Meet Shametria Gonzales | Motivational Speaker, Author, Founder, Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shametria Gonzales and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shametria, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
The principle that matters the most to me is a phrase. It’s not how you start it’s how you finish! I had a rough start but by the grace of God, I was able to redevelop myself and change my life. I started to see a common theme in how people viewed me and how they were inspired by my story. Primarily how my past affected my story. I always wanted to run from my past but that seemed to be the thing that allowed people to see me for who I truly am.

I knew I had to share it in a way that uplifted the lessons that I learned. My goal was to leave people with stories that shared value and thought the very lesson I learned through the art of sharing the story. It was clear to me that my life was the sacrifice to the anchor of pain that allowed my truth to add value and share real experiences. It gives people hope. It helps them push forward and create change!

Without my story, I would not be the woman I am today so I know it’s not how you start it’s how you choose to finish!
That is what I live by and the thing that keeps me waking up every day with passion and energy!

What should our readers know about your business?
My company is called Unleashed To Speak. I am a motivational speaker, author, life coach, and investor. The thing that sets me apart is my story and my light. I came from a poor background and I was tossed around from place to place. At 15 I left home and never looked back. I am most proud of the woman I became and the lessons I learned. As a 32-year-old speaker and coach, I am surrounded by older individuals who are industry leaders in their field. They have good energy and great minds. I am in the business of solving problems and helping people. I rose to the top as a contestant on the Great American Speak Off. It was a TV show for speakers and I was the only woman to make it to the top 3! That one stage with over 40k people watching got me booked for the entire year! I had been speaking for about 10 years and never had a booked gig. I did it from the heart and for work as a rape prevention coordinator and community organizer. People can say it was luck but nope luck was what happened when my preparation met the opportunity. I overcame all the challenges by setting small goals that added up to big success. The biggest lesson I learned was people. Learning how to deal with people based on where you’re at in your journey. I was fresh meat and everyone was asking me to do everything and trying to use my gifts. I have a gift for speaking and captivating an audience. This is a huge responsibility bc once you get on that stage and open people’s hearts up they are basically in the palm of your hand. I knew this early on so I stopped selling on stage and started sharing more and more. Tp the real speakers and change-makers out there remember people are a gift and their presence is your present. Do right by them. Speaking is not about selling and converting. It’s about changing lives. It’s about creating impact. As an author, speaker, coach, and investor I have lived an amazing life. Now I want to help others do the same.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Any time someone comes to Miami there are certain go-to’s I have. here are my picks: South Beach, Lincoln Road (nice cafes and weird people watching), Venetian pool in Coral Gables, eat at Joe’s Stone Crab or Smith and Wollensky (great outside view) South Beach, go on a sailboat ride of Key Biscayne, Miami seaquarium. Take a boat shuttle from Miami to Key West. Go to Islamorada Tiki Bar (40 minutes south) Go to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Ft Lauderdale. We would look on Eventbrite and see if any local concerts or bands are playing etc.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Yes! This is for the leadership and women of Dress For Success Worldwide and Dress for Success New Orleans! I also want to shout out my Health and Wellness coach Nika Samples. It takes leadership and a team to get you to where you need to be in life and the best way I can do that is to have people around me that allow the best parts of me to shine!

Website: https://shametriagonzales.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shametriagonzales/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shametria-gonzales-5a001a8a/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShametriaG48450

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naenae.gonzales/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=shametria+gonzales