December 23, 2025 • 45 mins
Women’s visibility, leadership, and building your platform— Danielle Davies talks with This Is It Network founder Cheldin Barlatt Rumer about how women can stop waiting to be invited to the table and start amplifying their voices.
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What does it actually mean for women to be seen—and who benefits when they are?
In this episode of Roar, host Danielle Davies sits down with Cheldin Barlatt Rumer—founder and CEO of THIS IS IT NETWORK™, media executive, keynote speaker, and unapologetic champion for women who are done waiting for permission.
Cheldin has spent more than two decades building platforms that amplify women’s voices, stories, and leadership—from national media to global stages. Through THIS IS IT NETWORK™, she has created an ecosystem that connects women founders, creatives, executives, and change-makers to visibility, opportunity, and each other.
In this conversation, Cheldin speaks candidly about what visibility really costs, why women are so often taught to shrink, and how owning your voice is both a personal and political act. She shares the origin story of THIS IS IT NETWORK™, the lessons she’s learned as a woman leading in media and entrepreneurship, and why community—not perfection—is the real catalyst for impact.
This episode is a rally cry for women who know they have something to say—and are ready to stop whispering it.
Together, Danielle and Cheldin talk about:
🔥 Why visibility is a skill—and a responsibility
🎤 What women get wrong about “putting themselves out there”
🧠 How imposter syndrome shows up at every level (and why it never fully disappears)
📺 The creation of THIS IS IT NETWORK™ and the gap it was built to fill
🫶 Why women don’t need more motivation—they need infrastructure and access
📣 How media can be used as a tool for advocacy, not just exposure
💥 What it means to lead loudly without apology
🌱 Why community is the antidote to burnout, isolation, and self-doubt
👑 The difference between being visible and being valued
⚡ Why waiting to feel “ready” keeps women stuck
Cheldin’s work reminds us that confidence is not a prerequisite for leadership—it’s a byproduct of action. This conversation is for anyone who has ever minimized their voice, questioned their worth, or waited for someone else to open the door.
You don’t need permission. You need a platform—and the courage to stand on it.
🔑 Key Takeaways
Visibility is not vanity—it’s power.
You don’t overcome imposter syndrome; you outgrow it through action.
Women don’t lack ambition—they lack access and amplification.
Community accelerates courage.
Leadership doesn’t require perfection, polish, or permission.
Your voice matters because of who you are, not in spite of it.
🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode
THIS IS IT NETWORK™ → https://thisisittv.com/
Follow THIS IS IT NETWORK™ on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/thisisittv/
Cheldin Rumer Barlatt on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheldinbarlatt/
🎧 Related Conversations
Kirsten Miller on women’s power and collective action
Pamela Redmond on visibility, aging, and reinvention
Gifty Enright on burnout, boundaries, and women’s unseen labor
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#RoarPodcast #CheldinRumerBarlatt #ThisIsItNetwork #WomenInMedia #WomenInLeadership #VisibilityMatters #WomenSupportingWomen #DanielleDavies #WomenWithVoices #WomenAndPower
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:04):
Hi, I'm Danielle Davies, and you're listening to Roar, a show
that amplifies the voices of women breaking barriers, leading
change and making real impact. Keep listening for bold ideas
and stories that inspire you to find your voice and make some
noise. Hi everybody, this is Danielle
Davies, the host of Roar. Today we are closing out Season
(00:26):
3 with Sheldon Barlett Rumor. Sheldon is the CEO and Executive
Producer of This Is It Network, a global digital TV network
committed to amplifying the voices of remarkable women
through the power of storytelling and community.
Through her signature Scream Your Dream mission, Sheldon
empowers women to share their stories with confidence,
clarity, and unapologetic visibility.
(00:48):
Her energy is unmatched, her mission unmistakable, and her
work aligns perfectly with worstcommitment to expanding the
definition of advocacy, showing how women uplift each other
through creativity, innovation, and everyday impact.
Sheldon, I am so excited to haveyou here to closeout Season 3 of
WAR and thank you. I know you have at least 62
(01:08):
million other things you could be doing, so I am really
grateful and I think so will allour listeners be.
Thanks for being here. Of course, of course I'm
spoiled. I'm spoiled.
This is the perfect way to spendmy morning SO.
Thank you. I'm so glad you said so.
Well, OK, so here's the thing. Yeah, I, I have like a million
questions obviously, but the first one for anybody who's new
to you is like, can you explain what is going on?
(01:32):
What is the This is it network? 100%.
The only how it was explained tome is she's going to be the next
Oprah fair and. I'll take it.
Go and I it's so much and and honestly, like Oprah, there are
so many elements to what you're doing.
So can you give us just like a summation of what this is?
(01:54):
Sure, sure. So this is it.
Network is a storytelling platform where a digital
streaming platform, think Netflix, a digital streaming
platform meets master class, an educational platform where
celebrities kind of teach you various things, right?
If those two platforms had a female daughter, that would be
this is it network, right? So we are celebrating
(02:15):
educational entertainment in that way.
And we do that through digital talk shows.
And I'll share my love of traditional talk shows, Oprah,
Donahue, Sally, Ricky Montel. If you know, you know, if you're
from a certain age group, you remember those traditional talk
shows paired with my love of education.
I'm an adjunct professor of Temple and Drexel University.
(02:36):
So the the combination of entertainment and education
paired with online and offline events is really the heartbeat
of this Is it Network. I think that everybody should
learn and laugh at the same time.
And Sheldon, how long have you? Because there's some really big
things going on with this Is it network?
Can you tell me about like the inception now a little bit?
(02:57):
I mean, obviously it's a long. Of course, of course.
So in in essence, this all started with a real PR marketing
and event firm. So I come from that space.
I come from PR marketing, events, social media, graphic
design, web design. I had an agency that is now the
production company for this is it Network IG Creative.
So IG Creative really helped small business owners in finding
(03:20):
their voice through digital means.
So creating their website, hosting their event, putting
them on Fox good day here in thelocal Philadelphia area, getting
them on the on the Today show. But what I really figured out if
you can feel it through the energy on the screen, if you're
listening, if you're watching. I have a lot of energy and I am
an extrovert. There is no denying, there is no
(03:42):
denying it. You can often hear me before you
see me. That's really how it really
works. And for a lot of people, even
though there are small business owners, even though they have a
dream, even though they have a concept, even though they have a
business, the way in which they talk about themselves matters
and they typically whisper aboutthemselves.
And So what I was really having a hard time with is that you had
(04:04):
somebody that you were prepping for, again, a media opportunity.
A cupcake lady, right? A cookie lady woman that had a
bakery. We worked a lot with small
business owners and primarily women and we would prep them for
these opportunities and they could not part their lips to say
why somebody should buy their cookies.
They could not find the words asit relates to why they were
(04:24):
special and not. And I, overly enthusiastic,
always wanted to be on television.
You know, Oprah and media and television and talk shows were
the beacon for me always. I turned the camera on my
clients in preparation for thesemedia opportunities to just
practice with them, right? I'm going to get you
comfortable. And what happened was something
(04:45):
lit up in me, right? That this is where I'm supposed
to be. And they dropped their shoulders
and began to talk to me about grandmother's recipes and why
the vegan cupcake was so specialto them.
And I realized at that moment that this was it.
That's all I want to do for the rest of my life.
All I want to do is help people tell their stories.
All I want to do is give people space and time and let them feel
(05:06):
comfortable to find the words. And so we've been producing
content ever since. I would go to an opening of a
tin can with a microphone, happyto be able to tell the story of
an opening. And so I was interviewing people
before pandemic in Center City Philadelphia, shoulder to
shoulder. We were interviewing about 5
women a day and then the world. Day.
OK Day. Yeah, yeah, Crazy.
(05:28):
I have an amazing team. We were very aggressive in the
way in which we were communicating and how we were
doing it. And then the world, you know,
shut down as it did, and we wereall safe at home.
And then the world opened up to me because we were working with
on Zoom. And so then there was no
geographic limitations to the women that I was talking to and
women from Scotland and Nigeria and Toronto, in addition to my
(05:51):
own backyard. And this is it network.
I wanted it to be bigger. I wanted to be useful, I wanted
to be a resource. And so I decided that this I was
going to take a stab at this streaming platform now that
there's so many more resources and created this is it network.
So now it's available on iOS andAndroid and Apple TV and Roku.
And we have about 26 new shows that will be launching in Q1 and
(06:16):
the hopes of 48 new shows for the year in 2026.
So. Yeah.
How many shows are available on there right now for people?
There's over 1000 episodes that are available right now of
previous things we did from pandemic on event coverage,
partnership content. You can log on and be able to
dive into our world. We will be sharing all of the
(06:37):
new hosts as well as all of the new titles and shows.
It has been a heavy lift in 2025to get all of these in the can
as they say, but we will be drizzling them out through a
full launch in the new year. So super excited.
And are we allowed to talk aboutthe fact that there's going to
be an in person like there is actually a hub that's developed?
(06:57):
And I want to. Say again about the energy, like
the fact first of all, I generally am somebody who like
is a pretty pumped up person myself, but what you are
accomplishing in a day is like out of control, OK?
So I'm a crazy person. But I love it and there's and I
first of all, I love the emphasis on obviously who you're
(07:20):
helping. I love that you're facilitating
women's growth and education andentertainment and even their own
shows. I mean, it's all amazing.
But the fact is that you are in New Jersey.
I am in New Jersey. We're not that far from each
other and we're actually creating something that I can't
wait to visit. You talk a little bit about that
(07:40):
too. Absolutely, absolutely.
And so we really, you know, havebeen gritty in this, the
evolution of this is it network,right running and gunning.
And those of you that are in production, you understand it.
You throw a camera in a bag, yougo to an event, you pop up
everywhere. And that does take a toll on the
quality of what it is that you produce.
It takes a toll on, you know, the staff and the crew and, and
(08:02):
how often you can do it. And we've been looking for
years. I've been scouring New Jersey
has a number of different incentives and programs.
And we have Netflix that's coming in Paramount that's
coming. A lot of big players are coming
to the New Jersey to bring theirstudios.
And so I really tapped into that.
