As the conversation around wellness, sisterhood, and self-evolution continues to take center stage in our culture, BET’s new digital series The SHIFT arrives at the perfect moment to shine a light on the very thing we need to push the culture forward: each other.
More than just a makeover or self-help series, The SHIFT is about transforming entrepreneurs from the inside out, while helping Black women navigate life’s pivotal moments through honesty, accountability, community, and purpose.
Created and hosted by the incredibly dynamic Tai Beauchamp, the series brings together an all-star Board of Advisors, including Egypt Sherrod, Bevy Smith, Brandi Harvey, Yaya DaCosta, and Judy Dupart to mentor women through both personal and professional crossroads using what the show calls the L.O.V.E. Metrics: Leadership, Ownership, Vision, and Evolution along with personal mentoring from Beauchamp to help keep them inspred even after the cameras are done rolling.
Looking at Tai’s journey, this project feels less like a television show and more like the culmination of her life’s work. From breaking barriers as the youngest and first Black Beauty and Fitness Director at Seventeen Magazine to building transformative wellness communities through Morning Mindset with Tai to co-founding the groundbreaking fragrance brand BROWN GIRL Jane, Tai has consistently created spaces where women feel seen, empowered, and equipped to evolve, and now she’s helping inspire the next generation to do the same.
In this conversation, we’re diving into the inspiration behind The SHIFT, why this moment matters so deeply, and how Tai continues to redefine what leadership, wellness, and community look like for women everywhere.
Let me start by telling you how you’re serving as a blueprint, because I think that part of the issue with today’s entrepreneurs, and why we’re seeing so many of these women just being burnt out, myself included, is that I am in that reinvention period where it’s like, oh my goodness, because you give so much. But what you said is such an overlooked aspect of business that it takes time, and we don’t hear those stories anymore. I think being in a social media culture where it feels like everybody’s getting rich overnight makes you feel like, “Well, I need to grind harder.” So you’re putting yourself on the back burner to try to keep up with the “Joneses”, per se.
Listen, what you just gave was a sermon and also a prophecy, quite frankly, because I feel that so deeply. I feel that so deeply within my spirit. I think people might have a perception of who I am, but I am so deeply centered in my spiritual awareness, in God’s presence, that it’s what’s been played and said in my head and in my spirit. Knowing how people are moving, the ambition that people have, and what they’re being driven toward, the fame, the celebrity, the virility, the moment of celebration, the moment of accolade, is missing the mark. It’s missing the mark, and so many people are focused on that because of technology, social media, and the lifestyles that we now, I don’t want to say even live, but that we seek to capture to demonstrate how we’re supposedly living, but it’s only a sliver of it. It is so wild to me, Tiffany. These are the things I think about all the time. So you’re speaking to my spirit, girl. Exactly. That’s a whole different conversation. You’re going to be like, “What?” That’s a whole different conversation.”
A completely different conversation! I love your show, The Shift, and even just watching your journey on social media. Personally, you’re living it out every day, whether you know it or not, which is why I was excited to do this interview because it’s coming at a time when Black women really need to feel seen and supported.
The sad part is that people [nowadays] aren’t on social media looking for these opportunities to really be poured into and supported. I do believe that it’s necessary, and that more people could benefit than perhaps I could even imagine, but it’s not where people are plugged in for the most part, and that is part of even the truth of what I’ve had to say to myself as a creator and as an executive producer and as a host of something that I was able to bring to birth, something that’s been in my heart and spirit to light. I also have to reconcile for myself, yes, it’s out in the world, and my goal is to touch as many people as possible. But if it only touches 25 people or 25,000 people and not 25 million people, I’ve got to be good with that because social media isn’t a place that is celebrating this type of work.
Facts. See, we are already on the same page, because that was kind of my point. I feel like you not only took this moment with the show to catapult the narrative of “Hey, Black women, this is how you can -balance, live your life, and still chase your dreams”, and it’s giving us the ability to see that it’s not selfish to take that vacation or to take that time for yourself.
Yes!
Because we get so caught up, but then the other side of that is many women right now, especially Gen Z, are battling loneliness, self-doubt, uncertainty, etc., and to see you be this vulnerable and say, “This is just one thing. I got 1,000 other things going on.” Because I know I can do that even when it gets shaky, is the transparency that, honestly, the culture in general needs, whether it’s Black women, Black culture, whatever. It’s time for us to start seeing people really out here grinding and seeing the truth, even about people who are multimillionaires, because this idea that we’re supposed to get rich and just sit down isn’t reality.
