27 episodes

This is a podcast dedicated to the underestimated founder looking to take the leap from want-to-preneur and entrepreneur. Whatever is holding you back, whether real or imagined, we look to share our “Freed Stories” -- stories of people taking the entrepreneurial leap -- as inspiration and acknowledgment that while the road to entrepreneurship can be lonely you don't have to travel it alone.

We hope that in sharing “Freed Stories,” that you will gain some tangible tips on how to get “Freed” yourself. It’s our mission to provide support and community for those working their 5-9 side hustles and jotting down their “some-day” business plans. We’re navigating the journey ourselves and we’d love to take you along with us. Ready to get Freed?

Freed Stories Andy Louis-Charles

    • Business
    • 5.0 • 3 Ratings

This is a podcast dedicated to the underestimated founder looking to take the leap from want-to-preneur and entrepreneur. Whatever is holding you back, whether real or imagined, we look to share our “Freed Stories” -- stories of people taking the entrepreneurial leap -- as inspiration and acknowledgment that while the road to entrepreneurship can be lonely you don't have to travel it alone.

We hope that in sharing “Freed Stories,” that you will gain some tangible tips on how to get “Freed” yourself. It’s our mission to provide support and community for those working their 5-9 side hustles and jotting down their “some-day” business plans. We’re navigating the journey ourselves and we’d love to take you along with us. Ready to get Freed?

    Interview with Ola Swarn of J‘adore le Décor

    Interview with Ola Swarn of J‘adore le Décor

    Ola Swarn, founder and owner of J'adore le Décor, joins us today to share her Freed story! Having gotten started by opening a business in 2016, Ola is an interior stylist who specializes in transforming spaces of 1,000 square feet or less, a specialty that she describes as her passion. Ola shares how she got into interior design and how she started her business, and she reflects on some of the lessons that she has learned along the way, such as being sure to communicate effectively with others. She also gives some helpful advice, encouraging people who want to walk a similar path as hers to invest in themselves and in their businesses and to find a mentor, especially since, as we always say here at Freed Media, entrepreneurship is a lonely road.
    Ola also dives into some of her other passions and priorities such as listening to podcasts from which she can learn and grow, studying other languages, and reading books about personal growth and challenges. Speaking of personal growth and challenges, Ola also reveals where she hopes that she and her business will be in five years, emphasizing that she hopes to be considered the expert in small-space design and living well in small spaces! She closes by taking part in a Freed Stories tradition – revealing what her superpower is!
    We really appreciate Ola sharing her Freed story with us in this episode of the podcast, and we look forward to catching up with her in a few months! Be sure to check her out, and be sure to continue tuning in to Freed Stories as we continue to feature guests who share their Freed stories – stories of success, failure, lessons, goals, hopes, and so forth! Please also be sure that you hit that subscribe button so that you never miss an episode, and don't forget to free your mind; free your media!
     
    Time Stamps
    [1:03] – The Freed fellow featured in this episode is Ola Swarn of J'adore le Décor.
    [1:22] – Ola gives us some background information about herself and her business.
    [1:56] – Ola reveals what got her started in this business.
    [4:13] – We learn that Ola was doing marketing before this venture which allowed her to eventually fund this venture.
    [5:30] – Ola recounts some failures and challenges along the way and what she learned from them.
    [8:46] – Ola encourages people who want to go on the same path to invest in themselves.
    [11:51] – The book The Leadership Challenge Workbook is recommended to us.
    [13:22] – Ola reveals that she listens to podcasts to personally grow.
    [14:22] – Ola discloses the importance of the name J'adore le Décor.
    [15:01] – We find out where Ola hopes she'll be in five years.
    [16:20] – Ola reveals that she is currently in the early stages of a new construction project in Chicago.
    [17:15] – Ola reflects on what her superpower might be.
    [18:25] – We learn where we can find Ola online.
     
