Meet Shyra Lowe of Shyra Lowe Ministries, LLC and Shyra Lowe Ministries Foundation, Inc.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shyra Lowe

Hi Shyra, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
There are some insightful revelations that I have received along my life’s journey to date that sums up who Shyra of Shyra Lowe Ministries and Shyra Lowe Ministries Foundation gracefully is. Before diving into the details of how my businesses came to be, I want to share with you, the reader, like a prelude to a kiss, some of the lightbulb moments that have helped me to realize who I used to be, who I am, and who I am becoming…all for the greater good!
HERStory…
I know how it feels to…
~Be wounded and STILL win
~To be divorced but still married to purpose
~Be broken and made back whole
~Be hopeless and hope filled again
~Have lost all in a moment of time and still found freedom
~Left alone with my pain and surrounded with greater wisdom, strength, and peace
~Left for dead and started living
~Want to see the hurting not just survive but thrive because I see them in me
~Give all I have and still give more
~Not feel like enough, not have enough, but still BE more than enough
~Become weak and still be made strong
~Want to quit and still run faster
~Be afraid and do IT only by faith
~Realize that my wounds qualify me
~Serve others from a place of tenderness
~Be totally free to be me
~Just to be… Shyra

As a Corporate Executive, Ministry Leader, and Trained Lay Counselor for more than 25 years combined, over the years I found myself serving as an ad hoc business consultant, financial advisor, career coach, spiritual advisor, marital counselor, and overall coach and mentor to numerous professionals, individuals, married couples, business owners, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and families who found themselves in various economic, emotional, social, financial, educational, and environmental crisis to say the least. In response to the wildly growing need for the types of ad hoc assistance I have historically provided, I felt compelled to start a one-stop-shop professional and ministry resource hub called Shyra Lowe Ministries, LLC that provides educational, social, financial, intellectual, and other resources that are physically, financially, and easily accessible to ALL. Having personally experienced divorce from my ex-husband as joint business owners and joint ministry leaders, which came with some extreme lows; and having experienced some of the same challenges that many of those that I coached, mentored, and counseled, all while becoming a unmarried parent after divorce, I was determined to allow God to use me and all of my talents, gifts, connections, skills, abilities, available resources, and huge heart to make sure others have easy access to the overall resources that my organization offers in order to assist and prevent them from having to travel down the same bumpy, at times dark, scary, winding (but eventually victorious) road of life alone like I had to do in the beginning.

As a graduate from the Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, with a successful professional career starting as a Legislative Aide for the Legislative Black Caucus and The Georgia State General Assembly, then my professional career progressing into the corporate side of healthcare, and coming from a somewhat stable family background, being raised by a loving and strong mother, and the most dynamic stepfather ever, I never thought that I would experience some of the devastating personal, spiritual, financial, relational, emotional, social, and career challenges that I have experienced over the course of my life. It wasn’t because I had a history with my ex-husband of starting and operating successful business ventures that I started my for-profit and non-profit organizations. It was the fact that I found myself in the same predicament at Angela Bassett’s character of Tina Turner in the movie “What’s Love Got to Do With It”, where I too told the judge during my divorce proceeding that “he can have it all except for my last name and my daughter”. It was in that pain staking moment that I knew from that day forward I would be helping, counseling, mentoring, cheering, supporting, praying, and educating myself and others on how to make it through life’s most challenging moments, and how to start fresh, how to begin again, and how to start anew with the hopes of a better tomorrow. It was literally the best of times, because I came out of something so shockingly painful and unexpected with my beautiful and beyond amazing daughter in tow, and with my soul and character still in tact. But it was also the worst of times because I came out of something so shockingly painful and unexpected with only a small trailer hitched to the back of my car that included me and my daughter’s clothes and her stuffed animals as we drove 24 hours straight from Georgia to California to start life again as we knew it. No matter how difficult things were or have been, I received the best part of the deal, which was full custody of my daughter and full control of my creative mind so that I could build again in a new physical, psychological, and geographical place and help others do the same. Since that very sobering day in March 2005, California has been my/our home and place of refuge, restoration, and rebuilding for almost 20 years now. While making the heart-wrenching decision to leave it all behind and start anew in California, there was never a day or a moment that I didn’t think that I wouldn’t or couldn’t one day rebuild it all again. I was always of the mindset that God had blessed me to build it once before, and I knew He was going to bless me to build it again, no matter how long it took. But I was also keenly aware that this time, God would bless me to rebuild my life and the businesses with a different purpose and mission in mind, which is to focus on others who had similar, challenging experiences as mine, and they were just as determined to heal, rebuild, move forward, and keep winning even if they had some wounds but may not have had the resources or wherewithal to do so.

