Faith's Voyage from Corporate to Calling: Embracing Entrepreneurship with a Spirit-Led Heart

Embarking on a transformative journey often requires a leap of faith, and that's exactly what my guest, Faith, embraced when she traded the corporate ladder for the entrepreneurial launch pad of Zoe. Our exchange traverses her inspiring transition, emphasizing the strength found in faith-based decision-making and the significance of heeding that powerful inner voice. With each anecdote and insight, we aim to embolden you with the courage to chase after your dreams, reaffirming that the right support network can light the way to realizing your full potential.

As we unpack the profound influence of community support and faith-based coaching, you'll witness how these pillars can provide solace during life's storms. Faith and I reflect on the emotional layers of serving with a selfless heart and the profound sense of fulfillment that comes from aligning personal missions with a higher calling. This episode is your invitation to explore the depths of purpose-driven life, with real-life stories that illustrate the remarkable journey from contemplation to action, all while keeping faith at the helm.

Connect with Faith here

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:02

Welcome to the Bite Size podcast. I'm your host, lorraine Michaels, former EMT and nursing assistant, now business owner and wild entrepreneur. I walked away from over 15 years in medicine to pursue my passion and my God-given talents. Now I get the honor of helping other women discover their passions and purpose. If you're feeling stuck in life, unsure where to go or what to do, welcome. If you're exactly where you want to be great, you're welcome here too. If you have faced any kind of hardship or setback, you have found a safe place here. In other words, no matter who you are or what you've been through or what you're going through, this is the space for you. On the Bite Size podcast, we'll discuss life, business and faith. There's something for everyone. So grab a cup of coffee and something to take notes with, because there will definitely be things you won't want to forget MUSIC. Hello friends, welcome back to the Bite Size podcast.

Speaker 1: 1:12

I'm your host, lorraine Michaels, and today I have with me a sweet, sweet, dear friend. Her name is Faith and I met Faith online. We kind of got to know each other. I first heard her on Tamara Andres podcast. She was featuring new and upcoming speakers, and I finally got to meet her at an event called FounderCon that was in Raleigh just this past November, and we have become fast friends and I absolutely adore her and her fiance, thomas, and I'm so excited for what God is doing in their lives, and so finally, we have worked it out. Between busy, chaotic schedules and personal life events she is so I'm so elated to have her on my podcast today. So welcome to the Bite Size podcast Faith.

Speaker 2: 2:04

Thanks, lorraine. I could go on and on about you. Oh my goodness, you are just such a saint for dealing with all my craziness the past few weeks. So thank you for finally just getting together with me and being able to share some hopefully impactful with them and just insight from things that we've both learned along our journey, so thanks for having me.

Speaker 1: 2:26

Absolutely. I can't wait to dive in. So Faith is a coach, a speaker. She also does some consulting with a new and upcoming hot business called Zoe. I would love to hear more about that also, and so I have just enjoyed watching her journey. And, faith, I would love for you to talk to me a little bit about how you came into coaching, because I know you have also came from the corporate world and piezing your way out of that as well. So talk to me. How did you get into what it is that you're doing right now?

Speaker 2: 3:04

Absolutely so. This might come as a surprise to some, but I actually created my LLC in college. I felt like the Lord was calling me to dive into coaching whenever I was a junior, actually in college. And so I said no, I'm too young, I'm not experienced enough All the excuses that we often give whenever the Lord calls us to make dreams. And I sat on it and sat on it, and what I noticed was the longer that I waited in disobedience for what the Lord was calling me to, the more that the enemy attacked and was seeping in my mind and my actions, because that's what happens when we let the enemy get a foothold in the door. And so enough was enough.

Speaker 2: 3:56

It was a year later and I said I just got to do it. And the minute that I said yes and I decided that Jesus was more important to me than my pride or my potential failure at this, then my confidence just skyrocketed in him, because I knew that he was propelling me and that he was my strength to do this and continue it. So it's been two years now. I just hit my two year mark as a coach and it's been so fun over the past couple of years to see the impact that I have had and the ways that the Lord has used me through this, in knowing that whenever we say yes to him, he will do abundantly and exceedingly more than we could ask. So that's been my journey.

