Leaving Your Dream Job for Your Next Dream Job | Best of Awf The Record
What if your dream job wasn’t the dream anymore?In this special “Best-Of” episode, we’re revisiting four powerful stories about career pivots, evolving purpose, and letting go of the identities we once held onto. From childhood fame to corporate boardrooms, these guests opened up about what it really means to outgrow the path you thought was permanent.Whether you're feeling stuck, scared to start over, or just craving something new, this episode is your permission slip to pivot. Because your dream didn’t die – it just evolved. KEY POINTS - Imani Ellis: The Truth About Leaving Your Dream Job- How to Pivot When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned- Andrea Lewis on Life After Degrassi, Burnout, and Becoming a Boss- Real Advice for Real Life TransitionsRESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
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When Your Dream Job Isn’t Enough Anymore: Why Imani Ellis Left NBC to Build CultureCon
What happens when your dream job can’t hold your purpose anymore?In this unfiltered segment, Imani Ellis, founder of CultureCon and The Creative Collective NYC, shares the real story behind her decision to leave NBC. From working 18-hour days to building a movement out of her living room, she opens up about burnout, identity shifts, and how she knew it was time to choose herself.If you’ve ever felt torn between a “good” job and your greater calling, this is the reminder that your next dream might be waiting on the other side of exhaustion. You’ll Hear:The midnight grind of juggling corporate and communityWhat the breaking point actually looked likeHer dad’s advice that changed her perspectiveWhy the pivot starts way before the resignationThe power of building what you needed but couldn’t findGUEST RESOURCESImani Ellis IG | @imaniimaniRESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
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How to Stop Hiding and Win by Being the Real You w/ Taryn Delanie Smith
From Beauty Queen to Comedy Queen—Taryn Delanie-Smith proves that reinvention isn’t just possible—it’s powerful. This week, Jeannette and Mona sit down with Taryn Delanie-Smith—comedian, content creator, and former Miss New York—who turned a viral TikTok into a thriving career.Taryn shares how she went from pursuing diplomacy to building a comedy empire, including the hilarious (and sometimes chaotic) journey that led to a reel that brought her 21 million views and internet fame. Known for her quick wit, iconic characters like Denise the Heaven’s Receptionist, and her refreshing take on beauty and friendship, Taryn proves that switching lanes can be both messy and magical.If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you mix pageant glam with laugh-out-loud comedy, this episode is for you.Hit play and join the group chat—you won’t want to miss this one.KEY POINTS - Taryn’s beauty queen and career background- Her journey to becoming a comedian- Taryn’s first viral video and its impact - Taryn’s early life years and career aspirations- COVID-19, career struggles, and new opportunities- Balancing personal life with the public persona- The impact of social media and audience interaction- Taryn’s experience in pageantry and being Miss New York- Why you need a support system: The power of female friendshipsQUOTES “To live as an ideal is no life at all. You're not an ideal. You're a person.” – Taryn Delanie-Smith“I had to start viewing my authenticity, in a way, as a responsibility that I had, not only to myself but to others, specifically, because I have a platform.” – Taryn Delanie-SmithRESOURCES: Taryn Delanie-Smith IG | @taryndelaniesmithKeep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
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When Your Kinks Don’t Match... Sex Therapist Explains How to Ask for What You Want in Bed
In this spicy segment, licensed sex therapist Marissa Nelson breaks down what happens when partners have very different sexual desires including kinks, fantasies, and preferences most people are too afraid to admit out loud. From foot fetishes to roleplay to exploring the “awkward intimacy” necessary for real connection, Marissa explains why desire evolves over time and how couples can bridge the gap without shame.She also shares practical scripts for talking about what you want in bed, how to give feedback without hurting your partner, what to do when a kink feels like a dealbreaker, and why some couples open their relationships to fulfill specific needs.If you’ve ever wondered how to have honest conversations about kink, pleasure, and discomfort — this is your guide.You’ll learn:Why kinks exist and how they evolveHow to talk about sexual preferences without shameWhat to do when your partner isn’t into what you’re intoHow awkward intimacy builds deeper desireWhy sex is an ongoing process, not a performanceHealthy ways to negotiate mismatch or explore new thingsGUEST RESOURCESMarissa Nelson RESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
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Corporate Baddie DeAndre Brown on Leaving Investment Banking for TikTok Fame
In this episode of Awf The Record, DeAndre Brown – aka the original “The Corporate Baddie” – gets real about leaving investment banking to become a full-time content creator. From viral TikToks and six-figure brand deals to burnout, reinvention, and building a brand with purpose, this episode peels back the curtain on what it really takes to pivot from 9-to-5 to FYP.He shares the lessons he learned negotiating deals (including a $6k LinkedIn check and an $80k CVS partnership), why authenticity is his non-negotiable, and how he's using social media as a springboard into broadcast journalism. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Should I leave this job?” or “Can I actually make it as a creator?” then this one's for you.KEYPOINTS: [1:18] - Internships (Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Supreme Court) & access for people of color[7:38] - The birth of “Corporate Baddie” and why he never called himself that[10:32] - DeAndre on doing viral while working a 9-to-5 (and getting HR involved)[12:26] - Why he walked away from a lucrative job and what came next[20:11] - Red flags in brand contracts and creator burnout[27:21] - The art of reinvention in the age of social media[31:18] - His master plan for life after content: journalism, storytelling, legacyQUOTES "The reason I've been able to transition myself throughout the past three and a half years is that I've allowed myself time to just not do it." – DeAndre Brown"The best way to just remain authentic is to truly not be afraid and care about people's opinions on your life, about who you are, about what you do, and what decisions you make, just doing it. Just do it - Nike." – DeAndre Brown"You have to be confident in who you are, and you cannot let people kind of gear you away from the person that you know that you are." – DeAndre BrownGUEST RESOURCES DeAndre BrownIG | @imdrebrown TikTok | @imdrebrown RESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
In a podcast that lives up to its name, Mona Kosar Abdi and Jeannette Reyes go “Awf the Record” with industry disruptors and cultural tastemakers, bringing you candid conversations that reflect the dynamic intersection of media, culture, and society . It’s a show that lives between the news of the day and the group chat. [Awf- Thuh- Rekərd ].
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