the Design Driven Life

Carmin Black is the Chief Hunger Fighter and Founder of HALF UNITED. Carmin created HALF UNITED in 2009 in Wilmington, NC, with her brother, Christian. At the time, they had no formal business training, and no "go-to-market" strategy, and for the first four years, took no pay and worked part-time jobs to fund their efforts to start and grow their brand. The only thing they knew for sure is that they wanted to partner with customers to fight hunger with each item purchased. Since 2009, HALF UNITED has provided more than one and a half million meals for children and families in need.Thirteen years later,  “fashion to feed” is still at the core using of the business. These days HALF UNITED is focused on creating sustainable products using ethical manufacturing, most often by partnering with global artisans to create gainful employment in some of the world's most vulnerable communities - a number one way to fight hunger and poverty. Beginning in 2018, HALF UNITED expanded from jewelry and tees, adding handbags, and now artisan-made home accessories to the collection. Carmin’s love for design, and helping people will always be the heart and driver of the business. The HALF UNITED Team is always working hard to improve product offerings in an effort to also help improve the lives of the beautiful people who make them, and inspire the incredible customers who purchase them.

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Christa Pusateri.Christa purpose is to connect leaders to collaborate, cocreate, and coelevate as we all pioneer the virtual frontier.  Over the past 15 years, she has launched three companies, landed multiple six-figure roles in startups and corporate working from home (before COVID), taught college entrepreneurship courses, broke sales and engagement records, won global sales awards, created a cyber planning practice and personal development program, and developed incredible relationships some of the most influential leaders in technology and cyber security. Through her career journey, she has been blessed her with transformational experiences, such as being fired in 2012 and laid off in 2015 and 2020, giving her the power of resilience and an abundant mindset that empowers her to pursue the impossible.  Today she is pouring her passion for helping people live on purpose into facilitating transformational growth conversations and virtual engagement events through a community of coaching practice called Future Advisory Board. Her current focus is on building Treedom, a Treehouse Retreat Oasis for Exponential Entrepreneurs moving through spiritual awakening, transforming education into Edutainment with a Virtual Reality Gamified Educational Platform called Cocreation, and launching Strategic Planning Retreats in 2022. She is also the host of ‘Securing the Future Podcast, A podcast with a purpose that promotes passionate thought leaders and the causes they care about. Additionally, she is a cocreator of A Forum for Harmony and archetypal dynamics, exploring Universal Laws to unite humans in the physical, digital, virtual and spiritual realms. Christa holds a Master's of Science in Management from the University of Florida and teachers as an adjunct instructor on courses in entrepreneurship and creativity. You can learn more about Cocreating with Christa by visiting Christa.one. the Design Driven Life is sponsored by Well Fit Human Retreats. Well Fit Human combines travel, fitness, and humanitarian work in vibrant destinations. Create positive impact through personal growth during our life-changing experiences. elevate yourself on their upcoming retreats.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Arjun Rai. Arjun is a New York City based entrepreneur originally from West Windsor, New Jersey (aka Princeton Junction). Since high school, Arjun has been networking with some of the most well known entrepreneurs and even worked on a few projects and startups of his own.Upon graduation, Arjun pursued his career opportunities and came to New York City where he enrolled at the New York Institute of Technology in 2011 with scholarship...

