The Chapter of Gratitude w/ Ciara

00:00:00
Speaker 1: Calling all my sweeties to the forefront. I'm your host, Christoph and this is the Keeping Positive Sweetish Show. Hey, sweeties. In this season, I have been so blessed to have conversations with people who I've been impacted by, people who have grown up watching and admiring. And today is truly going to be special. My guest today is a wife, mom, artist, actress, philanthropists, just to name a few, kid's family. Please give a very warm Atlanta Welcome to Sierra.

00:00:34
Speaker 2: Hey, how are you amazing?

00:00:37
Speaker 1: You look amazing. Thank you so much to thank you and thank you for coming.

00:00:41
Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, let me just say, in all my years that I've done interviews, I have never seen what I just saw happen before we start our interview with JB praying before an interview. Yes, that is amazing.

00:00:54
Speaker 1: Listen, we keep God first and everything.

00:00:56
Speaker 2: Amen. Yes, I love it.

00:00:58
Speaker 1: Thank you. No, that's that's one of the things in every thing we do, we always make sure we pray.

00:01:01
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's the best way to kick off the day.

00:01:02
Speaker 1: It is, no for sure. So I want to start with a little story time. So just a month ago, two months ago, the top of June BT Awards, we were a BT Media house and they're like, Sierra's coming, We're gonna get you an interview with her. I was like, oh my goodness, Sierra is coming, so we see you come. My little booth is right next to Angie Martinez's door, so I was like, all right, guys, I'm not taking any interviews. So like as soon as she comes out the door, we're gonna grab her. So you come out and they're like, she has to go to another interview and I got a quick picture with you and it was so cute. Actually, Drea shot that. It was a really beautiful picture of us. And I was like, it's okay, we're gonna It's something else is gonna happen. God has something better in store. And I really wanted to interview that day, and now I have you here, and that's just how God works. So I was like I always be looking out. I was like, come on, come on your hometown. Yeah, this is I love it and Kaya and depotated hit me and Kay was like yes, yes. She was like you got to get here, like y'all are perfect for each other, y'all have the same brand. She loves God, you love God. She's like she's so positive it'd be perfect. And then denvill has hit me and she was like, we're gonna do it, and I'm like, yeah, no, Lie. Before you came in, They're like, are you nervous?

00:02:12
Speaker 2: And I was like, yeah, no, it's amazing, man.

00:02:17
Speaker 1: Yeah, but she has so much going on. You are busy. You just had the second you opened your second you had your second annual Sierra Day, and then you opened your second why not Center?

00:02:29
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's like, no, it's amazing. So technically it's my first time actually celebrating this holiday or this special day that the state and the city, you know, granted me. And I got to give thanks to Flana Williams because she really spearheaded that. And I've noticed since I was a baby at one point in time. She's my manager really, like she's known me since I was like literally when I got signed to Aristis, she was a sign of my project. Wow, so twenty plus years ago, because twenty one years ago my album Goodies came out, so war that came out, So I know I was like sixteen wo or fourteen, fourteen, fifteen, anywhere somewhere in that place. Fifteen to sixteen. That's when I met her, and so no, it was amazing because Russ and I we've always had a vision with our wy Not You Foundation, and we have a big vision to do a few things right, and one of those things where to create centers for kids. Yes, and we've been very fortunate in our partnership with the Boys and Girls Club that we're able to put why not You Centers and boys and some of the Boys and Girls clubs. We start off in Pittsburgh last year, and then we both said that we have to make sure we have the why not You Centers in the places where we came from. Absolutely, because I mean, for me, you know, I've always wanted to get back to my city because I feel like the city has given me so much, and you know this Atlanta is the city that made me, you know, so my like next tier of like growth and like leveling up is like giving back in my hometown. So yesterday was just the start of that on Sierra Day, and it was to me, it was the best way to kick off a day like that, Like I really want, you know, every time that I get a chance to celebrate this day, I want to make it a day of impact. And it was so sweet you know, giving the kids at the Boys and Girls Club or why not you Center and dance Hall, and you know, there was the dancers that came there and they were the first months to dance in that space, and all the kids that go to the Boys and Girls Club. It was just so much great energy. It was so beautiful. Like I was so touched and moved and just so thankful to God that we can do stuff like that. Yeah, I want to do more and more of it. So that was beautiful.

00:04:39
Speaker 1: That's amazing. You mentioned impact and that is actually the whole theme of this season for the podcast, because we inspire people, but what impacts are we leaving? So I love that you are literally putting action behind your words and doing that. That's so dope.

00:04:53
Speaker 2: And I love that.

00:04:54
Speaker 1: You also have a new album coming out entitled CC, a new single with Lotto. So what you're having an album called Cierra. What was the emphasis of CC?

00:05:06
Speaker 2: Now, Well, you know it's my nickname and a lot of my fans have called me CC over the years. Yes, and my family obviously calls me CC. And I feel like when someone calls you by your nickname is personal. Yes, And so I just I have a special connection with my fans, and my fans are really the reason why I am where I am today, you know, especially being an independent artist and running my own label, that is the most vulnerable place you can be in and you really don't know what's going to be like in those independent waters. And my fans have showed me the power of you know, who they are and what they mean, and our relationship dynamic. You know. When I kicked off Level Up and within one click of a button, you know, my song was crazy viral. Yes, and it's one of my most viewed videos to date, and I'm so proud because it's mine, Like I own that side, own the master. Yeah. So on this album, I just really want to It's like the chapter and season of gratitude for me. I kind of live my life in chapters, you know, sometimes you have transitional chapters. Sometimes you just have, you know, I just have. I just do life and chapters. So this is the chapter of gratitude for me. I love that and I just wanted to simply say thank you to my fans. And I also had been when I started this project. It was in the form of an EP and there's songs like how We Roll on there and ecstasy. They've gotten a little taste of d you know. But I had been also what's up with feature and buster rhymes? So I've been putting out songs like that. But I've been putting out songs along the way, and it's like, okay, let me just stop giving them one by one. Let me just give them this body of work. And I have these amazing songs that I've been sitting on and also creating, and now it's time to complete the whole project. So I'm super excited about this album. It's a lot of energy, a lot of fun. My goal is always to make the worlds yeah, and to hopefully give inspiration where there is in love, where there is in life in general war they just want to feel good and just like have fun like all that's on there. Yeah.

