Boujee Best Friend with Koko

43. Welcome to this special episode of Boujee Best Friend, which has been a long time coming. For some reason, I couldn't bring myself to sit down and record the whole experience. But in honor of March being endometriosis awareness month, I decided it's time for me to share the full story. In this episode, I'm going to take you on a journey through my personal experience with endometriosis. I'll talk about the moment when I discovered the cyst, the emotions that followed, the countless doctors visits, the actual surgery, and the ups and downs of recovery and healing. Endometriosis affects an estimated 1 in 10 women worldwide, but it is often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or simply ignored. It is a chronic condition where the tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus grows outside of it, causing inflammation, pain, and in severe cases, infertility. My journey with endometriosis started when I discovered a cyst back in November 2022, during a routine gynecological exam. I'll never forget the fear and anxiety I felt when I heard the news. It was a scary and confusing time, but I soon realized that I was not alone. With the help of my family, friends, and healthcare providers, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery and healing. Through this podcast episode, I hope to shed light on the reality of living with endometriosis, and to help others who may be going through a similar experience. I want to emphasize the importance of listening to your body, advocating for yourself, and seeking medical attention when necessary. So join me as I share my story, and let's raise awareness and support for those who are fighting this silent battle. CONNECT WITH KOKO: https://www.instagram.com/kokobeaute/ https://www.tiktok.com/@kokobeaute https://www.instagram.com/boujeebestfriend This episode is brought to you by HAPPY V, a wellness company committed to creating scientifically-sound products and educational content to help women lead healthier and more empowered lives. Go to https://www.happyv.com and use code HAPPYKOKO10 to get 10% off your order.

#42 Annalie Howling is an exceptional performance coach, trauma specialist, and speaker who has been transforming the lives of people around the world for over two decades. Annalie has become a leading figure in the fields of personal development and human potential. Whether working with high-performing athletes, executives, or individuals looking to make a positive change in their lives, Annalie's commitment to excellence and unwavering belief in us humans make her a sought-after coach and speaker. In this episode, we will explore the power of communication and self-advocacy. This discussion is all about public speaking, the fear of rejection, setting boundaries in relationships, and asking for what you want as a woman. We'll dive deep into these important topics and share strategies and insights for overcoming common challenges and obstacles. Tune in to learn how you can find your voice. Episode highlights… About Annalie Howling Public speaking Listening to your body Negative limiting beliefs Being kinder to yourself Extreme habits and self-sabotage Imposter syndrome The fear of rejection Red flags in relationships Setting boundaries What happens in your brain after a breakup Asking for what you want as a woman CONNECT WITH ANNALIE: https://www.instagram.com/annaliehowling/ https://annaliehowling.com/group-coaching/ CONNECT WITH KOKO: https://www.instagram.com/kokobeaute/ https://www.tiktok.com/@kokobeaute https://www.instagram.com/boujeebestfriend BOOK: Emily Nagoski: Come As You Are https://amzn.to/3YK7OHE LIMITED EDITION MERCH DROP https://www.boujeebestie.com

#41 This episode is about all things vaginal health. This is one of MANY episodes I will do to destigmatise vaginal health. It is important to discuss what most women are going through these days. This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Daniella Levy Graubard, founder of Happy V, a vaginal health company. Daniella started this company after battling Bacterial Vaginosis for 6 years. She was going from one gynecologist to the next, prescribing her medicine that did not work. That is when she decided to create her company, Happy V. Happy V makes effective, safe, and natural products for women who, like Daniella, experience BV and are not getting the support or answers they need. We discuss many important topics, such as symptoms of BV, what can cause it, tips on how you can improve your vaginal health, starting a business, intimacy with BV, and how YOU can live a happier and more comfortable life. Tune in to this honest and important conversation about our vaginas! Episode highlights… Daniella’s journey with Bacterial Vaginosis Symptoms of BV BV affecting intimacy BV vs. Yeast infection vs UTI's Happy V products Having an honest conversation about your vagina Marketing Happy V Separating work from personal life when you work with your S/O Starting a company from the ground up What can cause BV Tips on how you can improve your vaginal health CONNECT WITH DANIELLA: https://www.instagram.com/dani_levs/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/myhappyv/?hl=en https://happyv.com/ CONNECT WITH KOKO: https://www.instagram.com/kokobeaute/ https://www.tiktok.com/@kokobeaute https://www.instagram.com/boujeebestfriend LIMITED EDITION MERCH DROP https://www.boujeebestie.com

