Today we’d like to introduce you to Shunte Howze.
Hi Shunte, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Ft. McClellan, AL (military brat) and raised in multiple states until 1990 when we moved to Prichard, AL (Mobile County). Throughout my childhood and adolescent years, I had a lot of wins, but I also had some challenges that made me doubt myself and my self-worth, if I was good enough, although academically I performed well. One thing I did well was serve and help others. From my upbringing by my mother, father/stepfather, my grandmother, I had always been taught to serve, give, and help others. This was an everyday norm for me to see them feed someone, or give someone a ride, or clothes, or share an encouraging word. I knew that whatever path I took, it would be in a role that served others. I graduated high school and went on to pursue a BS degree in Psychology/Sociology, MS in Christian Counseling, PhD in Economic Development, and LHD in Humanitarianism. My career path led me to teaching in an afterschool program, working for HUD, program director for a child caring institution, working for a contractor of the DoD, working for Salvation Army, and eventually moving into full-time entrepreneurship.
I am the proud mother of two beautiful, talented, and amazing daughters, Genesis and Zion.
My journey to entrepreneurship was just that, a journey…lol! You know how you hear God and you know it’s God, but then question if that was really Him because you’re looking at your flaws, lack of this/that, your finances, and then just the idea of this “BIG” thing, well that’s how it all began for me in 2008 with my first business. I was comfortable at my job, I had just had my first daughter in January, money was good and life was good. Then by June, the company I was working for closed. I heard God say, so now are you going to trust me or are you going to continue to rely on a job. I went from making really good money to $400/month. I am the source! Everything that you need to start this business you have, from the knowledge to the relationships to the in-depth experience. I began with a $1 box of envelopes from Dollar Tree and about 24 flyers to mail out to different companies. I will go into more details in the next question.
I enjoy working through my non-profit, Genesis Outreach, Inc, to give back to those in the community that are homeless, low-to-moderate income, and/or individuals or families that need a hand up and not a handout. I remember, as child and even times as an adult, when we didn’t have certain things and when people had to help us. Genesis Outreach is “social services have left the building” as we go out into the community and serve people instead of people trying to figure out how to get to us with no transportation or transportation with no gas money or just other barriers that keep people from getting what they need. We give out clothes, shoes, hygiene products, food, winter wear, Bombas socks, and other basic necessities. We also host back-to-school outreach events and provide for families throughout the holiday season. “To whom much is given, much is required” Luke 12:48. This is how we demonstrate the love of God to people, through servanthood, by helping to meet their needs. At our events, although I am the founder, you will see me working with my baseball cap, t-shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes. I want people to know that I am touchable and I am an ordinary person sent to do extraordinary things.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No. I began SGH Consulting and Supportive Services in 2008 with $1 box of envelopes from Dollar Tree and 24 letters that I created and mailed to multiple businesses. God showed me how to go to this particular state agency’s website, look for agencies that have deficiencies in specific areas, and how to create a marketing letter from that information. This was all the money I had extra to sacrifice. Let me say, I didn’t go to school for business management or marketing. All that I am in business and am becoming is through watching other CEOs, mentors, research, and the greatest is hearing the voice of the Lord give me direction. I mailed out those letters and got a call or email from over half of them requesting my services. I said okay God, it’s you and me! Show me how to make this work and He did. I began SGH Consulting and Supportive Services in 2008 still standing with over 14 years under my belt as a successful business owner having helped establish and grow multi-million dollar businesses with my consulting, obtained and still maintaining a state contract, and currently working to procure a federal contract for my company. I went on to become the founder/executive director of Genesis Outreach, Inc (established as a non-profit in 2009, obtained 501-C3 in 2012) providing support and resources to over 5,500 individuals and families throughout Gwinnett County and the Metro Atlanta area. In 2019, I became a certified life coach of Purposed-Life Coaching Services (owner/operator). All of these wins didn’t come without losses (lessons)! There’s been times where I doubted myself and my potential due to me looking at what the world defined “as success” and how someone like me should look or be…..age, marital status, income status, vehicle, and the glam. I had to be reminded that none of those things define me or my level of success. I had to get tunnel vision and focus on what God has called me to be and everything else would level up. It came with sacrifices of my time with my family, friends, and for myself. It came with profits and losses. The question becomes, what are you willing to sacrifice now to get to your “bigger”? To live your Purposed Life?
