Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sherrika Myers. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sherrika, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I started Every 1 Voice Matters because I wanted to help children tackle the barriers that hinder them from becoming the best version of themselves. I know firsthand how detrimental it is to feel like your voice doesn’t matter. I grew up with a speech impediment and was teased, laughed at and ignored. I developed low self-esteem and lacked self-confidence. I allowed my speech impediment and what other people thought of me to determine my path throughout life. The challenges I went through gave me a strong passion to help kids realize that with hard work, faith and determination all things are possible, despite the different challenges they may face. I wanted to create a platform that will help children build self-esteem and self-confidence while also learning core fundamentals. I decided to write children’s books so that children could have resources to help them develop empathy for others and build social emotional learning skills.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am the founder of Every 1 Voice Matters, the creator of the Lil Herbie Series, self-published author, certified life coach and national speaker. I’m also a proud wife, mother and grandmother. When I found out that my grandson, Lil Herbert, had the same speech impediment as myself, I knew that I had to step out of my comfort zone. I had to become the best version of myself before I could help anybody else. So, I went back to college and received my degree in business and then formed my nonprofit, Every 1 Voice Matters. I wanted to create products that could help children both in and outside of the classroom to become successful. That’s when I created the Lil Herbie Series Book Collection, Lil Herbie Animated Series and my very own African-American mascot named Lil Herbie. The Lil Herbie Series Book Collection is geared toward social emotional learning for children k-5th grade in English and Spanish. The Lil Herbie Animated Series has videos focused on social emotional learning, financial literacy, anti-bullying, vocabulary, diversity, equity, and inclusion. I am most proud of my African-American mascot because children of color get to see a character that looks like them and that has faced some of the same challenges. Lil Herbie represents our culture, determination, faith and perseverance. To further my passion for kids, I became a certified life coach to help children realize that all things are possible. As a national speaker. I travel nationwide to help, uplift, encourage and empower all children.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

With my speech impediment, I had to learn that no matter how long it may take me to say something and no matter what people say, my voice matters just like anyone else’s.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Being authentic and not being afraid to tell my story has been a huge part of my journey and success. Everybody has a story, good or bad, it’s your story. I am no longer afraid of my story because that is a part of who I am and I can’t run from it. My story has cultivated and shaped me into the person I am today.

Contact Info:

• Website: Every1VoiceMatters.org
• Instagram: instagram.com/Every1Voice
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Every1VoiceMatters
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherrika-myers/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LilHerbieSeries

Image Credits
Dreamlight Images
Christopher Cavanaugh