Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandy Stinson.
Brandy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
It has always been a passion of mine to encourage and inspire other women. As a young woman myself, I began to follow the stories of other women who were changing their communities and the world. I became motivated by their passion and consistency with pursuing their life’s purpose. I had a thought: I can also pursue my life’s purpose! I can do something great in the world to impact the women around me and abroad. So, in 2010 I sat down and wrote out the vision for Pearls of Esther, Inc. At that time, I was more interested in working with teenage girls who had a challenging upbringing. I wanted to motivate and inspire them that their history doesn’t have to be their future. So, I would gather a team and we would do outreaches in the city at group homes and other with community agencies in low-income neighborhoods. After a few years, the mission grew to incorporate older women as well. So here we are!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road has definitely not been smooth. Whew! Entrepreneurship of any kind always has its challenges. One of the challenges that I have faced and that I also hear from other entrepreneurs is the challenge to find a good team who shares your passion. You can pay for work, but you can’t pay for passion. Through prayer and not building a team out of desperation, God will send the right people to you and you will know.
Another challenge is remaining consistent even when you don’t see results right away. I’ve been guilty of looking at other people and what they’re building and wanting to see the same success instantly. I realized that I don’t know how long people were grinding behind the scenes before they saw the fruit that they’re seeing now. Consistency and staying in my own lane has been key for me.
Pearls of Esther, Inc. – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Pearls of Esther, Inc. is an organization with the mission of equipping women to be WHOLE in every area of life. Through networking, luncheons, conferences, and workshops we fulfill our mission. Last year, we were able to fulfill the goal of providing two young ladies who are the daughters of single parents with scholarships to continue to further their education. We are most proud of being able to provide practical and spiritual tools to help women achieve success!
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I define success as setting your personal goals and meeting them. Success isn’t defined by society’s standards. It takes courage to pursue your own definition of success based on what you’re most passionate about. The marker for whether or not you have achieved success is whether or not you are living out what you believe is your purpose to the fullest extent.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pearlsofesther.com
- Email: pearlsofesther@gmail.com
- Instagram: @pearlsofestherinc
- Facebook: Pearls of Esther, Inc.
Image Credit:
Photographers: Naomi Hopkins Photography, InTown Imagery, Lasondra Spears
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
