Starting a New Chapter? What You Should Know (w/ Consultant LaShay Avery)

How do you want your life to be different? What tools do you need to get to the next level? Our guest, LaShay Avery, Leadership and Wellness Consultant with Q Avery Consulting, has done the inner work, the faith work, and the legwork needed to reinvent herself. She shares some personal tips on how certain connections lead to transformations that ultimately lead to your next chapter in life.

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 "Imagine Yourself" is hosted by Lanée Blaise and Sandy Kovach—two dynamic voices with a passion for inspiring and uplifting others. Lanée, a TV writer, producer, motivational speaker, and podcaster, brings powerful storytelling and insight. Sandy, a radio personality, voiceover artist, and podcaster, delivers warmth and wisdom with every conversation. Broadcasting from the Detroit Metro area, they welcome guests from around the world to share valuable perspectives on health, career growth, faith, and personal transformation. Tune in and imagine the possibilities for your life!

Transcript

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Lanée Blaise [00:00:01]:

Hello, everybody. Welcome to Imagine Yourself. I have a quick question for you. Are you ready for the next chapter in your life to begin?

Sandy Kovach  [00:00:11]:

So ready. Can I start right now?

Lanée Blaise [00:00:12]:

Yes. You can start right now, Sandy. I'm Lanee. We are here today because we didn't wanna just imagine. We actually wanted to hear from someone who is right smack in the middle of her own transformation, her own next chapter with new ambitions, new opportunities, new everything? We have with us today Lashay Avery, who is a leadership and wellness consultant with QAvery Consulting? And she spends her time serving the mental health needs and wellness needs of first responders. She has a whole lot of other things that she does in her repertoire, and we will get to all of it. You're gonna find out through this episode listeners that she is pure awesomeness? She is willing to share some of and beliefs and boss moves that she has been making lately in order to get to that next level? And, Sandy, let's welcome her. Anybody who wants to get unstuck, listen up so that you too can blossom in your next chapter? We'd like to welcome you, LaShay Avery.

LaShay Avery [00:01:24]:

Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited.

Sandy Kovach  [00:01:28]:

It's so nice to have you, La Shay, as somebody who's been through a transition recently and who has helped other people with their transitions through your consulting? Because right now, Because of COVID nineteen, so many people have been downsized or their industries are changing, and they are afraid that they're gonna lose their jobs. And these people come in different ages and stages of life, but it's really never too late to make that shift whether it's a forced shift Or whether you want to? I read a a recent statistic that there's, like, 65% of the workforce that is looking for not just a new job, but a new career, and That's pretty staggering. So once you've made that decision that you've gotta do a shift, what do you do? What steps do you take to get there?

LaShay Avery [00:02:16]:

For me, it really was a matter of taking some time to brainstorm and think about what will my next chapter look like. Really thinking about what is it that I really wanna do, what have I done up to this point, and then really thinking about what practically would it take to accomplish whatever dreams and goals I came up with based on the brainstorming session that I had with myself? So Thinking about past, really past, present, and future because all of those things come together in creating what the future will look like.

Sandy Kovach  [00:02:51]:

So I you said an interesting term, brainstorming with myself. I've never heard that before, but I mean, you're sitting down with yourself. With session. It's not always possible for people to go to a coach or to go to somebody to help with that. And sometimes you do have to sit down with yourself.

LaShay Avery [00:03:07]:

For me, it was a matter of of really sitting down and thinking about what have my life experiences been up to this point career wise. What lessons have I learned in the various positions that I've been in? What different job positions have I held? What relationships have I built through those different positions and really bringing all of those things to determine what could the future look like? So really thinking about path in that way? And I know a lot of times people wanna get as far away from the past as possible. But for me, there were some major lessons from those past jobs and past life experiences? So taking the time to really dissect those things and then figuring out How could those positions and experiences contribute to what my dreams and current aspirations are?

Lanée Blaise [00:03:59]:

Let me tell the audience a little story about how the 3 of us all met. And this kind of actually segues into this whole part about transformation in next chapters. You kinda have to be open to some things that you might not have been open to before, and I know that you had told Sandy and I the story about how your presence on LinkedIn began to grow, and you took a gamble to do a Zoom session with some women at a round table discussion from someone else who's one of our guests, Isha Cogborn. And we all met up there, and we got to share some of our experience? I got to know you, Sandy and I both got to know you back when you were kinda starting this process. You had several skill sets as far as massage therapy, as far as leadership qualities, as far as mental health, behavioral health with first responders? And then you kinda had to figure out, like you said, using the past and present, where did you wanna go with it? And now I just wanna hear exactly kind of an update on what happened because I know that even a company reached out to you through LinkedIn? And you've been doing even things since I last spoke with you, since we last met up together, the 3 of us.

