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

Janice, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the toughest things about entrepreneurship is that there is almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

My most unexpected problem that has affected my professional career and life has been adjusting to life after my brain surgery.
In 2016, I had to overcome an unexpected problem that became a life changer, I had to have brain surgery. In November 2016, I was just finishing a divorce to end an abusive marriage. I was constantly having headaches and assumed they were from stress. My nurse practitioner scheduled numerous tests and sent me to see a neurologist. I assumed the doctor would treat me with medication for my headache, and everything would improve. Instead, Dr. Munoz asked me what I was doing on Monday the following week. I wasn’t grasping what he was saying because it was surreal to me. I needed to be scheduled for brain surgery immediately to remove a tuberculum sellae meningioma tumor that was wrapped around my carotid artery, pressing on my pituitary gland and left eye. I was in a daze. He confirmed it was more than just regular headaches.

I prepared for the worst by getting my finances in order and paperwork such as a living will and final will in case the surgery went bad. My faith in God had me pray and I assumed everything would be okay. Although at my age I should have had a will already, this pushed the issue closer than I wanted. It was hard having to face the reality of life is truly shorter than you think.

My surgery was postponed briefly because my ex-husband canceled the health insurance that I was paying for, which added to more stress. I decided since I had a few weeks before surgery that I would at least go out on a date for fun since it’s been a while since I haven’t seen anyone new. I met my wonderful current husband on that one date and have been with him since. I thought telling him I was having brain surgery soon would scare him, but it didn’t. We went through this together.

I was scheduled for surgery on December 19, 2016. My children and family were there for support. I came out of surgery fine. The next day, a nurse was helping me into a chair. She tripped and dropped me, banging my head hard on the back of the chair. I was in excruciating pain but seemed okay. Under 24 hours later, I was not able to speak except for saying “mokin” and “I have”. “Mokin” is not a word. I did not understand that I was not speaking correctly. I thought what I was saying was correct. I also could not write or form letters properly. I struggled with writing my first name. The therapist provided pictures for me to reference to use when I needed something such as food, water, or sleep, however, I could not point to the correct picture. The therapist and the team of neurologists concluded that it would most likely take 6 months to over a year for my ability to communicate to return if it ever did. I felt trapped in my mind with no way out. I did not cry, but I did turn to prayer.

I prayed and spoke to God quietly in my mind, regarding my situation. I held on to my faith that this would be temporary. I felt that God took this time to talk to me when I could be quiet and just listen. Many of us just talk and never truly listen. I expressed in prayer my desire to help others. I spent time in the hospital in deep prayer and conversation with God about my life and how I could be a help to others. That has inspired me and is the reason why I’ve pursued the television talk show, life coaching, writing, ministry, etc.

I had therapy in the hospital while the doctors were trying to figure out a plan for treatment. They didn’t know if it was internal brain hemorrhaging or a stroke. My family and friends were quite supportive. My best friend left work immediately when they discovered I wasn’t speaking. My children and mom were there constantly and preparing for my care when I would be released from the hospital. Through prayer, I realized that my voice was important and if I had the opportunity to communicate again, I was going to find opportunities to help others succeed with the use of my voice, writing, and sincere passion for others.

It was a true miracle for me, that 3 days later I was able to speak again, on December 23rd. I was able to speak again but a lot of my words were jumbled, a mistake, or I couldn’t make the full connection between what I wanted to say to words. I knew the words and could picture the word in my head but couldn’t say the word. I needed help with some words to bring the connection back. Once the connection was made, it was back in my vocabulary, however, I still have issues daily. My husband describes it as a file cabinet of information that someone rifled through or shook up the whole cabinet, so the files are out of place. I once asked him if he wanted pancakes and lizards for breakfast versus pancakes and sausages. He quickly responded, “yes to pancakes, but hold the lizards”. My family has become used to the misunderstanding and confusion I have daily.

It’s challenging. I get frustrated when I’m trying to talk or work and I’m having difficulties communicating with others or expressing myself verbally or written. Constantly, every day I forget how to spell simple words, struggle to say something or my handwriting turns into a scribble. I’m human and I can admit that I struggle to learn new things, concentrate, or handle pain is difficult, but I count on the Lord to help me. The Lord has blessed me with a wonderful husband, supportive children, and numerous loving family and friends.

