Dreams In Drive

"I want to make impact. I want to help small business owners be successful and feel fantastic about themselves." With a mission like that, how do you make it happen? We chat with Melody McCloskey, co-founder and CEO of StyleSeat, the leading destination for booking beauty and wellness appointments.Melody co- founded StyleSeat in 2011 to simplify the process of booking beauty appointments. With StyleSeat, industry experts are provided a place to showcase their work, connect with clients, and build their business while clients can discover new services and providers and book appointments on the go. Melody opens up about her journey building a top online booking service that not only helps stylists earn more but also serves a huge market need. Building a technology company is no easy feat and Melody discusses what entrepreneurs need to focus on if they want to be successful as well as some of the challenges she is currently facing within the business. To date, StyleSeat has powered over 50M appointments in over

When you're starting (or thinking of starting a business), it is crucial to have a strong LEGAL foundation. But how? On this episode we chat with attorney Efe Ukala on the top legal mistakes you should avoid as your pursue entrepreneurship. Efe discusses key legal topics that you need to navigate. It may not be the sexiest of topics, but it definitely is an important one! Efe currently serves as a Vice President of Legal and Compliance at Kuramo Capital Management, an investment management firm, where she manages the firm's legal initiatives. She also currently serves as the Vice President of the Association of Black Women Attorneys New York. Make sure to follow on social @dreamsindrive and use the hashtag #dreamsindrive. Grab your FREE Dreams In Drive resources at www.dreamsindrive.com/free. Enjoy! *SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/efe-ukala IN THIS PODCAST WE DISCUSS: - How Efe knew she wanted to be a lawyer - The #1 legal mistake many entrepreneurs make - Why service professionals also need to get their b

What do you do when you're super passionate about a specific subject, but can't find a space to engage with a community that shares your love? YOU CREATE YOUR OWN COMMUNITY. How though? Is it even possible? What are the steps to take? We chat with Berry, the creator of the online directory for podcasters & podcasts of color - Podcasts In Color. Berry discusses her own dream driving story, what inspired her to launch Podcasts In Color and how it morphed into a much-needed vibrant, engaged online community that brings together creators of color who might not otherwise have known about each other. Berry candidly opens up about her experience, podcasting lessons she has learned, opportunities + connections she has helped to create, and what excites her about the future of podcasts. Make sure to follow on social @dreamsindrive and use the hashtag #dreamsindrive. Grab your FREE Dreams In Drive resources at www.dreamsindrive.com/free. Enjoy! *SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/berry-podcasts-in-color IN THIS PODC

How do you build professional connections and mentorship opportunities that last? In this episode, we uncover tips and strategies to use to genuinely network & connect your way to success. As part of our DRIVER'S ED series, we chat with Gabrielle N. Simpson, a communications and media expert (and one of Rana's mentors.) Gabrielle has been recognized for her industry-wide accomplishments, commitment to diversity & inclusion and dedication to sharing global stories on multiple platforms. She is a career mentor and NYU Graduate Adjunct Professor where she teaches integrated marketing, digital and social media, advanced public relations, media relations, corporate communications and event planning courses. Gabrielle discusses how networking helped launch her career, the art of informational interviewing, how to stand out, organic mentorship, and much more! Make sure to follow on social @dreamsindrive and use the hashtag #dreamsindrive. Grab your FREE Dreams In Drive resources at www.dreamsindrive.com/fre

What's the secret formula for securing press and/or media coverage for your brand or business? Not quite sure how to leverage publicity and make connections with the media? As part of our DRIVER'S ED Series we're chatting with Charell Star- the voice of “Not Just a Girl in a Dress” a lifestyle blog Charell shares inspiring stories and trending news that helps her audience define their own version of success.  Charell talks techniques and strategies you can use to secure press & media coverage for your personal brand or business. On air, you will find Charell speaking about the latest styles, technology and trends as a contributor for Marie Claire, Fox5 – Good Day New York, NBC New York Live, Second Look TV, and various broadcast and digital media outlets. As a journalist, she creates engaging pieces for online and print outlets covering technology, business, fashion, and beauty, providing women with advice and tips they can leverage to enhance their lives. Use the hashtag #dreamsindrive and make sure to f

