Today we’d like to introduce you to LaShawanda Moore.
Hi LaShawanda, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am originally from a low income area in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I grew up most of my life in a single-family home where my mother worked two jobs to take care of my sister and I. All of our lives we struggled financially, and the one thing that I remember the most is that my mom said to us: “go to school get an education that will get you a good paying job and get you out of Louisiana.” That’s what I did.
In 1997, I became a civil engineer, and joined a fortune 500 company right out of college. I worked 21 years with the same company and obtained an MBA shortly after my undergraduate studies. During my time in my first career as an engineer, I was introduced to direct sales and begin selling jewelry in February of 2001. After a couple of years of struggling to get my multi-level marketing business going, I figured out my personal culprit and begin the journey to overcome some interpersonal issues that blocked my ability to be successful.
With much prayer and hard work interpersonally, personally and professionally, I managed to build a team of amazing leaders and advisors to a multi-million dollar business with over 300 people selling jewelry in 16 different states. This experience birthed my interest in coaching women to overcome obstacles keeping them from advancing their business. I fostered this interest in 2012 by obtaining a professional coaching certification through iPEC and launching my Elevate Success Coaching business. At this time, I had just birthed my 4th child and wanted to pursue my coaching practice full-time. However, that was not the season for leaving my corporate career. I spent a total of 13 years building, coaching, practicing and training in the direct sales industry, while also advancing my corporate career.
In December 2014, I retired from direct sales and put my Elevate Success practice aside to focus on my family and leadership within my corporate company. In my heart, I knew that my ultimate dream was to be a full time entrepreneur, but in the right season of life. Over the 21 years of working in Corporate America, I had an amazing career of travel all over the world taking on roles in engineering, procurement, six sigma, sales, Human Resources, leadership, operations, and marketing. However, I also experienced some very difficult times that caused me to spiral down into a pit of deep depression that only God could see me through. It took several years to heal and be restored from the things I experienced. In fact, the journey was over a period of 5 years.
One day, my husband and I were discussing the possibilities to teach our children entrepreneurship through firsthand experience, as we believe thinking and working like owners is one way to success. We also wanted to help our children appreciate physical fitness and support the decrease in the obesity trend. We really wanted to create jobs for the economy, and do it in a big way. We took action right where we were planted in our corporate jobs in Richmond, VA area.
In October 2018, I decided to pursue my entrepreneurial dream, and on December 29, 2018, we opened up the 21st franchise location of Launch family entertainment park in Midlothian, Virginia. I walked away from my career as an engineer and became the managing owner of a 29,000 square-foot establishment with nine (9) attractions featuring laser tag, dodgeball, ninja warrior obstacle course, tumble tracks, jump off wall, Battle pit, trampolines, and slam dunk! We also have a full menu café and arcades. Truly it is a place for everyone from 2 to 92. 😊 I also picked up my coaching practice again, but realized that I still had some healing to go through in order to serve others. I had a huge obstacle that I needed to overcome in order to help others, and that was hurt and pain.
With much spiritual focus and inner work, I was fully restored when I hit “submit” on Amazon June 1, 2020 to release a vulnerable piece of work, my book: “Recover: A Woman’s Journey from Failure to Restoration.” I was immediately reminded that everything that I had gone through was not my own, but to give others hope in their own situations. I could feel the instant relief and the green light to continue the call that I have on my life for others using the platform of Launch and Elevate Success.
Owning a brick and mortar family entertainment business through COVID has been a challenge. However, many life and business lessons have come out of this time to help me gain tools and adopt systems that helps others. My team at Launch is amazing and I’m proud of how they have worked through all of our challenges as a new start up business working to not just be an entertainment park, but to be a part of the fiber of the community…giving back through the platform of an amusement park.
Elevate Success also took off during COVID! We begin to focus on leadership and professional development, working with companies and organizations to help their clients and employees navigate career transitions, improve how they show up at work, in the hiring process, and in life! I have built a team of fantastic coaches, trainers and consultants that are subject matter experts in Emotional Intelligence, Customer Service, Finding Your Why, Interviewing, and more!