After all that since the surgery, I’ve also had to deal with increased headaches and pain. The surgeon was only able to remove approximately 10-15% of the tumor, which seems so insignificant to have had surgery. Originally, I was told 95% or more removal to have only 10-15% and my life changed from the accident in the hospital. The tumor was in too dangerous of a position to remove, so the doctor was only able to remove part of the rear of my eye. Because it’s wrapped around my carotid artery, if he nicked it, I could potentially die. Therefore, he couldn’t do anything.

But I believe things happen based on God’s plans and will. My life since then took a different trajectory than what I had planned. I wouldn’t have met my husband. I also wouldn’t have realized how valuable my voice was for verbal and written communications to help others. Having my speech and writing gone completely for three days along with my continual struggle with communicating and pain has inspired me to help others. I feel that I’m blessed for what I have and that I can share.

After nine months after the surgery, I wanted to give back by helping others to reach their dreams and goals by inspiring and motivating them, with help from Jesus Christ. I started hosting Christian life coaching group workshops in my home, and at meeting centers. I also, with the urging of the Lord, started a summer youth group program for students 10-18 years old in the south suburbs of Chicago. It was a struggle for me to inquire with a church to allow me the use their building to conduct the program. I’ve been more conscientious about my issues with speaking the wrong words or being lost with words that I put my faith in God to either help me or to have understanding people to talk with. I get both.

The summer program reached approximately 45 students with days of having up to 30 or 35 students in a very small space. The program covered 8 to 9 weeks with educational activities, games, and special guests to talk to and share with the students. The students engaged in debates, mock trials, speeches, crafts, games, etc. I was able to host the youth group for two summers, 2018 and 2019, with limited volunteers. We received donations of used furniture, television, games, etc. to furnish the rooms. We didn’t ask for financial support and the program was free to the students. Financially, God blessed us that my husband and I had no issues funding the program for lunches and other activities.

I decided I was ready to do more to help others the same week I sought a church for the youth group. I sat in prayer telling God that I was ready to do a talk show. I filmed a teen chat episode in 2008 for the local public access community channel, but only completed one episode because of family issues I didn’t pursue the project. I had put in a request to get on the waiting list for retraining and get a television slot in 2010. It was on my birthday when I told God I was really to produce a show with a Christian foundation. It was later that day, Comcast called me and asked if I still wanted to produce a show. I quickly said yes, and that was history almost 5 years ago.

I started training in the studio on all aspects of production including filming, camera, graphics, directing, and obviously hosting. I volunteered on other projects for additional experience. After a few months, I requested studio time to start filming. I was blessed to have gotten a lot of volunteers to help produce the show including my husband, Philip, who also took classes, Mike Mikrut, director, and Matthew Jemilo, my current director and editor.

We’ve filmed over 90 episodes on various topics such as psychology issues such as depression and PTSD; parenting, marriage, and family; teen chat; finances, careers, and religious topics. The show has aired in 10 states and over 15 regions and continues to grow and inspire others.

I struggle with all the technology involved with the production, as I mentioned I have difficulties remembering, and learning new things, and daily headaches and pain. My progress has been steady with the show. I truly feel that my trajectory would have been steered another path if I didn’t have the tumor or the issues that came with it. The experience has increased my desire to help others and share my love of God with the world.

I also wrote a motivational book Y? Why Not! and published it in 2019. The book focuses on teaching how to write SMART goals and find the motivation to accomplish your goals. I provide free pdf copies to people online and printed copies at events and to graduates of The Excel Center, which is an adult high school education program. The book won 1st place for how-to non-fiction in the Illinois Woman’s Press Association 2019 competition.

Now, to utilize my writing abilities, I’ve started writing monthly magazine articles for an online and print publication Black 2 Black Magazine. I also write a weekly column for a local community shopper/newspaper that focuses on life coaching with character development and motivational themes with a Christian foundation. I get my topics from what the Lord has put on my heart for that week. I discuss all my articles with my husband for his opinion, which I value, along with receiving his help to make sure I don’t have a lot of word confusion. I’ve received a lot of feedback and comments on people enjoying and learning from the articles. Soon, I will be comprised another book based on my weekly article topics.

