Business of the Beat

Mean Ole Lion Media
Mean Ole Lion Media

Hosted by three-time founder, bestselling author, and award-winning industry thought leader Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, Business of the Beat takes you inside the business of beauty and wellness—unpacking the real stories behind starting, growing and accelerating breakthrough brands. Each episode features candid conversations with founders, senior executives, influencers, and operators who are shaping the future of the industry. From funding to failures, pivots to purpose, and hustle to harmony, you’ll get unfiltered insights and actionable strategies to grow and scale with intention. Now in its fifth season with over 180 episodes, Business of the Beat is the go-to resource for all business leaders ready to turn passion into profit and ambition into impact. Subscribe today—and unlock the beauty of your success.

  1. 2d ago

    Lauren Balterman: Clarity, Curiosity, The Lean in, Bada Bing Bada Boom

    You know you’re good at what you do. Does your brand make it clear why someone should hire you? On this episode of Business of the Beat, Kendra Bracken-Ferguson welcomes Lauren Balterman, a positioning and brand strategist who draws on 15 years of experience as a therapist to help entrepreneurs communicate their value and become known for their expertise. Lauren traces her journey from mental health practice and professional bodybuilding to building businesses that connect her interests in psychology, wellness, and branding. She shares why credentials alone don’t always translate into customer trust—and how she learned to close the gap between what she could deliver and what people understood about her work. At the center of her approach is the “psychological signature”: the lived experiences, beliefs, and ways of solving problems that distinguish one expert from another. Lauren explains how identifying that foundation can help entrepreneurs sharpen their message while leaving room for their businesses to evolve. Kendra and Lauren also explore two familiar founder challenges: moving into a new field when everyone associates you with your previous company, and choosing a clear focus when you have multiple passions. Plus, they discuss where AI fits into brand building, why human reflection still matters, and how to introduce your work in a way that sparks curiosity and understanding. Listen for a conversation about confidence, reinvention, and building a brand that helps people recognize the value you already bring. Explore Lauren’s work and her Hidden Expert Archetype Quiz at LaurenNicole.life. Find more shows like this on the Mean Ole Lion app. Follow, rate, comment, and share.

    Lauren Balterman: Clarity, Curiosity, The Lean in, Bada Bing Bada Boom

  2. Oct 25

    Part 2 Jazz Smollett: Dreaming of Juniper

    How do you turn a lifetime of creativity into a business that reflects who you are? Jazz Smollett returns to Business of the Beat for part two of her conversation with Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, tracing her journey from working behind the scenes to co-hosting and executive producing Living by Design and building her lifestyle brand, Dreaming of Juniper. Jazz shares how an internship in theater, early production jobs, and mentorship from women in entertainment helped her develop her skills. She recalls creating a cooking show with her brother Jake for Los Angeles city buses, the path to Smollett Eats on Food Network, and how a cookbook appearance opened an unexpected door to Living by Design. The conversation then moves into the realities of becoming a product founder. From testing candles and developing a massage oil candle to launching a room spray and bringing products to Amazon, Jazz discusses learning financial discipline, accessing small-business resources, and building relationships with customers. She also reflects on discovering her ability to connect creative vision with the financial and operational demands of a business. Kendra and Jazz close with the possibilities ahead: deeper community connections, shared experiences, and a lifestyle brand rooted in the ways we eat, gather, travel, and make ourselves at home. Explore Dreaming of Juniper and subscribe to Jazz’s newsletter, On a Random Thursday. Follow @JazzSmollett and @DreamingofJuniper on Instagram. Find more shows like this on the Mean Ole Lion app. Follow, rate, comment, and share.

    Part 2 Jazz Smollett: Dreaming of Juniper

  3. Oct 18

    Looking At the Sky w/Jazz Smollett

    What we grow up creating can shape everything we build next. In part one of this conversation on Business of the Beat, Kendra Bracken-Ferguson welcomes her longtime friend, creative collaborator, and business partner Jazz Smollett to explore the experiences behind her work as a designer, producer, television personality, and founder. The second of six siblings, Jazz shares stories of cross-country moves, family celebrations, and a mother who built furniture, sewed clothes, and taught her children to create what they needed. From homemade meals to the family table that anchored each new home, Jazz reflects on how resourcefulness and intentional togetherness shaped her approach to life. She also traces her path from childhood modeling and acting to studying theater at NYU, with experiences in Cape Town and Amsterdam expanding her understanding of art, identity, and storytelling. Along the way, she discusses finding confidence in her own education and recognizing the value of the Black writers and stories that informed her upbringing. It’s a personal conversation about family, friendship, and creating spaces where people feel seen. In part two, Jazz shares how those foundations became a career in television and a growing lifestyle brand. Find more shows like this on the Mean Ole Lion app. Follow, rate, comment, and share.

    Looking At the Sky w/Jazz Smollett

  4. Oct 11

    Founders First

    What makes a business stand out in a crowded market? For Danni Fernino, it starts with the person behind the brand. On this episode of **Business of the Beat**, Kendra Bracken-Ferguson welcomes the entrepreneur and business owner behind **Visions from Neptune** for a candid conversation about building beauty and wellness brands, choosing the right partners, and recognizing what drives a founder beyond their original idea. Danni shares how growing up in a family of entrepreneurs shaped her independent spirit—and how the challenges of COVID shifted her focus toward helping small businesses thrive. She explains why a founder’s motivation, willingness to adapt, and commitment to the work are central to the partnerships she pursues. Kendra and Danni also explore the hard conversations that come with growth. From helping founders loosen their grip to making decisions that serve the company and the families it supports, Danni introduces her approach to “heart posture”: leading with care while being honest about what needs to change. The conversation connects creative vision with execution, including branding, messaging, design, and the relationships that bring a portfolio of businesses together. Stay for a lively rapid-fire round covering founder red flags, customer retention, trusting your gut, and the “inborn magic” Danni looks for in an entrepreneur. Find more shows like this on the Mean Ole Lion app. Follow, rate, comment, and share.

