Season Reunion | The Conversations That Stayed With Us

Summary

Podcast Summary: Keep It Positive, Sweetie

Episode: Season Reunion | The Conversations That Stayed With Us
Date: June 28, 2026
Host: Crystal Renee Hayslett & The Black Effect Podcast Network
Featuring: Crystal, Shelly (Producer), Jess, Dr. Key, Keisha Lance Bottoms, various guests

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Episode Overview

This special reunion episode of "Keep It Positive, Sweetie" celebrates the close of Season 11. The team reunites to reflect on the conversations that made the biggest impact, sharing honest insights, memorable lessons, laughter, and moments of real healing. As always, host Crystal Renee Hayslett and her crew hold space for raw, uplifting dialogue about purpose, faith, personal growth, and navigating tough truths with grace and grit.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Reflecting on the Season’s Purpose

• The team celebrates wrapping up Season 11, marveling at how far the show has come (02:41).
• Crystal: "I realized that we're not just documenting conversations. We're literally documenting people in the middle of their becoming." (04:46)

Revisiting Favorite Conversations

• Shelly: Discusses the challenge of recapping the season, realizing that every episode revealed something new upon rewatching (03:11, 03:25).
• Jess: Highlights how production and being present in interviews can mean missing the emotional aftershocks until later (03:34).

On Guests Showing Up Authentically

• Guests often arrive with one intention, only for conversations to deepen unexpectedly, touching on topics like healing and personal growth (03:59, 04:20).
• Shelly: "They resonate because it’s a reminder that they are human, just like us." (04:34)

Faith, Purpose, Becoming

• Tech Entrepreneur Guest: Discusses trusting God's vision even when others don’t understand, and the importance of honoring that purpose (05:06).
• Dr. Keith: Shares wisdom on life’s ups and downs — "It will not always be easy, but it also will not always be hard... the good is omnipresent." (05:26)
• Keisha Lance Bottoms: Relates how never giving up on each other is key in relationships, echoing the idea of staying connected despite challenges (05:59).

Vulnerability in Relationships & Parenting

• Guest (female): Shares her journey dating as a parent and prioritizing self-fulfillment over deeper compatibility (06:20).
• Producer/Shelly: Uses a cell phone analogy to describe the evolving nature of marriage — "If you went from that old Nokia to this iPhone with nothing in between... that's what happens in marriage." (07:31)
• Discussion on how small daily adjustments in relationships are like software updates, ultimately leading to growth (07:44).

Standout Guest Moments

• Crystal: Touched by Tiffany Willis’s resilience using a windowsill as a refrigerator for her child, reflecting gratitude over hardship (09:14).
  • Quote: "She just showed so much gratitude throughout her whole story. That really resonated with me." (09:18)
• Jess & Shelly: Praise guest Torrey for challenging the idea that purpose is tied to a career instead of life itself (10:22).
  • Jess: "Purpose isn’t just career based, it’s life based." (10:51)

Healing and Transformation

• The team discusses how “Keep It Positive, Sweetie” facilitates unplanned healing for both guests and listeners — sharing tears and breakthroughs (14:11, 14:25).
• Jess, on Carisha’s appearance: "No one's too far from God. Everyone has their own faith walk." (12:03-13:00)

Memorable Quotes & Lessons

On Connection vs. Correction

• Red (Guest): "We were so quick to correct instead of connect." (17:24)
• Crystal: "We thought we’d just hear about their marriage, but we’re also hearing about them still being cultivated and growing." (15:03)

On Embracing Change & Support

• Dr. Keith: "No one is self-made... I’m village made." (47:17)
• Jess: "Her mantra was support is a verb." (39:40)

On Stepping Back to Care for Yourself

• Keisha Lance Bottoms: “Strong women push through, powerful women stop.” (36:57)
• She opens up about health concerns prompting her to step away from politics, emphasizing the need to listen to one's body (46:00).

Behind the Scenes and Teamwork

• The crew discusses the serious preparation put into each episode to honor guest stories, from reading books to deep research (25:25).
• They highlight the importance of creating a safe, welcoming environment for guests — "People don’t feel like they’re coming in for an interrogation. They come for real conversation." (23:09)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Crystal: "People come in for one thing, but then the conversation takes a turn into something way bigger than I think any of us could imagine." (03:59)
• Tiffany Willis (via Crystal): "Other people probably thought it was poverty. For me, it was actually progress." (15:45)
• Tech Entrepreneur Guest: “When God gives you something and you know it, even when people around you don’t get it... honor it against the naysayers.” (05:06)
• Dr. Keith: “If I accept self-made, then I began to erase people who’ve been very vital to my existence.” (47:16)
• Keisha Lance Bottoms: “I fought with every single thing I had... for the people of Atlanta. I did it because it was the right thing to do. It didn’t mean that every decision I made was perfect, but I tried my very best.” (44:31)
• Crystal: “My purpose doesn’t ask me to choose one version of myself. It asks you to steward every version you’ve been trusted with.” (34:13)
• Shelly: “My takeaway from this season is just a reminder that everyone is carrying something, and most of the time, you never know. Grace goes a long way.” (53:21)

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Important Segments (Timestamps)

• Season Reflection and Guest Impact: 02:31–05:04
• Faith, Purpose, and Becoming: 05:06–06:53
• Relationships & Growth in Marriage: 07:31–08:20
• Unforgettable Guest Stories (Tiffany Willis, Torrey): 09:14–12:02
• On Healing and Safe Spaces: 13:24–14:25
• Marriage, Therapy, and Evolving Together: 14:25–15:29, 17:17–18:55
• Behind the Scenes / Team Process: 25:25–26:45
• Key Life Lessons Discussed: 33:44–36:33
• Keisha Lance Bottoms on Stepping Away: 36:57–38:37, 44:23–46:39
• Village Made, Not Self-Made (Dr. Key): 46:39–47:45
• Takeaways and Gratitude: 51:09–53:46

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Themes and Takeaways

1. Authentic Vulnerability: Guests and hosts alike shared beyond the surface — crying, laughing, and being real about struggles and triumphs.
2. Faith and Resilience: Stories of overcoming (Tiffany Willis, Carisha, Keisha Lance Bottoms) illuminated the power of faith and gratitude, even under pressure.
3. Purpose is Evolving: Meaningful reflection on how calling and purpose follow us through various life stages, not limited to career (Torrey, Tech Entrepreneur Guest).
4. Importance of Safe Space: The strongest conversations emerged in a nonjudgmental, supportive environment, allowing guests to “let their guards down.”
5. Grace and Teamwork: Behind each episode is a dedicated, loving team — mutual support is celebrated as vital to everyone’s growth and healing.
6. The Power of “Village”: Uplifting reminders that no one succeeds alone — community and support networks are foundational.

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Final Words/Looking Forward

• Crystal: “I just wanted to have conversations with people... to show people that we’re more alike than we’re not. I did not imagine within three years that I’d be reflecting on 11 seasons.” (50:31)
• The team commits to continuing authenticity and inspiration in future seasons, excited for Season 12 and grateful to their “sweeties” community for trust and support (55:15–56:27).