My professional career has been altered since having the brain surgery. It’s a struggle teaching and appraising with headaches, pain, and dizziness, along with the word confusion impacting my abilities in the classroom and completing assignments. My husband has since become an appraiser to take over the main duties of the business and appraisals. The company he worked at for 39.9 years moved to Mexico and shut down the plant. This also was a blessing for us as Philip was able to spend time with me to learn the business, and to go to college for the first time with my encouragement. Imagine being 56 years old and going to school with kids out of high school. I’m grateful for his support and love.

The unexpected problem of needing brain surgery has truly affected my personal and professional life. Since the brain surgery, my life has encompassed having faith that all things are possible with God, and all have been possible. I’m grateful for God’s blessings in my life. God can turn an unexpected problem into a blessing for me and others.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I have numerous businesses and disciplines which include:

TELEVISION HOST & PRODUCER:
Television host and producer of the community cable television show Y? Why Not! that aired in December 2018 and currently airs in over 10 markets across the United States including Los Angeles, Berkeley, CA, Pasadena, CA, Portland, OR, Erie, PA, Chicago, IL, 205 suburbs of Chicago, Urbana, IL, Fayetteville, AR, Nashville, TN, Silver City, NM, Grand Rapids, MI, and Washington, DC.

The show is a talk show that interviews interesting guests on fundamental topics that can help improve people’s lives such as discussions with licensed counselors on mental health issues, family and marriage issues; teen chat with a panel of teens 12-19 to discuss valid concerns of teenagers; specialists in business careers to discuss leadership, motivation, life coaching; as well as entertainers discuss how to get into their careers; financial advisors to provide tips; book writers; ministry religious topics; etc., Our mission is to help others to reach their goals by providing inspiring guests to discuss topics that can improve our viewers lives to move them from Ordinary to Extraordinary.

I got into the television industry as a format to help many people all over the world. We set ourselves different from others because we want to focus on real life with real people in mind or as guests. We all go through some type of struggle, challenge, or adversity and we need to hear examples of how others overcame the same issue or advanced their lives. The show is geared to be informative and motivational with real people, and not the major celebrity lives at the focus. Although I research my guests and their knowledge of the topic, I do not have a rigid set of questions to ask. The interview is a conversational format, so it’s like two friends getting together and I’m asking questions because I sincerely want to know more about them and the topic, like my viewers would. The show is 28.5 minutes with no retakes or major editing except putting in photos or clips during the interview.

I’m excited about how the show has been developing over the past few years. God has blessed the show to be aired in over 10 states and allowed me to also write in magazines, column articles in a paper, write a book and do seminars on life coaching and other topics. We have won numerous awards throughout the past 3 years with the Illinois Woman’s Press Association, the National Federation of Press Women, and the Midwest Region of the Alliance Community Media & Wisconsin Community Media Competition.

I want followers to know our foundation of the show is based on Christianity and I do the show to honor God by helping others. My guests are free to express their belief in God or how God has helped them on their journey. It is not a religious show but rooted in expressions of God freely if they want to share. What also makes us unique is the show is not-for-profit and is only sponsored by me. I have not accepted any funding for the show and don’t do commercials. The show is to help others with God’s blessing. The show is not a promotional piece to center around me but on the topics, guests, and being good stewards in God’s Kingdom to help others.

Unknown fact: My beginning intro when I’m announcing the show for each episode is different because of my issues with my brain tumor and the incident in the hospital after surgery, my memory has been affected and I struggle to remember the intro comments and sometimes I’m physically dizzy.

CERTIFIED REAL ESTATE APPRAISAL & MANAGING REAL ESTATE BROKER:
I am a certified real estate appraiser and managing broker of My Ideal Home for 24 years licensed in Illinois and Indiana. I had the desire to work in real estate since the age of 14 when I attempted to purchase my first home with the money, I saved up from my newspaper route, private tutoring, and 1st business distributing flyers and pamphlets to houses for local businesses. Little did I know then that you cannot purchase a home at 14. That delayed my venture into real estate until my twenties. I later went on to purchase properties for rehab and remodeling after entering the appraisal business.

