It Takes A Village with Delina Medhin

In this solo episode, I’m closing out the year by reflecting on commitment, balance, and what it really looks like to come home to yourself. This is the final recording of the season, and it felt important to pause, zoom out, and share what has shifted in me over the past year, personally, physically and energetically. I talk about how stability has quietly entered my life, from feeling more grounded in relationships to waking up naturally without an alarm, and how my sabbatical created a clear ‘before and after” version of who I am. I share why I no longer see beauty as something that lives only on the outside, and how my relationship with makeup, wellness, and identity has evolved into something much deeper and more holistic. This episode also dives into one of the biggest lessons of my year: blood sugar regulation. I explain how learning to balance protein, fat, and carbohydrates in every meal transformed my energy, mood, focus, and menstrual health, and why I believe this conversation is especially important for women. What started as curiosity became a full lifestyle shift that helped me move from emotional volatility into a more consistent flow state, without losing my sensitivity or emotional depth.I also open up about self-funding the podcast, scaling back my team, recommitting to the work more intentionally, and what it means to truly stand behind something you’re building, even when it stretches you. I share my gratitude for this community, what it means to be in the top 3% of podcasts on Spotify, and why building a village has never been about numbers, but about resonance.This episode is an invitation to slow down, check in with your body, honor your cycles, and consider what balance might look like for you moving into the next year. If you’ve been craving more stability, clarity, and alignment in how you live and create, this conversation is for you.Welcome to It Takes A Village with Delina Medhin, where inspiring founders & creatives share ‘who I built this with.’ Have you ever asked yourself… “how can I be happier, healthier, peaceful, famous, powerful, or successful?” When you want change, your life will shift, you let go, and begin to trust other people. This new energy will attract new people & create momentum in your life that reveals your purpose. Awareness is life’s balancing tool, and you are in the right place at the right time, always.00:00 Introduction and Year-End Reflections00:52 Commitment and Personal Growth01:56 Embracing Stability and Routine04:04 The Power of Inner and Outer Beauty05:59 Balancing Blood Sugar for Better Health13:04 Podcast Achievements and Future Plans15:11 Conclusion and Looking Forward to 2026Connect with Delina: ⁠Instagram https://www.instagram.com/delinamedhin  TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@delinamedhin  ⁠YouTube https://www.youtube.com/delinamedhin  Threads http://threads.net/@delinamedhin   Website ⁠www.delinamedhin.com Get the Build Your Village Video eBook here: https://stan.store/delinamedhin/p/build-your-village-ebook  Join my newsletter, This Made Me Think Of You: http://www.delinamedhin.com 

In this solo episode, I’m sharing something that’s been sitting on my heart for a while, something I’ve avoided saying out loud because it felt vulnerable, humbling, and honestly… very on-brand for a show called It Takes A Village.The truth is: this show has grown into something bigger than what I can sustain on my own. For years, I’ve been quietly funding ITAV with the money I earn from makeup jobs, pouring every ounce of passion, curiosity, and belief into creating conversations that matter. But creating a show at this level takes real resources, and I’ve finally reached the moment where I can’t do it alone anymore.I talk about what it has meant to build this show from scratch, the behind-the-scenes costs no one sees, and why it took me years to feel comfortable asking for support. I also share the intention behind my Networking Guide, why it exists, what it represents, and how it became both a resource for you and a way for me to keep doing what I love with it takes a village.By buying the Build Your Village Video eBook here, you support our upcoming season. Please consider buying it for yourself or a friend as a gift for the holidays.  https://stan.store/delinamedhin/p/build-your-village-ebook  I also share today about trust, friendship, support systems, community, and the kind of relationships that hold you together as you evolve. I talk about the friends who have become anchors in my life, the people I’ve outgrown, the energetic shifts that come with healing, and how learning self-love has transformed the way I choose the people around me.This episode is for anyone who’s navigating transition; financially, emotionally, spiritually, and trying to honor what is falling away while making space for what is trying to grow. It’s for those of you building something from the ground up, learning how to ask for help, or redefining what it means to have a village.Thank you for being here. Thank you for caring about the show. And thank you for being part of a community that allows me to keep creating something I truly believe in.Welcome to It Takes A Village with Delina Medhin, where inspiring founders & creatives share ‘who I built this with.’ Have you ever asked yourself… “how can I be happier, healthier, peaceful, famous, powerful, or successful?” When you want change, your life will shift, you let go, and begin to trust other people. This new energy will attract new people & create momentum in your life that reveals your purpose. Awareness is life’s balancing tool, and you are in the right place at the right time, always.00:00 Introduction and Personal Appeal00:10 The Journey of Creating the Show01:03 Crowdfunding and Networking Guide05:56 The Importance of Trust in Relationships08:51 Personal Growth and Friendships15:46 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsConnect with Delina: ⁠Instagram https://www.instagram.com/delinamedhin  TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@delinamedhin  ⁠YouTube https://www.youtube.com/delinamedhin  Threads http://threads.net/@delinamedhin   Website ⁠www.delinamedhin.com Get the Build Your Village Video eBook here: https://stan.store/delinamedhin/p/build-your-village-ebook  Join my newsletter, This Made Me Think Of You: http://www.delinamedhin.com

