We recently connected with La’Teria Robinson and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, La’Teria thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
When I think about taking a risk, I can’t narrow it down to one instance. Every decision I’ve made when it came to executing an idea, I was taking a risk. Creating a Digital and Physical Budget Planner, was taking a risk. When I created a Blog on WordPress, I was taking a risk. When I started a Women’s Clothing Boutique, I was taking a risk. Starting an independent Financial Consulting business, I was taking a risk. Each decision I made to use my gifts and give them back to the world was me taking a risk. Even if it wasn’t acceptable or welcomed from anyone, I still decided to take the risk and keep going. The thing about taking a risk is betting on yourself and doing it without the approval of anyone. It’s about being brave and courageous. It’s about doing it scared and pushing through your fears. Fear is an illusion, it’s not real until you bring it into your orbit and reality.
I believe I am a very headstrong person so once I set my mind to do anything, I’m going to do it. Even if I fail, I didn’t allow fear or outside voices stop me from doing what I planned to do. Whenever I am in a creative space and I want to execute an idea and bring it to life, I don’t seek advice from anyone because not everyone was given the eyes to see my vision. And most times when someone can’t see your vision, they will try to speak fear into you by questioning if you’re making the right decision based off their own level of confidence. The only people I take advice from, are from those who are successful in a lane that I am traveling in myself. It’s always best to seek advice from those who have experience in the area you’re seeking advice in. Most times when you seek advice from friends or family you may perceive as wise but with no experience, they give you advice based off a hypothetical scenario. When you seek advice from those with experience, you are able to receive authentic advice from how they approached the idea or situation, how they worked through it, and how it was successful or failed. And if it failed, you’re able to receive advice based off the lessons they’ve learned.
The reason why most people haven’t taken a risk is because of the fear of being talked about or not supported. One thing I’ve learned recently is, when people are in close proximity of you, they don’t believe they have to support you. I’m not sure why this is a thing as of recent but you can’t allow those in proximity of you to determine your level of support! Who cares!! The right people will always support you and you have to know that sometimes that support isn’t coming from everyone in your family or immediate circle. It’s coming from strangers!
La’Teria, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is La’Teria Robinson but my internet alias is Scotty Robin. Scotty Robin is just a shortened version of my middle name and my last name. I was born on my father, Scottie Robinson, birthday so that is where (part of) my middle name originates from. I am a multifaceted creative. If I take it back to 2003, that is when I started writing. I started writing poetry in sixth grade. When the Scholastics Book Fair would come to school, I would always purchase a book because I love reading! But this time I purchased a poetry book.
By the time I got to college, I wasn’t into writing poetry anymore. I honestly didn’t have time for it because as a Criminal Justice major, I was writing in a different capacity. I was writing more about the Criminal Justice system, the disparities of it, and how it systematically affects Black people. While I was in college I was introduced to Tumblr. I feel like every cool person had a Tumblr. If you didn’t have one, I’m not saying you’re not cool, I’m saying you probably weren’t cool enough to have one, that’s all! LOL! Once I got on Tumblr, I started writing short poetry again but then my poetry turned into me expressing my feelings beyond poetry but in the most poetic way, if that makes sense.
By 2018, I decided to start my WordPress Blog, Scottyislikeyou.wordpress.com. I started my Blog to discuss topics I believe people are afraid to talk about as well as talk about my life and the experiences I’ve had so far. When I look back on the topics I wrote about, I feel like I was way ahead of my time. But the topics are still relevant and necessary to speak on today! I’ve written about a lot of personal topics that women can relate to like my fibroid removal experience and dating, to controversial topics that are at the center of our every day life that people are afraid to address. One of my most recent popular series I had was about dating and how men has changed dating due to having a fragile ego, having rage towards women when rejected, and wearing a mask to date women. This series can be found on my WordPress site under the category, Love, Boundaries, and Relationships.
When I started blogging, I wanted to have thousands of followers and this huge successful blog and 8 years later, I don’t have that lol! What I do have is a blog that reaches the people it is supposed to reach and I had to realize that with my gift of writing, I’m not going to reach everyone. And that includes reaching people that doesn’t align with the topics I write about, and that’s okay. I stopped allowing the number of followers I have stop me from putting out my writing. In January of 2026, I started a Substack: ScotteeRobin because I wanted to expand my writing outside of WordPress.
