Ready to dive into a world of adventure and education? This episode features the incredible Janelle Schroy, a full-time world-schooling mom who has taken her four daughters to a staggering 47 countries over the past five and a half years! We explore how she turned the traditional idea of education on its head, making the entire globe their classroom. From road trips to immersive experiences, Janelle shares how her family has embraced a lifestyle filled with learning through travel, proving that ...
Jun 24, 2025•33 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Julie Ulstrup's journey along the Camino de Santiago serves as a profound testament to the transformative power of travel. Her experience on this ancient pilgrimage not only facilitated a deeper understanding of her own purpose but also culminated in a significant spiritual encounter that catalyzed her alignment with her true mission. Throughout our conversation, we explore the rich tapestry of her adventures, the sense of community she encountered, and the invaluable lessons gleaned from both t...
Apr 17, 2025•33 min•Season 4Ep. 10
How do faith, wellness, and travel intersect to create a fulfilling life? Dr. Alaine Ainsley, a Maryland-based primary care physician, joins The Random and Wonderful Podcast to share her journey of faith-driven purpose, patient-centered care, and personal growth through travel. Tune in for insights on staying spiritually, physically, and emotionally well—no matter where life takes you. Getting to know today's guest: Dr. Alaine Ainsley is a faith-driven primary care physician in Maryland who spec...
Mar 11, 2025•40 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Ever thought about packing up and moving to a new country? Travel strategist and journalist Rafael Peña joins me on The Random and Wonderful Podcast to share his journey from event planning in New York to living in Thailand, Argentina, Italy, and Portugal. We dive into how travel expands your perspective, the power of representation in media, and why every Black and Brown traveler should spend at least a year abroad. Tune in for practical travel strategies, eye-opening stories, and a fresh take ...
Feb 25, 2025•38 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Happy Black History Month! Grace Simmons welcomes Shannon Walker, host of Your Hair Made Simple , to discuss the intersection of solo travel, natural hair journeys, and confidence-building. Shannon shares how an international trip as a teen kickstarted her natural hair journey and how solo travel helped her build resilience, embrace change, and step into new experiences with confidence. From navigating Hawaii’s breathtaking landscapes to embracing self-care on the road, this episode is a must-li...
Feb 11, 2025•38 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Grace Simmons sits down with Anika Jackson, a marcom executive, educator, and podcast host, to explore her inspiring journey of resilience, reinvention, and connection. Anika discusses her expertise in public relations, branding, and digital media, as well as her passion for empowering others to share their authentic stories. From leveraging storytelling to build impactful brands to balancing personal wellness and professional growth, this episode is packed with practical insights and empowering...
Jan 28, 2025•44 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Today, I’m sharing practical strategies for overcoming travel anxiety, including confidence-boosting tips and personal stories to help you manage those travel jitters and fully enjoy your adventures. Whether you’re heading out for your first trip or you’re a seasoned traveler, these insights will help you navigate unfamiliar situations with more ease. I also tell a funny story about how stepping away from frustration during a chaotic airport delay helped me stay calm. Plus, you’ll hear all about...
Jan 15, 2025•11 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Grace Simmons talks with Michelle Newman, podcast producer, storyteller, and founder of Newman Media, about her love for solo travel, embracing spontaneity, and finding joy in the little things while on the road. Michelle shares hilarious and heartfelt stories, from staying in an Earthship in New Mexico to driving through Ireland under rainbows. With her unique blend of humor and insight, Michelle offers tips on balancing safety, self-care, and adventure during solo travels while giving a behind...
Dec 10, 2024•24 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Summary: In this inspiring episode, Grace Simmons chats with Michelle Plante, a travel advisor and pioneer in alcohol-free luxury travel for women. Michelle shares her journey to sobriety, her passion for creating meaningful travel experiences, and the transformative power of travel. From Boston to Costa Rica, Michelle’s focus on mindful connections and personal growth shines through as she discusses her luxury alcohol-free retreats and how travel can inspire change and self-discovery. Guest Bio...
Nov 26, 2024•33 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Summary: In this episode of The Random and Wonderful , Grace Simmons chats with Heike Yates, a wellness coach and passionate traveler. Heike shares insights from her journey to "Pursue Your Spark," a movement dedicated to helping women rediscover themselves at every stage of midlife. From managing work-life balance to integrating wellness into everyday life, Heike dives into the importance of self-discovery and staying active. She also shares memorable travel stories, like her “6 for 60” adventu...
