
Keep it Positive, Sweetie
The Black Effect Podcast Network and iHeartPodcasts·149 episodes·Weekly
Quick Facts
Keep It Positive, Sweetie is more than a podcast—it’s a movement rooted in purpose, faith, and healing. Hosted by Crystal Renee Hayslett, this show creates a safe space for raw conversations and real connections that uplift, inspire, and empower.
Each episode brings together culture-shifting guests for unfiltered talks on love, self-worth, growth, and navigating life with grace and grit. Whether we’re laughing, learning, or leaning into tough truths, the goal is always the same: to keep it honest, keep it healing, and always… Keep It Positive, Sweetie.
Episodes
Latest Episode
October 18, 2026 · 43m
Two-time GRAMMY Award winner Lucky Daye joins Crystal Renee Hayslett for a conversation about freedom, emotional growth, creativity, and what comes after you’ve already proven that your gift works. With more than 2 billion global streams and a new album, ALOUD!, Lucky is entering one of his most expressive chapters yet. In this episode, he opens up about what living without permission means to him, how he knows when to trust his vision, and how vulnerability continues to shape the way he writes about love. He and Crystal also talk about staying focused when comparison is everywhere, resetting when things don’t go as planned, and what still feels exciting after the accolades. This is a conversation about freedom, self-awareness, vulnerability, and growth. See for privacy information.
More Episodes
Oct 11, 2026 · 45m
Lauren Speed-Hamilton’s love story may have started in a way the world watched unfold, but the life she’s built since then has required a different kind of faith, growth, and intention. In this episode, Crystal sits down with Lauren to talk about becoming a mother after years of waiting, making room for joy and grief at the same time, and what marriage looks like years after the cameras stop rolling. This is a conversation about love, identity, and answered prayers—and what it means to live fully inside the life you once hoped for.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 4, 2026 · 1h 4m
Dante Pride has built a life at the intersection of realness, music, ministry, marriage, and faith. In this episode, Crystal sits down with the artist and pastor to talk about what happens when visibility increases and why grace should never become permission to stay the same. They get into growing alongside your spouse, protecting what matters as success grows, the tension between faith and fear, and what real transformation looks like when God is still working on you. This is a conversation about grace and growth — and the courage to let God change you without losing who He called you to be.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 27, 2026 · 49m
Imani Ellis has built more than an event—she’s created a space where culture, creativity, and community can grow together. In this Season premiere episode, Crystal sits down with the CultureCon founder to talk about what it means to evolve something that’s already successful, how faith shapes the way she leads, and why building something meaningful should never cost you your identity. They get into the woman behind the work, the responsibility that comes with creating for a community, and how Imani is learning to make room for her own growth along the way. This is a conversation about culture, calling, and becoming, and the work of staying grounded while the vision keeps getting bigger.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 20, 2026 · 49m
In the Season 12 finale of Keep It Positive, Sweetie, Crystal sits down with bestselling author, speaker, and faith leader Nona Jones for an honest conversation about what healing really looks like when forgiveness doesn’t immediately take the hurt away. Inspired by her new book, The Power of Petty Prayers, Nona opens up about trauma, rejection, betrayal, anger, boundaries, and the difference between saying you forgive and actually doing the deeper work of healing. This conversation is about faith without pretending, healing without rushing, and learning how to tell God the truth about what still hurts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 13, 2026 · 38m
In this special episode of Keep It Positive, Sweetie, Crystal turns the mic around and answers questions straight from the Sweeties. Nothing is off the table as she opens up about the woman she’s becoming, love, boundaries, and discernment. This episode is honest, fun, and a personal check-in about faith, growth, love, purpose, and becoming.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 6, 2026 · 50m
In this episode of Keep It Positive, Sweetie, Crystal sits down with Grammy-nominated artist and songwriter Johnny Venus as he steps into a new chapter and gears up for his solo album release. Johnny opens up about what it feels like to carry the vision more personally, how his solo work is revealing new sides of his creativity, and what he’s learning about trusting his own taste. It’s a conversation about identity, creativity, purpose, and what happens when you give yourself room to follow your own voice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 30, 2026 · 39m
In this episode of Keep It Positive, Sweetie, Crystal sits down with Foundation Director Ari for a deeper look at the heart behind the Crystal Renee Hayslett Foundation. They talk about how the Foundation came together and what it means to build something that creates lasting access, opportunity, and support for others. This conversation is about service, stewardship, community, and building something that can keep making an impact long after the moment has passed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 23, 2026 · 50m
What happens when two completely different journeys come together around one shared vision? In this episode of Keep It Positive, Sweetie, Crystal sits down with Cloudy Donut Co. founders Zewiditu Jewel and Derrick Faulcon for a conversation about the people behind the brand, building a business together, and creating something that challenges what ownership can look like in communities that are often overlooked. Derrick opens up about the years he spent incarcerated and the life he built afterward, while Zewiditu shares how her background in education shaped the way she approaches leadership and impact. Together, they talk about taking a chance on Cloudy, navigating business and their relationship, and their philosophy of “reverse gentrification. It’s a conversation about love, risk, representation, partnership, and the responsibility that comes with creating a path someone else can follow.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 16, 2026 · 51m
Success doesn’t always come when you expect it—but that doesn’t mean you’re behind.This week on Keep It Positive, Sweetie, Crystal sits down with marketing executive, entrepreneur, and IBest Wines founder Ingrid Best to talk about what it really means to bet on yourself after years of building someone else’s vision. From becoming a young mother to spending more than two decades helping shape iconic luxury brands before launching her own, Ingrid shares the lessons she learned about courage, preparation, faith, and trusting God’s timing. If you’ve ever questioned whether it’s too late to start, wondered if your current season is preparing you for something greater, or needed the reminder that your biggest leap begins with believing in yourself, this conversation is for you. Because sometimes the greatest investment you’ll ever make… is betting on yourself.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.