THE CITY CONFESSIONS

I am so thrilled and honored to have American fashion designer, Phillip Lim on this week's episode of The City Confessions to talk all about House of Slay, partnership with Diageo and his commitment to amplify Asian voices.  The structure of this episode is as follows: - How Phillip Lim got started in the fashion industry: breaking the expectation of being a lawyer and doctor growing up in an asian family and following his dreams as a designer and creative  - House of Slay: what it is and how it got started (social platform to amplify Asian voices and create a safe and fun community) - Partnership with Diageo: how that came to be and why the partnership makes sense for both companies  - What his Superpower is in House of Slay Comic: protecting family, friends and community - Opening up about stage fright as his confession even though he is a public figure and fashion designer Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com. About House of Slay and Diageo partnership: In Celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, DIAGEO Partners with Asian Creative Collective, House of Slay to Bring a Sensorial Day/Night Market Experience to NYC From coast to coast, DIAGEO honors the rich Asian diaspora with pop-up night markets in NYC and LA, striving to shape a more inclusive and sustainable world for all. Diageo and its brands Johnnie Walker, Tequila Don Julio, Tanqueray and Smirnoff Pink Lemonade are honoring AAPI Heritage Month by partnering with House of Slay: designers Prabal Gurung, Phillip Lim, designer and creative director Laura Kim, socialite Tina Leung and Ezra J. William; collectively known as the “Slaysians.” The AAPI-founded, fashion-forward collective is united by a single mission: stop anti-Asian discrimination while creating safe, inclusive spaces for underrepresented people from all walks of life. https://thehouseofslay.com/ https://www.instagram.com/houseofslay/ https://www.instagram.com/therealphilliplim/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thecityconfessions/support

This week's guest is Alison Hall, a reporter for Inside Edition and Anchor at Law & Crime. In this episode, we dive into what it's really like being a journalist and reporter in NYC, covering breaking news and navigating the media industry.  Alison and I also discuss:  - How she got into journalism and why she moved to NYC   - What it’s really like being a reporter and anchor in NYC (including highlights and challenges) - How she carved out a niche for herself at Inside Edition   - Understanding the theory of journalism and the core values of the industry   - Misconceptions of journalists and the challenges of being a reporter   - Overview of her schedule and mastering the skills of being camera ready in 10 minutes   - How she viewed success before moving to NYC and what success means to her today - Being grateful and celebrating the present - Confession involving being alone in the rain in Central Park    Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com. ----------------------------------- ABOUT ALISON HALL: Alison is the host of Between Headlines and is a multimedia journalist based in New York City, currently serving as a Correspondent & Producer at America’s longest-running national news magazine, Inside Edition. Alison launched the podcast, Between Headlines in Fall 2020, interviewing newsmakers and the people behind today’s biggest news stories. Alison’s first independent documentary-short ‘Ken’s Story’ was published online by Canada’s largest national newspaper, The Globe and Mail in 2017 to much critical acclaim.  With Inside Edition, Alison has traveled across the United States, telling the stories that people talk about and share. She has covered the biggest stories of the last decade, from the Black Lives Matter protests of 2014 and 2020, to how America is adjusting to the new reality of Covid-19 to serving as a court reporter for the landmark #MeToo cases of both the Weinstein and Cosby trials. Alison is equally versed in legalese as entertainment jargon, having covered award shows, red carpets and the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in England in 2018. Alison frequently appears on the Inside Edition YouTube channel which is the #1 news and politics channel with 10 million subscribers.  Alison has put her passion to work in both the United States and Canada in online, television and documentary mediums, always striving to understand the people behind the headlines. Alison is the co-founder of a charity event, The Challenge for Life, that has raised over $8 million dollars for cancer research in her hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Alison was once named Canada’s Top 20 Under 20 and carried the Olympic torch over the Esplanade Riel Bridge helping to kick off the 2010 Winter Olympics. She lives in New York City with her fiance and bernese mountain dog. https://www.instagram.com/alisonhallreporting/ www.betweenheadlines.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thecityconfessions/support

Today's guest is Berto Calkins, a Vegan Social Media Content Creator from NYC. Like myself, Berto grew up in the Lower East Side and now resides in Brooklyn, so we have a shared common foundation. In this episode, Berto and I talk about the following topics: - How he started his vegan journey: why he decided to become vegan and what that transition was like - Why having support is important when you’re making a lifestyle change -What Berto’s friend group and circle is like and how they dine together - How he cultivated a detachment mindset in life which has helped him on his lifestyle change - Showcasing travels on his social media and bringing his audience on his vegan food adventures: how he is impacting the people around him - Opening up about what traveling has done for him - Why he keeps a lot of his private things in life to himself - A city confession that a lot of people don't know but is valid! Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com. --------------------------------- ABOUT BERTO: Based in Brooklyn, Berto is a vegan food, travel and wellness content creator who has been vegan for over 8 years. Sharing his life observations with a dose of positivity and sometimes humor, he provides his followers with different ways to move your body and accessible vegan food options on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Be sure to tune in for his podcast series, The Berto Calkins Podcast, for a peak into his day-to-day life, and thoughts on the ever evolving world of wellness. He is also a former CPT, Fitness Nutrition Specialist, and eCornell Plant-Based Nutrition Certified. https://www.instagram.com/whatsgoodberto/?hl=en https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN5DbX_Kt2qVq038KN_U3WA https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-berto-calkins-podcast/id1539170580 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thecityconfessions/support

This week's guest is Kira Jones, the Founder of Cacti Wellness Collective, which is a wellness and productivity platform for ambitious women. In this episode we talk all things related to mindset, productivity and wellness. The topics we discuss include: How and Why Kira Jones created Cacti Wellness Collective Finding What Works for You: morning routine, workout, habits Productivity Tips for Beginners and getting clear about your goals Manifestation affirmation: Universe, show me how good it gets Breaking our routines and cycles to level up  How to Reprogram our minds and lifestyles A City Confession from a new New York resident You can all use the code 'CITYCONFESSIONS' for a free month of membership on the Cacti Wellness Collective platform* Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com. -------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT KIRA: Kira's wellness journey began in 2015 when she was a marketing undergrad at DePaul University with a full academic schedule, an internship, and two part-time jobs. Working that hard was causing extreme stress and anxiety, so she turned to fitness and meditation as a way to release that pent up energy and calm her mind. In 2019, she set out to combine her business background and passion for wellness & productivity into a blog, Cacti Wellness. Flash forward to 2020, she launched 'Cacti Wellness Collective', an OTT platform for ambitious women who want to take care of business while taking care of themselves. After living in Chicago, Los Angeles, and now- NYC, Kira is passionate about bringing access to innovative, urban wellness trends and practices to the masses across the US and beyond. Website: www.cactiwellnesscollective.com App: www.cactiapp.com Instagram: instagram.com/cactiwellness --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thecityconfessions/support

This week's guest is Divya Gugnai, the Co-Founder and CEO of Wander Beauty, a serial entrepreneur and a mom of two. As someone who has built several companies and have sold them, we sit down to talk about her journey, what she's learned and where she's at now. Other topics we discuss include: Divya Leaving Corporate Finance World to Being an Entrepreneur: her story and journey Skills and Traits of a Serial Entrepreneur: difficulties and realities of growing and selling businesses  How the idea of Wander Beauty came to be, how she met her Co-Founder Lindsay and the company grew with social media Using Instagram Community as Focus Groups and Taking the consumers along the journey  Truth when it comes to balancing life with being a mom and being an entrepreneur Evolution of Success and Happiness and what how those definitions have changed throughout the years  Her City Confession involving makeup and fire round answers to questions involving NYC Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com. About Divya Gugnai: Divya Gugnani, CEO and Co-Founder of Wander Beauty, spent nearly 20 years searching for beauty essentials that could keep up with her on-the-go lifestyle.After earning her B.S. from Cornell University and M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, Divya began her career in investment banking at Goldman Sachs before moving on to private equity and venture capital at Investcorp International and FirstMark Capital. A self-proclaimed ‘accidental entrepreneur,’ she later left the finance world after selling her first business, and, bitten by the startup bug, went on to become a serial entrepreneur. After co-founding multiple companies and having children, she found her former beauty rituals tossed to the wayside asshe became more time-starved than ever. Balancing a thriving career and motherhood left Divya applying concealer during her morning subway commute and touching up her lipstick in between meetings in the backseat of a cab. She soon realized that her beauty products and routine weren’t made for beauty in motion: There were too many products, an arsenal of “must-have” tools, and products were housed in packaging that was too heavy, bulky, and fragile to take beyond her vanity. She needed products that saved time in her day, space in her beauty bag and that never sacrificed on performance.  Thus, Wander Beauty was born. Launched in 2015 with Wander Beauty creates effortless essentials you reach for every day, wherever you wander. Each essential is co-created with our community and enriched with clean, globally sourced ingredients that work with your skin, not against it. With over 30 prestigious beauty awards, Wander Beauty has a loyal following of celebrities, top journalists, and notable beauty and style influencers. https://www.wanderbeauty.com/ https://www.instagram.com/wander_beauty/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thecityconfessions/support