A friend of a friend had told meabout all the great things that
the state was doing. I typically I live in South
(08:23):
Jersey, but I would go over the bridge in order to film before
pandemic, we filmed again in Center City Philadelphia.
And so when I heard about that New Jersey was willing,
interested, encouraging media outlets to be in the state, to
develop in the state. I have been clawing through to
be able to ensure that that happens.
And so I just recently partneredwith Gloucester Township, which
(08:45):
is in Camden County, New Jersey,again, right over the bridge.
I'm from Philadelphia and we arereally working towards creating
what is the This is It network media and Innovation Center,
which will be a hub for digital television.
So all of the traditional talk show formats that I love, was in
love with as a child will be nowin real life, high RL in real
(09:06):
life, you know, for people to beable to come on down and visit
us. So we'll be filming the majority
of our programs in this facility.
Our aim is to place the facilitywithin downtown Blackwood, which
again, is in Gloucester Township, Camden County, New
Jersey. They have an arts district in
which they're cultivating at themoment.
We want to be the anchor property within that arts
(09:28):
district and working with the Township to bring that to light.
So it will be a studio, audiencestudio.
There'll also be classrooms, podcast suites, video studios,
as well as a bookstore and retail.
And so we're really looking for it to be not only a national
headquarters for what we do, butalso a community hub to make
media a destination here in southern New Jersey.
(09:49):
So we're super excited. Hey everyone, I've got some
exciting news. I'm partnering with Louie.
That's L UW IA company that's reimagined Women's Health
through the lens of the P word. Yep, pleasure.
Because pleasure is a vital sign.
It's not taboo, it's not indulgent, it's Wellness.
Louie Lube is more than a silicone based formula that
(10:10):
skips the toxins and hormone disruptors.
It's the start of a movement that puts Wellness and pleasure
1st. Order louielube@getlouie.com.
That's GETL UW i.com and use code ROAR 15.
That's RO AR15 for a special discount at checkout.
So really small goals, obviously.
(10:31):
Yeah, I I aim low. Obviously.
And then you can you definitely hit the.
I am a prisoner of my wants and grossly ambitious and so, you
know, I'd rather try and aim forthe stars and then, you know, go
from there. Oh, absolutely.
That's that's that is I believe I'm 100% there with you.
But Speaking of, you're not justaiming for the stars yourself.
(10:51):
You have got like online community, which I don't know
how you're how many hours are inyour day, but you're you've
facilitated this community with this.
Is it kind of, I'm sorry, the scream, your dream?
The. The Screamers.
Yeah, with the screamers, which is like interesting thing.
So when I developed this is it, when I had that aha moment as
(11:13):
anti Oprah says that moment where I was like, this is it.
This is all I want to do for therest of my life.
I realized what I was doing. I had to kind of sit with it,
right? So not only OK, is it
television? Is it digital?
Am I interviewing people? You know, as they often say,
what is your why? Why are you doing?
This is because the majority of the women that were sitting with
me, that were my clients lived their life in what I call a
(11:36):
whisper. They were whispering their
wishes, right? And what I wanted them to do
something that I do naturally, Iwanted to share my energy so
they could scream their dream. And so scream your dream became
my motto for everything one I have no whisper.
I think it's a medical condition.
I feel like I can't physically do it right.
I bend over, but I'm still yelling right?
(11:57):
Do what I'm saying right. So yeah, I'm like you're making.
Yeah, you're. Mine, let's go.
You know, I physically can't do it.
So I was like, OK, what makes the most sense?
You know, how can I articulate this?
How can I teach this? How can I be of service for
this? And a lot of it was about
understanding the power of our voices as women, right?
It's one thing to know who you are.
(12:17):
It's another thing to share for it.
It's another thing to me, right?Yes, yes, 100%.
Yes, I'm a great writer. OK, great.
Like what good is that going to do unless you can share with
others that you're a great writer and women are so powerful
but so humble and I think that they right they associate we've
done. Such a disservice to ourselves
(12:37):
by being so humble. You don't hear?
I mean, I swear, you know, this is totally not in my notes, but
years and years ago a friend of mine, my husband is handy.
He's great with like bars, all this stuff.
And years ago a friend of ours asked, do you know anybody who
does tree work? Ed?
Do you know who? I don't know what how she
(12:58):
phrased it where he misunderstood and he's like
y'all figure it out and then andshe's like, wait, I didn't mean
for your husband to come to our trees.
Like. He's like, I can do it, I'll do
it, I'll do it. And but women were like, well,
there's a I'm sure you mean somebody else.
Like I'm sure there's a real expert.
It couldn't be me. It could be me.
(13:19):
Let me go get a 17th certificateto learn how to cut down the
tray and then still audition to cut down the tray.
Oh, I apologize that I didn't dothe audition the way that you
thought I would do the audition before you told me I didn't do
the audition the way in which you thought.
I've been crazy. And so that's just the way we're
wired for a lot of different reasons, a lot of systematic
(13:40):
reasons. There's a lot of what different
scenarios. But when given the opportunity,
when given a safe space, the world changes, right?
I call it the ask twice, right, which is a kind of new concept
that I've come to understand just from doing so.
Like if you ask a woman, how areyou?
Obviously they're like, oh. My God, I'm fine, I'm fine, blah
blah. If you ask 2 times and if you
(14:02):
engage with them, even touch their elbow, I've had women cry
because the way in which people are just moving so quickly in
this world, right are not seen and heard.
Like if you asked twice, if you asked once, they'll be like of
course I'm fine, everything's fine, whatever you need, I got
you. If you allow for them to be
still enough to tell you the answer and you are with your own
(14:24):
intention ready to hear the answer, they will tell you how
they really are. And we need more spaces where
people are welcome to hear how they really are, not just are
you fine? Here's what I need you to do for
me. Are you fine?
How can I help you? How can I serve you?
Well, and I love this, and it actually brings me to the next
question too, because, you know,you're talking about these
screamers and you're talking about your mission.
(14:46):
Are there kinds of stories or women that you're most drawn to
elevating? Do you find that, like you
respond more to people who matchyour energy?
Are they, like you said, the ones that whisper that you've
gotten through? Sometimes people, that is their
personality. They just can't, you know,
they're gonna be like my mother would just absolutely never
(15:09):
under any circumstances be in front of the camera.
Under no circumstance will not give a speech.
Does not want anybody looking ather.
She's already planned her funeral for no one to be there.
She's not sick. Just want to make sure you know
I want no one in the room. Yeah, I want no one there, no
one looking at me, is the way she phrases it.
(15:30):
So what kind of women in storiesare you drawn to?
I'm drawn to the the Hidden Figures.
I'm naturally nosy, like, you know, like just very like tell
me more. I don't know, teach me.
I'm a forever student, right? And I'm not even and and when I
say this, people are like, Oh mygosh, don't like downgrade.
(15:52):
I'm not saying this to disparagemyself, but I am just a vessel.
Like I don't really do anything aside from, and I'm not saying
this in a negative way, no, aside from being the
storyteller, being the viaduct between those who need the story
and those who have a story to tell.
I have a unique gift in that wayto be that way.
So the majority of people that Iwork with or who are part of our
(16:15):
community members within our community are introverted,
right? They are whispering, but they
have remortgaged their house forthe cupcake business, but they
can't part their lips to tell anybody about it.
And that is a dangerous place because we don't give them the
safe space in order to be able to do so.
And they deserve that safe space.
(16:36):
They deserve a place where they can loudly brag about what it is
that they've done. And when they people talk about
bragging, it's a very interesting thing because women
obviously have a negative connotation as it relates to
bragging. But I always say if it's true,
it's just sharing. It's true, it's true.
That's you're right and we need to, we need so much more of
(16:58):
that. We just need to be kind of like
retrained. What about like, you know, you,
you just mentioned here and there's some funny about it.
I don't really do something like, but, but obviously like,
so you've got a creative angle. A lot of people help women.
Maybe there's funders, right? There are people who help in
different ways and advocate and uplift women in different ways.
But you, you have a unique blendof entrepreneurship and creative
(17:21):
storytelling. How do you see creativity
driving impact for women today? I think it's again, it is that
the way in which you tell your story matters.
Where you tell your story matters.
Telling your story from your ownunique voice matters.
I think today we are inundated with for you pages.
We are inundated with content coming at us as if we have no
(17:44):
choice in the matter, right? And one of the things that I
think is really important is that we begin to feed our feed,
right? We begin to tell the algorithms
what we want. We begin to say, I want more
cooking content, I want more artcontent.
I want more music content. I'm not not going to sit here
and let you feed me. I'm going to feed you.
(18:05):
I'm going to tell you what hashtags.
I'm going to follow more people.I'm going to get more involved
because when this journey began,the advertising really LED us.
It was like, For more information, log on to
www.right. It was all of these really
destination marketing. And I think that that's where we
need to get back to. I think people are really
intoxicated by everything that'scoming their way.
(18:26):
And I think women of all in, in so many ways need to take
ownership of what they consume and allow for them to be
creative, allow for them to follow creatives, allow for them
to enjoy what they're witnessingand watching and be able to
determine what creatives they want to witness and watch.
And so I think it's a really unique time.
(18:47):
I don't blame, you know, a lot of people like social media is
that I think that these are justtools you use and you can either
use the tool for good or for bad.
And I suggest you use it for good.
And we want to suggest on. We want to provide suggestions
on how to do that. Oh my gosh, Sheldon, you're very
good. This is very exciting.
And you know, I also talked to, you know, initially and we've
(19:09):
talked about this offline initially.
Well, I don't know if we said this exact part, but initially I
was, I have run for office before.
Obviously a big form of advocacyfor women is in the political
sphere. And it's it is currently, yes,
you know, people say all the time, but it is like negative
space right at the moment. It is, it is crazy town.
(19:32):
So, you know, sometimes people maybe say, OK, put your energy
here. We have to we have to save the
world. And we do we do.
I'm not disputing that. And there are other issues, but
advocacy isn't 1 size fits all right.
And that's my firm belief that you can be saving the world
through your art and you can be saving the world through
literally just trying to be a joyful person.
(19:54):
Visibility as a form of advocacy, especially in terms of
how toxic it is. Now, some people, I think, are a
little bit even more afraid to be visible than they were.