LaShay Avery [00:05:16]:

Yes. That's very true, and I'm so grateful for LinkedIn and and how it brought us together. I really thought LinkedIn was just gonna be another, you know, social platform where you're just talking about meaningless things with people, but it it turned out

Sandy Kovach  [00:05:30]:

cat videos.

LaShay Avery [00:05:31]:

Yeah. It it turned out to be a a wonderful opportunity in in not only meeting the 2 of you, but so many other people that Have really been able to direct me, guide me, and help me to get to where I am right now, which is There've been a lot of I wouldn't say stops and starts, but there've been a lot of me thinking I'm going down one path, but then through A conversation with different people that I've met through LinkedIn as well as other, networking groups where I've been able to determine That might not be the best path. So I was really all over the place. You mentioned, you know, I'm a licensed massage therapist. I have A lot of leadership experience. I have a ton of experience in working with first responders, but I've also been in the behavioral health arena for a number of years, Which has gotten me a lot of experience in that realm. So I was really all over the place with my entrepreneurial goals And through conversations with, again, different people on LinkedIn and other networking groups, I've been able to narrow my focus. So it wasn't really 1 brainstorming session.

LaShay Avery [00:06:44]:

1 brainstorming session got me to 1 place, and then I would meet someone else or or have a conversation, brainstorm again, take another step forward? The beauty of it all is they've all been step forward. I've been able to link and connect with people. And as a result of that, it's got me that much farther along in Reaching my goals and aspirations, which really is to help people in the areas of leadership and wellness. And the best of my experience comes from first responders? So that's led me down the path of really focusing particularly on that group.

Sandy Kovach  [00:07:20]:

I think you pointed out on your website too that first responders are all basically in a leadership position whether their title says so or not. Right? I mean, If there's somebody on the scene, they have decisions to make. Right?

LaShay Avery [00:07:31]:

Exactly. And it's in the blink of an eye. It can literally change someone's life.

Sandy Kovach  [00:07:36]:

Absolutely. So you went from your brainstorming session where you thought about your whole skill set and all the things that you did. And then through these virtual meetups, whether it be on LinkedIn or other platforms, you were able to have other people speak into your life and maybe assess things and give you ideas? And that's something that's available to all of us. You know, we're kinda stuck here, and we're not doing the traditional networking, But we are able to network through our phones and our computers. So would you say that is something that you would recommend? Like, someone is Let's go back to the 1st question. You started with saying your 1st brainstorm session. Maybe your second one is to reach out to the people in your network and try to grow that network.

LaShay Avery [00:08:20]:

Exactly. And you really wanna be strategic in the people that you're connecting with because LinkedIn is great, but there definitely are people marketing? It's not gonna always be linking up with people that are like minded that are gonna be able to warrant to you and help you to get to where you need to be? So you have to kinda screen those marketers out. But, yes, I would definitely say a next step is, you know, linking with people that or either where you want to be or or definitely on the path to getting to where you want to be? And, you know, that set certainly was true for the time that you and I initially spent together. You all were moving forward in your own dreams and aspirations? And so that was definitely helpful for me to be able to connect and talk with you.

Sandy Kovach  [00:09:07]:

That was a great conversation.

LaShay Avery [00:09:08]:

It it was. It was.

Lanée Blaise [00:09:10]:

It but now you've got me thinking too because because we've got you here, it's not just about transformations from just a career perspective? You have a background in psychological aspects of people too. What about the biggie that we didn't really address yet, which is fear versus confidence? How does a person who is listening figure out that they're going to Do things like go out on LinkedIn and try to avoid some of the marketing people and go to people who can help them. How do they decide that they're gonna make a change? How do you not just sit in a rut and get frustrated or scared? How do you overcome that fear where you're thinking that all the jobs are gone. I'm not qualified for anything. I don't know how to learn new things, new skill sets. How do you overcome that and really embrace the change and embrace the confidence of your next step, your next chapter?

LaShay Avery [00:10:10]:

I can only speak for myself. That's the only thing any of us can do. But for me, it really boils down to having a confidence in God. So a confidence in something bigger than myself. Because if it was all dependent on me, I wouldn't have taken the steps that I've taken thus far. But Because my confidence really is in God and knowing that God has a plan for me, God has a purpose for me, Allowed me to get to get the confidence from him to really move forward because it it really isn't about meet? It's about the plan that God has for me, and it's about the power that really comes from the holy spirit that dwells within me. So That's given me really when doors seem to be closed or when things don't seem to be moving fast enough, I just have to regroup, brief focus, spend some time with God, and and really renew those dreams that I know that He placed on my heart.

Sandy Kovach  [00:11:08]:

So he's in your 1st brainstorming session. You were really we're not alone.

LaShay Avery [00:11:13]:

Exactly. So He was at the table. He had the sticky notes and, you know, He was telling me. He was guiding and directing me for sure. And it that's been evident By the people that he's placed in my life. It's like we'll have the brains I'll have the brainstorming session. And then inevitably, I meet different people That I should not have met or just what might seem like happenstance really isn't happenstance. It's god directing my steps.

Lanée Blaise [00:11:43]:

I gotta chime in here right now because so I am Lanae, and you are Lashay. And we are obviously twins from another mother and another father. Participant? But that's just one of those examples that when we were on that Zoom session, where we really were altogether kind of hashing out the different goals and purposes that we saw for ourselves and saw for our future and the different directions we wanted to go? It made me feel like, okay. I've got this twin name, twin spirit. God put us together. It could have been any setting. We all 3 of us We're able to help each other in the different career areas and even different, like you said, purpose filled areas of our lives. How about this too? I looked up on your website, did not realize that you had written a book called God, Faith, and Peace.

Lanée Blaise [00:12:33]:

And that speaks to who you are also. Are those really the characteristics that we need, the faith and the peace, if we're gonna get to anywhere?

LaShay Avery [00:12:42]:

Amen. Absolutely. Because you really can't You can't operate in chaos. And for me, peace can only come from God. When you have that peace, then it leads to the confidence, And it just snowballs, and it grows and flourishes into so many other things.

Sandy Kovach  [00:13:00]:

Would you say, La shay and and I'm gonna speak here about people that I know that may or may not be looking to jump into an another career, a new direction? But if there is a consistent lack of peace with A job or something you're doing, is that do you believe and now I see I'm speaking to you as an author who's written about this, so I'm really Interested in what you're having to say, especially should that be an indication that you need to look in another direction?

LaShay Avery [00:13:27]:

I think so because god does not reside or preside in chaos? And so if there's turmoil, if there's constant frustration and a lack of peace, To me, that would be a sign and a signal to do something different.

Sandy Kovach  [00:13:44]:

So even if you're not forced into it necessarily By the pandemic or other reasons, maybe somebody listening might be thinking about where they are now and considering going off into a different direction?

Lanée Blaise [00:13:57]:

Absolutely. That reminds me of that quote

Lanée Blaise [00:13:59]:

by, Albert Einstein as far as if you keep doing the same things and expecting different results, then, you know, that's crazy? I'm I'm paraphrasing it. But, but you sometimes have to do a new thing. And I was looking up quotes for this episode? And instead of just a regular quote, of course, there is the Bible that tells us in Isaiah about as as far as recreation, for I am about to do something new? See, I have already begun. Do you now see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness? I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. I feel that this is all about believing in things that you don't see right now, but believing that they are possible to show up? And I feel like your life has been an example of that, especially recently, Lashay.

LaShay Avery [00:14:47]:

It has, and I can only thank god for it.

Sandy Kovach  [00:14:50]:

That's really awesome, Lachey. One of the things too I wanted to kinda touch on real quick is just Some of the famous people that have done these pivots, changes in career, some early, some later in life. Vera Wang. Remember that, Lene, we talked about her in an earlier podcast?

Lanée Blaise [00:15:10]:

Vera Wang.

Sandy Kovach  [00:15:11]:

Vera Wang.

Lanée Blaise [00:15:11]:

Yes. That was was that the episode? We had an entire episode ode on embracing change?

Sandy Kovach  [00:15:17]:

Yeah. And we talked about how she was a figure skater, and things didn't go as well as she wanted to, I think, in the Olympics. And so she changed to the fashion industry and obviously went to the top of her game in that. Here's another one. Change wasn't as big with this one, but it Certainly turned into something huge. Jeff Bezos. We've heard of him. Right? Amazon?

Lanée Blaise [00:15:36]:

Yes. Yes.

Sandy Kovach  [00:15:37]:

So I was reading about him, and I guess he was you know, he graduated college, and he was working, I think, on Wall Street or doing stuff like that. And he was on a drive across the country. And Through this drive, I don't know if he's by himself or whatever, he was obviously having a brainstorming session with himself, but he came up with Amazon on that drive across the country And wrote it all down and, well, the rest is history. The rest is history. Big things can come from it or just small pivots either way.

LaShay Avery [00:16:06]:

Yeah. And we probably all can talk about examples for both, big pivots as well as incremental steps.

Lanée Blaise [00:16:14]:

Now I don't know if anyone realized this too, but sometimes your flaws can turn into your successes because Oprah Winfrey, back when she was early on, a news reporter got fired because she had gotten too emotionally invested in her stories.

Lanée Blaise [00:16:32]:

And then she of course, now we know her for the power that she uses by including the emotional aspects in her stories. I just wanted to make sure that people just become inspired by those types of national stories with people that we all know about, But there's another aspect too. And, LaShay, you kind of alluded to it earlier about sometimes you Have to think about all the things that you have, and sometimes you have to subtract some things out. As opposed to just adding in new skills and adding in new career moves? Sometimes, you might have to subtract some things. Can you tell us a little about bat? Sure. What that makes me think about is

LaShay Avery [00:17:17]:

the fact that my market was initially Inventuring out and pursuing entrepreneurship full time, my market was really too big. I was trying to be all things to all people At all times? And it's not smart, number 1. It's not doable, number 2. And I just had to figure out what am I going to subtract from this and then just simply narrow my focus and focus on that 1 area or one particular group that I know I can succeed in? And so, you know, subtracting out, trying to be all things to all people was really beneficial and has led to some great opportunities simply by narrowing my focus?

Sandy Kovach  [00:18:02]:

Yeah. I think a lot of us, When we try to define ourselves, sometimes it's like we get lost in even trying to explain it. So that's not a good thing. Right?

LaShay Avery [00:18:11]:

That's when I knew I needed to change my business focus when I was having a hard time telling people what it was I wanted to do because that's that's never good.

Lanée Blaise [00:18:22]:

That is so important. There are so many entrepreneurs, I truly believe, who don't have a well focused mission or mission statement or, like you said, the way to summarize what you do in just a few phrases? That is understandable. And and like you said, target certain people that you want to serve.

Sandy Kovach  [00:18:44]:

When you started targeting 1st responders, I think I remember you saying that was, like, a big jump for you. It's like, but can I just target this 1 group? And it really helped you. Right?

LaShay Avery [00:18:54]:

Exactly. Back to your original question about steps. One of the steps that I took, and this came from an exercise meeting with the branding and marketing person, that I just met in a a whole another networking event that turned into you know, one thing led to another? And she asked she told me, ask yourself 7 times why. Why do you wanna do something? And then once you get the answer, ask yourself why again, and just keep going until you drill down to the very basic why you wanna do whatever it is that you want to do? And that Really creates a framework that everything else can really be then built on. So Wow. That was some great advice.

Lanée Blaise [00:19:43]:

I like the power of that number 7 times as well. Hey.

Sandy Kovach  [00:19:47]:

Yeah. That's biblical also. Right? We hear that number a lot. So, Lynae, are we ready for takeaway time here?

Lanée Blaise [00:19:55]:

Yeah. Let's do this 2 things here. First of all, Lashay, I just wanted to let listeners know also you conduct workshops on wellness and leadership. And if someone wanted to reach out to you, what would be the best way? Would it be through your website or social media or both?

LaShay Avery [00:20:13]:

Both. But probably the easiest way would be The website on the contact page, there is a a section where you can put whatever information that you're interested in, whatever questions you have. Leave a name, phone number, in that way I can get back to you and would love to do so.

Lanée Blaise [00:20:31]:

Perfect. Now that website is q and then put a hyphen, averyconsulting.com. It is fantastic. You can get lost on this, q hyphen averyconsulting.com website because there are so many helpful things. There are blogs. There are ways to contact you. There are, like, it's a different mental health and psychological and wellness things to consider. Also, we always wanna make sure that people remember, you can check out our website too because we will put link to Lashay's website on imagine yourself podcast.com? Of course, while you're on there, we ask if you go ahead and subscribe to our web site? You can give us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Lanée Blaise [00:21:12]:

You can interact with us on Facebook. You can let us know the different ways that you are transforming your life in the ways you want to. We love interaction, and then we also love takeaway time. At the end of each segment, we always have takeaway time, And we kinda like to do it double duty when we have a guest because I wanna make sure that people take away. Please embrace change. Ask yourself why you want to do what you want to do? And remember that you need to have that faith and confidence in God. You don't have to let all the confidence rely on yourself? Because we are not perfect, we are very flawed, and we don't have it all together all the time, and you can't serve all the people all the time. But we wanted to know what sure takeaway to give to the audience would be today, LaShea?

LaShay Avery [00:21:58]:

Know your why, never forget your why, and know that confidence comes from God and peace comes from God, and you have access to both of those things. Amen.

Lanée Blaise [00:22:11]:

I love it. Yeah.

Sandy Kovach  [00:22:13]:

I'm ready to move forward.

Lanée Blaise [00:22:14]:

We truly want to thank you, miss Shay, for joining us, for sharing a little bit about your story for laying some wisdom down on us, some inspiration, and some insight? As we always say about as far as imagine yourself, Our hope is for everyone to be able to imagine yourself developing, learning, growing, transforming to who you are meant to be and into the very best version of yourself career wise, relationship wise, spiritually, in every way possible? Imagine Yourself welcoming transformation?

Sandy Kovach  [00:22:50]:

Thanks so much for listening. Again, we'd love your feedback at imagine yourself podcast.com or on Any of our social media platforms, hope you'll hit the subscribe button and listen again as we use facts, a little faith, and a lot of fun to help you reimagine your future At Imagine Yourself?