Against All Odds with Yris Palmer

This week, Yris sits down with sister celebrity stylists Alexandra and Mackenzie Grandquist. The duo has made a name for themselves in the industry, putting together wardrobe ensembles for some of your favorite A-list celebrities. The Iowa natives share how they got started and how they've managed to build an impressive celebrity rolodex. Plus, they’ll share wardrobe tips - including what fabrics are good investments and why choosing the right color for your skin tone is so important.

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This week, Yris sits down with celebrity brow expert and entrepreneur, Kelley Baker - founder of Kelley Baker Brows, Today, Kelly has built a thriving beauty business with a long celebrity client list that includes Karol G, the Kardashians and Drake - but her story began far away from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Kelley opens up about being born into a family on welfare, splitting her childhood between her parents’ homes, and moving more than a dozen times before the age of 18. Tune in to hear how an early love of makeup - paired with a natural instinct for precision and perfection - ultimately led her to become one of the beauty industry’s leading brow experts.

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This week, Yris sits down with Bricia Lopez - entrepreneur, author, and co-owner of LA’s beloved Oaxacan restaurant, Guelaguetza. Bricia shares what it’s taken to preserve and evolve a family legacy spanning more than three decades, while building brands of her own and keeping community at the heart of everything she does. She also opens up about what she believes the Latino community is looking for today and why cultural identity, representation, and connection matter more than ever.

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What does it really take to turn a massive following into a thriving business? This week, Yris sits down with content power couple Lala Baptiste and Jay Cinco to pull back the curtain on the business behind streaming and content creation. From landing lucrative brand deals and mastering monetization to building a loyal community and creating real wealth, they’re sharing the lessons, risks, and moves that took them from creators to entrepreneurs. Plus, why giving back and investing in their community has become such an important part of their success.

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This week, Yris sits down with her business attorney Sapana Grossi, founder of Shah Grossi Law Firm. Sapana specializes in representing legacy brands, public figures, high net worth individuals, and founders. In this episode, we’ll hear about Sapana’s road to becoming a lawyer and she’ll also give some sage advice to entrepreneurs. If you have questions about what you should know before starting a business, common mistakes, how to protect your intellectual property, and about how AI is contributing to this industry. This is an episode you won’t want to miss!

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This week, Yris sits down with Beatriz Porto, co-owner of Porto’s Bakery. As the eldest daughter of the bakery’s founder, Beatriz has watched her parents build the family business from the ground up. What once started as an illegal small business in communist Cuba, Porto’s is now known as one of the region’s most beloved bakery that has made its way into the homes and hearts of millions. Tune in to hear a story of hard work, adaptability, sacrifices and family values. Plus, we’ll hear how they got their foot in the door at Downtown Disney and when we can expect that location to open.

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This week on Against All Odds, Yris sits down with internationally renowned supermodel ShaninaShaik. From walking for fashion powerhouses like Chanel, Tom Ford, Oscar de la Renta, and Victoria’s Secret to building a decades-long career in one of the world’s most competitive industries, Shanina shares what it really takes to make it at the highest level. She opens up about breaking into modeling, the resilience required to stay on top, the intense preparation behind every runway show, and how the fashion industry has evolved over the years. Plus, Shanina reflects on motherhood, balancing career with family, and the perspective that’s transformed her life both on and off the runway.

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This week, Yris sits down with award-winning actress Diana Maria Riva. With standout roles in hit series like Netflix’s “Dead to Me” and HBO Max’s “Gordita Chronicles,” Diana has managed to build a career and reputation that rivals most. In this episode, Diana reflects on what it was like growing up in Ohio as a first-generation Dominican American, why she’s always been intentional about minimizing household expenses, how she’s dealt with rejection and criticism in the industry, and what inspired her organization, Latinas Acting Up.

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This week, Yris sits down with friend, reality TV star, mother, and entrepreneur Cheyenne Davis. She’s managed to turn reality TV into a full-blown career for almost a decade by starring on several MTV shows like “The Challenge” and “Teen Mom,” but that was never the plan. Tune in to hear Cheyenne’s unconventional path to stardom, getting cast on Teen Mom (even though she wasn’t a teen), advice to women struggling with fertility, motherhood and much more.

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On today’s episode of Against All Odds, Yris is joined by Anastasia Soare, founder and CEO of Anastasia Beverly Hills and author of the memoir, “Raising Brows: My Story of Building a Billion-Dollar Beauty Empire.” At the age of 31, Anastasia left communist Russia for the U.S., in pursuit of the American Dream. When she arrived, she didn’t speak the language, wasn’t familiar with the culture and didn’t have a single penny to her name. Even still, after years of persistence, hard work and determination, she managed to build a billion-dollar business by developing a revolutionary eyebrow product. Tune in to hear one of the most inspiring success stories of all time. 

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This week, Yris is joined by longtime friend and entrepreneur Chanel Thierry for an honest conversation about womanhood, growth, and rediscovering yourself in your thirties. Chanel opens up about navigating major life transitions, rebuilding her confidence, setting boundaries, and creating a life that feels authentic to who she is today. From healing and self-discovery to motherhood, entrepreneurship, and betting on herself, Chanel shares the lessons she’s learned about embracing change, trusting the process, and stepping into a new chapter with purpose.

