Podcast Summary: Balanced Black Girl - "Mastering Confidence, Career Growth, and Wellness in Your 30s with Briana Thompson"

Episode Information:

• Title: Mastering Confidence, Career Growth, and Wellness in Your 30s with Briana Thompson
• Host: Balanced Black Girl (Les)
• Guest: Briana Thompson
• Release Date: February 18, 2025

Introduction

In this enlightening episode of Balanced Black Girl, host Les welcomes back Briana Thompson, a pioneering entrepreneur and wellness advocate. Briana first appeared on the podcast in early 2019 when she was launching her movement, Spiked Spin. Since then, Briana has achieved remarkable milestones, including opening two Spiked Wellness locations, relocating to the West Coast, embracing motherhood, and expanding her influence in the wellness and business arenas.

Revisiting Briana’s Journey and Achievements

Les [00:10]: Reflects on Briana's growth since their last conversation, highlighting her move from launching Spiked Spin to expanding it into Spiked Wellness with two successful locations. Briana has also become a mother to two boys and continues to make significant strides in her business and wellness endeavors.

Briana [02:31]: Shares her gratitude for her achievements while expressing a desire to reconcile her sense of gratitude with her ambition:

"I'm ready to take what's mine. And sometimes I don't have the access to talk about it in the way that I want to."

2025: A Year of Not Playing Small

Briana articulates her intention to step into a more prominent role in 2025, shifting from quiet achievements to vocalizing her successes.

Les [03:07]: Highlights Briana’s declaration that 2025 will be the year she stops playing small.

Briana [05:08]: Discusses the challenges of transitioning from a corporate background to entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of fearlessness and vocalizing her accomplishments:

"As a woman and as a black woman, you have to voice what you're doing."

Embracing Visibility and Self-Image

Briana delves into her struggle with self-image and the discomfort that comes with increased visibility as a public figure.

Briana [06:09]: Explores her internal conflict about stepping into the spotlight:

"It's definitely both [exciting and scary]. I've been trying to reconcile within myself the bridge between gratitude and ambition."

Les [08:18]: Relates to Briana’s experience by sharing her own journey of self-awareness upon transitioning her podcast to video.

Briana [09:21]: Emphasizes the need to embrace her role as a public figure and shed the humility that was actually limiting her potential:

"Humility was actually shrinking myself from my fullest potential."

Practices for Personal Growth

Briana shares her techniques for personal development, focusing on visualization and journaling to bridge the gap between her current self and her ideal self.

Briana [14:11]: Describes her method of envisioning her ideal self to drive personal growth:

"I see her and I'm journaling about it constantly. I'm definitely in pursuit of her."

Les [16:31]: Agrees with Briana's approach, highlighting the importance of bridging the gap to one's true self:

"I'm just getting closer to who that is."

The Role of Fitness in Consistency and Self-Care

Both Les and Briana discuss how fitness serves as a foundation for consistency and self-discipline in various aspects of life.

Les [27:11]: Reflects on how fitness has been instrumental in her ability to show up consistently in other areas.

Briana [27:33]: Reinforces the idea that personal discipline in fitness translates to other life areas:

"Fitness indicates you to you. How disciplined are you going to be for you?"

Transitioning from New York to Los Angeles

Briana recounts her recent move from New York to Los Angeles, highlighting the challenges and lessons learned in building a new community and managing relationships with intention.

Briana [37:31]: Explains the intentional effort required to cultivate relationships in LA compared to the spontaneous connections in New York:

"In LA, there's a lot of intention required to see people, to hang out with people."

Les [40:18]: Inquires about the operational differences Briana has encountered while opening a new Spiked Wellness location in LA.

Evolving Spiked Wellness: From Spiked Spin to Spiked Method

The conversation shifts to the evolution of Briana's business model, transitioning from Spiked Spin to the Spiked Method, which combines high-intensity Pilates with cycling.

Briana [40:18]: Details the development of the Spiked Method and the importance of maintaining authenticity in her offerings:

"We have two types of instructors in the Pilates portion... this is Spiked. So I make the rules."

Les [42:04]: Expresses appreciation for Briana's candid discussion about the challenges of evolving her business.

Briana [43:36]: Shares the tough decisions involved in scaling her business, emphasizing that entrepreneurship is not merely an aesthetic but a demanding endeavor focused on profitability:

"Entrepreneurship is not an aesthetic. It is a lot of work."

Lessons on Entrepreneurship and Authenticity

Briana provides insightful lessons on the realities of entrepreneurship, stressing the importance of consistency, self-discipline, and honest self-assessment.

Briana [20:45]: Highlights consistency as the "cheat code" for success:

"Staying the path is the cheat code. It's the great difference between those who make it and those who don't."

Les [29:24]: Acknowledges the real-life challenges of maintaining consistency, especially amidst the demands of motherhood.

Briana [29:24]: Discusses the struggle of prioritizing self-care alongside motherhood and entrepreneurship:

"The deprioritization of self happens with motherhood. It just does."

Building Authentic Connections and Trust

The dialogue emphasizes the importance of building genuine relationships and the role of transparency in fostering trust with clients and community members.

Briana [46:10]: Stresses the need for honesty in business decisions to maintain the trust and emotional connection with clients:

"With a brand like Spiked, it's important to have that level of honesty because our clients, that is their sanctuary."

Conclusion

The episode concludes with Les and Briana reflecting on the significance of authenticity, consistent self-care, and honest business practices. Briana's candid revelations about her entrepreneurial journey offer valuable lessons for listeners striving to balance confidence, career growth, and wellness in their 30s.

Notable Quotes:

• Briana [05:08]: "If you've been able to do these things quietly, what can you do? Right?"
• Briana [20:45]: "Staying the path is the cheat code. It's the great difference between those who make it and those who don't."
• Briana [29:24]: "The deprioritization of self happens with motherhood. It just does."
• Briana [43:36]: "Entrepreneurship is not an aesthetic. It is a lot of work."
• Briana [46:10]: "With a brand like Spiked, it's important to have that level of honesty because our clients, that is their sanctuary."

Final Thoughts

This episode of Balanced Black Girl with Briana Thompson offers an authentic and deeply personal exploration of confidence, career growth, and wellness in one's 30s. Briana's insights into balancing entrepreneurship with personal life, embracing visibility, and continuously striving for self-improvement provide invaluable guidance for listeners navigating similar paths.

Connect with Briana Thompson:

• Personal Brand: Bri Monet Mo Nee
• Spiked Wellness: Spiked Wellness on All Platforms

Follow Balanced Black Girl:

• Apple Podcasts: Balanced Black Girl on Apple
• Spotify: Balanced Black Girl on Spotify

Note: This summary excludes advertisements and promotional segments included in the original transcript to focus solely on the meaningful content of the conversation between Les and Briana Thompson.