We Speak Podcast
🚨MUSIC THERAPY & MOTIVATION with Gino Black 🗣️ 🎙️
Episode Review: Todd Vaughn, on Comedy, Financial Literacy, Black Fatherhood and Entrepreneurship!
In this captivating episode of “MUSIC THERAPY & MOTIVATION”, host Gino Black welcomes a guest with a background as diverse as it is inspiring—Todd Vaughn, also known as TJ Vaughn during his days as a stand-up comedian. Now an entrepreneur and consultant, Todd’s story reveals how his time in comedy has shaped his approach to business, communication, and life.
The episode kicks off with Todd sharing his early career as a comedian, where he performed under the name TJ Vaughn. He reminisces about how comedy not only sharpened his ability to connect with people but also gave him the confidence to navigate the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. His experience on stage taught him how to handle pressure, engage an audience, and adapt quickly—all essential skills he’s carried into his current role as a business owner.
Todd’s transition from making people laugh to empowering them financially is a testament to his belief in using every tool in his arsenal to uplift the Black community. His t-shirt business, which started as a creative outlet, has evolved into a platform for driving social change. Throughout the conversation, he reflects on how humor can be a powerful tool in educating people about serious topics via his Protect Style Apparel.
One of the standout moments is when Todd explains how his time in sales and finance, combined with his comedic background, gives him a unique edge in connecting with his audience. He has a gift for breaking down complex business concepts into relatable, digestible insights, making education entertaining and engaging.
In the latter half of the episode, Todd dives deep into his entrepreneurial journey, discussing the origins of his t-shirt business, which promotes empowerment and wealth-building within the Black community. He candidly shares the challenges he’s faced, from early struggles with marketing to learning the ropes of credit and finance.
Listeners will appreciate Todd’s honesty about the obstacles he’s overcome, particularly as a Black entrepreneur. His passion for financial education is palpable, and he highlights the importance of teaching financial literacy from a young age. His comedic past allows him to deliver community conscious t-shirt designs in a way that’s not only informative but also entertaining—proof that humor and knowledge are a powerful combination.
The episode wraps up with Todd’s advice for anyone aspiring to improve their financial situation or start their own business: stay resilient, embrace failure as a learning tool, and always look for ways to make a difference in your community. Whether he’s cracking a joke or offering wisdom, Todd’s message is clear: Empower yourself, empower others.
Rating: 5/5
Key Takeaways:
- Comedy as a Communication Tool: Todd’s time as TJ Vaughn taught him invaluable skills in connecting with an audience, which he now applies in his products and marketing efforts.
- Breaking Down Financial Literacy: Todd uses humor and real-life examples to make complex financial topics accessible and relatable.
- Building a Brand with Purpose: His t-shirt business is not just a product line—it’s a movement designed to promote empowerment and wealth-building in the Black community.
- Resilience & Adaptability: Todd’s journey from comedy to entrepreneurship is a masterclass in adapting your skills to new opportunities.
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Watch episodes of 🚨MUSIC THERAPY & MOTIVATION with Gino Black 🗣️ 🎙️HERE!
Los Angeles Production Designer and Art Department Professional Discusses the Creative Vision Behind Building Worlds for Film and Entertainment
Mexican-born Production Designer and Art Department professional Angelica Figueroa is stepping into the international media spotlight with a featured appearance on The Andrew Eborn Show on Octopus TV.
The interview, “The Invisible Architect of Hollywood: How Mexican Visionary Angelica Figueroa Builds Worlds in Films,” explores the creative work audiences rarely see happening behind the camera — and the extraordinary amount of research, imagination and craftsmanship required to create the visual environments in which stories come alive.
Figueroa, originally from Morelos, Mexico, earned a BFA in Filmmaking from the New York Film Academy and has established herself in Los Angeles working across Production Design, Art Direction, Set Dressing and Prop Master roles.
Her growing body of work demonstrates the versatility required of a modern Art Department professional, spanning narrative filmmaking, music and performance videos, promotional productions and independent projects.
Rather than simply decorating a set, Figueroa approaches production design as an extension of character and story. Research, sourcing, props, color, texture, architecture and period-specific details can all become part of the visual language of a production.
That philosophy has helped define her emerging career.
As a Production Designer, Figueroa worked on What a Valentine, starring acclaimed actor Jim Beaver, and Tamales, starring Virginia Novello.
Her credits also extend into major music and entertainment productions. Figueroa has worked as a Set Dresser on a Willow Smith performance video, a promotional production for Wild ’N Out, and the “Tell Me” project by OneRepublic and Karan Aujla.
Her work as Art Director on the period short film Sunrise Boulevard, set in 1955, required the creation of a visual environment capable of transporting audiences into another era. Figueroa contributed through art direction, set dressing, props and sourcing, helping establish the film’s period-specific world.
Sunrise Boulevard was subsequently selected for the Burbank International Film Festival and received a nomination in the Best Production Design / Art Direction category.
Additional Art Department credits include Canta Santiago, Oroboros, Ikigai and Rebel Flower(s). On Oroboros, Figueroa served as Prop Master, working with story-specific and actor props as well as sourced, practical and breakable set pieces.
Her appearance on The Andrew Eborn Show gives audiences an opportunity to discover the person behind that work and gain insight into a profession that plays an essential role in filmmaking while often remaining invisible to the audience.
Andrew Eborn brings an extensive international media background to the conversation. An international lawyer, strategic business adviser, broadcaster and media personality, Eborn is known for conversations spanning entertainment, television, film, business, technology and culture.
For Figueroa, the interview represents another opportunity to bring attention not simply to individual credits, but to the specialized creative discipline behind them.
Production designers and Art Department professionals help determine what audiences ultimately see on screen. Before an actor enters a room, someone has considered what that room communicates about the character. Before a period story can feel authentic, someone has researched the objects, furnishings, materials and visual details necessary to make that world believable.
That is the space in which Angelica Figueroa has been building her career.
Her work reflects an ability to move between creative vision and practical execution — transforming research and storytelling concepts into physical environments that can exist convincingly in front of the camera.
As Figueroa continues developing her career in American film and entertainment, her appearance on The Andrew Eborn Show introduces a wider audience to a filmmaker whose contribution happens largely behind the scenes but becomes visible in virtually every frame.
WATCH THE INTERVIEW
Watch Angelica Figueroa on The Andrew Eborn Show on Octopus TV:
ABOUT ANGELICA FIGUEROA
Angelica Figueroa is a Los Angeles-based Production Designer and Art Department professional originally from Morelos, Mexico. A graduate of the New York Film Academy with a BFA in Filmmaking, she works across Production Design, Art Direction, Set Dressing and Prop Master roles. Her credits span narrative films, performance videos, promotional productions and independent projects, with a creative approach centered on research, visual storytelling, props, sourcing and detailed environmental design.
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