We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emma Poin Du Jour a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Emma, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Success starts with cultivating the right mindset, which requires intentionally investing in our mental growth and staying away and protecting ourselves against limiting beliefs and negativity. It’s a process that can take months or years to develop, so there’s no need to rush it. Plus, we need that time to teach ourselves to develop a bounce-back attitude and build our resilience to challenge and opposition so we don’t fall into a constant pity party pattern.

When I suddenly became a single mom, I wasn’t working, so I was in a dark place mentally. The way I got myself out of this pit was to stop all the negative self-talk about my situation and stay away from people who wanted to have a pity party with me. But that still wasn’t enough. I had to feed my mindset with new beliefs and new approaches to life. You cannot have one without the other.

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.

Originally from Haiti, I moved to the U.S. at 24 years old. It was a cultural shock! It wasn’t the language but the fast-paced lifestyle we have in America compared to the laid-back life I was accustomed to. I soon realized it was either adapt or get run over.

One of my pivotal moments came during a difficult divorce while being a mom to a 2-month-old baby. I realized that I wasn’t living life the way I could be, and if I didn’t change, I was also setting up my son for failure. So I went back to school to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Communications. While on that journey, I started being more intentional about my personal development with the help of the courses I was taking, self-help books and podcasts, and allowing my newfound knowledge to change my mindset. I went from a settling mentality to the badass woman I am today. The interesting part is my mindset and approach to life changed long before my circumstances did. That’s why I said it’s a journey. We must allow the seeds to bring fruits. We must become a new person before we can experience a quantum leap.

When someone joins my community by subscribing to my newsletter or YouTube channel, they get practical, down-to-earth advice they can immediately implement to help them acquire and cultivate a strong mindset. Based on the transformation I have seen in my own life and witnessed in the lives of others, I’m confident in the effectiveness of my approach to weekly mindset tips. Because often, it’s not our circumstances that keep us stuck; it’s our mindset! So with the proper knowledge and daily implementation, anyone can witness this type of positive transformation.

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

The lesson I had to unlearn was that my identity as an immigrant, black single mom with a strong Caribbean accent limited my professional opportunities.

So initially only applied for roles that people with my background pursued. Additionally, any role with growth opportunities, I shied away from because of the stereotype that single moms were unreliable due to their familial responsibilities. But I thank God that my desire to succeed was greater than my negative beliefs at that time. Eventually, I started challenging myself, stepping out of my comfort zone and into areas I previously thought were beyond my reach. Each small victory gave me the confidence to start challenging some of the limited expectations others had of me. It wasn’t a straightforward journey. Often, our loudest naysayer and doubter is our self. But with the proper knowledge and willingness to grow, I turned that little negative voice into my loudest cheerleader.

My journey taught me that our identities and circumstances might shape us, but we don’t have to accept it if we don’t like what we see. We can accomplish more than we or society initially believed we could.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

I maintain an active presence across several social media platforms, adhering to a strict schedule. This approach helps me prevent burnout, ensures I have enough time for essential behind-the-scenes work, and allows me to keep a full-time job.

In addition, I leverage my weekly blog and YouTube channel to share content that resonates with my subscribers. I encourage them to share it with friends and family, inviting more people to join our community. Though growth has been slow, it’s also been steady and organic, proof of the effectiveness of genuine engagement and delivering real value to my audience. This approach helps me discern who my content is for and who it’s not, ensuring a more targeted and engaged community.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.emmapoindujour.com/
• Instagram: @emmapoindujour
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/poindujouremmanuelle
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EmmaPoindujour

Image Credits
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