I was led into the real estate appraisal business with my 1st husband, Brian. He didn’t feel comfortable being a real estate agent and a broker suggested to him the idea of being an appraiser. It worked with his personality and appraisals focused on other aspects versus only sales (refinances, foreclosure/REO, divorce, estate, etc.).

My husband was controlling and didn’t want me to have a career. I had dropped out of college because freshman year my parents lost our family home to bankruptcy and moved without telling me. I found myself after my 1st year of college homeless for the winter break. After calling for weeks prior to winter break, I went home to find the house emptied and they had moved. I was alone and devastated. I had just broken up with my boyfriend (1st husband) and had no clue what to do. I didn’t go back to college and decided to try to start my life then.

My husband within 6 months of being an appraiser decided to call it quits. One night he ripped up his assignment data papers and said he was done. He went to bed. I sat on my couch crying out to the Lord and asking for help. I had quit my job at the post office because he wanted to appraise, and we had 3 young children at home between 4-6. We had no savings, were renting, and had 1.5 cars (one car was half because it had tape on the door, you needed a screwdriver in the choke to start the car, if it wanted to, and when you drove you saw small parts of the car falling off). I needed God’s help! God helped me get off the couch crying, tape up his assignment, and to work on the computer for 8 hours straight through the night to type his reports the best I could with the Lord’s help. By morning, I had 3 reports completed with NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE. I took a previous report and followed the examples.

When he realized what I completed, he didn’t want to quit anymore. He wanted my help typing HIS report. Well, God and my uncle, Kevin, whispered in my ear, you need to type your own reports by getting licensed. I agreed. I signed up for classes and took them without my husband knowing because he didn’t approve. God inspired me to take care of myself and to prepare myself to support myself and my children if I needed to. I was in an abusive marriage. After the fighting (or me taking what he dished out) stopped, he was still angry and constantly yelling, throwing things, or screaming to get his frustrations out but no more hitting. I still knew I had to be independent.

I took classes when I should have been shopping and received my license. I have not looked back or regretted becoming an appraiser. It has provided a life of comfort for income and flexibility. I am an independent contractor/vendor for several appraisal management companies and direct mortgage bank lenders. I can set my own schedule for appointments and work hours. I have been blessed by the Lord to have never truly slowed down even during downtimes in the economy. I focus my appraisal business on promptness, accurate reports with limited revisions, and completing appraisals that others will not do, along with being flexible in assignments and paid fees. I’ve worked with clients on new appraisal products because getting a firm relationship and networking is the preferred business plan for me. I’m ranked high on company lists for appraisers because I have a strong hardworking ethical business attitude.

There are limited minorities in the appraisal business currently. It is also a difficult industry to get into. There are limited African Americans that are real estate appraisers today.

Appraisers’ demographics based on the US Bureau of Labor 17,850 real estate appraisers as of May 2021 of which FannieMae.com and Zippa.com state 22% are women; 85% are white, 7-10% have a master’s degree, and only 4.7% are African Americans. When you factor the data with my criteria, I am among a limited list of less than approximately 50 African American women with master’s degrees with a career as a real estate appraiser, and if you include plus 20 years of experience, I will probably be in a group of less than 30.

I’ve had to overcome adversity in appraising discrimination with clients being selective with assignments to gear them only to neighborhoods that are predominately minorities and homeowners not wanting to let me in their homes. However, appraising has been enjoyable, and I recommend the career to others. I also mentor and recruit trainees to become appraisers. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting interesting people over the years, including celebrities. It has afforded me the flexibility to do other things with good time management including creating and running the summer youth group.

LIFE COACH, WRITER, MINISTER, & YOUTH GROUP CREATOR

I am a certified Christian life coach, mentor, and speaker, along with being a minister and the youth group creator. I coach individuals in group seminars or workshops on improving their lives by getting motivated, setting goals, and rejuvenating themselves spiritually. This is in conjunction with the television show.