Nov 12, 2024•32 min•Season 4Ep. 2
In this episode of The Random and Wonderful , Grace Simmons chats with Edwin Covarrubias, full-time podcaster and creator of Scary.fm , a podcast network dedicated to paranormal storytelling. Edwin recounts his life-changing experience walking the El Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage through Spain that has shaped his outlook on life and work. He shares how the physical challenges of the journey pushed him beyond his limits and helped him achieve mental clarity, patience, and resilience. Throughou...
Oct 29, 2024•50 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Welcome to the Random and Wonderful Podcast! On this special Father's Day episode, I'm chatting with Andrew Cook of Ahead Business Support about his traveling experience with his family. Andrew's secret ingredient is that he is an anxious traveler who has gone worldwide. How does he manage it? Listen in to find out! Learn more about Andrew here: Andrew Cook currently owns and operates an HR consulting and coaching business. He helps small business owners with fewer than 50 employees untangle the...
Jun 17, 2024•48 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Welcome to the Random and Wonderful podcast! Today is a special episode for the introverts. We are talking about finding and using your creative outlet to release tension healthily. You'll get a bonus travel tip so stay tuned. Quick Highlights: Defining a creative outlet Benefits of a creative outlet Sprinkling your creative outlet in your travels Keep up with what's happening by subscribing to our newsletter, Confidently Yours . For more information on The Amethyst Palaver Hut LLC and travel co...
May 16, 2024•7 min•Season 3Ep. 7
What mark do you intend to leave in this world? Join me as I catch up with the author of Getting Lost in the Sauce , Aya Hojadova, in today's episode. We discuss the impact of travel, finding the motivation to overcome difficult times, and how we use the opportunity to leave our mark moving forward. Aya's Bio: Aya Hojadova is a versatile professional with a diverse marketing, entertainment, and entrepreneurship background. Originally from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, and raised in San Francisco, she ...
Apr 30, 2024•46 min•Season 3Ep. 6
How do you show love to yourself? Welcome to the Random & Wonderful! In today's episode, we will discuss some myths and truths about self-love. And I promise, I'll leave you with some helpful tips. As a bonus, I'm including my Self-Care Checklist to get you started on your journey. Empowered Solo, the perfect wellness and travel coaching blend, is now accepting applicants. For more information on The Amethyst Palaver Hut LLC and travel coaching, sign up here for the latest updates and news: ...
Apr 04, 2024•11 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Wednesday is the International Day of Happiness and during Women's Month, I'm excited to continue this series with another adventurous woman. In today's Random & Wonderful Podcast episode, my guest is Jessica Grace Coleman, the Travel Transformation Coach. I had the pleasure of being a guest on The Travel Transformation Podcast in 2023. Jess shares her traveling adventures in Spain and Thailand with tips to combat anxiety and passionately emphasizes that life has too much to offer to allow f...
Mar 18, 2024•28 min•Season 3Ep. 4
A traveler's mindset is open to challenges and constantly finds ways to expand beyond their known world. Whether you do this naturally or could use a mindset coach to help, there are always options to explore, despite your life barriers. Today's guest embodies that spirit of wanderlust and personal growth: Stephany Ann! Get to know our guest, Stephany Ann: Stephany, a seasoned traveler with a passport stamped in nearly 50 countries, is a globetrotting enthusiast. Her journey in life has seen her...
Mar 04, 2024•43 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Today's episode features Brittany Winkfield, a fellow traveler I met at Podcast Movement. We talked about growth opportunities, understanding the importance of home, connecting to the past, and Back2Basics. You can learn more about Brittany Winkfield's work and journey below. Brittany is currently serving as associate publisher at the Denver Urban Spectrum and founder/executive director of Back2Basics, a youth development nonprofit. She is a Colorado native, a proud HBCU grad, and a mother of th...
Feb 19, 2024•43 min•Season 3Ep. 2
We are back with the third Random and Wonderful Podcast series! This next round is a blend of narrative and guest interviews focusing on the direct impact of travel, from a welcomed escape to a necessary shift for a new chapter in life. I'm excited and I hope you are too! The invitation is open for the ladies to join The Empowered Solo wellness retreat . You can apply as a solo traveler or bring a friend! For more information on confidence coaching with me, sign up for a Confidence Clarity sessi...
Feb 15, 2024•13 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Today's episode of the Random and Wonderful podcast features Tara Jabbari! Tara connects experts and entrepreneurs with digital solutions to grow their businesses with a focus on podcasting and social media strategies. Find out more at Tara Jabbari at tjabbari@me.com. Registration is now open for Empowered Solo! Apply before JANUARY 20th: https://www.amethystpalaverhut.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/heyquickquestion/message...
