grownwoman

grownwoman

grownwoman with Shannon Allen is a space for women who’ve had to step up, stand tall, and transform their lives when everything was on the line. Hosted by entrepreneur and grown founder Shannon Allen, this podcast dives into the real stories of women who faced health scares, heartbreak, and life-altering moments—and came out stronger. Through raw conversations on resilience, reinvention, and the power of community, grownwoman explores what it truly means to build something meaningful—whether it’s a business, a legacy, or a new way of living. If you're navigating a big shift, reclaiming your power, or just need inspiration from women who’ve been there, this podcast is for you.

Episodes

December 2, 2025 62 mins
What happens when the life you built: marriage, family, security, suddenly falls apart? In this deeply emotional episode, certified divorce coach and family mediator Jennifer Medwin sits down with grownwoman’s host Shannon Allen and courageous guest Heather Mennell, who shares her gut-wrenching journey through abandonment, betrayal, cancer, and unimaginable heartbreak. From recognizing emotional trauma to navigating complex legal ...
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What happens when a grandmother’s gut instinct leads to early autism diagnosis for her granddaughter? In this powerful segment, Kimberly Dasinger shares how noticing early signs changed everything. Joined by behavioral health expert Dr. LaToya Green and healthcare leader Dr. O’Neil Pyke, they break down the urgent need for earlier autism diagnoses—especially in Black and Brown communities. From ABA therapy to systemic challenges, t...
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In this deeply personal and powerful episode of grownwoman, Shannon Allen sits down with her dear friend Kimberly Dasinger, who opens up about her granddaughter Penelope’s autism diagnosis - a journey that has transformed her view of love, motherhood, and resilience.  Alongside leading experts Dr. LaToya Green (behavioral health) and Dr. O’Neil Pyke (Jackson Medical Group), they unpack the challenges of navigating the medical syst...
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In this emotional segment, Carolyn Acosta opens up about the silent mental health battle her husband— a devoted first responder — was facing in the years leading up to his passing. She shares the subtle changes she noticed, from nightmares and disrupted sleep to anxiety and shame around needing medication. Carolyn explains how stigma, fear of being taken off duty, and the pressure to appear “strong” kept him from sharing the full w...
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CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes discussions of PTSD, depression, and suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, please seek support from a licensed mental health professional or call 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). You are not alone. In this deeply moving and powerful episode, grownwoman guest Carolyn Acosta shares the story of her late husband, Alex – a heroic firefighter, devoted father, and elite Air Rescue team...
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Ten years after launching her health-driven restaurant grown, entrepreneur and founder Shannon Allen discovered her mission was never just about food… it was about feeding the soul. What started as a table for real food became a table for real stories. In Season 2 of grownwoman, Shannon opens her heart and her platform to powerful, unfiltered conversations about resilience, reinvention, and radical healing. This season shines a li...
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When Johanna Gomez felt a rock-hard lump on her breast, she did not panic. She had just put in an offer on a new home. Life felt full. Stable. Promising. But the call came fast: it was breast cancer. She was 37. No family history. Three kids. And no space to fall apart. In this intimate segment, Johanna shares what it was like to hold it all in and to protect her children from the weight of her reality. From shock to strength, this...
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Every grownwoman has that moment—the one that split her life into before and after. In this special best-of episode, we revisit the breakdowns that came first. The inner pain behind the outward strength. The moments when they could’ve quit… but didn’t. From loss to illness, fear, and failure—this is a reminder that every rise starts in the rubble. These are the stories that cracked them open. That called them higher. That made ...
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When Isa Watson set out to earn her degree at MIT, she wasn’t just chasing a dream—she was chasing who she wanted to be. But nothing could have prepared her for the day she found she no longer cared. Isa opens up about the tragic accident that took her father’s life and left her mother without memory—the crash that made her reckless, but only because she couldn’t afford to grieve. Through the overwhelm and holding her family togeth...