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Listen for the healing, the laughter, the lessons — but most of all, the real connections.

“It’s bigger than content. It’s purpose work.” (43:22 – Shelly)

Transcript

[Crystal]

This is an Iheart podcast.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Guaranteed human pressure has a way of

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[Dr. Keith]

Com A lot of you ask how

[Shopify Advertiser]

I actually run my business behind the scenes. And honestly, Shopify is the reason it exists. For me, Shopify is the place where I took this little idea I had and turned it into a real business. I still remember the first ever sale I made for my fashion brand. Embellished. It was a huge moment for me and Shopify made it all possible. Build your store, own your audience, and create something that lasts. Start [e-mail] Ben, you're locked into a

[Boost Mobile Advertiser]

lot of things you can't change.

[Guest (female)]

Weather, traffic.

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[Guest (male)]

All?

[Starbucks Advertiser]

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[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Calling all my sweeties to the forefront. I'm your host, Chris Renee Hazlett, and this is the Keep it positive, sweetie.

[Dr. Keith]

Show

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

guys, we did it. Season 11 is officially wrapped.

[Jess]

Crazy right now. We were just talking about the first

[Shelly]

guest, and now we're sitting here trying to figure out how to recap it

[Crystal]

all, which was harder than producing the season itself, actually.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

And you did a great job with that, Shelly, by the way.

[Jess]

Amazing. Let's go, Shelly.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

First season producer. Okay.

[Shelly]

Was this your first season?

[Guest (female)]

Yeah.

Yeah.

[Shelly]

Came in here forever, feels like forever,

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

you know, so good. No, but it was.

[Shelly]

It was.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

I feel like it was really tough because originally I wanted you, like, a reunion style recap, and then I was like, no, we need to sit down. Yeah, we need to talk about. It was so many clips, and I realized I just want to talk about our favorite moments. Right.

[Jess]

Yeah, I felt the same way. Yeah.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah. But then when I watched everything back, I realized that I was picking up new things from every conversation.

[Guest (female)]

Me too.

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

Right?

[Shelly]

For sure.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Me too.

[Jess]

Yeah. That's production, though. You know, we're present during the filming days, and then, you know, we just. In a different mode. But then a lot of times, you get to thinking about patterns of, like, okay, what can we change? What can we do? And then the guest conversation. Some people are coming in for deeper conversations. Some people are coming for healing. Some people are coming for purpose. You know, it's just. This is a great space, and I feel like, you know, you embodied that

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

the whole season, man. I appreciate that. Thank you. But you're absolutely right. You know, rewatching made me realize that people come in for one thing, but then the conversation takes a turn into something way bigger than I think any of us could imagine. I always look behind the camera, and I'll see Ashana's hand, like. And I'm like, the church is saying amen. I'll see Shelley nodding.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

Yeah.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

So I feel like to see it in real time, even though we're present, to see the impact that the conversations are having when they may just come in for a book or come in to talk about the movie they're doing or just their journey, to see how it resonates with us all in real time is really cool.

[Shelly]

Yeah. And I think that's why they resonate, because it's a reminder that they are human, just like us, and we all have similar experiences. And I think that's why people come to keep apologizing.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Exactly. You know, I love that our guests, they show up in more ways than we expected them to. And looking back, I realized that we're not just documenting conversations. We're literally documenting people in the middle of their becoming.

[Crew Member/Backstage]

Yeah.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

You know, and I think that's what made this season so special, you know? So let's check out some clips, shall we?

[Guest (male)]

Yeah.

[Tech Entrepreneur Guest]

When it comes to knowing, like, when God gives you something and you know it, even when people around you don't get it, people you love, trust, and respect. That's why you got to cultivate that.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yes.

[Tech Entrepreneur Guest]

Because there's something that God sees that he's revealing to you.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yes.

[Tech Entrepreneur Guest]

That if you honor it against the naysayers, it's going to set you up for success.

[Dr. Keith]

It will not always be easy, but it also will not always be hard. That is what has been foundationally true for me.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Dr. Keith]

And I'm always so clear that my heart has a timeline, but my good is. It is always concurrent, is always running. And so there are moments when those trying days feel louder than the good days.

[Tech Entrepreneur Guest]

Yeah.

[Dr. Keith]

But the good is omnipresent. If we can shift our mindsets to believe that the goodness is omnipresent, we've

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

never given up on each other at the same time. Oh, I love that relationships, the best of relationships aren't perfect relationships.

[Guest (female)]

Mm.

[Guest (male)]

Mm.

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

Sometimes you're here and sometimes you're here, and it may all be in the same day, but that friendship, sometimes the same hour.

[Guest (female)]

I was dating. Selfishly, I wasn't dating. Like, I had a kid. Like, I was dating based off of how you made me feel.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yes.

[Guest (female)]

Like, wasn't even worried about, like, whether they were good with kids or not, whether they could have a discussion with a kid, whether they could, you know, get to know my child or not. If you were doing something to make me feel good, you know, whether that was sex, just conversation. Cause I didn't like to be alone. Whatever it was. If I felt like you were doing something for me, fine. You were good in my book.

[Guest (male)]

And that's how I am. I'm like that, too. It's just like, I do. It's people that I do genuinely miss.

[Shelly]

Yeah.

[Guest (male)]

Like, I miss them.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah.

[Guest (male)]

I miss the relationship we had. I miss them. But I'm so cool, Yo.

[Crystal]

I am so cool with it.

[Guest (female)]

But I'm cool.

[Guest (male)]

I am so cool with it. It's fine. Like, yo, I wish you the best. I wish you the best. But I am so. I am so. I'm a thousand percent cool with it.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

I feel you on that.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

Think about the cell phone you had, your first Nokia, probably, with the little snake. And think about the iPhone you have probably right now. Imagine if you went from that phone to that iPhone with nothing in between.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Wow.

[Nespresso Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

And that's what happens in marriage.

[Dr. Keith]

Yeah.

[Guest (male)]

Ooh.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

You gotta every phone, every update, you gotta learn this new and just iPhone enough headphone jack. Oh, dang, I ain't got that. Now I gotta get AirPods. Now I gotta charge this. Now this thing used to not be there, but from the Nokia Snake when we started dating to the iPhone 17.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

If I wasn't up to date on every. And think about how little the changes feel at the time, it's just like, oh, dang, man.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

I used to be able. We used to take pictures. They used to be grainy, all that stuff. Now you can shoot. There's a new app.

[Nespresso Advertiser]

You can.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

Dual shot recorder.

[Guest (female)]

You can shoot.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

I just saw that Black owned too, man. I saw that. That didn't exist.

[Jess]

Yeah.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

Two weeks ago.

[Nissan Advertiser]

Right?

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

That was so good, you guys. You know what's really funny? I don't remember the order in which these conversations happened, but I remember how they made me feel.

