In this episode of Too Much, host Denise Love Hewett talks with award-winning actor, producer, director, singer, and writer Hailie Sahar. From making history on Ryan Murphy’s Pose as Lulu, Mother of the House of Ferocity, to starring on Freeform’s Good Trouble, Hailie shares her journey as a trailblazing trans woman in entertainment. They discuss:

Discovering her calling in grade school and pursuing it despite societal barriers Navigating rejection and setbacks in the entertainment industry Turning failures into lessons and tools for growth Launching her lifestyle brand House of Sahar and her debut music video Star Traveler Advocacy work and using her platform to create impact

Whether you’re a fan of Pose, Good Trouble, or exploring a creative path without a clear blueprint, Hailie’s story offers inspiration, actionable insights, and a masterclass in courage, determination, and authenticity.

Hailie Sahar is an award-winning actor, producer, director, singer, and writer. She made history as one of the five transgender lead actors in Ryan Murphy's groundbreaking FX series Pose, where she starred as Lulu, Mother of the House of Ferocity. The ensemble went on to achieve global recognition and multiple Emmy Awards across three celebrated seasons. Sahar also made history as the first transgender actor to appear on two television shows simultaneously, starring as Lulu in Pose and as Jazmin in Freeform's Good Trouble, all while holding a national commercial contract with Descovy. Expanding her creative reach, Sahar released her debut music video Star Traveler and launched her lifestyle brand, House of Sahar, which debuted with her signature fragrance Sultana. Her film and stage credits include portraying community pioneer Sylvia Rivera in HBO Max's Equal, recurring as Jazmin in Good Trouble, appearances in Amazon Studios' Transparent and USA's Mr. Robot, and starring in the Off-Broadway production of Charm at New York City's MCC Theater. She also executive produced and co-directed the documentary Beyond Ed Buck, supported by Gilead, which ran in film festivals nationally and internationally and secured distribution with AMC's ALLBLK Network. In 2020, Deadline announced Sahar's collaboration with Emmy Award-winning director Anthony Hemingway on the Sir Lady Java biopic, in which she will executive produce and star as the trailblazing Los Angeles icon. Her visibility and impact extend beyond performance. She has been featured in Vogue, Essence, Variety, Allure, and OUT Magazine, and was named one of People Magazine's "Most Beautiful People" in 2020. She is also one of the few trans women to be profiled by Playboy Magazine, furthering representation and solidarity. Crowned both "Miss L.A. Pride" and "Queen U.S.A.," Sahar continues to use her platform for advocacy. She was invited to speak on the HIV/AIDS epidemic at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center for the 57th Presidential Advisory Council in Washington, D.C., and remains actively involved with the East L.A. Women's Center against domestic violence.

Subscribe to Too Much for new episodes about redefining success, building wholeness, and creating your own blueprints for life.

You can follow her @hailiesahar and at houseofsahar.com

You can follow this podcast @toomuchwithdlh and Denise @deniselovehewett

Email hello@deniselovehewett.com for any suggestions or advice.

#HailieSahar #TooMuchPodcast #PoseFX #GoodTrouble #TransRepresentation #CreativeJourney #HouseOfSahar #Trailblazer

What if we could reimagine our economy to prioritize wellbeing over endless growth? In this episode, Jess Rimington, author of "Beloved Economies: Transforming How We Work," joins us to explore how businesses can break free from extractive capitalism and create workplaces that actually support human flourishing.

After both experiencing severe burnout from traditional workplace structures, Jess and her co-author spent eight years following 60 enterprises that were sharing power in unique ways. What they discovered challenges everything we've been taught about business success. In this conversation, we explore:

The 7 practices of beloved economies, including shared decision-making, prioritizing relationships, and reckoning with history

Why capitalism requires constant extraction and how that affects our collective wellbeing

Alternative funding models like reparative capital and patient capital

How venture capital keeps founders trapped in scarcity mindset

Why only 2% of VC funding goes to women and 1% to people of color

The connection between economic democracy and political democracy

Practical ways to organize collectively during uncertain times

How to build businesses that align with your values without burning out

Jess offers a refreshing perspective: we don't need to figure out the perfect economic system before we start making changes. The beloved economy we want is already being created by businesses and entrepreneurs who are choosing to operate differently right now.

