Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nishia T. Slater. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Nishia T., thanks for joining us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

The honest answer is yes. I am happier as a business owner, but that doesn’t mean it is always easy.
There have been moments when I’ve wondered what it would be like to have a traditional job where a paycheck arrives consistently every two weeks, benefits are provided, and when the workday ends, you can leave work at work. Entrepreneurship often requires carrying the weight of every decision, every client, every marketing effort, and every financial responsibility.
The last time I seriously had that thought was during a season when I was investing heavily into my business but wasn’t seeing immediate results. I had spent countless hours creating programs, building partnerships, networking, speaking at events, and showing up online. From the outside, things looked successful. I had been featured in magazines, interviewed on podcasts, recognized with awards, and invited to speak on stages. But behind the scenes, I was experiencing something many entrepreneurs don’t openly discuss: uncertainty.
I remember sitting at my desk late one evening after reviewing my business finances. I had poured my heart, time, and resources into projects that I believed would make an impact. Yet the return wasn’t matching the effort at that moment. The room was quiet. My laptop was still open. Sticky notes covered my desk with ideas, goals, and plans. Instead of feeling inspired, I felt exhausted.
For a brief moment, I imagined what life would look like if I simply updated my résumé and applied for a corporate position. I thought about having a predictable schedule, knowing exactly what my paycheck would be, and not carrying the responsibility of generating every opportunity myself.
What made that moment difficult wasn’t the workload, it was the uncertainty. Entrepreneurship requires you to believe in something before you have evidence that it will work. It requires faith, resilience, and a willingness to keep moving forward when results are delayed.
As I sat there reflecting, I realized something important. The reason I left survival mode behind was because I wanted freedom, purpose, and impact. Going back to a traditional job wasn’t actually what I wanted. What I wanted was relief from the pressure I was feeling at that moment.
I wasn’t questioning my purpose. I was questioning my exhaustion.
That realization shifted everything.
I reminded myself that the work I do is bigger than me. Through my speaking, consulting, and the R.E.S.E.T. Method. I help leaders and organizations move from burnout to resilience. I help people stop surviving and start living with intention. It would be difficult for me to teach resilience if I wasn’t willing to practice it myself during challenging seasons.
The conclusion I came to was that entrepreneurship isn’t about avoiding hard things; it’s about choosing the hard things that align with your purpose.
A traditional job can be incredibly fulfilling for many people, and I deeply respect those paths. But for me, the opportunity to create, lead, serve, and build something that reflects my mission is worth the uncertainty that sometimes comes with it.
Today, I don’t view those moments of doubt as signs that I’m on the wrong path. I view them as reminders that even resilient people get tired. The key is not avoiding those moments, it’s learning how to move through them without abandoning the vision you’ve been called to build.
My work is centered around resilience over survival, and that experience reinforced the very lesson I teach others: resilience isn’t the absence of struggle. It’s the decision to keep moving forward with purpose, even when the path feels uncertain.