Fear of failure holds a lot of dream drivers back! Want to learn how to stop letting fear and doubt get in the way of your success? What do you have to do to s start being intentional about your life and goals? On this episode we chat with Dre Baldwin- the world's only Work On Your Game expert. A 9-year professional basketball player, Dre teaches mental toughness, self-confidence and self-discipline to athletes, entrepreneurs and business professionals. Dre has given 3 TED Talks, published 13 books and 150+ basketball programs. Dre discusses his own setbacks and challenges he experienced early in his career. He shares some of the techniques that dream drivers such as yourself can use to work on their personal DREAMS and fight feelings of doubt and fear. Use the hashtag #dreamsindrive and make sure to follow us on social @dreamsindrive. Download our FREE episode show notes at www.dreamsindrive.com/free. Enjoy! IN THIS PODCAST WE DISCUSS:- What inspired Dre as a child - 2 questions to ask yourself to know when

How do you go from selling our of your trunk and on the shelves of major retailers such as Target? In this episode we chat with Chris-Tia Donaldson- Chief Executive Officer of Thank God It’s Natural (tgin), a manufacturer of natural hair and skin care products. Chris-Tia is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School and the author of Thank God I’m Natural: The Ultimate Guide to Caring for Natural Hair. Chris-Tia discusses some of major problems she had to solve as she grew her brand -some that may have scared many others and deterred them from keeping on. She shares how she started TGIN, the value in her legal training and how it helped the business, how she managed having a full-time law career, fighting breast cancer, and expanding the brand to major retailers such as Target, Walgreens & Sally's Beauty Supply, the importance of slowing down, core business lessons every entrepreneur needs to know and more. As a breast cancer survivor, she is deeply committed to raising awareness of the conditio

Can an idea that started out as a passion project lead you to full-time entrepreneurship? YES. In this episode, we chat with - Barbara Jacques - Founder, Creative Director and Chief Formulator at Jacq's Organics, a sustainable bath, body, and skincare line. Barbara is also a a self-proclaimed recovered beauty product junkie, writer and natural skincare expert that is passionate about health, natural beauty, yoga, and traveling. Barbara shares her story of how a health scare during her pregnancy inspired Jacq's Organics, challenges she faced during her early days of business, juggling full-time work, motherhood & entrepreneurship, tips for growing an online business, standing out in the market place, and bouncing back from fear. At the end of it all, remember this: NO ONE CAN DO IT LIKE YOU DO IT. Barbara reveals what keeps her going and how you can use your story to help you define what "success" looks like for you. Join in the conversation on social using the hashtag #dreamsindrive. Enjoy! *SHOW NOTES: w

What does "establishing your money mindset" actually mean? On this episode we chat with Tonya Rapley - millennial money expert and creator of My Fab Finance - where she helps millennials break the cycle of living paycheck to paycheck so that they can become financially free and do more of what they love. Tonya shares her story and what led her to launching the My Fab Finance Platform. She talks moving past law school dreams, navigating past failed & toxic relationships, her YOLO NYC days and the beginning days of entrepreneurship running My Fab Finance. She discusses selecting your niche, understanding financial policies in this new political atmosphere, working with brands, having multiple revenue streams and more. Lastly, Tonya discusses some of the challenges she is facing in her business today and the investments she is making in her professional & personal growth. If you want to learn  Join in on the conversation online using the hashtag #dreamsindrive. Enjoy! *SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/t

In this episode we chat with writer, author, and motivational speaker Rob Hill on finding your identity and purpose. This chat is originally from a ranacampbell.com BRANDMAKERS interview I did with Rob back in 2015. Though the interview is two years old, Rob shares some timeless gems about what it means to find yourself, why entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone, how to know if you’re really ready for change, believing in & loving yourself, monetizating your brand and more. It’s one of those episodes that will make you think about why you do what you do and how to make sure your identity aligns with your purpose. Make sure to engage using the hashtag #dreamsindrive. Enjoy! *SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/rob-hill-sr *SUBSCRIBE: www.dreamsindrive.com/join *RESOURCES: www.dreamsindrive.com/free Follow Dreams In Drive on Social: *twitter.com/dreamsindrive *instagram.com/dreamsindrive Follow Rob Hill Sr. on Social: *www.twitter.com/robhillsr *www.instagram.com/robhillsr *www.robhillsr.com Follow Rana on soci

