Meet Karen Cherry-Brown

We recently connected with Karen Cherry-Brown and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Karen, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

Developing my self -esteem started with me learning to love me. Of course, this did not happen overnight. It took me years of working on myself to get to this point. I use to hold my head down so that people couldn’t see my face. I settled for substandard and abusive relationships.
As I grew older, my circle started changing, I would get inspired by motivational speakers and positive quotes.

One day, I realized that I didn’t care how others felt about me, because I understood that my heavenly father is a King, so I must be royalty. I held my head up and learned to appreciate the woman in the mirror looking back at me.

 

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions, we had for you?

I have over 37 years of experience in healthcare. I am the successful business owner of SIPS Consults and Kacy’s Properties. I also am the founder of The Cherry Foundation which is a 501 c3.
I am a published author and motivational speaker.

I am proud to announce that my documentary “Prevailing Through Pain” is streaming on Tubi.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Honesty

2. Motivated

3. Assertive

My advice would be:

Write out your goals and plans on how to achieve them
Even if you have a degree continue to go to seminars to stay current in your industry
If you are the smartest one in your circle, find a new circle where you can grow
Never stop reaching for your goals/dreams even if you have a setback
Save money for a rainy day, and at least 6 months of salary when stating your own business
Network
Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

My Aunt Zelma was the first African American nurse and professional that I knew. She knew of my insecurities and gave me a poster that had these words, “To dream of the person that you would like to be is to waste the person that you are” That resonated with me for years. Every time, I thought I wasn’t smart enough, pretty enough or good enough, I would think of that poem and remind myself that I was and still am.

My oldest sister Dee, was very popular. She was pretty and talented. I always felt that I was in her shadow, until one day she told me, “stop walking around with your head down, because people treat you the way that you treat yourself.” I started holding my head up, and eventually it stayed up. Some might say too high… ha ha.

Then there is my cousin, Melanie, she was a teenage mom and a year behind me in school. She went to college and earned a Master’s degree. She always encouraged me to keep climbing. All three of these phenomenal women are still very involved and supportive of my journey to this day.

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