Being a grassroots, self-funded, small business owner is not easy, especially when doing it while being a divorced, unmarried parent juggling an Executive level career in order to make sure ends meet for myself, my beautiful kiddo, and the folks that I have vowed to God to help in every way humanly possible, as wisdom, time, and other resources avail themselves in order for me to do so. Some of the personal things I have experienced in my life have not only served as a scarlet letter but also as a roadblock or barrier to resources, funding, physical, spiritual, and financial support for me personally and for my businesses, and for those that I have been called to serve. To that end, the mission of Shyra Lowe Ministries is to help educate, empower, support, equip, and provide available resources to disadvantaged individuals, families, professionals, communities, entrepreneurs, leaders, and small businesses so they can go from surviving to thriving, and in turn help educate, empower, support, and equip other individuals, families, communities, leaders, professionals, and small businesses in need as they once were. This is the story and mandate of my life…as freely as I have received, freely I will give!

There have been several nights I have found myself praying, pacing the floor, and crying out to God to not only meet the needs of my businesses in order for the services, ministry, and my life calling of educating, empowering, supporting, and equipping others to continue on. But I have also found myself crying, praying, and praising God that many individuals, families, communities, professionals, leaders, entrepreneurs and small businesses didn’t throw in the towel, fold their hands and give up, or didn’t lose their passion or zeal for their calling because I remained in the faith, I kept up the good fight, I didn’t stop chasing down donations, giving my own financial support, and I didn’t stop being an overall resource to help them to carry on while serving others no matter how difficult matters became for me individually and operationally as a small business owner trying to make a major difference every day in the lives of others.

Thankfully, I have had the most gracious and amazing support system(s) around me in the most recent years of my life. However, and unfortunately, as life would have it, this wasn’t always my reality. Since I have experienced all sorts of setbacks and betrayals while trying to build my businesses and provide necessary resources for others to tap into so they can grow, prosper, and flourish, one of the mottos for my organization quickly became that I would be “an authentic safespace” for business women and men, pastors, ministers, leaders, business owners, professionals, entrepreneurs, fathers and mothers and those alike who find themselves in leadership roles but absent of the necessary leadership, support, and assistance they so often provide to others but so desperately need in return. What I have found as a leader in the corporate, entrepreneur, and ministry spaces is that a lot of these individuals need authentic safespaces where they can experience the anonymity and emotional and creative flexibility that they freely provide to others. So as a part of the services and resources that I provide under Shyra Lowe Ministries, which can be found on my website under the services tab, I also provide 1:1 coaching, mentoring, and lay counseling services for entrepreneurs, executives, pastors, ministers, business professionals, and other community leaders in order for them to have a safespace for expression and a viable sounding board for building, reconstructing, and healing parts or their overall lives if and where necessary. Yes, the Shyra Lowe Ministries business model is a one-stop-shop of professional and ministry services and resources for visionaries and those they are called to serve in whatever professional, ministry, entrepreneur, or leadership capacity, which is exactly what I intended as a result of me being in desperate need of these same services with no viable, reliable, trustworthy, affordable, and accessible option at the time.

Out of my own personal need for financial support at times, and as a result of the desperate need of so many small businesses that have amazing vision but little to no financial resources or financial backing to help them put their vision into motion, I added Shyra Lowe Ministries Foundation, Inc., which is the non-profit, 501 c 3 arm of my businesses, to assure that I would be able to provide not only a listening ear, intellectual support, but also a financial helping hand when resources are available. Even though I would like to believe that a hug and a hand shake can keep the lights on for a small business, unfortunately that only happens in the movies. I also wrote a hope and healing journal called “Wounded Warriors STILL Win”, in which the revenue from this 40-day, guided, hope and healing journal and the non-profit organization are additional means of financial, emotional, and tangible support for those who I am called and very committed to serve. As I continue to build the 501 c 3, non profit arm of my businesses, I am looking forwarded to collaborating with grant writers, financial institutions, and donors that will provide the financial support and backing for these amazing clients of mine that have no shortage of vision nor a shortage of passion to serve others like themselves. As a compliment to the 1:1 coaching, mentoring, and counseling services that I provide, my 40-day guided hope and healing journal is provided as an option to my client and others for purchase on Amazon, and this journal also provides a very transparent, emotional, and therapeutic guided safespace to help those that I serve to successfully navigate through their past traumas in order to assist them in springing forward successfully into a bright future absent of the added burden that unaddressed trauma(s) can cause.