Speaker 2: 4:47

The past couple of years. I've gotten the opportunity to now be a consultant for Zoe, which is super fun. It's a tech startup right here in Raleigh, north Carolina, where I live, and it's been fun to just be a coach on their platform for more than a year now and then also be able to come alongside them as a partner in helping them grow and expand. That's what I'm doing currently, both coaching and consulting.

Speaker 1: 5:15

Hey, it's Lorraine. As you know, it's my joy and passion to teach and encourage others through this podcast, but my heart is actually at live events. Currently, I'm available for booking, so if you're organizing a live event, I'd love to share my story. Your audience will walk away with tangible tools on how to overcome limiting beliefs, break down obstacles and discover their gifts, talents and abilities in order to live a life that God created them to live. It's not the size of the audience that's important. It's the connection and impact that I will bring. For more information, email me at lorraine at theboldbeginningscom.

Speaker 1: 6:05

So I hope that encourages you and anyone who's listening that if you're hearing that call from God or that tug on your heart or you don't necessarily know that it's the Holy Spirit or God leading you to this it's just that inner voice that is like pushing you to do something, to step into that and to step into it with confidence, because God's not gonna call you to it if he doesn't equip you for it. And a lot of times we think, oh no, I can't, I'm not ready, I don't have it. If he's calling you to it, he is gonna call you through it and equip you, and we can't do it all on our own. You know what I mean. Like I'm sure you can say you can vouch for this, there's been a lot of people that have come alongside of you, that have helped you and given you the tools that you've needed, and you've, you know, gleaned all of that from the yes right.

Speaker 2: 7:07

Oh yeah, to do it alone would be foolish. You know we are relational beings, we're meant for community, we're meant for mentorship. You know it's biblical to have mentorship in our lives, for people to come alongside and for us than to come alongside people and helping them along our journeys. So for me, I know that mentorship played a pivotal role in getting me to where I was today. The connections that I've made with people have also elevated and uplifted and whatever it is from the board, there is no door that you can't close right Because, like, the Lord is the one that's opening it, and so you can't shut it if the Lord has opened it right, and vice versa.

Speaker 2: 8:02

The Lord will be the spirit of strength in you of dignity, he'll clothe you right In such a way where you are equipped to step out. And one thing that I've also noticed is that, as I've continued my yes, it wasn't just the yes that in the very beginning that propelled me, but it was the continual motion of saying yes that has led to more open doors. So saying yes one time is okay, that's something. But then continuing to give God your yes will push that ball further into motion and things will start occurring for you as you instill your trust in the Lord and focus more on Him instead of yourself.

Speaker 2: 8:55

It's so often we can put the focus back on us and it to become about us and what's gonna be best for us. Right, and we have to turn our eyes towards Jesus. We have to turn our eyes towards Jesus and say what is he calling me to? Even if it's uncomfortable, even if it's risky for our personal esteem, right, we need to knock our self-esteem out the window because it's not about us, it's about Jesus and how we can best glorify Him for our lives. So the fear that a lot of us have in those beginning stages is out of self-protection and it's actually not considering Jesus at all. It's just what about we'll keep us safe from maybe fear of judgment and the judgments that can come, the failures that might occur right, the lack of finances.

Speaker 2: 9:57

So living in a scarcity mindset, it's all self-protection purposes, Whenever the Lord actually says that he alone is enough, that he alone is our strength and our shield and our provider. So I hope that's encouraging to whoever's listening that it's actually not about you, so we can turn our focus to God and it gives us a whole new level of freedom in what he's calling us. So Amen.

Speaker 1: 10:28

Oh my gosh, faith. That was awesome. That was a mic drop moment right there, that is. I couldn't have said it better myself. So many good nuggets in that and I just kind of wanna touch on that.

Speaker 1: 10:43

I don't know, I don't know how this is gonna come out, how it's gonna publish or whatever, but we've been having a little bit of technical issues as we're recording right now and I just wanna call out and cast out. The enemy is definitely trying to not let this be known and let this be heard, but that's not gonna stop us, that's not gonna stop us from recording, that's not gonna stop us from this conversation, that's not gonna stop us from what we know to be true and that God has a message that both you and I have and that it needs to come out. Come out into the world and into the light and it's encouraging and helpful and someone needs this and I know that's the enemy. Wouldn't be trying so hard for this not to happen. So, yeah, I definitely cast any plans that the enemy has right now out of this recording.

