Moments That Define Us Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with a software engineer and one of the participants of a documentary called "Building Better Future for Us", Demaceo Vincent Howard. He shares the journey behind the documentary , what it was like working in the tech industry during the uncertainty of a global pandemic, and how that experience deepened his conviction that technology must be built with everyone in mind.

This conversation is honest, inspiring, and deeply human. We spoke about why inclusive technology — whether AI or any other innovation — isn't just a nice idea, but a responsibility. Because when we desi...

Todya's epoiside is about money, but not just how to make money but how to help build better, healhier, happier world, planet, community with money we have. Today's guest is certified financial planer and money guru, Meera Shireem Meyer, whos mission is to help women build wealth , feel good about it and make a great impact. Meera is a first generation American, both parents immigrated to the United States from India. She shared many defining moments , growing up indian american, relationship she had with money and how she went from hating finances to building a business in the financial...

In this solo episode, host Iryna gets personal — sharing the life events that led her to pause the podcast to care for her family and prioritize her own well-being. She opens up about a major project she's been working on, gives a sneak peek at what's coming in Season 7, and reflects on why creativity is so central to who she is.

This episode is also packed with wisdom for the Class of 2026 — from the value of travel and embracing creativity, to the power of staying open to wherever life takes you.

#whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstorieshasapowertoheal

We are back with an incredible conversation with Sayre Blake, Technical Founder and CEO of SkillSaige — an AI-powered soft skills training platform. With over a decade of experience in the tech industry, Sayre is now building a women-led, Boulder-based app dedicated to soft skill development, helping people grow through their own defining moments.

Sayre shared the mission driving SkillSaige: that AI should uplift people, not replace them — and why building ethical AI isn't just important, it's essential. She also opened up about her experience as a woman in tech, why she's choosing to do things differently, and the...

In this episode , Iryna sits down with Ali Duncan who is the founder, creator, and visionary of Urban Sanctuary, the only black owned studio in Denver and in Colorado. This conversation is full of defining moments, from Ali's upbringing in Fort Collins, Colorado to opening a yoga studio in a historic neighborhood of Denver call Five Points or "Harlem of the West", in a historic, the Douglass Undertaking Building. They talk about the importance of preserving Black History , the importance of rest, especially for black and brown men and women to heal from systemic oppresion. Rest, slow down and...

This mini episode is all about women's empowerment, conection and why we need more women entrepreneurs. Our host Iryna was part of an amazing event , Bloom and Brilliance, the event by women and for women. In this episode she talks about some of her takeaways from the event, why it is extremly important to support other women and inspire our next generation of young women. Enjoy this short episode and remember to always suppport and uplift women! #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstoriesishealing #businessowner #momentsthatdefineuspodcast #supportwomenentrepreneurs

The guest on the podcast today is Otisa Eads, the founder and owner of Otisa Eads,LLC https://www.otisaeads.com/about. Otisa has quite a story. Born is a very small town in Kentucky, she always dream of bigger things. She shared a big defining moment that happened after college that i think a lot of our younger listeners will relate. She was set to go to California with her then boyfriend but life had a different plan and she ended up in Denver, Colorado where is is currently living , thriving and building a life of her dreams...

Today's episode is all about beauty, confidence and uplifting women. We talk beauty that comes from within, how to achieve confidence and why it is so important to support and uplift other women. The guest on today's episode is Kim Davis. She is a makeup artist with over 20 years of experience in the makeup and beauty industry and she is the owner of Kim Clay Artistry, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Kim talked about her own experience with what it means to be beautiful , struggles she had growing up and how she eventually got into makeup and started her...

How you ever heard of a black swan event? Do you know what a black swan event is? A black swan is a catastrophic incident or event that no one could have foreseen or imagined because of its unprecedented impact. On today episode we have an international author Helen Hynson Vettori. What a privilege it was to speak to this amazing author. She currently has 2 books out from her trilogy, "Black Sawn Impact" & "Black Swan Shock".

This is how Helen describes her books, "Black Sawn Impact": "Black Swan Impact is a sci-fi political thriller that takes place...

"Self-love is the foundation of our loving practice. Without it our other efforts to love fail. Giving ourselves love we provide our inner being with the opportunity to have the unconditional love we may have always longed to received from someone else" , this beautiful passage is from the book by bell hooks-"All About Love". Today's episode is all about love, self-love, love for our communities, childhood love lessons, honest love and so many other acts of love that bell hooks talked about in her amazing book. To help our host Iryna discuss this book, China Borjas , our guest...

