Today we’d like to introduce you to Emem Washington.
Emem, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I never imagined that I would become an entrepreneur. With a B.S in Biology, a Juris Doctorate in Law and an LL.M in Intellectual Property and Information Law, I preferred the campus life over the corporate life and entrepreneurship was even further down on the totem pole. I still love learning (and teaching) a wide variety of topics, but I’ve been bitten by the entrepreneurial bug!
I love speaking and helping other people. It is part of the reason I went to law school. And yet, after practicing law for a few years, a familiar feeling kept rising up within me – the feeling that there was still something more that I should be doing. The feeling of being unfulfilled. To fill the void, I worked long hours and even went back to school to get my LL.M. But still, every couple of months I would find myself inquiring about my purpose in life. I literally felt like I was having a quarter-life crisis.
I spent a few years reading, researching and taking all sorts of courses in an effort to figure out what I was put on this earth to do. I knew I loved to sing and write songs, but I also loved to solve problems, teach and speak. I knew what I enjoyed doing, but I was never sure how it all translated into a career (outside of law) much less a business.
My journey of self-discovery has been good to me. In the last few years, I have been fortunate to accomplish several of my goals. In 2017, I released my first CD “Rebirth.” In 2018, I also became a first-time author, co-authoring an anthology “Women of Purpose” and publishing my book “Rise from the Shadows.” I recently also created a journal for moms of angel babies (babies who are now in heaven). And on top of all this, I have the privilege of coaching others who need some help in their own journey of walking in purpose. And I absolutely love it.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not always been a smooth road. But I’m grateful for my journey. I have lived through several major difficult life situations, including two miscarriages and two stillbirths, fibroid removal surgery after which I was told I would no longer be able to conceive except via IVF. I have also been through a failed marriage, been a single mother and experienced foreclosure of my house.
Through God’s grace, I am now a happy wife and mother, and I get to use those life lessons learned through those trials to encourage and equip others to move beyond their setbacks and move towards making their comeback. One of my favorite quotes (from my song “Flip the Page”) is “No matter what it looks like right now, YOUR STORY IS NOT OVER. Flip the Page.”
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I specialize in using my voice to spread hope and helping others find and use their own voices. My mission is to motivate and cheer millions towards success, regardless of where they are, or where they have been in life. I am an advocate for the dreamer, especially the dreamer who feels overlooked or like it’s too late to pursue her dreams. This is why I wrote my book ‘Rise From the Shadows: Overcome Your Past, Reclaim Your Voice, Live Your Light,’ to encourage readers (and myself) to show up authentically as themselves and stop dimming their light. It’s never too late.
My work as a speaker has allowed me to appear on numerous local, national and international platforms including schools, seminars, and conferences. I have spoken at conferences such as the Flourish Media Conference, the Just Do It Women’s Conference in Belize, Talent Ignited (where I served as Keynote Speaker) and PublisHER Author Conference, to name a few.
I also host my own conferences and workshops locally in Houston, called “Leading Ladies Events” where women inspire and motivate each other to uncover their purpose and discover the vital steps necessary to turn their dreams into reality. We try to maintain the perfect balance of practical and inspirational topics. I love connecting with, and bringing together, people from different walks of life.
Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
Yes. In a nutshell: my parents’ example.
Contact Info:
- Website: ememwashington.com
- Email: emem@ememwashington.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ememwashington
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ememwashington
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/ememwashington
- Other: www.linkedin.com/in/emem-washington-jd-ll-m-09bb665
Image Credit:
Inez Lara – for the pic of me
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