Today we’d like to introduce you to Shavon Harris.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Shavon. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
From as far back as I can remember and baby stories from family members, I have always marched to the beat of my own drum. In high school, I thought I wanted to be an engineer and as it got closer to graduation when everyone knew where they were going to college or what they would major in I was left out. My friends were all top of our class with scholarships and here I was just wanting to live life clueless about what school I should go to even though I felt that at that time school wasn’t for me. Coming from immigrant parents of two hard-working Panamanians, I needed to know something because not knowing wasn’t an option. So to please my parents, I went to community college and moved from small military town Killeen, TX to San Antonio, TX with my then boyfriend now husband. Everyone had their doubts that I wouldn’t become much because of it. I didn’t know what I wanted to be but with time I grew to know whatever it was I will create my own business that will make a difference in some way!
Fast forward a few years my husband joined the military and we are forced to move to the smallest place I have ever lived Ft.Stewart, GA where I knew absolutely no one. I became (self-diagnosed) depressed. Knowing this wasn’t me I made a friend who gave me a book about meditation, I started blogging on Tumblr, and started a women’s support group and an online boutique. It was all new to me but it felt like this is what I needed to do! Another fast forward I overwhelmed myself trying to do too many new things at once I stopped doing all of them and while my husband finished his last deployment I stayed with my in laws in Atlanta and fell in love. My sister in law surprised me December 2015 and started up my website and told me with all my life experiences and great advice I had to start a blog. Pieces of Von was born! A lifestyle blog for the perfectly imperfect. For everyone but mainly catered to women of all ages to learn and grow, because I believe we all go through similar obstacles in life but no one wants to share the struggles and because of that women are suffering in silence and losing themselves or worst going through life without ever even have found themselves at all. My biggest hits on my blog were one about being AfroLatina, self-care/healing, and relationships. Women would write in for advice and after a while I felt ready to host meet ups in person.
Fast forward to March 2018 Therapy for The Strong Woman was created. A space for women to learn, grow and heal. I believe women are the true foundation of the home and when she is at her best so is her family. I plant seeds and help women find their voice their purpose. My Panamanian roots started my love for natural healing so I became an herbalist as well to help women mentally, physically, and spiritually. In all of that I learned I love to do behind the scenes work in helping others create their brand and find their “thing” they love and make money. To some it may sound crazy but I was always told I can’t do all these things at once but I am doing it! With the support of my amazing husband and family I recently quit my job and continuing to build on to my goals and dreams!
To sum it all up, I went from knowing to not knowing who I was from listening to everyone else and feeling the pressure trying to be like everyone else that I lost myself. I used my voice regardless of others opinions from teachers, family members, “friends” because it wasn’t the conventional route they prefer I did what my heart and intuition wanted.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Definitely not! At one point I listened and cared too much about other peoples opinions that either they would have their negative comments or I would automatically felt as though I could not be my authentic self just to save my feelings. I let other peoples lack of faith in my own vision keep me down. From high school, when it came to career conversations I didn’t hear people who thought like me or had my history. I wasn’t the A or B student, I sucked at tests, I stuttered during presentations. After getting over the fear of caring about others my biggest obstacle was my own mind self sabotaging me before I could even think about trying anything. I knew I had so many great ideas and opportunities were just passing me by because I told myself I was not good enough or ready far from perfect.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Pieces of Von story. Tell us more about the business.
Pieces of Von is the big umbrella. I give pieces of myself to others in order to plant a seed in them, help them grown, and then they continue the cycle with others. I mainly cater to women because I can relate. I believe the woman is the foundation of the home and when she is at her best so is everyone else around her. I do life guide work which unlike a life coach they help you get through a certain obstacle in your life with a one size fits all program (or maybe they have a few different sizes) but you become dependent on them or upset that you spent so much money for them to put together a bunch of generic Pinterest quotes. I teach you the tools to be self-sufficient. I cater to each person individually to help you heal, find your purpose, and how to walk in your purpose. And that woman is unstoppable. I teach you how to love the perfectly imperfect moments of life and get to be the best version of yourself. I am 27 years old and I have helped people in their 50s and 60s heal from divorce, lost, childhood traumas. I have helped young women in their 20s find themselves and love themselves. I have helped young couples from repeating their parent’s divorce cycle.
I next have Therapy for The Strong Woman (TFTSW) which is a women empowerment group that I created so that women no longer feel they have to suffer alone. A community for women to see other women do support them through whatever their current life path is. We meet twice monthly once for a weekday happy hour in different locations around the city to spice it up and get a chance to explore and unwind in a nonjudgment zone. And a monthly themed event which can be anything from an emotional writing to release session, a lesson on natural herbs, creative support, to a dance class or karaoke. Anything for women to organically network and create bonds with growth minded women. I am also an herbalist and massage therapist in training. And behind the scenes because I love creating and helping visions come alive I help small businesses/brands with their marketing making money with their passions. I know it sounds like a lot all over the place but the goal is to have a holistic spa that caters to women. A one-stop shop all of the above plus some under one roof.
I am most proud of the impact I have made, the lifelong connections I have made for myself, as well as for others. Peoples reactions to my work keep me going wanting to learn more so that I can be better and plant more seeds. My favorite thing to hear is when clients reach back out to me and tell me how they in return have taught a friend or family member creating the domino effect of positivity in the world. What sets me apart is I don’t hog my information, when someone hires me for a service you get as much information as possible to be self-sufficient unlike others who want you to be dependent of them. I truly believe in the saying “give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
When I have the positive mindset that I am the creator of my reality and do all things with love, blessings just naturally come to me. But when I doubt and think negatively, negative things will continue to happen until I am back to that positive mindset. I call it faith.
Pricing:
- No matter where you are in life, whether you are post break up/divorce, depression, lack of motivation, maybe you feel you aren’t doing enough or something isn’t right; I am here to best serve you. Contact me to set up a free initial consultation. Prices may vary as packages are catered to your specific needs, which can be anywhere from finding your true purpose and motivation to undergoing a complete mind and lifestyle transformation.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.piecesofvon.com
- Phone: (254) 449-6361
- Email: piecesofvon@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/_Von_The_Great_
- Other: www.instagram.com/therapyforthestrongwoman
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