Today we’d like to introduce you to Symone Bridges.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?

My name is Symone Bridges. I am 33 years old. I am a Chicago native. I am the eldest of three children. My father is a Pastor, and my mom. I am a proud Black Millennial and a proud Woman of Faith. I can’t do life without God on my side. I would like to call myself a nerd because I am a life learning and everyday is another opportunity to learn something new. Ever since I was a young girl, I knew that I was different. I dreamed different, I moved different, and I was the oddball in most of every environment that I was in. I was bullied growing up because people did take my kindness for weakness. There was a lot of pain that I dealt with….a lot of rejection, abandonment, refusal to include me in certain activities because I was different. However, these occurrences were preparation for the work that God would eventually call me into. The rejection taught me not to wait for anyone to invite me to the table, but to use my God-given abilities to build my own table. The impact of the conferences, workshops, courses, among other initiatives that I was blessed to launch is a testament of resilience, creativity/innovation, and the ability to lead while creating spaces not just for me, but for underdogs just like me.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

It has NOT been a smooth road. I dealt with a lot of trauma along the journey that heavily affected my mental health. Trauma weakens your ability to see yourself the way God would intend for you to see yourself. I struggled with seeing my self-worth, and I dealt with a lot of insecurities and low self-esteem from broken relationships. As a victim of sexual assault, I did not value my body, and I did not feel worthy of true love. I struggled with not receiving the love that I freely gave to others. There were a lot of people who wanted me around because of my gift….not because I was a decent human being. There were a lot of people that wanted me around me because I was their biggest cheerleader…but they never came to cheer me on. I sought validation through people, not knowing that I was enough. I think that the final struggle I dealt could be summed up by the following statement: People want to see you do well….just not as well as them. I was disappointed at the many people who saw me as competition, but never an asset. Part of the reason why I struggled with my self-worth was because there were influential people that either I worked with or desired to work with that saw my humility, my resume, my impact…..and yet….they minimized my value….when all I wanted to do was help. All of these struggles happened within the last 8 years…and over the last year or so…..I committed to processing these things that happened….I had to choose forgiveness when revenge was on my agenda….I had to choose unconditional love when I was so close to proving my point through the receipts……I had to choose healing and freedom even when I found pleasure being bound by bitterness…..Struggles happened….it’s just all about how you handle them and find the resolve in those matters.

We’ve been impressed with The Emergence Enterprises, LLC. , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

The Emergence Enterprises, LLC. is a Faith-based company in Chicago, IL that focuses on providing leadership development & training, along with executive coaching, and special events & initiatives for leaders of Faith. When you hear the phrase, “Leaders of Faith”, it is not restricted to leaders of faith within the four walls of a church building. You have leaders of faith who serve in Fortune 500 companies. You have leaders of faith who serve in nonprofit organizations. You even have leaders of faith who took the leap of faith and are now entrepreneurs. What sets The Emergence Enterprises, LLC. apart from others is this simple stance: Leaders need God and a strong strategy to strengthen their skills, expand their influence, and maximize their impact. Leadership is not just an art and a science, but it is a spiritual journey and commitment to push vision and to effectively impart into others fundamentals and wisdom that will positively change communities, cultures, and societies. I am so proud of the fact that The Emergence Enteprises, LLC. has gained an international presence in places like Norway, Ghana, Bulgaria, Indonesia, and South Africa. I believe by Faith that The Emergence Enterprises, LLC. will be a multi-million dollar international brand that will bring hope, healing, direction, and rejuvenation for our leaders in this time of uncertainty. The services that The Emergence Enterprises, LLC. offers includes 1:1 executive coaching services (3-Month, 6-Month, & 12-Month commitments), our signature 8-week Lead2Win Summer Cohort Program, and leadership consulting. I also offer leadership development program-design & implementation, which is a service that I offer on a corporate level to companies who desire to enhance their strategies, system, and processes needed to effectively train and empower leaders within their organizational spaces. Finally, I offer to do leadership retreats, workshops, seminars, and speaking engagements.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?

Here are the following lessons that I learned due to the COVID19 Crisis?

1. Rest is a necessity
2. Creativity & Innovation are often birthed through the most chaotic of times.
3. Cherish life.
4. Choose YOU.
5. “No” is a complete sentence.
6. Laugh. Life is not always that serious.
7. Doing life with wisdom makes all the difference in the world.
8. Philippian 4:8
9. There is a danger in not knowing certain things. Be informed.
10. Hellman’s Mayo is better than Miracle Whip (yes, I chose violence.)
11. Know when you have outgrown people, places, and things.
12. When they close one door in your face, God has a tendency in opening 10 more on your behalf,

Pricing:

• 1:1 Executive Coaching (3-Months)-$5,000
• 1:1 Executive Coaching (6-Months)-$9,699
• 1:1 Executive Coaching (12-Months)-$13,000
• Lead2Win Summer Cohort Program (up to 10 Leaders)-$2400 per person
• Leadership Development Program (Design + Implementation)-$75,000+

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.emergenceentprises.com
• Instagram: theemergenceenterprisesllc
• Facebook: The Emergence Enteprises, LLC.

Image Credits

SJ Photography