    Links and Resources
    Freed Fellowship - Website
    Freed Fellowship's Twitter Page
    Email Us: team@freedfellowship.com
    J’adore le Décor - Website
    J’adore le Décor - Facebook Page
    J’adore le Décor - Instagram Page
    J’adore le Décor - Twitter Page
    J’adore le Décor - Pinterest ProfileJames M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner - The Leadership Challenge Workbook

    • 19 min
    Interview with Antonia Royal-Whitmore of Mind of Gold

    Interview with Antonia Royal-Whitmore of Mind of Gold

    We welcome Freed fellow Antonia Royal-Whitmore to the podcast in this episode so that she can share her Freed Story! Antonia is the founder of Mind of Gold, a publishing company whose main mission is to educate, empower, and entertain via media and literature. Antonia has loved to write since she was very young, having realized just how much she truly loved to write after having done it for a little while. She has an undergraduate degree in Psychology which she marries with Mind of Gold via self-help books such as I'm Calling You Out and Dear Black Parents, both of which can be purchased from the Mind of Gold website!
    Antonia gives us some helpful advice such as how you need to be patient when it comes to making your dreams come true, to not give up because the work is worth it. She also encourages us to find a mentor, someone with more experience in the field. She reveals her superpowers to be her creativity and her knack for coming up with solutions, and she even reveals new projects on the horizon, including a game!
    We had such fun talking with Antonia about her story, and we hope that you have as much fun hearing it! We look forward to catching up with her again in the future, but until then, be sure to check out her website and her books online, and be sure to continue tuning in to Freed Stories as we continue to feature more guests who share their Freed stories – stories of success, failure, lessons, goals, hopes, and so forth! Please also be sure that you hit that subscribe button so that you never miss an episode, and don't forget to free your mind; free your media!
     
    Time Stamps
    [1:03] – Today's featured Freed fellow is Antonia Royal-Whitmore of Mind of Gold.
    [1:22] – Antonia tells us a little bit about herself and Mind of Gold.
    [1:53] – We learn how Mind of Gold started.
    [2:18] – We discover what Antonia did prior to Mind of Gold.
    [2:48] – Antonia tells us a little bit about the types of books that she writes.
    [3:31] – Antonia discusses lessons that she has learned along the way such as the need for patience.
    [4:21] – Antonia gives advice to anyone who wants to go on a similar path as hers.
    [4:48] – We find out what a couple of Antonia's favorite books are!
    [5:17] – Antonia credits Gary Vaynerchuk and Toni Jones as inspirations to her.
    [5:56] – Antonia shares with us where she sees herself and her business five years into the future.
    [6:29] – Antonia credits her creativity as one of her superpowers.
    [6:53] – Antonia quotes from one of her books.
    [7:28] – We learn that Antonia is working on a course and even a game!
    [8:15] – Antonia shares with us where we can find her online.
     
    Links and Resources
    Freed Fellowship - Website
    Freed Fellowship's Twitter Page
    Email Us: team@freedfellowship.com
    Mind of Gold - Website
    Mind of Gold - Instagram Page
    Louise Hay – You Can Heal Your Life
    Dr. Joy DeGruy – Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing
    Toni Jones - Website

    • 8 min
    Interview with Chantel Estrada

    Interview with Chantel Estrada

    We hope that you will join us in this episode of Freed Stories as Chantel Estrada of Designs By Moneè shares her Freed story with us! Designs By Moneè has been in business for six years now and makes shirts, birthday outfits, shoes, candles (which is her favorite product that she offers), and so much more! Chantel shares some of her past with us, such as how she liked making things even from a young age, the setbacks that she initially experienced and what she learned from them, and so much more!
    Chantel also shares some helpful advice, encouraging listeners to not give up no matter the obstacle and to focus on your own talents, not others' talents. She enthusiastically reveals that Freed was the first resource that said yes to her and helped her, and she also shares her hopes and dreams for her company and where she hopes that it will go within the next five years. She closes by revealing her superhero name – as she has been dubbed by others, Supermom!
    We had such a great time chatting with Chantel and learning about her story, and we hope that you have a blast listening to it! We look forward to checking in with Chantel again in a few months, but until then, be sure to check out Designs By Moneè online, and be sure to continue tuning in to Freed Stories as we continue to feature more guests who share their Freed stories – stories of success, failure, lessons, goals, hopes, and so forth! Please also be sure that you hit that subscribe button so that you never miss an episode, and don't forget to free your mind; free your media!
     
    Time Stamps
    [1:02] – Today's guest is Chantel Estrada of Designs By Moneè.
    [1:18] – Chantel tells us about herself and her business.
    [1:42] – Chantel reflects on her lifelong desire to make things and help people.
    [2:22] – We learn about some of the setbacks that Chantel initially experienced but how she grew and learned from them.
    [3:18] – Chantel gives us a couple of tidbits of advice, such as encouraging us to not give up no matter what obstacles we face.
    [4:35] – We learn what Chantel's favorite product is that she offers.
    [6:00] – Chantel enthuses over Freed having been the first resource to say yes to her.
    [7:20] – Chantel thinks about where she hopes her business will be within five years.
    [8:34] – We discover that Chantel is often referred to as Supermom.
    [10:01] – Chantel reveals where she can be found online.
     
