We recently connected with Shamonique Mattox and have shared our conversation below.

Shamonique, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

Before I had my current business, I took a risk that cost me nearly $20,000. It also taught me one of the most important lessons I know about resilience and continuing to build, even when you lose money along the way.

This idea came from my partner and me. At the time, Uber was just starting to take off, and we noticed something. A lot of people need help moving large items like furniture and appliances, things that do not fit in a regular car. At the same time, there were people with trucks who could help, but there was no simple way to connect the two.

We wanted to solve that.

Our idea was to build an app that connected people who needed help moving large items with truck owners in real time. Similar to Uber, but focused on hauling and moving. That is how TruckFrat came to life.

We did our research and found a development company that specialized in building apps. They had a clean website, references, and a portfolio. We got on calls with them, asked questions, and even spoke with people they had worked with before. They walked us through everything step by step.

When it was time to move forward, they sent us a full development plan outlining the milestones, timeline, and payment structure. I still have that document to this day. Everything looked legitimate, and we believed in the idea, so we moved forward.

Over time, we paid close to $20,000 at different stages of the process.

At first, it felt like everything was going well. We were receiving updates, screenshots, and progress reports. They even sent us a prototype that we could download and test on our phones. We could open it, click through it, and see what it was becoming.

We were excited. It felt like we were building something real.

Then things started to change.

The updates became less consistent. At one point, they even changed the company’s name in the middle of our development process. What once felt structured started to feel uncertain.

Eventually, everything stopped, and we didn’t hear back from them and never received a working app.

What made it even harder was watching other companies come out with the same type of idea. Seeing those apps gain traction, get attention, and move forward in the market.

That experience could easily have stopped us, but instead, we kept going.

We still had the truck, so we pivoted. We started helping people with IKEA deliveries and other large-item moves. That quickly grew into something bigger. Over time, we expanded, purchased a box truck, and built a moving business.

TruckFrat still existed, just in a different form than we originally imagined.

That experience taught me that there will always be more ideas. There will always be another way to move forward. Losing money, even a significant amount, does not remove your ability to create, build, or try again.

Sometimes things do not work out the way you planned, even when you do your due diligence and take the right steps. What matters is your ability to keep going after that moment.

Money can be made again, and the opportunities will continue to come.

The most important thing is never to stop, so you can experience them.

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?

I am the creator behind a body of work centered on intentional living, personal vision, and building a life with clarity and structure. Everything I create comes from how I think about turning ideas into real life.
My background is a blend of structure and intuition. I am a veteran and work in cybersecurity, so I am used to systems, processes, and understanding how different pieces work together to create a clear result. At the same time, I have always been drawn to synchronicity, possibility, and the idea that there are many ways for something to come together.
My work is where those two worlds meet.
I created the DesignAlignManifest framework to help people like me who have a lot going on and multiple responsibilities stay connected to their vision until it becomes real.
The DesignAlignManifest framework reflects how I move through that process.
Design is about intentionally choosing and shaping what you want your life to look like.
Align is the practice of staying connected to that vision through consistent and creative engagement. This can take many forms, including action, reflection, visualization, writing, ritual, and daily awareness.
Manifest is when you begin living what you created while staying aware and refining your vision as you navigate your reality.
This is a continuous process that you live within.
Alongside that framework, I create both physical and digital tools that support this connection.
One of my primary products is INTENTION // bay leaves, which are used as a daily ritual tool. You write an intention, burn the bay leaf, and use that moment to reconnect with what you are choosing for your life. It brings a long-standing practice into a modern, repeatable structure that people can consistently return to.
What makes my work distinct is the way everything is connected. Each tool, ritual, and piece of content supports the larger goal of helping people stay connected with what they are creating.
The main problem I focus on is disconnection. People often begin with clarity, then gradually move into routines or paths that feel less aligned with what they originally envisioned. Over time, that disconnection creates distance from their own vision.
That is why I emphasize ongoing check-ins and continuous design. Your vision evolves as you do. Returning to it, refining it, and expanding it keeps your life aligned with who you are becoming.
What sets me apart is the balance between emotional awareness, structure, and creativity. Each plays a role in creating something meaningful. Connection provides direction, structure provides consistency, and creativity keeps the process flexible, expressive, and fun.
I also place a strong emphasis on personalization, because the most effective system is one that feels natural to the individual using it.
What I am most proud of is building something that reflects how I actually live. My work is shaped by my experiences in structured environments, my ability to adapt, and my commitment to continuing to create in ways that feel aligned.
The most important thing I want people to understand is that your vision deserves to be created. Everyone deserves to build something they are truly proud of and can share with the world.
When people move through life disconnected from what they actually want, it becomes easy to build something that does not fully feel like their own. Over time, that creates a sense of misalignment.
Creating a life that feels aligned starts with feeling empowered to choose, to create, and to believe that what you want is worth bringing to life.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

One of the biggest things that helped me grow my audience on social media, especially on TikTok, was responding to comments with videos.

There’s a feature that lets you take a comment and turn it directly into content, and it shifted how I approached everything. Instead of always trying to come up with new ideas, I started paying attention to what people were already asking.

One of my best-performing videos came from something simple. Someone asked where they could buy my INTENTION // bay leaves. At first, I almost ignored it because I already had a link available. But instead, I decided to respond with a video.

I set my camera up and walked through it clearly. I showed what the product looked like, explained where to find it, and answered the question directly.

That video ended up bringing in a lot of views and sales.

What that showed me is that your audience will often tell you exactly what they need. When you respond in a way that feels direct and intentional, it creates content that is both useful and relevant.

It also makes people feel seen. When someone asks a question, and you take the time to respond publicly, it builds a stronger connection. At the same time, you are creating content that is already aligned with people’s interests, which naturally helps with reach.

My advice for anyone just starting is to pay close attention to your comments and treat them as a source of content. Instead of overthinking what to post, use what your audience is already engaging with.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

One of the biggest factors that helped build my reputation was taking something familiar and presenting it in a more intentional, elevated way.

With INTENTION // bay leaves, I worked with something that was already known in the spiritual space. People were used to using bay leaves, but the experience around them was often overlooked. Most people were using leaves that were crumbled, chipped, or hard to write on.

I saw an opportunity to approach it differently.

I focused on quality and presentation. The leaves were whole, flat, and easy to write on. I paid attention to how they looked and how they felt to use. I also took care in how they were packaged. Instead of treating them like a basic product, I treated them like something meaningful. They were boxed, wrapped, and presented with intention.

That difference showed up when people received them.

Many customers were surprised by the quality and experience. That moment of seeing something better than what they expected created a strong first impression.

From there, the reviews started to build. I now have over 115 five-star reviews, and that consistency has helped reinforce trust. People can see that others have had a good experience, which makes them more confident in trying it for themselves.

At the core, I think my reputation comes from being willing to do something differently and taking pride in every part of the process. I focused on the details people usually overlook, creating a product and experience people remember.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shamonique.com

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