Women of Faith w/ Cora Jakes

WOMEN OF FAITH MAY 2023

THAT’S HER - DR. NIKKI ZEIGLER

BALANCING MOTHERHOOD, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, & SELF CARE LETTING GO SO YOU CAN ELEVATE!

CORA JAKES: "KEEP WATCHING" 1

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Contributors Shay Cole Francheska “Fancy” Felder Khadijah Phillips Leticia Starks-Underwood Christina Woodard

Marketing Francheska “Fancy” Felder Editor-in-Chief Jarmel Roberson VP of Marketing Christina Woodard Managing Editor Briana Brown Social Media Cousin Ashley Mubiru Jr. Publicist Ketlin Aliaj Cover Design Swagher Magazine Layout Design Andrew Horton Copy Editor Francheska "Fancy" Felder Copy Editor 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIFESTYLE Letting Go So You Can Elevate

09

Unpack Your Bags

32

5 Things I've Learned As I'm Aging

10

BUSINESS FEATURES SwagHer Spotlight: Nicole MaysJackson

12

Author Spotlight: Angela Allen Johnson

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COVER STORIES

Motherhood, Entrepreneurship, & Self Care

18

Tami Curry Talks Entrepreneurship, Landing Retail Partnerships, & SelfCare

32

That's Her-Dr. Nikki Zeigler

22

Cora Jakes: "keep Watching"

40

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

All about fashion for business women Supply, and author Angela Allen Johnson. Plus, we have some great lifestyle and business articles to empower you.

As always, I hope you enjoy!

Fancy

Greetings, Welcome to our Women of Faith issue. I’m very proud of this issue because we had to create everything inhouse, but by the grace of God, everything went smoothly. It was truly a test of faith, but we pushed through despite the unexpected events and hiccups.

Now to be clear, this was not the biggest test of faith I’ve had, but after the brutal winter that we experienced as a business, my threshold was already low. However, I am pleased with how things turned out.

I hope you find this issue to be as packed with gems as we think it is. We had beautiful conversations about faith with Dr. Nikki Zeigler and Cora Jakes. We featured other go-getters you should know, like Tami Curry of I’Mat Dream Brand, Nicole Mays-Jackson of 1 Care Premier Services and 1 Care Premier Medical

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MAY 2023

SHAY COLE Shay Cole is a writer, author, coach, poet, and publisher. She owns and operates Creative Chameleon LLC, a professional writing and publishing company, specializing in creating custom content for books, blogs, and websites. Shay has self-published a number of books and seeks to help others accomplish the same goal. She also performs her poetry on stages across the country. To learn more about Shay and what she does, please visit the website www.acreativechameleon.com.

FRANCHESKA "FANCY" FELDER Francheska “Fancy” Felder is a quiet Southern, media mogul in the making. In 2010, she launched SwagHer Magazine, an empowerment and lifestyle publication for the Black woman who likes to keep it real. SwagHer Magazine uses positive media and storytelling to create new narratives and mindsets around Black people, their communities, and the businesses and organizations they lead. Fancy also hosts CEO Chatter LIVE, a business and lifestyle podcast.

KHADIJAH PHILLIPS Khadijah Phillips is a highly driven woman who was born to break barriers. She proves that when powered by purpose, women are unstoppable. She’s built her storied life and career brick by brick, fighting fears, failures, and setbacks to have the success she’s always known was hers to claim. Today, she personifies what it means to ascend above adversity while inspiring countless others to do the same through her media company and strategic partnerships. You can follow her on instagram @bestiesmedia and check out her website www.bestiesmedia.com.

LETICIA STARKS-UNDERWOOD Leticia Starks-Underwood is an educator, mentor, student, and author. She holds a B.A. in Biblical Literature from Taylor University Upland, a Master’s and Doctorate in Christian Education from Cornerstone Bible College, Intl Fort Wayne, Indiana. She currently is an educator at Cornerstone Christian College Prep Day and High School International in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She is the Founder, and CEO of You Can Make It Books, LLC. She has published several books, including The You Can Make Series and The J & J Royal Kids Collections. She also serves as an international contributing writer for BlackNews.UK. You can follow her on Instagram @youcanmakeitinspiration.

CHRISTINA WOODARD Christina Woodard was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She attended Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana, and received a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication. She is passionate about all things related to writing, investigation, family, and crime and hopes in the future to put those passions to good use by becoming an author and paralegal. She is currently the Managing Editor at SwagHer Magazine and Media. You can find her on Instagram @cstina.nicole.

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LETTING GO SO YOU CAN ELEVATE! By: Leticia Starks-Underwood Letting go is sometimes easier said than done, but it is necessary to elevate to the next level God has for you. We often give the things we hold onto more power than they deserve, such as hurt, shame, unforgiveness, failure, and many other things. When we hang onto hurts, mistakes, and unforgiveness in our past, we stunt our growth and block our elevation. The Bible said, “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing…” (Isaiah 43:18-19a).

To operate in the “New” God has for you and me, we must be willing to trade our ashes for His beauty (Isaiah 61:3). As we let go of the past, we can embrace the “New” and experience elevation. The decision to hold on might seem like the right thing, but we use it in many cases as a shield to protect ourselves from further hurt and embarrassment.

However, it hinders our forward progress.

“The future isn’t ahead of you, but it’s within you, and the best of you “ is yet still in you.”-Dr. Oscar J. Nelson Dowdell-Underwood The key to healing and elevation in this new year of 2023 is letting go and forgiving yourself and others. Don’t hold on to baggage from 2022 or your childhood. Having the courage or fortitude to let go and forgive will lead you into God’s peace, opening the door to new creativities, ideas, dreams, and happiness. However, we cannot let go by our strength, but God makes it easy if we ask for the grace to let go. The extent to which you can let go and forgive, whether it is yourself or others, determines the elevation you will experience. Let go so you can experience maximum elevation this year!

What God has for you and your elevation is not in looking backward nor holding onto the past; it is looking forward from within. One of the many quotes I hold 9

close to my heart from my pastor, grandfather, and mentor, Dr. Oscar J. Nelson Dowdell-Underwood, is: “The future isn’t ahead of you, but it’s within you, and the best of you is yet still in you.”

God’s plan for you and your future is more extraordinary than anything trying to hold you back and prevent your elevation. It’s 2023! It is time to let go so you can elevate and grow. It is impossible to move forward if you constantly revisit the past: your past hurts, past shame, past failures, past mistakes, past wounds, or unforgiveness.

Concerning unforgiveness, forgive yourself and others NOW to allow God to move you forward and ELEVATE you!

NOW is the time to let go and dream bigger than ever so that your dreams can elevate you and your life! It’s not too late to dream that dream. It’s not too late to start that business. It’s not too late to write that book. It’s not too late to get that degree. It’s not too late to own that house. If you believe in God and are willing to do the “sweat work,” you can accomplish anything. Mark 9:23 states, “All things are possible to those who believe.” Go after the impossible because God will show you the possibilities in the midst of the impossible. It doesn’t matter your age.

It’s not too late to go after your dreams!

