We were lucky to catch up with Tier’a Berry recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tier’a , thanks for joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

My voyage has been profoundly shaped by my family’s experiences with my youngest son’s health challenges. I share my story not just as a testament to resilience, but as a source of encouragement for others facing their own struggles. Such random occurrences can put you in a position to take risks.

In 2022, we discovered that Amyn has Rasmussen’s Encephalitis, a rare neurological condition that affects 1 in every 10,000 children up to the age of 10. This condition was causing weakness on the right side of his body. The only solution to this condition was brain surgery. On April 27, 2022, Amyn underwent a hemispherectomy, during which the front left part of his brain was separated from the rest. The surgery was successful, and we are now celebrating 2 years of being seizure-free.

With so much uncertainty, I had to take a huge risk in my life. I lost my job due to my son’s condition and became his full time caregiver. As his mother I felt it was my obligation to support him %1000. This decision began to pose some challenges financially in my household. It had me against the wall and so I took a risk at becoming an entrepreneur in 2024.

This past year has been pivotal in me making a choice to become an entrepreneur. My new found career as author, advocate and workshop facilitator has inspired me to keep taking risk and betting on myself because I am confident, resilient and passionate. I started sharing our story as a way to spread awareness of epilepsy, use my creativity as an artist and writer. I also aim to inspire others to discover the healing and strength that can be found in the pages of a journal because that was my mental health cheat code during such a traumatic time.

Tier’a , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Tier’a V. Berry, is a proud New Yorker born and raised in Rochdale Village, Queens. With a deep passion for working with children and helping families, Tier’a’s journey in youth development began at a young age. Initially aspiring to be a teacher, she discovered her true calling while working at a community program in The Bronx. This amazing experience opened her eyes to endless possibilities. Embracing her role as a community leader in The South Bronx, Tier’a accumulated over 15 years of experience in youth development, equipping her with invaluable skills, knowledge, and a genuine love for serving the community.

In the face of a life-altering experience that impacted her family, Tier’a found herself trying to figure out life on a new wave along her voyage of life. With the heaviness of losing her job, a separation from a long, lifetime relationship and seeming to have to pick up the pieces, she was fueled by determination and a desire to not lose it all.
Waking up on a new voyage, full of encouragement and support she recognized her passion and curiosity in writing and digital marketing. Currently a small business owner of Tier’a’s Voyage LLC, and serving as Lead Creative & Branding, LeVian Diamond with The Diamond Writers. Tier’a started using her story to support and inspire others.

I made the brave decision to pursue my passion for writing and embark on entrepreneurship. As a self-published author passionate about the transformative power of journaling, storytelling, and community support. Through my writing, I aim to inspire others to discover the healing and strength that can be found in the pages of a journal. I offer free journaling workshops with a small bulk purchase of notebooks.
SweettsWrites is a space dedicated to education, empowerment, and fostering a sense of belonging. I have self published three books and collaborated with Transparent Gem Inc.. My two guided journals encourage wellness practices and self love for men and women and a poetry book. I also create multi purpose notebooks to encourage journal writing. I truly aim to cultivate a community where love and understanding thrive, helping each other navigate life’s challenges through the art of writing and strength of love.

www.sweettswrites.com

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

When my son got sick my life changed drastically. His care demanded full time attention and as the primary caregiver I could no longer commit to my 9-5. There was enough savings for two years but finances started to struggle. Starting a side hustle of creating and selling multi purpose notebooks to raise money to support my family was one of the best things I’ve done. Anxious and excited I started selling books on Amazon and vending outside in my community.

Then as a Diamond Writers I was challenged to facilitate a journal workshop and in that task I recognized how valuable journaling was during a very traumatic time of my life. It also helped me see that I been releasing through my writing since high school. Journaling has been a silent but effective and supporting tool to my survival and sustainability. Writing was such a past time activity that the value went unnoticed. Truly a hidden gem in my life. Why not share it?

This experience encouraged me to start sharing my voyage with others and share the wealth of a free mental health tool, journaling. I wrote a proposal and embarked on sharing my journey and becoming a workshop facilitator. I have facilitated workshops in community centers and schools. Those experiences inspired me to start Tier’a’s Voyage LLC. I strive to provide services that empower and inspire others to find their true passion and live it out loud. I just want to share tools that have worked for me to see community do better.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Losing a lot at one time can feel like you are living in a tragedy. When my son got sick it caused tension in areas of my life. With a child having 8-10 silent seizures a minute and randomly anywhere from 2-7 visible seizures a day, he needed around the clock supervision. I could no longer service my employer in the capacity needed. I was let go.
The stress of my son’s diagnosis also caused strain in my personal relationship. With us not seeing eye to eye on care and services we struggled with communication. This caused us to separate.
Feeling like everything that I worked hard for was crumbling before my eyes, I didn’t see hope. I saw loss and pain. However, I could not let these things consume me. As a mother and in the face of adversity I chose to keep climbing upward. I refused to let everything keep me down. I had to be strong for my children. Life couldn’t stop for me considering I have children to set an example for and an entire life to live. I chose to be resilient!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sweettswrites.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweettswrites/profilecard/?igsh=MXJ6NDZtazI0OWZuYw==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/aCvAncGwi84au3Wb/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@sweettswrites?si=jhUa2aoQ0l6eL3DV