#40 Sana Akhand is a keynote speaker on Freedom and Love and a Multi-Passionate Entrepreneur. Sana had a “perfect” life before she hit 30. Married and successful in her career, she had it all, yet she still felt unfilled. She found herself burnt out and living a life based on external validation. Sana eventually realized that success does not depend on our careers but is defined by the meaningful connections we make. Sana rediscovered her relationship with her husband by living separately from him in NYC. She gained independence and found deeper intimacy and connections with her husband by doing so. Today, she helps women do the same. Sana is now the CEO of the Shakti Society, a collective of entrepreneurs, authors, influencers, and change-makers ready to become thought leaders. Sana seeks freedom and has dedicated her life to preaching it to others. Sana is an incredible mentor who is full of wisdom. She gives us so much advice, life experience, do’ and don’ts, personal stories, and more. Tune in to gain the confidence to live your life with freedom. Episode Highlights… Sana’s life background Learning not to settle Rediscovering your identity Sana’s struggles with her family The religious pressure of marriage Abandonment wounds Chasing external validation Traveling the world with your spouse Building a community outside of your career Rebuilding yourself and your identity Taking shrooms to find yourself Living separately from your husband Getting press for the decision to live apart 0:00- 6:30 | About Sana & her early toxic relationships 6:30- 19:40 | Sana’s relationship with her family 19:40- 33:00 | Sana’s relationship with her husband 33:00- 40:20 | Rebuilding identity (and taking shrooms) 40:20- 55:20 | Deciding to live apart from your husband 55:20- 1:00:00 | Taking advice from people CONNECT WITH SANA: https://www.instagram.com/sanaakhand/?hl=en https://sanaakhand.com/ CONNECT WITH KOKO: https://www.instagram.com/kokobeaute/ https://www.tiktok.com/@kokobeaute https://www.instagram.com/boujeebestfriend LIMITED EDITION MERCH DROP https://www.boujeebestie.com

#39 Danny Morel was a real estate broker for 25 years. He became very successful in real estate and made millions of dollars in revenue. When Danny’s mom passed away, he was forced to look at his life and ask himself some tough and challenging questions. These questions would lead him to a truth he was not ready to accept. The first question he asked himself was: Am I happy? Despite Danny “having it all,” he was miserable. As a result of this realization, Danny embarked on his spiritual journey. This is a powerful episode where we talk about embracing your spirituality and finding who you truly are. In this episode, we discuss how you can be happy with your inner self, masculine and feminine energy, experimenting with Ayahuasca, and how YOU can attract the right life partner. Tune in for this incredibly thought-provoking episode of Boujee Best Friend. Episode highlights: The concept of being “50/50” in a relationship Masculine and feminine energy Energies we can live by What is Spirituality? Forgiveness Danny’s Ayahuasca journey The realization of being miserable Men and pornography The balance of masculine and feminine energy Finding who you are Celibacy Healing yourself to attract the right partner for you CONNECT WITH DANNY: https://www.instagram.com/thehigherselfpodcast/ https://www.instagram.com/dannymorel/www.Dannymorel.com CONNECT WITH KOKO:https://www.instagram.com/kokobeaute/https://www.tiktok.com/@kokobeautehttps://www.instagram.com/boujeebestfriend LIMITED EDITION MERCH DROPhttps://www.boujeebestie.com