    Links and Resources
    Freed Fellowship - Website
    Freed Fellowship's Twitter Page
    Email Us: team@freedfellowship.com
    Designs by Moneè – Website
    Designs by Moneè - Facebook Page
    Designs by Moneè - Instagram Page
    Designs by Moneè - TikTok Page
    Designs by Moneè - Pinterest Page
    Designs by Moneè - YouTube Page

    • 11 min
    Interview with Sheri Munsell

    Interview with Sheri Munsell

    Join us as we welcome Sheri Munsell of Legit Work from Home to this episode of the podcast! Sheri is the C.E.O. of the company which helps people who don't wish to work traditional brick and mortar jobs find work-from-home jobs that they can do from the comfort of their own living spaces! Sheri shares so much with us during this discussion, reflecting on her childhood and upbringing and how that led to what she does today, her chronic battle with mental illness, and so much more!
    Frequently having found herself losing jobs because of her chronic battle with mental illness, Sheri realized that she needed to turn to working from home which is not only what led to her founding and becoming C.E.O. of Legit Work from Home but is also what inspired her to work to help others find work-from-home jobs! Sheri also shares with us that her biggest failure was initially listening to people who told her that she would never be able to make it big without a college degree but that she overcame that via mentors who encouraged her that that wasn't true.
    Sheri's main goal with her company is to help people realize that not all work-from-home job offers are scams, that some (as the name of her company would suggest) are actually legitimate. She also gives herself credit for her empathy, her ability to put herself in others' shoes and understand where they are coming from, an ability that she suggests all people who struggle with mental illness in some capacity likely have.
    We hope that you enjoy listening to our conversation with Sheri and hearing her amazing and inspirational story. We look forward to touching base with her again in a few months, and we also hope that you will continue to tune in to the podcast because we will be featuring plenty more guests who will share their entrepreneurial stories – stories that involve their successes, their failures, their goals, their hopes, etc.! Be sure to also hit the subscribe button so that you never miss an episode, and remember to free your mind; free your media!
     
    Time Stamps
    [1:03] – Jackie announces today's guest as Sheri Munsell of Legit Work from Home.
    [1:21] – Sheri reveals her job title and what inspired her to start her company.
    [2:25] – Sheri discloses some details about her childhood and her upbringing.
    [3:28] – We learn what Sheri considers to be her biggest failure and what she learned from it.
    [4:52] – Sheri reflects on what advice that she would give her younger self if she could.
    [6:03] – Sheri credits groups, communities, and Clubhouse as her most helpful resources.
    [7:04] – Sheri explains what she hopes people will take away from her company.
    [8:10] – Sheri shares her hopes for the future regarding Legit Work from Home.
    [9:07] – We learn that Sheri considers empathy to be her main superpower.
    [10:22] – Sheri reveals where she and her company can be found online.
     
    Links and Resources
    Freed Fellowship - Website
    Freed Fellowship's Twitter Page
    Email Us: team@freedfellowship.com
    Legit Work from Home – Website
    Legit Work from Home – Facebook Page
    Legit Work from Home (Discussion) – Facebook Group
    Clubhouse

    • 11 min
    Interview with Alexis Jefferson-Huff

    Interview with Alexis Jefferson-Huff

    Founder and owner of Equipped to Impact Solutions, Alexis Jefferson-Huff joins us today to share her unique Freed story! She goes into detail about Equipped to Impact Solutions and where her love for etiquette comes from. She always loved to serve others, and she discusses the gap that she noticed between different generations when it comes to manners and social etiquette and how bridging that gap is her ultimate goal!
    Alexis also shares with us her greatest success and her greatest failure in relation to her business. Revealing that her greatest failure was initially her lack of knowledge, she talks about how she overcame it and what she learned from it, advising us to always be sure that we do research! She also touches upon social media and how she had to move away from it for a bit to make etiquette her own, credits two different mentors as her most helpful resources, and even reveals what she considers her greatest superpower to be!
    We really hope that you enjoyed listening to our conversation with Alexis and that you will continue to tune in to the podcast! We will be featuring plenty more guests who will share their entrepreneurial stories – stories that involve their successes, their failures, their goals, their hopes, etc.! Be sure to also hit the subscribe button so that you never miss an episode, and remember to free your mind; free your media!
     