Neither Shyra Lowe Ministries nor Shyra Lowe Ministries Foundation is the traditional model of ministry as one would think in terms of preaching within the four (4) walls of a building on a Sunday, in which there is nothing wrong with that as I actually do this form of ministry from time to time when I am not doing public speaking at a business event or serving as an Executive in a board room helping leaders make major financial, contracting, business development, and policy decisions regarding healthcare services for hospital systems. But in its original Greek form, I find myself living out the broader meaning of ministry through my businesses in that I have a sense of being duty-bound to work under God’s authority as His loyal servant as I continue to educate, empower, support, equip, and assist others with resources in their entrepreneurial, leadership, ministry, and life-calling endeavors.

To date, I have been blessed with countless success stories from the services, conferences, classes, and special events that I host and provide through Shyra Lowe Ministries. I have been blessed to help those whom I have been called to serve to launch or relaunch their dreams by helping them identify and embrace their uniqueness and past experiences, and coaching, mentoring and counseling them on how to use their uniqueness, life’s obstacles, and even wounds and turn them into wins that will help them and others alike. I am such a huge advocate of not only making lemonade out of life’s lemons, but also turning all wounds into WINS! Unfortunately, society teaches us that the expression or the embracing of our wounds makes us somehow weak or perpetual victims, which is actually furthest from the truth. In teaching those I have been blessed to coach, mentor, and counsel that their wounds don’t show that they are weak, their wounds and them coming out of what wounded them, shows that they are truly indeed winners. Now through the tools, resources, and education offered through Shyra Lowe Ministries, they are able to take their life’s challenges and no longer weep concerning them but take their wounds and weeping and turn them into WINS and help others victoriously do the same.

The greatest success story I have had in the coaching, mentoring, and lay counseling space of Shyra Lowe Ministries is not only my own tragedy to triumph story, in that we are proverbial physicians that God sometimes uses to heal ourselves, but it’s the story of my daughter Mary Lowe. Growing up the majority of her life in a divorced, unmarried parent household was not easy with all of its financial, physical, spiritual, social, and emotional challenges. But once her mommy started to heal from various business, ministry, and personal traumatic experiences, I worked extremely hard and applied all that I learned and experienced to both of our lives; and by the grace of God, through much prayer, and the support of my family and spiritual community, I have been able to personally walk her through and teach her how her traumas don’t have to be tragedies but can be turned into triumphs used for the betterment of her life and the betterment of the lives of others. I taught and showed her that she doesn’t have to wear the negative stigma or label of growing up in a divorced, unmarried parent household like a scarlet letter but should wear it as a badge of honor because of how she has amazingly been able to successfully and victoriously overcome the odds. In not wearing her experiences as a scarlet letter, she can take off the label of being a victim, and now live and show others how to successfully do the same. In spite of life’s challenges, my daughter has gone on to graduate from high school one year early with AP top honors; also graduated undergraduate school one year early with the highest honors and highest distinction (summa cum laude); and is now in her second year of her PhD and Doctorate program working on becoming a Psychologist where she will teach and counsel others, like her mommy has done but at she is doing it at a more glorious and educated level. My beautiful, precious, and humble daughter is not only a benefactor of the professional, intellectual, and spiritual resources of Shyra Lowe Ministries, but is also a benefactor of the uniquely personal, engaging, and vulnerable side and services of Shyra Lowe Ministries and more specifically her business owner mommy.

As I work hard to grow and strengthen the resource offerings of both my organizations, I am dedicated to working just as hard to grow and strengthen those I have been called to serve so they can do the same for others in return. I will forever live out my calling of, “as freely as I have received, freely I will give”, and I will forever remain committed in assisting others in doing the same.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Yes I have experienced some hurdles, challenges, and bumps along the way, as a grassroots, self-funded, small business which is to be expected. In my story, I outline some of the obstacles that I’ve faced to date in terms of raising or locating finances that are not loan based, which comes with its unique challenges within itself. Trying to obtain physical, spiritual, social, and other types of support as a divorced, unmarried, business woman has been extremely challenging no matter how successful I have become because of the stigmas associated with falling into these cultural and social variances. Also, since I am not originally from California, and subsequently have been viewed at times as an outsider, has presented its financial, social, and marketing challenges as well. Because I do not have my roots here, even though I have lived here, paid taxes, and served the Southern and Northern California communities directly through my professional career, ministry efforts, and entrepreneur endeavors for almost 20 years, people are not so quick to allow me into their networking circles, special events, or social environments since I may not know their friends, or may not have had the pleasure of becoming their acquaintance, or my life’s work is viewed as a traditional ministry that is exclusionary versus a ministry of support, resources, and services that is accessible to all.

