What is your “day job”?

I innovate and build brands all day...and night! I love wellness and beauty so during the day I design and deliver new foundations to market for CoverGirl Cosmetics.

Who were your heroes, or mentors?

One word - “Grace.” For me, grace shows up in the form of people that love, nurture, and guide me to and through each step of my journey. They have been my parents, family, friends, and teachers who have grabbed my hand through many struggles as well as triumphs and showed me to the next level.

My parents have given me the amazing power and balance of strength and sensitivity. In elementary school, the Johnson and Harrell families gave me a space to belong and the Barnes family exposed me to the beauty and freedom of life. My high school track coach Mr. Ray taught me humility and, in college, Wendy Coleman, Dr. Stephanie Adams, Jewel Best, Roslyn Ashford, Chaun Bunt, and Nneka Rimmer set the bar for professional black women.

Today my husband shows me love, protection, and is always challenging me to grow, and my business partners Roni and Tawana, along with a host of amazing women, nurture and support me to be better. As I get older I see more and more examples of how grace still carries me through and how the people in my life are a perfect match for my growth and contribution to this world. So “there (but) for the grace of God, go I.”

When did you decide that this would be your journey?

This may sound real ethereal but it’s powerful -- I declared I was LIFE CHANGING LOVE in 2012, when my Father asked me “Who are you?” I was dealing with challenges all around and his question took me back to my core to really define myself for myself. What I learned then and know now is that when I love, I love hard and life changes. I redesigned myself around that one fact, took it on with purpose and intention, and here I am today on a mission to teach people how to Be Whole, Live Well, and Create Beautifully!

If you weren’t doing this work, what would life look like?

I’ve been there and it was miserable and I was exhausted and pissed. I’m super creative yet spent MANY years painting myself into personal and professional boxes that suffocated me. Who I am today allows me to expand, create, and express truth and that’s living to me.

What is the toughest lesson you've learned, that you hope another woman can learn from you?

To let go. I used to hold on and resist so much. Letting go has been the absolute hardest thing for me to embrace, even though all of the greatest parts of my life have followed that one action. I let go of a relationship and gained a loving family. I let go of complaints and gained freedom and success, and now I constantly let go of ego and gain peace. Whatever is heavy or hurting, surrender and let it go…I promise you there’s peace and fulfillment on the other side.

If you had it all to do over again, would you do anything differently?

I want to say “no”, because I appreciate the skills and lessons I’ve learned, the talents and gifts I’ve cultivated, and the relationships I’ve created...AND I still think at times...damn, what took so long (LOL)! So if there is anything, it would be to surrender more and let go sooner.

What do you do for you that brings you absolute joy or peace?

TENNIS. It is the first thing I ever scheduled and protected for ME. It allows me to sweat and be active, tough, and cute at the same time! The court is my sanctuary and I play like I live!

What would you like your epitaph to be?

Be Free

If you only had one word, what is it that you want people to remember about you?

Expansive

Is there anything else you wish I’d asked you?

You asked about my day job. I’d love to share about my passion for my “night job” (smile)! I’m trained as an engineer so you know I had to make “Life Changing Love” more tangible. I’m excited about two brands I’m building with some amazing people, Evok Life by Design and Smart PressedTM Juice!

As a professional, I’m surrounded by people tired, stressed, and sick from “doing” a whole lot to “have” what they want and I have personally been in this camp myself.

3 years ago, I launched Evók Life by Design, where we develop transformational programs that teach people how to “BE”. We say “BEING is the new doing” as the solution to the overworked and busy lifestyle many people have taken on. We’ve designed a workshop experience based on our systematic method called BEprintingTM to help people make the brave shift from doing to being, and it’s changing lives!

Almost two years ago I was divinely connected, by the one and only Veronica Very, to an amazing woman with a mission to share the healing power of the humble green vegetable. She assembled our team of five and we have created THE most intelligent raw, organic, whole food cleanse on the planet. We’re helping people lose weight, gain energy, and create a whole new relationship with food.

This is Life Changing Love!

How can readers connect with you?

They can connect at radiah@evoklife.com, or across social media @radiahrhodes and @evoklife!

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Inside The Office is a monthly blog that features female executive, entrepreneurial and creative leaders from diverse industries sharing wisdom and insight from their personal and professional journeys.