Like, like right now, my mother would especially be mortified.
You know, Right, right. It's a It's a pretty scary time
(20:14):
to put. Yourself out there, it is scary.
It is scary and I think that. I think that there needs to be a
sense of ownership in where it is that you are and who it is
that you are. I think that when when you're
comfortable in that space, whichI am and what you are, I think
it does make it easier. I think that being again of
service is really important. I believe that it's a quote from
(20:37):
American president. It was Michael J Fox's character
said in the absence of water in the desert, people drink sand in
the apps, right? So if there is no alternative,
if the only people that are yelling are negative, I cannot
blame those who consume negativity.
If the only people who have something to say are people who
(20:59):
are divisive, I cannot blame them for getting on the board of
divisiveness. But what we want to do,
especially at this is at network, is to be that water.
We want to be quench your thirstand when we do, when we are
present, when we are available, when we are there, people always
choose good. But when good hides, when good
(21:19):
surrenders, then they're the alternative for those who aren't
leaders who aren't for who aren't, you know, willing to
advocate in the most outrageous ways.
And I'm an outrageous advocate. They get lost, right?
They they go, you know, the majority of general public is,
wants to be LED. And if there is, if the only
(21:40):
leader that's showing up is divisive, they are more apt to
be in fact divisive. If an alternative exists, then
we have a better chance of sharing joy.
Joy is light, right? Joy is like, I love you love I
bleed, you bleed, don't you see right.
And if that's all it took, we wouldn't be in any of these
issues. Like if that's all it took was
(22:01):
to be like, duh, like we should all be equal.
We wouldn't be in these issues. But you know what happened
happens is that hate recruits. Hate has a campaign and a slogan
and a brand standards guide, right?
Love has an assumption. And so love needs to catch up.
Love needs to be as consistent and we need to recruit and love
(22:23):
and we need to share educationalentertainment.
And that's that's what I'm doing.
I love that you said this. I have to also.
I'm going to link back up anybody who's listening and you,
I have a friend, the novelist Catherine Center.
She's in out of Texas. She's she's huge and she's
amazing. And her thing is reading for
Joy. Well, it was reading for Joy.
(22:44):
She's kind of she's like, I feellike I've had that motto for a
while now. But one of the things she said
to us last season was if the only stories we're telling are
horror stories, scary stories, then that's all we've got.
That's our, that's the reflection of humanity.
And that that's, you know, I love a good scary story.
(23:06):
I love, you know, things like this.
I'm not I'm, you know, every so often a true crime podcast.
I love Mr. Ball, but you can't live on that.
You can't sustain. You have to.
There has to be the alternative.There has to be the alternative
and the alternative needs to be committed to it in the same way
that the scariness is committed to it.
(23:27):
And it because that's how it works.
That's that's and, and to what you said before was just so
important is that it's in various ways.
It lives on picket lines, it lives in boardrooms, it lives on
art and walls. It lives through storytelling
and poetry. It lives through staying at your
full time job and advocating within your cubicle.
(23:48):
It lives within all of these different scenarios.
And what often happens, even on the side of good is we begin to
measure good. We begin to fight infight about
how good you are versus how goodI am and how good good this
needs to be when the again, hatred is a collective hatred
works as a team hatred recruits recruits regardless of whether
(24:11):
or not they are aligned. And so I want us to be able to
make sure that those that want to share goodness and those that
want to share stories are aligned as well.
I got hatred works as a team. OK, I'm going to be circling
back to that. I mean, when to pull out quotes.
But you know, you've been doing this a long time and you're
obviously really good at it. And you, you draw these stories
(24:32):
out of women and it's very inspiring and impressive.
But so it's also, I mean, while you're not necessarily, you
weren't a sociology major, right?
No, you're not necessarily like a psychologist, an armchair
psychologist, a sociologist. But you, you've seen how women
have told stories and you've seen that.
Do you have any theories, ideas?What do you think is keeping so
(24:55):
many of us quiet or hesitant to be seen?
But also, in the years you've been doing this, have you?
What's the biggest shift you've seen and how we tell our
stories? Yeah, 1 the reason why we don't
is because we do we're too busy doing women, they're too busy
doing to tell their story. I mean, think about it from
(25:15):
marketers role will relate to this those in advertising and
marketing. You know, you, you're, you sell
marketing, you give marketing services, but market yourself
not right. Like, it's very much a
situation, right? The majority of people, right,
like the majority of bakers don't even want to sell their
cookies. They just want to make them.
Right. Right.
(25:36):
They don't even want, they wouldlove to just bake cookies all
day long. Where this is it Network comes
in as we come in and we sell your cookies.
We help you sell your cookies. We help more people know about
you today than yesterday. That's what's necessary and the
reason why it's not that women are short on stories.
We are short on where our stories can live, right?
(25:56):
And so years ago, a gentleman, as they do, came up to me and
was like, I heard what you're doing, like, what are you like?
So what are your thoughts? It was kind of like at this, he
didn't talk like that, but in myhead he did, you know, So and
then, you know, it came up to mewith like a warm Chardonnay, you
know what I mean? In a networking event, it was
like, you know, trying to get atme to like.
Warm Chardonnay you. Know what I mean?
(26:20):
So what do you got going on? Like fill me in, right?
And, and without hesitation, I said we're, we're creating
history. And because history is made by
those who tell the story. And if you do not tell the
story, you are left out of history, period.
Hard stop. When my daughter, 20 years from
now, 30 years from now, young girls, people in general will
(26:42):
look back and be like those women in 2025 kicked ass because
it will be documentation that wekicked ass.
It won't be waiting for permission or pitching our
stories or hoping somebody pays attention to us.
It will be. It will be evident.
There will be evidence of our excellence.
It would have. It would have.
We'll live. And that alone, right?
That alone is why I do what I do.
(27:05):
Quick pause to invite you into the ROAR community.
War is all about amplifying women's voices, and you can be
part of it. I share the messy, unfiltered
behind the scenes stuff in my emails, things you won't hear
anywhere else. Sign up at Listen to roar.com
and get in on the real talk and a.
If this episode hit home, don't keep it to yourself.
(27:25):
Share it. Drop a comment or pass it to
that one friend who needs to hear it.
Every share helps bring more women's stories into the
spotlight. All right, let's get back to the
episode. Sheldon, who is the Sheldon for?
You like you. No, I'm serious.
Have you. I mean, obviously you're an
extrovert. Obviously you're.
Yeah. Well, you know what you're
doing. You know what you're talking
about. But you've got a lot of faith
(27:46):
and belief and in what you're doing, and first of all, that
just needs to rub off on everyone.
But like, what was your mother like?
Like what? Don't.
You get this. Let me and I tell this story
quite often, which is which is so my mom in my house.
So I'm W African. So I was born in Freetown,
Sierra Leone. I'm W African.
(28:07):
I'm an immigrant, I'm all the things and I come from this
amazing W African large, gigantic, crazy, admittedly
family and we're just and they're completely academic like
everybody is attorneys and doctorates and and just amazing
and my mother in our home to this day.
I'm blessed. She's 80 by both of my parents
are 80 and in their home you will find and this has been
(28:28):
since I was small. And are they here also in New
Jersey now They're. Here in New Jersey, New.
Jersey, right? That's New Jersey.
OK. Think of a piece of work like if
you ever come to any of our conferences, my, my mother will
be checking you in at the front,the front, and you better have
your identification and you better be sure you want to take
it and the whole thing. She's wild, but she's lovely.
She was she's a retired elementary school principal, my
(28:48):
father at Stockton University, retired chemistry professor from
Stockton University in South Jersey.
But all I'm one of four shocker.I'm a middle child.
Of course I am. And so every my my older sister
has her doctorate. My younger sister has her
doctorate. My younger brother graduated
from Cornell Law. I come from excellence, right?
(29:10):
And, and it was very evident at a very young age that you show
up early, you leave late, that you over deliver always that
that's just the way I was the athlete.
I played Division One field hockey for LaSalle University.
I've always been again, an extrovert and wanting to
entertain and the family member that gives the speeches like I'm
the one right in my house, rightin my home.
(29:33):
There were always quotes everywhere, little quotes just
everywhere. You'd open a drawer, there'd be
a quote. You'd wake up in the morning on
the mirror, there'd be a quote behind the door.
To this day, behind the door, every bathroom door, there's a
series of different quotes. And I remember coming home from
college as an ungrateful young person.
And I was just like, you do, right?
Like you do. And I went to brush my teeth and
(29:54):
there was some poignant quote right in my face.
And I was like, and my mom was like, good morning, you know
what I mean? And I'm like, probably hungover,
ungrateful. Like I see the quote, I can't
see my teeth. I'm like, mom, what is the deal?
I mean, and it was decades at that point that I had just seen
this. Like, you know, it was over 10
(30:15):
years that I had seen these. There's quotes everywhere.
And she looked at me very swiftly and said, sometimes you
will not have the words. My job is to ensure that words
inspire you. That was it.
And I was like, I'm sorry. So if you follow us on this is
it network on every 10th post isa quote.
Like we live by quotes and motivation.
(30:37):
And because we won't always havethe words, you won't always have
the words. I am.
And I've been accused of being, you know, amongst the toxic
positivity people that are always positive all the time.
And I say I'm not positive all the time.
And that's why I'm positive all the time.
I need it. I need it.
Got it. Utilize it, right?
(30:58):
I utilize it. And so my mother has always been
that. She's always been the one that
says if I have it, you have it. If I don't have it, we don't
have it. But if I have it, you have it.
So it's very much been. And that's what I do to my
children and my children's friends.
And I'm I'm the one that much asmy life is crazy, I'm driving
them around and taking them to football games and having
sleepovers and doing all the things.
(31:19):
Because if I have it, you have it.
And I know that a lot of people aren't built that way and that
is OK, but because I'm built that way and that's what I'm
meant to do. So I.
But because you are, you're ableto kind of give this of yourself
to so many women. I mean, it's a lot of women.
And I'm just out of curiosity, are do you notice in the scream
(31:40):
your dream? Yeah, because because you meet,
it's not just like you're not just you actually meet up.
And these women have a Wednesdayscream their dream.
