shellee's transformative decisions, from venturing into cosmetology to handling the unique challenges faced during economic downturns like the 9/11 aftermath and the pandemic.
With an unmatched passion for networking and community involvement, Shellee also delves into the pivotal role these elements have played in her sustained success and influence.
Episode Highlights:
06:08 - The pandemic slowed us down business wise. I actually started my business after 9/11, but I did work on Newbury Street for 9/11, and things like that really slowed down business.
10:05 - When someone comes to my salon, it's not just the style. I examine their hair, their scalp. Probably after 10 years of being here, I really became intrigued with the scalp, the follicles, and the bulb that the hair grows out of. And I realized sulfate shampoos that we are washing our hair with are not just damaging our hair. They're damaging our hair from the root, the follicles.
10:59 - My vision for the future is to instill a little bit more education into hair and cosmetology schools. I feel that's important. I learned it after cosmetology school, but it's the reason why so many women, men, and especially women of color are losing their hair. So, I would love to see a stronger education in cosmetology schools.
12:31 - I really feel that mentoring is extremely important. Sometimes we can be selfish and not want other people to get ahead, but, honestly, it comes from my heart. And what I do, I do it from my heart. And half the things I do, I don't even remember when people tell me. I'm like, "Oh, wow. Yeah. Okay." But when you do it from the heart, you're not counting how many people you've helped in the past.
Contact
Connect with Juliette
LinkedIn
Website
Juliette's Books
Connect with Shellee
Website 
Salon Monét Instagram
Contact Salon Monét

Juliette talks with visionary leader, Eneida Roman, about the transformative power of Amplify Latinx in fostering Latino economic empowerment. Eneida shares insight into the organization's mission to propel the visibility of Latino leaders and the growth of Latino-owned businesses, emphasizing community involvement and public policy advocacy.
Eneida also discusses Amplify Latinx's strategic initiatives designed to uplift an entire community by amplifying less visible leaders and supporting micro businesses.
Episode Highlights:
07:36 - Expanding Outreach in the Latino Community: "Because we understood that the Latino community is the fastest growing population in the nation. And if we're only looking at women, we're missing out on half of that significant growth."
09:46 - Leadership and Economic Empowerment: "We really have honed in on supporting Latino-owned businesses, helping them obtain access to procurement opportunities and access to capital."
14:40 - Empowering Growth: "Because at the end of the day, Latino prosperity is American prosperity because when a community does well, everybody does well.
17:59 - Impact of Recent Supreme Court Ruling on DEI: "And now there's been a ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States that limits that progress somewhat and that has given pause to many leaders about what to do next."
18:36 - Promoting progress for the American economy is about giving equal opportunity, then let's do that. Right? Let's make sure that we are looking at what our country looks like and making sure that we're not giving preference to anybody. We're just looking at what the landscape is like and what we need to do as leaders, as business leaders, to ensure that the next generations do well.
Contact
Connect with Juliette
LinkedIn
Website
Juliette's Books
Connect with Eneida
Website 
Email: Info@amplifylatinx.com

Juliette talks with diversity powerhouse Colette Phillips about the untold narratives of white male allies in the movement for equity. Colette details the seven traits of culturally savvy anti racist leaders from her book, The Includers, as they delve deep into the uncharted territory of inclusion while challenging the status quo.
Colette brings her unique blend of cultural intelligence and heartfelt anecdotes from her own experiences as a trailblazer in the field.
Episode Highlights:
10:10 - I believe very strongly that one your network is your net worth and number two that people do business with people they know, people they like, and people they feel add value.
10:53 - Get Konnected was born out of a necessity to see diversity reflected in every room, at every event. Face-to-face networking, to me, is the backbone of creating lasting, valuable relationships – it's where opportunities are seized and solidified.
19:24 - If we are going to move the dial on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, in this country we cannot do so and exclude white men from the conversation or from the table, it just does not make sense.
22:32 - Eric and Bob's work behind the scenes illustrates the silent yet impactful role of allyship. Their efforts epitomize the courage and commitment needed to facilitate real change in our society.
29:00 - The concept of the '7 C’s of Inclusion'. Building bridges requires certain foundational qualities. It all starts with character — without it, you can't hope to genuinely promote diversity.
Contact
Connect with Juliette
LinkedIn
Website
Juliette's Books
Connect with Colette
Colette Phillips Communications, Inc Website
Link to More Information on Colette Phillips