As a side note, I did go back to Corporate America in November 2019 to work for a large bank as a senior leader in an escalated call unit. This opportunity gave me a chance to exercise my “why” and practice Elevate Success for a company full time! I truly got my “mojo” back during this time! The experience was great and I call it my “bridge over troubled water.” In December 2020, my family and I relocated to Houston, TX area. Shortly after, I took a role back into the first company that I worked for, where I am a Global Strategy Leader.
Many ask me, how do you do it…well, 1. by the grace of God, 2. supportive husband, 3. clarity of my why and the season I’m in, 4. building strong teams who represent my brand well, 5. Collaborating with others for mutual impact, and 5. taking care of my mental and physical health.
My first ministry is the Moore Household, then DuPont, Elevate Success, Launch Entertainment Park and Live Out Loud (my nonprofit established in 2021). All aspects work hand in hand to help others overcome challenges keeping them from their next level. I am a living testimony!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Life and work have not been without their share of obstacles and challenges.
The 1st struggle was with myself. I didn’t know I had low self esteem until I started to deep dive into why I could not obtain initial success in my jewelry business. The work to love myself became imperative in order to show up authentically and sincerely when serving others through fashion.
The 2nd obstacle was a recovery from deep hurt I experienced in my career that prevented me from promoting myself as an authority in the marketplace. I could not serve clients from an empty cup. It took a lot of prayers and work to recover so that I serve from my overflow.
A 3rd struggle was staying focused on the mission first versus the dollars as I built my brick and mortar. Not seeing the dollars flow in within the first year was tough because we had limited working capital to grow the business through marketing. However, standing on our why, teaching the team and holding a space of integrity to advance the why keeps us grounded and focused.
A final struggle that I will share has been COVID…it was imperative to get creative and shift the business model at Launch in order to survive. We just celebrated our 3rd year anniversary and it has been by the grace of God, hard work and pivoting to offer different services that has sustained us.
We’ve been impressed with Elevate Success, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At Elevate Success, we help organizations and the people with in overcome leadership and career challenges so that they have the life and future they crave. We provide professional and leadership development services through virtual & in person workshops, coaching, and webinars. We also consult with organizations to conduct strategic planning sessions and goal setting.
I am a transformational speaker, professional business coach, consultant and strategist. I have an MBA, Coaching certification, supply chain certification and distinguished toastmaster designation. I am a lifelong learner who uses personal experiences of failure and success to mentor and encourage others.
My signature move and what sets me apart is that I take chaos and turn it into calm through strategic planning and execution so that a positive impact is made to the bottom line. I am engaging in my delivery, interactive in my teaching and my clients walk away with action plans to help them execute against what we discussed. I love solutions, results, and success!
My passion topics are:
👉🏾Finding your why
👉🏾Own Your B.O.L.D. Factor
👉🏾Overcoming Mental Instability – THRIVE instead
👉🏾Preparing to Land the Job
👉🏾Emotional Intelligence
👉🏾Art of Influence
👉🏾Vision Casting & Goal Setting
I am most proud of my tenacity to keep going and to connect all aspects of my life into one central purpose. I am proud of being the owner of a 29,000 sq ft entertainment park where every skill, lesson, education, and experience is needed in order to run the day-to-day operation of the park. I can truly see how nothing in my life has been wasted as I work with my team to serve the community through the platform of an entertainment family destination.
If you are ready to break through the challenges you or your organization are facing in life or work, turn chaos into triumph and make the impact you desire, invite me to speak at your next virtual or in person event. You may also hire my team to conduct professional development conferences, as well as provide career, professional, leadership and life coaching so that you experience the growth necessary to make an impact.
Go to www.LaShawandaMoore.com and also, download my ebook: “The Top 10 Things To Maximize Your Potential”. You may also purchase an autographed copy of my book on my website: “Recover, A Woman’s Journey from Failure to Restoration”.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
– Faith in God
– Tenacity
– Ability to connect with others
– Strength of delegating
– Influence
– Passion
Contact Info:
- Email: lashawanda@lashawandamoore.com
- Website: www.LaShawandaMoore.com
- Instagram: @LaShawandaMoore
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ElevateSuccess
- Twitter: @ElevateSuccess
Image Credits
Kimmie James Photography
