Today we’d like to introduce you to Christeena Burks.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born and raised in Alexandria, Va. Before moving back to my hometown, I lived in two other cities in Va that were a little ways from home. Fast forward 5 years and I’ve found myself in Houston, TX, a city that I’ve visited and clearly fell in love with.
I went to Lynchburg College (Undergrad) & the University of Phoenix(Grad). I obtained a few additional professional certificates. Let’s just say, I had a thing for school. Currently, I am an HR Manager for a Health IT company based in Va.
It took me a while to figure out what it was that I was purposed to do (outside of a professional career). Back in 2016, I started a lipstick line that I was so proud of and for the short time that it operated, I’d say it was mildly successful. Running a business is hard and when you add in all the other things I had going on, it was a lot. I was in school, had two jobs (at one point) & balancing all the other parts of life. About a year or so later, under various circumstances, I decided to put the business on hold. It was one of the hardest decisions that I ever had to make, and I was depressed for a good few days or so (It might have been a week). Really felt like that business was my baby and it was so hard to have to put it aside to focus on other things. At that time, I felt alone. I felt like I didn’t have anyone to talk to who could relate to what I was going through and who would understand why it was such a big deal to me. It was hard because I couldn’t really express myself to anyone about it the way I probably needed to. Though a very tough moment then, today, I understand that what I was feeling was completely normal. To be honest, it definitely felt kind of weird that I was grieving the (temporary) loss of a business.
My friends were extremely supportive of everything that I was doing, but when it came to the business that I was trying to pursue, it was hard to talk to them about all the nitty gritty details because we just didn’t have that in common. One of the things that I’ve learned about myself is that I don’t like to be down for long. My sadness or disappointment usually fuels me into thinking about what I can do to turn a bad or disappointing situation into something good. That got me thinking and I asked myself, “how can I make sure that no other (female) entrepreneur feels like this?” That’s when it came to me! The lightbulb moment! Start a women’s empowerment group/platform that could offer the Empowerment, Motivation, and Support that I know women in business need and want to succeed. Offer what I knew I needed as a small, struggling business owner. It’s the group known as #GirlBossBrunch USA, LLC.
The group was created to bring entrepreneurs, passionate career women & aspiring entrepreneurs together into a space where we can talk about the things we have in common. The goal is to allow women to see & feel the support that is around and available for them. A lot of people don’t realize how lonely it can feel when there is no one to offer relevant or meaningful advice or feedback. When I first started with the idea of actually running a business back in 2010, I didn’t have any guidance, but I pushed forward & learned from a lot of mistakes. I wanted to create a space where maybe some aspiring business owners and career driven women didn’t have to make the same mistakes that I did.
After a few years of finding different ways to support others, I came up with the idea of a journal. In November of 2021, I released my first journal, “Write It Out, Sis” that is meant to be a safe space for women to write out all their thoughts, feelings and ideas. In January, I released one for men, “Bro, Write It Down.” Later on in my own personal journey, God put it on my heart to share some of the things that I’ve learned about self, life and love. This was manifested through a book titled “While I Wait, released in May of this year. As I am continuing to grow and experiencing new things, one thing I know for sure is that my purpose in this life is to help others. I’m constantly reminded that I am not the only person going through certain things and if I can help just one person, purpose is fulfilled.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The journey has had its ups and downs and while running #GirlBossBrunch USA, I’ve moved, changed jobs, lost family members and so much more. One of the biggest struggles was the pandemic hitting and keeping me from being able to interact with others in the way that I thought could be the most impactful. One of my goals for 2020 was, literally, to host more in-person events. However, that caused me to pivot and really double down on utilizing social media and other virtual outlets. I also started to think of different ways that I could share my experiences and offer support to women who were looking to start businesses and grow in their professional careers.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am currently employed with a Health/IT company managing the HR Shared Services department. I manage a team that handles Onboarding, Leave of Absence, Unemployment and more. I work with various departments and leadership within the company to carry out critical functions to best support the business and out employees. To be honest, I’m just happy to actually be working in the field in which I got my degree. But I am most proud of being a founding member of the now 3-year-old department which I helped to stand up with my boss. To see how it has grown and to see how smoothly it runs (shoutout to my team) is absolutely amazing. What sets me apart from others is my ability to adapt, my quick learning skills and my creativity. A lot of what I’ve learned in my tenure at this organization came from me proactively looking at how different processes work and understanding how everything works together. I am also very organized and can find the information very quickly. I am usually the one people come to for answers. I always figure it out.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My advice for those who are starting out is to really take the time to understand what it is that you want/want to do. I always tell people that the journey can seem a little bit easier if you understand what your ultimate goal is. The truth is, it’s not going to be a smooth road. There will be ups, downs, twists and turns, but if you know where you’re trying to go and believe in that, you’ll always make decisions that are best for your vision.
When I was starting out, I just wish that I had more access to helpful resources. When I was starting out, it was a time when nobody wanted to help each other. It was like resources were being kept away from others out of fear of someone being more successful at the same thing.
Here’s another word of advice, NEVER let the saturation of a market deter you from following your dreams and fulfilling your purpose. What God has for you is for you and it won’t matter who else is doing it, there is room for you!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.instagram.com/girlbossbrunchusa
- Instagram: purpmarie_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GirlbossBrunchUSA
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/Christeena-Burks/e/B09L6GZN5R/ref=aufs_dp_mata_mbl
Image Credits
Desirè Nicole Photography