NOW is the time to let go so you can ELEVATE in 2023 so that everything that is trying to hold you back, whether people or things, have to see you as a blessed child of God, and God be glorified!

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SWAGHER SPOTLIGHT

By Christina Woodard

As the youngest woman of color to own and successfully manage a business providing home and community-based services, foster care, and adoption services, Nicole is a pioneer in her field, blazing a trail of regenerated, impactful, and sustainable practices across the social services landscape. She is the founder and CEO of 1 Care Premier Services and 1 Care Premier Medical Supply.

She is a proud two-time alum of Grambling State University, earning her Bachelor’s and Master’s in social work from the prestigious HBCU. To her credibility, Nicole also boasts nearly ten certifications within her industry and has over a decade of experience in both the public and private sectors.

A dynamic, consummate, and passionate businesswoman across the social services field for more than a decade, Nicole Mays-Jackson is reengineering the systemic structure of how fostering, adoption, therapeutic services, and the social services profession operate.

As a selfless and staunch advocate for women in business, Nicole engages with a myriad of female entrepreneurs through mentorship, helping to foster their confidence, encourage their personal and professional growth, and advise them on essential business tactics to promote advancement and stability within their businesses. Driven by her belief in the power of “paying it forward,” she is committed to uplifting women and helping them achieve their goals, citing her own struggles experienced in her journey as the catalyst to make entrepreneurship more accessible and attainable for others.

She attributes her well-deserved stature and massive success to her relationship with God. A selfdescribed woman of faith and prayer, she also encourages the women she mentors to always remember their spiritual foundation. She is a wife, a mother, a philanthropist, and a titanic powerhouse within the social services field, and she’s far from finished.

Christina: What is your SwagHer? What makes Nicole, Nicole?

Nicole: I am a loving and vibrant person who loves the Lord. I encourage women to become the best version of themselves through my testimony. I am among the first Black women to found and operate a foster care, adoption, and home and community-based service agency. But what makes Nicole, Nicole? My relentless pursuit is to be the best at whatever I’m undertaking. My desire is to give my spirit of excellence and my drive to make a difference to all and through all aspects of my life.

Christina: Why did you decide to go into the field of social services?

Nicole: I went into the social services field because of my passion for families and children and my desire to help others. I

wanted to counsel those who are underserved and who are out of bounds of the resources and support they need to address and adhere to their wellness. Healthy individuals create healthy families, and healthy families create healthy communities.

My experiences before entering the professional realm of social services showed me how many people were not healthy but just needed a little support to get there. I wanted to be that bridge to help them access wellness for themselves and the children in their care.

Christina: What are two of the most important things you have learned as a social services professional that you carry with you at all times?

Nicole: I have learned that everyone, despite their economic or social status, deserves honor and respect. I have learned to look for the light and strength these families possess despite their hardship or situation and to help them see it within themselves.

That’s the key to resiliency and the key to developing the solutions they need to stabilize their families and their lives.

Christina: What inspired you to start your businesses, 1 Care Premier Services and 1 Care Premier Medical Supply?

Nicole: I was led to start 1 Care Premier Services through my personal faith and my exposure to the social services field through my work experiences. Honestly, it has been one of the greatest and most rewarding decisions I have ever made. I knew I wanted to create a business that would be sustainable and vital to underserved communities and that served them in ways in which other agencies were not serving them.

In conjunction with my husband, who is in the medical field, 1 Care Medical Supply was started to assist our clients in the intellectual or developmental disability community.

They needed assistance with additional medical items after we saw a need while working with other medical supply companies.

Christina: How can readers learn more about the things 1 Care provides?

Nicole: Readers can learn more about 1 Care by visiting our website, www.1carepremierservices.com.

Christina: Define businesswoman in your own words.

Nicole: As I think about how I would define a businesswoman, I’m reminded of the virtuous woman in

Proverbs 31. She is trustworthy, a hard worker, wise, a good manager, and faithful to God. A businesswoman is compassionate, helpful, faithful, fierce, praiseworthy, and confident.

Proverbs 31 does not say she is perfect, but she makes it work in spite of it all. That is my definition of a businesswoman.

A businesswoman is a “shero.” In an era that still views women as less valuable in the workplace than their male counterparts, businesswomen start businesses to assign value to themselves and their skills instead of waiting for others’ validation. They build businesses to follow their passions and control their destinies. In turn, they are creating opportunities for others, bolstering the economy, and launching legacies. That is a powerful lead to follow! We provide solutions to many of our global communities’ issues through our business acumen, emotional intelligence, and ability to handle challenges gracefully and with tenacity. To me, that’s nothing short of miraculous and heroic.

Christina: What three tips can you give a family out there hoping to adopt or become foster parents?

Nicole: My tips are to be patient, flexible, and have realistic expectations for yourself and the children you plan to support.

Christina: Why did you choose to attend an HBCU, other than the fact that you are AfricanAmerican?

Nicole: I chose to attend an HBCU in high school and visited nonHBCUs and HBCUs. To me, the pride and supportive atmosphere of the HBCUs I visited was something I had not experienced before, and I knew I wanted that experience for myself as a college student. I felt like I was not just a number. I felt like it was where I belonged.

Christina: What drew you Grambling State University?

to

Nicole: Beyond GSU being one of the country’s top producers of African American graduates, Grambling was appealingly the total opposite of Houston, Texas, where I was born and raised.

Grambling was a place that allowed me to have a new lease on life and experience a new environment. I was drawn to country life, the support, meeting new people from all over the world, and gaining my independence.

Christina: Do you have any words of encouragement you can give

to young women out there who inspire to be in the field of social work or entrepreneurship?

Nicole: Give yourself grace, be patient with yourself, keep your faith, never give up, and always be willing to learn and grow!

Christina: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Nicole: Thanks so much for allowing me to grace your platform! I truly admire what you are doing for women!

Connect with Nicole below: Website: www.nicolemaysjackson.com | Instagram: @nicolemaysjackson

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Balancing Motherhood, Entrepreneurship, & Self- Care

By Khadijah Philliips Being a mother isn’t easy, and entrepreneurship adds a whole new level of difficulty. Late nights and early mornings have become the norm for most. Handling tasks, minimizing risk, managing multiple schedules and budgets, and more is a lot for any one person.

The key to it all is finding time for yourself.

Ultimately all the success in the world means nothing if you don’t have the time or energy to enjoy it.

Surprisingly (but not really), studies say most women over 40 who are entrepreneurs and have a partner still do the primary work of raising the children and taking care of the household.

This doesn’t leave much time to decompress or even just relax. The even more disheartening reality is that most women are doing it without a partner.

I don’t believe there is a way to truly have a work-life balance because, most days, something will always be neglected. You can’t give your full attention to multiple things at the same time, regardless of how well you multitask.

I know you’d like to believe you’re a superhero, and to some, you may be, but the reality is you are human, and that means you require rest and time to refuel and energize to perform at optimal levels.

You must be intentional and relentless about you. You don’t let anyone else play about you, so don’t play about yourself.

Here are a few tips to skip burnout and elevate your business and home.

