A personal reflection on military service, body care, and wellness. From maxing PT tests to learning self-care, this journey led to creating Lamisa Wellness Collective and The Nourished Almanac.
Verified Member
Influential Woman · Podcast and events, wellness
Lamisa Carradine, MBA
Event Planner, Lamisa Wellness Collective
Schertz, TX 78154
7Years experience
1Article published
1Award received
Her Story
About Lamisa
Lamisa Carradine, MBA, is a podcast host and event organizer with Lamisa Wellness Collective, where she leads Rooted in Rising and curates gatherings centered on wellness, finance, food, healthcare, and spirituality. Her journey began in 2019, when she hosted her first women's conference in Texas, an experience that grew into a broader mission of connecting women through shared community and personal growth. Drawing on three decades of military service, Carradine now channels that same discipline and sense of purpose into helping others prioritize their well-being. Prior to founding her wellness-focused ventures, Carradine built an extensive career spanning entrepreneurship, education, and event production, including roles as owner of Panorama Dream 360 Photo Booth, TL' Carr Enterprise, and LC Consulting Firm, as well as several years as a JROTC instructor shaping the next generation of young leaders. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Maryland Global Campus and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources from Columbia Southern University. Her distinguished military career culminated in the Legion of Merit, one of the U.S. Armed Forces' highest honors. Today, Carradine is devoted to guiding women toward mental, physical, and spiritual wellness through her events, her podcast, and her forthcoming book, The Nourished Almanac, a field guide to whole foods and mindful living. Grounded in integrity, respect, and a deep commitment to service, she continues to build spaces where women can connect, grow, and thrive together.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lamisa
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to hard work and, most of all, to my mother. She was always there to support me in whatever I pursued, and I always knew I could count on her. She made sure I got to tutoring whenever my grades slipped, and she constantly pushed me to do what needed to be done.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've received is to stay the course, even when things get difficult. I've learned to stay true to what I truly believe in and to surround myself with a strong support system of people I can call on.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I encourage young women to do thorough research to discover what they're truly passionate about, so they can offer the best possible service to the people they serve. I always tell them not to pursue this work simply for the money or as a side hustle if their heart isn't in it.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity, respect, and duty guide everything I do. I believe in always telling the truth, even when I don't have all the answers, and in serving others as a helper.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Lamisa
I Thought Strength Meant Endurance
From Military Service to Wellness: How I Learned That True Strength Means Taking Care of Yourself
When I was 18 years old, boarding the bus to go to basic training, I didn't have too much on my mind beyond that very moment.
I knew that I could run, do sit-ups, and take orders, but anything outside of that was beyond the scope of the thoughts that crossed my eighteen-year-old mind.
I used to think strength was doing everything everyone else could do, better and longer than they could do it.
That worked for me for a while.
I continued maxing out my PT tests, proving I was a valuable soldier, but I never thought about the repercussions until I faced them.
One time, my platoon and I had to do a 15-kilometer hike, and well into the hike, with all of my gear, under the hot sun, my knee popped. Others heard it and asked if I was okay. Whether I was or wasn't didn't matter because my tolerance for discipline was so high that nothing would stop me from achieving a mission, and that's exactly what happened.
I carried on until we finished the hike, and the moment I let my body stop, I passed out.
I woke up in a hospital bed, immobile and confused.
My problem was never feeling prepared for a mission; it was knowing how to care for my body outside of one.
My Body Changed, So Did the Lessons
What did the service teach me?
The better question is, what didn't the service teach me?
I've been in the military longer than I've been a civilian; many parts of who I am were built there.
I learned discipline, drive, dedication, and determination, traits I'm grateful to possess.
I learned how to eat in a way that works best for my body, although that had less to do with the service itself. I happened to be a soldier when I learned it. Still, I was exerting far more energy day-to-day than I do in retirement, so I learned quickly how much what I ate affected how I felt.
What did the service teach my body?
That I am more than capable of overcoming physically challenging tasks.
Physical fitness and mental fortitude are married; one is constantly informing the other.
And most importantly, I know how to navigate scary and sometimes fatal situations logically. That level of self-trust is something I don't know that I had before the Army.
The old me spent decades climbing the ranks, trying to achieve goals that I had barely seen anyone who looked like me achieve. I'd let her know we did it-and we did it masterfully.
I'd also tell her that it's okay to slow down, not just because she's going to make it to her destination, but because caring for herself is part of getting there.
Sometimes, I wonder what the 30-year-old version of me would say if we were standing eye-to-eye today.
I don't know her exact words, but I know there would be gratitude between us.
I'd thank her for making every decision she made because those decisions are part of the reason Lamisa Wellness Collective exists today.
My wellness journey began during my years in the service, but it took off just after. When I finally had no choice but to slow down, I saw a gap in the wellness space. I didn't see enough conversations addressing people who had spent years serving our country, being away from their families for long stretches of time, and asking extraordinary things of their bodies.
Because of that realization, this wellness journey stopped belonging only to me.
I am so proud of the community we've built because of it.
And The Nourished Almanac is another extension of that work. It's a field guide created to help you understand the foods nourishing the body, carrying you through your own life.
It releases October 1, and I can't wait to finally share it with you.
Until next time, stay rooted. Keep rising!
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.