Well, it’s not reality, and it’s not real. This is a deeper conversation. Right now, I’m taking this call from Joshua Tree, California, because I am the person who has to go off the grid, for lack of a better term. I have to disconnect from the status quo we believe we’re meant to perpetuate for the sake of being seen or celebrated. It’s not who I am, and I think that’s going to be the demise of humanity overall.
I’ve been talking a lot about that as I pivot and grow and expand Morning Mindset with Tai, not only to reach people, but in the type of programs that we do and the partners that we have and where and how we show up. Because if we don’t connect more intentionally, humanity is being missed, and that was the point of “The Shift.” And this is where I have to say gratitude to my team, who helped bring this to fruition, Princess, EJ, Derek, the team at Crowd, and my partners at BET, who allowed me to bring this forth.
Prayerfully, it’ll continue, and there will be more resources to actually do it the way I want to, because when I tell you, this was a labor of love. Making TV in 2026 is not the same as it was when I started in 2013 or 2014. The resources are different. The allocation of those resources means different talent and people who come on the show, the wonderful stable of board members, like mentors, Egypt Sherrod, Bev Smith, Judy Dupar, Brandy Harvey, and Yaya Dacosta, who said yes to me, flew into Atlanta to be with me, not because I was paying them what they deserved and what their rate should be.
I couldn’t afford to do that just yet with this production. And their “yes” was proof positive of why this show was necessary: women like us, who are seasoned and experienced, want to pour into the next generation. We want to make sure that Gen Z doesn’t feel lonely, doesn’t feel as aimless, misguided, or misdirected, because they have a real tribe and community. That is what we’re supposed to do.
That type of hand-holding is the same hand-holding that gave birth to the civil rights movement. That type of hand-holding is the same hand-holding that gave rise to authors like Bell Hooks. And even when there was a lack of hand-holding then, it was the individuals who had the gumption to create something that said, “Look, this is not just singularly about me flexing for a picture in front of a jet. It’s about how I can help this next generation understand that they deserve to fly.”
That’s why I love that you said that we’re not just giving makeovers, we’re shifting mindsets, because that’s a fact. You’re giving us that. Even with the women who are there with you, Egypt, Bev, those are powerful women, and all of you have shared your journey every step of the way from the beginning to now; so you couldn’t have picked a better crew. Sticking with the show, what is your goal with that group? I know we talked about their gratitude and participation, but they also bring specific skill sets. And so what was your thought process behind this show?
Thank you; it was very intentional. So with the five women who said yes to me, it was very intentional, and I was grateful. In the deck outlining how we were presenting and pitching the show to BET and others, I was very clear. We were deciding who to partner with based on the mentee we ultimately cast. And so, what I will say is that, in casting this, we received more than 150 submissions in less than a day and a half.
And this was a very quick turnaround cast because this is a smaller production. But I was very intentional. When I met Kiana, saw her profile of what she was trying to do, sat in on casting sessions with her, reviewed her tape, and did the research, that’s when we knew that, for someone who needs confidence, it’s Bev Smith. It’s Yaya Dacosta, because they each bring their different set of expertise.
The same thing with Egypt Sherrod and Judy Dupar with Miasia, I knew that as a former radio host herself, Miasia was going to see herself in Egypt, and vice versa. Egypt has become a real estate powerhouse in her own right, and the same thing goes for Judy with building Kaleidoscope Beauty. The way that Judy has been so transparent about her journey, like as a young mom doing hair and then making it into this $35 million-plus business, that texture and the grit with which Judy had to do it is the same grit that Miasia is approaching her shoetique with. That’s what we are meant to be doing. So when I thought about the cast, I was intentional about who the women are, one, who have wisdom and lived experience, but also can drill down on some facts.
I don’t want the pontificating, no shade, but the Dr. Bryants coming on and just calling themselves doctors…
Hello! Don’t have me passing the offering plate in here.
[Laughs] I want people with lived, trusted experience and wisdom, and the heart and the spirit to deliver it in the spirit of love, in the spirit of care. Not to break these young women down, even if they’re trying to figure it out, but to give them the motivation and the encouragement. That was intentional. And my vision is broader: I’m working on a tech platform that will extend the work of “The Shift” to the masses via technology, in a space where people can come and learn from seasoned experts in their own fields.
