An Inspired Chat with Sonya LaRae of Far Northeast

We recently had the chance to connect with Sonya LaRae and have shared our conversation below.

Sonya , a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
I believe many individuals are silently battling stress, convincing themselves that hiding the struggle makes them appear strong, in control, and untouchable. But stress is not a weakness, it’s a messenger. It signals when your mind and body are nearing dangerous depletion. For powerful C-suite executives, secrecy only fuels the risk, and when stress is buried instead of addressed, burnout delivers the final, devastating blow.

I work with leaders to shift this narrative, helping them recognize stress not as shame, but as a call to restore balance before the cost becomes too great.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Sonya LaRae the Luxury Lifestyle Architect behind LaPaz Image Consultants, a full-service agency known for merging lifestyle & relationship counseling, fashion psychology, and holistic health & wellness into one powerful experience. With over two decades (Wow!) of impact in the fashion, music, and executive worlds, I have built a reputation for helping high-powered leaders align their personal and professional lives with balance, clarity, and purpose.

What makes my work unique is the ability to address the deeper layers of success; mindset, health, relationships, image, and identity; showing clients that true excellence comes when every aspect of life is in harmony.

Currently, I’m developing an exclusive, private community tailored specifically for high-level male executives and entrepreneurs. Designed as a space for growth, insight, and refined living, this community will serve as a rare opportunity for powerful men to access guidance, strategies, and conversations elevate every area of life.

I’m honored to be the 2025 recipient of The Global Recognition Award – That recognized my exceptional contributions to executive image, lifestyle transformation, and philanthropic leadership. This prestigious award recognized my ability to deliver impactful, lasting results and the impact it brings organically. It also highlighted my commitment to innovation, leadership excellence, and global empowerment.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
My mother has always been the dynamic example of what it truly means to honor your calling. HOW? She was the first woman of color as one of the Editors of The Face The Nation Script for CBS Television. She showed me that real success isn’t about chasing every opportunity, but about standing firm in your values, protecting your boundaries, and refusing to let the beast called success devour your integrity. Her work ethic, resilience, and unwavering sense of purpose are the blueprint that fuels everything I do today.

My mother prior to her passing 4.5 years ago was my business manager, best friend, and voice of clarity. And she always lead by example, which is why I feel I am able to be so present in all things that I am doing, and have done. Her voice vibrates at such a high decimal deep within me that when I’m producing new shows for my podcast, developing new teaching techniques for clients, or simply being interviewed. I hear her voice as clear as a bell saying don’t miss an opportunity to elevate your message and to show the truest part of you – Your heart.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Losing my mother was the most profound and painful experience of my life, but it taught me lessons I carry like armor and light. The first lesson was that it’s okay not to be okay. Grief has no script, and there are days when the weight feels unbearable. But what I also learned is that it’s not okay to live in that space for too long. Healing doesn’t mean forgetting, it means allowing yourself to move forward while carrying love, not just loss.

The second lesson is that your person never truly leaves you. My mother lives within me every single day; through the wisdom she passed down, the values she instilled, the laughter we shared, and the unshakable love she poured into me. She may no longer be here physically, but her spirit guides me, and that presence is eternal.

The third lesson, perhaps the most powerful, is that I am stronger than I ever believed. Her absence revealed a resilience I didn’t know existed. It showed me that even in the deepest sorrow, I could rise, rebuild, and honor her legacy by living fully.

Grief taught me pain, but it also revealed my strength, my purpose, and my unbreakable spirit.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
Tyler Perry: Let me take my time with this – What I admire most about Tyler Perry by far isn’t his power, but his character. His journey is one of unwavering determination, choosing not to be defined by his circumstances but to change the trajectory of his story. He built his pathway with resilience, grit, and an unshakable belief in himself, even when the world told him otherwise. His legacy wasn’t born from shortcuts or the applause of others, but from authenticity and relentless dedication to “HIS” vision.

What sets him apart is his refusal to let the outer noise drown his identity or his dreams. In a culture that often pushes people to compromise who they are, Mr. Perry stayed true to himself. He wrote his narrative, crafted his own stage, and invited the world into a vision that was rooted in honesty, faith, pain, and purpose. That’s character and that is legacy.

I tell people all the time that it’s not his empire he built that I find most inspiring, it’s the integrity with which he built it.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
I give my best every single day without praise or other voices cheering me on. Why? It’s because I believe wholeheartedly in what I am doing and what it brings to my clients. Even when I’m sitting behind the mic on my podcast Whispers In A Bottle “Grown Talk Cocktail Fridays!” I’m thrilled to come into The Whispers Lounge and deliver powerful discussions; because it may connect with that one person that needs to hear that information and that my message may/will impact them and make a indelible mark on their mind, heart, and in the long run allow them to use it as a steppingstone into their purpose.

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