30. More Than a Headline with Naomi Black

In this episode of Before We Get There, host Nicholas Braman sits down with Naomi Black, who went viral in 2025 for rejecting a first date at Singapore's Lau Pa Sat Hawker Center. Despite facing immense online backlash, Naomi reveals that her story is about much more than a controversial decision. With a diverse background in modeling, real estate, and the culinary arts, Naomi discusses her career pivots, personal challenges, and the importance of staying true to oneself. Our conversation goes into her encounters with online bullying, her resilience, and her advice on maintaining standards and saying no when necessary. We also discuss the Lau Pa Sat first date story, her other dating standards, and what her ideal first date would be. Tune in to learn more about Naomi's inspiring journey and her advocacy for women's confidence and independence. Naomi's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naomiblackk/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@naomiblack001  Merch: https://naomiblackmerch.myshopify.com/  Podcast links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2h9gsrWKH9C1KY1OzR12kr?si=2a4d19970632465f       Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/before-we-get-there/id1775182252 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beforewegettherepodcast/    Linktree: https://linktr.ee/nicholasbraman Website: https://nicholasbraman.com/podcast 00:00 Introduction to Naomi Black 01:46 The Viral Lau Pa Sat First Date Controversy 05:59 Handling Online Backlash 14:53 Naomi's Diverse Career Path 21:41 Starting a Culinary Journey 25:43 Returning to Singapore: Reflections and Recovery 27:03 Experiencing Racism Abroad 30:02 Lessons from Tough Experiences 36:30 Future Goals and Aspirations 42:25 Concluding Thoughts and Farewell