Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Nina Sossamon-Pogue.

A former elite gymnast, Emmy-winning news anchor, bestselling author, and resilience expert.

Here’s a summary of the key themes and insights from the episode:

🎙️ Guest Introduction: Nina Sossamon-Pogue

• Former USA Gymnastics team member and Emmy-winning news anchor.
• Author of This Is Not the End and host of the podcast This Seriously Sucks.
• Focuses on helping people navigate life’s toughest transitions with resilience.

🧠 Mental Health & Daily Routines

• Nina emphasizes the importance of gratitude, mindfulness, and limiting early phone use to start the day with clarity.
• Rushion shares his own structured morning routine and how it helps him manage stress and stay productive.

💪 Resilience and Personal Growth

• Nina defines resilience as the ability to adapt positively and grow stronger from adversity.
• She encourages people to reflect on what’s going right, what needs attention, and how to move forward with purpose.

🧍‍♀️ Body Image, Athletics & Social Media

• Nina shares her experience with body dysmorphia and bulimia during her gymnastics career in the 1980s.
• She discusses the long-term impact of being judged by appearance in both sports and television.
• Offers advice to parents and young athletes on navigating body image in the age of social media.

📘 Her Book: This Is Not the End

• Written for people facing major life setbacks—job loss, injury, grief, or personal failure.
• Nina shares five personal “this is the end” moments, including:
  • Not making the Olympic team.
  • Career-ending knee injury.
  • Losing her job as a news anchor.
  • A traumatic accident at age 37.
• The book provides seven strategies and a four-step framework (T.H.I.S.) to help readers move forward:
  • Timeline: Gain perspective on your life journey.
  • Humans: Lean on others—don’t go it alone.
  • Isolate: Focus on the present moment.
  • Story: Reframe your internal narrative to stay empowered and hirable.

🎧 Podcast Highlight

• Nina’s podcast This Seriously Sucks features guests who’ve overcome major life challenges.
• She highlights Joe Delagrave, a Paralympian and coach, whose story of resilience and transformation deeply inspired her.

💬 Closing Thoughts

• Rushion praises Nina’s authenticity, voice, and ability to connect.
• Nina encourages listeners to embrace their “this” moment and remember: “This is not the end.”

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Gregory Richardson.

A cybersecurity expert and AI consultant. The conversation explores cybersecurity best practices, the rise of AI, and how Gregory is helping churches and nonprofits leverage technology to spread the gospel.

🔐 Cybersecurity Insights 🔹 Gregory’s Background

• Based in Dallas, Texas.
• Works full-time as an ethical hacker and cybersecurity consultant for major corporations and governments.
• Also a serial entrepreneur with ventures in real estate, consulting, and software.

🔹 Key Cybersecurity Takeaways

• Multitasking Myth: Gregory argues that humans are not wired for multitasking—focus leads to better outcomes.
• Password:
  • Avoid using simple passwords like “1234.”
  • Don’t reuse passwords across platforms.
  • Use passphrases (e.g., Bible verses) for stronger security.
  • Change passwords regularly.
• Password Vaults: Recommends using reputable services like Google or Microsoft.
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Strongly encourages using 2FA to protect accounts.
• Phishing Scams:
  • Be wary of urgent or fear-based emails.
  • Always verify suspicious messages by contacting the company directly.
  • Scammers often mimic trusted brands (e.g., Facebook, Bank of America).

🔹 The Bigger Picture

• Cybercrime now generates more revenue than global drug trafficking.
• Criminal organizations are well-funded and recruit tech talent to build sophisticated scams.

🤖 Artificial Intelligence & Opportunity 🔹 AI as a Tool for Good

• Compares AI to the Gutenberg printing press—initially misused, but ultimately transformative.
• Believes AI’s potential far outweighs its risks.

🔹 AI in Business

• Helps businesses identify “million-dollar problems” and solve them with AI.
• Example: Built a toll-tracking app for a car rental company that became more profitable than the rental business itself.
• Encourages entrepreneurs to use AI tools to build apps without needing coding skills.

🔹 AI in Education

• Created a custom math quiz app for his daughter using her course materials and AI.

🙏 AI for Churches & Nonprofits

• Gregory focuses on helping churches and nonprofits use AI to:
  • Spread the gospel.
  • Operate more efficiently.
  • Compete with limited budgets.
• Offers consulting and resources through his website: GregoryRichardson.ai

📚 Book Mentioned

• Gregory has authored a book on using AI to solve business problems and create scalable solutions.

🎙️ Closing Notes

• Rushion praises Gregory’s passion, clarity, and practical advice.
• Plans to bring him back for a deeper dive into AI’s role in faith-based and nonprofit work.

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST #AMI

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.