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.

In Part 2 of this conversation on Rise + Rebel, Aya sits back down with hypnotist Rusty Diamond—and what starts with humor and playful banter quickly unfolds into something deeper, stranger, and unexpectedly grounding.

From hypnosis and memory retrieval to past life regression and even alien encounters, this episode explores the edge of what we think we know… and what might exist just beyond it. But more than that, it asks a powerful question:

What do we choose to believe—and how does that shape our reality?

Through stories, patterns, and raw reflections, Rusty shares what he’s witnessed working with clients who genuinely believe in their experiences—whether explainable or not. And Aya brings it back to what matters most: awareness, choice, and the way we consciously create our lives.

This conversation isn’t about proving what’s real.
It’s about expanding your perspective enough to ask better questions.

You’ll also hear honest moments on:

• Navigating leadership and making difficult decisions
• The power of daily affirmations and self-perception
• Breaking patterns of distraction, doubt, and self-sabotage
• Why “everything matters—and nothing does” might be the most freeing truth of all.
  

At its core, this episode is a reminder:
You are not stuck. You are creating—whether you realize it or not.

So the real question is…
What are you choosing today?

—

Watch more conversations like this on Rise + Rebel
Ready to go deeper? Join the Inner Circle for more insights, tools, and real conversations:
risewithaya.com

What does it really take to reinvent yourself when life forces you to slow down?

In this episode of Rise + Rebel, you sit down with Rusty Diamond for a conversation that’s as entertaining as it is thought-provoking.

From pro wrestling to hypnosis, Rusty shares the unexpected journey that led him to completely shift his path—and how one life-changing moment pushed him into a new purpose.

Together, we explore:
- The truth about hypnosis—and the myths people still believe
- The difference between influence, healing, and ethical responsibility.
- How life’s setbacks can become your biggest turning points
- Why not all “social anxiety” is what it seems
- And how creativity, energy, and environment shape who we become

This episode is filled with humor, real talk, and those unplanned moments that make conversations truly powerful.

It’s a reminder that sometimes, the detours in life lead you exactly where you’re meant to be.

And of course… you might just find yourself getting lost in the sauce along the way.

If you’re navigating change, curious about mindset work, or ready to see things from a new perspective—this one’s for you.

Watch more episodes of the Rise + Rebel Podcast
Connect with Aya & join the Inner Circle: risewithaya.com

In this episode of Rise + Rebel, Aya Hojadova sits down with Jeff Pareja, VP and SBA Commercial Loan Officer, for a powerful conversation on SBA lending, business growth, risk, and the psychology behind financial decision-making.

What made this conversation especially meaningful was Jeff’s transparency. This was not just a conversation about loan products or lending mechanics. It was a deeper look at the human side of business financing: how entrepreneurs think, what fear can do to decision-making, and why mindset matters just as much as numbers when it comes to growth.

Together, Aya and Jeff explore the mindset shifts that happen when someone moves from employee thinking into owner or investor thinking, how to view SBA loans as tools within a broader business strategy, and the difference between emotional readiness and financial readiness. They also unpack the tension between fear and expansion, what healthy risk-taking actually looks like, and how alignment, intuition, and purpose can shape the way entrepreneurs approach money and opportunity.

This episode is for entrepreneurs, investors, small business owners, and anyone navigating growth who wants a more honest conversation about SBA lending, commercial loans, business mindset, money psychology, and expansion strategy.

If you have ever wondered whether you are truly ready for your next level in business, this episode offers more than lending insight. It offers a real conversation about the internal and external factors that shape how we grow.

Topics covered:

SBA lending, commercial lending, small business financing, entrepreneur mindset, business growth, expansion strategy, emotional readiness, financial readiness, money psychology, healthy risk-taking, and aligned decision-making.

Connect with Jeff Pareja

Jeff Pareja

VP | SBA Commercial Loan Officer

135 N. Meramec Ave. | Clayton, MO 63105

8712 Lindholm Dr. | Huntersville, NC 28078

Serving the Greater Charleston, SC Market

Website: www.mwrbank.com

Office: 980-391-2859

Mobile: 512-966-9285

Email: jpareja@mwregionalbank.com

Commercial Real Estate can feel like a locked room: Confusing terms, intimidating numbers, and no clear starting point. In this solo episode of Rise + Rebel, Aya breaks down Commercial Real Estate for beginners: what it is, how it differs from residential, the main property types, and the most practical ways to get started through leasing or owner-occupied purchases.

This episode is especially helpful for entrepreneurs and business owners in the Charleston Tri-County South Carolina area who are considering leasing, relocating, renewing a lease, or buying their first commercial property.

In this episode:

- What Commercial Real Etate (CRE) is (and why it’s a mindset shift)

- Retail, office, industrial, multifamily, and land

- Lease vs buy: how to choose your lane

- Owner-occupied CRE + why SBA can matter

- Risk, forecasting, and strategy (what beginners miss)

- NOI, cap rate, rent rolls, and lease structure basics

- NNN vs gross leases

- Due diligence + Phase I environmental overview

- How to get guidance without wasting time guessing

Work with Aya (Charleston Tri-County):

Visit: https://www.risewithaya.com/commercial-residential-real-estate

Or email aya.hojadova@cbrealty.com with subject line CRE

#CommercialRealEstate #CRE #LeaseVsBuy #OwnerOc

In this episode of the Rise + Rebel Podcast, Aya sits down with Haven Morningstar for a powerful conversation about finding yourself, trusting your intuition, and honoring who you truly are without doubt, judgment, or fear.

We talk about what it really means to listen to your inner voice, how self-trust shapes both life and business success, and why no one knows you better than you know yourself. This episode is a reminder to come back to your truth, trust your own knowing, and build a life that feels fully aligned with who you are.

If you have been questioning yourself, second-guessing your path, or trying to succeed while disconnecting from your true nature, this conversation will bring you back home to yourself.

Explore Haven’s work through MorningStar Life, which is centered on clarity, trusting your inner voice, and soulful connection. https://www.morningstarlife.com/

The conversation delves into the journey of self-remembrance and artistic exploration, exploring the themes of self-activation, divine alignment, trusting self, and embracing doubt and uncertainty. Haven Morningstar shares her personal experiences and insights, offering a profound perspective on these themes. The conversation delves into the themes of authenticity, alignment, and trusting intuition. It explores the concepts of doubt and trust, the role of art as self-expression, being in tune with oneself, adapting to society's norms, and embracing uncertainty as part of the journey.

Takeaways

• Self-remembrance
• Artistic exploration Authenticity and alignment
• Trusting intuition

Chapters

• 00:00 Journey of Self-Remembrance
• 05:39 Navigating Divine Alignment
• 21:09 Embracing Doubt and Uncertainty
• 26:29 In Tune with Self
• 34:22 Adapting to Society's Norms
• 42:53 Embracing Uncertainty