We had the good fortune of connecting with Sakinna J and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sakinna, how do you think about risk?
Well let me just say that in the past I was never the person to take risk. I have always “played it safe” and was never interested in taking risk because i was afraid of failing. However as i grew older and matured i realized that some risk are good to take because it can open the doors for opportunities. Prior to me taking risk i was living a life where i was unhappy, unfulfilled, and just taking one day at a time. I didn’t understand what my purpose was in life but i knew i had to do something because i needed to be happy and fulfilled. One of my favorite quotes from the amazing Maya Angelou is ” Stepping on to a brand new path is difficult, but not more difficult than remaining in a situation which is not nurturing to the whole woman”. This quote keeps me motivated and reminds me that it is okay to take risk especially if you want to see a change. My life and career has changed drastically since i began taking risk. Back in 2017, i was in a very toxic/abusive marriage that i was so afraid to leave because i was use to the toxicity and i didn’t want to feel like i had failed as a wife. I stayed in that relationship longer than expected and wondered if i could make it in the world without him. But i had to take that risk and leap of faith by leaving because i knew i deserved better in life. That decision was very tough but necessary. After leaving my ex, i was able to start my healing process so that i could heal my pain and one day love again. And that exactly what happened, i met and fell in love with my now fiancé. I have happiness and i am able to be in a relationship where it’s give and take and where i am free to be myself, he also encourages me to take more risks in life and with my career. In 2022, after my first anthology book project, i left corporate America and continued writing and working on my business. This risk was especially hard because i have worked since i was 13 years old. Working in corporate America was a safe yet stressful choice. But i wanted better and i wanted the freedom to be able to serve the women i serve without limitations. I am now a 3x bestselling author and the CEO of my own company, I Choose Me Enterprises LLC. Had i not stepped out on faith and taken those risk, i would still be in an unhappy relationship and would be unhappy at a job not doing what i love most, helping women restore and rebuild their lives after a loss.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
In 2021, i embarked on a journey to write my story about how i overcame a very toxic/abusive relationship. I joined Blessed Not Broken vol 4: The power of letting go with a chapter entitled “I Choose Me!” Being a part of this book collaboration was not easy. I was fearful of what people would say or think once my story was revealed to the world. Self-doubt set in because i thought no one wanted to hear what i had to say, but i was wrong. I received great feedback about my chapter and then decided to start my own business helping women who want to restore and rebuild their lives after a loss. This loss could be of a career, a loved one, or even just a loss of themselves. Often times we as women have been so conditioned to just keep going and not stop no matter how hurt we are. But as a Transitional/Family life coach i help women take back their power and began their healing process so they can live a life full of happiness and success. One challenge that i faced when starting my business is being visible via social media. We are in a new day and age where being visible is viable to your business. I had to learn that people cannot possibly seek you for help if they don’t know who you are. So i had to become more visible and allow people in to my world. Women in general would rather get guidance from someone who understands what they have been through versus someone that has never gone through the same obstacles they deal with daily. For me, i have been a single mother, i have been on public assistance, i have struggled to get degrees while maintaining children and a home, i have been a caretaker for an elderly relative and dealt with their passing and final wishes, and much more. When women work with me, they are getting the true authentic me! I am transparent and i am compassionate about helping each women meet the goals that they set for themselves and their family. So with that being said, i knew i had to continue writing because i had more stories that could help more women. So in 2022, i joined Blessed Not Broken Vol 5: When being strong is all you know as well as the Daddy Daughter Dynamic. Both books hit the best sellers list making me a 3x bestselling author. I have learned that women like to know that they are not alone in this world, that someone can relate to them and could empathize with what they are going through. In BNB Vol 5, I take readers on my journey of being a teenage mom early on in life to then becoming an Autism mom with twins over a decade later. I discuss the challenges i had to face and how i overcame them and continuing to overcome them. In the Daddy Daughter Dynamic, readers can see how my relationship with my father shaped my romantic relationships as i started dating and looking for love. Every story i have told in my books, have been conducive in helping women heal, overcome, and create the life they want. I do this through a 5-step program that is done in 7 sessions but can continue beyond the 7 sessions if need be.
Being a mom, author, and entrepreneur comes with lots of scarifies and risk. I have learned that no matter what obstacles that may come my way, i cannot give up. There are women in this world that need me and these women want to be healed and made whole. If i give up now then i would be giving up on healing so many families. And because i have the love and support from my family and mentors, i am able to live out my dreams and i am determined to succeed.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My best friend loves a good time so we would go to a comedy club where we can drink and laugh. We would visit all the downtown historical buildings to gain some history of where i live. We both love animals so we would visit the zoo and have a nice lunch in the park where we can enjoy the outdoors and people that are walking around. During the weekends, my best friend and i would go to the nicest dance club in town and party all night long. We would then go to a 24 hour diner for food before heading back home. And on Sunday we would go to church and have a nice brunch.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This Shoutout is dedicated to my mentor, The CEO wife, Tamara Mitchell Davis. Tamara since becoming a part of Blessed not Broken Vol 4: The Power of Letting go, you have helped me realize that i do have a voice and it does matter. You have taught me so much about books and business and how to leave a legacy for my children and my children’s children. I have grown so much since i began working with you and i am so grateful that God put us in each other’s lives. Your knowledge and guidance has helped me grow personally and professionally. I am forever grateful for you. Thank you for your leadership, love, and obedience. I thank God for strengthening you because in return you have taught me how to be stronger when obstacles tried to get in my way. I am now able to bet on myself without any regrets or second thoughts. Thank you!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sakinnaj

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sakinna1

Other: info@ichoosemeenterprises.com

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