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

Hi Vaneshia, other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?
I had to decide to block out the noise and listen to myself. My decision to just go for it without knowing anything was the best decision I ever made. I told myself I would be successful if I follow my hearts desire to heal myself and my community and let the Universe guide my path. That’s all business is to me. Finding your passion by doing what you love and sharing it to help others.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’d consider myself a multi-creative. I enjoy expressing myself creatively and I’ve always had a passion for organizing and creative self expression. As a child, it began with dancing and choreography. Now I enjoy self expression through yoga and dance. I create custom waistbeads for women and offer chakra healing options under Waistbeads By Vee. I am also the creator and founder of The Goddess Connect, LLC. TGC is a platform, brand and community dedicated to holistic wellness and connection of melanated women. Through The Goddess Connect I create different events that cultivate connection with ourselves and other women. Such as. Workshops, brunches, retreats & yoga meet ups. When im not working on my business, im working in Coporate America. What really pushes me is knowing that I no longer desire to work for anyone besides myself. However, I strongly believe that day jobs can be a tool used tp help manifest your dreams. Balancing so much is a full-time plus overtime job in itself, but I know that manifesting requires faith and work and everything I desire will come into fruition as long as I follow that recipe.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The best places to visit in Jacksonville, FL are the beaches, nature trails, and restaurants. We’d have brunch for sure on multiple days! The Daq Shack is a black owned Daiquiri Bar here and its always a vibe. There’s many black owned restaurants here that we would explore. Such as, The Cookbook Restaurant, Teaposh Naturals, and Grenville Kitchen. We’d probably spend our sunrises on the beach doing yoga. Im really a kickback/cookout type of girl. I enjoy staying in and having family time, good food, games, and laughter.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ve met so many people that fed me with knowledge, love, and support throughout my journey. A friend of mine, Sean Hudson, pushed me pursue entrprenuership and helped me with marketing initially. He provided the motivation I didn’t have at the time to shine my light. Some books I’d love to shout out are: The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga by Deepak Chopra, The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, The 4 Laws of Agreement by Don Miguel Ruiz, and Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. I’d also like to shoutout Ki’era Groover of SLCareer Studio for leading me to marketing workshops, offering entreprenuer advice, and creating my 1st website. God deserves the most credit though because I have truly been blessed and protected throughout my journey.

Website: Www.thegoddessconnect.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/thegoddessconnect?igshid=1xcz2kjlbu8ok
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegoddessconnect/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5tJlPE7z9dY0TvR-Q9EgbQ
Other: Waistbeads https://instagram.com/waistbeadbyvee?igshid=uwwwlwgnzby8 Virtual bookclub: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/1317541768437081/?ref=share Safe Space for Melanated Women in Holistic Wellness on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/thegoddessconnect/?ref=share

Image Credits
Kiana Shackelford Malik Alrahim

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