Your stories matter. So, how do you leverage them to build community? In this episode, we chat with Nia Phillip - a New York-based content creator, visual curator, and founder of Creative Smart Girl, - a digital media platform whose mission is to inspire ambitious, creative, smart women to do the work to build the career, life, and style of their dreams. Nia and I discuss why sharing our stories are so important and how doing so can help us build deeper connections with our audience and inspire others to do the same. Nia talks about her childhood growing up in Grenada, moving to America as a preteen, her early law school dreams, how they changed over the years, and the journey that eventually led her to building the Creative Smart Girl Platform. Nia shares tips for how those struggling to unearth their stories can do so successfully and what to do if you feel like your story isn't share worthy. If you're interested in participating in the#HERPOWERSTORY March 2017 campaign, share a photo on Instagram + include

What's the secret sauce to successfully launching a brand in a cut-throat industry? We chat with jewelry designer, fashion entrepreneur, and Flying Solo Collective founder Elizabeth Solomeina about her road to fashion entrepreneurship and some of the lessons she's learned since launching her own line and innovative concept retail location in New York City. Elizabeth discusses the importance of production and manufacturing in the fashion industry, how to stand out as a designer, mentorship, her favorite entrepreneurship books, and why talent alone won't lead your brand to success. Enjoy! *SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/elizabeth-solomeina *SUBSCRIBE: www.dreamsindrive.com/join *RESOURCES: www.dreamsindrive.com/free Follow Dreams In Drive on Social: *twitter.com/dreamsindrive *instagram.com/dreamsindrive Follow Elizabeth on social: *www.instagram.com/flyingsolonyc *http://flysolo.nyc Follow Rana on social: *instagram.com/rainshineluv *twitter.com/rainshineluv *www.ranacampbell.com

Is it possible to launch a successful brand that also has a positive social impact and inspires change within your industry and community? YES. In today's episode, we chat with Rahama Wright, Founder and CEO  of Shea Yeleen Health and Beauty a social impact company she created after serving in the Peace Corps. The DC-based enterprise develops shea butter creams, balms, and soaps that create living wage jobs for 800 women in Northern Ghana. Rahama was also featured on episode 1 of Centric new show highlighting female entrepreneurship- Queen Boss. Rahama shares how she was able to grow her business and why the company's mission will never change. We also discuss what inspired Rahama to enter the shea industry, how she developed the Shea Yeleen business model, why entrepreneurs shouldn't fear standing out, social impact investing, working with Whole Foods, key takeaways from her Queen Boss experience, finding faith, local resources you can use to grow your brand, and more. Enjoy! *SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.c

 At the end of the day, what truly matters? What are you truly chasing or driving towards? In this episode, we chat with Necole Kane - the writer, influencer, entrepreneur and founder of xoNecole.com  and the former celebrity gossip blog Necole Bitchie. Necole opens up and shares some personal stories about her transition from running Necole Bitchie to switching gears and creating a safe place for women online to be empowered and share their stories. Necole discusses some of the difficulties she experienced over the years and how she pushed through pain and some of the negative (and positive) effects this had on her life. Necole talks thinking things are going to get better, navigating dating & relationships, making health and self-care a priority, trusting the timing of your life, the impact of grief/losing loved ones, the "freedom of irrelevancy", and what happiness means for her now. She also shares pointers and tips she's learned about what truly makes any blog, brand, or business successful and how y

When you're on a mission to accomplish your dreams, what does it take to get what you really want? How do you hit the pavement successfully, find fulfillment, and achieve success? In this episode we chat with composer, music director, entrepreneur and recording artist Deborah Hurwitz about how she was able to build her 25 year career in show business. From conducting on Broadway in top show shows as Mamma Mia & Jersey Boys, producing live music for Cirque du Soleil Hollywood, to writing scores and songs for hit commercials and series, Deborah's repertoire is impressive. Her journey to getting where she is - is equally inspiring. Deborah discusses the importance of DECLARING your mission statement, networking strategies for building connections and breaking into your industry of choice, building confidence in a world that may not be so receptive to you initially, personal growth, living authentically... and more! Hope you enjoy! *SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/deborah-hurwitz *SUBSCRIBE: www.dreamsind

