Structure and Soul Podcast

What happens when a former Chief Diversity Officer, diplomat, and international equity strategist decides to bet on herself? You get Zakiya Carr founder of Odara Solutions and the Black Women Disrupt Initiative and one of the most honest conversations we've had on Structure and Soul about reinvention, identity, and what it really costs to step out from behind the scenes. We met at the Every Kid Thrives Festival at the Obama Presidential Center two women from the DC area, in the same room, in the same season of rebuilding. This one felt personal. What We Cover: How Zakiya went from advising governments and international agencies to building her own firm from scratch and what nobody tells you about that transition Why Black Women Disrupt exists and what it means to build a community when your own peers won't share their resources What it felt like to pause Odara Solutions and return to it with fresh eyes in 2025 The identity crisis that hits when the title disappears and how she found her way back to herself Why she refuses to change her name and what that choice says about how we show up in a world that keeps asking us to shrink The filmmaker, the diplomat, the strategist why being multifaceted is a strength, not a distraction How Shanel and Zakiya both stopped separating their community work from their professional identity and what opened up when they did Key Takeaways: Disruption for the sake of disruption isn't the goal disruption with intention changes communities Building in isolation is a choice. Black Women Disrupt exists because women deserve a table that shares, not guards, the blueprint You don't have to change who you are to fit the room. Sometimes you just help people understand what your name means The skills you use in your nonprofit, your church, your community those count. Stop moving in silos within your own life Sometimes you put something down so it can grow. That's not failure. That's strategy. Connect with Zakiya Carr: Odara Solutions Black Women Disrupt Initiative About the Host: Shanel Evans is a business strategist and coach who helps entrepreneurs shatter revenue ceilings and attract their dream clients through client attraction and social media strategies. Known for her "red pen" moments, Shanel offers feedback that helps entrepreneurs course-correct while staying true to their goals, delivered with love. Where to Find Us: Host Website: www.shanelevans.com Apply to be a Guest: www.structureandsoulpodcast.com LinkedIn: Shanel Evans Subscribe & Leave a Review: Dont miss an episode! Subscribe to Structure and Soul on The Alive Podcast Network and everywhere podcasts are streamed.

SHOW NOTES Episode Description What happens when a true introvert from Queens becomes one of the most recognizable voices in content creation and AI strategy? You get Nikki Saunders content strategist, community builder, and the secret sauce behind some of the most powerful personal brands you follow. In this episode, Shanel and Nikki talk about staying visible without burning out, using AI as infrastructure (not a shortcut), and why your consistency is your greatest competitive advantage no matter the follower count. What We Cover: How Nicky balances being a true introvert with massive, consistent visibility The "human filter" why AI amplifies your voice but can't replace it Why she stopped chasing expertise and started sharing what she was learning The moment a stranger at a conference told her, "Because of you, I have a business" and how that changed everything Getting invited to Google, partnering with OpenAI, and hitting the BET stage all from posting consistently about what she loves Her framework for building with AI without subscription overload or burnout Lion's Behavior: the community she built for introverts and ambivert creators who want to grow without the overwhelm Why visibility for Black and Brown entrepreneurs isn't just strategy it's advocacy Key Takeaways: "It's not about being the smartest it's about being the most resourceful." The best question you can ask AI: "What am I not seeing?" Consistency + authenticity > viral moments Document everything. Your SOPs are your scale strategy. You don't have to conform to get into the room. The right rooms will find you. Connect with Nikki Saunders: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisnickys/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thisisnickys Lion's Behavior Community: https://app.heartbeat.chat/lionsbehavior/invitation?code=9J6346#landing-page Mentioned in this episode: Lion's Behavior lock-ins (Austin in June, Puerto Rico end of year) Claude, ChatGPT, Opus Clip Notion as an AI-powered documentation system Shanel Evans is a Strategic Visibility Advisor, TEDx Speaker, and founder of Socially Savvy Consulting. She helps entrepreneurs, corporations, and organizations turn their expertise into authority with AI-powered strategy, messaging that converts, and visibility that actually moves the needle. Structure and Soul is where vision meets execution. Follow her here: https://www.instagram.com/theshanelevans/ Rate, review, and subscribe so you don't miss an episode of Structure and Soul.