[Crystal]

Yeah, no, that's real. Like, I don't remember like the date, the time, any of that, but I know, like, oh, boom. That was a. Back there. We'd be back there like, yeah, like all the. Mhm. Ahas.

[Guest (male)]

Yes.

[Jess]

It's been several filming days when I'm like, oh, man, okay, that was good. But then like days later it's like, oh, it hit me in my life or hit me somewhere. And I was like, wow.

[Dr. Keith]

Yeah.

[Shelly]

Yeah, I agree. And a lot of the conversations that we have or the interviews that we have, they don't stop when we yell cut. They keep going and we keep talking and it stays with us.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

No, for sure. I want to ask you guys something. Out of all the conversations and interviews we had this season, what is the one moment that sticks out to you the most?

[Crystal]

I know for me, Tiffany Willis with the on youn narrative.

[Ryan Reynolds (Mint Mobile Advertiser)]

Yeah.

[Crystal]

When she said, like, she used the window as her refrigerator and like it's her. The window sill is her refrigerator. They keep her babies. Bottle worm and her whole conversation. She was not a victim. Which anyone in that situation could have just taken it and made them like your parents get you out when you was 14, you pregnant, all these things. But she just like really showed so much gratitude throughout her whole story. So that really resonated with me. And that was one of our earlier shows. So I like the tone that it said. But even in my own life it was, things can be worse, but things can also get better.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

It's about your perspective.

[Crystal]

Exactly.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

I love that and I love that she wasn't asking anyone to feel sorry for her. She was honoring where she came from. And she kept it a G. Yeah, she did, like, at a very young age, too. And to see who she's become today is just phenomenal.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

Crazy.

[Ryan Reynolds (Mint Mobile Advertiser)]

Yeah.

[Jess]

I remember me and Shelly being on a production, pre production call with her and just listen to her story and just listen to her like, bio and just like, hold on, this is going to be something like. And then we didn't get everything on a pre pro call, but I love the episode too. But my favorite was Torre.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Come on, pt, Listen.

[Jess]

He challenged the conversation. Like, we spend a lot of time, you know, thinking about what lane we supposed to stay in. And he completely challenged it. Like, he talked about the purpose being something that follows you, you know, not something that's attached to a job. You know, that really resonated with me as a man.

[Shelly]

I think it resonated with a lot of the Sweeties and everyone who watches online. Because like you said, purpose isn't just career based, it's life based.

[Jess]

Life based.

[Shelly]

And I think he gave all of us who have many career aspirations or many skill sets the permission to chase them all and not stay stuck in a box. And I know you can testify on

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

my street, as Pastor Darius would say, I felt that personally because with everything I have going on with acting ors, the merch, producing everything singing, it's so many different things that I've questioned myself. Am I. You so silly.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

Cha Ching.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

I've questioned myself. Am I doing too much sometimes? You know, And I believe this conversation definitely reminded me that purpose is not always linear. You know, it's gonna come layered. And you just got to go with the flow and go. For me, I always go with where I am and what really resonates with me in that season, I don't try to force. And I love purpose follows you. I think a lot of people get lost in chasing purpose, but, like, knowing that when you are walking in it, it's what's following behind you. It's what you're leaving, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Shelly]

You know, a conversation.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

I felt that myself.

[Shelly]

I think the Sweeties also really enjoyed Carisha.

[Crystal]

Yes. Oh, my God.

[Shelly]

There was a lot of conversation going into Caresha and having her on the show. We had her on the live show at the Black Effect Podcast festival, and there was a lot of conversation about what you guys would talk about. And even she was a little concerned about how she fit into the Keep it Positive Sweetie show. But I think one thing that you have coined is that no one's too far from God. And even in her conversation about her journey, her career journey as a podcaster and a business owner, her life journey, she also reflected on her relationship with God. And I think that that is also a testament of, you know, everyone has their own faith walk and no one is too far from God. And I think our sweeties took a lot from. From her conversation.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah, I love that. Yeah, I really enjoyed our conversation. I remember she walked up to me backstage and she was like, I am so nervous. And I was like, don't be. Because one thing I know is that the sweeties are going to support whoever we're talking to. And she felt that they were talking right back to her, you know, and it made her feel really good.

[Shelly]

Yeah, Yeah. I think people got to see a version of her that you don't always see publicly.

[Guest (female)]

Yeah.

[Shelly]

And I think that's something that we all appreciate about this particular show is like, you get a version of the guest that you don't typically see in any other interview. It feels like a safe space that feels like home. And I think we got that with Caresha.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah, for sure.

[Crystal]

Definitely.

[Jess]

That's like Jess 2. Cause Jess came in with one conversation plan. Somewhere along the way, you know, like, she started healing. Like, it started tears. We was pulling out Kleenex or whatnot.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah.

[Jess]

But about explaining why instead of like, her parenting from fear, you know, like, it's always the root of the issue or the root of somewhere. So, you know, I think that her book really, like, took her to her place. And I think the conversation sitting on that couch, you know, you kind of brought her somewhere else. Like she felt safer.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

For sure.

[Guest (female)]

Yeah.

[Crystal]

And these interviews, they just, like, take a life of their own. When people come in here, it's not even where they think they're gonna do. So I love that too. It's like you come in here talking about one thing and then actually you unveil a whole bunch of other stuff that's real.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Like think about Toy and Red. When they came on, I was like, okay, this is gonna be an hour long conversation about marriage and, you know, what you deal with in that union. And I love thinking about peace and healing and connection.

[Guest (male)]

Yeah. Like when.

[Jess]

When Red said we were so quick to correct instead of connect, it took. Listen, I took that with me.

[Shelly]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jess]

Not just in relationship, but in business,

[Shelly]

you know, And Red being super honest and transparent about his journey in therapy.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yes.

[Shelly]

That was.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

To hear a black man.

[Shelly]

That was really great to hear.

[Crystal]

And then how it got her into therapy. And I think it was good to kind of hear her say how she would had to step back even in this age and stop trying to please people and do all these things for people. So it was refreshing. Like you said, we thought we would just hear about their marriage, but we're also hearing about them still being cultivated and still growing in their marriage. So we saw them be a union, but also not losing themselves and continue to find themselves. So that was a chef's kiss. I love that conversation.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Exactly. And I think that's the reason why I love this season so much. They didn't give us surface level conversations. They really left us with pieces of them, you know, and showed us themselves. And those are the moments that stay with us for sure. Let's take a look at that.

[Boost Mobile Advertiser]

The windowsill is my refrigerator was. Because I didn't have a refrigerator, I couldn't afford one. I was just happy not to be homeless anymore. And so being able to put my son's milk on a windowsill just to keep it cold, to me, other people probably thought it was poverty. For me, it was actually progress.

