Stephanie Bryant is the CEO of Unveil Your Crown, Incorporated (UYC). UYC's mission is "to inspire and encourage girls and young women to discover their God-given purpose, connect them with viable resources, and expose them to enrichment activities that foster and promote their growth." Stephanie shared with me that she remembers there being a period in her life when she struggled not only figuring out her “why”, but who she was, and more importantly who she was created to be. During this time, Stephanie realized that all of the things that she had used to once cover up who she was, were finally being lifted away like a veil. “I recall my question of “why me” transitioning into “why not you?” and eventually God's purpose for my life was revealed to me," she said. Stephanie has always had a heart for young women and as she became more involved in her community, she began to gain a better insight into the needs of young people and wanted to commit her life to serving them and helping them to be all that God created them to be. Unveil Your Crown, Incorporated was birthed because of Stephanie's faith in God and she says if it weren’t for him she would have never started it. But she knew she had a responsibility to be obedient to God and start the organization. “For a great portion of my life, I allowed other people’s opinions, fears, and limited thinking, as well as, my own to hinder me from reaching my greatest potential," she said. However, as I strengthened my relationship with God, I learned the importance of trusting Him in spite of everything and realized that my playing small didn't serve the world." She knew that God had given her the vision and she knew that He would equip her with the tools to make it manifest, “UYC has and still is a huge faith walk. I am striving every day to trust Him more with every step and allow Him to be glorified through this organization.” Stephanie advises others wanting to start a business to remember, “If God has purposed it, then you have a responsibility to walk in it. Starting a business is no easy feat and neither is maintaining one but if you want it to be done well, you cannot be passive in your approach. It will require a great deal of faith, perseverance, and dedication. Commit yourself to the vision but also commit yourself to the process—whatever that may look like for your given assignment. Learn to embrace failure, as absurd as it sounds, failure breeds growth and can be the very thing that catapults you into something great. Also, there are no shortcuts to excellence, so I encourage aspiring entrepreneurs to dream big, but also remember to do the work! Do not allow people to project their fears onto you or their limited beliefs to deter or distract you from executing the vision that God has given you. Seek wise counsel and surround yourself with people who will encourage you and pray for you when you cannot find the strength to do it for yourself. Lastly, I would say do not quit! Tap into your resilience and keep pressing no matter what obstacles appear.” Thank you Stephanie for sharing your story with us. If you are interested in learning more information about Unveil Your Crown, visit their website today.
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Elizabeth A Strickland is a Spiritual Empowerment Speaker and Purpose Coach that is passionate about helping others discover their purpose by using the Word of God and applying biblical principles. It was in 2016, during her quiet time with God when Elizabeth says her purpose was revealed. Elizabeth shares that when it comes to discovering your purpose, she believes the only way to do that is by strengthening your relationship with Christ through prayer and fasting. “God is the only one who can tell you your purpose because He is the one who created you,” she said. Elizabeth hopes that out of her coaching people can not only strengthen their relationship with God but be empowered through the word and the promises that God makes to his children. “The goal is for my clients to be provided with a strategy and an action plan to discover their purpose and begin walking out what God has called them to do and no longer question why they were put here on this earth,” she said. Her hope is that if her clients are embarking on their own entrepreneurial journey, then she wants to make sure it is in alignment with their purpose and gifts. She says she is devoted to walking alongside others and helping them to live a purpose-filled life, because living anything else is so dissatisfying. Elizabeth’s advice for the young entrepreneur Is to not give up. She says, "this journey is not easy but it’s worth it. Consistency and self-discipline will take you a long way even when you are not seeing results right away. Don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s, if you do, jealously and covetousness can creep in and become a distraction. God has you on the path that you are on for a reason. Network with other entrepreneurs and like-minded people. If you are constantly in the room with people who don’t know more than you, you are not learning anything because you are the teacher. Lastly, pray! Prayer is what will get you through the best of times and the worst of times. Entrepreneurship can