Today we are joined by Dr. Lauren Becker, a general and cosmetic dentist based in NYC. Topics that we discuss include the following: • How Dr. Lauren Becker got into dentistry and the moment she decided she wanted to be a dentist • Transition of working for someone else to working by herself, including challenges and highlights of opening her own practice • Realities of working a as a dentist: day to day activities working on patients and behind the scenes of her work • Creating a comfortable ambiance in her office: why she loves her team and her business • Dental and hygiene tips • How her definition of success has evolved over the years • Her city confession involving the love for the theater Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com. About Dr. Lauren Becker Dr. Lauren Becker is a general and cosmetic dentist with a wide range of skills and experience in the field of dentistry. Dr. Lauren Becker received her Bachelor of Science degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from Binghamton University. Immediately following her undergraduate education, Dr. Lauren Becker was accepted to New York University College of Dentistry where she received a Doctorate of Dental Surgery. Dr. Lauren Becker has completed a postgraduate residency at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, New York. Dr. Lauren Becker returned to her alma mater New York University College of Dentistry to advance her training in implantology, where she completed a 2 year fellowship in the placement and restoration of dental implants. Dr. Lauren Becker lives on the upper east side of Manhattan where she enjoys spending time with her husband, Michael, two daughters, Marlowe and Chandler, and their dog, Herschel. She enjoys traveling, Broadway shows, all things Bravo and Bachelor, and is a Friend of The Pod. http://literallythebestdentistever.com/ https://www.instagram.com/drlaurenbecker/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thecityconfessions/support

Today's guest is Em Roberts, a content creator, podcaster, and co-founder of Monday Network.  She is an American now living in London, and we chat about her current life and the below topics: - Why she moved to London and what that transition was like - Realities of moving to a new city and finding her footing through networking and patience - What inspired her to start her podcast, The Big Move and why she co-founded Monday Network - Why Em values self development and mental health (in her personal and professional life) - Similarities and Differences in New York and London lifestyles - Challenges and Highlights of her blogging/podcasting career - Defining Happiness and Joy  - Confession regarding her first NYC apartment involving bed bugs and mice and what NYC has taught her  Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com. About Emily Roberts: Em is a content creator, podcaster, and co-founder of Monday Network.  An American now living in London, she created her style blog, The Lipstick Fever in NYC in 2015 alongside working full-time in adtech.  She's been recognized by The Huffington Post as a top micro-influencer in 2018, as well as The Evening Standard, Elle, and Sheerluxe, and continues to grow her audience and platforms in the UK / EU through content creation and partnerships with her favorite brands (Elemis, French Connection, NARS, and Tommy Hilfiger to name a few).  She built her podcast 'The Big Move' in 2019, inspired by global boss ladies who are making #moves both professionally and geographically.  With guests like Marianna Hewitt, E! Host Zanna Rassi Roberts, and authors like Luvvie Ajayi Jones and Sarah Knight, she is sharing some of the top female founders and entrepreneurs success stories and their 'big moves' to in turn inspire audiences to do the same. She is now also the co-founder of a new podcast network called Monday, a female-led collective aiming to bring together podcasters and listeners around themes of self-development. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-big-move/id1459351637 https://www.instagram.com/emroberts.m https://www.instagram.com/monday_network/ https://www.instagram.com/thebigmovepodcast/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thecityconfessions/support

Today's guest is Taylor Fellman, who is the founder of Sh*t You Should Eat. We are recording this episode together in person, and we discus the following topics: - How Taylor founded her brand and came up with the name Sh*t You Should Eat - How we met and the power of energy and intentions - Challenges running and starting her own business - Her unique and funny trip to Burlington involving baby shoes  - Her love for food and confession about olives and chopped liver - Favorite NYC Restaurants - Thoughts on unexpected food combinations and creations and more! About: Taylor Fellman, Founder and CEO of Sh*t You Should Eat Taylor Fellman is originally from Florida and is a nationally-ranked figure skater. She traveled and competed year-round and also danced for The Florida Panthers before heading to college. She studied Hospitality Management and Business and created SYSE in 2022. She's been the biggest foodie practically her whole life and has always enjoyed connecting with people. This is where her passion for creating Sh*t You Should Eat began. SYSE’s mission is to inspire positivity and a hunger for new experiences. https://shityoushouldeat.com/ https://www.instagram.com/shityoushouldeat/ Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thecityconfessions/support

Today's guest is Alexis Wolfe, founder of NYCDateNite, a New York based blog that has become the go-to resource for dating in New York City. We sit down and talk about the below topics: How and why she started her blog: love for food and dating in NYC How she met her boyfriend on Hinge, biggest lesson with dating and focusing on if you like them, rather if they like you Building her community and followers on Instagram: how she structures her day and posting schedule and restaurant visits Realities and difficulties of dating in a city like New York and seeing someone for who they are instead of romanticizing the relationship Struggles with stressing about the future and not living in the present Confession Relating to ‘faking it till you make it’ About Alexis: Dating can be a treacherous road, potentially leaving a girl pretty frustrated. On the other hand, dating can also be an amazing time — that is, of course, if you know exactly where to go and what to do. That’s why I launched NYCDateNite. NYCDateNite is an ever-evolving repository of the trendiest places to take your date, while also serving as a guide to enjoying a night out with friends, brunch with family, and everything in between. I’m here to help you navigate the maze that is dating, especially in a city like NYC where the choices seem endless (including the wrong choices). At times, you almost want to give up — at least I did. That’s why this platform was born. I realized that even if I didn’t have control over finding my perfect man, I did have control over where to meet him. So even if the guy wasn’t for me, it would never again be a total loss because, hey, at least the food was good. Assembled here are some of my most trusted recommendations to ensure that you’re dating both efficiently and enjoyably. You will hopefully find, as I have, that there’s no such thing as a failed date if you’re equipped with a game plan. https://www.nycdatenite.com/ https://www.instagram.com/nycdatenite/ Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thecityconfessions/support

Today's guest is not from NYC, but is currently in NYC and has many clients in New York. This episode is all about relationships and dating! We are joined by Jacob Lucas, a professional dating coach from the UK and has a popular social media presence of over 500,000 followers learning tips and advice on dating. We sit down and talk all about all things related to dating including: - How he became a dating coach and the psychology of attraction - Should women make the first move? - Sigma Female traits and why it’s so unique and rare - Alpha males and ego - Feminine and Masculine energy and traits in relationships - Emotional spiking, poison dripping and Relationship Cycles - Relationship Red Flags and Why Most Relationships Fail - How and Why Anger is a Form of Pleasure - Why Women Can't Change Men and Not falling in Love with Potential - Difficulty for New York Women to Find Love - Secrets to a Healthy, Successful Relationship and a confession you will definitely not expect!  About Jacob Jacob Lucas is Professional Dating Coach who is from the UK and has a popular social media presence of over 490,000 followers learning his tips and advice on dating. Jacob favours a more psychological, analytical approach to dating and has great success in educating many people on how to be successful in their dating lives. Jacob has a firm understanding of social dynamics and the psychology of attraction. His methods of teaching are very effective as his knowledge of human behaviour can be applied to most social situations and he makes it very easy for anybody to understand and learn how to be happy and successful in their love life. Jacob has always had a fascination with social dynamics and the psychology of attraction and in a short time grow very popular for his methodologies of how to become successful in dating. Jacob has had multiple viral videos, with millions of views, of his teachings circulating the internet and has been featured in news articles, live TV appearances and world famous podcasts. Jacob’s mantra to finding happiness and success in your dating life is, ‘Education is the key to your happiness’ Jacob finds great joy in helping people become more confident and happy and believes love is one of the greatest joys that everyone should have in their lives https://www.jacoblucasdating.com/ Instagram: @jacoblucas101 TikTok: @jacoblucas10 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thecityconfessions/support