In this episode of Structure & Soul, host Shanel Evans sits down with entrepreneur and community builder Deana Jean, widely known as the Collab Queen. Together they explore the real power behind collaboration in businesswhy the strongest opportunities come from relationships, not competition. Shanel and Deana take listeners behind the scenes of entrepreneurship, discussing reinvention, strategic visibility, and how intentional collaboration can accelerate growth, partnerships, and long-term business success. From the early days of meeting on Clubhouse to building powerful in-person communities today, this conversation dives into how entrepreneurs can shift from chasing attention to creating rooms people want to be part of. Key Topics in This Episode The Power of Collaboration Over Competition Deana shares how collaboration creates an abundance mindset in entrepreneurship. Instead of focusing on what you lack, collaboration allows you to build meaningful partnerships with people whose strengths complement your own. deana-shanel Reinvention in Entrepreneurship Season three of Structure & Soul explores reinvention, and Deana discusses her own shift from being the center of attention to building environments and communities others want to join. deana-shanel Building Systems That Support Your Vision To scale her work, Deana explains why she invested in operational support so she could focus on the visionary side of her businessdesigning experiences, making connections, and driving the bigger strategy. The Real Value of In-Person Events Despite being an introvert, Deana believes in the unmatched power of in-person experiences to accelerate trust and relationships. Being physically present in the right rooms allows entrepreneurs to build deeper connections and create meaningful collaborations. The Collaboration Ecosystem Deana describes the three key roles that drive business growth: Champions People who refer and advocate for you Collaborators Strategic partners who build opportunities with you Clients The people who invest in your work Building relationships across all three is critical for sustainable growth. How to Choose the Right Rooms Not every event is worth attending. Deana shares the two questions she asks before saying yes to an event: What value can I add to the room? What value can I receive from being there? This strategic approach helps entrepreneurs build long-term ROI through partnerships and relationships. Collaboration keeps you in an abundance mindset. Instead of focusing on what you lack, you connect with people who bring the strengths you need. About Deana Jean Deana Jean, known as the Collab Queen, is an entrepreneur and community builder dedicated to helping leaders grow through strategic collaboration. She leads the Success Tribe Network and works with enterprise organizations on collaboration strategies that strengthen teams, partnerships, and sales. Through curated events, summits, retreats, and leadership gatherings, Deana brings together powerful women in entrepreneurship, business, and nonprofit leadership to build meaningful partnerships and opportunities. Connect with Deana Jean Follow Deana and learn more about her work: LinkedIn: Deana Jean Facebook: Deana Jean Nickname online: The Collab Queen Stay connected for updates on upcoming Connect & Collab Summits, retreats, and curated leadership gatherings. About the Host: Shanel Evans is a business strategist and coach who helps entrepreneurs shatter revenue ceilings and attract their dream clients through client attraction and social media strategies. Known for her "red pen" moments, Shanel offers feedback that helps entrepreneurs course-correct while staying true to their goals, delivered with love. Where to Find Us: Host Website: www.shanelevans.com Apply to be a Guest: www.structureandsoulpodcast.com LinkedIn: Shanel Evans Listen & Subscribe If you enjoyed this episode of Structure & Soul, be sure to: Rate Review Subscribe Season three is all about reinvention, visibility, and building businesses with both strategy and soul.

