RAW SUCCESS

Hosted by True Khepra

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Latest episode

May 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Raw Success with author and NLP-certified coach True Khepra is a resilience-driven podcast sharing powerful comeback stories from entrepreneurs, leaders, and everyday warriors who rebuilt their lives after adversity. We explore the raw truth behind success — the failures, setbacks, trauma, and mindset shifts that spark real transformation. If you're rebuilding, rising, or turning pain into power, this podcast is your blueprint for a stronger comeback.

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59 recent

May 14, 2026Episode 581 hr 56 min

Dr. Akil Khalfani on Community, Mindset & Overcoming Fear of Success

In this episode of the Raw Success Podcast, we speak with Dr. Akil Kokayi Khalfani about success, community, history, and mindset.Dr. Khalfani is the Director of the Africana Institute and Associate Professor of Sociology at Essex County College. He is also the President and Founder of ATIRA Corp, a think tank focused on developing solutions for issues facing people of African descent around the world.During our conversation, Dr. Khalfani explains why he believes success should be community oriented instead of centered only on the individual. He discusses the importance of unity, collective growth, and why fear of success prevents many people from reaching their full potential.We also discuss Africa’s history as a powerful continent, the influence of leaders such as Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey, and how mindset shapes both personal and community progress.Dr. Khalfani is the author of The Hidden Debate: The Truth Revealed about the Battle over Affirmative Action in South Africa and the United States, along with other works focused on sociology, Pan-Africanism, race relations, and history.This episode offers thoughtful insight for anyone interested in leadership, culture, education, and personal growth.Subscribe to the Raw Success Podcast for more conversations on success, business, culture, and self-development.Get Dr. Khalfani's bookThe Hidden Debate: The Truth Revealed about the Battle over Affirmative Action in South Africa and the United Stateshttps://amzn.to/4ttQfuBGet True Khepra's Book:The Power Of Choice: You Are Not Stuckhttps://amzn.to/3XtJo7Q

April 24, 2026Episode 571 hr 27 min

Why Traditional Psychology Fails the Black Community With Dr. With Afiya Mbilishaka

In this impactful episode of the Raw Success Podcast, we’re joined by Afiya Mbilishaka, psychology expert and founder of PsychoHairapy, for a deep conversation on mental health, culture, and identity.Afiya shares powerful insights on how traditional psychology models were never designed to fully address the needs of the Black community—and the real consequences of that disconnect. We explore how this has shaped mental health stigma, access to care, and the importance of culturally relevant approaches to healing.She also breaks down how PsychoHairapy is creating safe, affirming spaces that merge mental health with cultural expression—highlighting the unique connection between hair, identity, and emotional well-being.This episode challenges conventional thinking and offers a fresh perspective on what true healing can look like when culture is centered in the conversation.If you’re passionate about mental health, personal growth, and community empowerment, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.Follow the Raw Success Podcast for more authentic, thought-provoking discussions.#RawSuccessPodcast #BlackMentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #SelfGrowth #CulturalHealingGet Dr. Afiya Mbilishaka's Book Here:Laid to the Side: Disrupting the Silence of Black Girls' Hair Stories in Schoolshttps://amzn.to/3Qw3IV5

April 6, 2026Episode 561 hr 17 min

How having the right mentor changes everything

Jabir Brinkley is an advocate for at risk youth. He went on a journey to become a mentor for the future generations when he saw kids that from his neighborhood who he babysat locked up at the same jail he worked at. Now his mission is to guide as many youths as possible in the right path, with an emphasis on helping them get to college.

March 27, 2026Episode 551 hr 1 min

How She Built Wealth Through Real Estate in her 20s

In this episode, we sit down with Jerra Sanks, who turned discipline into real results by buying her first property at just 27 years old.Jerra made a decision to lock in — cutting out unnecessary spending, sacrificing short-term wants, and staying focused on her long-term vision. While many people were enjoying their 20s, she was working three jobs, attending college, and making difficult sacrifices, including time with friends and relationships, to reach her goals.After purchasing her first home, Jerra didn’t stop there. She leveraged networking, mentorship, and strategic partnerships to expand into real estate investing and become a landlord.This episode is a blueprint for anyone — especially those in their 20s — who want to take control of their future and build wealth through discipline and smart decisions.💡 In this episode, we cover:• The mindset needed to achieve big goals early• How self-discipline can change your financial future• The sacrifices required to level up• Turning your first property into investment opportunities• The power of networking and mentorship• How manifestation turned into real resultsIf you’ve been thinking about buying your first property or getting into real estate, this episode will show you what’s possible.🎧 Tap in now and start building your version of Raw Success.

March 13, 2026Episode 521 hr 29 min

How She Delivered Her Own Baby at Home, Taking a Natural Approach to Everything in Life

In this powerful episode of Raw Success, we sit down with Sarah Awad who is an advocate for women. After a traumatic experience at the hospital during her first birth, she decided to do a free birth at home with the help of her husband. Sarah is a courageous woman who seeks to help other women accomplish their goals when it comes to childbirth and even in life in general through her woman's group.She uses birth as a metaphor for life as she believe that we need to be more connected with our bodies and nature. She also believes that we as a society need to unlearn behaviors that were programed in us through an agenda.

