The Millie Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Meet Luisa Kahlfeldt, an award-winning product and industrial designer, creative consultant, and co-founder of Sumo, the Berlin-based creative lab behind the award-winning Sumo Baby reusable cloth diaper. This next-generation diaper uses pioneering skin-caring materials that are gentle on babies, and the environment. 

Luisa and her co-founder, Caspar Böhme, launched Sumo in 2019 because they wanted to design status-quo-challenging products that make daily rituals more beautiful. Prior to Sumo, Luisa worked for Barber Osgerby in London and Konstantin Grcic Design in Berlin. She’s also the recipient of the 2018 Foundation USM Design Grant and the 2019 Swiss James Dyson Award. In 2021, her work was awarded the German Sustainability Awardand the Red Dot Design Award. 

Chelsea talks to Luisa about how she became a designer, her decision to leave a prestigious firm and launch her own company, Sumo’s mission, the impact of plastics and disposable diapers on the environment, the importance of elevating ritual over convenience, and so much more. 

Find out more about Sumo creative lab at www.sumodiaper.com, @sumobaby, and their Kickstarter campaign www.kickstarter.com/projects/sumodiaper/sumo.

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In this episode we welcome Paris-based, EstElle Penain, a French author, poet, intentional speaker, well-being practitioner, artist, and Founder and Director of Elliberty, a trainings and events production company based in Paris, France.

For 20 years EstElle has been practicing the spiritual initiations of yoga, art therapy, and meditation. She was called to a deeper exploration of sound meditation and the healing power of quantum and vibrational medicine, including mantras and Sufi matrix sounds. Major events in Estelle’s life influenced her choices, profession, and inner listening. These hardships compelled EstElle to understand her story, listen to the call of her soul, and become the creator of her life.

EstElle’s career is the synthesis of incredible talent and courageous awakening – and then sharing this with others through the performing and healing arts. She leads workshops, performances, and readings and has published fiction, poetry, and memoirs, including ‘Naître fille, devenir femme,’ where she writes about reclaiming her feminine and the discovery that, to make peace with oneself is to make peace with the world.

Millie founder, Chelsea Brown and EstElle discuss how an endometriosis diagnosis changed the course of her life, Estelle’s relationships before spiritual awakening, how our birth story influences our journey, meeting the 13 Mothers, and so much more.

Get ready for a fascinating, illuminating, and heartfelt hour of discovery.

Join EstElle's journey by visiting her online and on Instagram.

Claudia Cusano is the writer and Editor-in-Chief of the award-winning NUVO Magazine. NUVO combines style and purpose, profiling people, fashion, design, travel, architecture and more. Founded by Claudia’s father in 1998, NUVO is a family enterprise. They approach luxury from a place of style and appreciation – not monetary value.

After Claudia graduated from UBC with a degree in sociology, she travelled to Italy, taking time off to figure out her next steps. Her father called and asked her to run his new magazine. She promptly hung up the phone. In 1999, she relented – happily – joining her father, first as a receptionist, working her way up to where she is now: curating and writing evocative, entertaining and informative stories.

Take time for yourself and do what you love – and everything will still get done. That is our biggest takeaway from this beautiful, Tuscan-infused episode. Claudia and her family are currently living the expat life in Italy, their stay extended by Covid. They’ve settled into a routine of course, but Claudia still greets each day with anticipation, always finding something to marvel at in Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance and modern fashion, home to gothic architecture and renowned cuisine – la vera Italia.

Millie founder Chelsea and Claudia discuss some of the finer points of living in Italy (never cook with basil in November!), keeping a magazine alive through Covid, the importance of celebrating and prioritizing craftsmanship and skill, working her way up from receptionist to editor-in-chief of NUVO, and so much more.

Read NUVO Magazine, Canada's authority on all thing's  exceptional and follow along Claudia's Tuscan journey @Claudia.cusano.

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An award-winning social entrepreneur, Jenn Harper is the founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty, a Canadian, Indigenous-owned, cruelty-free cosmetics company. Jenn launched Cheekbone Beauty in 2016 after a series of life-changing events: this included finding sobriety and in 2015, awakening from a dream that inspired her to create a company that would help indigenous youth see themselves in a beauty brand. During Cheekbone’s infancy, Jenn endured a heavy personal loss with the suicide of her brother B.J. This loss, though difficult, has remained a driving force behind Cheekbone Beauty's mission to empower Indigenous youth. Jenn credits Cheekbone Beauty as being part of her healing journey and her route to finding joy, happiness and clarity.

With no previous experience in the beauty space, but a strong background in marketing, Jenn researched the makeup landscape while also looking for charities to collaborate with to further Cheekbone’s mission. Cheekbone now donates 10% of its profits to Shannen’s Dream, a Canadian youth-driven movement advocating for equitable education funding for First Nations children.