Juliette sits down with Lesli Suggs, President and CEO of The Home For Little Wanderers. Lesli shares her inspirational journey of advocating for at-risk children and families for over 35 years.
Lesli's commitment to community service and the power of relationship-building shines through as she shares her leadership lessons and offers practical advice for leveraging networks and building authentic connections.
Episode Highlights
06:34 - Education is the great equalizer and we'll never have equal access to education if we continue to fund education through property taxes.
08:49 - We've come to understand and know that child welfare does not do a good job of raising children. It's there to provide a critical service for children who need it, children who experienced abuse and neglect.
16:24 - To have influence, people have to be able to want to listen to me, be able to listen to me, which means I need to be in a relationship and have connection. And the power of relationships having being authentically interested in other people's journeys and what they have to say and their own perspectives, which may be similar to mine or different.
19:08 - Mentoring is sort of a strange word, I think, actually, because it implies that somebody's mentoring the other person. I always find that relationships that are connected in that way are so reciprocal. I learned everyone learn where I still have folks that I reach out to all the time who mentor me.
Contact
Connect with Juliette
LinkedIn
Website
Juliette's Books
Inspiration Zone Newsletter Sign-Up
Connect With Lesli Suggs
LinkedIn

In this episode, the spotlight is on the remarkable Tonie Leatherberry as she shares her insights on the journey from transition to transformation. Join Juliette and Tonie as they explore the power of strategic networking and the importance of investing early and often in yourself.
Tonie's personal framework for navigating transitions and transformations offers valuable guidance for professionals and leaders. Tune in as they discuss the significance of rebranding and crafting a new value proposition, especially in the current evolving landscape.
Episode Highlights
10:07 - Setting Goals During Challenging Times: "I start with a time frame or a date in mind. And so if you were to think about it on a piece of paper, it's a vertical line that says, by this date, I want to be here. I wanna be at this destination in my journey."
14:56 - The Lifelong Learning Journey: "Well, becoming a student again after 30 years, just even knowing with what some of the tools were and how to do plagiarism checks, and and we might laugh about that today, but now we realize how important being on top of some of that stuff really is."
18:59 - Reflections on Career Transition: "And there's a little bit of fear of the unknown, right, around that. And so I had to just be faithful, I guess, is the basic way of saying it to say I'm financially secure. So what are the fears? What are the fears? Are the fears, you know, sort of a lack of identity because this has been my identity for 30 years? Are the fears a lack of, again, continuing for me to grow and to learn and to experience? Are the fears related to just sort of, you know, as, as particularly as women of a certain vintage or becoming women of a certain vintage, thinking about I'm closing a certain chapter and, you know, I'm going on to the next chapter. But then I just said, let it flow for me. I didn't over think it. I just let it flow."
25:59 - Leadership Through Strategic Networking: "strategic networking is about investing in. It's not about showing up at some gala or some conference and meeting people. But it is that is a leadership opportunity. How can you lead? How can you be on their board? How can you create a certain program within that not for profit organization that is investing in?"

Contact
Connect with Juliette
LinkedIn
Website
Juliette's Books
Inspiration Zone Newsletter Sign-Up
Connect With Dr Tonie Leatherberry
LinkedIn

In this captivating episode, Myechia Minter-Jordan, President and CEO of CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, opens up about the interconnectedness of oral health and overall wellness and shines a light on the communities often overlooked in the healthcare system.
Join us as we unravel the complexities of oral health and the important connection to overall health. Delve into the significance of equity in healthcare, and explore actionable steps towards a more inclusive future.
Myechia also talks about the important work of The New Commonwealth Fund. Tune in to learn more.
Episode Highlights: 
07:57 - The Missing Connection: It’s more than just a smile. Our oral health is intricately linked to our overall well-being. Addressing oral health is among the initial steps in achieving holistic healthcare for all.
10:58 - Breaking the Stigma: Engaging in open conversations and acknowledging the barriers to oral healthcare is essential in paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable healthcare system.
18:11 - Shaping the Future: By amplifying the voices of marginalized communities, we can create a system that truly serves everyone.
Let's bridge the gap and revolutionize healthcare together.
Contact show host and guest:
Connect with Juliette 
LinkedIn 
Website 
Juliette's
Books 
Inspiration Zone Newsletter Sign-Up 
Connect With Myechia 
LinkedIn 
CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
The New Commonwealth Fund