Yeah, every Wednesday, 12:00 PM Eastern.
Yeah, OK, so every Wednesday, women come on, they get to talk
about what they're doing if theywant to, right?
It's like, yeah, OK. Because I I, I, I have an
obligation every Wednesday. So I haven't been able to go but
(32:01):
I. It's OK.
No, I want you, but I also want you so I can explain it, you
know? Yeah, this is what it is.
It's a. Wonderful thing, because
ambitious women rarely celebratetheir ambition, right?
They rarely celebrate their ambition and they rarely ask for
help, right? It's just a nature of who it is
that we are. And so I will typically it's an
hour long. It's only an hour long.
(32:22):
We begin, we end. I give a little State of the
Union, a little inspiration, personal brand lesson to kind of
kick us off. What's going on with the
network, what upcoming events are going on, what they should
be, where they should be, all ofthose things.
What are we up to? What are we promoting?
That kind of thing. And then the remainder of that
hour is you either bring an ask or a scream to the meeting.
(32:42):
So you either bring an ask or a scream.
So anybody can lift up their icon.
We do it via Zoom and you can lift up your icon and you can
say, you know, hey, I'm, I need an IP attorney.
Hey, what is SEO? Hey, I need, as an ask, I'm at
498 followers on Instagram. I need two more people to like
my page. Can anybody like my page?
(33:05):
And it gets you over that edge, right?
And so it's really about gettingcomfortable weekly and asking
for what it is that you need. And then the scream, the scream
can be a celebration of anything.
It could be if you have young children that you potty trained
your son and that deserves to becelebrated.
It could be you finally sent outyour first e-mail blast and that
(33:25):
deserves to be celebrated. You launched your book, you're
throwing an event. It just gives you a space to be
able to ask for help or celebrate what you have done.
And also, and you can hear and people are connecting.
There's so many different partnerships that have started,
relationships that have grown. Yeah, relationships that have
grown, podcasts that are shared because it's not an it's an
(33:48):
inclusive group, not an exclusive group.
So you don't have to say, Oh my gosh, if I'm part of this is the
screamer dream community, I can't be part of part of
anything. I'm addicted to women's groups.
I'm part of NABO and like, all of these different.
Hey, mom. I mean, every name, every
women's group, they get my money1999 at a time, every month,
(34:09):
right? And so, but it's the collective
that is our power. It's all of these women's groups
together that is our power. We actually have an upcoming
campaign to support that. But yeah, so it's it's really,
it's really about being honest. I don't know what I'm doing.
Do the women like and you were saying, you know, do they start
(34:29):
to then I'm just picturing someone of the Shire people that
you started off with. Like I, I keep thinking about
like the Baker who's like not able to say and, and maybe then
like I can picture this person possibly getting up, like, you
know, the nerve and group to say, I haven't asked, but the,
the scream would be a little harder, right?
Like the scream to be like, I did this awesome thing.
(34:52):
And I, and, and I just want to tell you so people, I always
used to say when I was a teacher, like this was a really
big mistake on my part because I, I wanted to be an actress
when I grew up and I was like, and I want people to clap for
me. Yeah, this was.
A bad choice? No, I wanted applause.
Yeah. Oh, it was.
(35:13):
But I don't think I mean simplistically you're like, I
want people to clap, but also you want people to feel
something. People slaps because they feel
something. And now?
100% it was 6th grade it was feeling anything there nothing's
changed though there was a lack of feeling entirely except Get
Me Out of here from all parts. I I that's not my skill set.
(35:33):
They did it. 6th grade isn't my skill set.
But like, but I'm saying like these women, are they starting
to kind of almost. And I don't yeah.
I don't mean they're like Sheldon acolytes although.
No. No.
But do they start to then yeah, alter and start to do it for
each other, Like are you? Oh my gosh, 100%.
I have had people who have met at our so we do this.
(35:54):
This is it Network Live Women's Conference.
Next year will be our fifth yeardoing it.
And we've had people who met sitting at a table, who now work
together and are partners in a business.
We have people who met and then are now on each other's
podcasts, have written their forewords for each other's
books. Like this is the movement and
content is the tool for it, right?
(36:16):
We meet online and offline. We have national events in which
we attend. We have small boutique events in
which we serve our community in a way that is so useful and
authentic because ultimately we all deserve to be seen and
heard. And but we speak as
entrepreneurs, leaders, executives, as ambitious women.
And that means whether or not you're in the boardroom or
(36:38):
whether or not you're in your kitchen, right?
Whether or not you're running your household like a Fortune
500 company or whether or not you're on your third bakery, you
deserve to be amongst people whohear and see you.
And we just want to provide thattime and space and so and to
give you that time and space. So they have just been absolute
and they bring things to the table for us.
Hey, you should be, we should bepart of this particular event or
(37:02):
child. And I, you know, I need a
keynote speaker for this or, youknow, the bakery folks, it's
like, oh, you know, so and so needs more cupcakes for her
event or for her children's part.
And so it becomes this organic where again, the example that
you gave of your husband when itwas like figuring it out.
Men are also equally, I got a guy, right?
They got a guy for everything. My husband has a guy for
(37:22):
everything. Right, right.
And us, we're like, oh, well, you know, I don't know.
Well, let me see. Right.
Like let our be, let us be our own ecosystem where we've got a
gal for everything. Yeah.
Oh, like like that. And you know, you, you did say
I'm on. I'm not going to keep you much
longer. I've got 2 questions.
I'm obsessed, OK. I love it.
(37:44):
You mentioned even like, you know, that future generations,
your daughter or my daughter, they're going to look and be
like those girls in 2025, like we had it together.
What? What are you hoping they get out
of it the next generation? Like what do you hope it models
for them in terms of not just, you know, looking back and be
like they did it? What specifically are there
(38:06):
specifics you're hoping they take out of it?
You know, and you and I talked offline about something about,
you know, our strong daughters recently and what they're
willing to accept versus what wewere willing to accept growing
up in a different time period. What are you hoping like that
next generation then pulls from this and extracts and and
actually right right now this isthe thing that's building.
(38:27):
But in the future, hopefully this is they're evolving from
this. Yes, for me, it's all of the
volumes of a woman, which is something that I've been kind of
needling on, right. And as we're talking about,
there's a lot of, and what I've been thinking about specifically
is that there's a lot of moving parts that are kind of creating
this traditional trad wives versus girl bosses versus really
(38:52):
segmenting women and doing so really intentionally against
each other. Where I would love for our
women, young women and women generations to come to know that
there are different volumes of women.
Kind of like if you're old enough to understand what an
encyclopedia is, right? There was different volumes of
encyclopedias and you can pull off the shelf the volume that is
(39:14):
Sheldon and it is Mom and it is daughter and it is entrepreneur
and it is former athlete. It's all these things.
But you could also pull down a book that is Emily and she was a
stay at home wife and mother andloved it.
And it was baking cookies and making, you know, costumes from
scratch for Halloween. And they are best friends and
(39:36):
the. There's value.
There's value to it and the sourdough bread that Emily
makes. Sheldon comes over and eats
heartily, and Emily is the firstperson in line for her grand
opening. That is what I want, and I don't
want it to be a situation where women are fighting for the
limited space that we have amongst each other.
That we allow each other to be what they want to be.
(39:57):
To give them choices to applaud even when they disagree, or to
choose to do with themselves what they wish and not condemn
others for the choices in which they make if there's no harm
caused. That we can live amongst each
other as a unit because again, hate works as a team and if we
can begin to work as a team, I cannot imagine what this world
(40:18):
will look like. So.
Sheldon, you and I realized you said you were born in in Africa,
but you came to. New Jersey, Very young.
Very young, yeah. Literally New Jersey is where
you came and so as somebody fromSouth Jersey, so we grew up,
FYI, be listening. We, we found out something I
found out we grew up really veryclose to each other.
(40:40):
And so I, I, I'm, we're both very familiar with our local
community. And so, and there's wonderful
people here. We live wonderful community and
I love it. But I don't know.
And honestly, I've lived a lot of places and even that I don't
know a lot of people that have goals this big that are willing
(41:02):
to share them because a lot of times people take big, bold,
audacious goals and they keep quiet because not just the, not
even loud, yeah, we'll keep it. Like, it's so audacious.
It's so outrageous that I'm not even gonna say it.
It's like. Again, it's.
(41:23):
Preposterous, right? But it's like if I were like,
well, actually I've built a space shuttle in my backyard
like it's and you'd be like, what?
And I'm like, cuz I'm going, I'mgoing to space and I just it's
terrifying to think what people,but you are like, you are doing
it. You are, you are doing it and
it's and you're such an inspiration and such a great way
(41:44):
to kick off or to to end this season on a high note.
But what advice would you give to a woman listening who has a
dream just to seed and doesn't even know where to start?
Yeah, it is the company you keep, my darlings.
It is the company you keep. There is danger in, in, in, in
constantly battling with people around you.
(42:08):
I think that there is a danger in sharing your ambition with
people who are not worthy of it.There is a danger in it, right?
There's a danger in constantly. I got an idea and taking it to
people who do not see you and donot hear you.
My mom again, a wise, wise womanwith the quotes all over.
One of the things she always used to tell me is stop going to
(42:30):
the same well, looking for different water.
Stop going to the same person over and over again looking for
the reaction to be different. Stop trying to convince and try
to find people you are amongst like stop like they're.
We all have our own communities.You and I are kindred spirits,
right? We knew it from the moment in
which we connected. And there might be a room where
(42:51):
people are not in favor of my loudness and my lashes and my
lips and my weave and the whole thing like I might be a lot.
That's not my room. And if I keep and, and I can
convince people to come over to my room and I can softly
convince them, but I can't hold my integrity and who it is that
I am and people who do not see me.
And So what I want women to do is find rooms that see them.
(43:12):
And there are rooms that see them if you are on the social
media platforms, if you're on TikTok, if you're there is
crochet talk that is different than knit knitting talk that is
different than puzzle talk that is different than Harry Potter
talk. There is a community within
communities for all of us. And so often we spend so much
time auditioning for people who do not have a part for us that
(43:32):
we lose who we are. And so I encourage people to
find their people. And they may not be the people
that live with them or the people they grew up with.