00:07:11
Speaker 1: I love that you talked about ownership in owning your your masters and owning the song when you were actually in the studio doing level of did you realize like that you really had a hit and it was like this is gonna go? Did you know instantly?

00:07:25
Speaker 2: I knew. I knew the song was a smash. I really believed in it. It's funny because I was pregnant as all get out with my daughter Sienna, like the story of my life, Like I was pregnant. Yeah, uh well, a lot of great things happen when I'm pregnant. Apparently, absolutely No. I remember I had I was carrying Sienna and jamming out with my friend Taran Eve. Yeah, who doesn't love to run?

00:07:49
Speaker 1: Run so amazing?

00:07:51
Speaker 2: What's a gun?

00:07:52
Speaker 1: Yeah?

00:07:53
Speaker 2: But Tran, you know, we've known each other for years. We've had great success together. Yeah. And he and I were in the studio and I was like he had said to me. He was like, CEC, there's this song is like going crazy in the club. It's called it Up. I don't like person, but he was like it's the ef it Up Challenge and it's just like going crazy. And I'm like, He's like, I want to play it for you because I think it'd be super cool. So he plays it for me. He's like, you know, to be a good inspiration. And I was like he's playing and I'm like, oh, that's a vibe. And then I started saying like level up, level up. But I knew at that point when we were creating the record, I wanted energy and I wanted to inspire through the song. But I was very intentional about every line, like we really walked through every line together to make sure that like every detail was buttoned up and really helping us tell the story because that was the place that I was in. But I knew when we finished that song that it was special, to the point that when I went to the label that I was signed with at the time, because I was in a traditional label, a traditional deal at that time, I went to the and it was a new CEO I had to represent to, which is never fun, but you're still optimistic. So I went to present to him and I'm like, there's a song I have or this is a song I have called Level Up. This is the visual I had the visual as well that I had. Yeah, I said like this is like I think this song's gonna be the next, you know, big song for me, blah blah blah, and he literally looked at me and was kind of like it just fell on like deaf ears, like flat like he just was like like okay, like very like just tonal, like you know, flat tone, and he didn't see what I saw, and that was like unfortunate in that moment, but it was like one of the biggest blessings in my life because literally, like that one day I had was like one of the most unfortunate days, but the next day was one of the best days because I decided I'm going to start my label. But I knew that that song was special. And I've had moments in my life and in my career from the very beginning, whether it was Goodies or One two Step or just certain songs, I'm like, this is going to be the song, And in most cases, I've been right when I felt that. So I did believe in the record.

00:10:02
Speaker 1: I love that in that moment when you're in that conference room or in his office, what did it feel like to be Sierra, the acclaimed artist that you are, and for someone still not to believe.

00:10:12
Speaker 2: And be like, oh my gosh. You know you know what it does? It like helps you, Like, it motivates me when people do that, you know, like I feel like, okay, like you you're gonna wish that. You wouldn't have said no, absolutely, yeah, you know that you're gonna wish that. So it really motivates me. You know when that happens, and it's life like, it's perspective. I think some of the best of the best are always gonna get someone's gonna try to knock the best of the best down, you know, And that motivates me too. When I see people that that inspire me and I see how they persevere through people saying you can't yes, you know, or saying it's not possible. It's like, Okay, we're gonna find a way to make the impossible possible. Like that's always my mentality. But I really believe that's why I always tell people, you have to believe in yourself, you know, because if I didn't believe in myself in that, I would have been so discouraged and I would have given up. And you know, I also say proudly like at that time, it was like I really became a big girl, Like I became a big girl really young in this industry because you have to be. But I really was like I felt so vulnerable. I'm like, oh my gosh, like I don't have this big system that I'm used to being in, Like what's that going to be like? But you know, like I said, it's one of the greatest blessings in my life and in my career, and I feel more empowered than ever. And the funniest thing of all of that is that when I had, you know, when we weren't seeing eye to eye, I asked for my master's back and he gave it back to me for free. Like that's how you know, he didn't believe. But it's like, okay, God, you got me, Like I'm gona trust this thing. And I'm like, thank you because i'd have Ethos costs right exactly. Thank you so much. That's the one thing he did do you know, But yeah, no, it's it motivates me though when that happens, and yeah, it's it's a good things sometimes when it happens.

00:12:01
Speaker 1: No, absolutely going back to goodies like Young Sierra to having your own label now and it's Beauty Marks Entertainment. Yeah, I absolutely love that.

00:12:10
Speaker 2: It's amazing.

00:12:12
Speaker 1: What are some of the lessons that you learn to get to the point where you're like, you know what I need to start my own label?

