( ENSPIRE She Did That ) From Years of Shifting the Narrative and Changing the Way the Nation and Corporations View Black America’s Spending Power, to Helping Corporate Women Reclaim Their Power in Their Lives
ENSPIRE Contributor: LaShonda Thompson
Cheryl Grace is a highly sought-after executive coach and speaker committed to coaching women on how to be their best multi-dimensional selves: unapologetically fabulous at work, in love, and at home.
With a professional career that expands over 25-years, Cheryl has provided strategic advice to Fortune 500 clients, C-suite executives, and elected officials as a global brand strategist, overseeing high-stake projects. She is a pioneer in shifting the narrative and changing the way the nation and corporations viewed Black America’s spending power and cultural influence throughout her years as a corporate powerhouse, long before it was trendy to do so.
As the CEO and founder of Powerful Penny LLC, a transformative, lifestyle brand that provides empowerment resources, online courses, workshops and executive coaching services, Cheryl has refocused her work from successfully transforming corporate reputations to transforming individuals striving for next-level advancement.
While working in corporate America, Grace has done extensive study and analysis on Black women’s spending power and impact on business and communities. Now, as a driven entrepreneur, she’s dedicated to assisting women on their journeys to holistic success (as they define it). She continually researches and adds relevant information to the Powerful Penny LLC bootcamps, courses, and workshops to ensure she’s offering what her clients need to hear, not necessarily what they want to hear. Her teachings empower her clients and others to do the same, as being truthful has always been a crucial part of her success, and it will be a part of theirs as well.
As a Black woman, Grace believes it is critical to showcase both the power of a single voice and the power of a chorus of voices. And you must feel confident in your ability to use that position from a place of strength, not weakness. Operating from a position of power, you can actually effect change.
ENSPIRE Magazine had the pleasure of asking Grace a few question that may help with unlocking the Best Multi-Dimensional version of our readers.
ENSPIRE: What or who inspired you to create a lifestyle brand to empower women? Was there a moment in your life where you felt – if you had a little more inspiration or someone to give you some direction that life/things would have been easier?
Cheryl Grace: When I first started my career, no one would help me. I reached out to a number of African American women who were icons within the advertising industry, because that is where I wanted to start. I got zero responses. Crickets. So, I decided that if I ever became successful, I would help other women. I started Powerful Penny because I wanted to be what I needed when I was 22. And as I have grown professionally, I know there is always a need for someone who has “been there done that” who can help you. I want to be the person that I needed when I was negotiating my first salary and negotiating my climb up corporate America. As I ascended, it got harder and harder finding people who have the level of experience that I craved and who could guide me on my corporate path. So, now I am that person, and I am here when women of all career levels need me.
I do not limit my coaching to just career coaching. I help women at work, in love and at home because I think the integration of all of these areas is who we present ourselves as a whole to the world. We are multidimensional, multi-hyphenated beings. No one is “just” a career woman, or “just” a wife. I like to help women maximize all three of those areas–particularly at work and in love–so their multidimensionality shines through. You do not have to be either or!
ENSPIRE: With the formation of “Powerful Penny LLC” what came first – Being a Motivational Speaker, Workshops or Bootcamps?
Cheryl Grace: Motivational speaker. I have been on the speaker circuit for 21 years. It comes naturally to me, and I did it throughout my corporate career. Now, I am doing a different type of speaking for my own company which I love, love, love!
ENSPIRE: At what point did you realize you were onto something with your lifestyle brand?
Cheryl Grace: Wow! There are several points. My first one would be when I made $30,000 my first full month in business. I thought, wow, I could actually be really successful at this.
ENSPIRE: Do you mind sharing an overview of your Motivational Speaking Events, the Workshops, and Bootcamp? What can the ladies expect to learn?
Cheryl Grace: I believe a life of fabulosity does not just happen. You have to ask for it. Create it. And desire to do the work necessary to bring it into fruition. And I believe we are all meant to live fabulous lives, if we choose to do so.
All of Powerful Penny services help women reclaim their power and eat their Pink Elephants (aka their most audacious goals) by breaking them down into small bites. My services include ebooks, group coaching, one-on-one coaching, workshops, LEVEL UP Accelerated Bootcamps, and my Live From The Pink Couch web series.
I want to emphasize the holistic approach to our bootcamps, workshops and coaching. They are not just career related. For example, if you are looking for love, we have a series of workshops that address that topic and I have seen women of various ages blossom at the possibility of finding love. I focus on work, love, and home life because those are the three areas that I believe women find the most challenging to create balance and get a hold of in order to show up as their best self.
ENSPIRE: To what or to whom do you attribute your success with the Powerful Penny LLC brand?
Cheryl Grace: There are two people. One, is my executive assistant–Lori Cook–from my years in corporate. She prepped and pushed me. She told me that I have what people want to hear. Lori, believed in me and my ability to do this before I even believed in myself. She has been with me for 9 years. The other is my husband. Even though he does not really understand this “girl stuff” as he calls it, I find his support incredible. He is in the financial industry and there have been clients who have been struggling with some investment issues as it relates to managing their business. You would think he is a part of the team the way he steps in and coaches them on their financial challenges.
You need people who are in your corner and those two have been in mine.
ENSPIRE: If you had one piece of advice to women looking for their next level of fabulosity, what would it be?
Cheryl Grace: Have confidence in yourself! That is the number one reason people come to see me. Identify “The What”, don’t worry about the “How”. The “How” will present itself if you have the confidence and tenacity.
For more information on Cheryl Grace, connect with her on social media: LinkedIn – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram – YouTube. Or visit her website, IAmCherylGrace.com. To schedule a Complimentary Session, schedule here: Complimentary Finding Your Fabulosity Discovery Session.