I wanted to be a life coach and motivated speaker since reading “See You at the Top” by Zig Ziglar in 1985 during my health class. I was already the PEP Club & Key Club president in high school. PEP Club for motivation and Key Club was charity work in the school and neighborhood. So life coaching and speaking became natural to me although I am a 50/50 introvert and extrovert person. I’m completely in the middle.

I got certified through an organization in Oak Park, IL. The leader was also my supervisor for my training internship for counseling. I have a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a minor in psychology, along with over 30 credits of master’s classes in counseling and psychology. I later received my master’s in Professional Development with a certificate in Christian Counseling. My education and background provide ample knowledge as a life coach. I conduct individual sessions based on need and being led by God to assist others. I have not charged for the assistance to people I chose to coach. I also conduct workshops and seminars on certain topics for life coaching at events and at public libraries, and online.

I’ve written a motivational book “Y? Why Not! Transform Your Life from Ordinary to Extraordinary”. It’s a goal-setting workbook to assist the reader in achieving their goals and getting more out of life. I also write a monthly article for an online and print magazine “Black 2 Black Magazine”. Locally, I write a weekly motivational, inspirational spiritual column with Y? Why Not! as the byline for a local shopper newspaper. I utilize my writings as another avenue to assist people in improving their lives. I donate my time and writing for this purpose. I include some of my articles on my blog on the Y? Why Not! website.

I enjoy expressing myself creatively on video and in writing. Just like the television show, I sincerely hope something in those few words reaches someone and makes a difference in their lives. I blend my life experiences, biblical references, and tips or guidelines for the topic. The articles are all motivational and apply to improving ourselves. I get inspiration from God concerning the topics, as most are topics I’ve personally dealt with or working through to improve myself as well. I’m just like everyone else, I need to learn and improve on various aspects of my life. No one is an ultimate expert in life, only God, so I try to learn from the best through reading and studying the Bible, which includes me being a minister.

I became a minister to help others (as you see there’s the theme and focus with all my background and experience including real estate brokerage and appraisals). I speak in the church to deliver a power scripture at the beginning of services at the church I attend, Jesus Lighthouse of Love International Ministries, in Lansing, IL. I’ve spoken at various other churches and ministry conferences, along with funerals. As part of ministry, I was blessed with the opportunity from God to create and minister a summer youth group for 2018 and 2019. The pandemic stalled the group but will pick up hopefully this summer.

I created the youth group from scratch. I was blessed to have received the location for free use over the summers. The program was offered free to youths ages 10-18 in the community from 1-6 PM Monday through Thursday for 8-9 weeks. The program was created to provide a safe summer haven for youth, so they had an enjoyable place for activities for the summer versus being in the streets or at home not being engaged. The program focused on asking guests to come to talk with the students and engage them in an activity or with their careers so the students would see a different aspect of life. I asked for volunteers to come and share with the students.

I was blessed to have a lawyer, LaVetta Williams, to talk to the students and have them perform a mock trial. The students portraying the defense and prosecuting attorneys were forces to be reckoned with. They split into groups and researched the case and had to formula the case. We had an actor with video cameras during a mock interview. A professional wrestler discusses bullying. I engaged the students with other activities such as making their own play to perform, during debates, making crafts, writing poetry, and having a teen round table discussion on topics that were important to them. Some of the students later became guests on the Y? Why Not! Show for the teen chat segments.

I funded the program predominately at my own expense including feeding the 30-45 students for lunch daily. I asked for donations of used items to furnish the place such as a couch, end tables, lamps, televisions, books, games, etc. We receive all and more including a mini refrigerator for drinks for the students. I was also blessed with having two volunteer adults the 1st summer and one college student the 2nd summer to assist me for the entire summer program. So, without much help and limited funding, the program was able to host 45 different students and up to 30 plus on a given day, all with the help of the Lord and kind people. It was truly a pleasure helping the students.

I wished I could have continued the program throughout the year, and I will be looking into that in the near future if I can get funding. I had a young girl that literally pleaded with me to have the program all year around because she needed comfort, friendship, and a haven after school. I could not because I needed to return to my career as an appraiser. I had taken off the summers to devote myself to the youth group. That girl, unfortunately, was taken by a gentleman that offered her a ride and meal. She was missing for almost three days with the police, news, helicopters, and volunteers walking the forest preserves looking for her. Praise the Lord, they found her alive being held by a 40-plus-year-old at a hotel. It’s been my heartfelt desire to seek funding for a program to provide teenagers with educational support for youth groups year-round, so youths like that girl have a place, a safe haven.

SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER:

I am a special education teacher in the Chicago Public Schools. I became a special education teacher with the glory of God. I applied to the Chicago Teachers Fellow program that was geared toward taking individuals that lacked a background of education and training them to be teachers without having to go through college to earn a degree. The program required that you have already obtained a bachelor’s degree in any field and were willing to go through intense summer training and weekly classes during the school year to become teachers. They typically received anywhere from 3000-4000 applicants a year and would choose approximately 100 to go through the program. I was among the 100 chosen for that year.

We were given limited training in two weeks and then presented in the classrooms to assist with summer school. It was dramatic and hard work, but I enjoyed helping my students advance the way they did. Most students just need to know their teacher is in it to help them learn and it’s not just a job. I became a teacher to help others to improve their lives. I related most of my lessons to real-world situations. This helps the students understand and apply the lesson to their lives and situations. It also helps them to understand the “why” we need to know the information taught.

Three of my joyous moments in my first 3 months of teaching were: 1) A 4th-grade student stole a book to bring home to her mother to show her she could finally read a book on her own. Her mother came to the school to thank me and ask the school why they couldn’t help her before. 2) I had a 3rd-grade student with behavior issues come to me and thanked me for helping him and said he would be “good” in class if I can help him read and do the math. 3) A 4th-grader had the pleasure of correcting my math. Being a special education teacher is to be dedicated and supportive of your students, and to fight if necessary for any type of supportive services to help them succeed.

To sum it up, I do all that I do to sincerely help others and give back because of the grace, mercy, and love that I receive from God. The past seven years have been hard on me, which is when I’ve accomplished most of the volunteering and giving back with the show, youth group, ministry, writing, and life coaching, because of my brain meningioma tumor, headaches, pain, other physical ailments, brain fog, memory, and word lapse, etc. but I push on with the strength of God. I wish I could do more however my physical issues and pain hinder me constantly so I do the best I can when I can with God’s help.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Five books have had a significant impact on my entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy, and personal life: the Bible, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, See You at the Top, and Better Than Good: Creating a Life You Can’t Wait to Live by Zig Ziglar, and The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale.

First is the Bible because it is the foundation of living a life through Christ Jesus. The Bible gives roots of sound advice for personal, business, and how you should live. My reading, studying, and understanding of the Bible have helped me become a better person. I take the fruits of the spirit to guide my behavior in my treatment of others. I try to live the best I can by them, Galatians 5:22-23 NIV 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.

In business and life, you need to have the self-control to not overreact, stay level-headed, be faithful to your product, business, and customers, and display kindness and goodness to clients. Your clients are your backbone. If they see a selfish, non-caring, and overly guilty business that does not show honesty and goodwill towards their clients and workers, their customers will tend to take their business elsewhere. There are numerous suggestions in the Bible regarding leadership and being considerate towards others to have loyal people. The Bible also helps me grow closer to God, whom I can seek through prayer and praise for guidance that is valued above all else on earth.

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill was one of the first motivational books I read as a young teen. I still reread the book every few years to learn and refresh on the lessons taught. I gift the books to recent graduates I know and instill in them to read the book at least once during the first 30 days of graduation. The book covers thirteen steps in achieving success that Hill learned by interviewing over 500 top businessmen of his time on advice and tips. It was inspirational because he teaches the fundamentals of achieving. He perhaps is best known for noting if you can conceive something in your mind, and believe it can happen, then you will work towards achieving it. The key is belief. That is an inspiration and also the key.