Nishia T., before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Nishia T. Slater, and I am a Leadership Resilience Strategist, speaker, consultant, two-time published author, and creator of the R.E.S.E.T. Method. I help individuals, leaders, and organizations move beyond burnout, overwhelm, and survival mode so they can lead, live, and perform with resilience.
My journey into this work wasn’t something I learned from a textbook, it was born from my own life experiences.
For years, I lived in a constant state of survival. Like many people, I was carrying responsibilities, navigating challenges, and pouring into everyone around me while neglecting my own well-being. From the outside, I appeared successful, but internally I was exhausted. I eventually realized that surviving wasn’t the same as thriving. That realization became the catalyst for a personal transformation that would ultimately shape the work I do today.
As I began rebuilding my confidence, strengthening my mindset, and developing healthier ways to respond to stress and adversity, I discovered that resilience is not something people either have or don’t have, it’s a skill that can be developed. The more I learned and applied these principles in my own life, the more I felt called to help others do the same.
Today, I work with corporations, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, schools, and community groups through keynote speaking, leadership development, resilience training, workshops, coaching, and consulting services. My signature framework, the R.E.S.E.T. Method, provides practical tools that help individuals identify burnout, manage stress, regain confidence, improve emotional resilience, and create sustainable success without sacrificing their well-being.
One of the biggest problems I help solve is the growing epidemic of burnout. Many leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, and caregivers have become so accustomed to functioning in survival mode that they no longer recognize the toll it is taking on their health, relationships, performance, and overall quality of life. They may be achieving results on paper while feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, and exhausted behind the scenes.
My work helps people recognize those patterns and equips them with practical strategies to create lasting change. Rather than focusing solely on productivity, I focus on sustainable performance, emotional well-being, and resilience. I believe success should not come at the expense of your health, peace, or purpose.
What sets me apart is that I don’t teach resilience from theory alone, I teach it from lived experience. I’ve walked through adversity, overcome challenges, rebuilt confidence, and learned firsthand what it takes to move from simply surviving to truly thriving. That personal experience allows me to connect with audiences in a way that is authentic, relatable, and actionable.
I am also passionate about empowering women to step into leadership with confidence, embrace their voice, and create lives that align with their values. Whether I am speaking on a stage, facilitating a workshop, or coaching an individual client, my goal is always the same: to help people recognize their strength and realize that resilience is not about enduring hardship forever—it’s about learning how to rise through it.
One of the things I am most proud of is the impact my work has had in communities and organizations. I have been featured in magazines, interviewed on numerous podcasts, recognized with the Global Woman Peace Award, served as a guest panelist for cities such as Mesa and Phoenix, co-hosted mental health awareness walks, and collaborated with nonprofit organizations. While those accomplishments are meaningful, what matters most to me are the stories from individuals who tell me that something they heard in one of my presentations changed the way they see themselves, their challenges, or their future.
If there is one thing I want people to know about me and my brand, it is this: I believe we were not created to spend our lives in survival mode.
My mission is to help people choose resilience over survival, confidence over self-doubt, and purpose over burnout. Through my speaking, consulting, training, and educational programs, I am committed to helping individuals and organizations build healthier, stronger, and more resilient futures.
At the heart of everything I do is a simple belief: resilience is not about bouncing back to who you were before adversity, it is about becoming stronger because of it.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Building an audience on social media has been a journey of consistency, authenticity, and patience. Unlike what many people see online, my growth didn’t happen overnight. It was built one conversation, one post, one connection, and one relationship at a time.
When I first started sharing online, I wasn’t focused on becoming an influencer or accumulating followers. My goal was to share my experiences, encourage others, and create meaningful conversations around resilience, confidence, leadership, mental health, and personal growth. I quickly learned that people connect more with authenticity than perfection.
In the beginning, I made many of the same mistakes that most people make. I worried about saying the right thing, posting at the perfect time, and creating content that looked polished. Over time, I realized that the posts that resonated most weren’t necessarily the most professionally designed; they were the ones that told a story, shared a lesson, or addressed a challenge people were experiencing in real life.
As my business evolved, I became more intentional about my message. I focused on the themes that aligned with my mission: helping people move from burnout to resilience, build confidence, strengthen leadership skills, and stop living in survival mode. That clarity helped attract the right audience because people knew what I stood for and what value they could expect from my content.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that social media is not just about broadcasting information, it’s about building relationships. Some of the greatest opportunities I’ve received, including speaking engagements, podcast interviews, partnerships, and client referrals, came from genuine conversations and connections rather than viral posts.
I also learned that consistency matters more than perfection. There were seasons when my content performed well and seasons when engagement was lower. Instead of focusing solely on numbers, I focused on serving the people who were already paying attention. Sometimes we become so focused on reaching thousands that we overlook the impact we can have on the handful of people who are already listening.
For anyone just starting to build a social media presence, my advice is simple:
First, focus on clarity before growth. Know what message you want to be known for. People follow accounts that consistently provide value around a specific topic or mission.
Second, don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle. Many successful creators, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders spent years building their audience before anyone noticed. Growth often happens slower than we expect but faster than we realize when we stay consistent.
Third, tell your story. Your experiences, challenges, lessons, and perspective are what make you unique. There are countless people sharing information online, but no one can share your story the way you can.
Fourth, engage with people. Respond to comments, send messages, participate in conversations, and support others. Social media was designed to be social, and relationships often create more opportunities than reach alone.
Finally, remember that followers do not automatically equal impact. I have learned that changing one life, helping one person overcome burnout, or encouraging one individual to keep going can be far more meaningful than a viral post.
Today, my social media platforms serve as an extension of my mission. They allow me to share the message of resilience over survival, connect with people across different communities, and provide encouragement, education, and practical tools that help others navigate life’s challenges.
If there is one lesson I would leave with anyone building a social media presence, it is this: don’t focus on building an audience, focus on building trust. When people trust you, the audience will follow.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I believe that growth as a leader and entrepreneur requires a commitment to continuous learning. While I’ve learned a great deal through formal education and professional development, some of my most valuable lessons have come from books, podcasts, personal development resources, and the experiences of other leaders who have shared their journeys.
One book that had a significant impact on me is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. It reinforced the importance of personal responsibility, intentional leadership, and aligning daily actions with long-term values. The concept of being proactive rather than reactive has influenced both my personal life and the way I work with clients.
Another influential book is 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class by Steve Siebold. The book challenged me to think differently about mindset, personal responsibility, and the beliefs that shape our success. One of the biggest lessons I took away was that high achievers often approach challenges differently; they don’t allow obstacles, setbacks, or fear to dictate their decisions. Instead, they focus on solutions, growth, and taking ownership of their circumstances.
I have also been inspired by the work of John C. Maxwell. His leadership teachings helped shape my understanding that leadership is not about titles or positions, it’s about influence, service, and the ability to positively impact others.
Beyond books, I regularly listen to podcasts, interviews, and leadership conversations that focus on personal growth, emotional intelligence, resilience, entrepreneurship, and organizational leadership. I enjoy learning from people who are willing to share both their successes and their struggles because some of the greatest entrepreneurial lessons come from understanding how people navigate adversity.
Ironically, some of the most impactful lessons did not come from books at all. They came from my own experiences with burnout, rebuilding confidence, navigating uncertainty, and learning how to lead myself before leading others. Entrepreneurship has been one of my greatest teachers. It has taught me patience, adaptability, resilience, and the importance of staying connected to my purpose even when the path forward is unclear.
One philosophy that has become central to both my leadership approach and my business is the belief that success should be sustainable. We live in a culture that often celebrates hustle, overwork, and constant productivity. Through both research and personal experience, I have learned that achievement without well-being eventually leads to burnout. That belief became the foundation for my work and ultimately inspired the development of my R.E.S.E.T. Method.
If there is one overarching lesson I have gained from the resources I’ve studied and the experiences I’ve lived, it is this: resilience is not about enduring more stress than everyone else. It is about developing the mindset, habits, and support systems that allow you to navigate challenges without losing yourself in the process.
That philosophy continues to guide both my entrepreneurial journey and the work I do to help others move from survival mode to resilience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nishiatslater.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachnishiat
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachNishaT
• Linkedin: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/4/#search/social+media+handles/QgrcJHrntPzLrkFDLKPlmSZvqSKBVKprKZq
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@Unmutewithnishiatslater
• Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nishiatslater?_t=ZT-8stxy2sViWM&_r=1

Image Credits

JC Photo Studios AZ