EP38: It’s the month of love, so we welcome OG relationship podcast host Lindsey Metselaar! Lindsey is the host of the podcast; We Met at Acme. This podcast is a STAPLE in the dating world. I love her take on relationships. We don’t always see eye to eye on relationship topics, which makes this episode so much more interesting. Lindsey is from NYC and started her podcast when she was single, but is now happily married. She has talked to many different people and listened to many different perspectives. She is full of dating wisdom. In this episode, we discuss not settling, what red flags to look out for, finding a relationship that makes you feel secure, opinions on cheating, opinions on your man liking IG model’s pics, sobriety, and pretty much EVERY other dating topic you could need. No matter what stage you’re at in dating, this episode is a must for you! Episode highlights… Welcoming Lindsey Not settling for less than what you want 90/10 rule for security and independence in a relationships Sobriety How Lindsey met her husband Being a public figure and having private relationships Social media in relationships Koko & Lindsey’s opinions on your s/o liking pictures of IG models Koko & Lindsey’s opinion on cheating Rushing into relationships Red flags Lindsey’s career goals CONNECT WITH LINDSEY: https://www.instagram.com/lindzmetz/https://www.instagram.com/wemetatacme/https://www.instagram.com/dontexpectsalads/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/we-met-at-acme/id1300757042 CONNECT WITH KOKO:https://www.instagram.com/kokobeaute/https://www.tiktok.com/@kokobeautehttps://www.instagram.com/boujeebestfriend KOKO ON WE MET AT ACME:https://open.spotify.com/episode/51w7cln2nAiZAObAvbcFHP?si=_PwzeKyCSIqdr6KxjTPUCg LIMITED EDITION MERCH DROPhttps://www.boujeebestie.com

EP37: In 2013 Kelly Uchima began her social media journey for the purpose of finding friendship and community. Ten years and 100k+ followers later, Kelly uses her platform to spread awareness about eating disorders, depression, and anxiety. She has built a solid community of her own. Kelly is an intelligent, funny, and empathetic woman whose goal is to help others by telling her story. This episode goes deep. We discuss narcissistic parenting, eating disorders, unhealthy coping methods, toxic relationships, seeking therapy, and recovering from trauma. If you can relate to any of the episode highlights, I recommend you listen. Aside from discussing these topics, we provide you with thoughtful and helpful advice. It is time to start spreading more awareness and work toward helping others speak their truth! You are not alone. Episode highlights: Eating disorders The connection of eating disorders and family life Narcissistic parenting The importance of therapy Addiction to Marijuana Making a change and quitting your bad habits The importance of being alone with your thoughts Self care routines Stomach issues and IBS Making lifestyle changes for your health Flirting over Instagram Kelly’s love story Toxic behavior in a relationship Being in a healthy relationship CONNECT WITH KELLY: https://www.instagram.com/kellyu/ https://www.instagram.com/therapythursday_/ https://open.spotify.com/show/68zImlmerxtNeVN0XUHoeE CONNECT WITH KOKO:https://www.instagram.com/kokobeaute/ https://www.tiktok.com/@kokobeaute https://www.instagram.com/boujeebestfriend LIMITED EDITION MERCH DROPhttps://www.boujeebestie.com

36. On this episode of Boujee Best Friend, we welcome Cristina Cataman. You might recognize Cristina from her viral satire videos about dating, cultural differences (Northern America vs Eastern Europe) and much more.  Additionally, Cristina is the founder and host of the podcast, Catamania, where she helps her audience navigate all things wellness, beauty, style, leadership, and everything in between. Cristina’s podcast guests are professionals from different industries who educate her viewers on how certain aspects of the world work. This time, we bring Cristina on Boujee Best Friend, to be the professional. Cristina and I talk about ALL THINGS relationship advice. We cover long-term relationships (she's been with her now husband for 8 years), long-distance relationships, healthy communication, setting expectations, the feeling of love at first sight, and prioritizing intimacy. We talk about how to keep that relationship sparked and how to approach every uncomfortable conversation. Tune in for advice on how YOU can have a happy and healthy relationship. In this episode… Growing up in Europe and immigrating to Canada Meeting your soulmate when you least expect it Love at first sight Setting expectations Long distance relationships How to make a long-distance relationship work Finances in a relationship Open communication Separating the role of your husband from your best friend How to have a successful long-term relationship Moving in with your partner Setting boundaries and dividing responsibilities Prioritizing sexual intimacy CONNECT WITH CRISTINA: https://www.instagram.com/cristinacataman/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/catamaniashow/?hl=en https://podcasts.apple.com/lu/podcast/catamania/id1609694116 CONNECT WITH KOKO: https://www.instagram.com/kokobeaute/ https://www.tiktok.com/@kokobeaute https://www.instagram.com/boujeebestfriend KOKO ON CRISTINA'S PODCAST: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0dLqhmzHgikXFXW6AHP9Jx LIMITED EDITION MERCH DROP https://www.boujeebestie.com

