We were lucky to catch up with Linnet Harris recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Linnet thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

Having a business is not for the faint of heart. I took a leap of faith and heeded the call to become my own boss when I decided to quit the nonprofit industry after 15 years of service. I had a plan in mind and hoped against hope that it would work! For the first six months after quitting my 55k a year nonprofit director job, I was booked solid for psychic readings and energy healing services. My family mocked me for taking the risk and refused to trust in my aspirations or ability. They soon realized how busy I was! I wasn’t surprised when relationships ended. I was expecting it. The more I excelled in my practice and in entrepreneurship, the more I noticed the snakes in the grass. In my first year as an entrepreneur, I had to accept a lot of losses. I lost people who I thought were my friends, I had to move several times, and lost a few cars in the process. I attempted to supplement my income by taking up side employment. However, every time I tried, I had a sick feeling in my stomach. Negative recollections of working for others would race across my mind. Each time I would feel a financial strain I was always somehow financially covered. Whether I would get more bookings or a blessing from a client would cover my rent and bills for the month. I am always grateful for these blessings. I had to let go of fear and trust that I would be more than “okay”. Entrepreneurship is not for the fainthearted, as I previously stated. I believe you need a strong sense of self, a lot of confidence, and believing in your dreams when no one else does, as well as going forward as if you are already living your dream.

Everything came to a halt in 2020, at the onset of the pandemic. I wasn’t concerned about my business because I had switched to virtual months before the US lockdown. I’d been having visions of the pandemic since 2018, so I’d been preparing for it long before it happened. After the first two months of lockdown, I began to consider acquiring another internet work from home position because I had more free time and wanted to provide a financial cushion for my family. So I proceeded to update my résumé, and that sickening feeling returned as soon as I started looking at job descriptions. My gut instincts were yelling “THIS IS NOT FOR YOU!” I could feel my body rejecting the mere thought of working for someone else ever again. That same afternoon, I was booked five days a week for six consecutive months. I always remember why I took the leap and answered the call to work for myself and to nurture my practice everyday so it grows. I made the commitment to myself to never work for anyone ever again. It’s been 6 years, I am still here and my business is thriving.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

Old School Bruja LLC and The Diaspora Death Doulas Inc. are my businesses. Mediumship, trained Healing Touch Practitioner, Past Life Regression Therapist, and Death Doula work are among my specialties. Spiritual training such as divination, ancestor mediumship, orisha work, and death doula training are among the services I offer. In addition to teaching, I offer energy healing and vocal toning attunement services. I provide life coaching services as well as provide free information on spiritual development on my podcast “Coffee &Toast with Awo Faleyewa” on Spotify and Anchor by Spotify. I provide free meditations on my You tube Channel Coffee and Toast as well.

My business serves to heal your generational trauma, find your courage and align with your destiny. Thousands of lives have been changed as a result of my work, which includes spiritual guidance, education, and support.. What sets me aside from other practitioners is that I’ve spent my entire life working with dead and spiritual entities; I was raised to be a healer and to make a significant difference in the world. Since 2016, I’ve developed effective programs that have transformed thousands of people using the tools I provide. I have witnessed my clients’ rebirth. I have seen them heal their minds, bodies, and spirits. I teach you the techniques as you do the healing work so you can learn to sustain your peace.

I’m especially pleased with the years of dedication and love I’ve put into my spiritual work and podcast. The greatest achievement is watching the peace and harmony I have brought to everyone I encounter.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I come from a poor working class family in Brooklyn NY. My mother worked hard to keep us in private school because she wanted us to have the ” best education”. My parents divorced and my father left when I was 11. After that, life changed and I faced domestic abuse, sexual abuse, teen pregnancy, homelessness, depression and illness all before I was 23 years old.

My mother did everything to protect me but she was just one person who had to work her butt off to pay for everything. At the age of 19 I found my mother dead in her bed from a heart attack, she had just turned 54.
I was thrust into being an adult and alone in this world. I had navigate it on my own. I had to tap into everything she taught me while she was alive. My mother taught me how to survive.

I never learned how to start a business; all I knew was that I had been sent here to end generational curses and teach others how to do the same. In order to stay relevant on this entrepreneurial journey, I’ve had to learn how to pivot my focus and business. Despite having a number of medical scares, I had to keep speaking healing over myself and concentrating on my vision. I took some business-starting classes. I taught myself how to expand my business and generate multiple streams of revenue.

Bottom line is I never gave up.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn that you can’t put your company goals or projects in the hands of just anyone. Early on, I had to learn that you never reveal your business until it’s time to put it all together. Do not disclose your ideas or methods with anyone until you have them legally registered, trademarked, and have formed an LLC, 501(c)(3), or whatever entity you choose for your business and ambitions. Many people have stolen my aspirations and ideas because I mistook them for pals. I honestly believed I could tell them about all of my company’s successes. My t-shirt and active wear line on Oldschoolbruja.com/shop is a perfect example. As a hobby, I enjoy designing outfits and shirts. I was sharing my ideas with someone I thought was a friend before I established my online store. She started selling t-shirts using my design ideas on her Facebook page two days later. She blocked me from all social media and email after I questioned her about the situation. Her scheme ultimately failed since I had already trademarked my concepts before she even considered making it a trademark design. Bottom line: hold your ideas close to your chest; someone will always want to take them.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.oldschoolbruja.com
• Instagram: coffee_and_toast_podcast
• Facebook: @LinnetHarris
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGVoqtn1tNVJ7PZXqGU2ejg
• Other: Online boutique www.oldschoolbruja.com/shop TikTok @harmoniousrivers Podcast Coffee & Toast with Awo Faleyewa https://open.spotify.com/episode/5NdWY9f2wjlDePB9n1DjNa?si=VKnnSWirQ_W8UKvXQBhXpA

Image Credits
Uniquely Framed Photography