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  • 12: MIT, Loss, & Building Squad: How Isa Watson Turned Grief Into Tech Innovation

    12: MIT, Loss, & Building Squad: How Isa Watson Turned Grief Into Tech Innovation
    2025/07/22
    Isa Watson—Founder & CEO of Squad, MIT MBA, tech innovator, researcher, and skydiver—shares her extraordinary journey from small-town North Carolina to the heart of Silicon Valley. Growing up in a values-centered home, Isa’s early engineering exposure and innate curiosity became the bedrock of her influential career across STEM, business, and social impact. She opens up about how grief, identity, and ambition collided to create Squad, which now serves major sports leagues throughout the U.S. and U.K. As a grownwoman, Isa emphasizes the fundamental flaws in social media and demonstrates how her patented technology is transforming digital relationships. With striking poise and clarity, she also shares insights on using skydiving to manage stress, maintaining boundaries during fundraising, and nurturing billion-dollar ideas with intentionality. This conversation between Shannon and Isa speaks directly to anyone whose outward success masks inner chaos. Don’t miss this masterclass episode—build a lasting impact while learning to abandon the performance of perfection! KEY POINTS 00:00 - MIT, Loss, & Building Squad: How Isa Watson Turned Grief Into Tech Innovation 02:42 - Growing up around research and engineering 04:03 - The influence of her parents’ grit and resilience 08:36 - Working at a research lab at only 14 years old 12:35 - Being Hampton-University-MADE 16:16 - Pursuing a PhD in pharmacology 21:52 - The bus crash that changed her life, and how MIT cared 26:07 - Working at JP Morgan and navigating her grief journey 29:25 - The foundations of Squad 32:25 - Being approached by the NBA and other major leagues 34:27 - The realities of fundraising as a Black woman 36:18 - Staying offline as a tech founder 39:00 - The vision: Squad's technology and evolution within QUOTES “The day that you stop learning is a day that you stop growing.” – Isa Watson ‘Social media is actually not social. It's media.” – Isa Watson “I'm a grown woman who is refined and that is open to evolution, and that is open to continuously iterating on herself and getting to the next version of her, and someone who looks forward to meeting the future versions of her.” – Isa Watson GUEST RESOURCES Isa Watson Website | www.isawatson.com RESOURCES Shannon Allen Grown Website | https://www.grown.org/ IG | @swalkerwil 🌱 Stay Connected & Explore More 🔗 Visit the Grown Website Grown.org 📲 Follow Shannon on Instagram @swalkerwil 🎧 Like, Share & Subscribe If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think, don’t keep it to yourself! Like, share, and subscribe to grownwoman on your favorite podcast platform. grownwoman is produced by EPYC Media Network
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    44 分
  • The Birth That Nearly Took Our Lives: How My Son Sparked My Mission | Jessica Hurley

    The Birth That Nearly Took Our Lives: How My Son Sparked My Mission | Jessica Hurley
    2025/07/17
    At 24 weeks pregnant, Jessica Hurley walked into a routine appointment—and never went back to work. What followed was a nightmare she couldn’t have prepared for: severe preeclampsia, stroke-level blood pressure, an emergency delivery at 25 weeks, and the fight for both her and her son’s lives. In this jaw-dropping and tear-jerking conversation, Jessica opens up about the moment she was told, “It’s you or the baby,” and how the chaos of that day—and the miracle that followed—became the catalyst for everything she built after. Her son Cameron was born at just 1 lb. 11 oz, he cried like a cat, and Jessica’s life was never the same. This is the breakdown before the breakthrough. This is the birth of EPYC. GUEST RESOURCES Jessica Hurley IG | @jessicahurley__ Website | www.epyc.co RESOURCES Shannon Allen Grown Website | https://www.grown.org/ IG | @swalkerwil 🌱 Stay Connected & Explore More 🔗 Visit the Grown Website Grown.org 📲 Follow Shannon on Instagram @swalkerwil 🎧 Like, Share & Subscribe If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think, don’t keep it to yourself! Like, share, and subscribe to grownwoman on your favorite podcast platform. grownwoman is produced by EPYC Media Network
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    12 分
  • 11: How a Tragedy on the Field Became a Mission for Change - Suzanne McKenzie’s Story

