We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nishia Slater a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Nishia , appreciate you joining us today. Any thoughts about whether to ask friends and family to support your business. What’s okay in your view?

When I launched my Coaching business in 2020, I knew the support from my friends and family was not going to be as supportive as I would like.

At first, I didn’t know how to take it because I thought they would be proud of me. I knew that things would take off running for me because I could rely and depend on them. News flash! As I started healing within my Coaching business, I learned that friends and family may not support me because they don’t know how and they might not be as proud of me as I would like. My smile became bigger because I learned how to not take it personal.

Since the start of my business I have written a couple of books. That’s when I assumed my friends and family would support me even more. When I started my pre-orders, I did not have many friends to purchase my book and only one family member purchased my book. I was not too surprised considering they did not support my business when I first launched it.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

As a woman who has been violated on so many levels, a teen mom (14), a high school dropout, and who worked just enough to provide for my baby, I knew I had to be the change my community needs to see.

Growing up, I didn’t have stability, structure, and my self-esteem was an all time low. The only thing that was constant in my life was hurt, pain, failure, and confusion. I didn’t have a plan or anyone who poured into me. As a child growing up with 6 siblings and other family members in my home, majority of the time, I felt alone, lost and scared. I was abandoned by my father at the early age of 2 and he never showed up in my life, as of yet. I longed to have a relationship with him, especially because I had no clue about boys, dating, marriage, or anything in that area.

I watched my mother endure so much that she is one of the strongest women I know besides myself.

As I got older there were things that I had questions for, but I didn’t have anyone to answer them, because I was silent majority of my life. I didn’t trust too many people and I didn’t have people in my life that I can rely and depend on. When I started developing, it felt like it happened overnight and I didn’t have anyone to help me through that. When I thought I was ready to date, I ended up pregnant at 14 and I didn’t have a clue about having a child or taking care of one. I have endured so many failed relationships, even a marriage that I knew was a destruction. I always felt my life was coming to an end because I didn’t see any way out of my situation and it felt like I was going in non-stop circles.

I wanted change so bad that on May 11, 2011 I gave away all my belongings in my apartment and packed my family into a 4 door car and drove from Wisconsin to Arizona using a printout of MapQuest on a paper. I didn’t have enough money to afford a hotel, so we slept in the vehicle at rest stops and used the restroom there. We left on a Thursday and arrived on a Saturday. I was determined to provide for my children and give them the afford them the best life that I could. Only to sleep on an unfurnished apartment with a vehicle that was broken down, but still drivable, locally.

In 2017 I said enough is enough and I wanted to completely change my life for the best. I started with my lifestyle, then my mindset, which in turn has shaped my current and future. In 2019 I focused on healing myself from all the trauma that I have went through and it was the best decision ever, shortly after, I launched my Coaching/Consulting business. I started my business because I want to help women break through their generational trauma. I knew if I can help myself that I would be able to help other women. I received my Life Coaching certification and it has helped me to feel confident and qualified to help other women.

I create workshops, self-love challenges, beta coaching groups, curriculum to help women overcome their generational trauma. We focus on identifying their pain points, forgiveness of ourselves and others, self-love, self-care, sustainability, adapting to change, self-identification, setting boundaries, overcoming self-limiting beliefs, and so much more!

What sets me apart from other Coaches is the fact that I became my first client and I transformed my life into the woman I am today. I am proud of my resilience and how disciplined I am. The life I live now is not one I have ever imagined. It feels phenomenal to know that I am living life and I have found my purpose and it doesn’t come with a price tag.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I launched my Coaching/Consulting business in the beginning of a pandemic. I had to learn how to meet women where they are, which was a well learned lesson. I had to learn how to relate to them on so many levels. I initially wanted my curriculum to be in the community, provide workshops and trainings, but things closed up, due to the pandemic. I had to make changes and with the changes, my business slowed down and was heavily impacted.

There wasn’t anything I could do, so I decided to heal within my business and share my personal journey with the public. This was new for me, but I knew if I wanted to build relationships, I had to be known, liked, and trusted. The relationships that I have built by going public with my healing journey is priceless. Giving up was not an option for me, so I learned how to not quit, especially on myself and keep living my life on purpose.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn that everyone is is my target audience. I thought since I am a woman and I transformed my life that all women wanted to change their lives and heal. It didn’t dawn onto me until I hired a Coach for my business. When I was asked who my target audience was, I said every woman.

She told me that it can’t be every woman and I had a confused look on my face. I had to narrow down on the women I wanted to serve and it was challenging because I thought I could save the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.linktree.com/coachnishiat
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/coachnishiat
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachNishaT

Image Credits
Red E Fit Photography Johnnie Carson Photography

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