This week's guest is David Lesser, the Founder & CEO of Numina, whose main mission is to empower people to discover their unique gifts, strengths and talents and create the most conducive setting to express them. They also launched The Numina Transformation Retreat at the beginning of the pandemic, which is a half-day experience of deep reflection and vision to fuel the next chapter of your life.  In this episode, David Lesser and I sit down and talk about his coaching background and what led him to finding Numina. As an executive coach, David Lesser thought it would be helpful to create a program where people can experience a do it yourself, at home transformation retreat, using the following 5 key processes: Discover the future you want, reveal what matters most to you. Learn from past experiences, explore basic problems on your own. Understand what drives you, realize your unique gifts, strengths and talent. Recognize what holds you back, take different points of view and unleash sabotage. Commit to your next steps, walk away from the retreat with new ideas you have come up with. We also talk about the most common emotions driving change, and why it's so important for people to discover their true passions and gifts in order to live a purposeful, fulfilling life. Other topics include how to handle emotions, which involves observing them, rather than associating your identity with them, how to handle intensity or certain flaws/ traits that disturb others, embracing who you are and the power of self awareness, change and transformation.  Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com. SPECIAL OFFER: Get 20% off the Numina At-Home Transformation Retreat from March 29th- April 28 by using this link here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/mpc/A1BAOGBKKKQBNK About David Lesser: David is a social entrepreneur who believes the best way to change the world is to empower people to be more fully themselves. He has guided people and organizations through crucial transitions for over 35 years, acting as coach and confidant to CEOs and senior executives aspiring to the highest levels of personal growth in a variety of fields. David is passionate about helping executives, teams and individuals to discover their unique gifts, strengths and talents and to find the most conducive setting to express them. He believes strongly in the power of creating personal networks of support for people to encourage and inspire each other to realize their full potential. David has an MBA from London Business School. Formerly CEO of a $100m London-based real estate and construction group and executive director of a $40m worldwide not-for-profit operation, he combines a strong management pedigree with perceptive facilitation skills and clear insight in working with people. David has held senior corporate positions in marketing, real estate and corporate finance. He has taught as visiting professor at Redlands University and spoken at a number of conferences in the US, Europe and Africa. David is trained in emotional process work with Shadow Work training, facilitation with Interaction Associates and in coaching with New Ventures West, and is a certified transformational forum facilitator for Young President’s Organization. He has learned Golden Shield Qigong under Paul Holden and Attunement Energy Work under Roger de Winton. David was born in London, England. He moved to Colorado, USA, in 1994. Since 2004, he has been living with his wife, Chellsa, near San Francisco, California. https://numina.team/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thecityconfessions/support

Today's guest is Celebrity Esthetician, Taylor Worden, who has a NYC spa tucked away in Soho. Her facials are all known for being #TaylorMade, as they are all customized to each of her client's skincare needs. In this episode Taylor and I sit down to talk about her personal skin journey and struggle with acne. She began to research own skincare tips and products, which sparked her curiosity and passion for skincare. Taylor Worden has an impressive list of clients and explains how she built her roster and how she managed to open a spa in Soho. She also offers skincare tips and chimes in on Jlo's skin, the fascination with skincare tools and gadgets and reveals a funny confession, obviously related to skin. You can find more about Taylor Worden at https://www.taylorworden.com/ and follow her on Instagram @taylorwordenskin Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thecityconfessions/support

