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A pro dance career looks glamorous until you hear what it actually takes to keep showing up: the training, the injuries you have to outsmart, the personal brand decisions teams quietly judge, and the off-court work that pays the bills. We’re joined by Jasmine Neely, a former NFL cheerleader and current NBA dancer, who also works in strategic marketing, teaches and coaches audition hopefuls, designs apparel, and runs her own podcast. She’s not guessing about any of it, she’s living it in real time.

We talk through the biggest differences between dancing in the NFL versus the NBA, from outdoor elements and longer game days to faster indoor shows and a packed season schedule. Jasmine shares how weightlifting supports balance and stability, why “fit and strong” matters more than chasing thinness, and what her day-to-day dancer nutrition looks like, including supplements, protein, realistic meals, and how she handles cheat days without turning food into a math problem. If you’ve searched for dance injury prevention, pro dancer workout tips, or what auditions really demand, you’ll get grounded advice you can use immediately.

We also dig into how her background in public relations and NASCAR communications shaped her approach to event marketing and lead generation, plus a powerful example of inviting multicultural media into NASCAR through immersive VIP experiences. Then we shift into entrepreneurship with her women’s jumpsuit brand, Elity, built to solve a painfully common problem: having to basically undress in a restroom just to wear a one-piece. We wrap with her thoughts on African American diaspora studies, media framing, and why college conversations can change how you see the world.

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A cleaning company with a 4.9 rating doesn’t get there by accident and Dawn Zap is clear about why: standards are built in the interview, reinforced in training, and protected by systems that keep quality steady. I sit down with Dawn, the owner of Executive Maids, to trace her path from starting in Philadelphia in 1993 with a van and a vacuum to running two locations, including Palm Beach County, Florida. Along the way, she shares the moment house cleaning went from “interim work” to a real entrepreneurial mission driven by service, trust, and consistency.

We get specific about what separates a professional house cleaning service from a bargain housekeeper, and why clients feel the difference right away. Dawn breaks down her hiring philosophy “cleaners who care,” how she uses structured, scored interview questions learned from business coach Liz Trotter, and why she refuses to hire out of desperation even when staffing is tight. She also opens up about the pandemic shock that took her from a large team to a smaller operation and why choosing fewer cleaners and less chaos dramatically improved her quality of life.

Then we go full nerd in the best way: CRMs, automation, and how Go High Level helps her follow up with leads, keep in touch with clients, and streamline applicant screening and interview reminders. We also touch her second business, Ganash Panache, where she creates luxury dessert displays like cupcake flower bouquets and even brainstorms names with ChatGPT. If you’re growing a service business, managing customer reviews, or trying to scale without burning out, you’ll leave with practical ideas you can apply fast.

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Do us a favor and like, comment, share, and subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes. To see the full video on YouTube go to Listen Up with Host Al Neely

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A virtual meeting can fall apart for one simple reason: nobody feels understood. We talk with psychological business analyst Audra Sweet about how she uses emotional intelligence, tone awareness, and careful observation to improve stakeholder communication on government contracts, including work supporting the Department of Veterans Affairs. When so much of work moved online, the loss of nonverbal cues created new stress, more misinterpretations, and slower progress. Audrey explains what it takes to “read people” on camera, build rapport without hallway conversations, and keep feedback from turning into conflict.

We also get specific about the reality of government work: success has to be proven, not just claimed. Audra shares how she tracks metrics and percentages to show that better communication leads to better releases, stronger trust, and smoother collaboration. She breaks down why projects like digitizing GI Bill forms can be so intense, where every word must be exact, and approvals can involve layers of review, including Congress, because the language is legally binding. If you care about remote work, stakeholder management, business analysis, and workplace communication, this conversation is packed with practical insight.

Then things get personal and unexpectedly fun. Audra talks about staying connected during a spouse’s deployment through shared painting nights, building a neighborhood community from scratch, and why doing a task together can open the door to deeper conversation. Finally, we take a left turn into her “side quest” hobby: ghost hunting. EMF detectors, strange experiences, and a grounded look at how psychology and perception shape what we think we encounter all make an appearance.

Subscribe for more conversations about connection, share this with someone navigating remote work, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

Support the show

Do us a favor and like, comment, share, and subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes. To see the full video on YouTube go to Listen Up with Host Al Neely

Reach out to us on our socials and hit us up with any questions!

Email: Info@listenup.biz
Instagram: ListenUp4U
Facebook: Let's Talk About It - Listen Up
Twitter: ListenUp@Listenup4U
Website: listenup.biz

YouTube: Listen Up with Host Al Neely