    Founders First

  5. Oct 4

    Building Success Without Losing Yourself

    Kendra Bracken-Ferguson welcomes Debbi Thomas, mindfulness coach and founder of Haven Inspired, for a conversation about self-awareness, challenging limiting beliefs, and making room for personal growth. Debbi shares her journey from recruiting—including helping others recognize their strengths at Meta—to creating meditation content that speaks directly to Black women. Now pursuing her master’s in counseling at Northwestern University, she reflects on how stepping into a new chapter has challenged old stories about her own capabilities. Together, Kendra and Debbi explore mindfulness beyond meditation: recognizing what you need, noticing how stress shows up in your body, and giving yourself permission to ask for help. They discuss journaling, faith, self-compassion, and the discomfort that can accompany meaningful change—especially when you’re balancing entrepreneurship, family, and your own well-being. Debbi also shares the meaning behind HAVEN: Healthy, Authentic, Vibrant, Empathetic, and Nourished. At the heart of her approach is a reminder that healing begins with being honest with yourself. Sometimes, the next step toward growth starts with acknowledging that you’re overwhelmed and allowing someone to support you. Find more shows like this on the Mean Ole Lion app. Follow, rate, comment, and share.

    Building Success Without Losing Yourself

  6. Sep 27

    When You Bet On Yourself the House Wins

    In this full-circle episode of Business of the Beat, host Kendra Bracken-Ferguson welcomes back Dr. Omonye Phillips, founder of OmoSilk. When Omonye first appeared on the podcast in 2023, she was balancing motherhood, marriage, a major corporate leadership role, and a growing business inspired by her children’s sensitive-skin needs. Today, she has left corporate America, stepped into entrepreneurship full time, and expanded OmoSilk’s retail footprint to Target.com. Omonye shares what it took to bet on herself, the importance of having a supportive partner and trusted community, and why prayer, exercise, and daily routines keep her grounded through the unpredictable realities of entrepreneurship. She also discusses bootstrapping the company, managing inventory, protecting product innovation, and maintaining OmoSilk’s commitment to premium 100% mulberry silk. From patent-pending bonnet technology and silk wig caps to products supporting people experiencing alopecia, cancer treatment, and sensitive skin, Omonye’s journey demonstrates what can happen when purpose, consistency, and thoughtful innovation come together. Find more shows like this on the Mean Ole Lion app.

    When You Bet On Yourself the House Wins

  7. Sep 20

    What does it mean to finally believe that you are enough?

    In this episode of Business of the Beat, host Kendra Bracken-Ferguson sits down with executive, investor and author Fred Collins for an honest conversation inspired by his new book, Enough: The Journey from Approval Seeking to Authenticity. Fred reflects on how childhood insecurities shaped his pursuit of recognition, corporate success and financial achievement—and the personal cost of constantly chasing more. He shares how the absence and early loss of his father left him searching for validation through promotions, titles and the approval of others, even after he had built an accomplished career. The conversation explores Fred’s transition from leading major global brands to advising emerging founders, particularly women and founders of color. He discusses the differences between corporate resources and entrepreneurial realities, the importance of understanding your strengths and limitations, and why supporting the founder’s vision no longer requires him to be the person receiving the recognition. Fred and Kendra also examine authentic leadership, accountability, vulnerability and the sacrifices families make when professional ambition becomes all-consuming. Through lessons from his own career, Fred challenges listeners to stop defining themselves through titles, money or other people’s expectations—and begin building lives rooted in purpose, honesty and self-acceptance. Because being enough does not mean the work is finished. It means you no longer need achievement to prove your worth. Find more shows like this on the Mean Ole Lion app.

    What does it mean to finally believe that you are enough?

  8. Sep 13

    The Healing Beauty in Community and Unity

    What happens when you stop allowing other people—and your own invisible barriers—to define what is possible for your life? In this episode of Business of the Beat, host Kendra Bracken-Ferguson sits down with Tracy-Ann Palmer—also known as TAP the Warrior—a modern Renaissance woman whose journey spans corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, transformational coaching, authorship, and music. Tracy-Ann shares how growing up amid war in Zimbabwe, immigrating to South Africa, surviving domestic violence, and watching her mother battle Alzheimer’s shaped her determination to live fully and help others reach their potential. She also explores the connection between business and creativity, why money represents freedom, and how music became both a source of healing and a way to help others feel seen. The conversation examines authentic leadership, work-life integration, emotional intelligence, community, and the courage required to remove the mask and become who you were meant to be. Tracy-Ann also introduces the African principles of Sawubona—“I see you”—and Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—as reminders that transformation and success are never achieved alone. Find more shows like this on the Mean Ole Lion app.

    The Healing Beauty in Community and Unity
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5
out of 5
24 Ratings

About

Hosted by three-time founder, bestselling author, and award-winning industry thought leader Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, Business of the Beat takes you inside the business of beauty and wellness—unpacking the real stories behind starting, growing and accelerating breakthrough brands. Each episode features candid conversations with founders, senior executives, influencers, and operators who are shaping the future of the industry. From funding to failures, pivots to purpose, and hustle to harmony, you’ll get unfiltered insights and actionable strategies to grow and scale with intention. Now in its fifth season with over 180 episodes, Business of the Beat is the go-to resource for all business leaders ready to turn passion into profit and ambition into impact. Subscribe today—and unlock the beauty of your success.

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