We were lucky to catch up with Tishahnah Roney recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Tishahnah, thanks for joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?
The name of my brand is Rich, Rooted Wealth Academy, and it holds deep meaning for me. I’ve always loved the idea of having and growing a garden, but I couldn’t seem to keep anything green alive. I had a brown thumb—plants would literally come to my house to die. But I was determined. I kept planting seeds, and eventually, I got something to grow!
It was supposed to be a tomato plant, but after months of tending to this mystery plant, it became painfully clear that it was not a tomato plant. To this day, I still don’t know what I actually grew—but that’s a whole other story. Anyway, that plant gave me hope and inspired me to keep going!
There was just one small problem: my apartment. It wasn’t tiny, but it was on the second floor. Luckily, we had a balcony and window sills, so I planted peppers, ginger, aloe, carrots, squash, those mystery plants I swore were tomatoes, lemons, and cucumbers. Little did I know (because, of course, I didn’t do any research first) that cucumbers need a lot of water and space to vine. But I was just happy to finally be growing something.
My grandfather, John Roney, was a gardener who grew everything in his backyard—fig trees, blackberry bushes, grapes, tomatoes, squash, cabbage, and more. Somehow, I felt like I was honoring him and his legacy by tending to my own tiny garden. I learned so much in the two years I spent gardening.
When we moved, my little balcony garden came with us, finding a new home in two raised beds in our backyard. That transition brought a whole new learning experience—pests, critters, extreme South Carolina heat, and full sunlight. Some plants didn’t make it, but quite a few survived and flourished. I realized that staying rooted in my personal mission—honoring my grandfather by growing my own food and nurturing strong, rich roots—was what kept the surviving plants (and me) going through setbacks.
Finding out those “tomato plants” were something else after months of tending to them definitely threw me off. Lol.
When it came to naming my brand, I knew I would nurture it just like my garden—so that it, too, would be rich and rooted. My brand would be reminiscent of bamboo—strong, resilient, and ever-growing—like my grandfather and my ancestors before him. They survived and thrived. My plants survived and thrived (we ended up with a sizable harvest of cucumbers, peppers, yellow squash, tomatoes—yes, I eventually grew actual tomatoes—and even watermelon).
And I knew my brand would be the same: one that would survive and thrive no matter what challenges arise.
Thus, Rich, Rooted Wealth Academy was created and built!
Tishahnah, 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 expertise is rooted in financial empowerment, digital entrepreneurship, and content creation. I’m here to help women like you heal from financial trauma and thrive by selling digital products.
After struggling with my own money issues and diving deep into the world of digital business and content creation, I’ve gained the skills and knowledge to guide others on their journey.
What sets my approach apart is my real-life understanding of the unique struggles women face when recovering from financial setbacks. I’ve been through it all—rising from tough times in the projects to owning my own home and building a successful digital business. My experience fuels my passion for helping you turn your passions into a profitable online venture.
Even though I’m still growing in my role as a mentor, I bring a fresh, empathetic perspective rooted in personal experience. I’m here to work alongside you—getting to know your goals, understanding your challenges, and crafting strategies that will set you up for financial healing and long-term success.
At Rich, Rooted Wealth Academy, I’m not just your mentor—I’m your guide to financial freedom and personal empowerment. I’m here because I’m passionate about helping women like you heal from money trauma, step into your power, and create wealth through digital entrepreneurship.
I started this journey with a simple belief: Every woman—no matter where she’s been—deserves to thrive. That’s why I’m committed to giving you the knowledge, tools, and strategies to build an online business, generate real income, and reclaim your financial independence.
Let’s heal, grow, and thrive—together.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
As a kid and all throughout high school, I excelled academically. I loved learning and had a natural ability to master new concepts quickly. I was in Gifted & Talented and Honors programs and received several academic scholarships to attend college. Everyone—including me—had high hopes for my future success… until I got pregnant at 18 during my freshman year of college.
A lot of people doubted me. Some even gave up on me. A few even tried to convince me to give up on my unborn child.
But I didn’t listen to any of them.
I decided to keep both my baby and my dreams, even though the straight and narrow path suddenly became much more twisted and uncertain. I attended classes on campus while working two jobs, right up until two weeks before my son was born. I’m still grateful for my professors who allowed me to take my exams from home.
My straight A’s? Long gone.
But C’s get degrees—and I am so grateful I got mine!
After my son was born, I took a semester off to work while living at home with my mom and sister. Shoutout to them—they were my biggest support system as I transitioned into motherhood.
I knew I still wanted to finish school, so after receiving letters of recommendation from my professors, counselors, and deans at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, I was granted permission to live in an on-campus apartment with my 9-month-old son. Of course, there were stipulations—one being that I had to maintain a full-time schedule (12 credit hours minimum).
It was tough, but because of that opportunity, I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice in 2012.
Being a teen mom is tough, and not everyone has the support or circumstances to make it through. Especially when they’re like me—Black, born into poverty, raised in the projects, and a product of a predominantly Black, Title I school district.
I should have been a statistic—and not in a good way.
But instead, my son—now a college freshman studying Computer Science—and I are beating the odds!
Since then, I’ve gone on to:
✔ Earn a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education
✔ Teach for several years
✔ Become an Educational Consultant
✔ Build a career as a Digital Entrepreneur & Business Strategist/Coach
✔ Launch & host the “Truth Talks: Empowerment for Healing & Thriving” podcast, now global and streaming on 11 platforms
And let’s not forget my second son, who is now 13 and thriving in sports and technology! He was born in 2011—right before I graduated from Rutgers.
That’s right—this teen mama mastered it all and more, not with one, but TWO kids!
How’s that for resilience?
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I love this question because the answer is so fresh in my mind!
I started my business page, @Mz.ShaniSpeakz, on IG in June 2024 with literally 3-5 followers—it was brand new. As of February, my page has grown to about 900 followers!
For some, that might not seem like much, but for me, this is huge.
I’ve been growing my following organically by attracting people who are interested in healing their money trauma—people who resonate with my energy and who I authentically am.
They say, “Your vibe attracts your tribe,” and I’m so grateful for every single person on my page. The energy is positive, beautiful, and magnetic, and if what they say is true, that means they’re a reflection of my vibe. I think that’s DOPE!
As a content creator who’s just starting out and growing your online presence and business, here’s the best advice I can give:
BE CONSISTENT.
Manifestation is key—from day one, you have to show up as if you already have 100,000 followers. You have to build it so they will come.
And you can only build brick by brick.
The cement that holds those bricks together? Consistency.
Your audience needs to know you, like you, and trust you in order to grow with you. That means:
✔ Showing up for them daily
✔ Engaging with them
✔ Telling your story to build real connections
✔ Providing value
✔ Sharing your amazing vibes
When you do that, the growth will come—guaranteed.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rich-rooted.com/homepage
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mz.shanispeakz?igsh=MXF5Nm5tajJzcWNraQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/19vCZekr4Z/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tishahnahroney?trk=contact-info
- Twitter: https://www.tiktok.com/@shanispeakz?_t=ZP-8u7HeZUo3qA&_r=1
- Other: https://rich-rooted.com/mzshanispeaks?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAab5Dn5LdKzB6UDu3jl5wa0Z1q4IVT0oop8gkrTM4NKLPaRqmJmWVtntr4U_aem_XWKQSFH_W0z1FiN_2lsuxw
Image Credits
Not applicable