Follow The Leader

From a young age, Beverly E. Smith has been a trailblazer. Integrating her grade school to now the national President and CEO of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. - one of the nation’s largest minority female-owned and operated public service non-profits - Smith has spent lifetime breaking boundaries and opening up education and the economy to others.She's been named 2020 Georgia Outstanding Individual by Georgia General Assembly and a “History Maker” by The HistoryMakers, a national African American historical registry which is housed in the United States Library of Congress. Smith is also the Senior Vice-President and co-owner of the management consulting firm The HR Group, spent 18 years in leadership positions with AT&T, and has working college administration, teaching, and GED testing.Learn more about Beverly E. Smith and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. at deltasigmatheta.org/national-president.phpLearn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLea

Andrea Wise-Brown is a Mental-Health Expert. She believes in order to be a leader, you must think like one and that includes taking care of your mental health. Andrea talks with us about breaking cycles, overcoming barriers and facing challenges in order to live the life you desire. Learn more about Andrea: https://www.awisebrown.com/Learn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLeaderPodOutro music: "Everyday Sunshine" by anelehDavis, Davis and Harmon, LLC:http://ddhtax.comSales Tax Experts2711 LBJ FWY #770Dallas, TX 75234Phone: (972) 488-5000

Haith Johnson is the President and CEO of Le'Host Hair and Wigs. Her company prides itself on integrity and high standards of service specializing in custom-made and luxury hair. Haith shares her story starting from nothing to now having a multi-million dollar beauty business! "I never wanted to be just the average hairdresser... It's been a journey!" - Haith JohnsonLearn more about Haith at: lehosthair.comLearn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLeaderPodOutro music: "Everyday Sunshine" by anelehDavis Davis and Harmon LLC - Sales Tax Experts:http://ddhtax.com2711 LBJ FWY #770Dallas, TX 75234Phone: (972) 488-5000

ulie Smolyansky became the youngest female CEO of a publicly held firm when she took over Lifeway Foods at the age of 27 in 2002. Julie is Ukrainian- American and she shares her refugee story and how she is now living the American Dream. Her story is inspiring! Learn more about Julie at: https://lifewaykefir.com/leadership/Learn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLeaderPodOutro music: "Everyday Sunshine" by anelehDavis Davis and Harmon LLC:http://ddhtax.comSales Tax Experts2100 LBJ FWY #770Dallas, TX 75234Phone: (972) 488-5000

Phala Mire is the President and CEO at WBEC South Team. She talks to us about the power of women helping women succeed. Women's Business Enterprise Council South Team makes it their mission to advance and enhance business opportunities between corporations and women owned businesses through a reputable certification program, education and professional growth opportunities. Learn more about Phala Mire at wbecsouth.org. Learn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLeaderPodOutro music: "Everyday Sunshine" by anelehDavis Davis and Harmon LLC:http://ddhtax.comSales Tax Experts2711 LBJ FWY #770Dallas, TX 75234Phone: (972) 488-5000Fax: (972) 488-5001

Andrea Wise-Brown is a Mental-Health Expert. She believes in order to be a leader, you must think like one and that includes taking care of your mental health. Andrea talks with us about breaking cycles, overcoming barriers and facing challenges in order to live the life you desire. Learn more about Andrea: https://www.awisebrown.com/Learn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLeaderPodOutro music: "Everyday Sunshine" by anelehDavis, Davis and Harmon, LLC:http://ddhtax.comSales Tax Experts2100 Valley View Lane #330Dallas, TX 75234Phone: (972) 488-5000Fax: (972) 488-5001

Julie Smolyansky became the youngest female CEO of a publicly held firm when she took over Lifeway Foods at the age of 27 in 2002. Julie is Ukrainian- American and she shares her refugee story and how she is now living the American Dream. Her story is inspiring! Learn more about Julie at: https://lifewaykefir.com/leadership/Learn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLeaderPodOutro music: "Everyday Sunshine" by anelehDavis, Davis and Harmon, LLC:http://ddhtax.comSales Tax Experts2100 Valley View Lane #330Dallas, TX 75234Phone: (972) 488-5000Fax: (972) 488-5001

