We were lucky to catch up with Gerovani Blackshear recently and have shared our conversation below.

Gerovani, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Conscious Choice Coaching was created out of a heart of love for those struggling to find their way out of bad situations, as was I when I discovered Life Coaching. As a survivor of 17 years of verbal and emotional abuse, I know firsthand that rebuilding self-esteem is critical for those desiring to make positive changes in their lives. My coaching practice is designed to assist clients with rediscovering who they were before the “unconscious” choices and/or creating their new lives one conscious choice at a time. In addition to my coaching practice, I created Coffee & Conversations, a safe space for women and girls. I host weekly gatherings where we can come together, sit down our “bags”, relax and talk. I created this space because during some of the darkest times of my life, all I needed was a listening ear, that was non-judgmental, someone who would not take my words and use them against me or try to tell me what to do, and then be angry with me if I didn’t take their advice. I didn’t have that for myself, so I became that for others. October 2023 was our one year anniversary and I am amazed at how C&C has grown. There is no cost, no program, and no agenda. And is truly making a difference in the lives of our visitors. My desire is to create a clothing and personal item pantry and expand C&C to also make “space” for men. All of this is important to me because there is power in community and power in conversation and shared experiences. So often we feel that we are alone in our respective circumstances and that no one understands. I believe that real relates to real and as we share our real life stories and experiences, we give hope to those struggling, hope to know that they too can not only survive, but thrive.

Gerovani, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a 62 year old Marketing Manager by trade who discovered Life Coaching as a profession in 2012 after surviving a traumatic period in my life, where I suffered a great deal of abuse, loss and pain. My belief was and still is, that there was a reason I had survived and I went on a search for how I could turn what I called “broken pieces” into something useful. That is when I discovered Life Coaching and begin my journey to becoming a Coach and business owner.

Conscious Choice Coaching was born from a deep love for those striving to overcome adversity, much like I did when I embraced Life Coaching. Having survived both mental and physical abuse, I deeply understand the pivotal role of self-esteem in transforming lives positively.

My coaching practice centers on helping clients reconnect with their authentic selves prior to making “unconscious” decisions, or guiding them in crafting new paths through conscious choices. I employ a dual approach, blending faith-based principles with a structured coaching methodology, fostering enduring and meaningful transformations.

My goal is to create the Conscious Choice Mentoring and Life Skills Training Center where women and girls in transition can learn and grow in a safe environment. Because I understand that it can be difficult to facilitate change in unhealthy surroundings, having a place to come and join with others seeking change can be a powerful catalyst for moving forward. My plan is to market the center to the community, reaching out to churches, social programs, and other organizations letting them know that we are here and ready to serve the needs of the women and girls in the community. In addition, I also plan to create a CCC (Conscious Choice Cares) pantry that provides clothing, personal hygiene and beauty products and other necessity items for those with financial challenges.
I realize that this is a big vision, but what I am most proud of is through all of the trauma, loss, pain and grief, I never lost my faith and I serve a big God that makes provision for what He orders.

Have you ever had to pivot?

My pivot came early in my entrepreneurial journey. After receiving my coaching certification, I did the customary things, I created my logo and website, I registered my business, I created forms and spreadsheets for tracking my clients, I created my social media platforms and all of the other administrative duties and once I thought I was ready to “launch” Conscious Choice Coaching L.L.C. I had to slam on the brakes! It was then that I realized that I had no idea how to operate a business! I was a Coach,, but with very little knowledge of how to be an entrepreneur. I ended up putting my “launch” on hold while I registered for programs and took classes to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship .

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Authenticity and integrity, hands down. Most want to do business with someone they trust. In today’s world of AI and tech gone wild, . It is hard to know what’s real This may seem old fashioned, but real relates to real, when others can feel the warmth of your smile and hear the sincerity and passion in your pitch, When your peers speak of you in high regard, your reputation grows.

Contact Info:

• Website: Consciouschoicecoaching.com
• Facebook: Gerovani Blackshear, Conscious Choice Coaching, Coffee & Conversations