The relationship that you have with yourself is one of the most important that you'll ever need to work on - especially if you want to be a dream driver. In this episode, former NFL player, RehabTime founder, and global life coach Trent Shelton discusses why your relationship with yourself can make or break your brand. He shares his own journey to self-awareness and how he was able to push himself to change his life around and start following his purpose. Trent discusses how to create opportunities for yourself, the power or repetition and visualization, using "pain" as power, the formula for creating content that inspires your audience, and more. Make sure to share & enjoy!   *SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/trent-shelton *SUBSCRIBE: www.dreamsindrive.com/join *RESOURCES: www.dreamsindrive.com/free Follow Dreams In Drive on Social: *twitter.com/dreamsindrive *instagram.com/dreamsindrive *Follow Trent on social: *www.twitter.com/trentshelton *www.instagram.com/trentshelton Follow Rana on social: *instag

What happens when you get fired from your DREAM JOB? In PART TWO, culinary entrepreneur & future chef Courtnee Futch talks moving on & re-directing your dream. We talk what happened after she was fired (nine days after recording our first interview) and why she didn't let this set her back. Courtnee shares the story of how she was  able to find a new job at a company that ended up being a better cultural fit for her. Courtnee also discusses the importance of stepping out on faith, what to do when plans change, and why she's grateful she didn't put all her eggs in one basket. Remember, "Sometimes walking away means walking towards something." Embrace the journey, dream drivers! *SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/courtnee-futch2 *SUBSCRIBE: www.dreamsindrive.com/join *RESOURCES: www.dreamsindrive.com/free Follow Dreams In Drive on Social: *twitter.com/dreamsindrive *instagram.com/dreamsindrive *Follow Courtnee on social: *www.twitter.com/courtneefutch *www.instagram.com/courtnee.mf Follow Rana on social

Who ever said the road was going to be easy? In this episode (PART ONE), we chat with culinary entrepreneur, and future chef Courtnee Futch about how she landed her “dream job” – all while navigating many twists and turns along the way. The story begins in her Syracuse University dorm room where Courtnee’s first business – ThunderCakes – was conceived. Courtnee talks what she learned launching a business in college & running it for four years, why she decided to put entrepreneurship on hold to pursue a life as a professional in New York City, and the exact steps she took to secure her dream job as a Business Development Manager for a gourmet food importer. Courtnee also discusses the lessons she’s learned along the way such as the importance of self advocacy, why taking risks is crucial, and what to do when you face challenges in your #dreamdriving journey. Make sure to stayed tuned for PART TWO to learn the shocking news I received from Courtnee nine days after we recorded this interview. Hope you enjoy!

Learn how to start embracing the positive patterns in your life that can guide you towards finding your passion & living in your purpose. When you feel stuck, are you just ignoring patterns/signs in your life that are pointing you to what your calling may be? So many of us are avoiding our unique gifts because we don't take the time to truly analyze what they are. In this minisode, I share my personal interviewing #dreamdriving story and how it took me a few years to realize that I could truly build a BRAND that was more than just a "hobby" - just from embracing my PASSION for interviewing. I discuss ways that you can identify your positive #dreamdriving patterns that you can use to help you as you drive towards your dreams. Hope you enjoy!  SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/episode-58 SUBSCRIBE: www.dreamsindrive.com/join Follow Dreams In Drive on Social: twitter.com/dreamsindrive instagram.com/dreamsindrive Follow Rana on social: instagram.com/rainshineluv twitter.com/rainshineluv www.ranacampbell.com

What's the connection between managing your debt and pursuing your dreams? Learn how you can live a "financially & professionally" fit life. In this episode we chat with personal finance blogger, Emilie Burke, on how getting on top of your money will help you on your #dreamdriving journey. Emilie shares her own journey to financial freedom, dishes on personal finance resources you can invest in (or get for FREE),  what's next, why knowing your WHY is crucial, and how to leverage a debt-managed life to truly pursue your personal passions. Emilie is the brains behind Burke Does, inspiring millennial women to live financially, physically, and professionally fit lives. She writes about overcoming debt, while balancing trying to eat healthy, stay fit, and have a little fun along the way. Enjoy! *SHOW NOTES: www.dreamsindrive.com/emilie-burke *SUBSCRIBE: www.dreamsindrive.com/join Follow Dreams In Drive on Social: *twitter.com/dreamsindrive *instagram.com/dreamsindrive *Follow Emilie Burke on social: *www.twitt