[Tech Entrepreneur Guest]

The challenging part about being in a cocoon is that you don't know it. And sometimes I imagine, like the caterpillar. I don't know if caterpillars have caterpillar school where there's a nice little whiteboard in the background. Now, listen, you're getting ready to go through something, right? It's going to be real dark. You're going to be real disoriented. In fact, your whole sense of who you were, your whole sense of identity, how you move about, how you navigate, how you get around, all of that is going to come to a complete stop. And you're going to be in darkness. And then you're actually going to turn into this little mush. But when it's all over, when it's all over, you're going to become something that you couldn't have even fathomed.

[Guest (male)]

Becoming.

[Tech Entrepreneur Guest]

You didn't have the capacity. So if the cocoon could talk, that's what the cocoon could tell you. And we find ourselves in cocoons. It's when God knows that we have to become something else, that the version of who we are right now does not match. The calling, the purpose, the environment, the destiny that you're assigned to learning to

[Guest (female)]

come together and operate as one is work.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah.

[Guest (male)]

I think one of the biggest things with us, and I think both of us had kind of an issue with it, that we all got Better with was. And it's crazy. I saw it today when I was researching. We were so quick to correct each other instead of focusing on connecting.

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

Wow.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Oh, that's good. Like, connect instead of correct.

[Guest (male)]

It was all like, for me, I speak for me. I'm real big on. If I don't understand something, I debate with you because I want you to show me where you coming from.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah.

[Guest (male)]

You know what I'm saying? I want you to show me where you coming from. But over the years with therapy, and I get it from. I used to have a group of very successful guys, and we always talk, and it's always debates, debates, and we call the iron sharpening iron. Like, we're debating about this. We debating about this. But you're showing me. You showing me where you coming from, and you're understanding and you articulating that. And then over with therapy, I had to figure out what my people with my village and stuff like that is not necessarily always good because they. They not gonna get it. And instead of debating and instead of trying to correct. All right, you got it. How can we connect and how can we do that? And I think that was one of the things that we fought with and got better over the years.

Every time somebody tell me I can't do something, I do it. I'm like, one of God's favorite. Like, when they say no, he be like, and another one in another one. Now you a bmf. Now you doing this. Now you're doing that. So I think that it's like, I don't even look at it no more. It's just like, my God got me.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Big God.

[Shelly]

It's like, watch this.

[Guest (male)]

Yes, watch this.

[Guest (female)]

Even when I didn't know how to pray right? Because my mom has always done that for us, you know, her kids is what I mean by us. Like, but she. She didn't teach us how to pray. I just had to get that one day, even when I didn't know how to. Always knew that I could talk to God. That's one thing that she did always tell us. Talk to him.

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

Your.

[Guest (female)]

Your prayer does not have to be perfect. You don't have to. There's no script. You don't have to get it right. He's not looking for you to come to him perfectly. If you stumble over your words, it's okay. You know, you keep talking. He hears you. That's how. That's how I did, girl. I would go, and I don't care where I was. I would be in my car. I would Go. And if I was. Because even if I was at work, like McDonald's, I go in the bathroom and talk to God. I would talk to him anywhere where I would be alone and by myself, like, off to a corner. That's honestly really how I got through it. And, you know, I feel like that's cliche because people say it, but, like. No, that's real. I would really talk to him. And then in talking to him and going to him, because there was nothing that I would never take to him.

[Dr. Keith]

Yeah.

[Guest (female)]

He showed me how to pray. God told me. Taught me how to talk to him in a way where I can teach my children.

[Guest (male)]

I've been going to therapy.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Wow, that's amazing.

[Guest (female)]

He kind of got me into. Because at first, you know, it's like, very cliche. I need a therapist, so I want to go see my. Whatever. But he's been doing it since I met him.

[Guest (male)]

Yeah. I go. Because, like, you just spoke on earlier, I don't tell my friends and family stuff, especially about my relationship.

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

Yeah.

[Guest (male)]

Like, I don't. I don't. I don't do that. Like, my friends can't tell you. Not one of my friends can tell you our deepest problem or anything like that. Surface level. Like, they know what I'm going through with business, family, or whatever. But if it's dealing with me and my wife, they can't tell.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

Come on.

[Guest (male)]

My wife, they can't tell you what I'm. They can't tell you that.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah.

[Guest (male)]

So what I do, I go to therapy, and I have an unbiased voice that I can talk to and unload. And like, some therapy sessions, I kid you not, some therapy sessions, my therapist say one, say two words, go, and then the last word, stop in between. Then all I do is talk.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

You know what gets me is that none of these moments were forced. Nobody came in trying to get a viral moment. They were just honest.

[Shelly]

Yeah. I think that's why people connected with them so much and love Kip so much. Because vulnerability recognizes vulnerability, and people know when something is real that's real, genuine.

[Guest (female)]

Keep that one.

[Guest (male)]

I want.

[Jess]

I said genuine.

[Guest (female)]

That's crazy.

[Dr. Keith]

But you know what?

[Crystal]

So funny how we laugh here. We laugh a lot. Even when it gets deep, it's always those laughing moments. And I just love that about the. Keep it positive, sweetie. It's like, we get deep, but we also going to have us a good, good laugh.

[Shelly]

In church. We have church in here, too.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

We have all the things. You get everything when you come here.

[Shelly]

We done ran around the Room.

[Guest (female)]

Conversation.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Praise.

[Tech Entrepreneur Guest]

Laps.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Okay. You know, people always tell us how comfortable it feels to sit on this set, to be in our. In the space with us. You know, I think that is something we've all cultivated, and that comes from us. But the truth is, we comfortable, too. We laugh, we joke. Kiki, y'. All. They call me Joe Jackson. That's the only joke. And I be cracking the. Why you looking like that, Shelly?

[Starbucks Advertiser]

I'm not.

[Crystal]

I'm smiling

[Shelly]

and is.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

But we have a lot of, like, inside jokes, and we have a lot of fun.

[Crystal]

You do?

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah.

[Jess]

You know, I. I think the best part is that people. People don't feel like they're coming in for an interrogation. They've come in for, like, a real conversation, you know?

[Crystal]

Yeah. And like Crystal said before, with Karisha saying, she was, like, so nervous, and we were like, no, it's gonna be okay. So nervous. And she killed it.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

She did. She really did. I remember telling a girl, you're gonna be fine. And I try to do my. Not even interviews. I wanted to talk a conversation, you know, that I know what it feels like, because it does feel like an interrogation when you're being interviewed sometimes. And I just wanted to feel like a conversation. I want you to feel that this is a safe space. It's not messy. We're not doing clickbait. I pride myself on that. I was very intentional about when I created this platform that when people walk in, they know what they're walking into. And a lot of people will call and say, hey, I want to come on your show, because they know what it is. They know they're not going to wake up one morning, see a cliff, and be like, why? You know, she was talking about how nervous she was. Then five minutes into the conversation, we were kicking it like girls. But I think that is what I pride myself on, is building a platform that is not messy, that's not catty. We don't do the clickbait. So when people come here, they know the energy. They know what they're going to get. They're not going to wake up one morning and be like, oh, my God, this. This clip has gone viral. You know, I know what that feels like. So I try to not make other people feel that.

