We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Cortne’ Lee Smith. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Cortne’ below.
Cortne’, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?
We are happier as business owners. It is not necessarily easier.
Every time the 1st and 15th of the month passed for the first five years of not a guaranteed check being deposited. We found ourselves looking for hourly jobs to meet ends, but we had to challenge ourselves to want to do more than meet ends. Realizing after 20 + years of direct deposits but working more hours than enjoying life was negative. When we found joy and put the fun into our business the Return on Investment came back as a bigger reward.
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
On New Year’s Eve of 2012, Fulton Smith & Cortne’ Lee Smith began as husband and wife. However, it took four years to start the creation of the Relationship Service Station. Their union was no fairy tale beginning. They had brought their past death do us part experience as a widow and widower into the relationship. After a bumpy start and many detours and dead ends, the Relationship Service Station formed in May 2016, where the Messenger and the Mechanic are referred to as “relationship mechanics.” After doing the self-work of their relationship and establishing how to minister within their new marriage by embracing Love after Love!
The industry called us to help others as we helped ourselves through our grieving process; at that time, we were pursuing our healing and growth, not realizing God was equipping us with the tools to begin a business. Mourning the loss of our spouses, financial hardships, and health challenges, we learned resiliency skills, the ability to rebuild our better next and redirect our resources beyond the distractions of people’s opinions and judgments.
We teach the same skill sets to our personal and corporate clients through workshops, training, one-on-one coaching, and a membership program.
In 2021 the marketplace continued to thrive with one-on-one clients, plus the addition of a four-week workshop was added to the services “Grief Will Grow You” to show the process to the new best version of yourself through trials and tribulations.
The most crucial piece of the movement is the community’s work, the National Tour “Brunching Beyond Loss,” moving from city to city to highlight the many facets of grief and bring tools to the community to heal our living relationships personally & professionally.
We have changed the narrative of grief as something terrible that is done begrudgingly; we want people to be able to embrace their season of grief as GOOD. When we recognize the good in something, we can process the lesson and grow within that season to a better version of ourselves.
We recently released a system to assist our youth in starting healthy grief conversations to help stimulate emotional and mental health around grief for the next generation through a comic book series that will allow them to be the hero of their own lives.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Starting as a ministry-Letting my clients know that I am willing to show up and serve them without finances being the first priority. During the biggest season of depression from missing loved ones during the holidays we have offered free strategies sessions to help individuals cope with their holidays. To date, we have served 500 clients during this season of giving for 45 days out of the year.
Continuing the ministry by providing free grief resources to create an impact and change in their lives by guiding them through godly strategies.
In our media ministry, we have produced over 200 shows (radio/Youtube/Facebook) that can be accessed for free to support the grieving and bereaving through losses. This is our Second-year of providing free workshops every First Saturday to assist my community to “Shift Through Grief & Beyond Loss. 2021 launched a TV channel and Magazine to further bring awareness to the many facets of grief “Grief Garage”
Continuing to show up as a teacher and grief educator to empower people to thrive through loss.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
After spending over 20 years as an instructor/ trainer, I am a seasoned speaker. However, I had to learn to tell my story and make my journey a part of the messages I deliver now. I came from an industry that wanted you to keep to facts and ensure the information was conveyed. Even now, I forget to introduce myself with more concern about the content being expressed.
My audience would have to tell you if I have gotten more relatable, or you all can slide through a replay and tell me if I have learned the lesson to bring me to the message.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.relationshipservicestation.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masterrelationshipmechanic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RelationshipServiceStation
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/RelationshipServiceStation
Image Credits
Abstract Perceptions Photo