Some people cook meals. Others build movements.

Chef Simone Byron is doing both.

In this powerful episode, we explore how one woman turned her culinary legacy into a national workforce initiative that’s changing the trajectory of hundreds of young lives each year.

Inspired by her great-grandfather — the Bronx’s first African American caterer and head chef for Marcus Garvey’s Black Star Line — Chef Simone built Navigate Foundation to bridge the gap between untapped talent and real opportunity. Through paid internships, professional development, financial literacy, and industry partnerships, she’s proving that there is no workforce shortage — only a preparation gap.

From launching Chef’s Academy in Atlanta to building international pathways for students, this conversation dives into:

• Why representation matters in professional spaces

• The power of mentorship and intentional partnerships

• How soft skills open real doors

• What it means to “hone your steel” in life and business

• Why young people are worthy of success — even if they’ve never seen it modeled before

If you care about workforce development, entrepreneurship, education, or creating access where it didn’t exist before — this episode will challenge and inspire you.

🎧 Listen. Subscribe. Share.

Because opportunity should never be accidental.

Connect with Chef Simone Byron below!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chef-simone-byron-403b82172/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefsimonebyron/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simone.byron.39

What does it look like when talent meets opportunity—and focus meets purpose?

In this powerful episode of the iBuild America Podcast, host Lorraine Lane sits down with Chef Cameron Shaw, a young culinary talent whose journey is rooted in legacy, resilience, and vision. From working the dish pit to earning international recognition, Cameron shares how discipline, integrity, and mentorship shaped his path in the culinary world.

Raised by renowned chefs and driven by generations of excellence, Cameron opens up about navigating loss during his senior year, staying focused in a distracted generation, and honoring his father’s legacy through his craft. You’ll hear real talk about starting from the bottom, earning respect, embracing pressure, and why the culinary arts are about far more than food.

This episode is a must-listen for young professionals, educators, parents, and anyone passionate about workforce development, mentorship, and building meaningful career pathways.

🎧 Tune in, get inspired, and subscribe for more stories shaping America’s workforce.

Connect with Cameron Shaw:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camcancook_ccc/

In this episode of the iBuild America Podcast, host Byron V. Garrett sits down with Tremain Davis, visionary tech entrepreneur, educator, and social impact leader with more than 26 years of experience building companies and communities from the ground up.

A seven-time founder who launched his first tech company in 2000, Tremain now leads two venture-backed global AI firms transforming industries across the U.S., Europe, and the MENA region. But his story isn’t just about innovation—it’s about resilience, service, and purpose.

Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Tremain shares how early failure shaped his entrepreneurial mindset, why changing your relationship with failure is essential to success, and how AI—when built with equity and access in mind—can unlock economic mobility for communities everywhere.

As Founder and CEO of Think P.G.C. (Think People, Think Global, Think Community), Tremain works at the intersection of technology, workforce development, and social impact, advising startups, governments, and institutions while teaching the next generation as an adjunct professor and guest lecturer.

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

— Why failure is a necessary step toward meaningful success
— How AI is creating new career pathways beyond traditional tech roles
— What AI literacy really means—and why anyone can start today
— How community-first innovation can drive global transformation

If you’re curious about the future of work, entrepreneurship, and how technology can be used as a force for good, this episode delivers insight, honesty, and inspiration.

Connect with Tremain below!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tremain-davis-348504a4/

On this episode of the iBuild America Podcast, host Byron V. Garrett sits down with insurance professional, entrepreneur, mentor, musician, and family man Yonni Castillo—a multi-talented leader whose story proves that purpose, passion, and perseverance truly can coexist.

Yonni opens up about his unconventional path—from growing up in Michigan, to a 20-year career with State Farm, to relocating across the country with his family, to now leading a thriving agency in Arizona. He shares how mentorship, faith, hard work, and family shaped every chapter of his journey.

This conversation dives deep into:

— Why mentorship matters at every stage of life

— The importance of financial protection and generational stability

— Leaving comfort zones to create new opportunities

— How music, business, and family can coexist with purpose

— The responsibility to lift others as you climb

— Why faith, empathy, and perseverance matter now more than ever

It’s honest, personal, and deeply human.

🎧 Whether you’re a student, entrepreneur, parent, or simply navigating life transitions—this episode reminds us to “keep it moving,” stay focused, and never stop building toward the life you’re meant to live.

Connect with Yonni below!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yonni-castillo-7b9452a8/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/110548224911532

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yonnifromstatefarm/

X: https://twitter.com/YonniStateFarm

Website: https://yonnicastillo.com/

On this episode of the iBuild America Podcast, host Byron V. Garrett travels to the Detroit Job Corps Center to sit down with two powerful voices shaping the future of the workforce: Jordan Dent, an 18-year-old electrical student transforming his life one step at a time, and George Collard, a retired Chrysler professional turned Job Corps instructor who now dedicates his life to building the next generation “one student at a time.”

What unfolds is one of the most honest, inspiring, and eye-opening conversations we’ve had yet.

Jordan shares why he left home, chose independence, and committed himself to finishing his high school diploma and electrical trade — not for quick money, but to create a different future for himself and his family.

Mr. Collard reveals how Job Corps changed his life as a young man, and why he now pours everything back into students like Jordan. His stories — including graduates earning six figures and lifting their entire families out of generational struggle — are nothing short of transformational.

This episode dives into:

— What Job Corps really is in 2025 (and why it works)

— Why trades like electrical demand leadership, discipline, and real responsibility

— The independence, confidence, and purpose students gain on campus

— How Job Corps is changing entire families — not just individuals

— The truth about today’s workforce: young people do care about their future

This conversation is raw, real, and full of hope.

Whether you’re a parent, a young adult, an educator, or simply someone rooting for the next generation, this episode will move you.

Connect with George Collar and the Detroit Job Corps Center

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-collar-94947179/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/detroit-job-corps-center/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wbl_detroitjobcorps/