[Shelly]

Yeah. And once they settle in on the Kip's couch, it stops feeling like an interview. And they stop thinking about the cameras.

[Guest (male)]

Right.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

For sure. Jess was like that, too.

[Crystal]

Yeah, she was.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yes. One minute we were talking about something serious, and then the next minute we're literally crying and crying Laughing. It was like both, like, yeah, I've been reading her book and I was literally in tears.

[Shelly]

Yeah, you were. You were so moved by her.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Oh, my God.

[Crystal]

But even reading in her voice and she's. It's like, you don't want to laugh, but it's like, okay, you being silly Jess. But also very relatable.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Very relatable.

[Shelly]

Yeah.

[Crystal]

And Toya and Red in that game was Crack. Like, that was funny. That was a good icebreaker. Just because, again, they were so honest. And it was just funny when you hear couples kind of like, especially, like, arguing or apologizing. So that was funny hearing them talk about that.

[Jess]

Yeah. The way they looked at each other answered every question. It was fire. I knew it was going to be a good time.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah, no, for sure. It felt like we were just hanging out with them.

[Shelly]

Yeah. I would also add that as much as we have a lot of fun when we talk about preparing for these conversations, like, you really do the work. You guys do the work to prepare for these conversations. We have to read books in two days and really get into whatever the guest is in their journey or in their life or in their career to have a conversation that means so much to them. So when we talk about reading Jess's book and crying, like, literally, when we booked that interview, you had to quickly read the book that you can really immerse yourself in. Where she was.

[Guest (female)]

Exactly.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

I don't like to, like, talk about a book and have not. Have read it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I like to really, like, know what I'm talking about.

[Shelly]

Yeah, you take it serious. And I think that is what the guest feels, too. It's not like a. Okay, interview check. You know, we talked about surface level things. Like, you guys really take it serious when you're preparing for a conversation.

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

We do.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

We do. We really do. And that's what I love about this. People don't see that side of it.

[Shelly]

Yeah, yeah. The reproduction calls the reading of the books or the scripts or watching of the movies.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yes, yes.

[Jess]

The older episode with the older conversations. We see the other interviews that we see, the other podcasts.

[Shelly]

Yeah, yeah. Looking for those things that they have discussed.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah, it is a lot of work.

[Shelly]

It's work. But make it fun.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

No, exactly. We do. We do.

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[Crew Member/Backstage]

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Because this is our live backstage on the road. It's loud, messy, real.

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And that's the best part. Whole crew, no plan. Just moving.

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[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

We captured so much, so much. I want to see what else we got.

[Guest (female)]

Listen, it was one of them. You know how you go on a date with somebody and you post the food and not the man, or you post the place and not the man? That was me and him. We would go all kind of dates, go all kind of places, and never post each other. And then it's like I pop up pregnant. Everybody, like, what? But, you know, we were feeling, you know, getting to know each other for real and enjoying each other in private.

Girl, I could pray somebody under a table. Like, sometimes, Crystal, when I pray, I

[Shelly]

be like, dang, that was good, God.

[Crystal]

Like, okay.

[Guest (female)]

Look at you working in me.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

You know, I'd be so hyped.

[Guest (female)]

Like, even on the Breakfast Club, I'd be like, charlamagne. I just prayed a crazy prayer. I bet it was better than yours. Like, I know. I know I'm getting a little crazy with the competition prayer, but I'll be patting myself on the back.

[Guest (male)]

I need new energy, a new frequency, you know, Just positive, just happy, just focusing on me. I think that when you focus on yourself, that's when you're the best version of yourself. Because it's like when you in a group, it's like being in a relationship. Sometimes y' all don't always see eye to eye. And it's just like, when you finally leave that relationship, it's like, damn, my hair getting longer, my skin glowing. Cause you focusing on yourself, Right? So that's how I look at it. I'm focused on myself.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Thank you. Clock it two fingers.

[Guest (male)]

Like, I was telling her, like, chill, shawty. You know what I'm saying?

[Guest (female)]

Oh, my God.

[Guest (male)]

Like, you know, I was like, yo, calm down.

[Guest (female)]

I know you.

[Shelly]

I know when you lie that part.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Still, Shawty is crazy. Crazy.

[Guest (male)]

Just like she said. We became real close, and it was

[Tech Entrepreneur Guest]

just like, I was just talking to, you know, one of your amazing producers, and she mentioned one of the chapters in the book that really stuck with her.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah.

[Tech Entrepreneur Guest]

And I'm like, I'm. Well, because I am open to the fact that I have growth opportunities.

[Dr. Keith]

Yeah.

[Tech Entrepreneur Guest]

And so I'm doing really good.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

I don't mind whooping for wrong. Yeah. Like, growing up, I got whooped when I was right. And if you would have just let me Explain. You would have seen it actually wasn't what you thought.

[Crystal]

Right.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

And then my parents find out later. They ain't gonna undo the whooping, and they ain't gonna say sorry. You want something to eat? No, no. Actually, I want you to listen. Okay. You have to feed me. If you would have just gave me three seconds, I could have told you what happened. But no, no, no.

[Jess]

Right.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

Busted in that room. I got that little game you wanted. I wanted the apology. Yeah, I'll take the game. I'll take the game, but I won't touch the game.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Give me the game.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

We too nice to the kids.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

You're right.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

Joe Jackson said y' all got to work.

[Nespresso Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

Michael and them was at work at an adult club at 7. You know, I'm like, oh, my son, I love you. Mental health. Mental health.

[Nespresso Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

He ain't gonna be Michael Jackson.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

He's not.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

Cause I didn't push him and I didn't whomp him. So, you know, that whooping is bad, but also Michael Jackson bad album. Hello is the whooping. It all works together. We ain't seen no level star with the loving, gentle parent. All I'm saying, all I'm saying, we ain't love nobody into greatness yet. Listen, we done cool, but we ain't love nobody healthily into greatness. Cause you got to be a little crazy to reach them levels, you know, you got to hate they hating Joe Jackson. They, like, wants to see my life off. Because I hate you. Love ain't enough. I got to hate you to get where I want to go. Literally.

[Guest (male)]

Wow.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

I needed that. I really did. I love that people let their guards down with us, you know, it makes me think about something. We have talked about. The moments that stayed with us, the moments that made us laugh, the moments that made us cry. But I want to ask you guys this. What conversation genuinely changed the way you think? Not your favorite guest, not your favorite episode? I want to know what conversation made you walk out differently than the way you came in?

[Jess]

Soray for me. So, right. I walked in with a thinking about we were going to have a conversation about ministry. And, you know, and it turned into a conversation about purpose. And, you know, like, he challenged the idea that the calling only exists in one title or one position. But actually, like, it went to something you carry into business, something you carry into leadership, something you carry into your family, you know?