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Today, Shannon introduces the Emmy Award-Winning journalist, devoted mother, and breast cancer survivor, Johanna Gomez. Together, they delve into Johanna's unexpected career path from Miami Dolphins cheerleader to winning an Emmy for journalism, all while juggling motherhood, professional ambition, and life's curveballs.  Johanna credits her Dominican roots for instilling relentless grit & grace and explains how calculated risks l...
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Suzanne McKenzie’s life changed in an instant the day her husband, Ucal, collapsed on the soccer field. In this emotional segment, Suzanne opens up about their love story, the moment she lost him, and the brutal weight of grief that followed. She shares how nothing prepared her for the isolation, the silence, and the disorienting chaos that came after, and why grief doesn’t follow a script. From Joan Didion to grief counseling to t...
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Isa Watson—Founder & CEO of Squad, MIT MBA, tech innovator, researcher, and skydiver—shares her extraordinary journey from small-town North Carolina to the heart of Silicon Valley. Growing up in a values-centered home, Isa’s early engineering exposure and innate curiosity became the bedrock of her influential career across STEM, business, and social impact. She opens up about how grief, identity, and ambition collided to create Sq...
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At 24 weeks pregnant, Jessica Hurley walked into a routine appointment—and never went back to work. What followed was a nightmare she couldn’t have prepared for: severe preeclampsia, stroke-level blood pressure, an emergency delivery at 25 weeks, and the fight for both her and her son’s lives. In this jaw-dropping and tear-jerking conversation, Jessica opens up about the moment she was told, “It’s you or the baby,” and how the chao...
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In today’s inspiring episode, Shannon welcomes Suzanne McKenzie—creative visionary, founder of Able Made, and the grownwoman leader behind The Ucal McKenzie Breakaway Foundation. She shares her evolution from growing up in Maine to shaping youth empowerment programs and purpose-driven fashion. Suzanne shares her journey through grief following the sudden loss of her husband and reveals how that life-altering tragedy ignited a mo...
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Carolyn Aronson had a successful salon, a steady career, and every reason to stay comfortable. But something inside her said this isn’t enough. In this powerful segment, the founder of It’s a 10 Haircare opens up about what made her walk away from stability, risk it all, and build a product that now sells over 11 million bottles a year. She shares how failure became fuel, how purpose drives every product, and why she believes su...
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Jessica Hurley didn’t set out to build a media company. She just said yes to one woman who saw something in her before she could see it in herself. That woman’s belief - her mentorship, her sacrifice, her fierce accountability - lit the match that changed everything. But it wasn’t until Jessica gave birth to her son Cameron, 15 weeks early, in the fight of both their lives, that she found her fire. What followed was a breakdown, a...
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Shannon sits down with powerhouse entrepreneur Denise Woodard, founder and CEO of Partake Foods—a company born from her daughter's food allergies and fueled by a mission of inclusivity, accessibility, and pure hustle. Denise shares the real story of how she started out pitching cookies from the back of her SUV. She gets honest about what it really takes to build something from scratch as a mom, a woman, and a first-time founder. Th...
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In this powerhouse episode of grownwoman, Shannon sits down with Carolyn Aronson - mother, mogul, and founder of the iconic It’s a 10 Haircare. From foster care in New Jersey to global domination in the beauty industry, Carolyn’s story is one of unmatched grit, purpose, and divine alignment.  She opens up about the roots she didn’t know she had, the parents who raised her with love and intellect, and how her Puerto Rican heritage ...
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In this deeply emotional segment, Mielle Organics founder Monique Rodriguez recounts the tragic loss of her son following a uterine rupture. A former labor & delivery nurse herself, Monique knew exactly what was happening - but her concerns were ignored. She opens up about her fight to save her son, the systemic failures Black mothers face, and how this devastating experience ultimately led her to faith and purpose. This is a story...
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Today, Denise Woodard, CEO and founder of Partake Foods, sits down with Shannon to discuss the importance of storytelling, community support, and perseverance in entrepreneurship. Denise shares her journey from Fayetteville, North Carolina, to becoming a grownwoman as a successful entrepreneur. Having been inspired by her daughter's food allergies, she started Partake in 2018. Initially, she won a $10,000 pitch competition at “Sta...
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