Today we’d like to introduce you to Shanté Berry.
Hi Shanté, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story begins with a simple truth I had to learn the hard way: storms don’t break you, they build you! I was born in Los Angeles, raised in St. Louis, and I’ve lived in Houston for a little over a decade— however it was in the Midwest that as a shy little girl who struggled to find her voice out loud, that I discovered I had one on paper all along. Writing became my refuge and my relief. It’s the thing that turned my silence into strength. I carried that gift with me to Xavier University of Louisiana, where — as a college student navigating the weight of Hurricane Katrina — I began writing my first book, “Ride It Out: Transforming Storms Into Greatness.” Surviving that storm taught me something I’ve carried ever since: our hardest seasons aren’t the end of our story. They’re the foundation we build our purpose on.
From Xavier, I went on to earn my MBA from Texas Woman’s University, pairing my passion for storytelling with the business acumen to build something lasting. Around that same time, I had the honor of writing for Essence Magazine — an experience that sharpened my voice and showed me, in a very real way, what it means to move people with words.
That’s when entrepreneurship stopped feeling like a dream and started feeling like destiny. I founded Berry Best Publishing to do exactly that — amplify voices, especially the ones the world hasn’t heard enough of, and help other writers turn their stories into best selling publications to create a legacy. I believe, without a doubt, that if you open a book, you open a world. Since then, I’ve poured that belief into three books of my own: “Ride It Out: Transforming Storms Into Greatness,” “God Goals,” and “Be the Light.”
But my love for language didn’t stop at publishing — it evolved into a career. Today, I serve as a Global Proposal Specialist, developing and managing high-stakes proposals across international markets to drive business growth. I lead the full proposal lifecycle — from the first spark of research to final delivery — partnering with sales, marketing, and subject matter experts to craft submissions that win. I’ve built and maintained the content strategy behind that success, and it’s work I genuinely love, because it proves that the right words, placed with intention, can open doors on a global scale.
Purpose, though, has always pulled me toward community. Mentoring young people, speaking life into rooms that need it, creating space for voices that are too often overlooked — that’s the thread running through everything I do. That thread stretched onto a global stage the moment I was crowned the Ms. Black Globe United States in 2024. As a global ambassador, I get to champion unity, cultural pride, and community engagement in front of audiences I never imagined reaching — from speaking on behalf of the Mayor of Houston to representing our city in parades that connect people across every walk of life. That same calling carried me all the way to Bali, Indonesia, where I led a children’s literacy mission and helped build a library for children who needed one — watching my love of books, and my belief in the power of a single story, take root on the other side of the world.
When I look back, I see one thread tying it all together — the writing, the MBA, the publishing company, the proposals, the crown, the library in Bali. It has never just been about my voice. It’s about using everything I’ve been given to help someone else find theirs, and remind them that their storm might just be the beginning of their greatness.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Hurricane Katrina was one of the first. I was in college when the storm hit, and I lost nearly all of my personal belongings — clothing, photographs, keepsakes, pieces of my history I assumed would always be there. There’s a particular kind of grief in watching the physical evidence of your life disappear overnight. But that experience taught me early that who I am was never tied to what I owned. It stripped things down to the essentials and forced me to rebuild — which, looking back, is exactly where “Ride It Out: Transforming Storms Into Greatness” was born.
The harder storm, though, was internal. For a long time, I found myself in relationships that were not healthy for me — ones that slowly chipped away at my confidence and my sense of self before I even realized it was happening. Walking away from them meant doing a hard reset on my entire life. I had to relearn how to love and value myself outside of anyone else’s validation. That process led me to therapy, which I’m not ashamed to say was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It gave me the tools to understand my own patterns, heal, and set firmer boundaries — not just in relationships, but in every area of my life, from my business to my friendships to how I show up for myself daily.
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?
At the core of everything I do is a belief in the power of words — to heal, to open doors, and to change lives. I wear a few different hats, but they all come back to that same mission.
As founder and CEO of Berry Best Publishing, I specialize in helping writers — especially first-time and aspiring authors — turn their personal stories into published books. I know firsthand how vulnerable and overwhelming that process can feel, so I walk alongside my authors from concept to final copy, making sure their voice stays front and center the whole way through.
I’m probably most known, though, for the way I show up in community — as a mentor, a speaker, and now as the former Ms. Black Globe United States. That title has given me a platform to advocate for unity and cultural pride on a much bigger stage, from speaking on behalf of the Mayor of Houston to leading a children’s literacy mission in Bali, Indonesia, where we built a library for children who didn’t have access to one.
If I had to name what I’m most proud of, it’s that library in Bali. Books changed my life when I was a little girl who didn’t yet have the words for what I was going through. Being able to give that same gift to children on the other side of the world, in a language and culture different from my own, reminded me that literacy is truly universal — it doesn’t need a translation to matter.
What sets me apart, I think, is that I don’t separate the personal from the professional. I’ve built a publishing company out of my own healing, a proposal career out of my love of language, and a global platform out of my commitment to community — and I bring the same heart to every single one of them. I’m not just telling my story; I’m creating space for other people to tell theirs too.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Honestly, it’s less about one single memory and more about a feeling I got to experience over and over again — being surrounded by family and friends who truly loved me. Some of my favorite moments were the simplest ones: Summer birthdays, Christmas mornings, Sunday afternoons at my grandmother’s house that always felt like the whole family coming to randomly gather. Those Sunday afternoons especially hold a special place in my heart — there was something about my grandmother’s house that just felt peace, safe and full of joy.
Beyond that, I was blessed with so many fun, adventurous memories too — trips to Six Flags, summer camps, even Space Camp, & Saturdays at Skating Rinks. Looking back, I had a really healthy, balanced childhood filled with people who poured into me and experiences that let me just be a kid. I think that foundation is a huge part of why family and friendship mean so much to me today. Having those memories to look back on reminds me of where I come from and who’s been in my corner from the very beginning.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://about.me/shanteberry
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berrybestpublishing/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deniseberrymba
- Other: https://a.co/d/0fOQgoX5
