We were lucky to catch up with Janay Stevens recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Janay, thanks for joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

I’m living the high life in a big city, doing what I loved and cutting through the corporate business world. But there was a small voice of intention calling me in a different direction. The seeds of transformation were sown during the pandemic. Equipped with bravery and driven by my ambition to leave a lasting impression, I started live coffee chats. These chats developed into more than just talks; they gave rise to the inspiring PUSH Sistas networking organization, which breathes encouragement and positivity. I felt purpose was being fulfilled as the organization grew. My goal became to save lives one cup at a time, as a beacon of hope, through biweekly conversations at a women’s transitional home. The whispers in my heart became more insistent, pushing her to live my dream. I took the risky yet courageous decision to leave my corporate job, which I loved. My new route took me to neighborhood coffee shops, where she had deep conversations with women for two hours that helped them feel connected and empowered. My journey is still ongoing now, with the goal of inspiring community schools. I didn’t just take a risk by quitting my career; rather, it was a brave step toward living a life with meaning and motivating others to embrace their own life-changing experiences.

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.

The thing I’m most proud of is my bravery in turning suffering into a calling by founding the PUSH Sistas networking group and spreading my influence to nearby coffee shops and women’s transitional homes. I am very determined to change people’s life for the better.

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

A touching incident occurred at a women’s transitional house during my journey. One of the individuals who attended regular coffee conversations was anxious and exhausted from life’s struggles. Determination sparked in the woman’s eyes as I told her tale of coming out over hardship. I saw firsthand the transformational impact of encouragement and tales told together over time. After nearly giving up, the resident started to reconstruct her life. She realized that resilience wasn’t simply a quality shared by others but also a flame within herself and found strength in the relationships she made during those coffee dates.
This narrative reflects the determination of my journey as well as the people I’ve impacted. It demonstrates the strength of openness and connection as well as the huge impact that one person’s resilience can have.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to stop listening to others opinions.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pushwithjanay/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050365062010
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janay-stevens-1493aa148/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTFFhBQHTUatcKfSZCcC5nQ