That’s the same for when we come back for season two and season three; I want to utilize women’s expertise. We want to take it to Dallas. We want to take this to Houston, but we also have the women of expertise and note in those spaces who are the seasoned generation, along with the younger people coming to that home as well. It’s meant to be a village-style community because that’s how we are. That’s who we are. That’s how I knew my grandmother operated in our home. When cousins were coming in from the Virgin Islands and needed homes or places to stay, or when cousins and everyone were coming in from Jamaica, they came to our home. It was a place of refuge. So I take that literally, but it is also metaphorical about how we’ve always been.
Even in the most challenging economic times, Black people have always been the most philanthropic. It took Robin Hood to coin the term “philanthropy” in that way, but we’ve always been charitable. We were always making food for the families down the street and babysitting. That’s philanthropy. And so the heart and the spirit of that was not just about us making ends meet, but that was the birth of Black Wall Street.
That’s us coming together as an ecosystem. The shift in mindset, even for busy women like Brandi Harvey, Egypt, Judy, Bevy, and Yaya, is that we can make time for our people and for the important things. Like the shift in the idea that we don’t do things together. Ryan gave me The Gathering Spot at no cost, as did Teresa Caldwell, The Taste, and then came on the show to help make Kiana over. When I created the mixer at the end, for Kiana to show that she could introduce herself and meet people. All of the people who showed up for that mixer were real people, people that I know in Atlanta, who are executives in Atlanta, and they came. They not only came to the event but also showed a lot of love and support!
Like my Morehouse brother came. They came to this mixer to meet Kiana. People have talked to her after that. That’s what this show is about. This show is about truly being something that you can watch and learn and live from, you can be entertained by because we had our moments of entertainment, and trust me, with season two, we’re going to have even more because we want it to be raw and truthful and honest, but you also have these moments of where you’re seeing us really standing the gap for one another.
I love that a lot, but that is another thing and another point I love about the show. As an Xennial myself, I know and remember what the true village looked like, and I see it making the necessary resurgence now.
Definitely.
To see that not only was your mission to build that village, but that you’re doing it properly is not only amazing, but it’s got me over here just like, “Oh my gosh, she has to win and everything.” Because even when you’re talking about the legacy of your grandmother, you’re talking about the reset houses where you have that family member who lets you stay there.
Yes! Exactly.
That’s exactly what you’re doing, and to me, the very fact that it’s intentional through what we’re seeing through your creative practice and through art and through this business partnership, to me, it’s amazing. Coupled with the fact that it’s all-inclusive, it’s the part I love most. This isn’t about creating baddies or superwomen who look pretty. You are all-inclusive, and that’s something that I love that was intentional as well.
Thank you so much, it’s my heart, and I’ll be honest, it’s like I’m grateful to have this heart and have this desire. Now my focus, even for myself, you talked from your own truth as a Xennial; I’m a Gen X-er. We’re going to experience seasons of having to shift again and again.
Part of it is that we believe the shift happens once, and it’s some kind of cataclysmic event that resets everything for the rest of your life. The truth of the matter is that it will not be the case. You are going to be allowed to shift so many times in your life, and it’s whether we meet it with intention, with fortitude, with wisdom, with grace for ourselves, with compassion for ourselves, and in partnership, that’s the question. And I face that all the time professionally. This has been one of the most financially unstable seasons of my 20-year entrepreneurial journey. I’ve been an entrepreneur for 20 years. I’m sitting here looking at the revenue, and it’s like when I first started doing well in my career, when I started making six figures when I was in my 20s. I’m looking at times like, “Wow, this is different. I have to shift.” I think being clear about the awakening that you are given an opportunity to shift, and will you choose it?
Ooh, that’s it. And again, going back to The Shift, because I love how both your life and the show are parallel. It’s almost like it’s giving the baseline and then showing us how to keep going. One of the things I love about it is that you’re continuing to pour into them at the show by giving them a heartfelt letter. How important was that to you, and why is that something that you felt was important to do for them?
Well, that’s a really good question. I remember my co-EP and I talking, and I was like, “We got to put a bow on the end of this,” I said, “because I don’t want them to walk away even…” Because I’ll be honest, even in parts of the show, because I’m also the host of the show, and my intention with being the host was to lend expertise where I can and where I know, but also to be a conduit for the mentees to engage with Bevy, Yaya, Egypt, Jessica, and Brandy.
