We were lucky to catch up with LaQuisha Hunnecook recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi LaQuisha, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
My story started as a teenager, searching for my place in this thing we call life. As a teenager I could never find the place that I fitted in. I was the loner, didn’t like to be out and about and was a super introvert. Living life like that left me feeling empty and I often found myself not knowing who to turn to. At the age of 18 I got pregnant and did not want my daughter to ever feel that emptiness. So I vowed to always put my best foot forward and not look back at the circumstances I evolved from.
LaQuisha, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Hello world my name is LaQuisha Hunnecook and below you find out why I am the amazing woman I am today.
After graduating high school and having my daughter I started school at Argosy University studying to become a Medical Assistant, graduating in January of 2009. While in school full-time, I started a job in the security industry making this my career for 10 years.
Something was missing in my life, I was still not one hundred percent happy with where my career was going. In 2016, after taking some time off of school to focus on my daughter and family issues, I graduated from the Minneapolis Community and Technical College, where I was awarded my associate degree in Human Services. While doing my internship with Project DIVA International (PDI), I found my passion for being an influence in the lives of young girls. Wanting to change generational curses, I started and managed ‘The Dolls Program’ within Project DIVA International. Doing so opened the doors for girls in grades 3rd- 6th to gain knowledge and encouragement of who they were becoming at an early age.
Seven (7) years after joining PDI, I am now a certified Life Coach and owner of Xpress Yourself. Xpress Yourself exists to personally develop girls in elementary school to love themselves first, while becoming the best version of themselves.
I currently resides in Minneapolis, MN with my husband Jarvis and we are blessed to have six (6) beautiful children. In my spare time I enjoy creating memories with my family and friends, meditating, and writing.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
The best advice that I can give anyone about managing a team is that communication is key. Meeting with your team monthly gives everyone the space to give honest and real time feedback. Knowing your team and how they operate allows for the managers to offer the best corrections needed as well as tag team any area’s of concerns.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
The biggest lesson that I had to unlearn was not being able to trust people. In life I have learned that some people deserve second chances. Trust is earned and can also be restored. People make mistakes and some learn from those mistakes and shouldn’t be punished their whole lives.