00:12:18
Speaker 2: Well, I think the greatest thing is numbers. Like I'll just keep it simple. It's numbers, and it's the ability to create you know, how you want to and when you want to. Like the way that we get to flow right now is so fun because if I have an idea, I can express it right away. If I want to, you know, share something with my fans right away, I can click the button versus having to go through a whole like process of you know, approvals, because not everyone's gonnap prove They're not gonna like what you're doing. They're not gonna prove it. And honestly, at points, I was investing into myself, but I wasn't reaping the full benefit because of the back end part of it. And that is real. Like I you know, when you're young and you like, I'm living my dream. I'm getting to like, you know, do this thing I've always wanted to do. You don't think about that stuff. And then what happens is when you're like, you're like, you get to do a number check and you're like, wait, I thought that there was gonna be way more on my bank account than that, and it's like, oh, wait, do the math. You have to pay your manager, you have to pay your accounts, and you have to pay your lawyer, you have to pay you know, all your invoices, you know all those things, and then you have to do taxes. And then after that you're like, wait, what they hit right, like hold up, like wait a minute, math a math and like something bliss in my butt. Right, I'm giving, I'm sacrificing so much, and but I'm not seeing the full benefits of my labor. And that that's real, like and that's what really moted me for the chapter again, chapters, yes of ownership. Ownership became significant for me because that's where you know, to me, your true financial and wealth success is on the finance, on the economic side of life. Yes, you know, so that matters, like you know, I hope you know, you know when I look back years later, because legacy is everything, right, that's the one thing that I really work hard to protect. And and again, like when you're labeled, sometimes they don't have the same passion to protect your legacy like you do, right, And so that's important for me. But I hope that I can also do something that hasn't been done even within my own family. Legacy, right is the extension of wealth for our for our babies, right, you know. And that's like my mentality, like I'm working hard for that. I'm working hard. So when I'm in a certain place in my life, I'm gonna say mid fifties. I ain't got to hit that matrix now up unless I won't do you know what I'm saying, I won't hit the maxus to the make okay. And you know, like so like what are we working for? Right? It's like I got goals that I'm trying to get to you. And at some point you want to work you know, smarter, not harder. Yes, that's real. The you know, big part of my like baseline perspective on how I approach business and and and life in general. So it was a combination of all those things that motivated me. And I'm so glad that I took the risk and allowed myself to be uncomfortable. And you know, I'll never look back.

00:15:23
Speaker 1: Yeah, I love that. I love that. From the outside looking and you talk about somewhere in your fifties you won't have to make. You can pick and cheese when you do the matrix, Which is so funny from the outside looking in, most people look at you and like why is she still going so hard? You know, because you got it made in the shade looking like she got the husbands, she got the beautiful children. You know. It's like some women would just be like Yep, I'm done. I'm just gonna take care of these babies. But you still go, what is that push besides the legacy that keeps you going?

00:15:53
Speaker 2: It's my passion for what I do. I love being an artist. I love performing. I love traveling the world and you know, meeting my fans and meeting new people and you know, learning different languages, and you know, I have an appreciation for what God has blessed me to do, and that is to be an artist and plus all the other things that you know that I'm fortunate to be a part of. It's that like heartbeat. It's like that that that beat like it's a it's a it's a beat that that's like it's like what is it like to the beat of your own drum? Like it's a it's a drum pattern that I feel like the things that I'm doing like it's feeding me, Like it's like music movement within itself, you know. And so those are the things that I love doing. They fill my cup. They are part of my identity, right and so I'm I'm so so blessed, like I'm not gonna you know, front like it's a blessing that I get to wake up every day knowing that I'm doing exactly what I want to do. Like if that's something I could wish for every person in this world or anyone, is that I want to do what you love because the truth is that when you do what you love, you never work a day in your life. And or if that's how it feels, and I think it's like i CC sets goals like I set goals and I'm trying to achieve those goals So that's a big part of my motivation too, right, And I just feel more empowered, you know, the little more I played in life, Like I love that, you know, I get to go from the stage to the classroom with my babies. Literally I was performing in London. It was like, I don't know, almost thirty thousand people, and I mean that was like insane love that London showed me was amazing. But literally the next day or like the after I left London, I was humbled and I was in that classroom like, Okay, what do I need for the kids? They need this, this and this and this. Wow, you know, and then Russ has football. I like being there for him, Like these are blessings, all of them are blessings. Like I said, I was like, listen, we ain't stressed out, we blessed out. It's perspective, you know. But I just love what I do and it's big part of my identity. And I think that as women especially, you know, you have to fill your cup. You have to do things that you know that that feeds you what you need. And these things feed me. Yes.

00:18:15
Speaker 1: Now, is there anything else like in your downtime? Because you have so many things going on. You're an artist, you're an entrepreneur, you have skincare line, you have a spirits line, you have so many different things that you that you have your hands in. How do you balance it all with the children and then taking time for Sierra? What do those moments look like when you're like, Okay, this is my time or do you even get that?

00:18:34
Speaker 2: So I'm actually trying to master that a little better because I do sometimes take the greatest hit within my schedule, right and reference to like me time, But schedule is everything. I was literally just talking to Dimples on my team and I was saying, I want to walk through how we're going to do a couple of promo days so we can stack some things because I'm like, I got to give myself for a little room to breathe. Yes, but I'm so hungry.

00:18:58
Speaker 1: You know.

00:18:58
Speaker 2: It's the drive, like I'm hustling right now, and there's something that's really fun about it. But also life is important too, so I really do try to master it by my schedule, Like I schedule, you know, whether it's like and again, sometimes you go off the beating path, but it may be like these four hours or my time with my kids. Yes, okay, then after that I have two calls, and then after that I go do you know, to the gym or and then after that I go to date night with us. Like my days, I get to like schedule them, even the personal time. So that way, I'm also intentional with carving out the time. If I don't have a schedule, then it's like we're just kind of what they say, Willy Niely, like we just kind of phrase stylling. And that's when it gets really crazy because before you look up, time passes you by, and sometimes, like you know, I do really master being punctual with my flow, like I'm just efficient, and I'm also looking forward to date night. I'm looking forward to just blocks of times to put my phone down, be with my babies, like because I have to. But I would recommend to any mom schedules you know. Yeah, that's like changing.