And that doesn't mean disregard them.
That just means departmentalize them and go find the people that
you can share your ambition with.
That's what I. Think Sheldon, this has been a
great conversation. I am so grateful for your time.
(43:53):
Everybody, everything is going to be in the show notes.
I'll show everything and everywhere and I'm very excited.
I feel like this is this episodeis literally coming out on
December 23rd. So even though it's really close
to the holidays, I feel like it's something that people can
with over the holidays and like,kick off their new year with
some really big dreams. And thank you so much for your
(44:15):
time. Oh my gosh, I'm obsessed with
you. Thank you so much for allowing
me to share space and time with you.
I look forward to working with you more in the future.
Likewise. OK, have a great day everybody.
Thanks. And that's a wrap on today's
conversation and on Season 3 of Roar.
A huge thank you to Sheldon for bringing her fire, her honesty,
(44:35):
and her unstoppable energy. And an even bigger thank you to
you. You.
Every single one of you who listened, shared episodes, sent
messages, and helped make this such a meaningful and powerful
season. This show exists because of you,
and I'm endlessly grateful for the community we're building
together. I also want to thank all the
incredible guests who've joined me this season.
Your stories, your courage, and your generosity help shape every
(44:58):
episode. And to our brilliant editor, you
know who you are. Thank you for making every
conversation sound its best. I really don't think I could do
this without you. We'll be taking a short break,
but Roar will be back with Season 4 in April 2026.
To stay in the loop on announcements, guest reveals,
and a few special things I'm working on during the hiatus,
head to listen to roar.com. That's LISTENTOROA, r.com, and
(45:27):
sign up for the mailing list. It's the best way to stay
connected until we're back on air.
Until then, keep using your voice, keep telling your
stories, and keep roaring. I'll see you in April.
Hi, I'm Danielle Davies, and you're listening to Roar, a show
that amplifies the voices of women breaking barriers, leading
change and making real impact. Keep listening for bold ideas
and stories that inspire you to find your voice and make some
noise. Hi everybody, this is Danielle
Davies, the host of Roar. Today we are closing out Season
(00:26):
3 with Sheldon Barlett Rumor. Sheldon is the CEO and Executive
Producer of This Is It Network, a global digital TV network
committed to amplifying the voices of remarkable women
through the power of storytelling and community.
Through her signature Scream Your Dream mission, Sheldon
empowers women to share their stories with confidence,
clarity, and unapologetic visibility.
(00:48):
Her energy is unmatched, her mission unmistakable, and her
work aligns perfectly with worstcommitment to expanding the
definition of advocacy, showing how women uplift each other
through creativity, innovation, and everyday impact.
Sheldon, I am so excited to haveyou here to closeout Season 3 of
WAR and thank you. I know you have at least 62
(01:08):
million other things you could be doing, so I am really
grateful and I think so will allour listeners be.
Thanks for being here. Of course, of course I'm
spoiled. I'm spoiled.
This is the perfect way to spendmy morning SO.
Thank you. I'm so glad you said so.
Well, OK, so here's the thing. Yeah, I, I have like a million
questions obviously, but the first one for anybody who's new
to you is like, can you explain what is going on?
(01:32):
What is the This is it network? 100%.
The only how it was explained tome is she's going to be the next
Oprah fair and. I'll take it.
Go and I it's so much and and honestly, like Oprah, there are
so many elements to what you're doing.
So can you give us just like a summation of what this is?
(01:54):
Sure, sure. So this is it.
Network is a storytelling platform where a digital
streaming platform, think Netflix, a digital streaming
platform meets master class, an educational platform where
celebrities kind of teach you various things, right?
If those two platforms had a female daughter, that would be
this is it network, right? So we are celebrating
(02:15):
educational entertainment in that way.
And we do that through digital talk shows.
And I'll share my love of traditional talk shows, Oprah,
Donahue, Sally, Ricky Montel. If you know, you know, if you're
from a certain age group, you remember those traditional talk
shows paired with my love of education.
I'm an adjunct professor of Temple and Drexel University.
(02:36):
So the the combination of entertainment and education
paired with online and offline events is really the heartbeat
of this Is it Network. I think that everybody should
learn and laugh at the same time.
And Sheldon, how long have you? Because there's some really big
things going on with this Is it network?
Can you tell me about like the inception now a little bit?
(02:57):
I mean, obviously it's a long. Of course, of course.
So in in essence, this all started with a real PR marketing
and event firm. So I come from that space.
I come from PR marketing, events, social media, graphic
design, web design. I had an agency that is now the
production company for this is it Network IG Creative.
So IG Creative really helped small business owners in finding
(03:20):
their voice through digital means.
So creating their website, hosting their event, putting
them on Fox good day here in thelocal Philadelphia area, getting
them on the on the Today show. But what I really figured out if
you can feel it through the energy on the screen, if you're
listening, if you're watching. I have a lot of energy and I am
an extrovert. There is no denying, there is no
(03:42):
denying it. You can often hear me before you
see me. That's really how it really
works. And for a lot of people, even
though there are small business owners, even though they have a
dream, even though they have a concept, even though they have a
business, the way in which they talk about themselves matters
and they typically whisper aboutthemselves.
And So what I was really having a hard time with is that you had
(04:04):
somebody that you were prepping for, again, a media opportunity.
A cupcake lady, right? A cookie lady woman that had a
bakery. We worked a lot with small
business owners and primarily women and we would prep them for
these opportunities and they could not part their lips to say
why somebody should buy their cookies.
They could not find the words asit relates to why they were
(04:24):
special and not. And I, overly enthusiastic,
always wanted to be on television.
You know, Oprah and media and television and talk shows were
the beacon for me always. I turned the camera on my
clients in preparation for thesemedia opportunities to just
practice with them, right? I'm going to get you
comfortable. And what happened was something
(04:45):
lit up in me, right? That this is where I'm supposed
to be. And they dropped their shoulders
and began to talk to me about grandmother's recipes and why
the vegan cupcake was so specialto them.
And I realized at that moment that this was it.
That's all I want to do for the rest of my life.
All I want to do is help people tell their stories.
All I want to do is give people space and time and let them feel
(05:06):
comfortable to find the words. And so we've been producing
content ever since. I would go to an opening of a
tin can with a microphone, happyto be able to tell the story of
an opening. And so I was interviewing people
before pandemic in Center City Philadelphia, shoulder to
shoulder. We were interviewing about 5
women a day and then the world. Day.
OK Day. Yeah, yeah, Crazy.
(05:28):
I have an amazing team. We were very aggressive in the
way in which we were communicating and how we were
doing it. And then the world, you know,
shut down as it did, and we wereall safe at home.
And then the world opened up to me because we were working with
on Zoom. And so then there was no
geographic limitations to the women that I was talking to and
women from Scotland and Nigeria and Toronto, in addition to my
(05:51):
own backyard. And this is it network.
I wanted it to be bigger. I wanted to be useful, I wanted
to be a resource. And so I decided that this I was
going to take a stab at this streaming platform now that
there's so many more resources and created this is it network.
So now it's available on iOS andAndroid and Apple TV and Roku.
And we have about 26 new shows that will be launching in Q1 and
(06:16):
the hopes of 48 new shows for the year in 2026.
So. Yeah.
How many shows are available on there right now for people?
There's over 1000 episodes that are available right now of
previous things we did from pandemic on event coverage,
partnership content. You can log on and be able to
dive into our world. We will be sharing all of the
(06:37):
new hosts as well as all of the new titles and shows.
It has been a heavy lift in 2025to get all of these in the can
as they say, but we will be drizzling them out through a
full launch in the new year. So super excited.
And are we allowed to talk aboutthe fact that there's going to
be an in person like there is actually a hub that's developed?
(06:57):
And I want to. Say again about the energy, like
the fact first of all, I generally am somebody who like
is a pretty pumped up person myself, but what you are
accomplishing in a day is like out of control, OK?
So I'm a crazy person. But I love it and there's and I
first of all, I love the emphasis on obviously who you're
(07:20):
helping. I love that you're facilitating
women's growth and education andentertainment and even their own
shows. I mean, it's all amazing.
But the fact is that you are in New Jersey.
I am in New Jersey. We're not that far from each
other and we're actually creating something that I can't
wait to visit. You talk a little bit about that
(07:40):
too. Absolutely, absolutely.
And so we really, you know, havebeen gritty in this, the
evolution of this is it network,right running and gunning.
And those of you that are in production, you understand it.
You throw a camera in a bag, yougo to an event, you pop up
everywhere. And that does take a toll on the
quality of what it is that you produce.
It takes a toll on, you know, the staff and the crew and, and
(08:02):
how often you can do it. And we've been looking for
years. I've been scouring New Jersey
has a number of different incentives and programs.
And we have Netflix that's coming in Paramount that's
coming. A lot of big players are coming
to the New Jersey to bring theirstudios.
And so I really tapped into that.
A friend of a friend had told meabout all the great things that
the state was doing. I typically I live in South
(08:23):
Jersey, but I would go over the bridge in order to film before
pandemic, we filmed again in Center City Philadelphia.
And so when I heard about that New Jersey was willing,
interested, encouraging media outlets to be in the state, to
develop in the state. I have been clawing through to
be able to ensure that that happens.
And so I just recently partneredwith Gloucester Township, which
(08:45):
is in Camden County, New Jersey,again, right over the bridge.
I'm from Philadelphia and we arereally working towards creating
what is the This is It network media and Innovation Center,
which will be a hub for digital television.
So all of the traditional talk show formats that I love, was in
love with as a child will be nowin real life, high RL in real
(09:06):
life, you know, for people to beable to come on down and visit
us. So we'll be filming the majority
of our programs in this facility.
Our aim is to place the facilitywithin downtown Blackwood, which
again, is in Gloucester Township, Camden County, New
Jersey. They have an arts district in
which they're cultivating at themoment.
We want to be the anchor property within that arts
(09:28):
district and working with the Township to bring that to light.
So it will be a studio, audiencestudio.
There'll also be classrooms, podcast suites, video studios,
as well as a bookstore and retail.
And so we're really looking for it to be not only a national
headquarters for what we do, butalso a community hub to make
media a destination here in southern New Jersey.
