We recently had the chance to connect with Dr. Cortesha Cowan and have shared our conversation below.
Dr. Cortesha, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What are you chasing, and what would happen if you stopped?
At Mothers Helping Mothers Inc., we are chasing the vision of securing a community center and dormitory-style living space for homeless mothers and their babies. We’re not chasing it for the sake of having a building—we’re chasing it because that building represents safety, stability, and hope. If we stopped chasing it, these mothers and babies would remain in the shadows—sleeping in cars, moving from couch to couch, or trapped in unsafe environments where their futures shrink instead of expand.
The truth is, not many people are looking at them, not many are fighting for them. If we stop, they’re left unseen and unsupported. That’s why I can’t stop. Because what I’m really chasing is a future where strong minds create strong mothers, and strong mothers raise strong children who will one day change the world.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello! I’m Dr. Cortesha Cowan a wife, mother, grandmother, and the Founder & Chief Visionary Officer of Mothers Helping Mothers Inc. Many know me as The Business Birthing Coach™, a best-selling author, speaker, and Christian certified life coach. But above all, I’m a woman who understands firsthand the challenges of teen motherhood because I lived it. That experience is the foundation of my mission.
At Mothers Helping Mothers, we provide holistic support that meets both immediate and long-term needs diaper assistance, housing guidance, education, coaching, and independent living skills. We don’t see mothers as statistics; we see them as women with purpose and dreams. What started in the U.S. has now grown globally, reaching as far as Cape Town, South Africa, where we’ve helped tens of thousands of girls thrive.
Our vision is bold: to build campuses across the nation and around the world safe havens where young mothers and their children can access stability, opportunity, and hope. My passion is fueled by resilience and anchored in faith, with the goal of creating a legacy of empowerment that will continue for generations to come.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
A moment that really shaped how I see the world was when I realized just how many homeless mothers and children are right here in our communities often invisible, often overlooked. I’ve met mothers holding babies who had nowhere safe to sleep at night, young women trying to finish school while bouncing from couch to couch, and children growing up without stability.
That reality hit me deeply, because it showed me how easy it is for society to look away and how dangerous silence and inaction can be. It’s sad, yes but it also ignited a fire in me. I knew then that I couldn’t just live for myself; I had to build something that would give them dignity, hope, and a chance to break cycles. That moment reshaped not only how I see the world, but also how I move in it
When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
When I was sad or scared as a child, what helped me most was playing church with my little cousin. We could do it all day long, and in those moments I felt safe, free, and connected to something bigger than my fears. It was my escape from everything else going on around me. Looking back, I see now that even then, God was planting seeds in me—of leadership, of faith, of vision. What felt like play at the time was really the beginning of my purpose.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would say that what really matters to me is first, my family and my relationship with God. Those are my foundation. After that, they’d tell you I care deeply about people—especially mothers and children who often feel unseen. They’d say I’m passionate about legacy, about creating spaces where others can thrive, and about making sure no one is left behind. Faith, family, and purpose are what drive everything I do.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope when I’m gone, people tell the story of a woman who lived for legacy. Born and raised in Lima, Ohio, I carried that small-town grit with me when I started Mothers Helping Mothers Inc. nearly two decades ago in Columbus, Ohio. From there, God allowed me to not only serve teen moms locally but to help women across the world launch businesses, discover their voice, and step into their own power.
Legacy has always been my heartbeat. That’s why I named the two acres I own in Georgia Legacy Estates because I believe land, vision, and faith should outlive us. It’s why my team and I started the Legacy Empowerment Center in my hometown of Lima—so the babies growing up where I once did would have a safe place to dream bigger. It’s why I evolved my 100 Bawse Builders into Legacy Leaders—because impact multiplies when we prepare the next generation.
The story I want told is simple: that I fought for mothers and children who were unseen, I built spaces that changed lives, and I made sure my life’s work was never just about me, but about a legacy that would continue for generations.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.mhmteen.org www.drcorteshacowan.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.corteshacowan/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-cortesha-cowan-2b257437
- Twitter: https://x.com/drcorteshacowan
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dr.CoachCowan/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrCorteshaCowan
- Other: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/awomanofimpact/episodes/Embrace-independence-in-every-facet-of-your-life-and-surrender-it-all-to-God-e2e8kjo