So it was a fine balance; I knew that with them coming on the show, I wanted it to be pleasant, but shifting is not easy. Even when you come into your family member’s house to reset, you’ve got to get to the root of some hard truths sometimes, too.
Very true.
So I was very conscious and thoughtful about making sure that they didn’t walk away feeling defeated or discouraged because we gave them a list of things.” And the show is only 15 minutes. Each episode we shot over the course of a day, so know that there was a lot more happening in those moments and this was our first season, so we’re still trying to fine-tune all of the elements of the show.
So I was like, by writing them a letter, it personalizes it so they know we’re coming from a place of truth. It also buttons the experience up so they can hear, with a loving ear and, hopefully, an open heart, how I want to see them move forward. It creates that ripple effect. And so the letter was really just sharing my heart, and thank you for recognizing that.
I love it. What are some of the most powerful or emotional breakthroughs that you saw?
Wow, this season, that’s interesting. We only shot three. So I think Kiana and Myasia were both wonderfully impactful, and again, it’s because I talk to them. But Myasia is ready to leap. She’s renaming her business. She literally just had a call with me a couple of days ago, brainstorming new names and asking me what I was thinking about it. But I’m really humbled by each of the different truths we faced that are real for so many women. I know so many people who are like, “I don’t know what to do with this business. How do I bring this back?” I know so many people who don’t have confidence in real-time. I know so many people who are so gifted, like Defyne, with all these gifts and talents, but she is wrestling with how to show up to make ends meet so she can fully live out all the ways she could.
What is your vision for the next season?
My hope is to bring this to the masses. I’m grateful for this opportunity with BET and to have this be a wonderful way for us as Black women to connect, but I could see men being on the show in the future. I could see people of different ages and stages in life because, again, the shift never ends. There were women when we were casting who were like, “You asked for people between the ages of 25 and, I think, 35,” and because of the intergenerational idea. But someone was like, “I’m 55, and I would like to be on the show.” And that’s real.
That right there. I love how, as women, we are reinventing ourselves every step of the way. Because, for me, to your point about the pivoting, I don’t think that, as women, we understand a lot of times what burnout looks like. We’ll still keep going, like Defyne’s story. I feel like it was one of those moments where she wanted to show up, but it was so much, and she didn’t want to fail again. I feel like that’s where a lot of women get stuck because then you just keep doing what’s working, not knowing you got to put that step forward and try something new. By discovering and doing that, I feel like it’s you discovering who you are. You’re getting to know more and more of yourself outside the label you have for yourself.
That’s spiritual. That’s a spiritual thing. That was part of my own awakening in this stage of the middle ages of my life. Like, really, because that’s who you are. People are born creative.
Exactly. Think about it, as a baby, you don’t know when to cry. You don’t know when to reach for food. You know. And as a child, when you think about a baby who starts to crawl, you’re exploring. You don’t know how to touch the stove because everything is open. There’s creativity. Then we spend the entire first part of our lives, from your parents to going into school, they’re putting you into constructs and telling you, “Don’t do this. You do this. Don’t do this.” So then we lose our sense of creativity.
But as you get older and become more aware and more conscious, you reconnect with that creativity, and the dream continues to expand. The dream becomes different. You have to have a new dream because once you’ve lived parts of a dream, whether or not you’ve achieved it exactly or that was just part of the journey, that was just part of that dream’s journey, then you’ve got to have another dream journey.
That’s the reality of our lives, and I don’t know, it feels really good to be at this stage to have awareness about that. I think even from my own work and my own purpose in life, it’s like how do I live that out? I’ve lived that out in many ways. I’ve said to people all the time, “My purpose on this earth is to help more people, especially women and Black women, to be fully expressed.” That’s my gift.
I can connect with people to help them see, feel, love, and understand themselves. It’s just a gift that I have. But I’ve always said I could do that as a magazine writer. I could do that on TV. I could do that, starting a program in Newark as I did. I can do that in many ways because I’m not attached to how I do it; I’m more connected to the why behind what I do. That’s why The Shift is so important to me.
I’m thinking about all the expansion and opportunities, and my prayer in this season is that those resources will find me so that I can stand it up even more.
