We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Enolia Foti a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Enolia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

How many of us select and pick work positions because we were guided or persuaded by our families, friends, or curiosity, only to find out that it was not what we wanted? To be in a defined role or position is the foundation of bringing in the monetary resources you need to survive, but then realize halfway into the career you don’t like what you are doing. You feel trapped, unable to make a change in your career or life because of the dependencies, whether it is family, people, or resources (rent, food, clothing, furniture). After getting my degree in mathematics I worked briefly as a teacher but that was not satisfying. After searching and securing jobs for 5 years looking to find my niche in technology, I eventually landed a position in corporate, Information Technology, where my career spanned more than 20 years. I started as a senior analyst making the rounds of changing my position every two to three years. I believed in climbing the ladder. It was all that I knew and had observed as one of the ways of how society deemed a person successful. That was what everyone does right? Pick one of the pre-defined avenues of what was perceived as success. You aspire to be more than what your parents started out to be. My parents wanted the best for me and guided me into a more professional career even though I had the talent to go into the arts. They wanted me to have a rock-solid foundation with a steady income so I followed their guidance. However, the question still remains, was this my vision or theirs?
It was three-quarters through this endeavor that I really started looking at my life, by this time I was married with two beautiful boys, the house, the car; all the things a person could want in their life materialistically and family-wise, but I was not happy. Was this it? Was this everything I was supposed to be living for? There had to be more to life than this.

I was on the fast track and had enjoyed a major success with the upgrade of the domestic network for my company. Against the politics of my boss, I implemented the updated network technology in one of the local plants, which eventually landed me in his position. I always delivered my projects on time and under budget.
I was living the fairy tale of a beautiful home, family, and a high-paying job where “accomplished” meant success and all the trappings that came with it. I was superwoman.
At one point, I was awarded the job of upgrading the global network for the company. I was not able to deliver part of the work because, at the midpoint of the project, I had our second son. When I returned from maternity leave, I was greeted with a video of my team and my replacement and his successful upgrade. The foundation I had painstakingly built was not acknowledged at all. My work had not been seen while I was on maternity leave, so it was like I had just started at the company.
I didn’t let that deter me. I continued to hone my knowledge and skills and racked up success after success at a major Fortune 500 company. Work and family consumed me. There was no time for me; I continued to pour every ounce of energy into being the perfect employee, wife, and mother. Yet that driven lifestyle was taking a toll that I didn’t want to acknowledge. I was unhappy but didn’t know what would make me happy or even content.
The company’s CEO suddenly informed us that the company was “restructuring” itself to better position itself for competing in the marketplace. The new mantra was “be lean and be productive.” That was another way of saying they were letting people go by downsizing and that the employees would have to be flexible and perform multiple jobs.
I was placed in a new position without consideration of whether the responsibilities suited my strengths. The daily work environment degraded slowly and became more hostile. Everyone was concerned their job was on the chopping block and whispered about who would be the latest casualty. The undercurrent of fear, combined with the pure dissatisfaction I felt about how I was living my life, opened a window of opportunity for me to see myself clearly.
I resented the feeling of being forced to stay trapped in a job I no longer loved or even liked.
People and responsibilities were shuffled around or abolished completely. The new director told me she was moving me to a role for which I had no skill set, meaning I would start from zero. My stomach twisted, thinking about all of my proven strengths that would go unused. She then informed me that one of my responsibilities was to groom a new manager, one who had never managed anything and would be my manager when I finished training her. I asked the director if I had to take on this role. She shrugged and stated there were so many people being laid off, if I didn’t want it, someone else would gladly take it.
Her words were like a slap across my face. I was a seasoned manager who had managed teams of up to 100 people. I felt trapped, angry, abused, and used. My hard work didn’t count. My education didn’t count. My skills didn’t count. My enthusiasm for the work didn’t count. I felt shattered to the core of my soul.
As I stood at this crossroads, I had the realization that I should be able to enjoy my life and the pleasure of pursuing a dream. I should be able to feel pure satisfaction and passion for what I do. I longed to let go of the bottomless stress I felt in my body, to let go of all the expectations of what my roles were supposed to be like, to pursue something I loved, something that embraced my values and contributed to humanity.
Something had to change. Somewhere along the way, I’d taken on society’s mandate that sacrifice was what constitutes the perfect mother, wife, employee, etc. At the age of 46, I chose to re-establish ground rules for my entire life.
Little by little, I distanced myself from work and even from the responsibilities I had accepted as a wife and mother. I thought more about what I wanted from life and the voids I felt I needed to fill. The unanswered questions of my heritage and lineage left a gaping hole in understanding myself. I had not asked about the details of my parents or my grandparents’ history. I recalled some of the stories I’d heard about having African, European, and even Native American lineage, which I felt drawn to. I was fascinated with Native and African traditions passed from generation to generation. I was mesmerized by the rites of passage: what a woman went through to come of age and what a boy went through to be seen as a man.
Where were my rites of passage? How did all of my ancestors celebrate their lives? What were their rituals and ceremonial traditions?
I didn’t have a preference for a particular culture but knew I wanted elders and their wisdom as part of my life.
No longer chained to society’s edicts, I became a student, traveling the world, and nourishing my heart. As an African-American woman with European and Native American ancestry, I needed to understand what was at the core of the ancient ways. History had systematically pulled apart my ancestors’ customs, sacraments, ceremonies, and languages. I knew I wanted and needed that connection to feel whole, to better understand others and myself.
Throughout my journeys, I’ve learned that the student is the teacher and the teacher is the student. We educate each other and do so by sharing, which is the point of my book: ENOLIA – How I Found My Sovereign Voice With My Grandmother Elder. Elders from around the globe have graciously opened their hearts to me and shared their traditional knowledge and wisdom. They have helped me heal and asked that I share my journey and lessons so that others may find their path.
This is what I chose to do with my life. The experiences I have encountered are now in my four books and master classes to help those who feel trapped in their vocations, experience massive change (like divorce) in their life, or just want a change but do not know how to go about it. I have dedicated my life to sharing my story and showing how to make the change so that others can learn and glean the lessons to improve their lives.