Speaker 2: 11:41

I'm curious to hear, whenever you have given God your yes, what have the blessings been? And then, what have the hard times been, and how have you had to push through clinging on to Jesus in those hard times, like after he's called you to something and you're like what? But this is super difficult. Wasn't it supposed to be blessed if you called me to this?

Speaker 1: 12:12

Faith. I love you, I love how I love the interviewer in you. That is such an awesome question. Two things that come to my mind immediately One is marriage and two is in the workplace. So, for those of you that don't know, I have been married twice before. So I am in my third marriage, my third and final marriage, and, yes, that has been one that has been the most challenging.

Speaker 1: 12:51

Having been married twice before, I obviously know what not to do, and being in this marriage has been such a blessing and such a fruitful journey and a very, very difficult journey. Every marriage is hard, so I hate to burst anybody's bubble, but no marriage is easy. So they carry their own difficulties in and of itself, and so that was a yes, that was right away for me with my husband, tony, and. But walking into it in faith and through it in faith has shown and proven God's blessing in it and not to give up and when things get tough, to really hunker down and remain in faith and remember my why, our why, and remember that we are fighting this battle that is unseen. You know it's a spiritual battle and the enemy does not want marriages between a man and a woman, does not want marriages to work and to have whole and complete families. So the enemy is going to do everything he possibly can to break that up and disrupt it Totally. So my, that was a yes and that was definitely a okay. God, like I thought you called me to this. Why is it so difficult, you know? And going through marriage, counseling and retreats and going to events together and going through it together and walking alongside in partnership with God in it, in this marriage, has shown to be fruitful and it's so encouraging.

Speaker 1: 14:40

And the second piece of that question was my job. I left corporate America because I felt like medicine was no longer in alignment with who I am and what I'm about, and and I felt God calling me to, speaking and coaching and sharing the message of you were created for more and God created you for he divinely created you for a divine purpose and we were not called to live our life in in lack and actually we're supposed to be living in abundance and whatever that means. Yes, yeah, Abundance looks different for everybody, right? Yep, yeah. And so I left medicine and then, just in November, I felt like the Lord was calling me back to work, just to help out with the household expenses and to help with my business. I didn't want to be using you know, my husband's business that income to fund my business, so it was an act of obedience that I needed to get a job and help out for the time being. But ironically, he brought me back to medicine and so I'm back in the hospital and this has been by far the toughest yes, yes, for me, because medicine is not what it used to be. And I come home defeated and angry every day because my heart breaks for people that need help.

Speaker 1: 16:11

Yeah, and unfortunately, post COVID, medicine is a scary, scary place and it's very unsafe and I can't change it. And I just had this conversation with my husband last night. You know of how much, how defeated I feel in it because I see so much brokenness in it and failures in the system, and I can't change that. And he's like well, what you can do is continue to show up and continue to show the love of Christ with who you interact, with everyone, whether it's staff or patients, and that's that's what I have to do. I'm there for the time being. It was my yes, god led me to it, and so I'm being obedient and I'm there. I know it's a season. I know I'm not going to be there long term or retire there. It's a season and so I'm walking into it with open hands. Yeah, you know, and whatever God has for me in it, I'm there to be of service, I'm not there to gain anything. So that's been my two tough ones.

Speaker 2: 17:18

That's too hard to do something without receiving anything in return to, because we could often become bitter and say, okay, I'm only going to do this so long as it benefits me, or we walk in thinking we're going to get a benefit in return and we end up non. And so then we say, okay, well, I'm only doing this for so long, since it doesn't benefit me in return, and to have a servant's heart in knowing that, okay, I'm going to for this season that the Lord has called me, to give my yes and even though I come home angry and frustrated for the people that I serve, I'm going back the next day with the servant's heart to be as Christ, like as I can, and to love people humbly. That is no small feat. So I just want like that is so hard and so difficult, yet you're doing it and I want to cheer you on through that, because it is not easy yeah thank you.

Speaker 1: 18:28

Yeah, it is difficult, it breaks my heart. I always I'm the type of person that I'm so I guess an empath. I hurt when people hurt, you know, and I hurt for injustice and I always want to be the one that either gives the justice which I know that is not my role or I want to make sure justice is served and again not my role. But I definitely approach every situation that I can as best as I can, of how can I serve here, how can I help here, how can, what can I do? That's helping the betterment of it and not adding to the cause of it or the root problem of it. All you know.