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This week, Yris sits down with Carolyn Aronson, founder and CEO of It’s A 10, to discuss her remarkable journey from foster care to building a billion-dollar beauty empire. Carolyn shares how being adopted at a young age and growing up as a Latina in Detroit shaped her drive, the lessons she learned from a failed business that left her $500,000 in debt, and what inspired her to start over and build one of the most successful haircare brands in the world. She also opens up about succeeding in a male-dominated industry, overcoming setbacks, and the biggest misconceptions about being a billionaire. This is an inspiring conversation about resilience, reinvention, and betting on yourself.

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This week, my manager and close friend Desiree Ansari is holding the cue cards - and she has a ton of questions for me! If you’ve ever wondered what a day in my life looks like, if I’ve ever regretted turning down a business deal or how I keep the spark alive in my relationship, you won’t want to miss this episode.

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This week, Yris is joined by community leader, entrepreneur, author and former radio personality Patty Rodriguez. Born and raised in Lynwood, California, the daughter of Mexican immigrants shares how she uses courage, determination and passion to advocate for the Latinx community. There are countless examples of how she’s used her platform and career to help amplify underrepresented voices. Tune in to hear her story - including how she ended up producing one of the world’s top radio shows for two decades, how she convinced MAC Cosmetics to launch a Selena Quintanilla makeup collab, and how a tragic house fire helped fund her bilingual publishing company Lil’ Libros.

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This week, Yris sits down with DJ Nitrane - celebrity DJ and fellow proud Salvadoran. He opens up about how he first got started spinning records, how he became Jamie Foxx’s go-to DJ, why he thinks LA nightlife is dead and much more. Plus, Yris and Nitrane share details about their recent trip to El Salvador.

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This week, Yris is joined by Chris N Eddy’s Co-Founder and CEO Chris Karimian. Growing up, the son of Armenian immigrants was taught to “play it safe.” Instead, he leaned into his entrepreneurial spirit and took calculated risks. From selling coffee table books on the street for $1 to co-founding a booming smash burger restaurant, we’ll hear all about his journey. Plus, he’ll also give us his go-to framework for creating a successful business.

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This week, Yris is joined by former NFL wide receiver, Marqise Lee. Most know Marqise for his All-American title - including his 5-year stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars - but few know that the cards were stacked against him from an early age. Tune in to hear his story, including what it was like growing up in the foster care system, his journey to the NFL and about how he continues to budget, invest and manage his money post-NFL. 

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Trigger Warning:This podcast discusses themes of suicide and sexual abuse. It may be triggering for some.

Today, we’re joined by Latin Gammy-award winning artist, entrepreneur, author and My Cultura podcast host Chiquis! Her journey to stardom and success has been an uphill battle. We’ll have an open and honest conversation with her about her sexual abuse, how she coped with losing her mom Jenni Rivera at a young age and much, much more. Plus, I’ll also be opening up about some vulnerable topics of my own.

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This week, Yris is joined by her daughter, best friend and soulmate, Ayla Palmer. We’ll hear about how different their upbringings have been, why Yris thinks it’s important to teach her daughter about financial literacy, what they enjoy most about each other and what a typical day in Ayla’s life looks like.

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On this week’s episode of “Against All Odds,” Yris dedicates an entire episode to you, the listener. We asked listeners to submit their burning questions for Yris - and you guys delivered! Tune in to hear Yris open up about everything from how she copes with “mom guilt” to how her parents immigrated to the U.S. Plus, she’ll also share which of her businesses is her favorite and how she deals with friendships that no longer serve her. 

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This week, Yris is joined by Jason Arasheben, better known as Jason of Beverly Hills. He’s been in the diamond business for over two decades and has an impressive resume that includes creating one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces for some of your favorite celebrities to designing NBA Championship rings for teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. But today, we learn that his path was anything but conventional. Jason, an Iranian immigrant, shares his journey from selling hair clips on college campuses to solidifying his jewelry brand’s reputation across the globe.

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This week, Yris sits down with Victor Villa, founder of Highland Park’s beloved Villa’s Tacos. You might know him as the taquero from the Bad Bunny halftime show, but years ago, before he had several brick-and-mortars and before he found himself on the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand list, he was a struggling entrepreneur selling tacos in front of his grandmother Chula’s house. Despite having maxed-out credit cards, working 16-hour days and being late on his rent, Victor pushed through it all and built a name for himself in his community and across the country. 

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This week, Yris is joined by NBA veteran and fiancé, Troy Daniels. Troy shares how he turned his lifelong dream of playing professional basketball into a reality. Despite experiencing some initial setbacks, like being undrafted out of VCU, he was able to continue moving forward and make it to the NBA thanks to his hard work and the unwavering support of his mother Cheryl. Plus, after playing basketball professionally for almost a decade and reaching incredible milestones — like winning an NBA Championship with the Los Angeles Lakers — Troy shares some valuable advice for anyone hoping to play the game as long as he did.

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This week, Yris is joined by celebrated actress, producer and friend Eva Longoria. Eva shares what her upbringing was like, how she ended up in Hollywood and she tells us why she almost declined the role of Gabrielle Solis on Desperate Housewives. Plus, Eva tells us why she’s so passionate about helping other women and why she chooses to be outspoken about the issues facing the Latino community.

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On the first episode of Against All Odds, host Yris Palmer, entrepreneur and investor, gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to forge your own path when the odds are not in your favor. Desiree Ansari, her manager, business partner and longtime friend, joins the show to discuss how Yris' entrepreneurial spirit from a very young age helped pave the way to where she is today.

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