Add “me” time to your calendar. Date yourself once a week and never reschedule. It will become routine. You can do things like go for a hike, get a massage, or even just sit down for a nice cup of coffee without a laptop or phone.

Ask for help and use your village. Maybe someone else can pick up the kids or drop them off for extracurricular activities, so it’s one less thing you have to do.

Delegate the tedious tasks in your business to an assistant. This will free your calendar for family time while still getting business done. Virtual assistants are fairly inexpensive and get the job done.

Take breaks. Work in short 15-20 sprints and then stop. There is no prize for being overworked.

Create realistic goals for yourself so that you aren’t pushing past your breaking point to meet deadlines

Get the kids on board. Explain what you are trying to accomplish, give them a deadline, and stick to it. For example: For the next six months, I’m working on this project so we can get the house you wanted. After six months, I will have more time, and we will do these things.

Wine. Keep a bottle of wine on deck in case the days get too crazy. There is nothing a nap and wine can’t fix.

Implementation of all or a few of these steps will allow you to be freer and have a clear head which in turn gives way to more creativity and productivity and a better mood.

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THAT'S HER: Dr. Nikki Zeigler BY: FRANCHESKA "FANCY" FELDER

As iron sharpens iron, great leaders bring out the leaders in others. Dr. Nikki Zeigler is a great example of one of those who was born to lead, as she educates and empowers Christian businesswomen in all that she does. With an extensive background in branding, public relations, marketing, and advertising, the Alabama native is the director of The Herprenuer Network, which assists Christian women in business by identifying their strengths and challenges as entrepreneurs and expanding their knowledge in branding, finances, and faith. The network also publishes The Herprenuer Magazine.

Dr. Nikki is also the Executive Publisher of the HBCU Magazine, an online business professional magazine for HBCU attendees and alumni, and she is the founder of The Life Christian College, an online school that allows life, business, and master's coaches to get their certifications. She launched this company in 2019 and now has over 250 students from all over the world. The school also certifies public speakers and event and wedding planners.

Simply put, Dr. Nikki is a powerhouse.

You may have heard her speak on Clubhouse, which is where I was first introduced to her and immediately drawn in.

It was an honor to sit down with her and learn more about being a businesswoman of faith. Let’s get to know her better below.

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Fancy: Who are you in your terms, and what is the Herprenuer Network?

Dr. Nikki: In my terms, I'm Dr. Nikki Zeigler. I am a servant, and I really have taken on the spirit of servitude. God has truly blessed me. Of course, I'm a Christian woman in business. I'm big on that because I just believe that your faith is where you be. That's who you are.

That's your lifestyle. This is my lifestyle, and I'm learning how to adjust to it. I'm the founder of the Herprenuer Network.

It's actually an organization for Christian women in business and ministry. So for us, it's all about collaboration. It's all about celebrating. We’re all about fixing crowns; you don't have to tell everybody that you fixed someone’s crown. You just have to be there to help people like Fancy and those who are doing big things to be recognized and honored.

And that's what we do. I have a passion to love, celebrate, and love on people.

Fancy: What was it that inspired the Herprenuer Network?

Dr. Nikki: Having 100 companies- I came up with every idea that you can to start a business. I've always wanted to be a business owner. My dad told me he knew I was an entrepreneur and instilled entrepreneurship in me. I tried everything, girl, from selling cars to selling underwear. I sold everything you could think of, and all of it failed. One day, I just told God, “I'm tired. I probably will have to be no entrepreneur. Maybe I just need to go back to corporate and

work.” But then something fell on me.

Like, you have so many experiences of failing that you can help people not to do what you did wrong. I prayed about it at that time because I was homeless. God gave me the vision of the herprenuer back in 2012, but just because He gives it to you then doesn’t mean you have to do it right then.

Sometimes it's a process to the madness. I went through a season where I was just broken, and I was just kind of tired of losing, and when God started depositing in me like it's other women out there that want to learn business, and they've made so many mistakes, or they haven't made any mistakes at all, but you use the knowledge that you have, and you build from there. He said, “As long as you put me first and get my permission, I will help you excel.” He has been doing it Himself, and many of the ideas He gives me aren't mine. They are His ideas. I'm just a servant that does it for Him. Fancy: Wow. I normally say I feel like the best businesses are when the owner or the entrepreneur can see a problem, identify it, and they are able to find a solution to it. Then they continue to spread that solution amongst others. That's normally a really good success starting point.

However, we often hear of people who have started businesses that God just ordained. It was brought to them. It seems like you finally found your way. Whereas you have been 24

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having all that resistance and stuff before when you walked into this situation, it just seems like it was a better situation for you because this was something that God already had planned for you.

Dr. Nikki: I think, Fancy, what I had to learn was to get God's permission. Like many of the businesses I created, I never asked permission, and then one thing I learned and what I am doing now is that I actually got scriptures to back me up. Most people start their businesses, and they don't even ask God. They're just like, “Oh, I'm going to do this.” They do it, and then they wonder why it failed, or they're unhappy because you can make a lot of money and be broken, right? You can make a whole lot of money and be sad. I am so in love with me. I'm so in love with what I'm doing. I'm so in love with the ambassadors. God has given me some amazing, teachable women, and I think I had to be teachable for me to find these kinds of women.

I had to make those mistakes. God popped my hand-pop, pop, pop. Then try again, right? It's just like you falling to get back up. I think it was all about making sure I get God's permission to do what he has called me to do, and then you have a lot of people that want to duplicate. My deal is to be original like no one can be SwagHer Magazine.

Fancy, you have done an amazing job creating a

brand. You have been consistent even at times when you want to be like, “Man, forget this thing; I'm tired.” You kept persevering, and you kept striving for greater, and now you're here. So many other women- they might not say, “Well, she does a good job,” but I'm going to tell you what they should be saying. You are amazing with SwagHer Magazine, and it's always positive, and that's what I love about the magazine. I think we both have that in common. Our job is to be problem solvers, and we do it daily without complaining.

Fancy: Yes, and thank you so much for that, Dr. Nikki. I totally get what you're saying, and it brings me to my next question: What do you often see Christian businesswomen struggle with the most in business?

Dr. Nikki: Many women in business are so emotionally driven, Fancy, that when their family doesn't support them, or their cousin doesn't show up, or somebody doesn't support them, they give up so fast. It's like, did God give you that, or did you do it on your own?

For me, I see a lot of lack of confidence.

I see a lot of not being consistent and committed. You have to be committed because if He puts it on your heart to do it, He will see what you do with it. And that's what I feel.

Fancy: I got to circle back just because of what you said about asking God’s permission before 26

starting the business. I must admit that's not something that I did initially, and it makes me think, though, so if someone didn't ask God originally, do you still think they can go back and Him? Dr. Nikki: Well, see if he's your center, then I often tell people to go back and do a dedication. Dedicate your business back to God. Give it back to God. Repent because you're wrong. I got to be honest; if you never ask God for permission, then you're out of order.