In addition, it’s challenging at times to be taken serious in entrepreneurial and spiritual environments when you are an unmarried woman because everyone assumes your agenda is more than to acquire funding and resources to help the underserved and the socially, financially, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, economically, psychologically, relationally, and physically disadvantaged, which has been all of us at some phase or stage in our lives.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Shyra Lowe Ministries, LLC and Shyra Lowe Ministries Foundation, Inc. (Non-Profit Organization)?
In addition to being a public speaker, business owner, published author, and minister under my business of Shyra Lowe Ministries, I also specialize in, and I am known for, life-coaching, entrepreneur coaching, mentoring, and providing lay counseling services to executives, professionals, business owners, corporate leaders, family leaders, and entrepreneurs in the areas of vision casting, business creation, business development, contract negotiations, revenue growth, financial management, team building, client expansion, client retention, problem solving/resolution, business strategy, life callings/purpose…and much, much more!

My services are unique because they are a one-stop-shop or an all-inclusive resource and service hub for all things business, entrepreneurship, and ministry rolled up into one for those who are called to one, both, or ALL.

Shyra Lowe Ministries is known and branded for addressing the complete vision, calling, service, and resource needs of the whole person in one easily accessible place.

As a coach, mentor, and lay counselor, I am known as the “unconventional lady” that goes above and beyond to help others uniquely tap into their passion and to identify their life’s calling, while also helping them use their internal and external resources to become all that God has called them to be.

My services are also unique because they are made physically and financially accessible to all regardless of income, location, ministry, and vision/business type.
We provide fixed rates starting at a certain price point as listed on my website at shyraloweminitries.com on the services tab, and also work with those who may need a sliding fee scale or services rendered for FREE based on service type and the determined need, and when financial resources are available through the 501 c 3 organization of Shyra Lowe Ministries Foundation.

SERVICE DESCRIPTION
1:1 Life Mentorship & Coaching
We will enter into a confidential, customized, platonic, personal but professional relationship to help you as the mentee grow and develop in personal life, professional career, and ministry calling. As your Mentor and Coach, I will act as a guide and adviser to you as the mentee in the chosen areas of your personal, professional, and ministerial call. Our mentorship relationship can last anywhere from a week to a year, depending on our customized goals for you but with the common goal of helping you as the mentee accomplish each one of your customized goals, and help you grow, thrive and promote on every level.
~Help identify and provide tools for overcoming limiting beliefs that prevent healthy growth in all areas of life.
~Assist in the development, growth, and expansion of ministry, professional career, and personal purpose and calling.
~Provide prayer, wise counsel, and inspirational support for overcoming pain points and areas of challenge to assist with achieving victory and success in all areas.
~Provide proven, tangible, and spiritual tools and strategies to assist in successful navigation through and in all areas of life.
~and much more!

1:1 Executive & Career Coaching
We will work together to customize your career and professional coaching session(s) in order to further equip you in identifying your niche in your career, strengthening your abilities for promotion and success, and positioning you for personal and professional advancement all while I am supporting you every step of the way.
~Personal & Professional Values Discovery
~Personal & Professional Fulfillment and Success Discovery
~Interview Coaching & Professional Preparation
~Salary & Compensation Negotiation Coaching
~Professional & Personal Networking & Community Building Coaching
~Resume, Cover Letter, and LinkedIn Profile Development
~and much more!

1:1 Ministry & Business Consulting
​As a Ministry & Business Consultant, I will partner with your church/ministry and business leaders to guide them toward healthy growth and transformation of their existing ministry and organizational structures. I will help clarify the church’s/ministry’s or business’ vision, mission, values, and priorities; assess gaps between vision and reality; and assist in effective resource allocation.
~Strategic Ministry Planning (i.e. Evangelism, Outreach & Church Growth)
~Strategic Business Planning
~Ministry & Business Formation and Structuring (i.e. LLC, Corporation, Non-Profit)
~Schematic for Ministry & Business Marketing
~Development of Operations Management for Ministry & Business
~Ministry & Business Organizational Development
~Ministry & Business Team Development
~and much more!
​

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Fortunately, good luck nor bad luck has played a role in my life or business in any way. Since I view luck as an occurrence of chance or happen stance, and everything that I have done or attempted to do to date has been intentionally via prayer and through the lovingkindness of God, His mercy, and His grace/favor, luck has not been a part of the equation nor the outcome.

Pricing:

• Detailed service pricing listed on website at www.shyraloweministries.com under services tab
• Wounded Warriors STILL Win-Hope & Healing Journal-$20

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shyraloweministries.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shyralowe
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shyralowe
• Youtube:  Shyra Lowe and Shyra Lowe Ministries
• Other: https://linktr.ee/shyralowe

Image Credits
Advertisement Flyer for Journal-Yolanda Marant of Wildpraize Music & Media