Today, we’d like to introduce you to Latesha Isbell.
Latesha, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Thank you, CanvasRebel, for the opportunity to share some of my life journey with you. Although I’ve been interviewed by your publication before, my story is ever-evolving, and so much has happened since the last article. This one will be much more personal.
I guess we’ll start with the obvious… my name in the last article was Latesha Isbell Howard, but as you can see, Howard is no longer my last name. Going through a divorce from someone that you’ve been with since high school and married to for 15 years is a big life change. Divorce is equivalent to a death. You mourn and go through the stages of grief, just as if a loved one has passed away. I’ve been working through the healing process (emphasis on process) and look forward to what the future holds.
Although there have been many difficult days over the past two years, I’ve grown and evolved tremendously, especially from a spiritual perspective. My purpose has never been clearer, and my faith has never been stronger. Through it all, Jesus has been my comforter, my shield, my rock, my redeemer, and so much more.
His grace kept me from losing my mind in my darkest moments, and I am forever grateful.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story. Has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Adjusting to my new life as a single mom while balancing my corporate career and consulting business was definitely met with its own set of challenges. I am so thankful to have a supportive village! Friends stepped up on those days when I had competing commitments, and family members helped my girls and me deal with the inevitable emotional moments.
All of those challenges are to be expected. What I didn’t expect is what I call the “who am I?” identity crisis. For so long, so much of my life and identity was wrapped around being his wife. Over the last few years, God began to reveal my true identity to me.
If you haven’t experienced this yourself, I know this will sound foreign to you. I can see myself with such clarity now… my character, strengths, weaknesses, purpose, and desires… are all in clear focus. I’m excited and hopeful about my new life.
Thanks for sharing that. Would you be willing to tell us more about your business next?
In my corporate career, I’ve had so many amazing roles, but a common theme is supporting diverse businesses with opportunities. I’ve managed high-performing sales teams and had responsibility for implementing a portfolio of programs with a $100 million annual budget. In my last RFP, I awarded $285 million in contracts with 47% of that going to diverse businesses. This passion led me to my current position, where I manage the supplier diversity program for a Fortune 500 company.
My business, Savvy Diva Enterprises, was founded on my personal experiences as a minority woman entrepreneur and supplier diversity professional. I recognized the need for specialized support to help minority women navigate the business development landscape. Our mission is to advance economic opportunities in communities of color by supporting minority women-owned businesses through advocacy, education, resources, and access to capital.
We offer comprehensive services, including a Business Bootcamp, Growth Accelerator, Credit and Capital Readiness program, and personalized one-on-one consulting. Our innovative, tiered approach addresses the unique needs of both early-stage and growth-stage businesses, providing them with the strategic tools and knowledge to succeed. Our strategic consulting services are tailored to overcome the specific barriers faced by minority women entrepreneurs, positioning their businesses to scale up to corporate and government contracts.
We have had the privilege of serving over 80 minority women entrepreneurs who have collectively secured over $1.5 million in business credit and funding with our support. We are proud to have successfully launched and facilitated an entrepreneurship program for the City of Stockbridge, exemplifying our commitment to driving positive change in local communities.
As I’ve grown spiritually, I realize that women of faith desire to connect and collaborate with other entrepreneurs who share their morals, values, and faith. There is a gap in the market for a Christian business community centered on growing with God as our business partner.
With that in mind, I’m excited to share my latest initiative, which will launch in July. “Esther, Rise Up!” is more than a membership community… it is a movement for Kingdom women to dominate the marketplace. This initiative will pair my strategic planning expertise and Business Bootcamp curriculum with faith-based sessions to fill this gap in the market.
If you desire to unlock your God-given gifts and talents to build a business that dominates the market AND glorifies God, follow me on social media to register when we launch!
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check?
My favorite podcast is “With the Perrys,” featuring husband/wife team Preston Perry and Jackie Hill Perry. They are Christian influencers, authors, poets, and Bible teachers. I’ve learned so much about apologetics and how to teach the Bible from the two of them.
The Perrys are currently doing a live podcast tour. My sister and I were able to attend their tour at their Nashville event and had an amazing time. You can follow them on YouTube or any popular podcast platform.
Pricing:
- Esther, Rise Up! membership community ($49/mo)
- Perfect Pitch Audit ($500)
- Credit & Capital Readiness Program ($1,700)
- Vision Into a Plan V.I.P. Day ($3,500)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thesavvydiva.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_savvy_diva
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/latesha.isbellhoward
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latesha-isbell-howard/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheSavvyDiva
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/savvy-diva-enterprises-atlanta