Since working on my mindset and understanding that I have a seat at the table, things that align with my purpose has been coming my way and I am so grateful for the process! Now that I understand my purpose and assignment, I’ve had to work for where I am, but it hasn’t been a force. Things have literally flowed my way (ebb/flow). Things are in alignment. My mind, heart, and soul are aligned with my purposed. It’s the thought of knowing that I earned this and ain’t nobody gave me anything that I’m so grateful for!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Purposed-Life Coaching Services, LLC?
I was inspired to establish Purposed-Life Coaching Services in 2019. I had done mostly everything social service/human service over my 22 professional years and I was sitting down one day just trying to figure out once again “what I really wanted to be when I grow up”…lol One day God and I was just having a conversation and I said I love talking, as you can tell, and I love helping people. I don’t want to go back to school because I am schooled out. Lord, what can I do? God said life coaching. I said what exactly is that and how long is that going to take because I’m not going back to anyone’s school for years. I researched it and said this is what I am called to do. In June 2019, God gave me Purposed-Life Coaching. I know that I was called to coach those single parents, single women and men, people trying to figure out their purpose and next steps in life, how to scale and grow their business, or just those that need to know how to shift their mindset to manifesting a good life.
Why Purposed-Life? Because our life is already pre-destined. The Bible says “In Jeremiah 1:5, “the word of the Lord” came to the prophet Jeremiah, who was a young man at the time. God said to him: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations”. God showed me the butterfly but then he showed me the monarch. He then showed me the monarch to the butterfly and said trust the process. Your purpose is created from within. It’s already inside of you. You just have to go through the process and trust it to find out what was already there. So that’s why my purpose has a “d”. It was already there, I just had to trust the process!!
What I love most about what I do is that I can use my journey and things that I’ve gone through and overcome to help someone else. I don’t consider it work, because I love talking and sharing information with people, but more so my ministry. I’ve been given the opportunity to help people transition from brokenness to wholeness.
As a mother, corporate professional, multiple business owner, community advocate, public speaker, and certified life coach, I help people create plans and back them up with meaningful action to transform into the best versions of themselves, reaching new goals, and making dreams a reality.
What sets me apart from others is that I don’t just give information, tools, and resources, I give my clients experiences to apply things that we discussed in our coaching sessions. For example, if it’s work-life balance for a mom, I host an annual winery trip to the North GA Mountains where you can only share things about yourself and mix and mingle with the other ladies. No talk about work, boo thang, children, or family, or else, my ladies that have gone on this experience knows the rest! (lol) The amazing thing, you would think this would be easy, but it has been such a challenge with most of the women including myself. Other experiences include vision board and manifestation events, wine and conversations, retreats, workshops/seminars, family events, and trips, all centered around my coaching areas.
My role as a life coach is to support, challenge, and encourage my clients. It’s also my job to help them get to the foundation of their challenges in order to empower them to make wise choices about the rest of their lives. There will be times when they laugh and times where they might also cry because it is a very powerful process.
It’s my goal to help them to reconnect with themselves and to help unlock the best version of themselves so that they live and work from a place of authenticity, peace and strength. I want to take time to get to know them through conversation, asking the “right” questions, and developing practical and realistic goals to help them move forward in life.
My specialty is working with parents (both men and women) that are single, divorced, co-parenting, and just trying to balance being a parent with life’s other obligations. I work with individuals and groups on stress management, time management, coping skills, financial goals, career change, starting/scaling a business, accountability, mindset and success coaching. I offer coaching services in-person and virtually. I also do speaking engagements, workshops/seminars, vision board and manifestation events, and group experiences for individuals, families, groups, organizations, and business professionals.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Daughters-Genesis and Zion Howze, Carrie Coats-mother, Grandmother- Bessie Boykin, Donna and Sharon Bomar, The Cosby’s, Becky Windle-SCORE Mentor, Kyra Hardwick-Business Consultant/Mentor, Tomika Coats, Nicole Duckett, Steffani Salter, Kendra Cook, Abraham Belt, Erica Carson, Brandon Suggs, Romelda King, Deloyce Dhoruba, Yaunie Douglas, Felecia Johnson, Dianne Brown-Rackley, Evelyn and (late John, Sr) Williams, Deb Williams, Dad-Willie Coats, Dad-Late James Rackley, Sr, Deborah Davis-Pollard, Janet Wills
Contact Info:
- Email: purposedlifecoaching@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.purposedlifecoaching.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purposedlifecoaching/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Purposed4Life/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN0HZYMsH_dYaVM5S7Ky6iQ
- Other: http://www.genesisforyouth.org/ https://sghconsultingsolutions.com/
Image Credits:
Kelley Raye kelleyraye.com | @xokelleyraye Yazy Ortiz yazphotozgraphy.com