In this episode, Chelsea and Jenn talk about what Cheekbone Beauty is doing to help close the educational funding gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, Canada's residential school system and the generational trauma it produced, how her sobriety, and the loss of her brother, continues to fuel her mission, Jenn’s experience on Dragon's Den, and so much more. In addition to Cheekbone’s mission, Jenn strives to educate as many people as possible about the residential school system and its effects. She speaks regularly to students about social entrepreneurship, empathy and the history of her First Nations family. She has also been invited to speak to various entrepreneur groups, women in business associations, Apple Canada and First Nations organizations.

Jenn has been making a name for herself in the beauty industry, gaining further recognition after appearing on the hit CBC show, Dragons Den. And in 2019, Chatelaine Magazine named Jenn as one of their ‘Women of the Year’.

Purchase Cheekbone products and learn more about Cheekbone Beauty @cheekbonebeauty, Cheekbonebeauty.com. Follow along Jenn's journey @cheekbonewarrior.

Learn more about First Nations Child & Family Caring Society and Shannen's Dream.

Maria Ergül is the Founder of Vägra Väggen, a non-profit in Sweden that helps people manage stress and recognize fatigue to help avoid burnout. Vägra Väggen raises money for research; creates social impact; works to remove the stigma associated with fatigue; and distributes grants to provide opportunities for recovery. In 2019, Maria received the Everyday Hero Award for raising awareness of mental health issues in Sweden.

From athletics to her career, Maria has always been a high-level performer – successful, driven and recognized for her accomplishments. The catalyst for Vägra Väggen was Maria’s own experience with a high-stress job that ultimately led to her burnout. Working 70-hour weeks, overseeing 400 employees, and operating at an intense level – something had to give. When she resigned from her job, she looked for support and assistance, but was unable to find an organization to help her recover from fatigue and manage stress. The idea for Vägra Väggen was born.

Chelsea and Maria talk about what led to her burnout, her recovery, and how she now manages and transforms stress. Maria shares with us the importance of listening to our bodies, working smarter, and separating work life from personal life during lockdown.

Maria is also an independent HR consultant, winning HR Profile of the Year in 2018. And this April, Maria’s first book will be released. In it, she provides concrete tools and methods to avoid burnout.

Follow along Maria's journey @mariaergul, @Vagravaggen. 

You do not have to go through burnout alone. If you are suffering from burnout, stress or fatigue, would like to gain access to tools and resources, or to purchase Maria's book launching in April, 20201, please visit Vagravaggen.se, @Vagravaggen.

More than a podcast, join our community! @themilliecommunity, Millie.ca.

Karina V is a celebrity trainer, working with actress Jessica Chastain and others, a nutritionist, yogi, and wellness warrior who is on a mission to help busy people find a balanced approach to health. Listen to Karina’s journey from stressed out paralegal, to yogi,  founding trainer at Barry’s, co-founder of Fit Escapes, and co-founder of the Nourish & Shine Collective.

Through her own health and fitness journey, Karina started to see how mindset around food, exercise and mindfulness can affect anxiety and self-image. So, she started to adopt a more conscientious and compassionate approach to exercise, nutrition and mindfulness, and it became her mission to share it with others.

Watching her clients struggle physically, mentally, and emotionally to fit themselves into a single definition of a healthy lifestyle, Karina was driven to find new, energizing and achievable ways to integrate a balanced approach for people on the move.

Chelsea and Karina talk about this balanced approach to fitness and life, sustainable nutrition and exercise, Karina’s journey to becoming an in-demand fitness trainer, and the importance of removing the idea of perfection when working on our fitness, nutrition and mindfulness goals.

A woman who believes in the importance of consistency, accountability and confidence AND creating our own definition of OK - Karina energizes and creates a feeling of ease, all at the same time. 

Get Karina's customized meal plan, register for Karina's programs and follow her  journey, @karinaveee, KarinaV.com.

More than a podcast, join our community! @themilliecommunity, millie.ca/pages/podcast.

We are excited to celebrate International Women's Day with you and #ChooseToChallenge menstrual stigma, inequality, and stereotyping! Florence Akara is a feminist, menstrual health rights advocate, women’s rights activist and Managing Director of Femme International, an NGO in East Africa that is helping to break the barriers and stigma people face as a result of menstruation.

Florence grew up in Kenya, in a family with three sisters and a much younger brother. The girls weren’t limited by traditional roles, helping with yard work and changing tires and blown fuses, brought up to believe they could do anything boys could do. Florence's experience in the wider world as a young woman opened her eyes to societal expectations and limitations based on gender. It motivated her to work harder, outperform, and achieve more.