Our guest on the podcast today is Lani Gonzales. She is a clinical hypnotherapist, author, and keynote speaker . Lani shared many defining moments , some that include childhood trauma, rape, sexual abuse and story of family member who committed suicide. This episode is heavy and enlightened all at the same time. Lani spoke very openly and beautifully about her life story, being an immigrant , experiencing trauma, achieving more but feeling more empty and unfulfilled the higher she climbed and what led her to changing her life and creating from a space of love. She had a lifechanging experience with ayahuasca...

Welcome to season 6!!! Our first guest is a novelist, Leigh Shalloway. She wrote an incredible book called "Journey back to you". In today's episode Leigh shared her experience with mental health, being diagnosed with clinical depression at 30 , and how that deepen he writing. She opened up about experiencing emotional extremes and how it allowed her to write characters who feel real and complex. Leigh took us into her writing process, research that went into this book, personal stories, past relationships that helped her built Kathleen, Jase and Richard. Journey back to you is the first novel in the Hilltown...

In this final episode our host Iryna is doing a recap of season 5 (the season of women) and of 2025 all together. She is talking about lessons she's learned from her guests in season 5, lessons she learned so far by doing her podcast , why it is important to stay consistent and what is is proud of. This episode is short but its full of gratitude! #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstorieshasthepowertoheal #momentsthatdfineuspodcast #finalepisodeofseason5

Today's conversation is the one for the soul. It will feel your heart with so much hope & love. Iryna sat down with Wafa Saeed, a brilliant woman, an immigrant an avid reader, humanitarian and a proud member of the Sudanese community. Iryna & Wafa talked about their stories about coming to America, what it means to be an immigrant and where do we really belong as immigrants. Wafa shared so many defining moments that shaped her, how her life changed after 9/11, how going back to Sudan for 2 years helped her understand her identity and what wearing hijab means to her.<...

It was such an honor to have Suzzie Vehrs, the founder and owner of She Births Bravely on our podcast. She is a certified doula, based in Seattle Washington, who has been part of almost 300 births. Suzzie also provides childbirth education and and abundance of resources on pre and post birth. Check out her resources here: https://shebirthsbravely.myclickfunnels.com/sbbbc

During our conversation with Suzzie we discussed her motherhood journey, the loss she experienced with her first pregnancy and dealing with grief. Suzzie opened up about struggles in her marriage, going though divorce and coparenting. There...

Today's episode is a special one. Iryna is talking to Eman Abdur-Rahman, who is a mom and entrepreneur. Eman had quite a journey when it comes to motherhood. With her first child she had a very difficult birth followed by severe postpartum depression and in the midst of going through postpartum depression, she started her business. Eman tells a story of how starting her business while battling postpartum depression saved her life. This is the most honest and open conversation about postpartum depression.

In the second part of the episode Eman opened up about the pregnancy and...

Today's episode is all about motherhood. Iryna opened up about her journey, her pregnancies, breastfeeding and why being a working mom makes her a better mom, why showing her kids there are different options out there is very important for her.

Do you want to be a stay-at-home mom or go back to work, should you breastfeed or give your baby formula? Why women still judge other women for choices they make as moms? Is it ok to touch a pregnant woman's belly? But why not? These and some many other questions were answered in this episode. <...

Today's conversation is about a mom , who lost her son to a gun violence, and how through grief and with a help of a very strong community she created a foundation to keep her son legacy alive. Angel Shabazz is the founder of The DJ Armstrong Foundation. The mission of the Foundation is twofold: to empower young people and families through scholarships, mentorship, mental health support, and grief assistance, and to walk alongside grieving mothers through A Mother’s Love, a healing community rooted in faith, empathy, and shared understanding. Angel talked about her son Davarie and what an am...

Today's episode is dedicated to all the teachers and educators everywhere. Teachers are there to help us raise our children and create defining moments that are fundamental in our children's lives.

Our guest today is Rachel Schopp, former classroom teacher with over a decade of experience and founder of Allied Education. Allied Education is dedicated to providing personalized guidance and support to families and students. Rachel understands the complexities of the education system and is committed to helping families make informed decisions for their child's academic journey.

On this episode Rachel talked about growing up...

On today's episode we have a licensed therapist China Borjas, she is the Founder of Ubuntu Wellness LLC - https://www.ubuntuwellness.me/

Therapist corner is a new segment on Moments That Define Us Podcast and you can write in your questions for our therapist to momentsthstdefineus@gmail.com.

Today, we got to know China and her defining moments that led her to become a therapist, from her family business to her own journey with therapy. China talked about overcoming stigma around therapy and understanding the benefits of it, becoming a trauma therapist and how...

