Shanté is an inspirational leader in the wellness community, with a passion for guiding and teaching people to connect with their inner peace and personal power through yoga, meditation, mindfulness, vision boards, and prayer. Her down-to-earth approach to health and wellness has enabled her to facilitate meaningful workshops, retreats, private and corporate wellness sessions, and online courses for thousands of people since she became a 200-hr Trauma-informed yoga teacher in 2011.
As the Founder of Brown Goddess Collective, Shanté is committed to creating a safe, supportive, and empowering space for brown/black womxn of ‘all shades of brown’ to connect and heal through yoga, meditation, and mindfulness.
Shanté holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Florida A&M University and a Masters in Sports Administration from Northwestern University. As an NCAA Division I Volleyball student-athlete, she was named MEAC Conference Player of the Year in 2000 and 2001.
When she is not on the mat or in the office, Shanté loves spending time with her son and husband, in the neighborhood of Coconut Grove, FL, a historical Black community where her family has resided for four generations.
What is Brown Goddess Collective + Who we serve
Brown Goddess Collective is the only trauma-informed wellness community that centers black/brown self-identifying womxn and encourages holistic well-being.
We teach yoga, mindfulness, meditation, and nature practices as healing modalities. We are a supportive community that womxn turn to for unbiased support. We believe that collective healing, growth, and empowerment of womxn create better families and communities.
We also diversify the wellness world by creating leaders and facilitators trained in trauma-informed leadership and restorative circle-keeping. Our community is a diverse mix of womxn of “all shades of brown,” ages 35 – 75, in South Florida, Orlando, Jacksonville, North Carolina, Hawaii, and Ohio.
What inspired the start of the ” Brown Goddess Collective “?
Brown Goddess Collective™ is a healing and growing space, because of the wellness lifestyle that we create through our offerings. I was inspired to create Brown Goddess Collective™ after receiving my 200 HR RYT certification, and teaching yoga/meditation, and volunteering for wellness services for 8 years in Miami.
There was a severe lack of black/brown diversity in the wellness space, and I decided to take action to change that. BGC™is a community of self-care, mindful living, and trauma-informed wellness for black/brown womxn. I also wanted a safe, fun, healthy environment and experience for us to gather and connect over our collective and individual triumphs and challenges. Lastly, I wanted to share these transformational practices and mindful, and intentional lifestyles with us, so we could be empowered to direct our lives according to our authentic Selves, not the conditioned Self.
What has been the biggest challenge of running a brand like ” Brown Goddess Collective”?
Like many black womxn entrepreneurs, one of my biggest challenges is gaining access to capital and funding. Did you know that 61% of black womxn owned businesses are self-funded, and most black womxn begin their businesses as a ‘side hustle’? (Harvard Business Review, 2021) That means we are literally working at least twice as hard to get our businesses started and past the critical 3-year mark that often dictates its long-term success.
Other than that, I think the biggest challenge is managing the big picture and making sure that nothing too important is getting dropped. I have to remind myself that mistakes happen, and what’s important is how I handle them.
I choose not to beat myself up over a mistake, I’d rather spend my energy learning from it and moving on.
How does “Brown Goddess Collective” impact its local community?
In addition to the work that we do within our community, we also provide community and corporate classes for yoga, meditation, nature immersion, and retreat building for youth and adults. Lately, we have been providing classes to organizations and agencies throughout Miami-Dade County in partnership with RER Consulting.
Where do you hope to see your brand in 3-5 years?
We are excited about our future! Our community is stronger than ever, especially post-pandemic. Here are some things that we are looking forward to:
● Meeting our budget + financial goals!
● Paying livable wages to staff/contractors
● Trademark Approved
● Having a thriving online and in-person community that helps black/brown womxn to get their ‘Inner Goddess Glow’ through self-care, breathwork, meditative practices, and supportive sisterhood.
● We will have a completed Brown Goddess Leadership training curriculum that builds wellness leaders.
● Growing catalog of super cute + comfy BGC merchandise + products in our online (or in-person store).
What advice do you have for the next generation of entrepreneurs?
The most important work that you can do for your business growth is on yourself. Through personal growth and emotional awareness, you will learn more about what makes you you, understand why you do and react the way you do, and empower you to make conscious adjustments. Learn about your ancestors and lineage, this will help connect and unlock a lot of details for you. Find a community of support for yourself too.
What does being “Pretty and Black Owned” mean to you?
Being “pretty and black-owned” means that I have evolved from my formerly insecure adolescent self to the confident woman I am today. It represents my journey of growth and blossoming. It also is a statement of leadership, which I used to embody as a student-athlete, so that feels proud and bold!
Connect with The Brown Goddess Collective: https://www.browngoddesscollective.com/
