Josh Woodward from the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services explains how ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) accounts allow people with disabilities to save money without losing crucial public benefits like SSI and Medicaid. These revolutionary accounts provide financial freedom for individuals who have previously been restricted…

Former band director David Willson shares the transformative teaching philosophy that changed countless lives over a long career, including 32 years at Ole Miss. From humble beginnings in Jackson, Mississippi, Willson's journey reveals how music education became his pathway out of poverty and into a life of purpose. He was our host, Dawn Beam's ban…

Reverend Eddie Spencer shares his powerful journey from childhood poverty to ministry, including his recent battle with cancer and sepsis that brought him near death yet deepened his faith and peace in Christ. • God has a plan to use each of us uniquely—your testimony, whatever it includes, can impact someone who needs exactly your perspective • Ed…

Eddie Spencer's life story reads like a modern parable of redemption. From a childhood marked by humiliation and poverty to a young adulthood filled with violent crime, Spencer's trajectory seemed fixed. But what happens when divine intervention meets a willing heart? The turning point came in first grade when classmates mocked him for wearing seco…

What does it look like when faith moves beyond Sunday services to transform an entire community? Amy Lancaster of We Will Go Ministries shares a powerful story of answering God's unexpected call to serve not overseas, but in downtown Jackson—their "Jerusalem." The journey began when Amy and her husband David sold their home and prepared for interna…

What happens when government agencies, churches, and community members break down silos and work together? Lives transform, families reunite, and hope takes root in even the most challenging circumstances. Dawn Beam and Cindy Cheeks dive deep into the science of hope and its practical application in Mississippi's child welfare system. With startlin…

Reverend Martha Cherry's life reads like a journey through America's most pivotal moments of the last century. From witnessing the bombing of Birmingham's 16th Street Baptist Church where her friend Carol Robertson died, to studying under Dr. King's sister at Spelman College when he received the Nobel Peace Prize, Cherry's path has intersected with…

Dawn Beam welcomes Elder Scottie Tyrone for a heartfelt conversation about building hope through faith, community service, and crossing racial divides in Mississippi. Their profound discussion explores how genuine connections and spiritual transformation can bring healing to individuals and communities facing significant challenges. • Lincoln Park …

Nestled on 42 acres in Purvis, Mississippi, Homes of Hope stands as a beacon of possibility for vulnerable children across the state. In this deeply moving conversation, Executive Director Dr. Scott Hanberry reveals how this unique residential ministry is transforming lives by providing much more than shelter – they're cultivating genuine hope. Unl…

Dwight Owens shares a powerful message of hope and resilience, drawing from personal experiences of trauma and loss, while emphasizing the importance of collaboration in building a brighter future for Mississippi. The episode discusses overcoming adversity, the impact of education, the struggles faced by the disability community, and the transforma…

HOPE MISSISSIPPI is a bimonthly podcast educating Mississippians about the needs of fellow citizens, encouraging residents to work together to change the trajectory of our families and children, and sharing success stories. Dawn and Stephen Beam are successful professionals (now retired) seeking to improve conditions in their beloved Mississippi. W…

Dawn and Stephen Beam are successful professionals (now retired) seeking to improve conditions in their beloved Mississippi. What started many years ago with the "WHAT IF" meetings evolved into an ambitious non-profit and now an uplifting "feel good" podcast. After decades of church-sponsored missions to Central America, the Beams were inspired to …

Katie is the founder of Hosanna Revival - a faith based paper goods company that she started out of her college dorm room in 2015. What started as a creative outlet hand-painting Bibles, is now a thriving company with several employees, product lines and has had a huge impact on the industry as a whole. www.hosannarevival.com Music: Thirty Two by U…

Neighbors: a series of stories during the COVID-19 health crisis and how it is shaking and building our community. Today, I sat down with Janessa Brindza, owner of Crossfit Wilsonville along with her husband, Will Brindza. I’ve been a member for more than 3 years now. It’s a place of healing and deep community for many people. The decision to close…

In 2009, Jamie Danek and Michelle Mitchell started brewing Kombucha on their kitchen counter in Bend, Oregon… 10 years later, Humm drinks are available in all 50 states – and internationally. Chances are you’ve seen the Humm brand at your local grocery store, restaurant or even on tap. You may be wondering ‘what Kombucha is exactly?’… In simple ter…

Matt Lombardi and Kevin Moran are no strangers to the sport and fitness industry. They both played professional sports, Matt pitching for the Chicago White Sox and Kevin as a center forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins. As you can imagine, they followed a rigorous training schedule for many years. As a result, they looked for natural supplements tha…

Adam Simone is the co-founder of Leaf Shave, an online, direct-to-consumer brand that designs & sells modern, beautiful, sustainable shaving razors for men and women. Adam spent the first decade of his career commercializing medical surgical robotics, until his (now cofounder) Adam Hahn approached him at his desk one day and proposed an idea that w…

Candace Molatore is a Self-Love Advocate, Branding Consultant and Photographer based in Portland, OR. With a passion for building community, Candace uses her photography and writing skills to broadcast the message of self confidence body positivity and inclusivity online. She shares her interests, inspiration, tips and everyday life with her audien…

Joanna Waterfall is the Founder of Yellow Co., an organization that exists to empower creative women to become agents of good. With a degree in graphic design and digital media and a background in branding, Joanna believes that creativity, business, and social impact should go hand in hand. She and her work have been featured in publications such a…

