We were lucky to catch up with Shaneka Marie recently and have shared our conversation below.

Shaneka , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

I’m hoping to leave a legacy of hope and faith. I want people to say Shaneka Marie Braxton was a woman of great faith and she trusted God’s plan for her life. I want to be remembered for helping others feel seen, loved, and heard. I pray that people will share testimonies about how God used the light within me to encourage and inspire others.

Shaneka , 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?

My name is Shaneka Braxton and I am a multihyphenate. I’m a writer, faith based content creator, and a life coach/mentor.
I’m also a commercial model.

How I got to where I am today is truly all God. Learning to be still and trust God in the pivots led me where I am today. Even though I have my hands in alot, my mission is still the same for everything I do. That is to inspire. So many people are walking around just existing when God has created us to actually live with purpose.

My brand name is Shaneka Marie and it started from a place and time when I felt like I was just existing. I felt like I was just working to pay bills. I was completely burned out physically, mentally and emotionally. One day I made a decision to ask for help and I invested in a life coach. That one decision completely changed my life forever. My life coach was the light that God used to pull me out of the darkness of hustle culture.

As a writer and content creator, I empower women through storytelling and encourage from my life experiences. As a life coach/mentor my goal is to simply be who I needed when I was seeking more for my life. I want women to see me and hear my story and know that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself. All it takes is a decision.

I’m most proud of my faith because it’s literally my anchor. I’m not sure where I’d be without it.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

One of my goals is to make as many women as I can feel seen, loved, and heard through my writing and video content. I want to spread hope for those who may be silently sinking. There was a time in my life when I was silently sinking into depression/anxiety and no one really knew because I was hiding behind a “I’m good” mask. I wore this mask daily because I didn’t know how to be vulnerable. Fear and childhood trauma played a huge role in this. As I’ve been on my healing journey these last 6 years, I’ve realized we all need and deserve a safe space to just be. My mission is to simply be who I needed in the darkest time of my life.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Transparency and authenticity has grown my Youtube channel beyond anything I could have ever expected. I remember when I first felt led to start a YouTube channel, I almost talked myself out of it because I didn’t know how or where to even start. My first video was called “Starting Before You’re Ready” and I talked about how starting my channel was uncomfortable but I knew I had to be obedient. I’ve gotten so many messages about how this video inspired others to pursue their passions even though they were afraid and didn’t know where to start.

My advice for someone just starting would be to start now and learn as you go. Do not allow perfectionism to suck the joy out of the new thing you feel called to. Start with what you have and trust that God will give and show you the rest.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: shaneka_marie_
• Threads: shaneka_marie_
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@ShanekaMarie
• Encouragement Blog/Newsletter: https://shanekamarie.substack.com/

Image Credits
Rhodesphotollc