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Whitney Wiser.Whitney has overcome what looks like insurmountable odds. Well on her way to the big leagues of competitive bodybuilding she was run over and crushed by an SUV as a result of ending an abusive relationship. After having her spine fused back together and learning how to walk again, Whitney made her way not just back to bodybuilding but became a Pro Athlete & competed on the Olympia stage as one of the greatest fitness athletes in the world. Whitney went on to found Wiser Fitness in 2015 with the mission of empowering people to strengthen their body. She leads with the understanding that a person’s health & wellness in their physical body is a byproduct of the condition of their mind & spirit.In 2017, she formed Fit Life Productions to host events and coaching on a wider scale to inspire confidence and strength. “I believe without a doubt that with faith in God and a positive mindset, WE ARE ALL CAPABLE OF ANYTHING.”Connect with Whitney Wiser via  Instagram and wiser.fitthe Design Driven Life is sponsored by Well Fit Human Retreats. Well Fit Human combines travel, fitness, and humanitarian work in vibrant destinations. Create positive impact through personal growth during our life-changing experiences. elevate yourself on their upcoming retreats.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Kaori Fujii. Kaori is a graduate of the Tokyo University of the Arts, and of the soloist class of the University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart, Kaori has studied extensively with Jean-Claude Gerard, Paul Meisen, Jeannie Baxtresser, Aurele Nicolet, Wolfgang Schulz, Sir James Galway and Akiko Mikami. She is  of the leading imaginative and creative flutists ever to come out of the classical music world. From baroque to contemporary, it’s Kaori's distinctive sound and intensity of feeling that captivates concert audiences and CD-listeners alike. In 2014, Kaori has founded Music Beyond, Inc. a nonprofit organization that trains musicians to become music teachers in developing countries. Currently, she frequently visits the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa to teach existing classical musicians. On this episode of the Design Driven Life, Wendy talks to Kaori how she found her calling to start Music Beyond, Inc. that is empowering communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by directly engaging local musicians as well as the youth with education, performance, collaboration, and mentorship.Connect with Kaori Fujii via her website at Kaori Fujii and LinkedIn.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Nancy Murphy. Nancy is the Founder & President of CSR Communications. Before starting CSR Communications, Nancy worked with global and national consulting firms such as APCO Worldwide's corporate responsibility practice, led strategic planning and initiative for nonprofit organizations like W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, and Temple University. She also designed, implemented, and communicated sustainability, CSR community engagement and philanthropic strategies for UPS, Sodexo, Johnson Controls and Freddie Mac as well as other companies.  On this episode of the Design Driven Life, Wendy talks to Nancy on how she started out, saw her true calling and goes about sharing her expertise and insights on strategic thinking, productive facilitation, forging partnerships, simplifying complex concepts, and turning visions into reality.Connect with Nancy Murphy via CSR Communications and LinkedIn.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Doni Aldine. Doni is the Founder and CEO of Culturs Global, Multi-Cultural, Philanthropic, Lifestyle Media Company. It reaches more than 1.2 million through email, mobile, digital and print editions distributed in a myriad of outlets. At the age of 19 she identified with seven cultures on four continents, is a Afro-Latina and first-generation North American. A self-funded first-generation university student who hailed from an immigrant family started a community for cross-cultural populations out of her passion. A keynote speaker at conferences, universities as a lifestyle expert on entrepreneurship, marketing, and importantly with cross-cultural identity.  On this episode of the Design Driven Life, Wendy talks to Doni on how things started for her, her views on cultural identity from a global perspective, to teaching others how to see the big picture and not just limit to cultural identity from a particular country such as the U.S. Connect with Doni Aldine via Culturs Mag. Use code TDDL20  to get a discount when you subscribe.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Lis Suppo.Lis Suppo, AKA Mary Freakin’ Poppins™, is a Home Organization & Interior Design Expert who brings MAGIC into her client’s lives!After years of working with clients to streamline their organization and home décor has shown her that by transforming their physical environment inspires and opens them to other positive changes in their life.There’s a big relationship between one’s physical and inner state.Lis is a big...

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Laurie Lewis.For Certified Coach, Laurie Lewis, menopause delivered brain fog, pain, memory loss, and the sudden gain of 50 pounds of stubborn hormonal fat. She tried everything she knew to feel better, and the methods that worked in the past made no difference. After four years of struggle she stumbled upon Intermittent Fasting which turned the course of her life. She started that very same day and in less than a week t...

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Shireen Jaffer.Shireen is a second-time founder, Forbes 30 under 30, and CEO of Edvo, a venture-backed startup that builds technology to help people think for themselves and make better sense of the world. Prior to Edvo, Shireen founded and bootstrapped Skillify to a 7-figure EdTech social venture that helped 100,000+ students gain real world experience through internships and mentorships, Shireen is an active angel investor, people...