God said, seek Him first in all things, and He'll add those unto Him, right? We have to seek Him diligently. Seek Him and ask His permission because we're dead. Remember, as Christians, we're dead. If we're dead, how are we moving? If we didn't ask Him, how can we move? I'm so honest about this because I was the one that didn't ask Him. I didn't ask Him, and it didn't work for me. It did at one point; I was making $30,000 a month working for major pastors worldwide.

personally. I know that this month is the Herpreneur experience in Dallas.

Can you tell us more about that?

What can we expect?

Dr. Nikki: We will kick this thing off early Friday with Michael V. Roberts and George C. Fraser. Michael B. Roberts is a Black billionaire. He owns several Marriotts and has a huge castle in the Bahamas. He started a Sprint PCs store in St. Louis and has a TV station in St. Louis. He's a pretty big deal for me because I feel like for you to obtain wealth, you have to be around it. Like, how do you say I'm going to be a millionaire when you have never met one before? Like, I don't get that. God is not going to put a million dollars in your hand. You must be around people who can get you to the money or help you secure the bag.

Fancy: I wasn't as close to God when I started my business. My faith has grown tremendously since then, but I'm still a work in progress. So I've never heard that before, but what you said is a good idea for many of us out there. I hope that's something that many of you can take away— recommitting your business to God. I think that's a great idea. I'm going to look more into that myself, 27

Then George Fraser is a big networking person. You need to research these two men because they'll be dropping a lot of knowledge on Friday at 11:00 AM. On that Friday night, we will have what’s called The Night of Fashion. Anita Hawkins hosts it. Anita Hawkins is J. Bolin's head model, and she's beautiful.

My God, she's breathtaking. Not only is she breathtaking with her clothes, but in her spirit. She and I had a very long conversation, and we just connected. I feel like I've known her forever, but she's hosting the show for us. We got boutiques, and we're still looking. We got like four other slots left. We are looking for boutiques and designers in the Dallas area or abroad who want to showcase their clothing lines on the runway. We have a professional photographer, so the designers will also be able to get professional images of their designs.

Then on Saturday morning, I have a guy named Barry. He owns Alma Da Samana, which is a resort in the Dominican Republic. He's going to be talking about dual citizenship and the portions of how we always go out to places like Miami, and we spend all this money, but we leave there with nothing.

Me and you and others, right? He's going to teach us how to become dual citizens. He will talk about the importance of overseas real estate, where you can go to the DR and stay there at a low rate. I go every other month. They're my client. I go there, and I stay for seven days.

It's just the mindset of stretching your horizon, building land, doing Airbnb, and making residual income. He's going to kick it off with that. Of course, Cora Jakes will be doing the Pink Fire Brunch. We got panel discussions. Oh, my God. We got workshops on credit repair, personal credit repair, crowdfunding, real Estate finances, marriage, singles, self-care, mental health, branding, PR, and social media; you name it, we got it. Because this event is all about dealing with the whole woman. It is a woman's expo, so we're excited. That night we got the Her Awards, a continuation of the event you attended in Tupelo.

We're honoring many amazing people like Benaisha Poole- Watson, a Black woman who owns a bank, and she'll be getting a Lifetime Presidential Award sponsored by Dr. Sylvia D. Cole. Dr. Cole is honoring six major players in the Dallas community, and The Herprenuer Network will honor some other outstanding women from the Texas area. Then Sunday, we got the Her Cave. The Her Cave is all about all things us (women). So Dr. Connie Stewart is bringing the word. We got more panel discussions. One specific panel discussion I’m looking forward to will be a group of four ladies, and they will talk about how complete strangers changed the whole trajectory of their lives. It's people who you don't even know who bless you. So we'll be talking about that. I'm just excited to see what God will do this weekend.

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Fancy: It sounds like we’re going to have an awesome time. I’m really looking forward to it. I want to circle back to one question that I had for you. You already expressed that you failed a lot in business, but was there ever a particular time that made you question your faith, and what did you do?

Dr. Nikki: I had a pastor that I did PR for because I was a publicist for a while, and he just didn't pay me. I did a lot of work. I got him on The Word Network and several local locations; he had never had that kind of PR before. Then the check just bounced. I was just like, “God if you got me doing this, why would the pastor bounce a check?” I had to understand they're human like us. You want me to give you grace, give others some grace. At that time, back then, I was mad because I had bills to pay. When you learn better, and you bounce some checks yourself- because I'm very transparent, then you will understand. People go through stuff.

They're humans just like you and me, and now that I'm a co-pastor of a church with my husband, a lot of stuff I see now, I'd be like, “Man, I'm up here judging, but I'm that now.”

That grace comes when you get put in that same position that you saw other people in. Because we always put these pastors so high, and people don’t understand we put our pants on just like you. We make mistakes just like you. I understand we're supposed to have a higher calling, and I get that. But we're still human, and sometimes God will have you fall to keep that thorn on your side to keep you praying. I think for me, that particular time now when I see him, and we're friends now, I'd be so mad at him, like, “You bounced that check, and you knew I needed that money,” but I had to really repent, and ask God to forgive me because I really had a judgment spirit on me.

Fancy: Also, I wanted to know what advice you would give to someone who is trying to get closer to God. 29

Dr. Nikki: Trust the process. With a lot of stuff that I went through with relationships and people, I had to look at myself like, am I the problem? Do you know what I'm saying? What can I do to make relationships better? Even like this last year, I learned that you must meet people where they are. I had to learn how to meet people where they are, even with me. Because for years, I walked with a spirit of offense all my life, and I'm very transparent about it because I didn't trust people. I had a lot of major trust issues. When you have trust issues, you tend to sabotage relationships. For me, Fancy, I had to start looking at myself like, what did I do? How could I have handled that relationship differently? How can I treat people better?

How do I suggest people have a relationship close to God? Look at yourself, do a self-evaluation, and always remember WWJD. Like, “What would Jesus do? Would He say this?

Will He do that? Will He act like that?

Will He say that? Will He wear that?

Even down to the clothes, your shoes, your heels? What is your motive for wearing what you wear? Are you wearing it to get attention? Are you posting to get attention?” Because most people, when they post, it's to get attention. You don't just post to post.

No, we're posting now to do what? Get attention, right? I'm always thinking, WWJD, what would I do if I were in this situation? How can I constantly build a relationship with Him and wait to hear His voice?

To learn more about Dr. Nikki or to connect with her, visit https://theherprenuernetwork.com or follow @drnikkizeigler on Instagram.

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Tami Curry Talks Entrepreneurship, Landing Retail Partnerships, & SelfCare

By Francheska "Fancy" Felder AI’Mat Dream Brand is a hair, skin, and body brand that inspires people to show up as their best magical versions of themselves. The intentional beauty brand is curated by Tami Curry, a Baton Rouge native that resides in Houston, Texas. The former property management professional started the brand when at a crossroads in her life and wondering how to live out her true purpose.

I’Mat Dreams believes self-care should be an investment as opposed to an expense. Within six months of its opening, the brand landed a partnership with Walmart.com, and they have been moving ever since. They were also the proud title sponsors of SwagHer Magazine’s Black Women Made Whole wellness event this year.

you're interested in, you're going to have those moments, those up and down moments. It's just always important to take some time for yourself and to reset.