Today's guest is Kate Kerner, the founder and owner of Kate Communications Group. In this episode, Kate Kerner talks about her background and how she started her business during the pandemic, when she decided working in an office wasn't for her. As a Type A perfectionist, Kate has learned how to use those traits to her advantage when running here business, but does acknowledge that balancing clients and tasks is a struggle. We also talk about finding balance in life, the power of our breaths and our favorite NYC favorite spots.  Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com. ABOUT KATE KERNER: Kate Kerner is the founder and owner of Kate Communications Group. She honed her communications, sales and marketing skills at The Pennsylvania State University’s College of Communications where she majored in Telecommunications. Upon graduating in 2016, Kate worked for Bloomberg Media at its headquarters and for a financial start-up in New York City. Building upon her relevant academic background, robust training, and solid corporate experience, she acted upon her entrepreneurial spirit and launched her own company. In heading up Kate Communications Group, she helps clients in various sectors, including fitness, wellness, lifestyle, food and entertainment, achieve their business goals and grow their brands. Kate confidently guides her clients in motivating their teams and engaging their customers. She understands how strategic engagement and cultivation of partner relationships can and will successfully transform companies and enhance brands. Kate also is an expert in event management. She  pours her heart and soul into every single detail to ensure that she exceeds her clients’ expectations. In everything Kate does from creating content on social media, raising the profile of her clients’ brands to flawlessly executing impactful events, she always is the consummate professional and is results-driven. Instagram: @katekerner    www.katecommunicationsgroup.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thecityconfessions/support

Today's guest is Jen Smiley, the founder of Wake Up and Read the Labels and The Clean Eating Academy an innovative and sustainable program that is designed to simplify your approach on how to eat clean. In this episode, Jen Smiley talks about the importance of knowing ingredients in your food and the truth about the food industry. She saw that clean eating was an issue for a lot of people and realized educating people on reading ingredients was a necessity. She also talks about the moment that jumpstarted her business from a client wanting her to take her grocery shopping and her special relationship with NYC and her clients. Jen Smiley also offers restaurant tips when dining out and reiterates that balance is key. If you are interested in finding more about Jen Smiley's programs and offerings, go to https://jensmiley.com/ and connect with her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wakeupandreadthelabels/ About Jen Smiley: Jen Smiley is the Founder of Wake Up & Read the Labels, a multi-platform brand that encompasses online courses, a new membership community called The Wake Up Jumpstart, and an engaging, informative Instagram account with 100k+ followers. Jen’s special sauce? Teaching people to feel amazing while still eating the foods they love. Often, that’s as simple as swapping-out “normal” (but often nutritionally unsound) ingredients for clean options. She’s all about seeking out REAL food with real ingredients - none of this artificial nonsense marketed to simply sound healthy. Since its inception, Wake Up & Read the Labels has helped thousands of individuals conquer everyday issues such as fatigue, skin breakouts, weight gain and more simply by helping them to become more mindful about what they’re eating. By avoiding the traps laid for them in the grocery store, Jen’s clients have become empowered to take charge of their health and making lasting changes to their well-being and sense of vitality.  Carving a new path in food coaching, Jen and her team encourage clients to avoid calorie-counting and imposing limits on food intake. Instead, they learn to trust their new label-reading skills and instantly make better choices. Feel free to leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts if you enjoyed this episode and be sure to share this with a friend! You can also email any questions or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thecityconfessions/support

Today's episode is a special one as it's the official launch date of my book, UN-HINGED What I Learned from Saying, "It's You, It's Not Me" in the NYC Dating Scene. I am using this episode as a solo and celebratory one to honor this big moment in my life. I read my preface of my book to give viewers and listeners a snippet of what to expect from my book, what my writing style is, what my author's voice is and understand why I decided to write this book. I also reveal a confession relating to being proud of myself and learning to embrace that feeling and changing it from discomfort to comfort. I close out the episode with a section from my conclusion in the hopes to get you thinking about what's on your bucket list and fear list and how to overcome self doubt and go after your dreams. I would love any and all support in this journey that I am on. You can purchase my book using this specific link https://amzn.to/3Ko7XdL or go to www.un-hinged.com. You can also find my book on Barnes & Noble and Mascot Books. Feel free to leave reviews and share this episode or my book with a friend :) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thecityconfessions/support