Speaker 2: 19:15

Right, right, yeah, because it can also be challenging. Whatever you don't have people around you and something like that that think the same way that no one you're going through, and so to have people in your corner to support you, to pray for you, to lift you up like God has blessed you with a wonderful husband that encourages you, that prays for you and whoever it's listening, you know, if you're going through a hard season, rally people around you that can't lift you up, because there's some seasons where you're not going to be doing a lot of the lifting. Other people are going to be lifting you and being humble enough to accept that support and encouragement and then doing the same for others. You know, whenever you're in a season where you can lift people up, it's important, yeah.

Speaker 1: 20:17

Talk to me a little bit about that. What type of communities have you found to be most beneficial in nurturing in that aspect of it?

Speaker 2: 20:30

The first, I would say, is getting plugged into my church has been the biggest blessing.

Speaker 2: 20:36

You know, there is one thing to go to church on Sundays to just be a Sunday church attender, and there's another thing to be enrapt in community and to attend a home group or a small group some churches call it right where you get to do life together, you get to be with people that are like-minded, that are on the same page, and even though they might not be a coach themselves, they might not be a creator or have the same job type as you, everyone knows what it feels like to be burdened, overwhelmed, stressed out, indecisive, unsure about what to do, like we can all resonate with those certain feelings and emotions and so bringing those to others.

Speaker 2: 21:29

You know, god says that we should carry one another's burdens, and what that looks like is knowing that those people will carry them and lift them up to God, that it will not be burdensome to them because they have a God who takes their burdens also. So that's how we can carry one another's, and for me that's been one of the things that has helped me with vulnerability to share with others like, hey, I'm not doing okay, instead of just faking it and saying that everything's fine, and toughing through it myself, which has not been helpful in the past. I decided to give it to others.

Speaker 1: 22:15

What about you the same thing getting involved in community, whether it's like community, like group coaching, that type of thing, and finding different business-minded women and groups. In that aspect, but I mean the most impactful has been the small groups that I have found through church and finally getting into a married group. That was pivotal for us because my husband and I were looking for that. So we moved out to the Carolinas April of or March of, 22. So this March will be for two years and we didn't have it at first and we came from California where community was huge and we're a big part of community and we didn't have that out here. But we also knew that it existed because we saw other people in it and we saw how important it was and that everyone was in community. And so we came from having it and knew its importance and came to a place where it was also important, whereas in California it's not as important.

Speaker 1: 23:37

It's very much like Grindhustle Go to each their own, very much a me mentality. Where we're in now, the Carolinas, where it's very, very community-based and everyone's tightly woven and we're trying to crack the code. How do we get into this? How do we get find our community? And it took about a year for us to find the right small group, the right married small group, and, man, it's been a game changer because, like you said, there's times where we can't take the next step and we are down in whatever, whether it be circumstantial health, whatever it is but having that community around you to rally around you and lift you up and help you and how can I be praying for you, and that's been pivotal in our faith walk 100%.

Speaker 2: 24:29

And it's a risk to do that right it's a risk to say I want to join a small group or, you know, I want some friends at church or I need some like godly people around me.

Speaker 2: 24:43

Maybe your other friends aren't leading you down the right path or not giving you the best advice, right, it can be scary to give God your yes and say I want to, like, go all in with this faith thing, but when you do, there is such a level of freedom that comes with it. Just like I said previously, whatever you give God your yes, it's like this expansion opens up for you, this possibility opens up for you, because what's impossible with man is impossible or is possible with God. So, whatever you're doing things your way, it can be impossible, right? But when you partner with God, you give God your yes, everything's possible. It's like this thing that opens up and being like you know what I'm saying. We're going through a difficult time. Just a couple of weeks ago, who's the first person, people that we called our small group leaders? And it was people in our small group. Right, it's like people that we're doing life with that can help us carry this along the journey.

Speaker 2: 25:56

So, if you get anything out of today's podcast, let's give God your yes.

Speaker 1: 26:01

Yes, exactly, I know so kind of shifting gears a little bit If you want to. Or I would like you to talk to me a little bit about your coaching and what that looks like as far as with faith and coaching and how you've partnered with Zoe. Who are the people that you work with and how do you work with them?

