Jeannetta Renee, a native of Charlotte North Carolina, is an author, speaker, philanthropist, and the founder of Jeannetta Renee Girls Talk, a nonprofit organization designed to educate children, adolescents, and adults with the proper tools to be successful in life. She is also the founder and host of new radio talk show ‘The Ladies Room’.
Jeannetta believes her purpose in life is to promote the welfare of others and meet them at their point of need. She has a strong desire to provide quality services that will provoke distinctive attributes and characteristics in individuals for life’s growth, enabling all to create endless opportunities. Her goal is to captivate a diversified group of people and effect a radical change in various communities creating open doors of grand opportunities and ultimately helping and building pathways to learning, leadership, and life skills.
KIMBERLY MASKA: Welcome everybody, welcome to Spiritual Biz Chat for Spiritual Biz Magazine, I am your host, Kimberly Maska, and today we have joining us Jeannetta Renee, an author, speaker, philanthropist, and the founder of Jeannetta Renee Girls Talk. Welcome, Jeannetta, and thank you for being with us, how are you doing today?
JEANNETTA RENEE: Hi Kimberly! I’m great! Very excited to have this conversation with Spiritual Biz Magazine.
KIMBERLY: It’s a pleasure to have you here! I love what you do with your organization that you established! But before we introduce it to our readers, could you share the story behind your personal journey down the path to your current life’s purpose and work?
JEANNETTA: I always knew that my purpose in life was to serve people in some form or fashion, but it wasn’t until much later in life that I discovered my God-given purpose. I discovered it after many life trials and the overcoming of life adversities. I was a single, struggling mom who kept making numerous bad decisions; terrible decisions when it came to relationships, credit, and finances. All that led to a path of destruction and depression.
I remember being so broke I couldn’t take my daughter to school. I only had $.97cent and I was sitting at the gas pump searching in the console and under the car seats trying to find 3 pennies to get at least a $1.00’s worth of gas. Sadly, I told my daughter, “I can’t take you to school today.” This vicious cycle continued throughout high school and her early college years.
It was my desire for her to attend college away from home so I knew I had to do something different. I had to change my mindset and begin making better choices for myself and daughter. I began researching colleges and funding sources and educating myself on college prep, items needed and what’s to be expected. At that time, I was blessed to have had a coworker that assisted me. She would remind me of application deadlines, funding sources, and other helpful resources. Fortunately, CaTina was able to attend JWU-Miami.
KIMBERLY: What was the turning point in taking the steps to make your passion a business? And how have you managed to turn that into a business?
JEANNETTA: My turning point was my failure to properly provide for my daughter while attending college. The mismanagement of finances had leaked into her early college years. I remember her calling home one day with trembling in her voice because her meal card had been rejected and she feared being locked out of her dorm. Her fear ignited something deep on the inside of me. I knew then that I had to do something different immediately.
So I began identifying the issues that I had allowed to lead me to this broke and brokenness point. I recognized my lack of financial budgeting & financing, and the knowledge and the importance of credit. I started writing down my income versus my expenses. Then I started eliminated everything that wasn’t a need. I then aggressively began lowering my debt and paying my bills on time. It was a struggle and sacrifice because I had to cut a lot of things out such as entertainment and eating out. And happily, CaTina graduated from college in May 2017.
After graduation, I felt compelled to help other parents in need of guidance and assistance for enrolling their children in college. I want parents to experience the joy of parental success for their children walking across the stage as I did. I want to encourage others that it can be done. My desire is to properly inform parents of college expectation so they’re a little more prepared when kids go off to school. That provoked me to write the book “NO MORE TEARS; Begin to Live Again,” which is about changing your mindset to overcome life adversities. And it also motivated me to start a Non-Profit Organization to help our communities so that others can achieve their college and career goals.
KIMBERLY: This is incredible, and so is the work that you do with your organization, Jeannetta Renee Girls Talk. What is its purpose? Who are your clients? And what does your work with them look like
JEANNETTA: Our purpose is to inspire and encourage young people in attaining their goals and by creating a mindset ready to meet college challenges such as self-motivation and maturity. We want to help prepare them to become successful in today’s society. Our clients are high school and college students and their parents.
Our work with them is first, meeting with the students and parents in a group setting to find out what their interests are so that we can assist in a career path to ensure they are looking to apply at the right colleges of their choice. Our next step is to schedule a one-on-one appointment with only the student to get more detailed information about their grades, interest, and desires. We use this method to get the students to open up more securely without the parents present.
Our final step is educating parents on college expectations from dorm needs to financial obligations, grants, Financial Aid, Assist with meeting application deadlines and financial / tuition obligations, etc. I believe this will help increase college admissions and allow students to graduate with the knowledge, skills, and disposition necessary to succeed and enhance life-long learning, personal, and academic goals
KIMBERLY: What were the biggest challenges that you have dealt with while building your company and finding your tribe? And how did you overcome those challenges?
JEANNETTA: My biggest and current challenges are finding a location and building a strong, supportive team. I’m searching for the right people; the right fit for my purpose. I need reliable and motivated people willing to volunteer their time and ingenuity. So at this moment, I’m currently building my Tribe with the help of a faithful few. Finding a building has also been a challenge. I’m currently looking for a suitable location to create stability and company growth.
KIMBERLY: Jeannetta, what is your ultimate goal with Jeannetta Renee Girls Talk? What is your mission? Your dream? What are some projects that are in store for your organization and that you are currently working on?
JEANNETTA: My ultimate goal is to help and encourage the less fortunate in building pathways to learning, leadership, and life skills. My mission is for the J.R. Girls Talk Organization to promote the welfare and education of others through grants and generous donations of contributors so that we’re able to offer as much assistance at little to no cost.
My dream is to be a one-stop hub/distribution facility that offers various educational, technical, and academic courses to propel people to their next level in life. My dream is to help others achieve their dreams. Through the services offered at JR Girls Talk, my dream is to create extensive programs for others to follow for many generations.
Current Projects: Computer Training, Boys & Girls Mentoring Program, College Prep Course, and Career Readiness Class.
Future projects: Financial Budgeting Classes, Parenting Classes, and Spiritual & Psychological Counseling.
KIMBERLY: Is there a final message you want to let the audience know? Or just any last little words that you have for them?
JEANNETTA: I’d like to let the audience know that we are offering some very, powerful tools for our community. They too can achieve their goals by choosing to change their mindset and utilizing the tools available to them. Use these resources wisely to advance to grow academically, mentally, and spiritually. And most importantly, put God first in all you do and know that you can achieve anything you put your mind to.
KIMBERLY: If our readers wanted to reach you, where can they find you?
JEANNETTA: I can be reached at 980-677-5945 or by email at jrenee@JRGirlsTalk.org. Our web address is www.JRGirlsTalk.org
KIMBERLY: Thank you, Jeannetta, very much! It has been such a pleasure chatting with you today!
JEANNETTA: It was my pleasure! Thank you!
INTERVIEW LINKS
Website: http://jrgirlstalk.org/
Jeannetta’ Book: https://www.amazon.com/No-More-Tears-Begin-Again/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeannetta.regan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeannettarenee/
