Today we’d like to introduce you to Shay Reneé.
Hi Shay, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey to founding Rooted Impact Consulting LLC is deeply personal. Over the years, I’ve faced struggles that tested my resilience: everything from personal loss and betrayal to major health challenges. Those experiences gave me a deeper empathy for others and taught me how to find strength in the darkest moments. Professionally, I worked in organizations where I was making significant contributions, helping them generate major revenue and impact, yet I wasn’t treated fairly or given the opportunities I had earned. That was painful, but it also opened my eyes to the systemic inequities that so many people face in the workplace. I knew I didn’t want to just survive those experiences, I wanted to build something different.
That’s why I started Rooted Impact. It’s not just a business for me; it’s a mission. I help organizations move past surface-level DEI efforts to actually transform their culture, engage communities authentically, and create spaces where people are valued for their true contributions. Every challenge I’ve faced personally and professionally has shaped the way I lead this work: with compassion, strategy, and a commitment to lasting impact.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, but every challenge has sharpened my resilience and my sense of purpose. Along the way, I’ve faced difficulties both personally and professionally that have tested me in profound ways. On the professional side, I’ve poured myself into organizations—bringing in revenue, building programs, and driving impact. Yet, despite that commitment, I’ve often found myself overlooked, under-recognized, and at times even targeted. There were moments where my integrity was questioned, my contributions minimized, and even attempts to discredit my name. One of the hardest lessons was how my story as a single mom was handled. In some spaces, it was celebrated, uplifted as an inspiring narrative that connected with communities and even helped attract resources. But in other spaces, that same story was weaponized to question my credibility, my professionalism, or my right to belong. That kind of treatment was painful, but it also opened my eyes to how narratives can be manipulated in ways that either harm or heal. Today, I am intentional about amplifying my story in my way no longer allowing the narrative to be dictated by society, but instead using it as a tool for impact, truth, and empowerment & strengthened my determination to build spaces where people are valued for their full humanity.
On the personal side, I’ve walked through betrayal, loss, and health struggles. Most recently, I’ve had to step into an even greater level of responsibility as a single mother of two young children under 10, one of whom was recently diagnosed with autism. That reality requires a different set of skills: balancing advocacy, care, and strength every single day. But it has also fueled my passion for creating systems and communities that don’t just talk about equity but truly live it, where families like mine are supported and seen.
These experiences, though difficult, have been my greatest teachers. They’ve given me resilience, empathy, and a clarity of purpose: to build spaces where people don’t just survive inequities, but where they can thrive despite them.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Rooted Impact Consulting LLC is really the heart of the work I’ve always believed in, making sure businesses, especially Black and Brown businesses, have not just a seat at the table, but the right advocate by their side. Too often, incredible entrepreneurs and organizations are overlooked, not because they lack talent or vision, but because they don’t have the access or the connections to get into the right rooms. That’s where I come in. What I do is help tell your story in a way that’s compelling, authentic, and strategic because storytelling without strategy doesn’t move the needle, and strategy without authenticity doesn’t build trust. I work to connect businesses with the people, partners, and opportunities they need to grow, while making sure their brand reflects who they really are.
What sets Rooted Impact apart is that I don’t just consult, I advocate. I make it my mission to link businesses to the relationships and resources that actually help them develop and thrive. And I’m proud that our brand is rooted in resilience and real results.
At the end of the day, I want people to know that Rooted Impact is about more than checking a box. It’s about helping businesses, especially those from marginalized communities, step into the rooms they belong in and build a brand and future that lasts. What I’m most proud of is my babies being able to see me build this and know that success is possible! And that it looks like them. They get to watch their mom turn struggle into purpose, and that teaches them resilience and possibility in real time. For me, that’s the greatest legacy Rooted Impact can create.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I could never say I did this all on my own. I’ve had people and organizations who truly poured into me and made it possible for me to be where I am today. The United Way of Central Alabama played a huge role in my journey. At one of the lowest points of my life coming out of a domestic violence situation and a divorce, they gave me the systems, the tools, and the support I needed to rebuild. Those resources didn’t just help me survive, they helped me thrive, and Rooted Impact is a direct reflection of that. Another organization that has been close to my heart is Diane’s Heart, a local nonprofit dedicated to serving single moms. As a single mother myself, their mission and support reminded me that I wasn’t alone and that there are people committed to seeing women like me succeed.
And, of course, my family has been my foundation, my parents, my brother, and my sister-in-love have been my biggest cheerleaders through it all. They believed in me when I doubted myself and reminded me daily that I wasn’t walking this road alone.
So, while Rooted Impact is my vision, it’s also the result of the community and family who stood with me. Their love, resources, and encouragement gave me the courage to take bold steps and build this business, even when the path wasn’t easy.
Pricing:
- Initial Consultation $50
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rootedimpactconsultingllc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootedimpactconsultingllc?igsh=MTFhMjdtb2hmdTdtcg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Bc2Xhza78/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Image Credits
IRSJA, Voltron Printing, Tech Birmingham, KMD, UWCA, Birmingham Jumpstart, Alicia’s Coffee, Negro Southern League Museum