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah. I think that conversation came at the perfect time in my life, you know, launching ors, an actor, expanding in that space, being an entrepreneur. He Helped me realize that my purpose doesn't ask me to choose one version of myself, you know? And I think, for me, that's what I thought it was. You know, this is the thing that I'm passionate about. This is God's purpose in my life. This is what I focus on. But what he said is that it asks you to steward every version you've been trusted with. And that right there, that hit me, because I realized that God has entrusted a lot in me. And when I look at that and I look at all the different things, I'm like, okay. And all these things require a different version of crystal, you know?

[Shelly]

So, yeah, pt, Definitely Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was one for me. And I will also add Dr. Key, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms for me, because I can't. I couldn't imagine the cross that she has to carry. Right. Being the mayor, leaving the mayor's office, then getting the courage to run for governor. You know, all of the. The challenges that come with politics. She's a mom, She's a wife. And so sometimes when you think about the things that you have to carry or the weight that you hold, it's like. And then you think about that kind of way.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

Yeah.

[Crystal]

Because I was thinking even, you know, you don't want to judge a book by its cover. But never met. You know, I've never met her before, so I just have this Persona of Mayor Keisha Land's violence, especially in the era that I knew her in.

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

Right.

[Crystal]

So I'm thinking we just don't talk to. To this politician or, you know, I did read the book. So as I'm reading the book, it was. I kind of started feeling those layers. But even meeting her in person, it was just a different vibe, and she had her guard completely down, and it was just a very moving conversation. Even hearing about her motherhood journey and even that, like, people in that space don't share that kind of stuff. And so just to hear her speak about all of her kids being adopted and her going through the ivf, and she was just very honest, which I think one she didn't have to be because, you know, it's her life. But she probably really. And I know she did. Reading the comments. They loved it. They loved it. And I think it just was amazing to know that she would turn around and become.

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

Yeah.

[Crystal]

Nominee, you know.

[Shelly]

Yeah.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Shelly]

Think about the vulnerability that it takes to, like, sign up for that. Right. To sign up to be a black female politician in Georgia, in spite of

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

what people have already been saying.

[Guest (female)]

About you.

[Shelly]

Yeah.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

You know, and the reputation that she has where people, like, have taken just small parts of her career and decided

[Crystal]

that's what it means.

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

You know what I'm saying?

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Not looking at it in totality. Something she said was, strong women push through, powerful women stop. And because a lot of people were asking her, like, why didn't she run again? Why did she just. They felt like, you quit on us, you know, in the time we needed you the most. But we didn't know what she was dealing with internally, with her health.

[Crystal]

Her health.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Things that she needed to take care of in order to. To be able to run for governor. We always talk about, you can't pour from an empty cup. So she made me look at the importance of sitting down, listening to your body. And that's something that really stuck with me, because I think as women, black women especially, we have been taught to push through, be resilient, keep going. Nobody cares. You gotta. And we have worn that as a badge of honor in a way, you know, And I feel like it's time to understand that. No, like, I can't be everyone's hero. Sometimes I got to pull the cape off, dust it off, send it to the dry cleaners.

[Crystal]

Right.

[Dr. Keith]

Get it clean. Yeah.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

And that takes a while. So when that comes back, then I'll be restored and ready to put it back on.

[Crystal]

And I loved her kind of like blooping because I'm like, you know what? You didn't quit. You did your turn. And it's crazy how that narrative can spread. So it's like she actually running back. She didn't walk out of her term or anything like that. So she just really to do it again. And you have to respect that. Just, like, people leave jobs all the time and things like that. Like she said, they put people on a pedestal or want politicians to have this perfectionism and not really think of them as humans. So she really gave the, you know, politics and political figures a voice and really being able to see them as human.

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

Human right.

[Crystal]

And I really appreciated that. Another one was definitely Dr. Key. Like said Dr. Key.

[Shelly]

From the moment she walked in, she floated in.

[Jess]

It was a. I met her walk in.

[Shelly]

She was not on the ground.

[Crystal]

She was not.

[Shelly]

She floated in. She has, like, a regal, like, air. When she walks into a room, you almost feel like, okay, let me sit up straight. Let me get myself. Let me get myself together. Let me speak proper English.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

She was in the Village.

[Guest (male)]

Yeah.

[Dr. Keith]

Yeah.

[Shelly]

She definitely is one of them women that make you, like, sit up and

[Crystal]

Even just her about community and really having us sit back and take a look, what does that really look like? And seeing someone who's actually not just saying it, not just putting it on shirts and things like that. She's literally living it.

[Shelly]

Yeah.

[Crystal]

Seeing her fruits, that's. That are coming of her living it, it makes you want to be more inclusive and. And do things with people and be more open. Because she was really showing what that looked like.

[Jess]

No, for sure. Like, her mantra was support is a verb.

[Guest (male)]

Like, come on.

[Ryan Reynolds (Mint Mobile Advertiser)]

Like, it's.

[Jess]

It's. It's cool when people say, I support you and all this, but actually showing up, actually investing, actually making the call to get someone else, like, ahead or making a connection, like, that's a real thing.

[Shelly]

Yeah. Yeah. And she's super intentional about giving credit where it's due and making sure that. That she's clear about how she got to where she is. It wasn't by herself. She had a community of people that she supported that supported her and the idea that no one gets there on their own.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

That's so true. Isn't that her book? No one is self made.

[Shelly]

No one is self made.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

I'm definitely aligned with that because nobody gets to where they are by themselves. But I think when you realize that, that is when gratitude comes with the leadership, you know, Because a lot of times leaders can have this, like, pompous attitude that they're above everybody, and they're like, y' all are here because of me, you know, and when you get rid of that Persona and understand that. No, like, I'm here because you guys have my back. And that gratitude comes along with it. One, people feel valued, you know, they feel appreciated, they feel seen. And those things are important when you're building a team.

[Crystal]

And I love that about us, too. I feel like here people may see, you know, the sweeties, they gonna ride for crystal, but they. I was walking with Wes at the live, and they were like, big Wes,

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Big West, Big Wes.

[Crystal]

And it was like, I love it because again, you shot. We're all on here. We're on the after show. We're all doing things. YM is back there.

[Guest (female)]

Herman.

[Crystal]

It definitely takes a team to do all of this, which is why I just love our team, because we are truly a team.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah.

[Crystal]

Like, it's a real life team around here. And I think that that really just resonated with me, even with her. The sun analogy.

[Guest (female)]

Yeah.

[Crystal]

And when she said that, I was

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

like, yeah, the sunshine.

[Crystal]

The sun shines on both of us.

[Tony Ayo (Boost Mobile Advertiser)]

Yeah.

