Meet Christie Person: Founder and Owner of Stronger Than U Know

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christie Person and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christie, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
My daughter, Laila, was born 3 1/2 months early and was in the NICU for 3 months. This was an emotionally and physically exhausting time for our entire family. About four years later, God placed it on my heart to start a community focused on providing resources for parents of premature infants. I didn’t actually act on it until about four years after that initial idea came about. The early part of the pandemic provided me with additional time to focus on making the business a reality.

My hope is that our resources will reach those who are most in need of receiving encouragement while caring for a premature infant, particularly African American families, who have the highest rate of prematurity in the US.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Stronger Than U Know is focused on providing encouragement and support to all parents of premature infants; however, I have been intentional in targeting African Americans. Lack of representation has been a longstanding issue in the African American community, particularly in healthcare. As an optometrist, I see this issue in the health disparities that exist in eyecare. These same disparities exist in maternal health due to a number of factors including racial bias and a lack of access to quality prenatal care. I believe that what sets me apart from other organizations is my focus on providing resources for African American parents of preemies. My book showcases an African American family navigating the highs and lows of having a baby in the NICU.

I am still growing my business and would love to continue to develop useful products. It has taken quite a bit of hard work and commitment to consistently following my dreams. I’ve learned that when I accomplish one goal, it’s important to celebrate and then move on to the next one. This is a lane that I feel called to exist in and I am dedicated to giving the best of my time and attention to reaching those parents who need support during a very challenging time.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My best friends also have children so we would mostly visit child-friendly spots. We would have to go to the Children’s Museum to let the little ones get hands-on playtime and then we would head to the Atlanta Zoo to check out the animal exhibits. We would have lunch at Krog Street Market and cruise along the Beltine to get some exercise. We would end the day at City Winery for some adult fun as we listened to one of our favorite artists in concert.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have to honor my daughter, Laila, who is my reason for starting my business and my motivation for everything I do in life. I am committed to leaving a legacy of love that I hope she will be proud of one day.

Website: www.strongerthanuknow.com

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