Some find philanthropy through an experience and some are simply born into a life of compassion, kindness and complete acceptance. Listen to this finale episode where Michelle has the opportunity to celebrate the life of Annette Beyerlein, a true example of selflessness, through a conversation with her daughter, Erica Vander Sande. When we are able to take a step outside of our own lives and provide dignity to everyone around us, a legacy is created. 

Erica Vander Sande is multi-preuner, wife, mom of two, and a big believer that women will change the world when they embrace their femininity. She is the CEO of The Mina Company, a full-service marketing agency, and The Mina Collective, a business development company that helps women find a business community and resources to scale. She believes that your business should be designed to support who YOU are and your lifestyle. She throws out the rule book and helps women to design a life that allows them to thrive - both personally and professionally.

Within today’s society it can be incredibly difficult to walk through the streets, halls or even sit in our own home feeling safe. Michelle and her guest, Nicole Snell come together in this episode to share how to build that feeling of confidence internally and externally as one walks throughout life. Let's embrace and appreciate the ability to take control of ourselves and our reactions!

Nicole Snell is an award winning international speaker, facilitator and self-defense expert specializing in sexual assault prevention education, gender-based violence prevention, and empowerment. She is the CEO of Girls Fight Back, Founder of Outdoor Defense and Lead Instructor with both IMPACT Personal Safety and IMPACT Personal Safety Global. IMPACT teaches full-force self-defense classes locally in LA and through their global division they teach in countries around the world. Through her company Girls Fight Back, Nicole speaks to gender inclusive groups at colleges, high schools, Fortune 500 companies, corporations, the US Military, outdoor groups, women's retreats, and more both domestically and abroad.

Nicole is a credentialed Empowerment Self-Defense Professional and an NACP Credentialed Victim Advocate. She has been featured on over 35 podcasts and was interviewed for Women’s Health Magazine last year. She is an experienced solo traveler, outdoors enthusiast, and is an adventure leader for the Los Angeles non-profit, Black Girls Trekkin'. Nicole is committed to ending violence in all of its forms and strives to empower people with the skills to live without limits!

At this point we have learned that philanthropy can be found just about anywhere. Those who care and strive to spread joy and positivity throughout their daily life will find a way to do so no matter where they are financially, physically or even emotionally. But what about creating a thriving non-profit from the seed of an idea to a self-sufficient system? This week’s incredible guest did just that across the world!  Join Michelle and Fatou Doumbia in a conversation about how to turn a simple idea into a thriving reality. 

Fatou Doumbia was born in Bamako, the capital of Mali, and was raised in Ouelessebougou, the biggest village of Mali at the time. Growing up, her favorite thing was to be outdoors, playing in the rivers. She moved to the US in the 90’s with her then husband who had received a scholarship to study in the states. After seventeen years in America, Fatou returned to Mali and saw that it was not the Mali she remembered. Fatou found that women had been pushed out of work, society, and families when large-scale, industrial corporate farms took over. As a result, these women no longer had the means or opportunity to provide for their families. Women were turned away from schools, homes, and villages when they became pregnant or acted in ways believed to be inappropriate. Some were even physically abused by their own family members.It was that guidance that led Fatou to found AGILE International, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to fight injustice by securing land, water and energy for rural women farmers in West Africa. AGILE International was created by a Malian woman for all Malian women providing the means to stand up and provide for themselves.

What if we told you that your dreams are never out of reach? Everyday people are faced with hardships in life that make it seem impossible to achieve their next biggest goal. Listen to Michelle talk to our current Miss Teen California, Yvon Nguyen about how she went from being an orphan completely lost with no direction to spreading a message of inclusivity for all through her non-profit and platform of positivity in today's world. 

Yvon Nguyen is our current Teen Miss California Earth USA 2022 and will be competing at Nationals in the beginning of January. Yvon lost both of her parents to two different types of cancers at a young age, leaving her and her two sisters in foster care. In 2016 their aunt Nina from California gained guardianship leading to Yvon making the move from Dallas, Texas to Orange County, California. Yvon had big dreams of becoming a published professional model but didn’t know where to start due to her home and financial situation. She decided to chase after this dream on her own and eventually landed her first runway show. Since then, Yvon has walked in Orange County fashion week, LA Fashion Week, New York Fashion week, Vietnam Fashion Week and more. Yvon has also opened her own Non-Profit Modeling Agency to help others do the same thing and inspire others to embrace who they are.

Social media is often seen as a platform that is negatively impacting our future generations, but there is truly so much good that can be found within this hyperconnectivity. Join Michelle in her conversation with non-binary influencer, FLASCH, as they discuss the influx of ‘positive culture’ and the positive online eco-system that is slowly starting to develop to help everyone feel heard, seen and validated within this ever-changing world.

FLASCH (They/Them)  has taken TikTok and the non-binary community by storm with nearly half a million streams in the first month of their new song “ DEADNAME”. FLASCH is continuing to create music to spread awareness about what it means to be non-binary with their newest non-binary anthem titiled “One of Them”. FLASCH hopes to continue to connect to listeners and support them, especially throughout the holiday seasons where families may be misgendered and feel invalidated.FLASCH is also highly passionate about Mental-health awareness, spirituality, technology, travel and the intersection of living in the present.

Philanthropy is such a foundational part of spreading positivity within our communities. Often we think of giving back needing to come from a checkbook or as a required task. This season, we are introducing positivity activists, like Erica Stillman, who navigate this world spreading kindness, awareness and love through small actions that influence a sphere of change. It’s time to give the people who are seeing a world outside of themselves the appreciation that they deserve. Listen now and let's take a moment to say thank you to those who make our days a little bit better.

Erica Stillman is a Holistic Life Coach, Reiki Practitioner, Writer, and Speaker. She has facilitated multiple community events and fundraisers for her local community, even gaining attention from her local news (WECT) and local magazines. Erica has always loved helping people whether it be in health: business, relationships, musical passions, or life purpose. She is driven by her passions. Her goal is empowering and inspiring women and men to find love and joy in their lives, providing philanthropic growth, and spreading light into our world.

We are closing out this season with a truly wonderful last perspective from Mo Hicks! A mental-health advocate himself, Mo joins Michelle to discuss the importance of all variations of mental health support.  His powerful message will truly resonate with you - ‘the more resources are provided, the more perspective one is granted. This increase of perspective leads to the expansion of one's mind and the ability to explore other areas of themselves, their thoughts and lives!’ Join Michelle and Mo in this final conversation on perspective - one that is truly refreshing.

Mo Hicks:

President of the edical class of 2025 University of Minnesota. After abtaining with his bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Carlton College 2018, Mo spent the next 3 years working in various healthcare systems studying their clinical workflows and gaining experience in mental health. Outside of classes, Mo ensures to spend time leading student groups that focus on mentoring underrepresented students, educating others about trauma informed care, promoting holistic health and partnering with local healthcare systems to promote healthy equity. After graduating, he aspires to work with underserved communities through opening his own private practice in psychiatry with a focus on it being community informed integrated and focused.  

As a life coaching company, we deal with sometimes the most resistant people.  We’ve had a wide array of former students of our program this season, primarily because they’ve been the best observers and practitioners of perspective!  But what about current students and parents of our program, when does the awareness of perspective happen for them?  Listen along as our youngest coach, Thea Saccoliti speaks with her current student (Isabelle Hilsky) who started her coaching journey at 15 years old.  Also joined by Isabelle’s mom, Yvonne Hilsky, these two contribute incredible thoughts to what it’s like to start, incorporate and practice coaching and personal development!