    11: How a Tragedy on the Field Became a Mission for Change - Suzanne McKenzie’s Story
    2025/07/15
    In today’s inspiring episode, Shannon welcomes Suzanne McKenzie—creative visionary, founder of Able Made, and the grownwoman leader behind The Ucal McKenzie Breakaway Foundation. She shares her evolution from growing up in Maine to shaping youth empowerment programs and purpose-driven fashion. Suzanne shares her journey through grief following the sudden loss of her husband and reveals how that life-altering tragedy ignited a movement that continues to change soccer athletes' lives. She brings wisdom and warmth to discussing equity in youth sports, sustainable fashion, and fair pay—all now integral to her mission. From cold-calling Vogue to securing partnerships with Puma, Suzanne proves that resilience and purpose can outshine any playbook. Tune in to learn more about post-traumatic growth, building a legacy with intention, and showing up—even when it’s hard. This one’s for every grownwoman redefining what success looks like, with heart. KEY POINTS 00:00 - How a Tragedy on the Field Became a Mission for Change - Suzanne McKenzie’s Story 02:55 - From small-town athlete to founder, sports to a career in design 07:00 - Persistence for internships and mentors in top agencies 17:11 - Losing her husband, Ucal, to cardiac arrest 21:25 - Why grief needs more flexible resources 28:35 - Honoring her husband through accessible sports advocacy 31:42 - Why Able Made? Lifestyle, ethics, sustainability, and equity 40:10 - The future of sports in 10 years time QUOTES “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.” – Suzanne McKenzie “I wanted to do design and strategy work for brands that we’re doing the Ben and Jerry's of nonprofits, or just people, planet-driven business.” – Suzanne McKenzie “I think of [a grown woman as] against everything that women have been up against, and we just keep going. It's just grace, it's grit.” – Suzanne McKenzie GUEST RESOURCES Suzanne McKenzie LinkedIn | @suzanne-mckenzie RESOURCES Shannon Allen Grown Website | https://www.grown.org/ IG | @swalkerwil 🌱 Stay Connected & Explore More 🔗 Visit the Grown Website Grown.org 📲 Follow Shannon on Instagram @swalkerwil 🎧 Like, Share & Subscribe If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think, don’t keep it to yourself! Like, share, and subscribe to grownwoman on your favorite podcast platform. grownwoman is produced by EPYC Media Network
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    44 分
  • How It's a 10 Founder Carolyn Aronson went from a $500K Loss to 11M Bottles Sold

    How It's a 10 Founder Carolyn Aronson went from a $500K Loss to 11M Bottles Sold
    2025/07/10
    Carolyn Aronson had a successful salon, a steady career, and every reason to stay comfortable. But something inside her said this isn’t enough. In this powerful segment, the founder of It’s a 10 Haircare opens up about what made her walk away from stability, risk it all, and build a product that now sells over 11 million bottles a year. She shares how failure became fuel, how purpose drives every product, and why she believes success is only possible if you’re willing to lay it all on the line. This clip is for anyone stuck at “good” when they’re meant for “great.” GUEST RESOURCES Carolyn Aronson IG | itsa10ceo RESOURCES Shannon Allen Grown Website | https://www.grown.org/ IG | @swalkerwil 🌱 Stay Connected & Explore More 🔗 Visit the Grown Website Grown.org 📲 Follow Shannon on Instagram @swalkerwil 🎧 Like, Share & Subscribe If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think, don’t keep it to yourself! Like, share, and subscribe to grownwoman on your favorite podcast platform. grownwoman is produced by EPYC Media Network
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    9 分
  • 10: How Female Mentorship & Motherhood Shaped Media Mogul Jessica Hurley

    10: How Female Mentorship & Motherhood Shaped Media Mogul Jessica Hurley
    2025/07/08
    Jessica Hurley didn’t set out to build a media company. She just said yes to one woman who saw something in her before she could see it in herself. That woman’s belief - her mentorship, her sacrifice, her fierce accountability - lit the match that changed everything. But it wasn’t until Jessica gave birth to her son Cameron, 15 weeks early, in the fight of both their lives, that she found her fire. What followed was a breakdown, a rebirth, and a promise: if she could bring her son home, she’d spend the rest of her life showing him why he was born. This episode is about what happens when a woman says yes to you, when your child becomes your why, and when you realize that nothing can stop a grown ass woman on a mission. KEY POINTS 00:00 - How Female Mentorship & Motherhood Shaped Media Mogul Jessica Hurley 04:48 - Getting paid what she deserved and being reminded of what she’s worth 13:12 - Growing up an only child with entrepreneurial parents 15:51 - Being deemed “most likely to be an entrepreneur” 18:16 - The first in her family to pursue college 22:25 - The life-changing impact of a great mentor 27:45 - DUI, learning accountability and integrity from the experience 40:00 - Her son’s medical challenges and miracles 57:00 - Spiritual awakening and trusting God’s plan 01:03:12 - The creation of EPYC Media Network and its mission 01:10:00 - On embracing evolution as a constant journey QUOTES “Solve people's problems, you'll never have a problem with money.” – Jessica Hurley “Tragedy doesn't ruin us. Hopelessness does, and it's the loneliness that hurts us.” – Jessica Hurley “The darkness is the waiting room. The invitation is to step outside. You can stop the lack of belief. You can stop the fear. You can stop the insecurity. You can stop the silence. You can stop the thing. And the choice is yours.” – Jessica Hurley “You cannot live one way by day and another by night and expect results.” – Jessica Hurley “God's vision is bigger than anything that we can conceptualize. He's just waiting for our Yes.” – Jessica Hurley GUEST RESOURCES Jessica Hurley IG | @jessicahurley__ Website | www.epyc.co RESOURCES Shannon Allen Grown Website | https://www.grown.org/ IG | @swalkerwil 🌱 Stay Connected & Explore More 🔗 Visit the Grown Website Grown.org 📲 Follow Shannon on Instagram @swalkerwil 🎧 Like, Share & Subscribe If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think, don’t keep it to yourself! Like, share, and subscribe to grownwoman on your favorite podcast platform. grownwoman is produced by EPYC Media Network
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    1 時間 18 分
  • The Founder Who Drove Cookies Store to Store—Literally, Denise Woodard

