As the Founder and Author behind Awakened-Woman, a digital platform designed to inspire and invigorate females, author Yvette Bodden writes with endless empathy. In just two years, AW has amassed tens of thousands of followers, thanks to a combined 500+ articles centered around celebrity profiles, relationships, love, abuse, motherhood, and Latino culture, infused with a signature blend of her pragmatism and compassion. In 2021, she was named one of the “Bella Bosses We Admire” by Bella Magazine.
Yvette’s words have also appeared on Brainz Magazine, The Best Holistic Life Magazine, Thrive Global, media maven Arianna Huffington’s portal dedicated to ending the global stress and burnout epidemic, and BELatina News, where she profiles celebrities like Latin Grammy Award-winner Luis Fonsi, television actor, Joe Minoso and ABC’s “The Baker and the Beauty, actress, Nathalie Kelly.
Her debut book, A Journey to Becoming the Best Self (Black Rose Writing)—part memoir and part prescriptive fiction, inspired by Yvette’s own post-divorce path from devastation to joy—was published in 2019, and received praise from The U.S. Review of Books. The book can be purchased online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
As a single mother based in New York City—a metropolis she credits for her open mind. Yvette regularly channels her own growth experiences; she has contributed to outlets like SmartCoparent and DivorceHub that focus on personal crises. Ultimately, Yvette’s writing, which seeks to empower and encourage women searching for personalized definitions of success, is an effort to build strong communities through vulnerable and powerful storytelling.
What is Awakened-Woman all about?
Awakened-Woman is a platform created to inspire, empower and encourage women. AW holds a collection of close to 500 interviews, short stories, and articles geared towards motivating women to create the life envisioned. The business is designed around promoting stories about women’s experiences on the journey to becoming their best selves.
In 2019, part memoir and self-help book “A Journey to Becoming the Best Self,” was published by Black Rose Writing Publishing. It is a detailed and raw account of how AW came to life. Since the publication, the platform has grown to include content/freelance writing services, speaking engagements, and women’s workshops for women’s empowerment.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your company?
I have worked in the corporate world for well over a decade, as a meeting and events coordinator or assistant. The work has provided a stable source of income but it always felt like something was missing. It wasn’t until around 2017, that I began to understand the power of purpose. A divorce and episode of depression led to what would be a game-changer in my life. I began by writing my story in segments that turned into a book, a platform that came soon after. Coming head to head with my passion has been a gift. