Rise + Rebel

Aya Hojadova
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Entrepreneurship

Rise + Rebel Radio is a podcast for people who are becoming. Hosted by Aya Hoja, this space explores what it means to rise with elegance & rebel with purpose. Through intimate reflections & lived experience, Aya speaks to the quiet seasons of becoming, the fire that follows silence, & the courage it takes to stop asking for permission. This is not a podcast about perfection. It’s a place for honesty, presence, & depth. This is for people who feel deeply, live thoughtfully, & know there is more forming beneath the surface. Rise when the world is is quiet. Rebel when your soul is loud.

  1. 2d ago

    The Little Whispers: Michelle Doan on Building Emani, Healing Her Skin & Trusting Herself

    In this episode of Rise + Rebel Podcast, Aya sits down with Michelle Doan, founder of Emani Vegan Cosmetics, for a conversation about beauty, intuition, sensitive skin, self-advocacy, and the courage it takes to build something from lived experience. Michelle shares her story of leaving Vietnam as a child, spending time in a Thai refugee camp, growing up as an immigrant, and eventually creating a beauty brand after years of struggling with painful cystic acne and sensitive skin. What began as a personal need became a clean beauty brand rooted in skin health, ingredient education, and helping women feel more confident in their own skin. But this conversation goes far beyond skincare. Michelle and Aya talk about trusting the “little whispers,” learning when to say yes and when to say no, building a business as a woman, overcoming shame, stepping out from behind the scenes, learning how to receive, and becoming your own advocate through every season of life. We also explore practical beauty wisdom for sensitive skin, hormones, aging, menopause, skincare ingredients, and why self-care does not have to be complicated to be powerful. This episode is for the woman learning to trust herself, advocate for herself, receive what is meant for her, and rise into the version of herself she used to hide. In this episode, we talk about: Michelle’s journey from Vietnam to North AmericaHow cystic acne led her into clean beautyThe birth of Emani Vegan CosmeticsTrusting intuition and the “little whispers”Saying yes, saying no, and taking the leapWomen, shame, visibility, and learning to receiveWhy business mirrors back who you areSensitive skin, acne, aging, hormones, and menopauseThe three P’s of skincare: potency, penetration, and proven resultsBecoming your own advocate in beauty, business, and life Learn more about Michelle Doan and Emani Vegan Cosmetics here: https://linktr.ee/emanicosmeticsofficial?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=74d745cd-5767-4715-90f0-1d4e38be1116 Explore Emani, follow Michelle’s work, and support the brand she built from lived experience, sensitive skin wisdom, and a deep desire to help women feel confident in their own skin. Subscribe to Rise + Rebel Podcast for conversations on creativity, entrepreneurship, identity, personal growth, and becoming who you were always meant to be.

  2. Jul 5

    When There’s No Script: Andrew Ginsberg on Comedy, Creativity & Becoming Yourself

    What happens when the role you were praised for is no longer the role you are meant to play? In this episode of Rise + Rebel Podcast, Aya sits down with comedian, podcaster, and creative Andrew Ginsberg — someone she first met years ago in the San Francisco corporate days. Back then, Andrew was already funny, magnetic, and able to command a room. But behind the corporate role, the benchmarks, the praise, and the external validation, there was another question starting to rise: Is this really who I am meant to be? This conversation goes far beyond comedy. Andrew and Aya talk about leaving the corporate script, finding your voice when there is no clear role to play, dealing with rejection, learning how to believe in yourself without applause, choosing love over fear, and trusting the creative ideas that are trying to move through you. We also talk about entrepreneurship, manifestation, curiosity, the muse, the power of showing up, and how one unexpected idea turned into Andrew’s side project, Cannabis Curious Seniors. This episode is for anyone who has ever felt successful on paper but quietly wondered if there was something more honest, creative, free, and alive waiting underneath. In this episode, we talk about: Leaving corporate life and stepping into comedyWhat happens when there is no script anymoreRejection, failure, and building emotional staminaWhy external validation can keep us trapped in a roleManifestation, creativity, and following curiosityBecoming a vessel for creative ideasWhy the journey matters more than the outcomeLearning to trust the role that already lives inside you Subscribe if you’re becoming who you were always meant to be. Listen + follow Rise + Rebel Podcast on YouTube and all podcast platforms. Start here: risewithaya.com/start-here Guest links: Andrew Ginsberg: AndrewGinsberg.com Instagram: @thisisginsberg Cannabis Curious Seniors: CannabisCuriousSeniors.com

