We recently connected with Vladimir Louissaint and have shared our conversation below.

Vladimir , appreciate you joining us today. Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

When I was a rising leader in the Health and Wellness field, I took a job at a Boys and Girl’s Club in Boston as a Health and Wellness Coordinator. This was a step-up both in yearly pay and responsibilities, and I thought I was up for the challenge. Relying mainly on my Exercise Physiology and coaching knowledge, I focused more on having an impact with the young people than I did the specifics of my job duties, which were created and funded by a prominent company. I did what I knew how to do, instead of asking for the help I needed to do what I was hired to do, and it cost me my job. This turned out to be one of the best professional development experiences I would ever have, teaching me that my willingness to learn should always outpace my desire to produce.

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?

My name is Vladimir Louissaint. I am an Author, Motivational Speaker, Voice Actor, and Mental Health Advocate. I empower struggling men and communities to embrace their trauma and pain, helping them discover their true identities and become present, effective leaders in both their personal and professional lives. The inspiration for my speaking and coaching work began many years ago, but truly took shape in 2023. I was a new Father, navigating a debilitating back injury, and struggling immensely with what I would later understand was Major Depressive Disorder. With the help and encouragement of my coach Genavieve Cavil-Harris, I decided to write a book titled “The Embrace Method”; I wanted to both share my story with my son, and provide him a resource that would help him navigate his struggles and successes in life, pulling form my early childhood and adolescent experiences of abuse, familial dysfunction, low self-worth, and battles with my mental health. What started as a glorified letter to my son evolved into a framework that I now use to empower hundreds leaders to EMBRACE their stories, in order to be their best, most effective selves.

I want people to know that regardless of how your life started or what circumstances you’re dealing with, you must, and deserve to love, accept, and EMBRACE all of who you are, and use what you have been through, to achieve your breakthrough!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Before stepping into my role as a Speaker and Coach completely, I was working as a Trooper with the Massachusetts State Police. The opportunity arose three years after taking the civil service exam in 2013, and consequently I left my job as a Teen Program Director to pursue it. After graduating and working the road, I began to realize that there was more I wanted to do with my life, and was conflicted as to what I was supposed to do. As fate would have it, after six years of hard work and dedication, I sustained a career-ending back injury that I was unable to recover from, and would retire early from the Mass State Police. Leaving the police force forced me to take real inventory of my skills, passions, and life-experiences, and pivot into the unknown. I have not looked back since!

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

In 2022, I hit rock bottom. The weight of unhealed childhood trauma, the pressure to be everything for everyone, and the deep loneliness that comes with suffering in silence pushed me to a place I never thought I’d go—suicidal ideation. It was a moment of reckoning. I had spent years helping others heal, yet I found myself questioning if I had the strength to keep going.

What pulled me back wasn’t sheer willpower alone—it was embracing community and allowing myself to be seen in my darkest moment. I leaned into my support system, but I also realized I needed more than just loved ones cheering me on. I needed real tools to confront the root of my pain. EMDR therapy became a game-changer, forcing me to face the deep wounds of my past and process them in a way that finally allowed me to breathe. I built a diverse support system—mentors, therapists, friends who understood different parts of my journey—so I was no longer carrying it all alone.

Resilience, for me, isn’t about suffering in silence or pretending to be strong. It’s about choosing to heal, even when healing feels impossible. It’s about building a life where I no longer have to survive—I get to thrive. That journey continues, but standing here today is proof that resilience isn’t just about getting back up; it’s about rebuilding in a way that makes you stronger than before!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://vladlouissaint.com
• Instagram: @vladlouissaintspeaks
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VladimirFLouissaint
• Linkedin: Vladimir Louissaint
• Twitter: @vladthebullspeaks
• Youtube: Vlad Louissaint
• Other: TikTok: @Vladthebullspeaks

  Voice Over Website: voicesbyvlad.com

Image Credits

Credit: Curtis Walters, i4Perfection Photography

https://www.i4perfection.com/

Credit: Eccentricity Studio, Eccentricity LLC