    The Founder Who Drove Cookies Store to Store—Literally, Denise Woodard
    2025/07/03
    Shannon sits down with powerhouse entrepreneur Denise Woodard, founder and CEO of Partake Foods—a company born from her daughter's food allergies and fueled by a mission of inclusivity, accessibility, and pure hustle. Denise shares the real story of how she started out pitching cookies from the back of her SUV. She gets honest about what it really takes to build something from scratch as a mom, a woman, and a first-time founder. They talk about what it means to be the face of your brand, the role of storytelling in entrepreneurship, and how family and community made all the difference. This conversation is an inside look at what resilience, leadership, and purpose look like when you’re building something bigger than yourself. GUEST RESOURCES Denise Woodard IG | @denisegwoodard RESOURCES Shannon Allen Grown Website | https://www.grown.org/ IG | @swalkerwil 🌱 Stay Connected & Explore More 🔗 Visit the Grown Website Grown.org 📲 Follow Shannon on Instagram @swalkerwil 🎧 Like, Share & Subscribe If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think, don’t keep it to yourself! Like, share, and subscribe to grownwoman on your favorite podcast platform. grownwoman is produced by EPYC Media Network
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    6 分
  • 9: From Foster Care to Fortune 500 - The Making of Beauty Mogul Carolyn Aronson

    9: From Foster Care to Fortune 500 - The Making of Beauty Mogul Carolyn Aronson
    2025/07/01
    In this powerhouse episode of grownwoman, Shannon sits down with Carolyn Aronson - mother, mogul, and founder of the iconic It’s a 10 Haircare. From foster care in New Jersey to global domination in the beauty industry, Carolyn’s story is one of unmatched grit, purpose, and divine alignment. She opens up about the roots she didn’t know she had, the parents who raised her with love and intellect, and how her Puerto Rican heritage came full circle in her life and mission. Together, Shannon and Carolyn explore the power of being raised by people who saw your spark before the world did. How financial literacy and self-education can build the foundation for an empire. What the beauty industry was desperately missing, and how one bottle changed the game. Lessons from failure, divorce, reinvention, and starting over (again and again). What it truly means to become a grown ass woman and live untouchably. If you’ve ever doubted your worth, your power, or your place at the table, this conversation will remind you: you’re the only one that can do what you do. Let this be your permission to dream bigger, pivot louder, and take your damn seat at the table. KEY POINTS 00:00 - Foster Care to Fortune 500 - The Making of Beauty Mogul Carolyn Aronson 03:01 - Carolyn’s early life and adoption by an American family in Michigan 10:22 - Pursuing a career as a hairdresser & stylist 14:32 - Going to the salon as therapy for women (and men) 15:49 - What about THAT stressful moment? The jump! 17:00 - On being a grownwoman business owner 21:31 - Beauty industry: From failure to a launchpad for success 25:05 - Carolyn on having those doubtful moments 27:22 - Taking risks, giving back, and the purpose of it all 29:55 - Harnessing your talent, creativity, and what makes you you 33:37 - Just start, try 35:36 - Ask all of the questions, and find your people 37:35 - Solve a problem for someone 38:43 - Being obliviously confident 41:26 - Do you want to live your dream life? 44:15 - Latinas & Power 46:00 - Continued service and coming into the light 48:53 - Becoming and being untouchable 50:38 - We all have gifts to give, so find yours QUOTES “If you love to create, then bring something to market because you, too, can live the dream.” – Carolyn Aronson “We have to put ourselves there. Instead of cultural barriers being barriers, they should be our superpower.” – Carolyn Aronson “A grown woman to me is becoming untouchable. We start off as pleasers, accepting things we shouldn't, then we migrate into understanding more about ourselves.” – Carolyn Aronson GUEST RESOURCES Carolyn Aronson IG | itsa10ceo RESOURCES Shannon Allen Grown Website | https://www.grown.org/ IG | @swalkerwil 🌱 Stay Connected & Explore More 🔗 Visit the Grown Website Grown.org 📲 Follow Shannon on Instagram @swalkerwil 🎧 Like, Share & Subscribe If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think, don’t keep it to yourself! Like, share, and subscribe to grownwoman on your favorite podcast platform. grownwoman is produced by EPYC Media Network
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    53 分
  • The Day I Lost My Son: Monique Rodriguez's Story of Loss & Faith

    The Day I Lost My Son: Monique Rodriguez's Story of Loss & Faith
    2025/06/26
    In this deeply emotional segment, Mielle Organics founder Monique Rodriguez recounts the tragic loss of her son following a uterine rupture. A former labor & delivery nurse herself, Monique knew exactly what was happening - but her concerns were ignored. She opens up about her fight to save her son, the systemic failures Black mothers face, and how this devastating experience ultimately led her to faith and purpose. This is a story of unimaginable loss, fierce resilience, and radical grace.
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    11 分