(09:49):
So we're super excited. Hey everyone, I've got some
exciting news. I'm partnering with Louie.
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(10:10):
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So really small goals, obviously.
(10:31):
Yeah, I I aim low. Obviously.
And then you can you definitely hit the.
I am a prisoner of my wants and grossly ambitious and so, you
know, I'd rather try and aim forthe stars and then, you know, go
from there. Oh, absolutely.
That's that's that is I believe I'm 100% there with you.
But Speaking of, you're not justaiming for the stars yourself.
(10:51):
You have got like online community, which I don't know
how you're how many hours are inyour day, but you're you've
facilitated this community with this.
Is it kind of, I'm sorry, the scream, your dream?
The. The Screamers.
Yeah, with the screamers, which is like interesting thing.
So when I developed this is it, when I had that aha moment as
(11:13):
anti Oprah says that moment where I was like, this is it.
This is all I want to do for therest of my life.
I realized what I was doing. I had to kind of sit with it,
right? So not only OK, is it
television? Is it digital?
Am I interviewing people? You know, as they often say,
what is your why? Why are you doing?
This is because the majority of the women that were sitting with
me, that were my clients lived their life in what I call a
(11:36):
whisper. They were whispering their
wishes, right? And what I wanted them to do
something that I do naturally, Iwanted to share my energy so
they could scream their dream. And so scream your dream became
my motto for everything one I have no whisper.
I think it's a medical condition.
I feel like I can't physically do it right.
I bend over, but I'm still yelling right?
(11:57):
Do what I'm saying right. So yeah, I'm like you're making.
Yeah, you're. Mine, let's go.
You know, I physically can't do it.
So I was like, OK, what makes the most sense?
You know, how can I articulate this?
How can I teach this? How can I be of service for
this? And a lot of it was about
understanding the power of our voices as women, right?
It's one thing to know who you are.
(12:17):
It's another thing to share for it.
It's another thing to me, right?Yes, yes, 100%.
Yes, I'm a great writer. OK, great.
Like what good is that going to do unless you can share with
others that you're a great writer and women are so powerful
but so humble and I think that they right they associate we've
done. Such a disservice to ourselves
(12:37):
by being so humble. You don't hear?
I mean, I swear, you know, this is totally not in my notes, but
years and years ago a friend of mine, my husband is handy.
He's great with like bars, all this stuff.
And years ago a friend of ours asked, do you know anybody who
does tree work? Ed?
Do you know who? I don't know what how she
(12:58):
phrased it where he misunderstood and he's like
y'all figure it out and then andshe's like, wait, I didn't mean
for your husband to come to our trees.
Like. He's like, I can do it, I'll do
it, I'll do it. And but women were like, well,
there's a I'm sure you mean somebody else.
Like I'm sure there's a real expert.
It couldn't be me. It could be me.
(13:19):
Let me go get a 17th certificateto learn how to cut down the
tray and then still audition to cut down the tray.
Oh, I apologize that I didn't dothe audition the way that you
thought I would do the audition before you told me I didn't do
the audition the way in which you thought.
I've been crazy. And so that's just the way we're
wired for a lot of different reasons, a lot of systematic
(13:40):
reasons. There's a lot of what different
scenarios. But when given the opportunity,
when given a safe space, the world changes, right?
I call it the ask twice, right, which is a kind of new concept
that I've come to understand just from doing so.
Like if you ask a woman, how areyou?
Obviously they're like, oh. My God, I'm fine, I'm fine, blah
blah. If you ask 2 times and if you
(14:02):
engage with them, even touch their elbow, I've had women cry
because the way in which people are just moving so quickly in
this world, right are not seen and heard.
Like if you asked twice, if you asked once, they'll be like of
course I'm fine, everything's fine, whatever you need, I got
you. If you allow for them to be
still enough to tell you the answer and you are with your own
(14:24):
intention ready to hear the answer, they will tell you how
they really are. And we need more spaces where
people are welcome to hear how they really are, not just are
you fine? Here's what I need you to do for
me. Are you fine?
How can I help you? How can I serve you?
Well, and I love this, and it actually brings me to the next
question too, because, you know,you're talking about these
screamers and you're talking about your mission.
(14:46):
Are there kinds of stories or women that you're most drawn to
elevating? Do you find that, like you
respond more to people who matchyour energy?
Are they, like you said, the ones that whisper that you've
gotten through? Sometimes people, that is their
personality. They just can't, you know,
they're gonna be like my mother would just absolutely never
(15:09):
under any circumstances be in front of the camera.
Under no circumstance will not give a speech.
Does not want anybody looking ather.
She's already planned her funeral for no one to be there.
She's not sick. Just want to make sure you know
I want no one in the room. Yeah, I want no one there, no
one looking at me, is the way she phrases it.
(15:30):
So what kind of women in storiesare you drawn to?
I'm drawn to the the Hidden Figures.
I'm naturally nosy, like, you know, like just very like tell
me more. I don't know, teach me.
I'm a forever student, right? And I'm not even and and when I
say this, people are like, Oh mygosh, don't like downgrade.
(15:52):
I'm not saying this to disparagemyself, but I am just a vessel.
Like I don't really do anything aside from, and I'm not saying
this in a negative way, no, aside from being the
storyteller, being the viaduct between those who need the story
and those who have a story to tell.
I have a unique gift in that wayto be that way.
So the majority of people that Iwork with or who are part of our
(16:15):
community members within our community are introverted,
right? They are whispering, but they
have remortgaged their house forthe cupcake business, but they
can't part their lips to tell anybody about it.
And that is a dangerous place because we don't give them the
safe space in order to be able to do so.
And they deserve that safe space.
(16:36):
They deserve a place where they can loudly brag about what it is
that they've done. And when they people talk about
bragging, it's a very interesting thing because women
obviously have a negative connotation as it relates to
bragging. But I always say if it's true,
it's just sharing. It's true, it's true.
That's you're right and we need to, we need so much more of
(16:58):
that. We just need to be kind of like
retrained. What about like, you know, you,
you just mentioned here and there's some funny about it.
I don't really do something like, but, but obviously like,
so you've got a creative angle. A lot of people help women.
Maybe there's funders, right? There are people who help in
different ways and advocate and uplift women in different ways.
But you, you have a unique blendof entrepreneurship and creative
(17:21):
storytelling. How do you see creativity
driving impact for women today? I think it's again, it is that
the way in which you tell your story matters.
Where you tell your story matters.
Telling your story from your ownunique voice matters.
I think today we are inundated with for you pages.
We are inundated with content coming at us as if we have no
(17:44):
choice in the matter, right? And one of the things that I
think is really important is that we begin to feed our feed,
right? We begin to tell the algorithms
what we want. We begin to say, I want more
cooking content, I want more artcontent.
I want more music content. I'm not not going to sit here
and let you feed me. I'm going to feed you.
(18:05):
I'm going to tell you what hashtags.
I'm going to follow more people.I'm going to get more involved
because when this journey began,the advertising really LED us.
It was like, For more information, log on to
www.right. It was all of these really
destination marketing. And I think that that's where we
need to get back to. I think people are really
intoxicated by everything that'scoming their way.
(18:26):
And I think women of all in, in so many ways need to take
ownership of what they consume and allow for them to be
creative, allow for them to follow creatives, allow for them
to enjoy what they're witnessingand watching and be able to
determine what creatives they want to witness and watch.
And so I think it's a really unique time.
(18:47):
I don't blame, you know, a lot of people like social media is
that I think that these are justtools you use and you can either
use the tool for good or for bad.
And I suggest you use it for good.
And we want to suggest on. We want to provide suggestions
on how to do that. Oh my gosh, Sheldon, you're very
good. This is very exciting.
And you know, I also talked to, you know, initially and we've
(19:09):
talked about this offline initially.
Well, I don't know if we said this exact part, but initially I
was, I have run for office before.
Obviously a big form of advocacyfor women is in the political
sphere. And it's it is currently, yes,
you know, people say all the time, but it is like negative
space right at the moment. It is, it is crazy town.
(19:32):
So, you know, sometimes people maybe say, OK, put your energy
here. We have to we have to save the
world. And we do we do.
I'm not disputing that. And there are other issues, but
advocacy isn't 1 size fits all right.
And that's my firm belief that you can be saving the world
through your art and you can be saving the world through
literally just trying to be a joyful person.
(19:54):
Visibility as a form of advocacy, especially in terms of
how toxic it is. Now, some people, I think, are a
little bit even more afraid to be visible than they were.
Like, like right now, my mother would especially be mortified.
You know, Right, right. It's a It's a pretty scary time
(20:14):
to put. Yourself out there, it is scary.
It is scary and I think that. I think that there needs to be a
sense of ownership in where it is that you are and who it is
that you are. I think that when when you're
comfortable in that space, whichI am and what you are, I think
it does make it easier. I think that being again of
service is really important. I believe that it's a quote from
(20:37):
American president. It was Michael J Fox's character
said in the absence of water in the desert, people drink sand in
the apps, right? So if there is no alternative,
if the only people that are yelling are negative, I cannot
blame those who consume negativity.
If the only people who have something to say are people who
(20:59):
are divisive, I cannot blame them for getting on the board of
divisiveness. But what we want to do,
especially at this is at network, is to be that water.
We want to be quench your thirstand when we do, when we are
present, when we are available, when we are there, people always
choose good. But when good hides, when good
(21:19):
surrenders, then they're the alternative for those who aren't
leaders who aren't for who aren't, you know, willing to
advocate in the most outrageous ways.
And I'm an outrageous advocate. They get lost, right?
They they go, you know, the majority of general public is,
wants to be LED. And if there is, if the only
(21:40):
leader that's showing up is divisive, they are more apt to
be in fact divisive. If an alternative exists, then
we have a better chance of sharing joy.
Joy is light, right? Joy is like, I love you love I
bleed, you bleed, don't you see right.
And if that's all it took, we wouldn't be in any of these
issues. Like if that's all it took was
(22:01):
to be like, duh, like we should all be equal.
We wouldn't be in these issues. But you know what happened
happens is that hate recruits. Hate has a campaign and a slogan
and a brand standards guide, right?
Love has an assumption. And so love needs to catch up.