[Crystal]

You know, the sun shines on everyone. There's no need to take the spotlight because it's going to come, you know, it's gonna. Everyone can shine. So I thought that was really, really dope.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah, I love that. And, guys, I could not do any of this without you. I seriously couldn't. I woke up this morning, I was just praying. And we didn't pray before. We're gonna pray after this, but I was praying this morning when I woke up and just thanking God for just. I knew where I was coming today, and this is our first day filming here at Tyler Perry Studios. Yeah. And just giving thanks to the moment I walked on this or to this studio. It wasn't this particular lot back in 2012. He knew where I would be in 2026, you know, and the ways that he's made, I'm just so grateful. But the people that he's brought to help me see this and bring it to fruition, I look around me and I feel safe, you know, I don't feel. And, you know, I've had been blessed to have amazing teams, you know, people around me, but just to continue to see how I evolve and the people that God brings to my life, I'm so grateful. And I love that we're not just documenting accomplishments here, you know, we're not just documenting. Don't cry. It's okay.

[Jess]

We love you, Mrs. Jo Jackson. We love you, Crystal.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Thank you. I love y', all, too. But I think that has been the thread throughout this season, you know, and I'm really excited about what's to come. I really am now about to cry.

[Shelly]

Praise him. Praise them.

[Guest (male)]

Yes.

[Shelly]

Well, see, clearly this is bigger than content.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

This is purpose, Purpose, purpose.

[Shelly]

This is bigger than content.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

It's purpose work. It is. And purpose is following us, that's for sure. I like that purpose. And with that, I think we should look back at some of the lessons that we learned behind these interviews. Let's take a look.

[Tech Entrepreneur Guest]

Many may not know this, but I started in business, so my background is tech. I'm a tech entrepreneur. I think that when people think about a calling, they automatically go to a church mentality. They think, I'm called to be a preacher. I'm called to be a worship leader, maybe a deacon. And I wanted to expand the concept of what it means, means to be called, because I do think that business is a calling. I think that science is a calling. So I wanted to expand that and then show them how to be called in that space. You can go to theological School if you want to be a preacher, and that's wonderful. But who teaches the person who's called to start companies?

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Come on.

[Tech Entrepreneur Guest]

Who teaches the person who's called to be a scientist and create by the spirit of God groundbreaking health solutions.

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

I'm a battle tested leader, and I fought with every single thing I had for the people of Atlanta and for the people across the state. And I did it because it was the right thing to do. And it didn't mean that every decision I made was perfect, but it did mean that I tried my very best. And, you know, even when people have asked me, well, why don't you run for a second term again?

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Because that's a question that comes up.

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

Yeah, yeah. I went into prayer about that, you know, reminding people I finished my term and I finished it strong. I did a poll just before I left the mayor's office that 68%. Our internal polls showed me. So I knew the people of Atlanta were pleased with the representation I provided. And I write about this in my book. My dad died suddenly at 55. And I given everything I had to being mayor to the city. I was giving everything I had to my family. I write about even the night of the protest in Atlanta. When I gave.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

I remember like it was yesterday. Yeah.

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

When I got home, my son. My son likes and was like, they ate all. All the fish. They ate all the fried fish because I was cooking. When I left to go to police headquarters, I came in and I fried fish and cooked grits for him.

[Guest (male)]

Oh.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

When I got home, back to mommy mode. It's like, back to mommy.

[Dr. Keith]

Yeah.

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

So I'd given every single thing I had. But at that time, I had. I was pre diabetic. I was pre glaucoma, which I still am. I have to use drops now. I pre hypertensive chronic inflammation. I gained 30 pounds, like all these things. And I would. Would think my daddy died suddenly at 55. If I have four years left.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah.

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

What about my kids? What about me? And making a decision not. Not out of weakness, but out of strength.

[Dr. Keith]

My book is a loving deprogramming of the consciousness of how we talk about success. Ancestrally.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah.

[Dr. Keith]

We are communal people.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Come on.

[Dr. Keith]

Ancestrally. In present day, whatever success that we may have, and it may not always come in a form that we want. Yeah. Any great thing that we have done well in life. There have been prayer partners. There have been a group text of friends. There have people that slide you $20 when you needed it. When you're an undergrad. If I accept self made. Then I began to erase people who've been very vital to the own fabric of my existence.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah.

[Dr. Keith]

And so no one is self made is to say be intentional about every single thing that you say. Thank you to even the titles that people give you. And I have sat for interviews and people have said, Dr. Keith, how does it mean to be a self made woman? And because I know that words are prophetic, very much. And I know that words have an opportunity to teach in a moment, I always say. But actually I'm village made.

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[Crew Member/Backstage]

Bro. From the show last night to this drive, why is it never chill?

Because this is our live backstage on the road. It's loud, messy, real.

[Nissan Advertiser]

And that's the best part. Whole crew, no plan, just moving.

[Crew Member/Backstage]

Good thing Nissan builds for that kind of chaos.

Not just test tracks. Real life scenes, late nights, road trips, all of it.

[Nissan Advertiser]

That's why it holds up. Nissan was ranked number one in initial quality among mainstream brands by J.D. power.

[Crew Member/Backstage]

Yeah, you can tell.

[Nissan Advertiser]

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[Crew Member/Backstage]

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[Nespresso Advertiser]

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[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

know, guys, like when I first started, Keep it positive, sweetie. I just wanted to have conversations with people, you know, I wanted to know their journeys. My vision for this was to show people that we're more alike than we're not. But I did not imagine within three years that I'd be reflecting on 11 seasons. That is crazy.

[Shelly]

Yeah, yeah. And we started, we came on at season five or six, something like that.

[Guest (male)]

Yeah.

[Shelly]

And it's just the evolution of the show, the evolution of the team, you know, it feels bigger than creating content.

[Crystal]

Yeah, for sure. I feel so blessed. Completed my first season. Came in like that beginning of like season 10ish. When you were going on the cruise and we did that one. So. Yeah, so that was really cool. And I think that it also speaks to the team and speaks to the system because I was able to jump right in and kind of really understand what was going on. So I think it still speaks to that. I've been able to add my own pizzazz and my Shelly Ness to it. But overall, this is something that, you know, you're creating a legacy and something that can live forever because of your greatness.

[Jess]

True. You know, people leave, they, they leave here, don't. They don't talk about the cameras, they talk about how they feel. They talk about, you know, the impact they've had, you know, like how important it was to have a conversation you leave here with friends, family, you know.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah, that's real. Yeah, that's so true. And I think that some of the best conversations Happen because we didn't just move on to the next topic. We sat in it, you know, and we honored where we were in those conversations.

[Crystal]

And I love when people. When you are like, they want the clip. They want you to send them the clip they want. You know, I love that part because

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

they're like, oh, girl, can you. Can you have them send me this part?

[Crystal]

I love when that happens because it kind of just lets us know that we're doing what we're supposed to do and having the conversations we're supposed to have. And it also just curiosity and the questions that we may want to ask or maybe thinking we'll never get the opportunity to. This also gives us that chance to get, again another perspective. And just hearing from these greats and the things that they're enduring, it really puts your life into perspective. Like we were talking about Shawna earlier.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah. We are going through something. We are. Nobody is omitted from going through life.

[Guest (female)]

Yeah.

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

And.

[Guest (male)]

Yeah.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

And life on life.

[Crystal]

Yes. What's been your takeaway from this season, Wes?

