I thought I was going to Asia to source products for Rise + Rebel.

I thought the trip would be about finding beautiful pieces, meeting vendors, walking through markets, attending the Canton Fair, and bringing back inventory for my store. And yes, I did all of that.

But what I didn’t expect was how much this trip would reveal about me as a founder, a business owner, and a woman learning how to trust her own vision.

In this episode of Rise + Rebel, I’m sharing what my sourcing trip through Asia taught me about entrepreneurship, product sourcing, global trade, fear, abundance, overwhelm, decision-making, and becoming the person who can actually hold the vision she’s building.

I talk about what it felt like to walk through markets, meet suppliers, attend the Canton Fair, sort through endless options, and realize that buying products is the easy part — finding quality, alignment, and clarity is the real work.

This episode is for the entrepreneur, creative, small business owner, or dreamer who is waiting to feel fully ready before they begin.

Maybe the question isn’t, “Am I ready?”

Maybe the question is, “What part of me is being developed through this process?”

Because sometimes, building a business is not just about inventory, pricing, websites, photos, labels, customs, or marketing.

Sometimes, building a business is really about becoming the person who can hold the vision without abandoning herself in the process.

Shop the Rise + Rebel store:
https://riseandrebel.square.site/s/shop

Thank you for listening, watching, and being part of this journey.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Traveling to Asia to source products for Rise + Rebel
• What it was really like walking through markets, vendors, and supplier booths
• Attending the Canton Fair and seeing global trade up close
• The difference between buying inventory and finding aligned products
• The overwhelm of endless opportunity
• Why focus matters when building a brand
• The behind-the-scenes work of launching a retail business
• Pricing, inventory, photos, labels, spreadsheets, and decision fatigue
• What this trip taught me about fear, courage, and trusting myself
• Becoming a founder through the doing, not the waiting

What happens when life completely falls apart… and the only way forward is to finally listen to yourself?

In this deeply personal solo episode of Rise + Rebel, Aya opens up about one of the darkest seasons of her life, depression, heartbreak, losing her sense of purpose, and hitting rock bottom.

Everything changed when she asked herself one powerful question:

“If you had a second chance at life, what would make you truly happy?”

The answer was simple: acting.

What started as one acting class to escape depression became the beginning of a complete transformation—healing, confidence, creativity, writing books, launching a podcast, and fully stepping into her purpose.

This episode is about more than acting. It’s about listening to your intuition, trusting the desires that won’t leave you alone, and taking the stage in your own life.

Aya shares reflections on:
• overcoming depression and self-doubt
• healing through creativity
• building confidence through action
• creating opportunities instead of waiting
• following multiple passions without guilt
• stepping fully into your power

If you’ve been feeling stuck or like there’s something inside you waiting to be expressed—this episode is your invitation to stop holding back.

Your life is your stage.

Take it.

Join Aya’s Inner Circle for weekly reflections, life lessons, and deeper conversations:
Visit risewithaya.com

Watch more episodes of Rise + Rebel Podcast for conversations on mindset, business, creativity, and personal growth.

Aya’s new book Take the Stage is now available.

If this episode resonated with you, leave a comment:
What dream is your intuition asking you to follow?

In this episode of the Rise + Rebel Podcast, Aya sits down with Jason Newhauser for a deeply honest, expansive conversation on the nature of chaos, the illusion of control, and what it really means to co-create your life. What begins as a question about uncertainty unfolds into a powerful exploration of conditioning, identity, and the quiet ways we keep ourselves stuck in survival mode.

This conversation challenges a familiar narrative: that life should be perfectly structured, predictable, and controlled. Instead, it invites you to see chaos as a creative force—something that gives your life texture, meaning, and possibility.

Together, Aya and her guest unpack:

• Why perfectionism and “I have to” thinking keep you trapped
• How shifting to “I get to” can radically change your reality
• The hidden ways your mind keeps you in survival mode
• Why healing isn’t just mental—it’s deeply physical and embodied
• The importance of community, connection, and shared human experience
• How to stop fighting yourself—and start working with your own energy

There’s a powerful reminder woven throughout:

You are not broken. You are conditioned—and that conditioning can be rewritten.

From breathwork to embodiment, from ego patterns to self-awareness, this episode brings you back to something simple yet often overlooked:

your natural state is not suffering—it’s alignment.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or disconnected, this conversation offers a grounded, refreshing perspective on how to reconnect—with yourself, your body, and the present moment.

And maybe the biggest shift of all:

You don’t have to figure everything out.

You simply get to experience it.

If this resonated with you, go deeper with us inside the Inner Circle → join here: https://risewithaya.com

Watch more conversations like this on the Rise + Rebel Podcast—where we explore growth, consciousness, and what it means to fully step into your power.

Share your biggest takeaway in the comments—we’d love to hear your perspective and continue the conversation with you.