On Today’s bonus episode I talked to Noah Shultz, whose story has taken him to the TedX stage, the center of a documentary, and most recently a national speaking tour. His journey as an entrepreneur isn’t like most. Noah co-founded ‘Forgotten Culture Clothing’, designing unique streetwear piece, channeling the novelty of brands like Supreme. Most o…

Growing up Caroline wanted to be Wonder Woman. She may not be able to fly, but has the magic touch when it comes to bringing ideas to life. As a venture catalyst, she helps people get their ideas off the ground by providing the mentors, resources and opportunities that money can’t. Plus, if you’ve ever felt like you didn’t fit in, so did she! Follo…

Su is the president of DHM research, leading teams in Portland, Seattle and Washington DC. She is at the head of providing information that affects taxes, voting, education reform, city planning, all the way to organization research at companies like Nike and Microsoft. But aside from all this, Su sits on several boards and is an investor in local …

Tyrone identified a multi million-dollar problem while living in a homeless shelter. NoAppFee eliminates all housing applications with the single click of a button. Within two years Tyrone has become one of Oregon’s most promising entrepreneurs with investors lined up to back him. OneAppOregon launches December 2017. www.oneapporegon.com // Follow …

After building brands like Oliver Peoples, Juicy Couture, Ella Moss and many more, Kateigh Williams started a company she never foresaw. As the co-founder of Heritage Laboratories, Kateigh is creating the next level of skincare supplements - and not the kind you can get at the store… Or anywhere really. But there’s a twist. Heritage isn’t launching…

Building a skincare empire… Tatcha is a luxury skincare brand drawing on the ancient practices of Geishas and Japanese culture. At the helm is Victoria Tsai, equipped with a Harvard education, careers on Wall Street, Procter & Gamble, Starbucks and more. Tatcha has been featured in INC’s 5,000 fastest growing companies in america, landing At #21. F…

As the CEO of Extreme Arts and Sciences, Randy helps companies like Amazon, Adobe, and Microsoft strategize and develop winning teams. He’s also published two books ('Evolutionaries' and 'Slammed'), and travels the world as a speaker. In this interview, we talk about trying different careers, why his business still feels like a startup, losing a de…

Molly Graves is the co-founder of Neat Method, a full service luxury residential organizing business launched in 2011. They have clients like Kate Hudson and are featured in Oprah Magazine, Vogue, Forbes, Buzzfeed, and the NY Times. In just a few short years, they have grown into a multi-city business. But it all started with a knack for organizing…

You've probably seen Chinae on your explore page, or in the latest Adidas campaign. She's a social media entrepreneur, health and fitness advocate, and has been featured in publications like Women's Health, Well and Good, Refinery29 and is now a global Adidas ambassador. As if all that wasn't enough, she also started a successful event planning and…

I met Brittany when I attended her ‘Social Media Marketing’ workshop and learned so much I HAD to bring her on here to share her story. She is the 26 y/o founder of Arreis PR + Marketing and Laptops & Smalltalk, a growing community and resource for emerging fashion designers, and has been featured in Portland Business Journal and Portland monthly. …

Krista is the 21 year old founder of 'Live Salted', a blog/conference/brand that helps college and millennial women discover their God-given calling and use their passions to mold culture and affect the world. Find out why Krista started Salt, the struggles of partying and college life, finding the right people to work with, and running a business …

Katie is a best-selling author, blogger, mentor, wellness enthusiast, and host of the podcast ‘Let it Out with Katie Dalebout’. Her work has been featured in Women’s Health, Huffington Post, and Glamour (just to name a few). Today, she shares how pursuing her interests lead to a book deal, why you should form multiple streams of income, and the imp…

This is one of my favorite episode to date… I interviewed 3 high schoolers (Siobhan, Josh and Maria) from Young Entrepreneur Business Week - a camp that is put on each summer to help young adults learn the language of business, how to start their own company, and bond with fellow students and mentors. Being a company advisor to a group of 8 reminde…

Kolby is like a dating doctor, but for people who want a loving relationship with their career. He's a former IT employee who found his niche within the professional development industry, helping people inject individuality into resumes, navigate daunting interviews, network like a boss, but most importantly... find their dream job. Whether that is…

'Jazzy' is a wildly successful health and fitness expert, social media sensation and creator of 'Jazzy Cookies' - a gluten free, egg free, vegan cookie line that is now being sold nationwide. We talk about everything from her HR career at Nestle, to starting her social media & using it as a platform to launch a business. Jazzy shares her experience…

Yep, you read that right. I'm having my awesome friend Achmat put ME in the hot seat to find out more about Rhipped Label, the podcast, why I started a business, the vision for my brand, being a 'cool' feminist, and why going to college isn't enough.By Dawn Myers

"Jewelry should have deeper meaning than just being trendy - it should tell a story." Taylor is the 23 year old founder of Jade Fir Co. - a handmade jewelry company in Portland, Oregon. It all began with the discovery of her old gem collection - now she's a trained silversmith and refreshingly honest businesswomen. We talk about how she started Jad…

Christina is the founder and designer of CEA Bikinis - selling thousands of handmade swimsuits to women all over the world. What she thought was a hobby of designing, doodling and surfing, turned into a full time gig where she now is 100% self employed - AND she only recently graduated college! Her items sell out in MINUTES and she has a cult follo…