We recently had the chance to connect with LATOYA Clark and have shared our conversation below.
LATOYA, 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 are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
I’m being called to step fully into visibility not just as a business owner, but as a voice for people living with chronic pain and illness who still have big dreams. For years, I played it safe behind my clients’ brands, helping them shine while downplaying my own story. But I am my first client. The lessons, systems, and courage I teach through Butterfly Chats are the same ones I live by every day.
What I was once afraid to do, showing up in my full truth, using my voice, and creating space for others like me to thrive, has now become my mission. I’m building communities, programs, and conversations that remind people they can live, lead, and dream even when life looks different from what they planned.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Latoya, the founder of Butterfly Chats, a social wellness brand that helps thrivers living with chronic illness and pain rediscover their confidence, rebuild their dreams, and build businesses that fit their lives, not the other way around.
What makes Butterfly Chats unique is that it was built from the inside out. I live with chronic pain myself, so everything I teach has been tested in real life on flare days, during doctor visits, and through the hard moments that most business programs never talk about. My work blends education, mindset, and brand strategy with a deep respect for Spoon Theory, showing that success and self-care can coexist.
Right now, I’m focused on expanding our She’s Rising Incubator, a six-month ecosystem designed to help women with chronic illnesses grow their brands sustainably while protecting their health. I want every thriver who works with me to know that they’re not broken, they’re building differently.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was the curious girl who believed words could heal. I used to sit quietly and write stories about people finding hope in impossible places long before I understood that I’d one day live that story myself. I wasn’t chasing success then; I was chasing meaning.
Somewhere along the way, I learned to shrink to fit into expectations, to hide my pain, to be strong in ways that looked acceptable. Chronic illness stripped all of that away and brought me back to her, that imaginative, compassionate version of myself who believed that even broken things could still bloom. That’s who I am now, again.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I stopped hiding my pain the day I realized it wasn’t a weakness, it was data. Every flare, every limitation, every “no” from my body was information, not shame. For years, I tried to outwork my illness and prove I could keep up with everyone else. But that constant pushing nearly cost me everything: my health, my peace, even my identity.
The shift came when I stopped performing strength and started living truth. I built Butterfly Chats as a space where pain has context, not control, where we can talk about the hard days without apology and still dream boldly. Now, instead of masking my pain, I teach others to manage their energy, protect their peace, and redefine what thriving looks like on their own terms.
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. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies my industry tells itself is that success has to look fast, flawless, and pain-free. There’s this unspoken rule that if you slow down, you’re falling behind, that rest is laziness, and vulnerability is weakness. But for those of us living with chronic illness or pain, we know that slowing down isn’t quitting; it’s a strategy.
The wellness and entrepreneurial spaces are full of “rise and grind” narratives that don’t leave room for real human limits. I created Butterfly Chats to prove that sustainability is success that pacing yourself, protecting your energy, and building in alignment with your body is how you stay in the game long-term. The truth is, the people who learn to manage their capacity for compassion are the ones who actually last.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I made it easier for others to believe in themselves again. That I showed what it means to lead with compassion, to rest without guilt, and to build something meaningful even when the odds weren’t fair.
When I’m gone, I don’t want to be remembered just for creating a brand; I want to be remembered for creating permission. Permission for people with chronic illnesses and pain to see themselves as capable, creative, and worthy of big dreams.
If my story helps one person realize they can still rise, even slowly, even differently, than I’ve done my work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.butterflychats.com
- Instagram: Butterflychats consultants
- Linkedin: Butterfly chats
- Youtube: Butterfly chats
Image Credits
All photos courtesy of Latoya Clark, founder of Butterfly Chats
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