In this solo episode, I’m opening up about a part of my life I’ve kept private. I said “I love you” to a man I’ve been dating, and it slipped out. It was one of those moments where your heart speaks faster than your mind, and you hear yourself say the thing you’ve been rehearsing internally for months. And it showed me how much I've softened and how differently I’m choosing to move through love.I talk about why I waited to share this and how much I've changed over the years, prioritizing IQ vs. EQ in dating, how masculine energy shaped my past relationships, and the journey of embracing feminine energy. I share the parts of womanhood I used to resent, including my cycle and the way it slowed me down, and how embracing femininity has changed everything for me including my pace, boundaries, creativity, body, self-love, and finally the type of love I am able to give. This episode is about what it means to love yourself so deeply that loving someone else becomes an extension of that wholeness.If you’re navigating your own becoming, softening, healing, or learning how to love in a way that feels safe, grounded, and aligned,  you’ll find resonance here. This is an intimate look at the woman I’m becoming, the faith guiding me, and the kind of love I pray to embody daily. Welcome to It Takes A Village with Delina Medhin, where inspiring founders & creatives share ‘who I built this with.’ Have you ever asked yourself… “how can I be happier, healthier, peaceful, famous, powerful, or successful?” When you want change, your life will shift, you let go, and begin to trust other people. This new energy will attract new people & create momentum in your life that reveals your purpose. Awareness is life’s balancing tool, and you are in the right place at the right time, always.0:00 Introduction and Personal Update01:16 Show Reminders and Announcements01:44 Dating and Personal Reflections07:08 Embracing Feminine Energy13:56 Self-Love and Personal Growth16:16 Conclusion and Future PlansConnect with Delina: ⁠Instagram https://www.instagram.com/delinamedhin  TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@delinamedhin  ⁠YouTube https://www.youtube.com/delinamedhin  Threads http://threads.net/@delinamedhin   Website ⁠www.delinamedhin.com Get the Build Your Village Video eBook here: https://stan.store/delinamedhin/p/build-your-village-ebook  Join my newsletter, This Made Me Think Of You: http://www.delinamedhin.com 

Jackie Aina Asamoah, content creator, entrepreneur, and co-founder of FORVR MOOD, joins us today to talk about what it looks like to pivot, evolve, and build something that feels deeply true to who you are becoming. After spending over a decade shaping the beauty industry and advocating for visibility and representation, Jackie reached a moment where she felt called into a new direction. What started as a feeling she couldn’t ignore eventually became FORVR MOOD, now one of the leading fragrance brands in the market. Jackie shares the reality of launching her company in the middle of the pandemic, trusting her vision when nothing was guaranteed, and watching a 45K-person waitlist form almost overnight. She talks about the courage it took to go from influencer to founder and the discipline required to build something with longevity.Jackie also opens up about her childhood and the memories that shaped her love for fragrance. We talk about her advocacy in the beauty industry, why authenticity still matters in a rapidly changing creator landscape, and the mentorship, community, and faith that carried her through every obstacle. Welcome to It Takes A Village with Delina Medhin, where inspiring founders & creatives share ‘who I built this with’. Have you ever asked yourself… “how can I be happier, healthier, peaceful, famous, powerful, or successful?” When you want change, your life will shift, you let go, and begin to trust other people. This new energy will attract new people & create momentum in your life that reveals your purpose. Awareness is life’s balancing tool and you are in the right place at the right time, always.00:00 Welcome to 'It Takes a Village'01:04 Meet Jackie Aina06:26 Childhood and Family Dynamics08:25 Pursuing a Career in Beauty12:13 Navigating Success and Personal Growth18:08 Faith and Overcoming Challenges26:10 Family and Cultural Influences30:31 Launching FORVR MOOD33:49 The Candle Boom and Unexpected Success35:55 Navigating Brand Identity and Personal Growth39:13 The Rise of Fragrance Content44:51 Balancing Content Creation and Advocacy56:28 Challenges and Triumphs of Building a Brand01:03:34 Jackie's VillageLearn more about Jackie Aina:Jackie Aina is a trailblazing content creator, entrepreneur, and beauty industry advocate who has spent over 16 years reshaping the way women of color are seen, valued, and catered to in beauty. Known for her sharp wit, honest storytelling, and cultural influence, Jackie built one of the most trusted platforms in the digital beauty space, using her voice to push brands toward deeper inclusivity and accountability.She is the founder and CEO of FORVR Mood, a lifestyle and fragrance brand rooted in luxury, softness, and self-care for Black women. Beyond entrepreneurship, Jackie is recognized as one of the most influential beauty creators of her generation, blending creativity, social commentary, and business strategy in a way that has set new standards across the industry.She continues to evolve the creator-to-founder blueprint, showing what’s possible when Black women build, lead, and take up space unapologetically.Connect with Jackie Aina:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jackieaina/?hl=en TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@jackieaina?lang=en YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzJIliq68IHSn-Kwgjeg2AQ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/forvrmood/ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@forvrmood Website https://forvrmood.com/ Connect with Delina: ⁠Instagram https://www.instagram.com/delinamedhin  TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@delinamedhin  ⁠YouTube https://www.youtube.com/delinamedhin  Threads http://threads.net/@delinamedhin   Website ⁠www.delinamedhin.com Get the Build Your Village Video eBook here: https://stan.store/delinamedhin/p/build-your-village-ebook  Join my newsletter, This Made Me Think Of You: http://www.delinamedhin.com 

In this solo episode, I’m unpacking the evolution of my creative process, the shifts, the resistance, the momentum, and the deep inner work that’s happening behind the scenes. Lately, I’ve been feeling this pull to create differently and with more intention and more effort. Not forced effort and reluctance, but chosen effort and excitement. The kind that is sharpening my skills, expands my capacity, and reconnects me to the reason I started creating in the first place.I talk about my childhood and my first experience with creativity, the pressure to always be “good,” the difference between studying vs. improvising, and how abundance can actually make you less creative if you’re not paying attention. I get into why effort matters, how momentum is built, and why people who are wildly successful often are the ones who mix talent with consistent effort.This episode is a deep dive into my own creative mindset shift for anyone who’s navigating a creative transition, feeling stuck, or craving a deeper relationship with their own voice. If you’ve been asking yourself what's next creatively, you may find resonance with where I am. Welcome to It Takes A Village with Delina Medhin, where inspiring founders & creatives share ‘who I built this with.’ Have you ever asked yourself… “how can I be happier, healthier, peaceful, famous, powerful, or successful?” When you want change, your life will shift, you let go, and begin to trust other people. This new energy will attract new people & create momentum in your life that reveals your purpose. Awareness is life’s balancing tool, and you are in the right place at the right time, always.00:00 Nostalgic Beginnings: The Donkey Kong Challenge00:47 Welcome to 'It Takes a Village'03:35 Creativity and the Creative Process10:51 Effort vs. Effortless Creativity13:55 The Michael Jordan of Creativity15:42 Reflecting on Creative Effort24:29 Final Thoughts and Listener EngagementConnect with Delina: ⁠Instagram https://www.instagram.com/delinamedhin  TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@delinamedhin  ⁠YouTube https://www.youtube.com/delinamedhin  Threads http://threads.net/@delinamedhin   Website ⁠www.delinamedhin.com Get the Build Your Village Video eBook here: https://stan.store/delinamedhin/p/build-your-village-ebook  Join my newsletter, This Made Me Think Of You: http://www.delinamedhin.com