EP35: Julia Montgomery aka @itxmejules is the founder and CEO of Influent - and a genius behind branding! Jules started her venture as an entrepreneur of a tie-dye clothing brand. Julia quickly learned how to market her brand on social media, leading to tons of success in sales and company growth. When the pandemic hit, she was no longer able to supply her business. For 7 months, Jules was completely out of stock of her product and decided to start posting her business journey on TikTok. During these 7 months, Julia was sharing her wisdom of all things social media marketing and has now gained 300,000 followers on TikTok. Jules eventually started her company, Influent, where she has set out to close the influencer pay gap, provide transparency into the industry, and create an all-around better market for influencers, content creators, and brands. In this episode, we provide you with ALL the social media tips and tricks you could ask for, discuss how to succeed as an entrepreneur or influencer, and inspire you to start your entrepreneurial journey. One of our favorite episode takeaways- it is important not to be afraid of failure and to take a chance on yourself. In this episode… Trial and error when building a business The power behind social media partnerships Creating successful content Psychology tips for building interest in your videos What is UGC? Digital rights? Social media crash course The divide between consumers and content creators Characteristics of a successful entrepreneur Creating a career that you love Not being afraid of failure Taking a chance on yourself CONNECT WITH JULIA:https://www.tiktok.com/@itxmejules?lang=en https://www.instagram.com/itxmejules/ https://www.instagram.com/influentnyc/ https://influentforbrands.com/ CONNECT WITH KOKO:https://www.instagram.com/kokobeaute/https://www.tiktok.com/@kokobeautehttps://www.instagram.com/boujeebestfriend LIMITED EDITION MERCH DROPhttps://www.boujeebestie.com

EP34: This week on Boujee Best Friend, we welcome Jake Maddock (again) - a relationship coach who helps couples achieve a 10/10 relationship. He does this by helping single people find their ideal partner and by guiding couples through their troubles.  When Jake was first on Boujee Best Friend, we talked about finding a high-value relationship and keeping a high-value relationship, mainly from a female perspective. This time, we are discussing what MEN want (among many other things.) We cover all your unanswered questions like; What do men usually complain about when it comes to dating? Is there any scenario where you should get back together with your ex? How do you maintain your identity when you do everything with your partner? How can you live your life with intention? These topics are just scratching the surface of what you can expect in this episode. Tune in for some excellent dating advice and the answers to all your questions. In this episode… What do men want in dating? Why you shouldn’t get back with your ex “Narcissistic” behavior in a relationship Affirmations and working on your self-esteem Doing what is best for the relationship Maintaining your identity when doing everything with your partner How to stand up for yourself in a relationship Living your life with intention The biological clock for women Thinking your relationship is “too good to be true.” Not letting outsiders negatively affect your relationship Discovering what type of “lover” you are CONNECT WITH JAKE:https://www.instagram.com/jake.maddock/https://www.tiktok.com/@coachjakemaddockhttps://maddockcoaching.com/ CONNECT WITH KOKO:https://www.instagram.com/kokobeaute/https://www.tiktok.com/@kokobeautehttps://www.instagram.com/boujeebestfriend LIMITED EDITION MERCH DROPhttps://www.boujeebestie.com PREVIOUS EPISODE:Finding a High Value Relationship - On Cheating, Boundaries, Feminine & Masculine Energy w/ Jake Maddock