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.

Enolia Foti has always been recognized as a business leader in the United States. Information Technology captured this mathematics major as a highly-skilled Systems Engineer for a technology business center where she was certified and specialized in designing, installing, and implementing the top 10 industry computer networks for businesses both large and small. She was recruited by a Fortune 500 company as a Senior Analyst for their Network team. Over a twenty-year career, Enolia acquired her Master’s Degree in Business, worked in most areas of Information Technology, and was groomed in the highly sought leadership programs that were by “invitation only” within her company. This along with a well-rounded skillset of working within manufacturing, the parent company, and sales offices – created a seasoned professional. Enolia managed multi-million-dollar projects as a program manager before seeking a different path. In parallel Enolia had a love of indigenous cultures and sought to engage it. This journey which can be read about in her book “Finding My Sovereign Voice With My Grandmother Elder” is the journey and transition from a corporate life to the establishment and creation of her own business. This was the beginning of embodying her spiritual path that lay dormant within. Enolia spent the next part of her life leveraging her corporate leadership skills and practices, integrating them into her spiritual base, resulting in her own framework. Her transformational coaching programs are utilized by executives, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs to establish a stronger foundation to excel and embark on their visions for life and business. Enolia leads in many realms in both business and art. She is a multi-faceted, multi-talented person who may not be an expert in all areas but engages in many activities. She is an award-winning speaker, Author of 4 books, contributor of 2 books, and award-winning writer, engages in music, and dance, is a social entrepreneur, an ambassador for the youth and global peace movement, humanitarian, and more. She is a Matriarch and a Grandmother Elder in her community.
Her spiritual journey began at birth because her mother was a living example. Enolia’s mother was a Nurse RN and her father was a business owner. As a nurse in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Deepdale Hospital in Long Island New York for 40 years, Nurse Harris saved many lives both at work and outside of work. Enolia was present for some of these moments and it set the tone of how a leader takes charge and could possibly save lives. Her mother led by example and embodied the leadership, grace, passion, and love of people that is instilled in Enolia today.
It was at these moments that drove Enolia in her life’s work as a Corporate Professional and today as a Social Entrepreneur. However, it was these moments that also established a core love and mindset to contribute to humanity in the most positive of ways.
Enolia has created four programs:
• Know Thyself: A 30-Day Program to Conscious Living
• Infinite Possibilities Journey to Empowerment 7-week Program – Pre-requisite to Empower Achieve Succeed
• Empower Achieve Succeed through Self Mastery Master Class
• Empower Achieve Succeed through Self Mastery Coaching Certification
All are programs for self-realization mindset to help individuals shift the direction of their lives and dare to enhance, excel, and embody what is needed to go after their vision for themselves.
Enolia’s books also include:
• How I Found My Sovereign Voice With My Grandmother Elder
• Discover Your Sovereign Self (Journal to How I Found My Sovereign Voice With My Grandmother Elder)
• Know Thyself: A 30-Day Program to Conscious Living
• The 7 Principles for Self-Mastery
All her works are available on her website at www.enolia.live and her books are all available on Amazon.com. All her works assist the individual in adapting a mindset that gets individuals to their goals.
It is Enolia’s intention to have these works available across the world to inspire, motivate, and assist those who want to embark on their journey but do not know where to begin. It is her life’s work to hold workshops, conferences, and retreats available to the public to join to share, teach, and help others to help themselves realize their dreams. These programs are held internationally around the world and virtually.
For those young girls who are just realizing their potential, remember that “who you are” and “what skills you possess” are gifts to humanity. That your voice is powerful and your presence is meaningful. These are things no one can take away from you because they are inside and it is your choice when to unveil your talent. You can do or be anything you choose to focus on because when you claim your vision, life becomes aligned to walk you to your goals. To the women, “Dream a beautiful dream or you will be dreamt”. What this means is that if you do not hold a vision for yourself to walk towards, you will spend your life living up to others’ expectations and visions of you, never fulfilling what YOU want in life thereby giving your life away. Hold the vision, align to it, and go after it.
I would love to see all women work in the community. To let go of pettiness, jealousy, insecurity within, and competitiveness and work together. When we learn how to do this, we will learn that we are stronger when we work together. When we work together, we are a force that is unstoppable. It all starts with our mindset.

