Interview With Lateshia Pearson-Reality Star and CEO of Lateshia Pearson Enterprise
Lateshia Pearson-Photo Credit: Will Sterling- https://sterlingpics.net
Drive, determination, faith, and a passion to inspire, Reality Star of OWN’s Belle Collective, Lateshia Pearson, is a woman on the move and living life as her best self! As a successful entrepreneur, this Mississippi Native believes in the importance of empowering others and following your purpose.
Tell us more about Leteshia Pearson Enterprise and the inspiration to start the National Women’s Brunch Organization. Where did you get the entrepreneurial spirit from?
I have always been a woman that has shown support to other women and other people. To encourage them to become the best version of themselves. I have been empowering before empowering became trending. Before it has been a thing. I knew I was always destined to do something more. I just didn’t know what it was. I had a company called Platinum Platters. I would make fruit platters for Mother’s day and special occasions. I am a Bail Bondsman. I started in 2011, stopped, and recently went back to get my license. I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit within me. I stepped out on faith and here we are.
The idea for the women’s brunch came about when I went to an event back in 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. It was a networking seminar for women. They were just pouring into one another. How can I pour into you how can you pour into me? It just blew my mind. I had never seen anything like that in Mississippi. At that moment I knew that I had to bring that opportunity and platform to my own state. I hosted my first brunch in 2017 called Mingling Over Mimosa’s Empowerment Brunch. I didn’t know if one person was going to attend two people or nobody. I just knew the purpose was bigger than me. I wanted other women to experience what I experienced. How can I serve you? How can I pour into you?
I remember the first person who purchased a twenty-dollar ticket. If you can serve one person your job is done anyway. When we got to the event there were over one hundred women waiting outside to get in. People were networking, connecting, and partnerships were being made. It was manifestation. If you build it people will come if your intention is to serve. After that people emailed me asking when was the next one going to be. I prayed and came up with the Women’s Brunch Mississippi. It became a whole movement by itself. God is really good!
So Lateshia Pearson Enterprises is all of my different businesses under one umbrella.
As a successful black woman, what motivates you to achieve greatness?
Waking up every day. Every day we wake up means we still have a purpose. My son is a big motivation for me. I know that my responsibility for walking this earth is to serve other people. Just the gift of life and waking up every day motivates me to keep going.
How has faith played a role in your success?
Faith has played a role in my success every second every minute every day. Without faith, I wouldn’t be where I am now. I am moving on faith every single day. It plays a major role. A huge role. Faith even helps me to get out of bed and believe. Some days I may have a bad day but my faith keeps me up, moving, and encouraged to keep going.
Who has been the most influential mentor or role model in your life?
It would have to be my mother. I watched my mother care for me, my sister, and my brother without complaining. I watched her overcome obstacles that I don’t think I would have been able to overcome. She still has that energy the love and the faith to pour into me to become even better.
What are some main tips you would give to women of color who have dreams and goals but are afraid to go after them?
Nobody is going to believe in you like you. No one is going to knock on your door and say here is this opportunity. Believe that you were created to create and can be anything you could imagine. It’s time to stop sleeping on yourself and start believing in yourself. I feel if you are not living in your purpose you are being selfish.
You may be sitting on a gift that could save me. You could be sitting on a gift that could help my son. You may be in the process of breaking generational curses that could help the people coming behind you, but because you won’t believe in yourself you are robbing someone of their God-given talent. It’s all about responsibility to pour into other people. My advice to people who are afraid to step out on their gift and walk in their God-given talent; get up the time is now. It is your season. Stop sleeping on yourself. No one is going to wake you up. You have to wake yourself up.
How has your experience been on the Belle Collective and what do you hope black women gain/learn from watching the show?
I am from a very small town. I had about 33 people graduate with me. I didn’t see flashy homes or flashy cars, and there were not a lot of opportunities being created. I always knew that I’m in this environment but I’m not of this environment. I hope people see that a girl from Pelahatchie, Mississippi, made it to a national television show. Not just any network but the Oprah Winfrey Network and Oprah is from Mississippi. Now, you will see the drama and entertainment part on the show, but I also want them to see inspiration and believe in themselves, and know that they too can manifest the life that they want.
To learn more about Lateshia visit Lateshiapearson.com