Nov 07, 2023•46 min•Season 2Ep. 11
In today's episode of the Random & Wonderful, we discuss barriers that may keep you from traveling solo, or at all. Each concern is met with an actionable step to push past that fear. Travel truly is a self-development opportunity and you are worth the investment. Sign up for a free Confidence Clarity session: https://www.amethystpalaverhut.com/home Find out more about Empowered Solo! and apply before JANUARY 20th: https://www.amethystpalaverhut.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podc...
Oct 24, 2023•9 min•Season 2Ep. 10
It's financial wellness time! Today's episode features Eboni Andrews, the impactful and educational business owner who helps small businesses obtain funding for purchasing business vehicles without using personal credit so that they can escape a poverty mindset and use OPM (other people's money) to fund their dreams/goals for business. Listen in for amazing tips! If you'd like to learn more, check out Eboni's latest offering, Show Me the Structure, today! Ready to begin your bold journey, sign u...
Oct 14, 2023•21 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Continuing from our last episode, today, we will chat about the less-than-favorable result of stepping into the unknown and having to deal with things going in the opposite direction. The important difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset is the willingness to learn from your experience, positive or negative, and apply it to the next adventure. Grace shares a personal story from a recent experience and wraps up with a few lessons you can take and put into practice today! Ready to ...
Sep 25, 2023•10 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Today's episode is about stepping into the unknown, despite your fears, and getting a great result! This is Part 1 of a two-part episode, so listen and take notes. In this episode, we're going to look at the travel planning process required to go to a large conference as a solo traveler, and review some lessons learned, including what to do when you get unsolicited advice and battling your imposter syndrome. There are going to be snippets from voice memos, summaries of the daily experience, and ...
Sep 08, 2023•28 min•Season 2Ep. 7
This podcast is for you if you: enjoy discussions about travel, wellness, and confidence are curious about life outside of the hustle culture want to giggle uncontrollably at your desk Welcome to the Random & Wonderful - a respite in the midst of hustle culture. My name is Grace Simmons and I invite you to begin your week with some exciting yet relatable stories about everything we go through to become the best version of ourselves. Learn more about me, The Amethyst Palaver Hut, and more, he...
Aug 30, 2023•2 min
As National Black Business Month ends, I am excited to introduce a new collection called Brave Stories. This podcast was created to highlight positive choices made in spite of adverse circumstances. Today, you will hear from four wonderful guests whose stories range from instances at work to fun social events. If you are listening on Spotify, feel free to send me a voice message sharing your stories of confidence, wellness, and travel. Ready to begin your bold journey, sign up for a Confidence C...
Aug 21, 2023•14 min•Season 2Ep. 6
This is the fourth and final episode of the self-advocacy series. Our guest today is Elona Washington, a marketing strategist and advocate against child abuse and trafficking. Elona has an incredible story and most amazing is how she links her passion for advocacy and marketing into an amazing solution! Tune in to get the full story. Trigger Warning: This podcast will mention trauma associated with the result of sexual assault and attempted suicide. While we do not go into specifics, some detail...
Aug 09, 2023•35 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Today's episode is with Emma Polette, health coach, yoga teacher, and personal trainer focusing on body acceptance and health at every size. Quick Notes from today's episode: - Understanding your body's needs - Promoting body positivity & self-care - Curating your social media feed - Self-compassion mediation IG:@daily.yoga.with.emma Facebook: @emma.polette.coach Website: emmapolette.com Ready to take the next step? Download the Self-Care Checklist now: https://pages.amethystpalaverhut.com/s...
Jul 31, 2023•25 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Today's episode is with Charmaine Fuller (https://thecharmedlife.me) of The Charmed Life (see what she did there?)! Charmaine describes how she works with professional women, who are neurodiverse, to create routines and processes that help them show up for themselves and their families. Quick Notes from today's episode: - Create a routine that focuses on your personal needs first - Get clarity on your path - Track your progress, aka accountability - Delegate and outsource as much as you can (onl...
Jul 17, 2023•30 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Welcome to the first interview series! Up first is Karel Chan (IG: @anchoredawakening), a therapist turned happiness coach. Here's a little info on my guest this week: Karel Chan's goal is to help soulful women discover and connect with their mind, body, and spirit to find their true purpose and live a happy, fulfilling life. After 10+ years as a clinical mental health therapist, she left the therapy industry and her private practice in Feb 2023 to focus on coaching full time! Karel loves talkin...
Jul 10, 2023•39 min•Season 2Ep. 2