Reinvention doesnt start with clarity.It starts with discomfort. In this episode of Structure & Soul, I sit down with Apryl Beverly million-dollar word stylist turned AI software founder for one of the most honest conversations of the season. We talk about what happens after the big launch.What happens when your identity outgrows the thing that made you successful.And what it really costs emotionally, spiritually, and strategically to reinvent yourself in public. This isnt a conversation about trends. Its about grief, faith, leadership, and choosing alignment over familiarity. About the Guest Apryl Beverly is a copywriting legend turned tech founder and the creator of AI PRO, a culturally intelligent sales and marketing AI platform built from her billion-dollar copywriting portfolio. After spending decades helping brands drive conversions through powerful storytelling, Apryl made the bold decision to pivot building her own AI software when she realized her voice and style were being replicated by other tools. Today, shes a self-funded Black woman tech founder, AI consultant, and educator committed to ensuring our communities arent left behind in the AI revolution. What We Covered in This Conversation In this episode, we explore: The exact moment Apryl realized she needed to reinvent and why it scared her What it feels like to grieve a business, an identity, and a former version of yourself Why trying to straddle the old and the new nearly stalled her momentum How faith, timing, and clarity played a role in shutting down WordStylis The emotional cost of reinvention not just the financial one What it means to build AI as an extension of your voice, not a replacement Why niching AI to sales and marketing is a strategic (not limiting) decision How rest, boundaries, and family now fit into her building season Teaching AI literacy and ethics to youth and why it matters now The danger of discouraging AI adoption in communities that cant afford to fall behind Memorable Moments I launched the software and then I started grieving the business. I was the block. I couldnt decide which version of me I wanted to be. Reinvention isnt just about money its about having the clarity, resources, and business acumen to execute. Once I shut it down, I felt relief. I felt clarity. It was go time. AI shouldnt replace your voice it should extend it. Connect with Apryl Explore Apryls work and AI platform: AI PRO: https://chatwithaipro.ai Instagram: @APRYL.ai Facebook: Apryl Beverly Listen, Share & Subscribe If this conversation resonated with you: Subscribe to Structure & Soul Share this episode with someone navigating a pivot Leave a review so more leaders find conversations like this About the Host: Shanel Evans is a business strategist and coach who helps entrepreneurs shatter revenue ceilings and attract their dream clients through client attraction and social media strategies. Known for her "red pen" moments, Shanel offers feedback that helps entrepreneurs course-correct while staying true to their goals, delivered with love. Where to Find Us: Host Website: www.meetwithshanel.com Apply to be a Guest: www.structureandsoulpodcast.com LinkedIn: Shanel Evans

The Reinvention Economy: Why Black Women Are Leaving Work & Reshaping America Guest: Katica Roy Award-Winning Gender Economist, CEO of Pipeline Equity, NYT Front Page Researcher, MSNBC/CNN Contributor Season 3 kicks off with a seismic conversation. Shanel sits down with award-winning gender economist Katica Roy to unpack one of the most misunderstood economic shifts of our time: why 300,000 (and counting) Black women have left the workforce and why this is not an individual story, but a national economic alarm. Katica breaks down the data behind forced labor exits, entrepreneurship born from necessity, and how AI + corporate systems are reproducing inequity at scale. She also offers a blueprint for how women especially Black women can build their personal economy beyond the headlines. This episode is facts + fire + liberation. A must-listen for entrepreneurs, leaders, and anyone who cares about the future of work. In This Episode We Cover: What a gender economist actually does and why it matters now more than ever The economic impact of 300,000 Black women pushed out of the labor force Why entrepreneurship for Black women is often not luxury but survival The rise of the reinvention era and what 2025 signals economically How inequity shows up in performance reviews, promotions, AI skilling, and procurement Why economic opportunity is not charity its a growth strategy The trillion-dollar impact of achieving gender equity How women can build their personal economy during economic instability The power of collective visibility and storytelling KEY STATS MENTIONED (You'll LOVE these) 300,000 Black women were pushed out of the labor force (Roys research) Those exits cost the U.S. $37 billion in lost GDP During the same period: Black women lost 319,000 jobs White men gained 365,000 jobs Black women head 52% of households with children under 18 AI threatens to automate 25% of the roles Black women hold Black women make up 6% of the labor force but only 0.4% of Fortune 500 CEOs Gender equity could add $3.1 trillion to the U.S. economy Using AI, companies could reach workforce equity in 10 years, not 135 RESOURCES MENTIONED Shanel Evans on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shanelevans/ Shanel in Essence Katica Roy on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katicaroy Katicas articles (New York Times, MS NOW, Fortune) If you were nodding your head, sharing this episode with your group chat, or texting YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS, go ahead and rate, review, and subscribe so Season 3 reaches the women who need this data the most.