  3. Jun 21

    Beginning From Within: Carol Reid on Courage, Healing & Claiming Your Space

    What if courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to keep walking anyway? In this episode of Rise + Rebel, Aya sits down with Carol Reid — speaker, coach, educator, caregiver, model, and contributing author of The Courage to Begin — for a powerful conversation about courage, healing, self-doubt, transformation, and what it means to begin from within. Carol’s chapter in The Courage to Begin is titled Beginning From Within, and in this conversation, she shares what those words mean to her now. She opens up about finally telling her story, feeling exposed in the process, and discovering freedom on the other side of being honest. We talk about fear, courage, caregiving, 12-step healing, learning to love the little girl within, claiming your space, and the moment Carol said yes to modeling at 70 — even though she was afraid. This episode is a reminder that you do not have to feel fully ready to begin. You can be afraid and still take the next right action. You can carry doubt and still claim your space. You can begin again from within. In this episode, we talk about: • What Beginning From Within means to Carol now • How courage carried her through fear and self-doubt • Why sharing her story felt both frightening and freeing • Her journey through caregiving, healing, and 12-step recovery • How she learned to see her own beauty from the inside out • Saying yes to modeling at 70 • Why safe spaces matter • The power of boundaries, support, and resourcefulness • What it means to take the next right action Subscribe if you’re becoming who you were always meant to be. Join Aya’s Inner Circle: risewithaya.com/start-here Learn more about Carol at http://www.CarolReidSpeaks.com Schedule a Complimentary Consult: http://calendly.com/carolreid Connect with Carol Reid on LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/reidempowermentllc

  4. Jun 7

    Stop Waiting to Be Invited: Keisha Brooks on Creativity, Boundaries & Building Your Own World

    In this episode of Rise + Rebel, Aya sits down with Keisha Brooks, producer, actor, writer, creative, and founder of Helping Hands Productions, for a real conversation about creativity, resourcefulness, boundaries, and building your own world. Keisha shares how her father taught her to get things done, how her mother modeled service and helping others, and how both shaped the woman she is today: generous, direct, resourceful, and deeply committed to creating a life on her own terms. This conversation moves through acting, modeling, production, veganism, success, self-worth, asking for help, bartering, follow-through, and the moment you realize your time is not free. At its core, this episode is about not waiting to be chosen. It is about using what you have, asking the right questions, protecting your energy, and creating the opportunities you wish existed. Subscribe if you’re becoming who you were always meant to be. Learn More and Connect with Keisha Brooks: linktr.ee/Helpinghandsproductions Join Aya’s Inner Circle: risewithaya.com/start-here

  5. May 31

    Peace Is the Strategy: How to Build Without Burning Out

    What if peace is not the opposite of ambition, but the strategy? In this solo episode of Rise + Rebel, Aya reflects on what her Asia trip taught her about chaos, boundaries, asking for help, visibility, and building a life and business without burning out. This episode explores the difference between being peaceful and staying quiet, why asking for help is not weakness, and how many of us make life, business, content creation, and visibility harder than they need to be because we are trying to do everything alone. If you are building something meaningful whether that's a business, brand, creative project, podcast, shop, career, or new version of yourself; this conversation is a reminder that you do not need chaos to prove you care. Subscribe to Rise + Rebel for honest conversations on identity, transformation, entrepreneurship, visibility, creativity, personal growth, and building a life with intention. Join the Inner Circle newsletter for deeper reflections behind the episodes: newsletter link Explore Rise + Rebel: https://riseplusrebel.riverside.com/ Connect with Aya: https://www.risewithaya.com/link-in-bio #RiseAndRebel #PersonalGrowth #Entrepreneurship #BuildingABrand #BurnoutRecovery #MindsetShift #Boundaries #AskForHelp #WomenInBusiness #Visibility #PeaceIsTheStrategy

  6. May 24

    Before You Travel to Asia: Rookie Mistakes I Made So You Don’t Have To

    Before you travel to Asia, especially for business, sourcing, markets, shopping, or your first major international adventure, there are a few mistakes you want to avoid before you even land. In this episode of Rise + Rebel, I’m sharing the real lessons I learned from traveling through Asia, including China, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. This is a “go prepared so you can actually enjoy it” episode. Whether you are planning a sourcing trip, traveling solo, visiting markets, exploring a new country, or simply stepping into a new version of your life, this conversation will help you move with more awareness, respect, and confidence. Listen to the full episode for the stories, the chaos, the lessons, and the deeper reflection on what travel teaches us about who we are becoming. Rise when the world is quiet. Rebel when your soul is loud.

