Meet Shanita Perdomo

We recently connected with Shanita Perdomo and have shared our conversation below.

Shanita , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I try to live each day with the hope that tomorrow will be better. I’ve been through some really bleak moments—growing up with drug-addicted parents, especially a mother who was rarely around to care for her children. That responsibility fell on me. There were days when I wasn’t sure if I wanted to live, or if I even could. But instead of ending my life or wishing it away, I chose to live. I won’t dive into the darkest moments, because what matters more is this: if there’s even a glimmer of hope, then there’s still hope. After experiencing abandonment, neglect, betrayal, and emotional abuse, I eventually came to understand something powerful—I was made for me. That realization has grown deeper through my relationship with Jesus Christ. I know Jesus is a controversial topic these days, maybe even the most controversial, but it’s only been through His presence and grace that I’ve come to understand the meaning of life. It’s not mine—life was given to me as a gift. And while the wrapping may not have been shiny, what’s inside is something beautiful.

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’m a wife, a mother, a social entrepreneur, and a full-time realtor. My journey started back in high school after receiving support from a youth center next to my school. That experience planted a seed—I wanted to create a nonprofit that would support young people in the community. What I didn’t realize then was that the community I’d serve would eventually grow from East Oakland all the way to Northern New Jersey.

My career began with connecting families to the local resources already around them. That led me into youth development—teaching young people life skills they weren’t getting at home or from their social workers. That work lit a fire in me. There’s something powerful about helping a young person learn how to budget, write a resume, or advocate for themselves. Watching them evolve and step into their power? That’s what excites me the most.

Eventually, I launched Yes, M.I.S.S. Inc. (Motivate, Innovate, Support, Succeed) to focus specifically on young women, especially young women of color. The mission is to expose them to careers they might not hear about otherwise, while also teaching them the essentials—how to negotiate a salary, understand benefits, plan for long-term growth, and more. Our program started with just three girls, and in three years, we’ve grown to over 100.

This summer, we’re taking a group of girls to IBM in New York City for career workshops hosted by their Black Employee Network. We’re also building partnerships with innovative companies like Wonder, a new food tech startup, and exploring other exciting ventures. Yes, M.I.S.S. Inc. introduces young women in Northern New Jersey to higher learning and higher earning through college tours, company site visits, and professional development workshops. In the next few years, my vision is to scale this into a national program that partners with schools and creates opportunities for young women to explore both colleges and professional environments across the country.

Outside of my nonprofit work, I’m also a full-time realtor specializing in multifamily investment properties and home sales in Northern New Jersey.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, there are three things that had the biggest impact on my journey: a strong support system, the willingness to ask questions, and deep self-awareness.

1. A strong support system — I can’t stress this enough: we are not meant to do life alone. Having a support system helped me stay focused in school, graduate from college, and find the boldness to uproot my life in California and move to the East Coast with nothing but a job and a dream. My support system connected me to people and resources that helped me overcome major obstacles. When you have people in your corner cheering for you, you start to see yourself differently—because they see the best in you, even when you don’t.

2. Ask questions — Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.” I got really good at asking the right questions simply because I stopped being scared to admit I didn’t have all the answers. In those vulnerable moments, I’ve learned more, become more relatable, and stayed open instead of reactive. Asking thoughtful questions makes you a better listener—and when people notice that, they start to see you as someone who’s adaptable, curious, and enjoyable to work with.

3. Self-awareness — As the saying goes: Know thyself. Know yourself so well that you can talk yourself out of a bad decision before it happens—a breakup, a sketchy business deal, a job that doesn’t align, whatever it is. Self-awareness allows you to acknowledge your own blind spots without getting defensive. When someone calls out an inconsistency and you can say, “I know, and here’s what I’m doing to work on it,” that’s powerful. A lot of people miss growth opportunities simply because they lack that level of self-awareness. It’s what gets you in the door—and out of situations you never should’ve been in to begin with.

For anyone early in their journey: be kind to yourself. For years, I felt like I missed out on key milestones because I was sacrificing so much for my family. But I’ve learned to accept the process and find joy in the journey—even while I’m still on it.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I’m definitely looking to collaborate—especially with people who are passionate about empowering young women and helping Yes, M.I.S.S. Inc. grow. Right now, we’re looking for support in two main areas: building more school and program partnerships, and strengthening our development efforts. We’ve been sustained by individual donors and corporate sponsors, which has been such a blessing, but I’m now looking to take things to the next level.

That means hiring staff, expanding our reach, and deepening our impact. If you have experience in development, fundraising, or nonprofit growth—or if you’re interested in joining our board—I’d love to connect with you. You can reach out directly at [email protected].

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yesmissinc.org
• Instagram: yesmissinc
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanitaperdomo