Erica's mission is to help people feel better in and about their bodies.  She is the author of Your Body, Your Best Friend: End the Confidence-Crushing Pursuit of Unrealistic Beauty Standards & Embrace Your True Power (New Harbinger 2020). She is an educator and presenter, ready to deliver weight inclusive DEI trainings to your internal staff, and public-facing employees. As the President of The Yoga Clinic, Erica writes, trains, and delivers adaptive yoga curriculum and services for medical practitioners, clients, and teachers. Our conversation centers around self perception and how "letting your body be" can help unlock your true power and how important that is for our creative soul.

Mark Roman is a recording artist, songwriter and bassist originally from Woodstock, New York. A second-generation American, he came up with a wide range of musical influences, including classical training at Juilliard pre-college. Among his early mentors from New York’s music community were members of The Jazz Messengers (Curtis Fuller, Javon Jackson), Tito Puente’s Orchestra (Ray Vega), The Sun Ra Arkestra (Marvin “Bugalu” Smith), The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (Jon Faddis, Ralph Lalama), & The Cannonball Adderley Quintet (Hal Galper). Upon graduation from SUNY Purchase, trio performances in New York’s Capital District with pianist Lee Shaw (Dexter Gordon, Zoot Sims) soon followed. He later paid his dues on tour with The Defibulators in the American South & Lord Mouse and the Kalypso Katz in Southern France. Further performance credits include collaborations with pianist Reggie Moore (Johnny Hartman, Anita O’Day, Cab Calloway), Garage Rock legend Rudi Protrudi, Afrobeat heir Seun Kuti and members of Berlin indie-rock band The Whitest Boy Alive.

In this episode, I talk with Lola Menthol, recording artist, producer, songwriter and entrepreneur. She explains that the most important element of her music and creating it, is authenticity. It’s about being human and connecting.