I love to write but I also love to create and help others. Back in 2024, I created a physical and digital Budget Planner, How Much Money Do I Really Have? which can be purchased on: Scottyrobin.gumroad.com and started my Financial Consulting business, S.R Consulting. Both are intertwined because as a Financial Consultant, I like to help people who weren’t taught how to budget their money from their parents, never learned how to save money, and create a healthy relationship with money. Saving money isn’t saving because you’re afraid something will happen. Saving money is saving money in case something does happens. The way the economy is in 2026, almost everyone is one bill away from going into debt whether it’s a hospital bill or car accident that gets them there. This is the reality for some people. I can’t speak for everyone but from what I’ve observed on social media and amongst my peers and circle, a lot of people are simply just trying to survive the best way they can. Before inflation hit an all-time high, I created my budget planner to help people stay on top of their finances and know how much money they were spending vs. how much they had coming in. Again, this is another example of me either writing or creating something that is ahead of its time! With the budget planner, it is compatible for Kindle, iPad, and MacBooks and you have the opportunity to write in the months and dates for the year.
I am most proud of my gifts. My writing is what causes people to see and think beyond their perception of reality. My writing challenges the current thoughts and challenges the foundation of their belief system. My budget planner helps people know how to keep track of their expenses while in this economy. And most importantly, my financial consulting helps people understand their finances. I am most proud of helping someone save over $15,000 while going on vacation, working a full-time job, being single and making less than Six Figures annually. That is what I am most proud of! Being able to help someone who didn’t think they could save money at all!
Because I am very intentional about everything I do when using my gifts, it’s important for me to use my gifts to help others in some way. The main thing I want people to know about me is I’m passionate about using my gifts. I don’t write or help others for the money. I write and help others to put my gifts that God gave me back to the world. To me, this is what I see as being fruitful and multiplying. I would be doing others and myself a disservice if I kept my gifts to myself out of fear of them not being appreciated or accepted.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I had to unlearn my limited belief system that was given to me as a child. When I was growing up, I wasn’t exposed to seeing anyone in front of me doing the things they love. I didn’t grow up with parents that encouraged me to do what I love. I grew up with parents that told me to go to college and get a job. I grew up with parents that told me to pick a career that would make me money. And as a Millennial, I’m sure this is a very common thing to hear and experience! The issue isn’t about going to school and getting a job, the issue is about creating a life that you will ultimately love waking up to every single day. Even on the days when things aren’t going the way you would like it to.
This limited belief system created a foundation for me to always depend on a system that kept me tired and not wanting to write or create. To this day, my parents and siblings are unaware of how much I love to write, create, and use my gifts to help others because they will never understand my love or passion for it. The question will always be, “how will this make you money? How will this pay your bills?” instead of just being present and supportive. This is what most creatives struggle with when it comes to exposing their love for their gifts and passions to others, especially family. The reason why I stopped writing for years is because my focus had to shift to secure my degree and secure a job that will pay my bills. As someone who is an anomaly, loves to goes against the grain and not conform to the patterns of this world, I had to unlearn those limited beliefs. I’m all about bending reality and going after I want, even if it doesn’t work out, I still tried. I still did it. And I went further than I did without fear or anyone stopping me.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Freedom and peace is the most rewarding thing when it comes to being a writer and creative because freedom is the ultimate goal. Being a writer and creative is doing what I want, when I want, and how I want. I don’t have to worry about anyone telling me, “you can’t write that! What will people think?”. I don’t have to worry about someone telling me, “creating a budget planner is stupid. No one can budget at this time. You can’t help anyone figure out a budget or get hired as their financial consultant”. I don’t have to worry about hearing someone speak fear into me when I am writing, creating, or helping others.
The only person I have to worry about speaking fear into me is myself and my subconscious. As a writer, most of the people who know me and know how much I love writing always suggest I should write for someone but the thing is, writing for someone is taking my creativity and realness out of the topics I choose to write about. I would have to conform to what they want me to write about and determine if it’s good enough for them to publish it. That’s not ideal to me. If I was offered to write for someone while maintaining my creative integrity, topics I want to write about, and keeping realness in my writing, I would take the offer! Until then, writing with freedom is what I will continue to do. Would I love to get paid for my writing? Absolutely because I’m worth being paid for it. It’s a fact! But I don’t want to compromise my integrity, my writing, or my creative process to do so. I’d rather get paid for being real and being me!
As a creative, I can publish my budget planner on a free platform that doesn’t force me to sell products to keep my products online or my site active.
As a Financial Consultant, I am able to help people without the pressures of anyone micromanaging my books.
Each gift I use gives me the freedom I deserve.
To purchase a budget planner or schedule a Financial Consultation, visit scottyrobin.gumroad.com
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Scottyislikeyou.wordpress.com
- Instagram: @Sueheffner
- Youtube: @lateriarobinson3432
- Other: https://substack.com/@scotteerobin – More of my writing
https://scottyrobin.gumroad.com – Budget Planner purchases
Image Credits
Marcus Romes, Dallas, Texas