Story & Lesson Highlights with Tequia Lester of Metro-Atlanta & surrounding areas

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Tequia Lester . Check out our conversation below.

Tequia , a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day are sacred…it’s when I set the tone for everything that follows. I start with a hot shower, where I pray and thank God for another day. From there, I put on praise and worship music to lift my spirit, followed by a few minutes of meditation to center my mind. I’ll usually pour into myself with an educational or motivational YouTube video while sipping on a bottle of water, and I always carve out time for journaling. Those early moments aren’t just routine, they’re how I align my thoughts, my energy, and my actions with my purpose before the world gets loud.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Tequia Lester… author, speaker, and founder of TequiaSpeaks, a movement dedicated to helping people break free from complacency, step out of their comfort zones, and live the life they were created for. My journey hasn’t been a straight line. I went from being a teen mom and working in the strip club, to climbing the corporate ladder, to becoming a multi–six-figure entrepreneur. Those experiences taught me that no matter how messy or unconventional your path looks, you can transform your life if you’re willing to shift your mindset and take action.

Through my book, “Roses Really Smell Like Boo Boo”, my transformational PDF, and my speaking work, I guide people through that same process by helping them identify what’s holding them back, embrace change, and step into their purpose with confidence. What makes my brand unique is that I don’t just teach theory; I’ve lived the breakthroughs I talk about. Right now, I’m focused on expanding my message globally so more people can stop just surviving and start truly living.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was outgoing, carefree and bold. Walking to the beat of my own drum, doing whatever I wanted to do. Then life stepped in with its “rules”: get a good job, climb the corporate ladder, secure the 401(k), and retire. So I did exactly that, got a corporate job and honestly, if the company hadn’t downsized and laid me off, I probably would’ve stayed there. I was comfortable.

But God had other plans. That layoff was a divine push, forcing me out of my comfort zone and back into alignment with my true gifts. I started “Its All About You Birthdays & Events” for the time freedom and because I loved bringing people together to celebrate life. Looking back, I realize that staying in that corporate role would have stifled my calling. Stepping back into my authentic self allowed me to serve people in a way that not only lit me up, but also created experiences that touched countless lives.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me something success never could.., that I’m stronger than I ever realized. No matter how low life took me, quitting was never an option. I had kids depending on me, and that alone kept me getting up when I felt like staying down.

Suffering taught me resilience. It taught me that no matter what hand you’re dealt, the real test is how you play it. There were moments I had the wind knocked out of me and the rug pulled right from under my feet, but deep down inside the spirit always whispered, “Keep going, you deserve what’s on the other side.”

One thing I always tell my kids is, “You’ve got five minutes to cry, then we talk solutions.” It’s not about the exact five minutes…. it’s a reminder that staying in the pain only adds gasoline to the fire. You can feel it, but you can’t live there. Success can’t teach you how to survive when you see no hope or way out, but suffering can. And once you’ve survived that, you walk different & you know you can make it through anything.

But suffering didn’t break me, it built me and that kind of strength doesn’t come with a trophy, it comes with scars that turn losses into lessons and into inspirational stories.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
A lot of smart people are still getting it wrong when it comes to success because they think hard work alone is the answer. Hard work matters, but it’s not enough, you have to work smarter. You can grind 60 hours a week at McDonald’s and still never truly move forward if your strategy and mindset aren’t right.

Real elevation comes from shifting your perspective, gaining mental clarity, and aligning your actions with your purpose. That’s what brings wholeness. You can’t do it all alone, you need the right team, the right circle and the right environment to help you level up.

And sometimes, being “too smart” can actually get in your way. You’ve got to know when to take the good, leave the bad, and move forward or as I like to say, learn to “eat the fish and spit out the bones”

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
What I understand deeply and what most people miss is that trends fade, and chasing money, clout, or someone else’s life is just a fantasy. Social media has people idolizing “couple goals” from a 30-second clip of two people laughing, without realizing that moment doesn’t tell the whole story.

Too many are taking the quick, easy route instead of peeling back their own layers to uncover their unique fingerprint… what they were truly destined for and gifted with. They fear change and the unknown, so they settle, existing but never truly living.

The truth is, there’s no magic 1-2-3 formula for happiness. It’s a long road that requires self-reflection, action, facing hard truths, studying, surrendering, and patience. But when you commit to that process, you stop copying someone else’s life and start fully stepping into your own.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Itsallaboutyoubirthdays
• Other: Booking inquiries 4046696213
  Email questions921@gmail.com