We were lucky to catch up with LaTonya M. Whitehead recently and have shared our conversation below.
LaTonya M., we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I found my purpose when I finally got tired of pretending I was okay. For years, I wore strength like makeup—covering pain from abuse, rejection, and low self-worth. But one day, God showed me that my broken pieces were not trash; they were tools. Every wound became a word, every scar became a sentence, and together they formed the story I was meant to tell.
Writing my book I Got Issues: Finding Purpose After Your Pieces was the moment I realized that purpose is often hiding in the same place you buried your pain. It wasn’t discovered in a pulpit or a perfect moment—it was discovered in the middle of my mess. Now, through Empowered Women United, I teach other women how to pick up their pieces, find healing, and realize that their pain still has purpose too.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am LaTonya M. Whitehead—author, speaker, purpose coach, and founder of I Got Issues™ and Empowered Women United. My mission is to help women heal, rebuild, and rediscover purpose after life has left them in pieces. Through transparency, humor, and biblical truth, I use my story to remind others that your past does not disqualify your purpose—it prepares you for it.
My brand, I Got Issues™, started as a personal testimony and has grown into a movement. It includes my book I Got Issues: Finding Purpose After Your Pieces, a 6-night coaching program From Pieces to Purpose™, and a comedic devotional and TikTok series called Y’all, I Got Issues, where I use laughter and faith to show that healing can be both holy and humorous.
I also lead Empowered Women United, a nonprofit sisterhood where women gather weekly to grow spiritually, emotionally, and mentally through teaching, prayer, and community. We’re currently expanding with a 2026 women’s retreat and outreach initiatives that focus on healing, self-worth, and rediscovering identity in Christ.
What excites me most is seeing women who once felt forgotten finally light up with confidence, purpose, and freedom. My brand is more than a name—it’s a testimony that no matter how many issues you’ve had, you can still walk boldly in purpose and healing.
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?
The three most important qualities that shaped my journey have been resilience, authenticity, and faith-led leadership.
Resilience taught me how to stand tall after life knocked me down. I learned that strength isn’t about never falling — it’s about how fast you recover and what you learn in the process. My advice: don’t rush your healing. Every setback is a setup for a stronger comeback.
Authenticity became my superpower. Once I stopped hiding behind perfection and started sharing my truth, doors opened that I didn’t even have to knock on. Be real. People can’t heal from what you hide.
And faith-led leadership taught me that strategy is good, but surrender is better. Purpose isn’t built on hustle alone — it’s built on trusting God’s timing. My advice for those early in their journey: stay humble, stay teachable, and stay anchored in who you are becoming.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
The person who has been most helpful in shaping who I am today is God. I know that may sound simple, but my entire journey has been a story of divine mentorship. When I didn’t have a coach, He coached me through prayer. When I didn’t have a mentor, He sent wisdom through His Word. Every time I faced rejection or failure, He used it to refine my resilience and remind me that I was called, not canceled.
Along the way, He placed key people in my life—sisters in faith, leaders, and even strangers—who became mirrors of encouragement. They reminded me to keep going when quitting seemed easier. The greatest lesson I’ve learned is that success doesn’t come from having all the answers; it comes from trusting the One who is the Answer.
Now, I strive to be that same voice of faith and encouragement for others walking through their “in-between” seasons.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Latonya.whitehead35
Image Credits
Photo credit to Paris Parker Photography
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