The Hidden Ingredient

Chosen Family: Bookclub Babe - Dana T. (Part 2)

Part 2 of Jess' conversation with longtime friend Dana dives into one of their favorite topics: books.

The two discuss unforgettable reads, book club favorites, horror stories, dystopian fiction, and the books that continue to shape how they think about the world. Along the way, they share stories about volunteering, leadership, hiking, workplace experiences, and the small routines that bring them joy.

From The Reformatory and Homegoing to discussions about friendship, curiosity, and lifelong learning, this episode feels like sitting at the table with two friends who can turn any topic into a great conversation.

And yes, somehow roast beef sandwiches, horror movies, and six-mile hikes make an appearance too.

Chosen Family: Bookclub Babe - Dana (Part 1)

In this episode of The Hidden Ingredient, Jess sits down with one of her best friends, Dana, for a conversation that feels equal parts therapy session, comedy hour, and girls’ trip recap.

 

The two talk about meeting while working together at Supply.com, surviving corporate nonsense in their twenties, building careers they never expected, and somehow becoming the kind of friends who can travel internationally, survive terrible edible experiences, and still make it back home laughing.

 

From cozy winters in Denmark to fish fries, tequila experiments, workplace stories, and unforgettable lunch breaks, this episode is full of the kind of friendship stories that make you text your best friend immediately after listening.

From the Family Album: Cousin Conversations - Lila B

In this episode of The Hidden Ingredient, Jesse sits down with her cousin Lila for a conversation that moves from childhood memories and family jokes into grief, faith, identity, marriage, and motherhood.

Raised in a military family and constantly relocating, Lila learned early how to adapt, disconnect, and move on. But after losing her sister in high school, drifting through chaotic years in New York, and eventually becoming a wife and mother of three, she found herself confronting something much harder than change: staying.

Doing the WORK: The Science and Spirit of Generational Trauma

In this powerful conversation, Keischa Bradley—pastor, author, trauma specialist, wife, and mother—joins The Hidden Ingredient to unpack trauma, healing, generational patterns, and the relationship between faith and therapy.

Together, we explore how trauma shapes identity, relationships, thought patterns, and even what we believe about ourselves. From inherited wounds and normalized dysfunction to cognitive reframing, spiritual healing, and renewing the mind, this episode challenges us to ask: What happens when we stop coping and start healing?

Doing the WORK: Partnership, Purpose, and Parenting on the Spectrum (Part 2)

In Part 2, Cristina shares the realities of raising a son on the spectrum — from routines and emotional regulation to homeschooling and the hidden mental load of parenting. The conversation expands into healing, AI-era children, and learning to let go of the “right” way to live, parent, and grow.

Doing the WORK: Partnership, Purpose, and Parenting on the Spectrum (Part 1)

This episode is personal.

I’m sitting down with my friend and business partner, Cristina—someone who came into my life at exactly the right time and changed how I see partnership, purpose, and what it means to build something real.

We talk about motherhood, and more specifically, her journey raising a son with autism. From the moment of diagnosis to navigating therapies, uncertainty, and the emotional weight of it all—Cristina shares what it actually looks like behind the scenes.

This is Part 1 of our conversation, and trust me—you’re going to want to come back for Part 2.

Doing the WORK: The Truth About Being a Woman in Business (Part 2)

In Part 2, Brandie drops a truth most people skip over: success isn’t about mindset—it’s about your heart.

From redefining womanhood and community to breaking down the stigma around Black businesses, this conversation gets real about what it takes to build something meaningful. Brandie shares how faith, discipline, and radical self-accountability shaped her journey—and why the key to growth might not be what you think.

Doing the WORK: The Truth About Being a Woman in Business (Part 1)

The Truth About Being a Woman in Business | Accountability, Influence & Purpose

What does it really take to become a woman who builds, leads, and inspires?

In this Women’s History Month episode, I sit down with entrepreneur Brandie for a deep, unfiltered conversation about business, womanhood, and the power of influence. We break down what “influence” actually means beyond social media—and why accountability might be the key to freedom.

From building a business with your partner to navigating identity, pressure, and purpose, this episode is filled with real stories, mindset shifts, and moments that will stay with you.

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