00:20:11
Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, I don't have children, but my life is I have to, like at nighttime, I kind of go through everything I have to do, and then even like the insulary things that I have to kind of pencil in in between my mandatory things. I have to put it all in the schedule so in the morning I can look at and be like, Okay, got it, this is what I got.

00:20:27
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly.

00:20:28
Speaker 1: It's game changing, is that structure and the intentionality of making sure that you make time for what's important.

00:20:34
Speaker 2: Yeah. And you know what I'm trying to really master. Excuse me, I'm trying to master rest. Come on here, Yeah, because rest is so vital. Yes, And I never knew I needed rest until like these stages, at this stage or in my life. We gotta get rest, you know. Sleeping is vital for like health. I have gotten sick twice within the shortest timeframe that I ever have. I'm like, okay, now, okay, God, Now I hear you Lord, and then my body I hear you body. So I need to like make sure I, like, you know, do that too, because your body gets to recover. Your body can like endure everything when you're grinding, you know, trying to work on building my immune system, like all these things are vital. So I'm really trying to like level up my rest. I'm trying to level up like my my immune my immunization or am I saying that right? My immunity, like my care. Yeah, I'm trying to make sure I'm like doing these things that are gonna also feed me too. I really want to master like resting.

00:21:37
Speaker 1: That's so good because our industry has its whole entire sleep when you're dead, and it's like, no, you're gonna die if you don't sleep.

00:21:43
Speaker 2: But that is true. It's big facts. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, we don't want to do that.

00:21:49
Speaker 1: Now, are you like a night time I know in the studio a lot of people work better like in the wee hours of the morning. I'm not like that. I have to have like daytime hours when when you're recording.

00:21:58
Speaker 2: When are you used to do the wee hours? Actually did wee hours last night? This is the craziest thing. I came from Africa. We traveled for seventeen hours I landed, I went to go to do the Boys and Girls Club, the why Not You centers. Then I went from there to a podcast taping, and then I went from there to the studio, and we were up to like almost one o'clock in the morning. See here, two o'clock, she said, two o'clock in the morning. So that's like an abnormal night. Okay. But I did that again because I knew, Okay, today I'm gonna come see you, and then I'm gonna, you know, have the rest of my I have like a couple more things I have to do in this day, work work related. And then when I get home, I got to go into mommy and also hubby WiFi mode, you know, so I had to like I'm being strategic again, Like my babies aren't here, Russ is working doing this thing. Okay, now Mama can like grind it out, you know. But normally I like to work early, so like if my kids were at I do studio. When I was young, I didn't do that. I worked to the wee hours. But now it's like take the kids to school studio at nine o'clock, which is so like crazy how life falls like that. But I'd like to try to get my heavy stub out the way early in the day.

00:23:15
Speaker 1: That's good. It's so important. And I go, we get so caught up in like just loving what we do that we forget because it's like it's literally it's feeding us, it's keeping us away, and it's like, oh, I haven't slept. I need to eat even eat.

00:23:28
Speaker 2: Yes, and I love to eat me love, Oh my gosh. Okay, So I always sound Blexican because you know, black and Mexican. I love Mexican food. I'm also Blazian. I love Asian food. Yes, those will be my top two cuisines, and also Italian.

00:23:48
Speaker 1: Italians my favorite it's fire, yes.

00:23:50
Speaker 2: And I love carbs, like, help me, lord, I need a mass of that too, because I swear I feel like every meal deserves a carb and that's just not the way to so I gotta work on that. But I love eating. It's just it's so fun. Like eating is like, you know, it's community, like it's you know, it's it's just everything really. And I'm from Atlanta, you know, Yeah, we do everything with seasoning. But yeah, but lorry's all that stuff, you know, So it's kind of what I how I grew up. Every Sunday was like Thanksgiving out the church, you know, and like every other day it's like Thanksgiving. So it's just in me. I do love food.

00:24:32
Speaker 1: You love food, but your body is always tea.

00:24:34
Speaker 2: How oh, thank you so much. I try. Okay, So after my baby girl and more my last baby I have, I still haven't gotten all the way back to my base weight. And at one point in time, it's funny because I weigh the same weight as Russow, so she I gain the most with her, and it's honestly it's hard, but I will say this. What I do try to do is moderation. Yeah, stop when you're full, and it's hard, like when food is good, it's hard to stop, but moderation is key. Right. So sometimes I realized I went a little too crazy. Let me like dial it back. This evening, I try to eat just fish and veggies like, but I have to literally talk to myself like, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it, like that's how bad it is. But it's really bad. Oh my gosh, yeah exactly, I did it right, yeah, you know, and also tons of water like when you're training, you know, I did this thing with my nutrition is years ago, and he did a body mass index calculation on me, checking your muscle mass and like all these different things. And he gave me like the water ratio versus like my weight and all that stuff. So when I'm trying to come down, like sometimes I'm drinking a gallon and almost a half when I gained like seventy five pounds, right, so it's like you're just being mindful of like your water intake. Those things matter, but moderation.

00:25:57
Speaker 1: Yeah, when you're think you look up amazing, like to wait for a baby more. I was like, this girl looks so good, but that I knew you were thicker than normal? Was E ever a mama where you looked at the man and was like or were you like I see your girl?

00:26:12
Speaker 2: I gonna lie. I loved every step of the way good. And you know what it is, I got to give my husband some love because Russ really made me feel even more like, Okay, I'm liking my curd. Put a cup on it kind of babe, you know, because he was like he tells me, and I was like, don't you get too crazy because he likes my hips, you know, so that makes me feel good. Right, it's like that stuff, you know, Can I give us ladies a little okay? And absolutely, Q okay, we can. We can appreciate these extra little you know grips or you know rippers, whatever you want to call it. So no, it's really sweet. And I think there's something too about like where you are in your life, Like I love having a little more on me. You know, I've always been a little smaller, but I like it. I like all the jeans me and I'm liking it.

