Season 1

March 29, 2023

The Importance of Opening Up The World to New Ideas and Perspectives Featuring Anna DeShawn

Let’s close out Women’s History Month with a bang! In this special episode of The Rutledge Perspective, I am joined by none other than Chicago-born media professional and social entrepreneur, Anna DeShawn! Anna is the Founde…
March 22, 2023

How to Gain Clarity, Take Action, and Have a Lasting Impact Featuring Rebecca M. Thompson

Have you ever felt like you wanted to make a big change in your life but were afraid of everything that could potentially come with making that move? Maybe, you’re okay with the fear of the unknown but you can’t come to grip…
March 15, 2023

Food is Medicine: Why the Key to True Wellness is in Your Diet Featuring Dr. Shayla Toombs-Withers

This week on the Rutledge Perspective Podcast, I am joined by the amazing Dr. Shayla Toombs-Withers and we will be talking about a major key in unlocking true wellness, your diet! Dr. Toombs-Withers is a board-certified phys…
March 8, 2023

Breaking Barriers to Build a Sustainable Business! Featuring Rachel Soweija

This week on the Rutledge Perspective Podcast, we will continue to celebrate Women’s History Month by highlighting amazing women that are accomplishing outstanding feats. Meet Rachel Soweija! Rachel is the owner of Vida Desi…
March 1, 2023

Why You Should Be Your Own Advocate and Take Control of Your Health

Let’s kick off Women’s History Month with a bang by talking about taking your health into your own hands. By now, we are all aware of the issues that the black community and women as a whole face as it pertains to the dispar…
April 28, 2021

No Expectations

Those from whom nothing is expected cannot disappoint abundantly. This statement blew my mind. Why? Because it spoke simply and clearly to the FREEDOM that can be had when no one expects anything from us. Of course, the free…
April 21, 2021

Learning from Discipline ROCKS!

Being disciplined really can suck. But it doesn’t have to if we change our perspective from what we are “supposed” to do to what we learn from whatever we are doing. Then we take that learning to inform our actions to get to…
April 14, 2021

Your Gifts Have Value

You have spent lots of resources preparing yourself to deliver – time, money, energy. Blood, sweat, tears. And yet, it is awkward or seems out of integrity to ask someone to invest in or with you. Why? Because what’s missing…
April 7, 2021

Inspiration Is a Gift

You never know who is watching! We often inspire people from afar – without ever even knowing it. And we are inspired by people whose stories we hear but who we never meet. What we forget to do sometimes is figure out how to…
March 31, 2021

Life is Rich, Live it Fully - An Interview with Rachel Perry

Rachel Perry embodies all the qualities that make a great leader. She seeks feedback and uses it to move forward. She takes on roles that are outside of her comfort zone. She leads with transparency, honesty, and integrity. …
March 24, 2021

Fighting ABOUT vs Fighting FOR Something

I’ve reached a point in my life where I am selective about how and where and on whom I spend my energy. That includes deciding what I’m willing to go to battle over. But the deeper question that comes to mind, is this: is th…
March 17, 2021

Trust the Process – An Interview with CEO Tiffany Williams

My guest Tiffany Williams is the walking example of “go big or go home.” She had a vision for what she wanted to do and decided the time was now. She took the risk to start her own business instead of the traditional path of…
March 10, 2021

Codeswitching – The Struggle is Real

Codeswitching from a social interaction perspective is a real phenomenon for those who are deemed as “other.” The need to manipulate language or attitude or the need to emulate behavior that is seen as more “successful” crea…
March 3, 2021

We Are Our History

There is a desire to know our roots to get grounded in our “belonging.” And there is so much strength in that – and a little bit of trepidation because you never know what you will find when you digging for information. But …
Feb. 24, 2021

Calling Out, Cancelling and Consequences

We have entered an era of calling out and canceling those who exhibit behavior that is deemed unacceptable. And sometimes, doing those two things is all that we can do. But if the point is to change behavior and not just pun…
Feb. 17, 2021

Texas Snowpocalypse 2021 – Surrender to the Snow, I mean FLOW

We are NOT ok in Texas! This Snowpocalypse has been soul-crushing. BUT, because I believe when you change your perspective you change your circumstances, it has also been an opportunity to remember to stay in flow. Let go of…
Feb. 10, 2021

It’s Love Week - Show Yourself Some Love

It’s LOVE week on The Rutledge Perspective and I want us to think about showing ourselves some love. For those who are single and struggling with isolation, see what you can do to turn that energy into self-care. For those w…
Feb. 3, 2021

Pick Your Battles – Preserve Your Energy

Not every situation deserves a response. Not every fight is yours to engage in. BUT, it is important to recognize that silence can be interpreted as consent and there are consequences – good and bad – to entering into any he…
Jan. 27, 2021

There Is ALWAYS Something to Learn

Surrendering to the flow INCLUDES surrendering the ego that prevents us from asking for help. Somehow, we have grown into the habit that the more you have accomplished, the less you have to learn. We have learned that if you…
Jan. 20, 2021

You Need Some GRACE in Your HUSTLE

Not everyone’s “hustle” is the same; yet we measure ourselves by what others are doing. But we need to give ourselves grace. Grace to have a minute. Grace to have doubts. Grace to move forward. And, as leaders, when we give …
Jan. 13, 2021

Beware Your Flow

Sometimes we don’t know how much power we have. At other times, we are VERY CLEAR but fail to reign it in because it suits our agenda at the time. But #trueleaders are always aware of both positive and negative consequences …
Jan. 6, 2021

Everyday I’m Hustling

How did “hustling” become the measuring stick for success? Words matter and we have taken a word that means “to forcibly move” or “to con” and turned it into the definition for acceptable effort. Although the way the meaning…
Dec. 30, 2020

Happy YOU Year 2021

It is time to take off. It is time to celebrate what is to come. It is time for 2021! After a  year of madness all around we have made it to the next level. And, I don’t know about you, but I’m ready. Let’s use what we have …
Dec. 23, 2020

Reflection and Celebration Part 3: Christmas Eve Eve

What a year. As we end our month of reflection and celebration, I want to celebrate all we have learned and all we have experienced. I want to celebrate our strength and our resilience. And I want to celebrate 2020 being beh…