Tami and I sat down on two occasions to discuss business, growth, life, and self-care. Here’s a montage of our conversation below.

Fancy: Right. What did you do before opening your business? Were there any skills that you took away from that and now utilize with I’Mat?

Tami on Getting Started Fancy: So, what was it like getting started?

Tami: So, in business, you have those moments, you're up, you're down. In the beginning, of course, it still is now, but in the beginning, it was very exciting and exhilarating. I remember spending 72 hours, like multiple times straight up, just creating and researching the brand and what I wanted it to look like and determining how I wanted us to show up in retail in the world. So it was very tough. As I said, having four children and being a single mom makes it even more challenging. But I love it. I'm very passionate about my brand, so it's very much worth it. I would tell anybody who's interested in curating, whether it's in business, whether in beauty or whatever industry that

Tami: Yes. I come from the property management industry, so I resigned from property management about three and a half years ago. Since then, I've been a fulltime entrepreneur. Utilizing my property management background definitely helped me transfer those skills over in terms of marketing, in terms of managing teams and multiple properties and assets, and things of that nature.

Also being able to show up in terms of customer service and being in the field with the people and engaging with them, solving their problems, and offering solutions to them are also useful skills that I possess.

Towards the last part of my career in property management, I worked in a corporate office because I've always wanted to work in a corporate office. I'm like, I'm going to work in a corporate office one day. I just was so focused on it. It was really mostly to prove a point like, “Hey, I deserve to be here just like anyone else.” While getting there, I was able to work in marketing, accounting, and acquisitions- just pretty much everywhere in the corporate field and also being a trainer. Being exposed to those things was essential. I was able to transfer all of that knowledge into I’Mat Dream Brand.

The Walmart.com Partnership Fancy: You now have a partnership with Walmart.com.

Congratulations on that. How did that come about?

Tami: Well, it's a very long-winded, loaded response, so I have these bullet points of what I did and what I suggest for the essence of time's sake. The first thing is whether you want to brand partner with Walmart or whatever retailer, have an abundance mindset and an attitude of gratitude. A positive mindset gives you that clarity and vision that you need to curate whatever you want to curate and be able to receive additional resources and information to pivot the brand if need be. Do you know what I'm saying?

The second thing I would say to do is to research where you want to show up in the industry, what it is that you're offering, and who you are offering it to. One thing about retail, specifically with Walmart.com, you must have a tangible item or a product that is not customizable. The reason why they want it to be non-customizable is in case you get an influx of orders. They're not going to be waiting on you to sit there and customize any products. One thing about Walmart, and I say it all the time, you can get 50 orders a day. They want each order out that same day.

They don't play when it comes to that. I love that about that partnership, and it definitely holds me accountable as well to make sure everybody's getting their products in time.

Once you figure out what tangible product you want to do, make sure you register your products. If you want to get on the shelf, if you want to sell online, whatever your goal is to do- you want to make sure you register your product and brand and have your brand legally set up. The structure needs to be set up legally, and it needs to be at least a corporation or LLC. It cannot be a sole proprietorship or anything like that. You want to make sure you have that set up correctly as well with the state and city, your local ordinances. Once you do that, insure your products. Not sure if I mentioned that just yet, but just insure your products and make sure whatever policy you have on your brand, that your products are underneath that policy as well.

There's a website you'll actually go to and register for your UPC codes and your barcodes. So you would go to gs1.org. Having more than one product is actually even better because retailers want more stuff that they'll be able to offer to their customers as well.

Once you do all of that and you have all your legal documents in place, you upload them. You complete the application process, of course, and you upload it to the dashboard so they can review and see what it is that you're offering. They will do research, like a background on your company, to make sure everything is legally set up properly. Actually, my approval didn't take very long at all.

Once you are approved, you can upload all your products and stuff like that. It’s very exciting. I love it.

Tami on Business Growth Fancy: So what else is new with I’Mat Dream Brand?

Tami: I love that question. We've been meeting our marks in terms of engagement and our online presence, and that was one of our goals for this year. It’s been great to see those numbers increase on our social media platforms. We decided to leverage our press to extend our reach kind of.

Being here on your platform also helps us to extend our reach because beauty is everywhere. As I said, our goal and our mission are to let people know that it is okay to have certain struggles that we struggle with. Sometimes when we lean into them, it just comes out more beautiful on the other side.

We put our focus on humanizing our brand. We've been doing research and development on different innovative ways that we could implement to further the business’s growth and its messaging, increasing our marketing efforts and things of that nature. Of course, again, to reach wider audiences. That is something that we've been strategically doing and just really looking for different ways to grow the business and looking at competition and things that are out there. We’re also taking feedback and just kind of testing. Being out there in the field, putting our ears to the ground, and just figuring out what's going on, what the people need, what they want, what is it that they're missing, and how can we solve those problems? That's pretty much what we've been focused on.

Fancy: What tips can you share for businesses that are considering scaling their business?

Tami: I would say for businesses who are considering scaling and for individuals who are looking to go into business and entrepreneurship, just have a clear vision about what it is that you want your brand to look like.

What's the messaging? Just have a clear vision. We will be rolling out different training programs, e-courses, and ebooks. We're actually developing a mentorship program right now. Everything that we're doing, of course, is just to pay it forward. That's always been my bottom line- to pay it forward. That's why we do what we do. We are trying to find other ways to do that and get that reach out there, so we can have that increased brand awareness as well.

Tami on Self-Care Fancy: It sounds like you are doing a lot.

Tami: I do a lot. Did you see that video I posted the other day? My sister asked me, how do you do it all? I don’t know how, but I am doing it. On days when it's hard, I acknowledge, “Hey, I'm having a tough day. This is tough.” I may just take a nap today. I don't want to do anything else but unplug. It's really just, again, about leaning in and just being transparent and honest with myself on days where it's hard, and I just can't push through it. Just finding ways to reset and sharing that information and knowledge will come in the ebooks and the trainings and things like that.

Connect with Tami and I’Mat Dream Brand below.

Website: https://www.imatdream.com Instagram: @imatdreambrand | @imatdreamgirlbrand

Unpack Your Bags Many of us would rather dig through someone’s phone, social media, or somebody else’s bags instead of digging inside ourselves.

By Shay Cole Before every trip, we plan our outfits, shoes, accessories, make-up, and even activities. We know what we want to do and where we want to go. We research how much it costs and plan to add it to our budget, whether we can afford it. When it’s time to travel, we feel like we are prepared with everything we need. A lot of times, we take more than we ever need simply because it is so easy to overpack for a trip, especially when there are planned themes and activities to pack for.

Traveling through life is no different. We make plans for our futures when we are just barely getting over being afraid of the dark.

Adults constantly ask children, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” They expect a realistic answer from a child when they are still confused about the same decision. We pack our lives full of people, places, and things in an effort to prepare for what may come.

Each of us travels through life, reaching various milestones, learning valuable lessons, gaining noteworthy experiences, and constantly moving toward an intentional goal.