Speaker 2: 26:25

Yeah, that's a loaded question. When it first started it was different than how it is now right and I think it's a learning process of who you really want to serve, what you can best serve them with and really, if you liked, what we've talked about in today's podcast. That is the essence of what I talk about with clients. What I do with clients, I help them to partner with Jesus to really chase their God-given dreams and as a coach, it is a very humbling position because I just guide you towards Christ in whatever it is. So I am not the answer.

Speaker 2: 27:09

I don't know. You know all that there is to know about your life because you are the driver or you are the passenger. Actually, god's in the driver's seat of your life and then you're in the passenger seat and then I'm just in the back seat and it's fun to really help clients with jumping out of the plane to take that first step right. Or maybe it is to relinquish fear, to submit to Christ in new ways in their life, to walk them through decisions that they're making or need to make, to help them with business if they want to launch a new business right. How do I honor God with living for Him and doing what he's created me to do and who he's called me to be. My coaching is faith-centered, so I mainly work with Christians and normally I see clients between 25 and 40, but I do have a 60-year-old client right now, so that's broken the barrier a little bit.

Speaker 2: 28:25

Yeah, and so it's been fun just to get to serve everyone, no matter where they live too. I've actually served clients from all the way from Arizona to Texas to Maryland, and I live in North Carolina, so they're literally everywhere and in between, which is really fun. And we have a faith in action group every single Monday morning that, lorraine you've come to, hopefully can do some more, because it's a fun little group of women that really do life together, that hold each other accountable to putting their faith in action with weekly commitments and community. We pray for one another. We do that every single Monday morning, so if you're interested in joining that it's a free group that we do and can give you more details below.

Speaker 2: 29:16

Yes, definitely.

Speaker 1: 29:19

I'll have that in the show notes, how they can get involved in that if they would like. It was awesome. Unfortunately, working nights I can't join at the time if I worked the night before, but that is such. It's so refreshing to be around. And it's not a Bible study. It's just women, like-minded women, who are encouraging one another, who are walking through life together and, like you said, holding each other accountable, and that is what we're called to do. Right, just walk through stuff with one another, but also making sure that your partner, your friend, is walking the way, that they should be also calling them out in faith and love and truth and in love, right.

Speaker 2: 30:07

Right.

Speaker 1: 30:08

Absolutely. That has been a pleasure to see you do and grow and I love it. I love watching you lead. I love hearing all the things and seeing all the things. Do you have any speaking events coming up?

Speaker 2: 30:26

I would love to speak more in 2024. That's a goal of mine actually in 2024 is to increase that, because I just spoke at FounderCon in November, which was a really cool opportunity that I'm super grateful for. So if you are looking for a speaker that is faith driven, that if you need a Gen Z you know to give a new perspective, a fresh perspective, I would be more than willing to talk to you about that. So if you're interested in setting that up, you can also contact me. Probably DM on Instagram is the easiest at faith and coaching, or you can also contact me over email at faithandcoaching at gmailcom.

Speaker 2: 31:13

But I also, like you said, work with Zoe and I'm a consultant for Zoe. So over the past year I've been a coach on their platform and just a few months ago they said hey, we love what you're doing, come alongside and partner with us. We will sponsor you at your speaking events. So I was actually sponsored by them at the FounderCon event, which was lovely, and I was super grateful for that. And then now I continue to be a consultant for them, helping them grow and expand their brand from a coach's perspective. That has been on their platform, giving them feedback, doing marketing for them and just development. So I love it and I'm super honored to have that and also be involved there. But that's what I've got going on and I'm so, so grateful, lorraine, for you having me on your podcast.

Speaker 1: 32:08

Absolutely, oh. I know so that. What a better way you teed that up. Perfect. That was a wonderful way to wrap this up, faith. It's been a pleasure and an honor and, like I said and continue to say, I love, love, love. Walking alongside of you on this journey, as well as Thomas. I love being able to pour into you guys as much as possible and I'm so excited for the future that you all have together and what business looks like for y'all. It's. It's so exciting and I'm very proud of you for stepping out in faith and walking in faith. Your name suits you so beautifully, as always. Guys, if this episode has been impactful or you know, you know someone that could benefit from hearing it, please like and share and tag us on Instagram. We would love to connect with you and check out the show notes. We'll have all of faith's information there so you can connect with her as well. Remember, my friends, you were divinely created for a divine purpose and there was no mistake in you.