Whether you're a startup founder questioning the traditional VC path, an employee wondering if work has to feel extractive, or simply someone seeking hope for a more humane economic future, this conversation offers both inspiration and actionable pathways forward.

Key Takeaways:

Business can exist outside of capitalism - we just aren't taught that our MBA programs teach ideology, not universal truth

Values aren't aspirational statements; they're reflected in what you actually prioritize

Sharing power isn't zero-sum - it actually replicates and creates more for everyone

The companies pioneering new economic models already exist; we just need to amplify them

Resources Mentioned:

Ernst Gotsch, Farmer in South America

"Beloved Economies" by Jess Rimington and Joanna Levitt Gutin

"Believe in You Money" by Jess Norwood (Runway/reparative capital)

Acumen Fund and patient capital models

Working Families Party, Indivisible, Movement Voter Project

Join us for this vital conversation about building an economy that can actually love us back.

Jess Rimington is a next-economy strategist, practitioner, and scholar focused on supporting businesses and organizations to step out of extractive economic practices. She is co-author of Beloved Economies: Transforming How We Work –winner of the Porchlight’s Business Book Award in Management & Workplace Culture. She was co-director of the Beloved Economies research initiative from 2015-2022.

You can follow her at @jessrimington or at belovedeconomies.com

You can follow this podcast @toomuchwithdlh and Denise @deniselovehewett

Email hello@deniselovehewett.com for any suggestions or advice.

In this deeply vulnerable conversation, Jane Chen, co-founder of Embrace Global and author of Like a Wave We Break, shares her transformative journey from celebrated social entrepreneur to burned-out founder, and ultimately to healed leader. After 10 years building Embrace, a revolutionary infant incubator that has saved nearly 1 million babies, Jane faced the collapse of an acquisition deal and had to shut down her company. What followed was a profound healing journey across Indonesia and beyond, working with trauma experts like Bessel van der Kolk, exploring psychedelic therapy, and ultimately discovering that the answers she sought externally could only come from within. What You'll Learn:

Wounded vs. Healthy Ambition: How childhood trauma can fuel achievement while leading to burnout

The Truth About Startup Success: Why external validation never fills the internal void

Healing Modalities That Work: From somatic therapy to psychedelics to parts work (IFS)

Leadership and Inner Work: Creating psychological safety starts with doing your own healing

Redefining Resilience: Why softness and self-compassion are more powerful than pushing through

Key Topics Covered:

Entrepreneurial burnout and trauma responses

The role of childhood experiences in driving achievement

Social entrepreneurship challenges and funding gaps

Healing from imposter syndrome and self-doubt

The science of trauma and nervous system regulation

Finding identity beyond work and accomplishments

Sustainable leadership practices

The power of vulnerability in leadership

Perfect for: Entrepreneurs, founders, social impact leaders, high achievers struggling with burnout, anyone on a healing journey, and those interested in conscious leadership and personal development.

Resources Mentioned:

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership

Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy

Jane Chen is a globally recognized entrepreneur, inventor, and speaker. She is the co-founder of Embrace Global, which developed a groundbreaking infant incubator that has helped to save nearly a million babies. She has been a TED Fellow, an Echoing Green Fellow, and a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum. Jane was recognized asaForbes Impact 30 andSchwab Social Entrepreneur of the Year by the World Economic Forum and was a recipient of the Economist Innovation Award. She received her MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and her Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

You can follow her at @janemarie.chen and buy Like A Wave We Break at any bookstore

You can follow this podcast @toomuchwithdlh and Denise @deniselovehewett

Email hello@deniselovehewett.com for any suggestions or submit questions for advice.