There were a select group of deacons who would stand in unison and exit the church as soon as I would start to read scripture.
Questions about Yolanda and her purpose
FWM: Introduce yourself to our audience.
YP: I’m the owner of Yolanda’s Coaching Academy, a life coaching training and empowerment business. Also, I am the founder of Empower H.E.R, a Women Empowerment program that helps women recognize and embrace a purpose-driven life.
FWM: What circumstances led you to your industry?
YP: The circumstance that led me to the empowerment and coaching industry was the death of my son ten years ago. After my son’s death, coaching helped me to focus and release a “new normal” surrounding the loss.
FWM: How did you decide to make it your own?
YP: I decided to make it my own by starting my own empowerment and coaching academy to help others recognize setting goals as a powerful healing practice.
FWM: What has been your greatest challenge in your industry?
YP: The greatest challenge initially was learning how to integrate (with confidence) pastoral care, women empowerment and spiritual coaching as a business .
Why? I was working from an Old Business Paradigm vs. a New Business Paradigm. Practicing faith in your personal life does not necessarily mean you will use it in your business.
About the people involved in her evolution
FWM: Who else has helped you evolve into the person you are today?
YP: My grandmother and spiritual mentor played a key role in helping me navigate and embrace the woman of faith I have become. As a child, I experienced domestic violence in the home and sexual abuse. My grandmother and spiritual mentor helped me cope with the trauma.
I remember being 10 years old battling low self-esteem coming home crying, not feeling pretty enough and having been teased for having darker skin. Then, I thought not being pretty enough had something to do with the abuse I was experiencing. I was too young to understand that abuse can leave a child feeling unworthy and unlovable. However, that was the day my grandmother began to teach me about the love of God.
She reassured me that God knows the truth about what happened to me and that one day I would be able to understand that what happen to me was not who I am. At ten years old I learned I could not change the terrible things that happened to me. But with the help of these two powerful women in my life, I discovered black women have and always will persevere in the face of adversity.
FWM: Can you share a time that forces were working against you? How did you overcome the challenge?
YP: Upon entering ministry over 29 years ago I was shunned and rejected for preaching the gospel of Christ because I was a woman. I can recall particular incidents early in ministry that occurred every time I would enter the pulpit to preach the gospel. There were a select group of deacons who would stand in unison and exit the church as soon as I would start to read scripture. This incident continued for about a year.
In my opinion, this was a sabotaging force trying to prevent me from stepping into divine purpose. I overcame this rejection by redirecting my focus to God’s will for my life and not people. Being rejected was a painful experience yet it was necessary to access the next level of spiritual empowerment.
Insight into her expertise
FWM: What sets you apart and makes you/ your gift truly special?
YP: What set me apart is I actively show up, listen and empower intuitively. Being present in the moment is a gift in itself. To be empowered, you must be present..
FWM: How can others work with you?
YP: Others can learn how to work with me by going to my website; www.yolandascoachingacademy.com
