In this Business Blast podcast episode, host Tyler Wagner interviews best‑selling author and transgender activist Toni Newman. Newman shares her life‑changing journey from a low point as a trans woman of color living on the streets of New York to becoming a published author, executive director of St. James Infirmary, and public speaker. She discusses the core message of her memoir I Rise: The Transformation of Toni Newman, the hardships of her transition, the importance of hard work, honesty, and love, and offers practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and writers. The conversation also highlights her literary influences (Maya Angelou), her short‑film adaptation “Heart of a Woman,” and where listeners can find her work online. The episode includes sponsor mentions for Anchor and Authors Unite.
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Thank you for listening to the Business Blast podcast. So for all my listeners out there that have been wanting to do your own podcast, I'd like to introduce to you Anchor. Anchor is a one-stop shop for recording, hosting, distributing, and monetizing your podcast. So before I found Anchor, I had never actually done a podcast because all the research that I had gathered made it seem very complex. Then I found Anchor, and Anchor makes podcasting extremely simple. So if you want to do your own podcast, go to anchor.fm/start. I can't wait to hear your podcast. Welcome to the Business Blast podcast. I'm your host, Tyler Wagner. This episode is brought to you by Authors Unite. Authors Unite provides you with all the resources you need to become a successful author. You can learn more about Authors Unite and join the free community at authorsunite.com. Now let's jump into the episode. All right everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Business Blast Podcast. I'm your host Tyler Wagner. Today I have Toni Newman with us, a best-selling author noted for her memoir I Rise: The Transformation of Toni Newman released in 2011. The memoir has been featured in Ebony and Advocate magazines and nominated for the prestigious Lambda Literary Award. Most recently, the memoir has been produced into a short film titled Heart of a Woman. Tony was recently appointed to the position of executive director for St. James Infirmary in San Francisco. So welcome to the show, Tony.
What's happening? Thank you for having me, Tyler Wagner.
Of course. Pumped to have you on, Tony. We'll dive into the first one. The first question I have for you, Tony, is what is the best story story from your life that has an underlying valuable message?
The best story from my life is no matter how low you go, how low you get, Tyler, you can always get up and rise. I've been pretty low, Tyler, and I rose up and look where I am today.
Totally. And just, can you, could you, if it's okay with you, would you be able to provide like a little bit like example of that in your life, like a specific part, or like maybe it's over a long journey? Like, what was that when you were low and then you overcame it?
Tyler, I was born a male, born in Jacksonville, North Carolina, African-American male. Back in 1997, after graduating from Wake Forest and doing some graduate work and working professionally in New York, I began to transition from male to female. I found myself losing my apartment, I lost my car, I lost my job, I lost my health insurance. I was working on the streets in the meat packaging district on 14th Street in New York City with other hundreds of trans women of color who were prostitutes on the street. And I did that for several years, Tyler, until I could move myself off the street and to get to do better. So I would say that was my lowest point. When I began to transition and take female hormones, estrogen, to override my testosterone body of that, that I was born with. I was at my very lowest, Tyler. I was working out there with pimps, drug dealers, and all kinds of things in 10-degree weather in the winter, 100-degree weather in the summer. So I would call that my lowest of low, trying to hustle and just survive.
Totally. Thank you for sharing that. And I'm glad, you know, obviously on the other end, it looks like everything has worked out. So I'm glad that you were able to get through all that. The next one I have for you, Tony, is what is the most valuable piece of information we should know that is within your expertise or industry?
If you want to succeed, Tyler, you have to focus and work hard. Release any anger, hostilities from your past and focus on your present and put all energies and efforts into achieving that goal. And that's what I've done. I think that's why I'm here and God has allowed that to happen. I focused and I worked my ass off to get here.
And it might tie in, but what's your best piece of overall business advice? So not necessarily like industry specific.
Um, always be honest and straightforward with whatever business you're dealing with.
And if you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be?
Transition earlier than I did, uh, and, and, and, and transition earlier. I waited way too late, Tyler, to start my transition, uh, I believe. I think I should have done it much earlier.
Yeah. And, um, in your opinion, what is the key to happiness?
Love, baby.
Love, I love it. And what is the best book that you've read and what was the number one thing you learned from that?
Still I Rise by Dr., the deceased Dr. Maya Angelou. I learned you may write me down in history with your bitter twisted lies, but just like dirt, I rise. I did my book based off that book. 'Cause I kept that with me for 20 years. So, "I rise," slash, "The transformation of Tony Hill." And what is your favorite quote and why? Uh, coming from that as well, "I am the dream and the hope of the slaves. I rise, I rise, I rise." I love it.
Thank you so much for coming on and sharing your story with us, Toni. The last question I have for you before we let you go is, where is the best place for people to find you online?
You can get my book on Amazon and any bookselling store, or go to tonidinuman.com, and it will tell you all the places you can buy the book. Thank you, Tyler Wagner Wagner.