Haith Johnson is the President and CEO of Le'Host Hair and Wigs. Her company prides itself on integrity and high standards of service specializing in custom-made and luxury hair. Haith shares her story starting from nothing to now having a multi-million dollar beauty business! "I never wanted to be just the average hairdresser... It's been a journey!" - Haith JohnsonLearn more about Haith at: lehosthair.comLearn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLeaderPodOutro music: "Everyday Sunshine" by anelehDavis, Davis and Harmon, LLC:http://ddhtax.comSales Tax Experts2100 Valley View Lane #330Dallas, TX 75234Phone: (972) 488-5000Fax: (972) 488-5001

Julia Pimsleur is scaling coach, author, speaker and founder of Million Dollar Women. Julia loves helping women get and keep the big winning mindset going! She speaks on entrepreneurship, mindset and building mental resilience. "To go big, you need to get three things right, you need to have the right mindset, the right skillset, and the right network." - Julia PimsleurLearn more about Julia at: juliapimsleur.comLearn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLeaderPodOutro music: "Everyday Sunshine" by anelehDavis, Davis and Harmon, LLC:http://ddhtax.comSales Tax Experts2100 Valley View Lane #330Dallas, TX 75234Phone: (972) 488-5000Fax: (972) 488-5001

Phala Mire is the President and CEO at WBEC South Team. She talks to us about the power of women helping women succeed. Women's Business Enterprise Council South Team makes it their mission to advance and enhance business opportunities between corporations and women owned businesses through a reputable certification program, education and professional growth opportunities. Learn more about Phala Mire at wbecsouth.org. Learn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLeaderPodOutro music: "Everyday Sunshine" by anelehDavis, Davis and Harmon, LLC:http://ddhtax.comSales Tax Experts2100 Valley View Lane #330Dallas, TX 75234Phone: (972) 488-5000Fax: (972) 488-5001

Gina Charbonnet, is a true leader in the Arts industry. She takes us through the changes and challenges overcome during the pandemic in keeping the Black culture alive through film. Gina Charbonnet is the Founder and Principal of GeChar. It's a mission surrounding women's empowerment. Learn more about GeChar at gechar.comLearn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLeaderPodOutro music: "Everyday Sunshine" by anelehDavis, Davis and Harmon, LLC:http://ddhtax.comSales Tax Experts2100 Valley View Lane #330Dallas, TX 75234Phone: (972) 488-5000Fax: (972) 488-5001

"Entrepreneurship is access to freedom..."The Cupcake Collection sums it all up in one sentence: "Our cupcakes taste homemade because they are homemade." And that homemade approach to business has served Mignon Francois well. Since starting in 2008, her business savvy has earned her the titles of “Woman of Legend and Merit” by Tennessee State University, “Emerging Business Leader of the Year” and Black Enterprise Magazine “Family Business of the Year Award”.Mignon is an alumnus of Xavier University in New Orleans and received her Bachelor of Science Degree from Houston Baptist University in 1999. She has brought that science degree to bear in the kitchen, transforming family recipes into a successful business that always tastes just the way you want it to. But what has given Mignon her unmistakable cheerfulness, even when she was facing difficult times?Learn more about The Cupcake Collection at thecupcakecollection.comLearn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHe

The pandemic gave everyone a quick lesson on the power of video - whether that mean more Zoom meetings and fewer in person events, or how to spread your message via produced content. Carrie Martinez of CM Productions, Inc. says the importance of recorded content is understood now more than ever, even as we try to transition back to "normal" following the lockdowns of 2020. Carrie started CM Productions in Dallas in 2000 as a creative video production company with the goal of telling intelligent visual stories. Her journalism background combined with her innate curiosity about how things work in the world set CM Productions apart. Their reputation grew as a company that could take complex topics and explain them simply to a broad audience through video and other visuals.Learn more about Carrie and CM Productions at cmproductions.tvLearn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLeaderPodOutro music: "Everyday Sunshine" by aneleh

The world of chocolate is often dominated by Europeans, but Cindy Pedraza and her mother Andrea set out to break from that mold and lean into their Mexican heritage. What came from that is CocoAndré, an Oak Cliff-based shop that produces some of the finest hand-crafted chocolate delights in the world, selling the delectable treats from the quaint family-owned retail store to legions of fans and scores of businesses throughout Dallas and across America. Their mission is simple: change the narrative by reconnecting to their ancestral roots in cacao to empower others. Cindy and Andrea believe chocolate is a unifier and creating an inclusive safe space for BIPOC community to come together is what drives them.How did leaning into their heritage help grow their business? How did they go from now entrepreneurial experience to where they are today? What's the secret of carrying chocolate in your pocket at all times?Learn more about Cindy and CocoAndré at cocoandre.comLearn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www

