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

Evita, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

Many of us grow up with a picture we create of our lives. From watching fairy tales to reading books, there are certain things you think create a roadmap of how your life is supposed to go. I was no different from most people, especially a lot of women. I thought I would go to college, get married, settle down, have a career and that would be the picture of my life.

After high school, I did begin my college journey at Agnes Scott College. However, I would only complete my first year and then choose to get married. As a result, I did not have the traditional four year journey through school. However, I made my mother a promise that even though I was getting married, I would complete my education. I completed my degree and shortly after I would experience a marital separation which would eventually result in a divorce.

The separation and divorce would serve as a defining moment not only personally but professionally. As the dissolution of the marriage would be the death of one aspect of my life, it would create space for the birth of a new phase of my life. I would accept the call to ministry and begin my journey into preaching the gospel. The transition would lead to a new path of destiny.

Additionally, even though it would take years to come to fruition, what I experienced through divorce, would also serve as a pivotal moment in deciding to pursue life coaching certifications and developing my coaching practice. After experiencing sickness from the stress of the marital troubles, having to rebuild my life post divorce, and take back my health in the process, I decided to create a coaching practice with one of its foci being divorce recovery and helping women to become the healthiest and best versions of themselves.

Though at the time, I did not understand all that was happening in my life, I realize the divorce was the defining moment necessary for what was to come in my life. Oftentimes we look at crisis we experience as a bad thing. Yet we never know how God may use those things seeming to break up to build us and make us ready for our purpose or destiny. What we learn in the process is something that we can use to help others who may experience similar situations. It is my hope to take the lessons I learned and help others going through life’s circumstances to see they can rebuild their lives better than they were before.

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

Hello my name is Evita L. Smith. I am an licensed and ordained Christian minister. I have the privilege to serve as the founding pastor of Kingdom Seekers Community Church in Atlanta, GA. I have served as pastor for twelve years. Kingdom Seekers is a non-denominational ministry welcoming to all seeking relationship with Jesus Christ and doing life together within the community of faith.

I am the owner of a life and wellness coaching practice called Exceptional Living Empowerment Coaching and Training. Through my coaching practice, I come alongside my clients to help them design an exceptional life. Through areas such as purpose discovery, life design and holistic wellness, I help clients identify the roadblocks or obstacles to their desired goals and work through various issues in order to achieve the life and goals they desire to achieve.

Specifically as a woman minister and business owner, I understand how easily we, as women, have been molded to prioritize everyone else’s needs and desires over our own. As a woman of color who works within Corporate America and understands the microaggressions and other stresses women of color have to face, I am able to readily identify with the things which are done to break the spirit and self-esteem of women. Through my work as a life and wellness coach, I work with my clients to take control of their lives through building up self-esteem, working through stress and building healthier coping mechanisms, and developing and implementing a realistic wellness plan for their lives that puts my client back in control of their lives holistically. It is my goal to empower each woman to know her worth and take action to make herself a priority of her life through wellness coaching.

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

When one decides to start a business, it brings out the opinions of many. There are those who may offer words to scare you or discourage you, while there are others who may want to come alongside of you and offer to “help” you. When I first started out, I can acknowledge now that I was a bit naive and may have had rose colored glasses on Dealing with some insecurity, I would trust the voices of those who seemed like they knew what they are talking about and their offers to help.

On one occasion, I trusted an individual whom I had known for some time. I had seen how they appeared to always be “in the know” and appeared to be able to connect me with the right people. They were well connected and said they wanted to help me get my endeavor off the ground. They made grand promises and said they would be able to get my organization “on the map”. I agreed to allow them to take the lead to do what they promised to do. Over time, I did not see them doing anything that was yielding results. Ultimately, I had to sever the connection as it had been established because it was hindering progress for growing the organization.

What I learned needing to be unlearned through this experience is:
1. Trusting other people to jumpstart your vision. In the beginning you have to be the voice and face of your vision. You know what your vision is and how you want it to be presented.
2. Trusting words over actions. Many people will want to get on the bandwagon of a new thing especially if they think it is going to yield benefits for them. Allow people to demonstrate before believing words.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Entrepreneurship or starting any new venture is not an easy process. It takes a great deal of time, trial and error and tenacity to eventually reach a productive and profitable business or organization. The businesses I currently own are not my first business ventures. I’ve always known I wanted my own business. More so, I felt called to entrepreneurship. I have done small business consulting services, youth mentorship organizations and a non-profit ministry prior to the present businesses and organizations.

Each venture taught me valuable lessons for the journey ahead. When the season of each of the ventures ended, I could have easily given up and said I would not try to do anything again. Instead, I knew there was a passion inside of me stronger than what happened. Some people may have said I failed when it was time to close one entity down. However, they were not failures. The venture may not have lasted but each opportunity matured me and taught me lessons to prepare me for my next.

Failure is not even trying. Failure is giving up when it doesn’t work out the first, second, third or fifth time. Resilience is when you dust yourself off and try again. Resilience is when you are determined to give it your all even if it did not work the first time. Resilience is staying in the fight even when it seems like everything is working against you. I would not be where I am if I did not have resiliency. I learned to bounce back after each setback. Even in present businesses and ministries, I experience challenges and setbacks. Yet I take a moment to reflect and reassess, then I get back up and make the necessary adjustments to move forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.evitalsmith.com
• Instagram: @ELECTCoaching
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/ELECTCoaching
• Twitter: @PastorEvita
• Youtube: Exceptional Living Empowerment Coaching
• Other: Other Facebook and YouTube Channels: @KingdomSeekersCommunityChurch