00:27:01
Speaker 1: You look good. Yeah, no, I saw it and I was like, sexy is looking good? Thank you? No, for sure, you just gave props to your husband Wrussell. You guys are a couple goals. Like everybody all the women are praying your prayers. Oh my gosh, I was like, when she comes out, needs her to pray over.

00:27:19
Speaker 2: Oh my gosh. It's such funny.

00:27:22
Speaker 1: But you both have your own careers, your own lives. How has it been managing the relationship and now having a family, But still like you're doing your thing and he's doing his thing. How do you guys? What are those conversations? Like, all right, babe, we gotta how do we keep together?

00:27:35
Speaker 2: Yeah, communication is really important. And you know what's really great is that with him doing football, his world is more structured. Yes, my world I can kind of like plan around his world. So that is, like you know, I would say, is a blessing and the dynamic of what we do. And we're just really big on like you know, communicating like he knows my schedule, like he tell me my schedule back. Sometimes I can even tell it myself, you know. But we're really you know, lock and step on that, you know, and we find ways to stay connected even when we're a part, whether it's like watching a show. We have a thing like you can't watch the show without the other, right when you're in two different places. But if we're going to do it, we're watching it like simultaneously, like they put your computer on you, you know, so we don't have the sound, you know, So we'll do little things like that or like you know, we really do work on coordinating things as best as possible. And I think that that's like the game changer against schedule, Like it's huge, right, so we kind of know, Okay, I'm going to be going these amount of days or you know, if he has to do something same thing, but we're like mapping out so we can like make sure it comes back to us. Like we're very intentional, you know, even date nights, like we do date nights every Friday when he's in the season. And I've been a big belief like that little thing, you know, or that I don't little, but that moment has been like game changing for us over the years, I think, because one, I'm always looking forward to it. You're not forgetting to date each other. Yes, you got to do that, right, We always talk about that. He always says you got to always compete, you know, like that was one of his things that he and I like that idea because it's like searching for the beginning, always searching for the beginning, like when we first met up my kid. But I'm aware of it. You know, you still want to do yeah, you know it's still it keeps it exciting, you know. So it's it's honestly just being intentional. I would say. That's the thing, Like we both want our love to be as sweet and fool as it can be, and so we're very intentional about achieving that. Now we don't get it right all the time, you know, but we the place that we come from is it's the foundation is set and it's clear, and so yeah, we're very very intentional.

00:29:52
Speaker 1: I love that. And your relationship is built on the foundation of God.

00:29:56
Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, Us at the center.

00:29:58
Speaker 1: Amen.

00:29:59
Speaker 2: When we first got engaged and say, shells, he actually the first thing that we did is we went and we prayed, and you know, he actually initiated, you know, the the thought of you know, having Jesus at the center. And I really love you. I want to cry. I don't know why I be up here crying like this. I have been like on Ail a chapter of tears.

00:30:24
Speaker 3: Let's not get crazy right now, Okay, I I really have been like an emotional like.

00:30:36
Speaker 2: Yeah it is it's gratitude, you know. But that was really sweet and powerful to have that you know, connection or like in that very moment, like that's the foundation we're going to set this on. Like and it's honestly real, Like having Jesus at the center is significant because when man leans on man listen, that's when it gets murky. We start trying to be like, well, I feel it's like, hey, what does God want? You know, where is the spirit in all this? Like, where is the you know, go to the place of love. When we do that, like it brings everything back down like to like the right place, you know, so, and I think that's huge. It is, you know, especially in our world, like it's our worlds are crazy, like hectic and like fast moving and convenient like you know, so it's like okay, whenever we have a little funky something like the spirit is what brings us back. It brings us like back to where we need to be and it takes both right. Like we were saying, we have certain like rules too, like the past our pastors jud who actually officiated our wedding and he's in one of our he's like amazing, but he, you know, talked about like how in relationships, like you can have an idea where you never say the D word, like you never.

00:31:58
Speaker 1: Say yeah, yeah exactly.

00:32:02
Speaker 2: And then also you say you gotta be able like when you make the mistake or you cause the turn up or the friction, you gotta be able to say will you forgive me? And that is hard because I'm stubborn. I'd be like if people forgive me because I went wrong, and then I might be wrong. It's like see her just say it, like I'm talking about it, like just say it. Rolling my eyes, like I don't want to say it, just say it. You better say. You know, it's a whole thing like that is hard they think to be like will you forgive me? You know, but it's like it's game changing, it is right, and we both have that understanding. Like those little things, you know, they're really they're really helpful.

00:32:46
Speaker 1: Yeah, and it's beautiful that you can because asking for forgiveness is not only an humbling state, but it's also very vulnerable to like look at yourself in the mirror and say, wait a minute, this is me. I messed up. And to be able to go to the person and then that, you know, so the fact that you are so comfortable with each other to allow each other to see each other in that state is so beautiful.

00:33:06
Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think it. It feels good when someone takes accountability, right, you know, you don't want.

00:33:11
Speaker 1: To Breezy exactly.

00:33:13
Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, And I'll get rust credit. He does pretty good with coming back around, Like we were saying, the day he gets like more worked up, I get very quiet, you know, like when he raises his voice. It's funny because like you know, his love remind like reminds me of like my dad's love, right, and I remember like my dad would like reprimand me, like the tone of the voice was just like enough to make you go, yeah, you're just crumble. And so if he gets like about it's like and depending on what it is, I'll be like, you know, I just sit back where you going with this, you know, like or I might feel like you don't have all these different feels, you know, but like he typically is the one that could like get a little more turned up with me. I get quiet turned like, you know, yeah no, but he's so you know, he's really good about like him come back around like you know, so I'll give him that. He does that really well. Okay, I love you tell you.

