Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Foluke Houston-Gaddis of Memphis, TN

We recently had the chance to reconnect with Foluke Houston-Gaddis and have shared our conversation below.

Foluke, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
These days, the first 90 minutes of my morning are all about alignment—with God, with myself, and with the day ahead.

I work a 9-to-5, so my mornings are focused on starting strong. I usually wake up. and before I check emails or scroll, I pause to ground myself in gratitude and say a short prayer or declaration. Something like, “God, order my steps. Let everything I touch today be aligned with Your will.” That centers me—especially when things get hectic.

I drink water, put on a worship playlist or some gospel lo-fi, and either journal for a few minutes or meditate on a scripture I’ve been sitting with. Lately, it’s Habakkuk 2:2—“Write the vision and make it plain.” That’s a life verse for me as a builder and a woman of faith.

Then, I’m fully in work mode for my corporate role. AffirmMePlease lives in my evenings, weekends, and early mornings. I intentionally carve out time after hours to lead my brand, and I’m grateful to have a marketing manager who manages our website updates and email campaigns so I can focus on creative direction and vision.

I always say: my 9-to-5 funds the mission, but my purpose shows up in everything I touch—even if it’s after 5.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a multi-passionate creative, speaker, and strategist who’s navigating the intersection of corporate leadership and Kingdom calling. By day, I lead talent acquisition strategy in the commercial HVAC space. By night (and weekends), I serve as the Founder and SheEO of AffirmMePlease™—a bold, faith-based lifestyle brand built to remind people who they are and Whose they are.

I started AffirmMePlease in 2021 during a season where I felt unseen, overwhelmed, and disconnected from the truth of what God had spoken over my life. What began as a personal healing practice—speaking affirmations rooted in scripture—quickly grew into a global movement. Today, we offer more than just Christian apparel. We’ve expanded into journals, drinkware, affirmation flashcards, and even curated playlists, creating a full mindset-shifting experience that helps people “Live Boldly & Reign Supreme.”

What makes us different? Everything we do is grounded in Habakkuk 2:2 and Proverbs 18:21. This brand is not just about style—it’s about vision. It’s about canceling lies, affirming truth, and walking fully in your God-given authority. We’re not selling merch. We’re curating moments of transformation.

Right now, we’re focused on expanding our digital footprint, growing our Affirmer Ambassador program, and launching strategic partnerships that amplify our message. And I’m doing it all while honoring my 9-to-5 and building something sustainable.

AffirmMePlease is proof that you can honor your calling and still move with strategy. Faith isn’t my side hustle—it’s my foundation.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
It was watching my mama.

I grew up surrounded by powerful women, but my mother? She’s a quiet force of nature. Not loud. Not flashy. But unforgettable. And I’m just like her—I may not be the loudest in the room, but you will feel my presence and remember my impact.

My earliest memory of power wasn’t about titles or money—it was watching my mama raise us as a single mother, earn four degrees, start her own business, serve in ministry, and break barriers as one of the first Black women supervisors in the state of Mississippi. All while showing up for her family and community like a boss and a blessing at the same time.

She moved with grace, handled pressure with prayer, and never stopped evolving. That’s where my quiet confidence comes from. That’s where AffirmMePlease was born—from that same spirit of strength, vision, and God-fueled grit.

Watching her gave me permission to be powerful on my own terms and with God as my guide.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
The shift happened when I realized my pain wasn’t just something to survive—it was something I could steward. That understanding hit me square in the chest during my years doing social justice and DEI work. I saw how powerful it was to show up as my full self—not a watered-down version to make others comfortable, but a woman with a story, a spine, and a strategy.

One turning point for me was when I worked in local government HR. The CHRO there tried to break me—emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I was determined up for failure, dismissed, and devalued in ways that cut deep. But when I walked away with my head held high and God opened a better door, I made a vow: Never again. I would never let a title, an organization, or a toxic leader hold that kind of power over me.

There’s a holy kind of power in knowing when to walk away. And I’ve done it—multiple times.

My secret sauce has always been being an expert in my space and comfortable in my own skin. So when the environment no longer fits—or no longer honors who I am—I don’t beg to stay. I don’t shrink. I don’t explain. I say, “The hell with this,” dust off my heels, and move forward.

And guess what? I’ve always landed on my feet. Every time.

I’ve made mistakes along the way, sure. I’ve trusted the wrong people, stayed in rooms too long, and second-guessed my intuition. But God has been faithful. Every stumble taught me something. Every scar gave me language. And now I lead, build, and affirm from a place of wisdom and power.

That’s why AffirmMePlease exists. Because I’m not the only one who’s had to reclaim her voice after being silenced. I just turned my healing into a brand—and my testimony into strategy.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Absolutely—but let me be clear: the public version of me is the protected me, not the performed me.

What you see is real. I’m not putting on a front or curating a character. My voice, my message, my faith, my boldness—that’s authentically Foluke. But everything real doesn’t have to be fully visible. There are layers to me. And I’ve learned that authenticity doesn’t mean full access.

The public me is grounded, confident, called. But the private me? That’s where my soul shines. That’s where the softness, the scars, the sacred conversations with God live. That’s where my heart gets tender and my prayers get ugly. And not everyone gets to experience that version of me. Because discernment is wisdom—and God has taught me to honor my boundaries.

If I love you and I trust you deeply, that’s when you get Fi—not just Foluke. Fi is who I am when the walls come down. She’s silly, vulnerable, a little hood, a little holy, and a whole lotta heart. That part of me is reserved. Protected. Covered.

So yes, what the public sees is real. But it’s also guarded by grace. And God knows why.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Man, listen… If my parents had their way, I would’ve been Dr. Houston right now. I was pre-med at Jackson State University, thinking I was gonna save lives one stethoscope at a time—until I hit those labs. That was my humbling season. I realized I had the passion for impact, but not for blood and petri dishes.

So I had a come-to-Jesus moment—literally and academically—and I’ll never forget sitting down with my advisor, Maria Luisa Alvarez Harvey. We had this soul-searching conversation about who I was, what mattered to me, and how I wanted to show up in the world. I told her I wanted to help people heal—but not just physically. I was drawn to transformation, purpose, and systems that could actually change lives.

So we changed my major to Business Administration, and I stepped into HR two years later—and never looked back.

Today, I can honestly say I’m doing what I was born to do. Whether I’m leading talent strategy in corporate spaces or building my faith-based brand, AffirmMePlease, everything I do is about helping people see themselves clearly, walk in truth, and live boldly. That’s purpose. And that didn’t come from a classroom, a title, or a parent’s plan—it came from God.

So no, I’m not doing what I was told to do.
I’m doing what I was created to do. And it feels like alignment…it feels good…it feels like peace.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.affirmmeplease.com
• Instagram: @AffirmMePlease
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/foluke-houston
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1HR58quQEz/

Image Credits
Sedrick Askew/Impact Lyfe