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Nancy Murphy.Nancy is the Founder & President, CSR Communications, she spent her career saying what others are afraid to say and learning to say it in ways that people will listen. As founder and president of CSR Communications, she teaches leaders how to influence and persuade others so they can realize their vision for change faster, with less frustration and resistance. She’s known as the “intrapreneurs evangelist” for ...

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Kara Ladd is the Founder of mindful multimedia company, Boundless, which includes Boundless Creatives, a purpose-driven marketing consultancy that helps people discover their spiritual purpose & build impact brands that better the world beyond profit, and Boundless by Kara (@boundlessbykara), a conscious lifestyle personal brand that features product & experience reviews within the spiritual, health & clean beauty space....

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Kaori Fujii.Kaori was born in Tokyo and residing in New York, she an internationally acclaimed flutist, educator, and a philanthropist. She has performed, toured, and recorded with renowned artists and orchestras worldwide. Kaori has performed in concert halls such as John F. Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Liederhalle Stuttgart, Teresa Carreno Theater, Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall and Suntory Hall. She has rele...

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Doni Aldine . Doni is a globally mobile Afro-Latina and first-generation American who lived in & identified with seven cultures on five continents before adulthood.. Aldine is passionate about creating community for cross-cultural populations. She has extensive global experience in communications, media and marketing for organizations both large and emerging. Aldine has presented around the globe as a keynote, at conferenc...

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Kader Boly.He was born on October 31. 1979. He grew up herding animals in Burkina Faso until around 15 years old. After that he continued herding them on canvas. He started showing them around the world and found that people just love his artwork. the Design Driven Life is sponsored by Well Fit Human Retreats. Well Fit Human combines travel, fitness, and humanitarian work in vibrant destinations. Create positive impact through perso...

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with David Johnson.He is a lawyer, writer and professor. He teaches Advanced Negotiation at Stanford Law School, and Design Thinking at the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford. Across the last 20 years he has also practiced law in Silicon Valley, primarily as General Counsel for tech companies and, most recently, a non-profit foundation. He has testified before Congress and the California Ass...

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Michael Anthony. Michael is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, speaker, coach, podcaster, and advocate for adult survivors of childhood trauma.the Design Driven Life is sponsored by Well Fit Human Retreats. Well Fit Human combines travel, fitness, and humanitarian work in vibrant destinations. Create positive impact through personal growth during our life-changing experiences. elevate yourself on their upcoming retreats.Disclaime...

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Emily Trower-Young, As a wooden boat builder, world traveler, and New York City native, Emily Trower-Young has always loved a great adventure. After developing a stubborn case of adult acne in college, she knew there had to be a better solution beyond prescription drugs. Most skin care products simply don’t hold up to the elements out at sea. Inspired by a love of sailing, Em & El Organics' products are designed to heal and prot...

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Shireen Jaffer. Shireen is the CEO of Edvo which is a job search platform that makes it easy for candidates to identify careers on the upswing. It also provides individuals the knowledge on how close they are to being the ideal hire aside from developing the skills highest in demand, and get the support they need to land the best job.  She is also a TEDx Speaker, an angel investor, a mentor-advisor at Rewriting the Code, and the founder of Skillify.  On this episode of the Design Driven Life, Wendy talks to Shireen on how things started for her when she moved to the US, how being an immigrant studying in the US made her grow as an entrepreneur and realizing what education is in the order of things which led her to launch Edvo as well as other projects that are giving the younger generations a better grasp into their futures. Connect with Shireen Jaffer via Edvo and LinkedIn.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

This week on the Design Driven Life, Wendy Yates speaks with Kara Ladd. Kara is the CEO of Conscious Conglomerate, Boundless which includes Boundless Creatives, her boutique purpose-driven consultancy and Boundless by Kara, her mindful lifestyle personal brand. She began her career working in the fashion closets of cosmopolitan and Italian Vogue. She eventually landed at a boutique sustainable fashion consultancy where she led a creative and strategic marketing advisory for high profile clients.  On this episode of the Design Driven Life, Wendy talks to Kara on how she got started from her humble beginnings to working with the biggest names in the fashion industry as well as finding her true calling after some life changing challenges that has encouraged her to fulfill her dreams and true calling.Connect with Kara Ladd via Boundless Creatives and LinkedIn.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.