Influential Woman · Motivational Speaker
Sonya Ponder
Motivational Speaker and Founder, Feminine Mindset
Mcdonough, GA 30253
Her Story
About Sonya
I started my journey as a motivational speaker in 2018 with my platform Feminine Mindset, though I'm currently rebranding because my audience has evolved. I embrace young girls and women to have a voice, to speak out and speak up loud, especially when people have tried to silence them during their adolescent years or when something has happened to them. My passion for this work comes from my own experience as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. I was always silenced because of fear and embarrassment, but as I got older, my voice came out and I realized it wasn't my fault. In 2016, I wrote my first book called 'After Living in Pain, I Found Profound Happiness,' which I never got to publish because I lost all the content on my computer, but writing it helped me find freedom, especially after I got married. Before I became a motivational speaker, I was a licensed esthetician in Miami, Florida, and I would go talk to kids at schools about their skin and acne issues that they were embarrassed about. That's when it hit me that I could get my voice out in a more positive way to help other kids with deeper issues. I also founded a nonprofit organization called Dreams for Girls back in Miami, where I offered dresses, gave vouchers and gift cards, and partnered with stores like Payless so young girls could get shoes, socks, and stockings for prom, Easter, graduation, and other celebrations. Now that I'm in Georgia, I'm working on connecting with the right people and venues so I can get on stages and continue helping young adults and women understand femininity, build confidence, and know that it's okay to tell someone when something has happened to them.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sonya
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to both connections and collaborations. I have connections with other people that have podcasts and women groups, and I go and network with other people so that I can find out how do I get there, who's the right people to connect with, and who can help. I also think about how can I help them. When I was back home in Miami, everything seemed easy because I felt like the access was there, I knew everyone, and I knew where to go and what to do. Now that I'm in Georgia, I know where to go and what to do, I just don't know who to do that with yet, so I'm working on building those connections here.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Talk to someone you trust. Talk to someone you're very close to. Because just talking to other people can help. I learned this from my own experience because I always tried to talk to people, but the problem was those people were silenced as well and no one said anything. We all have different minds, we're all thinking differently, so none of us think the same. That's why it definitely helps to find someone you trust and are very close to, because having that person to talk to can make all the difference.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge I'm facing right now is getting myself on the right stages and getting myself out there so I can get the word out and help other people immediately. I'm struggling with how do I get there, especially now that I'm in Georgia. I feel like when you're home, everything seems easy to you because you feel like the access is there, you know everyone, and you know where to go and what to do. Since I've moved here, I know where to go and what to do, I just don't know who to do that with. I'm trying to understand how do I get myself on these stages and who are the right people to connect with who can help, and how can I help them.
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