Florence graduated from the University of Botswana with a degree in law, working in corporate law, and later assisting with advocacy campaigns for Chapter One Kenya. But Florence felt a pull towards a career that brought her more fulfilment and meaning. When Florence was first introduced to Femme International, she knew that the empowerment of women and girls was the answer. Florence left Kenya for Tanzania, joining Femme in 2018, first as a regional director and then as managing director.

Chelsea talks with Florence about her journey to activism and Femme International, how her childhood mobilized and prepared her to challenge gender stereotypes, her work with Femme, the economic burden of menstruation, using menstrual positive language and so much more!

Follow along Florence's journey at @menstrualogically_flow. 

Learn more about Femme International @femmeinternational, femmeinternational.org. 

Get involved with Femme International's Twaweza Program, which means "we can" in Swahili and their Twende Initiative, which means "lets go" in Swahili.

Make a monetary donation to Femme International. 

More than a podcast, join our community! @themilliecommunity, Millie.ca.

Mira Awad is a singer, songwriter, actress and artivista (activist through art). Born in Rameh village in the Galilee to a Palestinian father and Bulgarian mother, Mira learned how to walk the tightrope of identities from a young age: first, as girl in a male-dominated world, and then, as an Arab in Israel. Her words, music, and activism reflect this, and tell a powerful story of challenging stereotypes and public judgment, learning to embrace the fullness and entirety of her true self. 

Chelsea talks with Mira about growing up in a politically involved family with strong humanitarian values, finding her ‘artivist’ voice at an early age, her experience competing in the Eurovision song contest, and ‘taking the leap of faith towards yourself’. 

Currently based in Tel-Aviv, Mira has released two solo albums and collaborated with international artists Noa, Idan Raichel, Andrea Boccelli, Bobby Mc'Ferrin and more. She has performed in a number of acclaimed theatre productions and teaches stage performance for singers, actors and public speakers. Mira also gives talks and workshops, including the inspiring ‘Bahlawan’ (which means Acrobat in Arabic) TEDx talk. She is a relentless peace activist, and uses her art to advocate for human solidarity and empathy across cultures. 

Follow along Mira's journey at @miraawadofficial. Listen to Mira's music, watch Mira's television series, Muna and shop Mitra by Mira at Mitrabymira.com.

More than a podcast, join our community! @themilliecommunity, Millie.ca.

Zolaykha Sherzad is the founder and creative director at Zarif Design. Zolay has been featured in Vogue Italia and The New York Times, and her work exhibited at the MoMu fashion museum in Antwerp, Belgium. Her company, Zarif Design, is an Afghan fashion brand based in New York, Paris and Kabul whose mission is to economically and socially empower Afghan artisans, revive tradition, and shape the future. Zarif builds bridges locally and internationally and builds peace through connection and creativity.

When Zolay was 11, her family fled Afghanistan, eventually moving to Switzerland after they were also forced to leave Iran. Zolay took refuge in her studies, graduating from the School of Architecture at Lausanne, practicing in Switzerland, Japan, and New York City. But her thoughts, her heart, always returned to Afghanistan. Zolay transitioned to fashion, determined to build bridges between the East and West and open people’s eyes up to the beauty of Afghanistan and its people, which has been overshadowed by media stories of an embattled, war-torn country.

Chelsea talks with Zolay about her journey to Zarif, how hope lifted her up, and how ‘hardship becomes the very thing that empowers us, and fear the enemy that keeps us behind’.

Learn more about Zarif Design or purchase a handmade piece from the Zarif collection at @zarifdesign, Zarifdesign.com.

More than a podcast, join our community, @Themilliecommunity, Millie.ca.

After the events of this past year, we collectively understand the importance of resilience, determination and focusing on what matters. Ready to rebuild and rebound, embracing a spirit of hope and optimism for the new year? Then join us as we kick off the very first episode of 2021 with Dubai-based Aya Sadder, founder and CEO of Bolt, an event management company that supports startups. 

Aya is breaking down barriers for women in tech and creating solutions for future visionaries, all while leading with kindness and eternal curiosity. Aya’s passion and excitement for the future, and her insight into visionary leadership, innovation, and progressive thinking is exactly what we need to propel us forward and motivate us in 2021.

In this episode, Chelsea and Aya talk about the key characteristics of visionary leaders, how entrepreneurship can positively impact the world, the importance of female leaders in tech and beyond, how Aya became involved in STEM, the startup community in Dubai, and so much more. 

Believing in the power of startups and entrepreneurs to change the world for the better, Aya has helped bring companies to life. An active member of the startup community in the UAE and a certified public speaker, Aya has delivered TEDx talks in Rome and Dubai, covering topics like Society 5.0 and the role of startups in the experience economy.

Follow along Aya's journey at @ayasadder. Join one of Bolt's upcoming experiential hackathons, workshops or programmes @whybolt, whybolt.com.

More than a podcast, join our community! @themilliecommunity, Millie.ca.