The year 2020 led to more change in business than perhaps any other time in recent memory, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. "Change expert" Sheryl Hardin says the coming months can be a time for your business to bloom. Sheryl is an author, speaker, and business consultant. She spent 30 years working with companies in the midst of change and growth to improve infrastructure, the flow of communication, and the standardization of processes across the enterprise so every team can work within the corporate vision.Sheryl is a Business Advisor at Goldman Sachs and a Change Management Consultant at Business Solutions Consulting.Learn more about Business Solutions Consulting at bizsolutionsconsulting.comLearn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLeaderPodOutro music: "Everyday Sunshine" by aneleh

Finding balance as an entrepreneur is difficult most of the time. Jolene Risch, president and founder of Risch Results, not only balances a career of helping companies find and recruit diverse talent and her private life - she has managed to also spend a large portion of her time giving back to the community with her philanthropy.Jolene founded Risch Results in 2007 after seeing local companies struggle with successfully meeting their goals for recruiting and business growth in today’s rapidly changing workplace. Leveraging 20+ years of experience, Jolene has developed a variety of innovative tools to design and deliver solutions for improved organizational performance. She is also an active board member of the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum. Jolene is also an alumni of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Intensive Program.Learn more at rischresults.com.Learn more about the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum at dhhrm.org.Learn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on s

Working her way from Central Florida to the White House, Jessica Yellin has documented pivotal moments in American history - the hanging chads in the 2000 election to the Obama White House. She is a Peabody, Gracie, and Emmy award-winning political journalist, reporting during her career for CNN, ABC, and MSNBC. Jessica is also a published author and the founder of the website News Not Noise, which is dedicated to giving you a greater sense of understanding of the big issues "so you know which stories matter and which you can ignore."How did she call her shot on covering the White House? What has the pandemic and recent politics taught us about news coverage? What was it like to see the meteoric rise of Barack Obama from inside the campaign?Follow Jessica Yellin on social media @JessicaYellinLearn more about News Not Noise at newsnotnoise.comLearn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLeaderPodOutro music: "Everyday Sunshine" by aneleh

From a young age, Beverly E. Smith has been a trailblazer. Integrating her grade school to now the national President and CEO of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. - one of the nation’s largest minority female-owned and operated public service non-profits - Smith has spent lifetime breaking boundaries and opening up education and the economy to others.She's been named 2020 Georgia Outstanding Individual by Georgia General Assembly and a “History Maker” by The HistoryMakers, a national African American historical registry which is housed in the United States Library of Congress. Smith is also the Senior Vice-President and co-owner of the management consulting firm The HR Group, spent 18 years in leadership positions with AT&T, and has working college administration, teaching, and GED testing.Learn more about Beverly E. Smith and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. at deltasigmatheta.org/national-president.phpLearn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLea

"I had options at each of those vectors..."What is "black girl magic"? Avis Yates Rivers has been living it through all the different paths in her career. She's the President and CEO of Technology Concepts Group International, LLC. (TCGi), a global asset, expense, and procurement management firm. Avis started her first company in 1985, and prior to that enjoyed an 11-year career at Exxon Corporation and its subsidiaries.From watching a large portion of business upended on 9/11 to surviving a huge global recession, Avis Yates Rivers has been combining her brand of "magic" with hard work and leadership. And stay tuned to hear how you can't let things like work or a podcast get in the way of some delicious food!Learn more about Avis Yates Rivers at avisyatesrivers.comLearn more about Technology Concepts Group International at technologyconcepts.comLearn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on social media @SalesTaxHelp @FollowTheLeaderPodOutro music: "Everyday Sunshine" by aneleh

An accidental influencer, Angelique Miles spent much of her professional life on top of the music business. Speaking to The Oprah Magazine, Angelique said, "Name a singer from the ‘90s and I probably signed them—Missy Elliot, Timbaland, Busta Rhymes. Back then, I was Angelique Miles, music publishing executive, creative, married to the president of Arista and Slack Music." But a combination of a divorce, 9/11, and the rise of digital music sales left Angelique looking for work. And that led to her feeling unhealthy and needing to do something about it. So she started chronicling her workouts on social media.That's when her influencer career took off! How does it feel to be a social media personality during a time when that space is dominated by people half her age? What about her journey do people connect with? How do workouts change over the age of 50?Connect with Angelique Miles on Instagram @angeliquemiles or online at angeliquemiles.comLearn more about Chanel Christoff Davis at www.ddhtax.com or on