00:34:16
Speaker 1: Know, I love that is so beautiful. Now, word on the street is that y'all started a matchmaking service.

00:34:22
Speaker 2: Oh my lord, we did not start a matchmaking.

00:34:26
Speaker 1: Service because we're trying to sign the people are like we're doing we should actually like think about this thing.

00:34:33
Speaker 2: Let me tell you. We love seeing our friends experience love. Yeah, we have fun, like and we're just so blessed. We have a really great group of friends, Like you know, in all different parts of the world, and I for me, like especially with my girls. I'm like, I just want my girls to be happy, like if that's what they want, right, you know, Like I have a I don't want to call her out, but I have someone. I have a dentist in my life. Oh my gosh, I'm not gonna say her name. She was like Sierra, but like she's so like sweet smart boss, owns her own dentist, dentistry like business like she has. She's amazing, like great vision, and like she's you know, single, and I'm like, Okay, we've got to figure this out. Like so I will be like on the search. I love it because I'm like, she is a queen and she deserves a king. Like yes, that's my mentality, right, So I just love trying to help in any way that I can. We both love it. We have been very fortunate to introduce people, and that's the funds Cocoa and Okay, so wait we did not, Okay, so they just assume that they Okay, so this is what happened. What happened, Okay, So Coco and Donovan shouted both of them, and I'm so happy for you, my girl, Cocoa is the sweetest she is, and Donovan is so cool and and just amazing, And Russ and don even have their boyflow. Honestly, they've been having their whole like boyflow for some time, like low key behind the scenes, and I love that, Like I love how the men connect on that kind of stuff. But basically, you know, the fellas are over there doing their thing, Russ and Donovan. And Russ has like he's really obviously I think he's the best on the field, but off the field, he has like this creative mind that runs wild with a lot of cool ideas. So he actually has a company West to East Lux where he's doing like providing luxury like experiences and stuff like that. So it's his passion for him. But basically, him and Donovan connected and all of a sudden, I look up and like Russ is like, we set this up, blah blah blah, Like he had the whole like they were doing the whole thing planning the engagement for him and Cocos. So it's just so sweet, you know, and so we're just really happy for them. It's so beautiful and it's just amazing, Like God's good.

00:37:00
Speaker 1: He is so good. He is so good. At BT Media House, you stopped by Jim Jones interview and he said, you need to I think it was steal it properly. Yes, that let me know that you love.

00:37:16
Speaker 2: I was totally you know, sometimes that's just me. I think it's my passion to just like want, you know, the best for people and listen, you know, I don't know them from a can of pain, but I just remember my last memories of them and knowing that they've shared, you know, their journey with the world. And I think the greatest thing that we all have to remember is that imperfect love. Like in imperfect love, that's where the perfection is. Yeah, you know, it's like there's not a perfect way to do love. The perfect way to do love is just to love and the best way that you can and to love right. And that doesn't mean you can always get it right. And that doesn't mean you can have the perfect story where you went through this phase, this phase, this phase and now it's wila. Some people go through a phase it's amazing, then it falls flat and it comes back again, then it goes. Everyone's love story is their own.

00:38:11
Speaker 1: It is, yeah, and that's what makes it beautiful.

00:38:12
Speaker 2: Yeah, and there's no judgment in love, right, And so I think that when I saw, you know, when I was in that moment, I just was it was from a place of love absolutely, you know, and just you know, wanting uh, you know, something beautiful from my perspective, or wanting that, you know, for the people that I've loved watching on TV, like you know, y'all got to do this.

00:38:36
Speaker 1: I was like, it's fashion properly. And I felt it because I'm hopeless romantic, I love love, and I'm on this new journey really being more intentional about my walk with Christ in my Bible, and through that, God convicted me on sex. So I stopped having sex. And because I wanted to. I want to love the way God intended and I wanted to do it properly. When so when I heard you say steal it properly, I'm like, exactly, like, because that's that was my conviction. God was like, you're doing it wrong, Like this is not how I designed this. I need you to trust me, and do you trust me to bring you love the way I intended it so that you're not continuously getting hurt?

00:39:13
Speaker 2: I love that.

00:39:14
Speaker 1: Yeah, So I felt that I didn't take any I didn't read it as judgment. I was like, I'm with her because she's all about it.

00:39:20
Speaker 2: Yeah, steal it, you know. I mean I think that we owe that to ourselves, you know, and I think that when you know, it always hurts, like in general, like you know, we live in this era and I don't wanna say era because this has been like it's just a new word that they coin it like love bombing, you know, which is not writing because oftentimes for us as women, excuse me, Okay, so when guys see a girl, it's exterior first. Yes, when we see a man, it's interior and exterior. We see you on the front, like, okay, you look amazing, but like what is he Like, Like we started like fantasizing and thinking about like, you know, is he a family used to be thinking about all of these things.

00:39:58
Speaker 1: Literally instantly we're like, yeah, you map it.

00:40:01
Speaker 2: Through and you you think in your mind through all those things, and sometimes too, like a guy can mishandle you know where we are, and that's like crushing. Feel like you've set back, you know what I mean, Like it's like a blowback because we're going with the right intentions, but then a guy has different intentions and like it's like, man, you just wasted a chunk of my life. Yeah, just waste a chunk of my time. Like I'm I'm really rolling, like I'm really like in this thing and you over here kind of plan like now we're just losing a little time.

00:40:30
Speaker 1: Like what we doing? What are we doing?

00:40:32
Speaker 2: But I can relate to where you are in your life in reference to just like causing like wanting to like be very intentional with yourself, your body. You know, how you're loving on yourself like being you know, set to me, like you talk about prayer, Like prayer really works, it does, right, And I do think there's something about when we start to envision who we want to be within ourselves and we cement it with prayer, like the evolution starts to happen like overnight, Oh.