February 25, 2026Episode 511 hr 30 min

Resilience, Business Acquisitions & Abundance: Raven Alvarez’s Unbelievable Comeback Story

In this powerful episode of Raw Success, we sit down with serial entrepreneur and investor Raven Alvarez, a firm believer that buying businesses is better than starting from scratch. If you’re interested in business acquisition, entrepreneurship, investing, wealth building, and financial freedom, this conversation will challenge everything you think you know about success.Raven’s story is nothing short of extraordinary. She opens up about experiencing homelessness, living as a squatter in Europe, surviving a traumatic SWAT raid that nearly cost her daughter’s life, and navigating life while battling 13 brain tumors that she says she healed without conventional medicine. She also shares the painful lesson of having a business partner steal $65,000, and how those dark seasons shaped her millionaire mindset.This episode explores:• Why buying cash-flowing businesses can fast-track wealth• The truth that “money is a deeper journey”• How “we create roadblocks for ourselves”• Developing a true millionaire mindset• The power of resilience in entrepreneurship• Why “real abundance is when you give it away”• Overcoming betrayal, financial hardship, and fear• Why “you can’t get it wrong” on your path to successRaven gets real about living off savings, being in dark places emotionally and financially, and why it’s worth going through the hard seasons to build lasting success. Her belief that “there is enough for all of us” brings a refreshing perspective to modern wealth and business culture.If you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or anyone rebuilding after setbacks, this episode will inspire you to think bigger, move smarter, and pursue your own path to abundance.Follow Raw Success for more unfiltered conversations with entrepreneurs and investors who turned adversity into achievement.

January 27, 2026Episode 521 hr 14 min

Nitt Da Gritt on His Success in the Music Industry, and The Rise and Fall of Fetty Wap

Host True Khepra sits down with Nitt Da Gritt, owner of RGF Productions and the powerhouse behind the explosive rise of Fetty Wap and the global smash “Trap Queen.” From behind the scenes of the music industry to the lessons forged through hardship, Nitt shares a raw and unfiltered look at his journey.Growing up without much, Nitt Da Gritt explains how adversity shaped his discipline, work ethic, and unwavering belief in accountability. He opens up about the pivotal role his aunt played as a guiding force in his life, helping mold the man and leader he is today. The conversation also breaks down how he navigated the music industry, built winning relationships, and turned vision into undeniable success.This episode is a masterclass in resilience, ownership, and staying grounded while reaching the top—perfect for creatives, entrepreneurs, and anyone chasing greatness without excuses.🎙️ Tap in and get inspired. Raw Success starts here.

December 17, 2025Episode 491 hr 37 min

Building Brands With Purpose w/ AJ Senkyire

In this episode of the Raw Success Podcast, host True Khepra sits down with Agyeman “AJ” Senkyire, founder of Adinkra Republic—a luxury sock brand built to bring awareness to powerful Adinkra symbols and the cultural meaning behind them.AJ is also a high-level corporate executive, and in this conversation he shares how adopting a growth mindset has been the foundation of his success across both corporate leadership and entrepreneurship.We discuss:🧠 Why growth mindset is essential for long-term success🧦 Building a purpose-driven brand rooted in culture📈 Balancing corporate leadership with entrepreneurship🌍 The importance of cultural identity in business🔥 Lessons on discipline, vision, and continuous growthThis episode is for entrepreneurs, creatives, and professionals who want to grow intentionally while staying connected to purpose and culture.

November 21, 2025Episode 501 hr 16 min

How Anyone Can Start Investing in Real Estate

In this episode of the Raw Success Podcast, I sit down with Justin Kiliszek — one of New Jersey’s top real estate experts and a self-made investor who grew up far from wealth. Raised in Queens, NY, in a family of lifelong renters, Justin simply wanted a better life. Today, he owns dozens of investment properties, has closed over $1 billion in sales, and ranks in the top 1% of Realtors worldwide.Justin shares how he bought his first property, how he scaled his investments, and why anyone can get started in real estate with the right guidance and strategy. He breaks down the mindset shifts, the mistakes to avoid, and the systems that allowed him to build long-term wealth — even without coming from money.If you’ve ever thought about investing in real estate but didn’t know where to begin, this episode is filled with practical advice, inspiration, and real stories from someone who’s done it at the highest level.

October 31, 2025Episode 481 hr 35 min

Pastor J: From Drug Dealer to 6-Figure Entrepreneur & Pastor

In this episode of the Raw Success Podcast, I sit down with Pastor Jason Jennings, better known as Pastor J — an entrepreneur, real estate investor, and pastor who turned his life around after walking away from the streets.Though raised in a good home with a religious father, Pastor J became a drug dealer in his early 20s. But after hitting rock bottom, he chose to rewrite his story. Over the past 20+ years, he’s built multiple six-figure businesses — including real estate, tax preparation, insurance sales, and a PreK program inside his church — all while leading others through faith and mentorship.In this powerful conversation, Pastor J shares how failure became the key to his success, how mentors helped him create systems instead of hustles, and how vision and discipline transformed his life from the streets to entrepreneurship and ministry.This episode is for anyone looking to rebuild, refocus, and find purpose in their pain.