    Time Stamps
    [1:03] – Today's guest is Alexis Jefferson-Huff of Equipped to Impact Solutions.
    [1:20] – Alexis lets us in on some background information about herself.
    [1:57] – We learn about Equipped to Impact Solutions and how it came to be.
    [3:12] – Alexis discusses how what she wanted to do when she was young morphed into what she does now.
    [4:25] – Alexis enthuses over how Equipped to Impact Solutions enjoyed a successful launch.
    [4:53] – Alexis discloses that a lack of knowledge was initially a failure for her but that she overcame and learned from it.
    [6:56] – We are treated to some advice from Alexis about doing your research and gaining knowledge.
    [7:55] – Alexis credits two different mentors from whom she has learned.
    [8:30] – Alexis hopes that her business will be able to hire other consultants within five years.
    [9:08] – We discover that Alexis considers her resilience to be her greatest strength.
    [9:59] – Alexis asserts that etiquette is about more than just rules.
    [11:02] – We learn where we can find Alexis and her company online.
     
    Links and Resources
    Freed Fellowship - Website
    Freed Fellowship's Twitter Page
    Email Us: team@freedfellowship.com
    Equipped to Impact Solutions - Website
    Equipped to Impact Solutions - Facebook Page
    Equipped to Impact Solutions - Instagram Page

    • 11 min
    Interview with Zach Moldof of Skate Bud

    Interview with Zach Moldof of Skate Bud

    Co-founder and owner of Skate Bud Zach Moldof joins us in this episode of the podcast to share his Freed story! Skate Bud is a marketplace and community for skateboarders that was born about four years ago but came to be what it is today about a year ago. Skate Bud even has a book and a free video game!
    Zach shares with us how he grew up with skateboard culture and what that meant to him as an adolescent. He goes into detail about what Skate Bud is and how it came about and walks us through how he got started as an entrepreneur, attempting to get into the cannabis industry in California when he was eighteen years old, revealing how that was not a success but led to other things. He also offers a couple of helpful pieces of advice, emphasizing how important of a tool that a camera can be and also encouraging us to brush up on our writing skills.
    We, in closing, learn what Zach considers his superpower and superhero name to be, and you'll definitely want to stay tuned for that because it's definitely unique! We hope that you enjoyed listening to Zach's story, and we can't wait to see where Skate Bud goes in the future! We also hope that you will stay tuned as more guests share their entrepreneurial stories – stories that involve their successes, their failures, their goals, their hopes, etc.! Be sure to also hit the subscribe button so that you never miss an episode, and remember to free your mind; free your media!
     
    Time Stamps
    [1:03] – This episode's guest is Zach Moldof of Skate Bud.
    [1:20] – Zach fills us in on what Skate Bud is all about and how it came to be.
    [3:53] – We discover what skateboard culture meant for Zach growing up.
    [5:44] – Zach reveals that he attempted to start a cannabis business in Berkley, California when he was eighteen.
    [8:43] – Zach pinpoints the attempted cannabis business as his biggest failure.
    [10:53] – We are treated to a couple pieces of advice from Zach if we want to walk a similar path as his.
    [13:16] – Zach points to Instagram as the main place he uses to share photos.
    [14:38] – Zach gives credit to his most helpful resources.
    [15:55] – Zach shares where he hopes Skate Bud will be within five years.
    [18:02] – We discover what Zach would consider his superpower and superhero name to be.
    [18:58] – Zach explains what features his website has and what it offers.
    [22:16] – We are informed where we can find Skate Bud online.
     
    Links and Resources
    Freed Fellowship - Website
    Freed Fellowship's Twitter Page
    Email Us: team@freedfellowship.com
    Skate Bud – Website
    Skate Bud: Da Game
    Skate Bud - Instagram Page
    Zach Moldof & Friends – Skate Bud: Welcome to Skateboarding!

    • 22 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
3 Ratings

3 Ratings

Emily AK ,

Empowering & Impactful Podcast!

As a business owner, this podcast hits close to home in an empowering way! It’s such a relief of sorts when you hear about others dealing with similar obstacles in the world of entrepreneurship. Very well put together show and it has made an impact on how I think about my business services…essentially, instead of simply providing helpful business services, we need to be committed to finding solutions to challenges that business owners frequently face. The solution is the service— Freed Stories and the Freed Fellowship enlightened us to that and it has changed our approach very positively!

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