On today's episode Iryna had a great conversation with the CEO of Helios Worldwide, Yuki Bi. They spoke about leadership , specifically women leaders and how even in 2025 , even in industries that are targeting women as their primary customers, there are not enough women in the decision making positions. AI has been a big topic , especially in the past year and Yuki gave her take on positive and negative effects AI has. Yuki is from China originally. She spoke about her upbring and navigating life as a immigrant in Canada as well as in US. To learn more about Yuki...

In today's episode Iryna had one of the most honest, open and vulnerable conversation with the a certified Image Consultant, celebrity stylist, and keynote speaker, Celeste Moore. Celeste shared some of the hardest moments that happened in her life to shape her to be the woman she is today. She shared the lessons she learned going through divorce at 22 and building her empire as a single mom. Celeste shared some of the defining moments that shaped her entrepreneurial journey and why its so important to stay true to who you are and not what everyone else wants you to...

In today's episode Iryna is in conversation with a Keynote Speaker and Feminine Leadership and Soul Coach , Ber-Henda Williams. She is a resident of Detroit and woman with many gifts and so much wisdom. Ber-Henda offered a very valuable lesson to our listens on how to find your your true calling in life or as she calls it "your soul's calling". She spoke about some of her defining moments that lead her to be the woman she is today and why its so important to be still and listen to what life is whispering to you. You can learn...

Welcome back to Moments That Define Us Podcast. This is the first episode of season 5. Our host Iryna is talking about what's happening in the county today when it comes to immigration, what it means to be an immigrant, and why its extremely important to treat everyone with kindness. She raised a question "What would you do if you had to flee your county and save your family, provide a better life for them?" Why its important to practice empathy and put yourself in somebody else's shoes and try to understand where people are coming from. #whatsyourdefiningmoment #sharingourstorieshasapowertoheal

In today episode Iryna is joined by Lisa Conway. She is a beautiful human, a heart-led human who opened up in such a vulnerable and authentic way. Today Lisa is a mom, wife, business owner of a hair salon called Vantage Salon in Arvada, CO, community member and so much more. Life hasn't always been easy for Lisa. She started living on her own at the age of 16 in NYC and had to grow up fast but there have been so many beautiful lessons in her journey. Lisa opened up about her experience being an entrepreneur and why she...

A few weeks ago, Iryna had a chance to have a wonderful conversation with the CEO and co-founder of a Detroit based social enterprise Rebel Nell, Amy Paterson. Rebel Nell is a women owned and mission driven jewelry company. Not only each piece of their jewelry has a unique story but they use reproposed graffiti in their jewelries.

"Rebel Nell is a social enterprise that provides employment, equitable access, and holistic support to women navigating barriers to work—whether due to housing insecurity, incarceration, displacement, disability, or other systemic obstacles".

Amy and Iryna spoke about ho...

Today is another solo episode. In recent weeks Iryna finished reading The Anxious Generation book by Jonathan Haidt and watched 2020 documentary " The Social Dilemma", two amazing and very informative pieces of work. In this episode Iryna discusses her take on the documentary an the book, growing up without technology ,the effect social media has on her life ,and why it is important to pay attention between using technology as tools and when those tools become addiction. If you have stories about positive or negative effects of technology, social media or ChatGPT on your life, submit them to momentsthatdefineus@gmail...

Today's episode was recorded on April 27, which is Iryna and her husband's 11th wedding anniversary. This is a short solo episode where Iryna talks about her life as a mom, wife, friend and gives unsolicited life advice to anyone out there who needs it on marriage and relationships. She tells the story of how her and her husband met, why its ok to not like your partner sometimes, and how important it is to marry someone who love and support you no matter what. This episode is light and funny so enjoy it.

#whatsyourdefiningmoment #marriageadvice #relationships #sharingourstoriesishealing<...

In today's episode Iryna is joined by an amazing woman, author, film and culture critic Jonita Davis. In this episode we only scratched the surface of the amazing life this creative woman has lived. We talked about her writing process and should you stay in "one lane " as a creative, why it is important to speak up against injustice, especially in the state of world today.

Jo was diagnosed with ADHD and she opened up about how getting diagnosed helped her navigate creativity, writing and her life better. Jo newest project is coloring books called Starseed Panic...

In today episode Iryna is joined by the founder of GraceFull Home, a Denver based furniture bank, EmilyJane Zahreddine. EmilyJane is a powerhouse, who saw a problem in her community and decided to create a solution. She launched her non profit in 2024 and already helped over 200 people in Denver metro area who are exiting homeless and need help furnishing their new home. EmilyJane spoke about how the idea of creating GraceFull Home came to her and why helping our community members is so important. To learn more about GraceFull Home , go to https://gracefullhome.org/

EmilyJane was...

In today's episode Iryna is joined by Emily Mara, who is a personal trainer, accountability coach and the founder and owner of EMpower by Emily Mara https://www.empowerbyem.com/. This conversation is extra special for many reasons. One of the reasons is in this episode Emily and Iryna talked about the beauty and challenges of motherhood. Emily lost her mom over 10 years and she spoke about lessons she learned from her mom, her grieving process and her approach to her journey as a mother of two girls.

Emily started dancing at a very young age and...

Michael Sykes is the founder of the organization called Equitable Solutions and the director of culture, equity and leadership for Denver Public Schools. This conversation was deep, meaningful, vulnerable and we talked about variety of topics. Michael was open enough to talk about his life in a very profound way, things he had to learn and overcome to become a person he is today. Michael wrote a book "Easy Equity" and he dedicated this book to some of the strong , powerful and important women in his life and he talked about them with such love, gratitude and respect and...

I had a pleasure of having a wonderful conversation with Karen Olson, the founder of national non profit organization call Family Promise. Karen joined me on the podcast to talk about her book "Mean For More" . In her book Karen captured her incredible journey from a single act of kindness to a lifetime of service. Karen wrote a beautiful story about her childhood and tragedy she experienced at a young age and how helping others helped her heal herself alone the way. To learn more about Family Promise, go to https://familypromise.org/ . You can find local affiliate in...

In today's episode Iryna is joined by an incredible fashion designer Michael Sullivan. Michael went all the way back to his childhood and talked about little Michael, his hopes and dreams for the future and how he is living that dream right now. Michael's grandfather was a big inspiration for him because of his impeccable style and his wisdom. Michael has been honoring his grandfather in his recent clothing collection. Not only Michael is a great fashion designer, he is builds his community for people to feel seen and loved and most importantly be themselves. Michael is a founder...

Bella and Iryna were invited to be part of the discussion panel on the Outlier's Edge Podcast. We discussed what it means to be an entrepreneur, obstacles we had to overcome to get to the place we are today and why failure is necessary and perfection is the killer of all joy.

Visit https://niiamahashong.com/oepodcast/ to learn more about the ultimate Outlier behind the podcast and the outliers community Niiamah Ashong.

#whatsyourdefiningmoment #outlierscommunity #entrepreneur #lifelessons

Welcome to Season #4!!!!!! In the first episode of season 4, Iryna and Bella sat down for a beautiful conversation. They talked about why Bella has been MIA from the podcast, the loss she experienced last year that give her clarity on how to move forward and what's in store for the podcast this year. You don't want to miss this episode because there is big announcement on expansion within the podcast!!!!! #momentsthatdefineuspodcast #whatsyourdefiningmoment #bigannouncement #newyearnewopportunities

In today's episode Iryna is joined by Denise Izso, the founder and host of Blacadian podcast. Through social media , Iryna and Denise became listeners of each other's podcast and finally decided to sit down for a conversation on Moments That Define Us Podcast. Denise was born and raised in Canada but both of her parents are from Barbados. She spoke about growing up in Canada , in a predominantly white neighborhood and how she navigated her childhood, friendships and the world around her mixing her two cultures.

Denise talked about Canada and answered the question we all want...

We all spend money on a daily basis but do we really know what the organizations we support stand for? Who make those critical decisions for the company? Do they really represent community they serve and who they have on their board of directors and why that is so important to know for us as consumers ? In today's episode we sat down with Sara Finesilver , who is on of the founding partners of Board First Consulting, LLC , a women-owned board effectiveness consulting firm.

We often think boards of directors as bunch of middle-aged white men, which can...

Todays episode is a special one! Bella sat down with Iryna to talk to her about turning 40. They covered topics from aging and beauty to becoming more mature and caring less about what other people think of you. Bella took Iryna on a journey though her life, from looking back to her 20 and 30 to what lies ahead for the next decade. Iryna gave some very good advice to young people and shared some of the defining moments that makes a person she is today! If you need wisdom and inspiration in your life, this episode is for you!

In today episode we are joined by an incredible human Assetou Xango. They are a poet, an author , a coach and so much more.. In this conversation we discussed variety of topics from election and the state of our country today to creativity , writing and how being creative can be beautiful but also make us face everything in ourself we are scared to face. When it comes to creativity Assetou said, "You have to listen when spirit is talking to you" This conversation was was real, authentic and vulnerable and it will make you think about the world, your...