Love needs to be as consistent and we need to recruit and love
(22:23):
and we need to share educationalentertainment.
And that's that's what I'm doing.
I love that you said this. I have to also.
I'm going to link back up anybody who's listening and you,
I have a friend, the novelist Catherine Center.
She's in out of Texas. She's she's huge and she's
amazing. And her thing is reading for
Joy. Well, it was reading for Joy.
(22:44):
She's kind of she's like, I feellike I've had that motto for a
while now. But one of the things she said
to us last season was if the only stories we're telling are
horror stories, scary stories, then that's all we've got.
That's our, that's the reflection of humanity.
And that that's, you know, I love a good scary story.
(23:06):
I love, you know, things like this.
I'm not I'm, you know, every so often a true crime podcast.
I love Mr. Ball, but you can't live on that.
You can't sustain. You have to.
There has to be the alternative.There has to be the alternative
and the alternative needs to be committed to it in the same way
that the scariness is committed to it.
(23:27):
And it because that's how it works.
That's that's and, and to what you said before was just so
important is that it's in various ways.
It lives on picket lines, it lives in boardrooms, it lives on
art and walls. It lives through storytelling
and poetry. It lives through staying at your
full time job and advocating within your cubicle.
(23:48):
It lives within all of these different scenarios.
And what often happens, even on the side of good is we begin to
measure good. We begin to fight infight about
how good you are versus how goodI am and how good good this
needs to be when the again, hatred is a collective hatred
works as a team hatred recruits recruits regardless of whether
(24:11):
or not they are aligned. And so I want us to be able to
make sure that those that want to share goodness and those that
want to share stories are aligned as well.
I got hatred works as a team. OK, I'm going to be circling
back to that. I mean, when to pull out quotes.
But you know, you've been doing this a long time and you're
obviously really good at it. And you, you draw these stories
(24:32):
out of women and it's very inspiring and impressive.
But so it's also, I mean, while you're not necessarily, you
weren't a sociology major, right?
No, you're not necessarily like a psychologist, an armchair
psychologist, a sociologist. But you, you've seen how women
have told stories and you've seen that.
Do you have any theories, ideas?What do you think is keeping so
(24:55):
many of us quiet or hesitant to be seen?
But also, in the years you've been doing this, have you?
What's the biggest shift you've seen and how we tell our
stories? Yeah, 1 the reason why we don't
is because we do we're too busy doing women, they're too busy
doing to tell their story. I mean, think about it from
(25:15):
marketers role will relate to this those in advertising and
marketing. You know, you, you're, you sell
marketing, you give marketing services, but market yourself
not right. Like, it's very much a
situation, right? The majority of people, right,
like the majority of bakers don't even want to sell their
cookies. They just want to make them.
Right. Right.
(25:36):
They don't even want, they wouldlove to just bake cookies all
day long. Where this is it Network comes
in as we come in and we sell your cookies.
We help you sell your cookies. We help more people know about
you today than yesterday. That's what's necessary and the
reason why it's not that women are short on stories.
We are short on where our stories can live, right?
(25:56):
And so years ago, a gentleman, as they do, came up to me and
was like, I heard what you're doing, like, what are you like?
So what are your thoughts? It was kind of like at this, he
didn't talk like that, but in myhead he did, you know, So and
then, you know, it came up to mewith like a warm Chardonnay, you
know what I mean? In a networking event, it was
like, you know, trying to get atme to like.
Warm Chardonnay you. Know what I mean?
(26:20):
So what do you got going on? Like fill me in, right?
And, and without hesitation, I said we're, we're creating
history. And because history is made by
those who tell the story. And if you do not tell the
story, you are left out of history, period.
Hard stop. When my daughter, 20 years from
now, 30 years from now, young girls, people in general will
(26:42):
look back and be like those women in 2025 kicked ass because
it will be documentation that wekicked ass.
It won't be waiting for permission or pitching our
stories or hoping somebody pays attention to us.
It will be. It will be evident.
There will be evidence of our excellence.
It would have. It would have.
We'll live. And that alone, right?
That alone is why I do what I do.
(27:05):
Quick pause to invite you into the ROAR community.
War is all about amplifying women's voices, and you can be
part of it. I share the messy, unfiltered
behind the scenes stuff in my emails, things you won't hear
anywhere else. Sign up at Listen to roar.com
and get in on the real talk and a.
If this episode hit home, don't keep it to yourself.
(27:25):
Share it. Drop a comment or pass it to
that one friend who needs to hear it.
Every share helps bring more women's stories into the
spotlight. All right, let's get back to the
episode. Sheldon, who is the Sheldon for?
You like you. No, I'm serious.
Have you. I mean, obviously you're an
extrovert. Obviously you're.
Yeah. Well, you know what you're
doing. You know what you're talking
about. But you've got a lot of faith
(27:46):
and belief and in what you're doing, and first of all, that
just needs to rub off on everyone.
But like, what was your mother like?
Like what? Don't.
You get this. Let me and I tell this story
quite often, which is which is so my mom in my house.
So I'm W African. So I was born in Freetown,
Sierra Leone. I'm W African.
(28:07):
I'm an immigrant, I'm all the things and I come from this
amazing W African large, gigantic, crazy, admittedly
family and we're just and they're completely academic like
everybody is attorneys and doctorates and and just amazing
and my mother in our home to this day.
I'm blessed. She's 80 by both of my parents
are 80 and in their home you will find and this has been
(28:28):
since I was small. And are they here also in New
Jersey now They're. Here in New Jersey, New.
Jersey, right? That's New Jersey.
OK. Think of a piece of work like if
you ever come to any of our conferences, my, my mother will
be checking you in at the front,the front, and you better have
your identification and you better be sure you want to take
it and the whole thing. She's wild, but she's lovely.
She was she's a retired elementary school principal, my
(28:48):
father at Stockton University, retired chemistry professor from
Stockton University in South Jersey.
But all I'm one of four shocker.I'm a middle child.
Of course I am. And so every my my older sister
has her doctorate. My younger sister has her
doctorate. My younger brother graduated
from Cornell Law. I come from excellence, right?
(29:10):
And, and it was very evident at a very young age that you show
up early, you leave late, that you over deliver always that
that's just the way I was the athlete.
I played Division One field hockey for LaSalle University.
I've always been again, an extrovert and wanting to
entertain and the family member that gives the speeches like I'm
the one right in my house, rightin my home.
(29:33):
There were always quotes everywhere, little quotes just
everywhere. You'd open a drawer, there'd be
a quote. You'd wake up in the morning on
the mirror, there'd be a quote behind the door.
To this day, behind the door, every bathroom door, there's a
series of different quotes. And I remember coming home from
college as an ungrateful young person.
And I was just like, you do, right?
Like you do. And I went to brush my teeth and
(29:54):
there was some poignant quote right in my face.
And I was like, and my mom was like, good morning, you know
what I mean? And I'm like, probably hungover,
ungrateful. Like I see the quote, I can't
see my teeth. I'm like, mom, what is the deal?
I mean, and it was decades at that point that I had just seen
this. Like, you know, it was over 10
(30:15):
years that I had seen these. There's quotes everywhere.
And she looked at me very swiftly and said, sometimes you
will not have the words. My job is to ensure that words
inspire you. That was it.
And I was like, I'm sorry. So if you follow us on this is
it network on every 10th post isa quote.
Like we live by quotes and motivation.
(30:37):
And because we won't always havethe words, you won't always have
the words. I am.
And I've been accused of being, you know, amongst the toxic
positivity people that are always positive all the time.
And I say I'm not positive all the time.
And that's why I'm positive all the time.
I need it. I need it.
Got it. Utilize it, right?
(30:58):
I utilize it. And so my mother has always been
that. She's always been the one that
says if I have it, you have it. If I don't have it, we don't
have it. But if I have it, you have it.
So it's very much been. And that's what I do to my
children and my children's friends.
And I'm I'm the one that much asmy life is crazy, I'm driving
them around and taking them to football games and having
sleepovers and doing all the things.
(31:19):
Because if I have it, you have it.
And I know that a lot of people aren't built that way and that
is OK, but because I'm built that way and that's what I'm
meant to do. So I.
But because you are, you're ableto kind of give this of yourself
to so many women. I mean, it's a lot of women.
And I'm just out of curiosity, are do you notice in the scream
(31:40):
your dream? Yeah, because because you meet,
it's not just like you're not just you actually meet up.
And these women have a Wednesdayscream their dream.
Yeah, every Wednesday, 12:00 PM Eastern.
Yeah, OK, so every Wednesday, women come on, they get to talk
about what they're doing if theywant to, right?
It's like, yeah, OK. Because I I, I, I have an
obligation every Wednesday. So I haven't been able to go but
(32:01):
I. It's OK.
No, I want you, but I also want you so I can explain it, you
know? Yeah, this is what it is.
It's a. Wonderful thing, because
ambitious women rarely celebratetheir ambition, right?
They rarely celebrate their ambition and they rarely ask for
help, right? It's just a nature of who it is
that we are. And so I will typically it's an
hour long. It's only an hour long.
(32:22):
We begin, we end. I give a little State of the
Union, a little inspiration, personal brand lesson to kind of
kick us off. What's going on with the
network, what upcoming events are going on, what they should
be, where they should be, all ofthose things.
What are we up to? What are we promoting?
That kind of thing. And then the remainder of that
hour is you either bring an ask or a scream to the meeting.
(32:42):
So you either bring an ask or a scream.
So anybody can lift up their icon.
We do it via Zoom and you can lift up your icon and you can
say, you know, hey, I'm, I need an IP attorney.
Hey, what is SEO? Hey, I need, as an ask, I'm at
498 followers on Instagram. I need two more people to like
my page. Can anybody like my page?
(33:05):
And it gets you over that edge, right?
And so it's really about gettingcomfortable weekly and asking
for what it is that you need. And then the scream, the scream
can be a celebration of anything.
It could be if you have young children that you potty trained
your son and that deserves to becelebrated.
It could be you finally sent outyour first e-mail blast and that
(33:25):
deserves to be celebrated. You launched your book, you're
throwing an event. It just gives you a space to be
able to ask for help or celebrate what you have done.