We gather tips and tricks that allow us to pack more into our bags as we travel along the way. We learn to roll our clothes instead of folding them to have room for more

clothes to fit. We combine accessories with shoes to save space for our make-up. We adapt and accommodate so that we don’t have to leave anything behind.

However, throughout our travels, we not only gain, but we also lose. We gain people, and we lose people; we gain things, and we lose things; sometimes, we gain more of ourselves, but most times, we lose ourselves. During the process, we often try to hold on to things that we need to let go of, and we take things for granted when we are blessed with them. We avoid the truth of our situations because the lie feels better.

Nevertheless, we keep going.

truth of our situations because the lie feels better. Nevertheless, we keep going.

Every time we return from an expedition, we notice something different. Sometimes about ourselves and sometimes about others. We tend to pay more attention to the changes we notice in others more than ourselves, though. We allow ourselves to be last on the list of things we pay attention to. Most of the time, that’s because we are used to it. We are used to ignoring ourselves and giving our full attention to everyone and everything else.

Many of us would rather dig through someone’s phone, social media, or somebody else’s bags instead of digging inside ourselves.

Our travels through the trenches teach us endurance. Our vacations to paradise teach us appreciation. Our journey through adolescence to adulthood teaches us adaptation. Every trip we take on the voyage of life adds weight to our bags. As we learn and grow, we have to know what to keep packed and what to leave at our destinations.

We have to discern between what is beneficial to us and what is blocking us from our full potential. Every so often, we have to look at our itinerary and ensure that we are on schedule.

Our bags sometimes get heavy with pain, hurt, humiliation, depression, anxiety, frustration, etc. We can decrease the weight of our bags, or we can pay extra to lug them around. No one knows what we are carrying in our bags. No one knows how what is in our bags affects us. No one knows how to make our bags lighter for us.

For these reasons, we must dig through the bags and put away our things.

Many of us hold onto things and carry them around because we don’t want to deal with them. We often have the propensity to weigh ourselves down with it rather than unpack it. Unpacking sounds difficult because sometimes it signifies that the trip has ended and you have to return to reality.

When you look at it as if you’re cleaning out your bags from the last trip in order to prepare for the next one, it tends to relieve some of that pressure. Unpacking is a necessary part of traveling. When we go away for a week or longer, we have to unpack to settle into the vacant space.

Unpacking in that situation doesn’t lend to a pejorative reaction. It actually excites us because we are thinking about all the great things that will happen on the trip. Funny how perception drastically changes things.

When you dig through your bags and take out what you don’t need, it frees up space.

When you dig through your life and take out the things that you don’t need, it frees up peace. Just let that sit for a minute. Many of us would rather dig through someone’s phone, social media, or somebody else’s bags instead of digging inside ourselves.

Now, everybody wants to talk about protecting peace, but they don’t tell you how they reached the place of peace in the first place. Peace is often acquired after pain. It is often the aftermath of proper unpacking, including putting your things away and throwing them away.

Traveling is so much fun and creates so many memories. To be honest, that’s the best part! However, it’s not the only part.

We have to plan, pack, travel, unpack, and reset for every trip we take.

So my question to you is, would you rather pay extra for heavy bags full of things you don’t need or lighten your load?

CORA JAKES: KEEP WATCHING

By Francheska "fancy" Felder When we talk about modern women of faith or Black Christian businesswomen who are doing God’s work, it’s impossible not to mention Cora Jakes. The eldest daughter of the mega-preacher and New York Times best-selling author Bishop T. D. and First Lady Serita Jakes is a modest, but to-the-point powerhouse in her own right.

Ever trailblaizing, the life coach, celebrity spiritual advisor, ministerial director, and mother of two is redefining what it means to be a woman of strength. She is the author of books Faithing It: Bringing Purpose Back to Your Life and Ferocious Warrior: Dismantle Your Enemy and Rise.

Last year, Cora announced her divorce from her husband of twelve years, R. Brandon Coleman, and it caused quite a stir over the internet. Consequently, the woman of God went on hiatus, but now she’s back! Cora no longer identifies as a pastor, but she continues her ministry through life-coaching. She is also the director of the children’s ministry at The Potter’s House Church of Dallas, Texas.

It was an honor sitting down with her to discuss motherhood, faith, and her work as a life coach.

Fancy: In your own words, who is Coach Cora, and what do you do?

Cora: Well, just call me Cora. I am here to spread joy and faith and help people get through their trauma and become triumphant in it. I have mentored and, for a long while, brought healing to people

who have experienced sexual abuse. I have brought healing and reconciliation to those who have had bad marriages. I was a health coach, so I helped people hydrate, lose weight, choose better health, live better, and mind their business during this season. I am a mother at heart. I am a friend, a big sister, and honestly, just trying to be a light [in places] where there is so much darkness.

Fancy: I love that because I always say, "I'm a light," so I can relate to you there. But what made you decide to pivot from health coaching to life coaching?

Cora: Well, I was doing life coaching early on, so I actually pivoted from life coaching to health coaching, back to life coaching. I enjoyed the one-on-one and personal connection that I could have with my mentees. Health coaching was very programmatic.

In life coaching, I get to walk with you, fight with you, pray with you, be personally connected to the chaos in your life. I help you learn how to control yourself and your emotions while in the midst of the chaos. I enjoy that.

Fancy: Life coaching would allow you to help even more because a lot of those barriers may be impacting health as well.

That makes a lot of sense…So I'm curious to know–being the daughter of legendary, worldrenowned Bishop T.D. Jakes, did you feel any pressure to go into a Christian business or a livelihood where you were helping people? Did you ever feel obligated to do

that, or is that something that just came naturally to you?

Cora: It has come naturally to me since I was a little girl. Literally, at my five-year-old kindergarten graduation, I said I would be a preacher just like my dad. I dedicated my life to studying him, his rhythm and just admiring his study, his connection, his anointing. I was wowed that I had that ability to tap into that anointing. Being his daughter, I could replicate and continue his rhythm and hold up the legacy.

Somehow, that was not something I felt pressured into doing. It was an honor. It was something that I wanted to do. I set myself up for it at five years old.

Fancy: Wow, that's really beautiful! Having that type of father figure sounds like an awesome experience. As for your clients, what do you often see as their biggest challenges or the most common challenges you see within those you work with?

Cora: Oh, fear. If you're coming to my table, it is fear. Typically in this season we are not necessarily afraid of failure. But, still, we're afraid of the responsibility that comes with success. God may show us where we're going or give us a snippet of what He would have for us to do. The success of that becomes so scary and overwhelming. If you measure your mantle based on your mess and not your message, then you end up feeling like you are not worthy of where God is calling you to walk. When you come to my table, I give you the map of how to

see the things that try to make you a victim. I give you the map of how to get the victory out of [adversity], and how to find joy in the middle of the storms. I think it's a very good strategy of mine to find out the method of my enemy. I am a secret weapon to my mentees because they'll tell me a story or what they're going through, and I automatically can see what the enemy is trying to do. So I give them a map.

Fancy: I like that. I think it brings me to my next question.

