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

Hi Giovanne, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Starting Mysti’s was about legacy and justice. My mother died during the pandemic, and I never felt her death was truly investigated because of the chaos and confusion in the world at that time; deaths left and right in L.A. in the hood. I named the company after her because I wanted to build something that mattered—something that lasts. Something healing.

After 20 years in social work, I was tired of watching broken systems fail the people we were supposed to help. I knew I could build something better rooted in real accountability, cultural competence, and results. Mysti’s is my way of doing the work without compromise, red tape, or waiting for permission.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My company, Mysti’s, was built to disrupt how social services are delivered—especially for people society tends to overlook: the unhoused, the justice-involved, and those living in survival mode. We’re not another nonprofit passing out brochures and waiting on committee meetings. We move fast, we show up, and we don’t stop until the work is done. What sets Mysti’s apart is our urgency, our lived experience, and our commitment to results over red tape.

I’m originally from Seattle—born and partially raised there—and I graduated from Central Washington University. That Northwest grit shaped me. I’ve worked in every corner of the social services world, and I left safe, salaried jobs because I was tired of watching systems fail the people they claimed to help. I’ve taken risks. I’ve made sacrifices. But every setback taught me how to move with purpose and stay grounded in why I started this in the first place.

I’m proud that Mysti’s has helped real people find housing, reconnect with family, break addiction, and breathe again. And I’m excited because we’re scaling—offering medical respite, ECM, and community-based programs across California and Washington.

What I want people to know is simple: Mysti’s wasn’t built to play it safe. We were built to stand in the gap. To fight for dignity. To serve with urgency. This brand was born from pain, built on purpose, and committed to creating real, lasting change.

Visit us online and follow us. Support us helping others! Come work for us!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend came to visit LA for a week, here’s what we’d do

We’re not doing any touristy stuff unless they ask. Our first stop is Leimert Park—grab some food, tap into the culture, and just feel the energy.

Roscoe’s maybe…That’s day one or two, no debate. We might slide through Slauson and hit The Marathon Store, show love to Nip. Then cruise through the Crenshaw District, maybe catch a car meet if something’s happening that night.

We’re posted up mostly—ride around, hit the mall, catch a backyard kickback, or pull up on a few folks I ain’t seen in a while. Vibe out, play some Dom Kennedy, maybe even hit the Fox Hills Mall.

If they want beach vibes, we’ll do Dockweiler—nothing crazy, sit up, talk, and watch planes fly over. Might hit Inglewood for some food.

One of those nights, we’ll find a chill bar or hookah spot—somewhere lowkey, with no dress code, good music, and good drinks. But most of the week, we’re just posting, eating good, cracking jokes, riding around the city like old times.

That’s LA to me—family, food, music, and the people. Keep it simple, keep it solid.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First, I give all credit to God—my faith is the foundation of everything I’ve built. My wife, Telma, has stood by me through every storm, holding me down when the weight felt unbearable. My children give me purpose; my brothers and sisters have had my back since day one. This journey was never just about me—it’s about all of us. Their love, loyalty, and belief have fueled every step.

I graduated from Dorsey in 2005. I was comfortable pulling up to the Jungles to kick it with the Bloods—I understood the risks and made it out. That reality shaped who I am. For people of color, the struggle isn’t always visible, but we feel it daily. Even when it’s not hard, it still feels heavy. Still, we keep moving. We keep building.

In the words of Nipsey Hussle: “It’s a marathon.” And I’m running mine with purpose, for my family, my people, and the next generation coming up behind me.

Website: https://www.mystis.org

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giovanne-schachere-ms-70270b116/

Image Credits
Schachere.com

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