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

Having heard my story, my experiences through my journey have taught me a great deal. It is my hope that my story can assist you by learning from my life lessons. For this reason, one of the books I have created is “Discover Your Sovereign Voice ~ The Journal for ENOLIA” the compatible journal to goes with this book. In the journal, I have summarized the lessons learned from chapters one through twelve. Along with the summary of lessons, each chapter has a series of questions to help you reflect inward for your own contemplation and growth. You will also find at the end of each chapter in the workbook, an affirmation to inspire and motivate you. Let my journey serve as a way to elevate and support yours.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

It was this collective group of experiences that gave me the courage to change my life. When I left corporate, I started with creating my first business. I put down the fear of what prevented me from daring to step into my truth. Unafraid of failing, I called a dozen of my friends to allow me to teach my workshops across the United States. By word of mouth, this request from a dozen friends ended up in me teaching in 22 states and 4 countries during that year and still continues to this day. I now travel the world, teaching Empower Achieve Succeed (EAS) Through Self-Mastery mindset and methodology empowerment to both genders and youth across the world.
I found my calling by leveraging my corporate skills by working with VisionAfric Development (visionafricdevelopment.org) where I find individuals or companies who are looking to create projects on the continent of Africa. I assist these business owners and businesses by bridging them with investors to innovate and directly impact the continent of Africa in a positive way.
If I had not found a different way to live and view life through indigenous studies, I would not have had the courage to take the leap and step into the way I chose to live versus the way I was expected to live.
Today I am a social entrepreneur. My other businesses, including Easy Step Group (https://www.easystepgroup.co.uk/) work with businesses to improve their performance by providing expert advice to solve problems and encourage growth. We work with businesses across a wide range of sectors, including business strategy, finance, HR, and marketing. My philanthropic contribution resides with Expressions of Humanity Foundation (www.expresshumanity.org) provides emergency humanitarian aid, promotes global activism, and provides life skill training to underserved communities by leveraging education, media, and technology.
Contributing to humankind and knowing I am making a positive impact in assisting others brings joy into what I do every day.

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Contact Info:

• Website: www.enolia.live www.visionafricdevelopment.org www.easystepgroup.co.uk www.expresshumanity.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoliaempowers/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lovesinfinitepossibility/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/enolia-foti-947932151/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Enolia77391523
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu9esEEj8fXPcEUG4O8s0lQ
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/ctw.ojibwe

Image Credits
Professional Photos by Julianne Reynolds (dirt on face, blue and yellow dresses, Enolia with Necklass (first picture uploaded), and Enolia holding rattle)