Zig Ziglar’s book See You at the Top, was first introduced to me as a teenager. We had to read it for health class. Zig inspired me to be a motivational speaker, although I truly wish I started after high school. The book was inspirational because he wrote from a regular person’s point of view of how he achieved. Hill focused his work on tips from the top wealthy people. Ziglar’s work was relatable for the everyday person to reach their goals. Ziglar’s other book Better Than Good looked at his life, experiences, and viewpoints from an older now successful speaker and writer with God and being a Christian as the foundation of the book. Life is not all about the money, and really shouldn’t be about the money, but of God. Money is a byproduct of life and a tool. Ziglar talks about being a Christian and helping others versus the fame and fortune that leads many people astray down the wrong path or lead to destruction. Some celebrities have gone downhill when they’ve put themselves higher than God or turned away from God with self-pride and accomplishment.

Lastly, The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale has been inspirational in my entrepreneurial philosophy because he focuses his book on teachings from the Bible, Christian teaching, and prayer. He inspires by discussing how the Bible instructs us to listen, learn, obey, and follow the Lord’s teachings. Dr. Peale is a minister and teaches faith in God versus faith in yourself without God. In every chapter, he ends with prayer on the topic of that chapter. He leads everything back to the roots and relationship with God and Christ Jesus.

Several other authors have been influential to me in my management, organization, entrepreneurial thinking, and philosophy including others, who are predominately ministers, such as Dr. Charles Stanley and John Maxwell, along with Brian Tracy, Les Brown, Spencer Johnson, and Viktor Frankl. I’ve read and reread numerous books by these authors. I also believe it is necessary to constantly flow your mind with positive affirmations and biblical verses to keep your focus on the positives versus ruminating on the negatives or mistakes. They are only mistakes and failures if you make it final and stop trying.

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

My strong resilience to not give up no matter what stems from the strength I received from God while growing up with child abuse and trauma. As an infant, I came into this world already a fighter with the resilience to overcome and survive, but also to thrive. My mother informed me when I was still quite young that she had attempted to abort me twice. I was the product of an affair, while my mother was separated from her husband. My biological father was also married at the time. My father was still involved in his marriage, as my younger brother from my father is only one month younger than me. The relationship was not going to manifest further so an abortion seemed like the right thing. The first time she had the procedure it didn’t work and then the second time she was too far along to end the pregnancy.

My mother returned to her marriage with my older sister, then I was born. I wholeheartedly believe I was only born by the grace and mercy of God. My sister and I experienced child abuse from my stepfather. The beatings, touching, being treated as his personal servants, slaps, choking, etc. were traumatic. He even lined my mother, sister, and myself by the kitchen sink threatening to kill us with the 38 he held in his hand sitting at the table. We were commanded to jump and run to him at any request or be punished. If we came too slow or didn’t look happy we were hit with a belt or slapped. I would have constant nosebleeds from getting slapped often. My stepfather is 6’9″ and weighed probably 350 pounds with a 23 or 24 shoe size. His hands were monstrous. He would grab us by our throats from bed asleep, dragging us to the kitchen to show us a crumb on the floor that we missed. We then had to sweep and mop the floor in the middle of a school night.

Every day, I prayed for deliverance from that horrible situation. I believed that God would prevail and had in my favor. He had not forsaken me. I felt that God was my Father and creator because I had no Earthly father that truly claimed me. I knew in God’s will and time, I would be saved from that situation. I kept going every day. I was not going to break or get defeated.

By 19, I survived child abuse, my family moving while I was away at college without telling me (they lost our home), being attacked by two men, childhood illness, being homeless, missing a bullet by inches (my mom shot at her husband right when I walked pass as a child), attempted suicide, being in foster care with DCFS, in insolation for nine months, missing over 1 year of high school, dropping out of college because my parents cashed my scholarship check, and surviving being a teen, solely by the grace and mercy of Christ Jesus.

The resilience I learned is embedded in me to not give up, to hope and pray, and beyond all, know that God has the final answer and victory. My childhood experience has made me who I am. A person who cares deeply for others and their well-being. A person that wants to truly help people and let them know you can bounce back and overcome all with God’s help.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ywhynot.com
• Instagram: janicenewman6063
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ywhynotshow/
• Linkedin: https://bit.ly/JaniceNewman_Linkedin
• Youtube: bit.ly/ywhynotshow
• Other: Personal Host/Producer Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/janicenewman.ywhynot/ email: janice.ywhynot@gmail.com General email: ywhynotshow@gmail.com