definitely be a rollercoaster ride, so make sure God and prayer is your foundation. Learn as much as you can about your industry through books, classes, events and the internet and then strategize and implement. Say no to fear and do what scares you anyway. At the end of it you will learn something.” I truly admire Elizabeth and the work that she does to make sure that people are fulfilling their purpose through God. Elizabeth is in the beginning stages of launching a non-profit organization for Christian women and she hopes to help women become purposeful leaders in the kingdom of God. She loves God and is committed to do what He has called her to do. She offers many resources on her website so visit today! http://www.elizabethastrickland.com/ Jannay was 12-years-old when she knew that she wanted to have her own hair salon. A year after that realization her parents purchased a salon chair for her birthday. Her journey has been filled with passionate motivation, setbacks, second guessing and even rerouting. On her first attempt to receive her cosmetology license in high school she failed the test. Even with that devastation, her circle of loved ones around made her take it again and she passed. While in college she worked at various salons, but it wasn’t until she graduated from college that she decided that she would never work for someone else again. Jannay established her salon business, Asili Hair Care Center, as a way of featuring chemically free services for textured hair. She says that she makes it her priority to provide education and practical experience to the natural hair community. Now, as the lead stylist at Asili Hair Care Center, she is developing trendsetting images that speak to all women of different hair types. She offers exclusive natural hair products and partners with community organizations to demonstrate styling options. It doesn't stop at hair care though, Jannay who is also a Registered Dietetic Technician, incorporates health and nutrition as an innovative approach to natural hair care. Through her experience with nutrition she prescribes lifestyle changes. She has worked with institutions such as Johns Hopkins University and No Kid Hungry, a nonprofit organization, to educate Baltimore City youth on how to make healthier choices in their communities. Jannay’s vision is to create an educational culture where hair care is based on the capacity to be well overall. Her passion for hair goes deeper than styling. As a consultant for nutritional aesthetics, she wants to be the voice that educates professional stylists on the balance between outward reflection and holistic wellness. Jannay shared that up until this point she has been amazed at how God has kept her despite questioning herself and trying to do other things that just weren't in line with her purpose. She recently reached a place where her faith gives her the audacious tenacity to continue in her business. Her advice to young entrepreneurs is to celebrate the small things, whether it be one new customer, or a good review--these things are what she says will keep you motivated until you get to where you want to be. Jannay says that her business is not what she imagined but she knows that the journey is not over yet! Cheers to your success, your journey and what is to come! If you would like to schedule an appointment or get connected with Jannay please visit her website Natalie Mangrum is not only a wife and step-mom of two—but she is also the founder of Maryland Teacher Tutors (MTT) which launched in June 2015. MTT provides certified teachers as tutors. While other companies may hire someone to be a tutor as long as they can teach a specific subject or have earned a good grade in a particular class; MTT know kids, and they know the curriculum. The tutors are background checked, passionate, and love what they do. Natalie attributes a secular book she read on finances being what she needed to start her business. She read, “The Millionaire Next Door,” with hopes that she would be able to learn how to steward her money well to the glory of God. Though the book itself is secular, she notes that many of the principles are biblical. She describes how the author details entrepreneurial endeavors as one way to become prosperous, and as a believer why it is important for her to use her gifts well so that she can make money to sow back into God’s kingdom and God’s people. When MTT launched in June, 2015, Natalie was the only tutor. To date, MTT has 19 tutors and cover all content areas. Natalie says her ultimate goal is to run a business that God would be proud of. She ensures that tutors are teaching with excellence and integrity while treating their clients fairly and by making sure that her tutors feel valued. Additionally, MTT desires to have an immense impact on students outside of the classroom through their one on one model. She encourages young entrepreneurs to welcome all lessons-good and bad because she believes they will make a company better in the long run. She also suggests entrepreneurs seek counsel from those who have gone before them in the entrepreneurial field. To learn more information about Maryland Teacher Tutors, visit their website today! |
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