We were lucky to catch up with Marion Johnson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Marion, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

How I Came Up with the Idea for My Business:

I’ll take you back to where it all started. It wasn’t a boardroom decision or a well-crafted five-year plan. It was grief and loss raw, unfiltered, and life-altering. When I lost my sister on November 24th, 2014, my world shattered. I found myself being numb to my feelings, being on auto-pilot, questioning everything I thought I knew about life, faith, and purpose. I tried to push through, to be strong, but the truth? I was stuck.

One day, in the midst of my own struggle, I found healing in helping others. It began with motivational cards. Talking to other women privately carrying their own pain made me realize something: We were all suffering alone, pretending to be okay when we weren’t. And that wasn’t okay with me.

I knew we needed an authentic, safe space to heal together. A space where we could stop performing strength and start redefining it. That’s how Redefine Me Movement started.

Why I Knew This Would Work:
Because the need was undeniable, black women continuously poured into everyone else, showing up for work, church, family, and friends while our hearts broke. But who’s pouring back into us? Who’s helping us heal?

I realized no one was speaking directly to us. High-achieving Black women of faith who carry loss, grief, and life transitions with no true place to release and heal. The problem wasn’t just grief, it was isolation. And I knew that had to change.

What Makes This Different:
There are plenty of spaces that talk about “resilience” and “self-care,” but few that truly understand the depth of what it means to be a Black woman navigating loss and transition. Redefine Me Movement is about redefining what healing looks like for us on our terms in a way that honors our faith, experiences, and journey.

I’ve seen the transformation firsthand. Women come in carrying pain and leave with renewed and redefined purpose. They reclaim their faith, joy, and power, which is why I said yes to this work; no Black woman should have to heal alone.

This movement is personal and necessary because we are redefining healing together.

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 back background and context?

I’m Marion Y. Johnson, founder of the Redefine Me Movement, a Certified Grief Life Coach, and a Life Redefinition Strategist. I help Black professional women of faith redefine and reclaim their lives after loss and life transitions.

My journey into this work wasn’t planned; it was discovered through loss. When I lost my sister, I found myself overwhelmed by grief, struggling to move forward. But through helping others, I realized healing isn’t meant to be done alone. That’s when I knew I had to create something bigger. A safe space where Black women could redefine healing on their terms.

What I Do & Who I Serve
I work with Black professional women of faith who are used to being the strong ones who show up, push through, and take care of everyone else while silently carrying their pain. Through my group coaching program, Redefine Your Healing, self-care retreats, workshops, and community-building, I help these women process grief, reclaim their passion, and step into their next chapter with clarity and confidence.

The Problems I Solve
Too often, Black women suffer in silence, believing no one understands their pain. I provide:
– A safe, judgment-free space for healing
– Faith-based support that aligns with their spiritual values
– Self-discovery techniques to navigate loss and redefine purpose
– Community & sisterhood because healing isn’t meant to be done alone

What Sets Me Apart
I’m not just a coach. I’ve lived this journey. I know what it’s like to feel lost after loss, to question faith, and to wonder if joy is still possible. My transparency and relatability allow women to see themselves in my story and know they, too, can heal.

What I’m Most Proud Of
I’ve had the honor of guiding over 60 women through their redefinition, watching them heal and thrive. Seeing them reclaim their joy, launch businesses, rebuild faith, and even pour into other women.

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

Being too hard on myself was one of the hardest things I had to unlearn as an entrepreneur.

I used to think every mistake meant I wasn’t good enough and I was falling behind if I wasn’t constantly moving. I’d push myself past exhaustion, always chasing the next goal, never stopping to acknowledge how far I’d come.

But the truth is, growth isn’t about speed. It’s about showing up, learning, and giving yourself grace in the process. Some days that means making big moves. On other days, it means resting without guilt.

I often tell my clients to celebrate their small wins. The fact that they’re still here, still trying, believing in what’s possible that alone is worth honoring. Don’t give up on yourself because the journey isn’t always smooth. Keep going, but be kind to yourself along the way.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I remember a time when pivoting wasn’t a choice for me; it was a necessity.

I had built a ministry and business I believed in and poured my heart into a brand I thought was mine. But then, I discovered my business name was already trademarked by someone else. Just like that, everything I had worked for felt like it was slipping through my fingers.

At first, I was frustrated. I questioned if I should even keep going. But then I realized this wasn’t the end it was a chance to come back stronger. So, I did what I always tell other women to do: I redefined my situation.

That’s how Redefine Me Movement was born. It wasn’t just a new name; it was a declaration. A reminder that no matter what life throws at you, you have the power to shift, adjust, and rise again.

So, if you ever find yourself at a crossroads, feeling like you have to start over, remember this: a setback is just an opportunity to rename, reclaim, and relaunch on your terms.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.redefinememovement.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redefinememovement/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariony.johnson1
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marionyjohnson/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@redefinememovement

Image Credits

KiKi Smith Photography
Now in the Nati | Fox 19 via Facebook
Brandi Washington