And also, and you can hear and people are connecting.
There's so many different partnerships that have started,
relationships that have grown. Yeah, relationships that have
grown, podcasts that are shared because it's not an it's an
(33:48):
inclusive group, not an exclusive group.
So you don't have to say, Oh my gosh, if I'm part of this is the
screamer dream community, I can't be part of part of
anything. I'm addicted to women's groups.
I'm part of NABO and like, all of these different.
Hey, mom. I mean, every name, every
women's group, they get my money1999 at a time, every month,
(34:09):
right? And so, but it's the collective
that is our power. It's all of these women's groups
together that is our power. We actually have an upcoming
campaign to support that. But yeah, so it's it's really,
it's really about being honest. I don't know what I'm doing.
Do the women like and you were saying, you know, do they start
(34:29):
to then I'm just picturing someone of the Shire people that
you started off with. Like I, I keep thinking about
like the Baker who's like not able to say and, and maybe then
like I can picture this person possibly getting up, like, you
know, the nerve and group to say, I haven't asked, but the,
the scream would be a little harder, right?
Like the scream to be like, I did this awesome thing.
(34:52):
And I, and, and I just want to tell you so people, I always
used to say when I was a teacher, like this was a really
big mistake on my part because I, I wanted to be an actress
when I grew up and I was like, and I want people to clap for
me. Yeah, this was.
A bad choice? No, I wanted applause.
Yeah. Oh, it was.
(35:13):
But I don't think I mean simplistically you're like, I
want people to clap, but also you want people to feel
something. People slaps because they feel
something. And now?
100% it was 6th grade it was feeling anything there nothing's
changed though there was a lack of feeling entirely except Get
Me Out of here from all parts. I I that's not my skill set.
(35:33):
They did it. 6th grade isn't my skill set.
But like, but I'm saying like these women, are they starting
to kind of almost. And I don't yeah.
I don't mean they're like Sheldon acolytes although.
No. No.
But do they start to then yeah, alter and start to do it for
each other, Like are you? Oh my gosh, 100%.
I have had people who have met at our so we do this.
(35:54):
This is it Network Live Women's Conference.
Next year will be our fifth yeardoing it.
And we've had people who met sitting at a table, who now work
together and are partners in a business.
We have people who met and then are now on each other's
podcasts, have written their forewords for each other's
books. Like this is the movement and
content is the tool for it, right?
(36:16):
We meet online and offline. We have national events in which
we attend. We have small boutique events in
which we serve our community in a way that is so useful and
authentic because ultimately we all deserve to be seen and
heard. And but we speak as
entrepreneurs, leaders, executives, as ambitious women.
And that means whether or not you're in the boardroom or
(36:38):
whether or not you're in your kitchen, right?
Whether or not you're running your household like a Fortune
500 company or whether or not you're on your third bakery, you
deserve to be amongst people whohear and see you.
And we just want to provide thattime and space and so and to
give you that time and space. So they have just been absolute
and they bring things to the table for us.
Hey, you should be, we should bepart of this particular event or
(37:02):
child. And I, you know, I need a
keynote speaker for this or, youknow, the bakery folks, it's
like, oh, you know, so and so needs more cupcakes for her
event or for her children's part.
And so it becomes this organic where again, the example that
you gave of your husband when itwas like figuring it out.
Men are also equally, I got a guy, right?
They got a guy for everything. My husband has a guy for
(37:22):
everything. Right, right.
And us, we're like, oh, well, you know, I don't know.
Well, let me see. Right.
Like let our be, let us be our own ecosystem where we've got a
gal for everything. Yeah.
Oh, like like that. And you know, you, you did say
I'm on. I'm not going to keep you much
longer. I've got 2 questions.
I'm obsessed, OK. I love it.
(37:44):
You mentioned even like, you know, that future generations,
your daughter or my daughter, they're going to look and be
like those girls in 2025, like we had it together.
What? What are you hoping they get out
of it the next generation? Like what do you hope it models
for them in terms of not just, you know, looking back and be
like they did it? What specifically are there
(38:06):
specifics you're hoping they take out of it?
You know, and you and I talked offline about something about,
you know, our strong daughters recently and what they're
willing to accept versus what wewere willing to accept growing
up in a different time period. What are you hoping like that
next generation then pulls from this and extracts and and
actually right right now this isthe thing that's building.
(38:27):
But in the future, hopefully this is they're evolving from
this. Yes, for me, it's all of the
volumes of a woman, which is something that I've been kind of
needling on, right. And as we're talking about,
there's a lot of, and what I've been thinking about specifically
is that there's a lot of moving parts that are kind of creating
this traditional trad wives versus girl bosses versus really
(38:52):
segmenting women and doing so really intentionally against
each other. Where I would love for our
women, young women and women generations to come to know that
there are different volumes of women.
Kind of like if you're old enough to understand what an
encyclopedia is, right? There was different volumes of
encyclopedias and you can pull off the shelf the volume that is
(39:14):
Sheldon and it is Mom and it is daughter and it is entrepreneur
and it is former athlete. It's all these things.
But you could also pull down a book that is Emily and she was a
stay at home wife and mother andloved it.
And it was baking cookies and making, you know, costumes from
scratch for Halloween. And they are best friends and
(39:36):
the. There's value.
There's value to it and the sourdough bread that Emily
makes. Sheldon comes over and eats
heartily, and Emily is the firstperson in line for her grand
opening. That is what I want, and I don't
want it to be a situation where women are fighting for the
limited space that we have amongst each other.
That we allow each other to be what they want to be.
(39:57):
To give them choices to applaud even when they disagree, or to
choose to do with themselves what they wish and not condemn
others for the choices in which they make if there's no harm
caused. That we can live amongst each
other as a unit because again, hate works as a team and if we
can begin to work as a team, I cannot imagine what this world
(40:18):
will look like. So.
Sheldon, you and I realized you said you were born in in Africa,
but you came to. New Jersey, Very young.
Very young, yeah. Literally New Jersey is where
you came and so as somebody fromSouth Jersey, so we grew up,
FYI, be listening. We, we found out something I
found out we grew up really veryclose to each other.
(40:40):
And so I, I, I'm, we're both very familiar with our local
community. And so, and there's wonderful
people here. We live wonderful community and
I love it. But I don't know.
And honestly, I've lived a lot of places and even that I don't
know a lot of people that have goals this big that are willing
(41:02):
to share them because a lot of times people take big, bold,
audacious goals and they keep quiet because not just the, not
even loud, yeah, we'll keep it. Like, it's so audacious.
It's so outrageous that I'm not even gonna say it.
It's like. Again, it's.
(41:23):
Preposterous, right? But it's like if I were like,
well, actually I've built a space shuttle in my backyard
like it's and you'd be like, what?
And I'm like, cuz I'm going, I'mgoing to space and I just it's
terrifying to think what people,but you are like, you are doing
it. You are, you are doing it and
it's and you're such an inspiration and such a great way
(41:44):
to kick off or to to end this season on a high note.
But what advice would you give to a woman listening who has a
dream just to seed and doesn't even know where to start?
Yeah, it is the company you keep, my darlings.
It is the company you keep. There is danger in, in, in, in
constantly battling with people around you.
(42:08):
I think that there is a danger in sharing your ambition with
people who are not worthy of it.There is a danger in it, right?
There's a danger in constantly. I got an idea and taking it to
people who do not see you and donot hear you.
My mom again, a wise, wise womanwith the quotes all over.
One of the things she always used to tell me is stop going to
(42:30):
the same well, looking for different water.
Stop going to the same person over and over again looking for
the reaction to be different. Stop trying to convince and try
to find people you are amongst like stop like they're.
We all have our own communities.You and I are kindred spirits,
right? We knew it from the moment in
which we connected. And there might be a room where
(42:51):
people are not in favor of my loudness and my lashes and my
lips and my weave and the whole thing like I might be a lot.
That's not my room. And if I keep and, and I can
convince people to come over to my room and I can softly
convince them, but I can't hold my integrity and who it is that
I am and people who do not see me.
And So what I want women to do is find rooms that see them.
(43:12):
And there are rooms that see them if you are on the social
media platforms, if you're on TikTok, if you're there is
crochet talk that is different than knit knitting talk that is
different than puzzle talk that is different than Harry Potter
talk. There is a community within
communities for all of us. And so often we spend so much
time auditioning for people who do not have a part for us that
(43:32):
we lose who we are. And so I encourage people to
find their people. And they may not be the people
that live with them or the people they grew up with.
And that doesn't mean disregard them.
That just means departmentalize them and go find the people that
you can share your ambition with.
That's what I. Think Sheldon, this has been a
great conversation. I am so grateful for your time.
(43:53):
Everybody, everything is going to be in the show notes.
I'll show everything and everywhere and I'm very excited.
I feel like this is this episodeis literally coming out on
December 23rd. So even though it's really close
to the holidays, I feel like it's something that people can
with over the holidays and like,kick off their new year with
some really big dreams. And thank you so much for your
(44:15):
time. Oh my gosh, I'm obsessed with
you. Thank you so much for allowing
me to share space and time with you.
I look forward to working with you more in the future.
Likewise. OK, have a great day everybody.
Thanks. And that's a wrap on today's
conversation and on Season 3 of Roar.
A huge thank you to Sheldon for bringing her fire, her honesty,
(44:35):
and her unstoppable energy. And an even bigger thank you to
you. You.
Every single one of you who listened, shared episodes, sent
messages, and helped make this such a meaningful and powerful
season. This show exists because of you,
and I'm endlessly grateful for the community we're building
together. I also want to thank all the
incredible guests who've joined me this season.
Your stories, your courage, and your generosity help shape every
(44:58):
episode. And to our brilliant editor, you
know who you are. Thank you for making every
conversation sound its best. I really don't think I could do
this without you. We'll be taking a short break,
but Roar will be back with Season 4 in April 2026.
To stay in the loop on announcements, guest reveals,
and a few special things I'm working on during the hiatus,
head to listen to roar.com. That's LISTENTOROA, r.com, and
(45:27):
sign up for the mailing list. It's the best way to stay
connected until we're back on air.
Until then, keep using your voice, keep telling your
stories, and keep roaring. I'll see you in April.
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