In your book, Faithing It, I remember you saying, “I don't have to be perfect to help you find your purpose." I thought that was such a monumental statement because often, even with my clients, everyone feels like they must have it all together. Usually, we don't need to have it all together. What brought you to that point where you realized you did not have to have it all together?

Cora: I think that moment came when I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, and they hit me with infertility or the inability to produce. This is when it became very easy for me to understand that just because I may not be able to produce in one area doesn't mean that I am not able to produce in others. There is a season for productivity. I felt it was very important for me to figure out how to continue to be fruitful, even though I was in a season that felt fruitless. It was a challenge. It was a challenge to my faith. It was a challenge to my mentality. It was a challenge to my heart. I think I 42

had to really put myself in a position [to motivate myself] to say, “I've got to be productive; I've got to be fruitful.”

Just because I may hurt in a space doesn't take away my power. Just coming off of Resurrection Day, I just tap into that power for a little bit. If we were to wait until we were cleaned up and perfect, then we would never get to the victory that God had for us to begin with. It came through bloody betrayal and denial and hurt and pain. Yet God, still in His sovereignty, showed a Power in Jesus' bloodiness that no one will ever be able to replicate.

That was Him broken, and that was Him bleeding, and that was Him hurting. If His story of being broken and bleeding and hurting for us can heal us and save us, then why can't my story of bleeding and being broken and hurt not save somebody else?

Fancy: As we are discussing faith in this issue, would you say your infertility or inability to produce was the biggest test of your faith?

Cora: Like, if you had asked me maybe four years ago, I'd say yeah. Infertility was the biggest challenge to my faith for sure up until two years ago. The biggest challenge to my faith right now is the sudden divorce due to absolute, surprising trauma and my daughter's shaking both of our worlds. I found myself having to choose between the love of my husband and the love of my daughter. I found myself [having to make the decision] of whom to believe in and whom to help. My

faith was challenged… I can't even really explain the desperation that you go through when you have hit your worst nightmare, and you really need God. There was no other option for me. I have tried other options to get me through other storms, but in this particular storm, there was no other option but Jesus. My faith was not broken, but I questioned my faith. I questioned my steps; I questioned what I ordered and what God ordered.

I think the true challenge to your faith is when you find yourself submitting to God's true will and plan...a plan that you have no control over and cannot see.

Infertility was kind of an unknown thing to me. Absolutely! I really needed to depend on God because I couldn't see the other side of that. Being absolutely blindsided gives you the push and the pressure you need to push toward God in a way you've never done before. Divorce and trauma and twelve years of what I thought was absolute love and amazingness–to crash and burn the way that it did, I'd say now would be my biggest faith fight. I'm still fighting! I'm still pushing! I'm still overcoming and happily healing. It did shake me, and I think I'll be shaken for some time, if not just for me but for my daughter as well.

Fancy: Wow, that was a lot. I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting all that, but I appreciate your transparency. I know a lot has been said about your divorce, and I haven't seen you respond.

How did you keep yourself in such a mental state to

constructively deal with people or choose to ignore them?

Cora: Right now, I do not have the luxury to entertain anything outside of what's going on with my family.

It is very easy for me to ignore outside noise. Outside noise will never be able to silence my home.

The only thing that will silence my home and stabilize my children and stabilize me is for me to focus on my children. People will say things about me for as long as I live. Some things will be true; some will not. I have no control over that. I have to focus on my kids. I would do a disservice to my daughter and to my son to allow people that do not know us–that do not understand and could never fathom what we're going through– to be a dictator in the direction that I'm going to walk in.

I can't do that. I wish I had the time that people think I have to separate myself from focusing on my children, healing them, and healing us, but I simply don't. I don't have the time to get distracted by nonsense. The Lord has really been telling me to tell people to just keep watching.

People have been bashing me, sending [negative] messages. I just say, keep watching because at the end of the day, all will be seen.

Just keep watching. Crucified, all we could do was keep watching.

Just keep watching.

Fancy: I want to circle back to faith. You mentioned looking forward to motherhood since you were five or so. What was it that attracted you so much to motherhood? You knew you 43

anted children at an early age, and I thought that was different. Many people are still trying to find their way, but that was a goal for you.

Cora: Yes, absolutely. Well, a few things: The first thing is, at ten years old, the Lord gave me a dream of being a mother to a son I would birth, and his name would be Nehemiah. From age ten until now, I have been waiting on that promise, fighting for that promise, working towards that promise. That's the first thing. The second thing is I had an amazing mom. My Mommy Bear is top quality motherhood. Like, I don't know a nurturer better than her. I don't know a hug better than hers. I don't know a word of encouragement [like hers]. Her voice would calm the worst storms in my life. I look at her in awe.

My sister became a mom very early and knocked it out of the park. She graduated high school first in her class with like a 4.0 GPA. I had amazing examples around me and I wanted to be like my mom. I wanted to be like my sister.

The third reason is I wanted to experience God the Creator. I believe that there is a special, unique connection that a woman has and gets with God when she births from her body. I believe that there is an Elohim encounter that happens from woman to God, from womb to the hand of God, and I'm intrigued by that connection. I'm intrigued by God the Creator in me, not just through me. Those are the three reasons why I really ran after motherhood. I always felt like I would have to birth in order to be a mother,

but I don't know that I would love my kids anymore than I do now had I birthed them myself. Like I would rip a bear's head off over my kids. Like, easy.

you're feeding that particular deficit, then you go to the next one and the next one. Your faith is built as you are building a strategy for what you're going through.

Fancy: For those who are trying to strengthen their faith, what advice or suggestions would you give them?

Fancy: This makes sense to me, especially as I get closer to God… So what’s next for Cora?

Cora: Get into your Word. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God. Simple, right? Really you want to get into your Word from a perspective of what you need and not just [over the fact] that you're just studying. What I mean by that is a lot of times, we will read the Word for just knowledge and understanding, and all the while we'll be going through anxiety, pain, depression.

We'll be going through needing wisdom. We don't use the Bible strategically to help us get through those things we're going through in our lives. When I read the Word, I go to the Word for what I need strategy for. It feeds the deficit and gets my attention.

Cora: Well, I am definitely writing another book. A lot of people know me. My ministry is prayer, so many people have been asking for me to do a prayer book…just a book of prayers. Though the books I've written have prayers that I've written in them, the book I'm working on now will be the prayers I have been using to get through

this current trauma and other traumas that I have uncovered and faced in my life. I will also be coming out with a new and improved Call Me Cora podcast. I'll be looking to do that sometime around my July 19th birthday.

Those are the two projects I am working on right now. I'm starting to minister again and get my feet out there. So we're going to rock the boat and go where God says Connect with Cora at callmecora.com or on Instagram at @officialcallmecora.

You are getting into the Word and want to build your faith about what you believe God can do for you. I pray on the level of my faith based on what I believe he can do for me and what I've seen Him do for others. If you're reading it, but it's not applicable to you, it's not relatable to you. It's boring. You're probably falling asleep every time you pick up the Bible because you're not picking it up for a strategy for your storm. You're picking it up just to read a story.

You need to pick the Word up for a strategy for your storm. Once 45

DON'T WAIT FOR AN OPPORTUNITY BUT CREATE IT!

