We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sharlet Too a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sharlet, we’ve been so fortunate to work with so many incredible folks and one common thread we have seen is that those who have built amazing lives for themselves are also often the folks who are most generous. Where do you think your generosity comes from?
I was privileged to be raised by parents who were and still are natural givers. I remember when I was younger, my dad would constantly open up our home to long distant family or family friends to reside with us until they got their lives situated. On the other hand, my mom would take my sister and I to volunteer in various Children Homes, Elderly People Homes, HIV Patients Homes, etc. Giving back became a part of my life having seen this modeled by my parents. Later on when I turned 27 years, I shared my urge of wanting to give back to my husband Elly and son and we decided to save $1 a day with the goal of accumulating $30 at the end of every month. We would then go to the Downtown Dallas area to feed 30 homeless people. This was a very rewarding and fulfilling experience. We eventually founded a Nonprofit Organization called 30 To Infinity in 2019. We have seen so many lives TRANSFORMED and praying that we could get to the “Infinity”.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I run a Professional & Certified Interior Decorating & Home Staging Firm called Zawadi Empire based in Mckinney, Texas. We purpose on providing Home Design services with a spirit of excellence. We work with realtors and Home Owners through staging to help them sell their houses in a short period of time and at TOP DOLLAR. We also work with new homeowners (most of the time), Airbnb investors and homeowners who need a revamp or home “facelift” through our Redesign services. We mostly specialize in modern and contemporary design when it comes to our redesign services- but the goal is to always achieve the client’s desired style.
I also founded a Nonprofit Organization called 30 To Infinity based in Mckinney, Texas. We started off by feeding 30 homeless people in the Downtown Dallas, Texas area and our prayer is to get to the “Infinity” (To support as many needy people as we can) Our mission is to work towards alleviating poverty and empowering the less fortunate economically and socially. We normally target vulnerable groups like the homeless, teen moms, single mothers, street kids, etc. here in the USA and Internationally. This has been such a rewarding experience and we just can’t wait to see what the future has in store.
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?
I would say having God in my life has had the most impact in each and every aspect of my life. Not sure where I’d be without Him. Every business venture I’ve dived into, family decision, business decision or pretty much just anything I’ve ever done, is fully dedicated to God first. I know this might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but it’s what’s made me who I am.
The other thing is being resilient. In life, no matter what journey you embark on, you will most definitely face numerous challenges. As a business owner, this is key. We face so many challenges: rejections, delays, complaints, etc. You have to be able to bounce back. Giving up sometimes feels like the best option, but it never is. Get back up and try again.
Lastly, the willingness to learn. I keep reminding myself that I don’t know everything. That might sometimes mean swallowing your pride and owning up to a mistake made and learning from it. Taking advice without being defensive and just being willing to learn. I’d say finding a mentor is always the first step and always engage in as many networking events you could possibly attend.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
Amongst numerous other things, the two things that stand out are GIVING BACK and LEADERSHIP. I am forever grateful to God for blessing me with parents who both modeled these two things. As earlier mentioned, I learnt the art of giving back from both parents at such a young age and it naturally trickled down to my sister and I. I pray that through our Nonprofit, we can continue to bless the multitudes. As far as leadership is concerned, I watched my dad who was the City Treasurer of Kenya lead in an exemplary way. He had a very subtle, but yet still very firm way of leading. He treated the janitor with so much respect like how he would treat his peers. My mom on the other hand was an Assistant Principal of Sunshine Secondary School in Nairobi Kenya. She had a more assertive, but still very kind style of leading. I watched how she handled challenges, talked to her team and students, delegate tasks and so many other leadership tasks. I got to experience and learn from their two different styles of leading and apply those character traits as I lead my team.
Contact Info:
- Website: zawadiempire.com & 30toinfinity.org
- Instagram: zawadi_empire & 30_to_infinity
- Facebook: Zawadi Empire & 30 To Infinity
- Yelp: Zawadi Empire & 30 To Infinity
- Other: Phone number- 469.714.2012
Image Credits
Creating Your World Studios Raquel Rivera Photography Wanjala Photography