00:41:04
Speaker 1: My goodness, Herera seriously gotta be moving fast. It's like what I just I.

00:41:09
Speaker 2: Just said that, And it trickles down to everything. It could be like in your business, it.

00:41:15
Speaker 1: Can be your podcast and see her is here, you know.

00:41:20
Speaker 2: It can be just even if somebody's off in your friend circle, like just when you start to be like in tune with yourself. Yeah, and you start to pour into yourself, like everything starts to become more clear, and you start to walk with a different pet like you start to feel like you know, it's like okay, hold up, my shoulder starts to get taller, like my walk starts to get more like like, Okay, she know who she is, Like she know where she want to go. She ain't there yet, but she gonna get there. Like that's the kind of mentality you start to have. So I love you know, I love like what you're saying, and I relate to what you're saying. And I think that the season for things, right, this season you're talking about is like Okay, this is before this season is important. Yeah, very this season you're talking about it is important because like you know, like when we do that, when we make commitments to ourselves and like what we're trying to do and trying to evolve, like we got to really like okay, let's do it. Yes, right, And then I swear to you like God is so good. The blessings start to overflow. Yes, you know, they come. Yeah, And like I was saying to somebody, to someone the other day, it's like you want to be right, yeah right, you know, so like I love that.

00:42:32
Speaker 1: Yeah. Ari Lennox, she had just posted something about she's been upstaining from sex. She's posted on Instagram and she's like, I'm staying from sex, but it's hard dating guys because that's all they want, yea, And she said, it just seems like we're not winning the girls who are trying to just do think date right the right way. So I DM there and I was like, listen, I'm in the same boat with you. So we exchanged information because we have been known each other for since earlier this year. And she's like, you too, yeah voice. I was like me too. So you're just having the friendship.

00:43:01
Speaker 2: The circle, Oh my gosh, the circles that you surround yourself are really important. Who you share information with when you're vulnerable is really important because what they say back to you can impact your life so significantly. You can have a friend that encourages you to do the right thing, and one then encourages you, encourages you to do the bad thing, and when you're vulnerable, sometimes you go with the bad thing because like that's how the devil works. It is, you know, like the feeling can feel like that's the right thing, but it's the wrong thing. Yes, So who advises you is really important.

00:43:31
Speaker 1: So important. And I was in a state like that last year where I've been open about it. I was kind of running from Jesus. I was like, you know, like I just felt like I just want to be me and I was trying to straddle the fans around like I want to like be me, and it wasn't aligning with where.

00:43:49
Speaker 2: No man, yes, lean on your owner. And I was But you know what you made me think about to you when you're talking about you know, abstaining and like that phase you're in the right guy will respect it and the right guy will appreciate it and like will hold your hand with you. Yes, that's what I do know, right, I know that for a fact. Okay, like you know, I can cry again, but I know that right that the right person. You know, listen, we're not perfect, you know, not going to always you know, say everything perfectly and do everything perfectly. But the right person like they're going to wait for you, and they're going to respect you, and they're going to you know, be patient with you. And when they're thinking like rus and we talk about being equally yoked. Like that's a game changer, right, because that already already changes the playing field. Now we're we're operating from the same platform, same foundation perspective, Like now we can really go up together, you know, because yeah, like we're you know what I'm saying. So it's like that's the thing, right, And I think there's a difference between boys, boys and men, right, you know, so like men, they're gonna wait for you, they're gonna be patient with you, they gonna put the time in, they're gonna send you flowers, they're gonna think of you. It's gonna be the little things that are gonna actually make the biggest difference. But they're gonna be so intentional because they real men. Like that's so, you know, I think that to me is also something I learned in life through my journey. Right, there's a difference between boys and men.

00:45:27
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's so true. Yeah, and you're raising young men and a daughter, Like, how is that like seeing your images of you walking around the house and instilling these principles into them.

00:45:39
Speaker 2: Oh, my gosh, it is the best. Being a mom is the best job, the best job on earth because it is a job okay, So I'm gonna shout out all I don't care if you stay at home mom, like it is work. Yeah okay, but I wouldn't have my life any other way. And I think, you know, it's fun. And you know Sienna, especially little.

00:46:01
Speaker 1: CC baby so much personality.

00:46:05
Speaker 2: See boys, she be coming hat okay, but she loves me so much, like and I'm like looking at him, like I'm seeing she's going through this interesting face. She just wants to do everything with me and like me, and I'm like, wow, like what a gift? What a how sweet is that my daughter looks at me and she like looks up to me, like wow, that is so precious, Like, you know, God, like, please help me to be the best example I can be for her. Please help me to teach her the best way possible. Please give me the words to say to her when she's gonna need it the most, like please let her feel comfortable to come and leave my shoulder, you know, when she's gonna need it the most. Like that's what I hope for with my baby, my baby girls. And like like I said I was saying to JV earlier, I was like I'm out here ground like it's the early two thousands, and she is not feeling it. Like she had the greatest cry the other day and I'd never seen her do that before because she didn't want me to travel. But I do hope that when she sees Mommy can do it, I can do it.

00:47:05
Speaker 1: Absolutely.

00:47:06
Speaker 2: I hope that for Mauramora is just one years old. She's like twenty months now, and this girl is one going on twenty one for sure, Like I think she's gonna be really confident too, love it. So I just hope that they both will look at mommy that way. And I just pray over our bond and our boys. You know, I think they get to see how Dad loves me. You know, I think that's important. You know. I hope that they also get to, you know, have the right perspective on me, you know, like when it comes to them meeting a lady in their lives. Like, you know, it's an interesting dynamic with boy and girl. But it's a blessing that I have both. You know. It's it's NonStop. Boys think everything is a jungle gym. Maybe yeah, he'll be eating food in a case of dealing'll be like like jumping from I'm like, what we doing right? And see she said, I don't do hair and makeup. That like there's a clear dynamic between both of them, both you know, boy and girl. But I do get the best of both worlds.

00:48:06
Speaker 1: Yeah, the state of the world that we're in, I have a fear of bringing children into this world. When you're raising children, is there ever like fear that creeps in as they're leaving the house, Like what influences are gonna interact with them as they leave the house?

00:48:21
Speaker 2: One That's why I'm trying to really work on communicating even more at home because we come from the air. I'm not sure if you feel this way, but I feel like we came from the era where a lot of conversations were just like you don't talk about them, absolutely right. It can be sex conversations, it can be you know how just anything like if you know, we just wouldn't like talk about things. And so for me, I'm trying to really challenge myself to create a lot of communication and also tell them about things before the world tells them because oftentimes, unfortunately kids go to school and they get information right, you know, and like that's never good in most cases because they're like sponges and they absorb so easily they do, so, you know, I try to find the fine balance between like what we talk about and how far we go with things, but also equipping them for the world because it is a whole new world.

00:49:16
Speaker 1: It is.

00:49:17
Speaker 2: It is really so interesting when we were growing up. I'm like, yeah, it's crazy.

00:49:22
Speaker 1: Yeah, And they have so much access now to things that we didn't have access to growing up.

00:49:27
Speaker 2: They do, they do, you know. But I think if we talk about things, like, you know, try to avoid as many surprises as possible for them, Like when they go in the world, it's like, okay, mom, we talked about that. My mom told me, like I know what that is. And they can also know, like they need to be able to know stuff if someone's telling them.

00:49:44
Speaker 1: But like, no, that's not right. Yeah, that's so true. That's good. I love that.

00:49:48
Speaker 2: Here.

00:49:49
Speaker 1: Thank you so much. Congratulations on your new element. You're driving super excited about everything you have going on. Make sure you guys go buy her rum. It is ten to one rum and then you have a skin care line.

00:50:04
Speaker 2: So you can go to omskin dot com. But I also wanted to share with my friends, my fans and just the customers that have been like the best supporters with OM in particular, is that I'm one of this. I'm on a mission to keep evolving in this space. So I'm also even though it's me, my my business is still really small, so I go go through those growing pains that a lot of small business owners go through, and yeah, and it's a beast. So there is an evolution that's happening behind the scenes with OM. And so because you're probably like, what's my posting cadence, like it's it's like it's slowing down. Like if you're a true fan of OEM, you're probably like, Okay, what's happening. But what fortunately did happen for me is a lot of my SKUs sold out multiple times, so that was great, and our subscription subscription world has been amazing and growing. But now people when they go to omskin dot com, you'll see I have my serum and my writing pads, and those were two of are like strongest sellers. And so luckily I have a great amount of inventory. So I tell everybody to get it while it lasts, because OEM is about to evolve and I have new formulations that I'm working on and it's super exciting. I'm using them every day. I honestly can't go without them. Thank you so much. So yeah, I'm excited, good amazing.

00:51:22
Speaker 1: Before we leave, I want to play a quick quick game love it or leave it? All right? The first one is five am workouts leave it?

00:51:31
Speaker 2: Well, I do it, yeah, but leave it. Group chats love it?

00:51:35
Speaker 1: You love it? Who's in your group chat?

00:51:37
Speaker 2: Okay, it's funny because okay, my group chat with my girls. We have one with me law V. Yeah, we have mel V sometimes Melvy and Kelly. Yeah, that's my girls and also my best fend of makeup artist, Yolanda. I have to shout her out because she's been in my career since I was my very first professional shoot really when I was sixteen years old. So we have our sometimes it might be me La Yolie. I'd be between Russ and I. We've been doing multiple group chats. It depends on the topic, right, It's just like our flow.

00:52:17
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I love that. Long phone calls or text messages.

00:52:23
Speaker 2: You see the phone for a long time, Well do you leave it? You said love it or leave it? Right? Oh?

00:52:27
Speaker 1: Yeah, so yeah, long phone calls.

00:52:29
Speaker 2: Yeah, I love it with my love love it.

00:52:33
Speaker 1: Yeah right, yeah.

00:52:34
Speaker 2: I love it. I love chatting.

00:52:36
Speaker 1: What's the longest you like? Looked in like, oh my gosh, you were on the home phone for three hours.

00:52:40
Speaker 2: No, babe, do not kill me. See this is one thing we ain't even doing lately. But you know, we've been busy or whatever, so I would get that gay. But in our early days especially, we fall asleep on the phone on the face time and then you wake up and then he's there.

00:52:56
Speaker 1: I love it. I love it.

00:53:00
Speaker 2: That's a long time TikTok, dead streams love it.

00:53:04
Speaker 1: Yeah, I knew you love that. I love it. Sierre, Thank you so much. Thank you are amazing. This was incredible to sit down and talk to you. I'm so glad we were able to make this happen.

00:53:14
Speaker 2: Me too. This was so much fun and congratulations to you on all your success. Thank you. Everyone loves to see what you talk about.

00:53:20
Speaker 1: Thank you, Thank you. They're gonna love this one. Let's go all right. Thank you. So today I am wearing silver Wave bo sandals. These are my favorite new sandals, low Wave shorts, a Balenciaga Crosstie shirt, Scaparelli earrings, and my signature jeey fou fou bou bow. Yeah. I cannot believe we just had this moment with the mention of gratitude. I'd like to take this moment to thank you, my sweeties. You all have supported this platform, You've grown with me, and I am truly, truly thankful. Remember we ain't stressed out. We blessed out in the meantime in between time. Keep it positive, CDs.