We had the good fortune of connecting with Felicia Brown and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Felicia, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I imagine my thought process behind starting my own business is much different than most entrepreneurs. For one, I started a non-profit and not a for-profit business. Starting one was not a dream of mine, to be honest. However, I heard God tell me to. He gave me vision, purpose, and even a name and then said to start it. I told Him, I didn’t just want to start something of my own to have it but if He wanted me to start this, He needed to start it. Well, after sharing the vision with a couple of people I had a check for $15,000 to start it. I didn’t even ask for this money. The same day I received the check a non-profit industry leader for legal things, called me to see if I wanted to “Start my own non-profit”. I said yes and we worked out a deal since I had the cash necessary and the rest is history. I am truly living a dream.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I took my first international mission trip in August of 2008 and knew I was called to go to the nations the rest of my life. At that point I was studying Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech and working every other semester in a co-op rotation with Southern Nuclear Operating Company at Plant Vogtle. I finished my B.S.M.E. in December of 2009 and started full time in the Operations Department of Plant Vogtle. I used all my vacation time for missions within an organization called Crosspoint Ministries. I helped within that organization for years. In 2014 I took a job within Southern Company at Georgia Power corporate office here in Atlanta and that is when I met my pastors and joined Encounter Church. I loved my job within Southern Company, both at Plant Vogtle and at Georgia Power. My co-workers were amazing and the company overall was great. I thought I would continue to grow in leadership within the company until I felt a very clear direction from the Lord to go into full time missions to reach the lost in the nations. This was in 2015, and after talking to my pastors, I gave a three month notice to my job and left October 1, 2015. My boss at the time said I would be the most educated in power missionary there was. I tend to joke that I went from one power industry to another! I went on to organzize a large scale gospel event in Lima and helped plan 12 team trips over the next year to different countries including Haiti, India, South Africa, Peru, Jamaica, and Honduras. I also helped launch the outreach and missions department of my local church as well as oversee a couple building projects.
In 2021 I went to a school for mass evangelism held by Christ for All Nations and that’s where I felt the call to launch this non-profit after hearing, “The problem in the world isn’t darkness, it is the absence of light.” Then I later heard that I was called to, Shine the Light of the gospel in the darkest regions of the earth. Hence the name of my non-profit, Shine the Light Global. We go where most people have some fear of going for whatever reason, but we go because there is darkness, and we bring a light of hope, peace, love, and that light is the light of Jesus. I really love that I get to do what I do. We see so many set free from darkness and receive hope eternal. Best of all, you can’t do what we do without an amazing team. Every event we have is full of amazing pastors, evangelists, leaders, worshippers, and even politicians and policeman, etc. City wide events take everyone and I love meeting and working with so many different people all over the globe.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Ponce City Market is my go-to place to take visitors in Atlanta. We would definitely eat ramen at Ton Ton and then coffee and amazing desserts.
Another day we would have to go see the Braves play. We would need to get there early to eat at the Battery.
I love the Marietta Market as well, we could visit the square with all the history there and then go to the market to grab some good food. My favorite place in the market is D’Cuban Cafe.
Another day we may go to the Aquarium or Stone Mountain, depending on which they would like most.
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 would like to dedicate my shoutout to my Encounter Church family in Kennesaw, GA along with my amazing pastors Hunter and Liz Howard. They took me in about ten years ago to be part of their church plant here in Kennesaw. They have encouraged, mentored, supported, and walked with me through all the transitions of giving up my corporate career, going into missions full time, and launching this non-profit.
Website: https://shinethelight.global
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shinethelightglobal
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShinetheLightGlobal