Featured Member: Cheryl Pullins

As an entrepreneur, I consider myself a late bloomer.

I started my career as a Human Resource professional in the mid-eighties. I got married and two weeks later I started working. Bam! My “dream gig”. I landed in the executive office of the nation’s first urban research park; it was the beginning of my corporate climb. I found my place. My career. My thing.

So I thought.

I set out on my journey up the corporate ladder; on my way to smash the glass ceiling. All of my hopes, dreams and aspirations wrapped in reaching my personal career goals. The idea of being an entrepreneur didn’t appeal to me at all. Matter of fact, I thought it was a bit ridiculous. Who in the world would start a business and not get a paycheck every other Friday? My mantra: Cheryl is going to make sure that Cheryl has a paycheck.

Now, here I am more than 25 years later, a new, excited and passion-filled entrepreneur. My true entrepreneurial journey started amidst a personal crisis. My marriage ended, and I was going through a custody fight. I couldn’t focus on my corporate job. I chose a severance package instead of allowing myself to get fired. I simply couldn’t get it together. At a time when I thought I was taking the easy road, I didn’t realize I’d actually made the choice to become an entrepreneur.

After my 20-year Human Resources profession abruptly ended, I took a part-time job as a church administrator for a rising ministry. One day I sat in the office and simply stared at the ceiling—financially and emotionally broken.

There must be a better way. This can’t be all there is to life—No way!

In that moment God guided me to grab a piece of paper. I wrote an organizational chart with “Victorious Living International” at the top and several companies underneath.

Oh God, this is really hilarious. I am mad, angry, bitter and scared but You want me to build a company named victorious living. Really God?

Without a clue what He was doing, I made another important choice unaware. I chose to follow His lead.

That piece of paper remained shelved for about four or five years. Then the time came. Victorious Living International was launched with the publishing of a live magazine, a Christian magazine for women. From there we published the first book of the Victorious Living Series™ anthology project. It was then I uncovered my true passion for people and started Triumphant Living Coaching and Training, became host of the Victorious Living with Cheryl Pullins radio show and most recently became the founder of DIVA Girlfriends™, a fun organization that exists for the sole purpose of celebrating our girlfriends.

The journey has been slow, but sure. The biggest thing is that this has been a journey of learning. Minute by minute, day to day, there are always new experiences and new lessons to be learned. Just when I think I have the plan all together, I realize, oh wait, I need to tweak this or change that.

This year I have committed to building and developing Victorious Living International as a solid entity with a focus in four main areas including, publishing, coaching, training and media. The tagline is “We are taking the message of victory to the world,” which is the mission of Victorious Living International.

As a new entrepreneur what I would share with other entrepreneurs?

• Understand and be sensitive to timing. Every idea is not meant to be done immediately.
• Know the seasons of your business and new products of services.
• Align yourself with likeminded individuals. Their passion and energy fuels yours.
• The two key items you need for your business are a plan and accountability. Write your plans on paper with dates and assemble a power team. The purpose of the power team is for two things: for your accountability and to empower you.

And most importantly, everything you do, do with a love for God and a love for people

The most significant part of my entrepreneurial journey hasn’t been the business, the plan, the websites or the products, but it was being faced with making a decision about forgiveness. I had been carry unforgiveness, bitterness and hatred in my heart. It impacted every part of my life. At the time I didn’t know that forgiveness was a key to not only spiritual breakthrough, but a key to me being able to win in both business and life.

I would encourage you that if you are experiencing some blockage or issue with moving forward in both your business and life, check your heart. See where you are regarding love. I Corinthians 14:1 says “Let love be your highest goal.” Whatever you do or whatever you pursue make sure it is all motivated by love.

Cheryl Pullins passionately and consistently takes the message of victory to the world and shares strategies, solutions and systems for winning in business and life.

Equipped as a certified life coach, Cheryl impacts people and changes lives with the message of victory through Triumphant Living Coaching and Training and several other entities.  She is raising consciousness and imparting to others, that regardless of what it looks like, feels like or seems like, they can equip and position themselves to experience victory in every area of their life.

Cheryl lives in Central Florida with her husband Zach, a specialized techie analyst. Date night is the highlight of her week and they both are computer junkies. She is a mom and grandmother of girls, girls, girls. Visit Cheryl at Victorious Living International or at Victorious Books or Diva Girlfriends.