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INFLUENCER

5 THINGS I’VE LEARNED AS I’M AGING Want to know five things I’ve learned as I’m aging?

As I get older, I see the wisdom that comes along with the process. Some things you just simply know better or not to do. No one in their right mind continues to fall down the same rabbit hole, meaning you avoid similar traps. But there are other things I am starting to realize as well.

These thoughts prove to be solid with some objections and possibly even exceptions, but they hold true for me.

Your body is your temple. If you take care of it, it will take care of you for a little while longer.

I do not know about you all, but I now feel subtle signs of aging more frequently, and my body lets me know it’s not the same body I had in my twenties. I remember when I used to try to learn pole tricks, and the pole would leave bruises all over my body. I cannot imagine the bruising and soreness at this age. I can barely imagine the jumping, but I do jumping jacks and burpees now, so I guess….

Hair really does grow everywhere.

I’m too much of a girly girl to say where all I have seen hair, and I do not need you all looking, but let’s just say this is true.

Unless your parents are well off, they will need your assistance.

I do not know what world I used to live in where I just knew I would be far away from my mama in my thirties, but that world no longer exists. My mama and teenage brother have lived with me for over two years now. It’s not easy being a caregiver on top of a parent and small business owner in this economy, but God provides, and we do what we can.

Love looks less romantic and more like a business transaction.

First, let me say. Business transactions are sexy too, and by no means am I promoting prostitution, but what I am saying is that I realize it is better to be strategic when choosing a partner. I realize people are spiritual beings, and who knows what spirit they may have on them? You have to be mindful of who you are doing business with. It’s also important to be honest about what you offer, what you expect, and who you are.

You realize it really does not matter what people say.

I have not met an individual, outside of guys I have dated, that wanted to pay my bills. So with that being said, I realize most things are none of people’s business. Now that thought process also makes it a little harder for me to share things on social media. So I often ask myself a journalism question, does this information benefit my public? If it does, then I’ll go on and share, but if not, then I do not share it. No need to give people a reason to share their unwanted opinion on matters that do not concern them.

By: FRANCHESKA "FANCY" FELDER

So these are five of the things I have realized to be true, but as I have been writing, I think I will share some more later.

I must admit even with this knowledge, aging is scary. It leads us closer to the inevitable, and that is still something I am coming to grips with. However, there is also beauty in aging, and I think we need to discuss it more so it becomes less scary- not just for us, but for future generations too.

I remember a conversation I had with my oldest daughter when she said she would rather die in her twenties than get old because getting old seemed so challenging. This was not too long ago, and I was still in my thirties, but I understood where she was coming from.

No one I know has ever made aging look appealing. I will not say “good” because we, as Black people, do look good for our ages, but no one ever talked about the mental and emotional challenges that take place or the adapted thought processes.

I also learned about boundaries and realized that I used to overshare. I apologize to anyone I’ve ever done that to.

I also realized not everyone was worthy of knowing me and my story. Plus, we are all dealing with a lot, why burden others with things that often do not matter a week from today? Furthermore, at the end of the day, I am a thirty-eight-year-old Black woman; making decisions can be difficult, but I do this.

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AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT Angela Allen Johnson

By Francheska "Fancy" Felder

Angela Allen Johnson is the CEO/Founder of The Angela Johnson Group. She is affectionately known as #TheMother #TheMinister #TheMogul due to the many hats she wears and how she was called to minister to others.

Having been married to a marine for eight years. Angela has traveled as far west as Honolulu and as far east as Charleston, South Carolina. She was licensed into ministry in Charleston and later ordained when the marriage ended in 1988. It was then, later in 2000 that she started her evangelistic outreach ministry. Believing that her job in the body of Christ was to help mature its members, she hosted what was called then “Sons and Daughters.” Later, God would call Angela to the office of a prophet.

True to her nickname, Angela is quite the business mogul, as she is an author, life coach, and notary. Get more familiar with the woman of God below.

Fancy: You sought to be an entrepreneur upon retiring from a career in childhood education. What inspired this decision, and was it difficult to get started?

Angela: When I wrote my second book, When Destiny and Purpose Kiss Destiny is Born, I was on a news broadcast. The caption under my name read: #TheMother #TheMinister #TheMogul. That statement was very fitting for me. I raised my children, VaShaun Mosby (41) and Dwanae Johnson (40), and while raising them, I was called into ministry. After retiring from Early Childhood Education, I pursued my business, The Angela Johnson Group LCC, full-time.

Fancy: You sought to be an entrepreneur upon retiring from a career in childhood education.

What inspired this decision, and was it difficult to get started?

Angela: Becoming an entrepreneur was in my blood. My father was a business owner when I was a child. He owned a laundry mat; several apartments, and he had excellent money management skills, which was a tremendous help for me and the businesses that I have. I have been in business for many years. I started off by opening a family home daycare to teach my youngest daughter. Later I published a "how to" manuel to" help others follow that pattern. Later, I started an evangelistic outreach in my community. Its focus was, and still is, women in ministry.

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Fancy: What was it that attracted you to life coaching?

Angela: I have counseled many through my years in ministry, so I decided to create a life coaching business. I coach in the areas of exploring your purpose and parenting. I have a signature program, "From Diapers to Degrees." I am a writing coach for those interested in writing, and I am also a mobile notary in my area and a public speaker.

Fancy: What problem do you typically see most among your clients?

Angela: The problem I see with my clients typically is what to do as empty nesters. They are searching for a new direction once their children are launched, and they may be getting close to retirement. I help people get back to their unexplored dreams and desires and possibly make money while doing it.

Fancy: What writing?

sparked

your

interest

in

Angela: My book, Journey Therapy for Relationships, is a self-exploration of what to do when you are single, engaged, married to being divorced, and single again. The journal helps you ask yourself the hard questions and gain insight into who you really are and what you really want in a partner. It can be completed as a group, as a couple, or by yourself.

Fancy: Are you working on any new books?

Angela: My new book just came out this year. I am focusing my attention on a journal to go with that piece to be done by different groups and organizations. Forgiveness is the gift that you give to yourself.

Fancy: Where can readers connect with you?

Angela: If readers are looking to connect with me, they can do so through my website: http://www.theallenjohnsongroup.com Facebook: Angela Allen Johnson Email: aaljohn5@yahoo.ocm I’m also on Linkedin and Instagram.

Angela: I have been an avid reader since my childhood. I received my love of reading from my mother. My parents provided many types of books and literature in our home. I was shy and found great solace in books and poetry. In 2009, my mother was dying of Alzheimer-related disease, and my youngest daughter was in the Iraq war. My mother was the keeper of stories, and I had to ensure they were handed down to my children and grandchildren correctly.

Fancy: That’s really beautiful. So tell us about your latest book, The Healing Power of Forgiveness.

Angela: The Healing Power of Forgiveness was written during Covid 19 to address the areas where many get stuck. I did some serious soulsearching and came up with this very raw and transparent look at my journey of forgiveness and how it changed my life.

Fancy: You also have a journal. Tell us a little about that.

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