  7. May 17

    How Going to Asia Changed How I See Business

    I thought I was going to Asia to source products for Rise + Rebel. I thought the trip would be about finding beautiful pieces, meeting vendors, walking through markets, attending the Canton Fair, and bringing back inventory for my store. And yes, I did all of that. But what I didn’t expect was how much this trip would reveal about me as a founder, a business owner, and a woman learning how to trust her own vision. In this episode of Rise + Rebel, I’m sharing what my sourcing trip through Asia taught me about entrepreneurship, product sourcing, global trade, fear, abundance, overwhelm, decision-making, and becoming the person who can actually hold the vision she’s building. I talk about what it felt like to walk through markets, meet suppliers, attend the Canton Fair, sort through endless options, and realize that buying products is the easy part — finding quality, alignment, and clarity is the real work. This episode is for the entrepreneur, creative, small business owner, or dreamer who is waiting to feel fully ready before they begin. Maybe the question isn’t, “Am I ready?” Maybe the question is, “What part of me is being developed through this process?” Because sometimes, building a business is not just about inventory, pricing, websites, photos, labels, customs, or marketing. Sometimes, building a business is really about becoming the person who can hold the vision without abandoning herself in the process. Shop the Rise + Rebel store: https://riseandrebel.square.site/s/shop Thank you for listening, watching, and being part of this journey. Episode Topics CoveredIn this episode, I talk about: Traveling to Asia to source products for Rise + RebelWhat it was really like walking through markets, vendors, and supplier boothsAttending the Canton Fair and seeing global trade up closeThe difference between buying inventory and finding aligned productsThe overwhelm of endless opportunityWhy focus matters when building a brandThe behind-the-scenes work of launching a retail businessPricing, inventory, photos, labels, spreadsheets, and decision fatigueWhat this trip taught me about fear, courage, and trusting myselfBecoming a founder through the doing, not the waiting

  8. May 3

    How Acting Helped Me Heal, Rebuild My Confidence & Find My Purpose

    What happens when life completely falls apart… and the only way forward is to finally listen to yourself? In this deeply personal solo episode of Rise + Rebel, Aya opens up about one of the darkest seasons of her life, depression, heartbreak, losing her sense of purpose, and hitting rock bottom. Everything changed when she asked herself one powerful question: “If you had a second chance at life, what would make you truly happy?” The answer was simple: acting. What started as one acting class to escape depression became the beginning of a complete transformation—healing, confidence, creativity, writing books, launching a podcast, and fully stepping into her purpose. This episode is about more than acting. It’s about listening to your intuition, trusting the desires that won’t leave you alone, and taking the stage in your own life. Aya shares reflections on: • overcoming depression and self-doubt • healing through creativity • building confidence through action • creating opportunities instead of waiting • following multiple passions without guilt • stepping fully into your power If you’ve been feeling stuck or like there’s something inside you waiting to be expressed—this episode is your invitation to stop holding back. Your life is your stage. Take it. Join Aya’s Inner Circle for weekly reflections, life lessons, and deeper conversations: Visit risewithaya.com Watch more episodes of Rise + Rebel Podcast for conversations on mindset, business, creativity, and personal growth. Aya’s new book Take the Stage is now available. If this episode resonated with you, leave a comment: What dream is your intuition asking you to follow?

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Rise + Rebel Radio is a podcast for people who are becoming. Hosted by Aya Hoja, this space explores what it means to rise with elegance & rebel with purpose. Through intimate reflections & lived experience, Aya speaks to the quiet seasons of becoming, the fire that follows silence, & the courage it takes to stop asking for permission. This is not a podcast about perfection. It’s a place for honesty, presence, & depth. This is for people who feel deeply, live thoughtfully, & know there is more forming beneath the surface. Rise when the world is is quiet. Rebel when your soul is loud.

Information

  • Creator
    Aya Hojadova
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Aya Hojadova