[Jess]

Oh, mine is stewardship. You know. Okay, so Ray challenged me with that doctor Key. Reinforced it.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah.

[Jess]

You know, like, whatever God places in your hands, you know, lead it. Well, I mean, whether it's your business, family, you know, or just the conversation.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jess]

Just make sure you take care of it.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Love that, Ashana.

[Shelly]

Mine is grace. My takeaway from this season is just a reminder that everyone is carrying something, and most of the time, you never know. And we've had the biggest superstars sit on the couch. We've had the most intelligent, most successful people sitting on this couch. And when they start to share their journey, it's a reminder that grace goes a long way, and you never know what someone's carrying.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Ooh, I love that. That is so good. I believe that this season reminded me of why I started this show in the first place, you know, and it wasn't for the headlines, it wasn't for the clips, it wasn't for the views, you know, because I definitely, in the beginning and even still sometimes get caught up in where we are and how the show is growing. I think that's with anything that you're passionate about. Yeah. But there was a time where, like, I was so, like, okay, where are we? What is. What's happening? Like, how do we get back to what. What it was, you know? But the main thing is when I go out and I'm in the streets and I'm traveling and people stop me. Oh, my goodness. Your podcast changed my life. Your podcast Brought me closer to God. Your podcast made me mend my relationship with my mother. It's helping me handle my finances better, you know, because we touch on so many different things. And my mental health. Health, you know, to hear that and. And see women almost in tears, you know, thinking about how this has impacted them, it reminds me of the why, you know, because it's so easy to get lost in everything else. We talk about comparison. We talk about seeing what everyone else is doing. And sometimes you gotta take a step back and look at everything that you've been able to accomplish and do. And I think with this show, we have definitely made an impact, and that is what I'm most proud of.

[Guest (male)]

Yes.

[Crystal]

Give ourselves a round of applause.

[Boost Mobile Advertiser]

Yes.

[Crystal]

I'm excited.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Me too.

[Crystal]

This was good.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

So if I had some champagne, I would cheers, y', all to season 12.

[Jess]

We got mocktails.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Oh, we do have mocktails, but they ain't paying us. So we can

[Crystal]

buy her check if you ain't learned nothing else. No free promo if you haven't learned anything else, Sweetie.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Like this right here. Cheers

[Jess]

on the backhand side.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

No, but for real, I'm excited about season 12. I cannot wait for you all to see what we have in store for you. Bigger and better is coming, and we are excited to continue to grow. Thank you to everyone who tunes in every single week. Thank you to everyone who sends a clip to a friend. Thank you to everyone who shows up to the live shows to meet us in person. Thank you for everyone who has joined the sweetie social club. There's so many different things that we have going on, and I'm just grateful that you all trust us, you know, because we could not do this if you didn't trust us. And thank you for sharing space with us and bringing us into your homes and your cars and wherever you are every single week. I love you guys.

[Shelly]

You guys are doing so good.

[Crystal]

This is definitely got a little chill.

[Keisha Lance Bottoms]

Cheat code.

[Crystal]

I'm over here.

[Guest (female)]

Crystal got all.

[Shelly]

Crystal got everything on her cards.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Looking back on this season, I realized. Oh, I was reading. Well, I kind of liked how you.

[Crystal]

Sorry. Cut.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

No,

[Guest (male)]

don't cut that.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

I just realized. I was like, that was great, guys.

[Shelly]

We did it. We're naturals. We need a show.

[Guest (male)]

Me.

[Jess]

I knew need you to say this stuff. You don't got no words of three.

[Producer (Shelly or assistant)]

Making sure she got.

[Crystal]

You. Just give us.

[Guest (male)]

What's wrong?

[Shelly]

What's wrong?

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

It's getting confusion.

[Guest (male)]

It's not following.

[Tech Entrepreneur Guest]

She's not.

[Guest (male)]

She's not following.

[Shelly]

I'm really Smart

[Crystal]

wasn't really talked about. So just to make sure we have both layers show.

[Tony Ayo (Boost Mobile Advertiser)]

That's so good.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Oh, man. Wow.

[Crystal]

I'm like, is she.

[Jess]

What's going on here? That's out of the funny.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

I do this on set where, like, they don't know if I'm acting or not because I'm so in the into it.

[Boost Mobile Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

We're like, I literally, like, start, like, talking before. Like, I. They like, she. Yeah.

[Guest]

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[Crew Member/Backstage]

From the show last night to this drive. Why is it never chill?

Because this is our life backstage on the road. It's loud, messy, real.

[Nissan Advertiser]

And that's the best part. Whole crew, no plan, just moving.

[Crew Member/Backstage]

Good thing. Nissan builds for that kind of chaos.

Not just test tracks. Real life scenes, late nights, road trips, all of it.

[Nissan Advertiser]

That's why it holds up. Nissan was ranked number one in initial quality among mainstream brands by J.D. power.

[Crew Member/Backstage]

Yeah, you can tell.

[Nissan Advertiser]

2026 Nissan Rogue. Built for what really happens for J.D.

[Tony Ayo (Boost Mobile Advertiser)]

power.

[Crew Member/Backstage]

2025 U.S. initial Quality Study Award information. Visit jdpower.com awards awards based on 2025 model year. Newer models may be shown.

[Domino's Advertiser]

It's called soccer.

[Nissan Advertiser]

It's called football.

[Domino's Advertiser]

Soccer.

[Guest]

Football. Domino's. Best deal ever. Lets you get any pizza, including stuffed crust with any toppings for 9.99.

[Domino's Advertiser]

Okay, we can agree on that.

[Jess]

Yeah, fully.

[Crystal]

So.

[Domino's Advertiser]

Pineapple.

[Guest]

Don't ruin it.

[Domino's Advertiser]

Get any pizza, including stuffed crust, with any toppings for 9.99. Finally, something everyone can get behind. And if the rest disagree, that's between them and Domino's. Which means the only thing left to fight over is who's ordering. Prices higher for some locations. Excludes XL and specialty pizzas. Select this offer from $6.15 to $7.26 online only. Size availability varies by crust. Tank max 7 toppings, 6 for pan and New York style crust. Minimum purchase required for delivery prices, participation, delivery area and trust charges may vary.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

What's up cousin?

[Guest]

I want a new phone. Have you seen any good deals?

[Nespresso Advertiser]

Everyone has free phones but when I

[Shelly]

switched to T mobile I got more

[Nespresso Advertiser]

value and so much more live streaming

[Crystal]

included and travel benefits.

[Crew Member/Backstage]

And the best part, the price of your talk, text and data is guaranteed for five years.

[Host (possibly Crystal or main host)]

Get more benefits and more value AT T Mobile Family save and get a 5 year price guarantee. Switch now@t mobile.com Qualifying plan requires price guarantee on doc tax and theta exclusions

[Ryan Reynolds (Mint Mobile Advertiser)]

like taxes and fees apply.

[Crystal]

Ctmobile.com this is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.