We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Winfred Burns II. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Winfred below.
Winfred, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
My confidence and self-esteem have taken decades to build. In my younger years I developed from two places: developing a relationship with God through scripture and music, and from my parents. As a young boy I struggled with confidence and self-esteem due to my physical stature – I was a chubby kid. And as a chubby kid there were issues where I could not dress like the other kids. I also struggled because for several years I lived in a neighborhood where my family were the only Black people, so I faced rejection from people in my community and even girls. Even during those years my mother would tell me daily, “you are a child of the most high God and you are a Burns,” as a way of instilling confidence and reminding me that I had a purpose in this earth. As I got older, my understanding of what God says about me and the implications of the finished work of Jesus meant for my life. As I learned that I was made in the image and likeness of God for the purpose of serving the world and creation, grew my confidence and self-esteem. Knowing that I was born into a family with purpose that loves me even in the midst of my issues helped develop my confidence and esteem. And then, as my confidence grew I learned how to remain confident even if no one else but God believes in me, this is when my self-confidence and self-esteem became solidified. Because at the end of the day, our confidence has to be able to withstand the periods of life when no one is cheering for you and speaking well of you.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
What I do and what’s special? I am a Pastor and a Money & Relationships Coach, I use biblical principles to teach people how to have healthy relationships with each other and with money. What makes what I do special is simple: I use the principles and scriptures I had to use to get out of the financial hole and to have healthy relationships. What is special about how I do what I do is the method is proven, it does not bring shame or condemnation, it is counter cultural which means it is not tied to any political or social agenda, and again…it works!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three skills that were most impactful to my journey have been: emotional intelligence, critical thinking skills and understanding finance. These skills have been instrumental in every aspect of my life. My advice for folks who are early on their entrepreneurial journey is this: keep learning, keep improving and do not pay attention to any one else’s race. No one learns enough to get started, but everyone with patience can finish well. I’d also advise someone who is getting started to surround yourself with people who will encourage your journey, not wait to celebrate you when you “made it.” Becoming successful is not something that happens overnight and there are no short cuts. I’d also suggest learn to celebrate the journey not the finish line. Continue enveloping as much information you can but don’t allow yourself to be consumed with enveloping information that you don’t execute the information. Lastly, customer service is KING! Whether its being a Pastor and serving my community well or as a coach serving my clients well, take great care of your customers. When you do this, you can overcome some pretty bad mistakes.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
My main challenge now is how to manage my time better. With a full church congregation, a business, and personal life my struggle is how do I manage all of it well? Currently I’m in a space where my focus is on improving systems BUT tech is not a strength of mine so I have to hire that part out in order to keep the momentum going.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gumroad.com/winfredburnsii
- Instagram: @winfredburnsii
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/winfredburnsii
- Youtube: @WinfredburnsII
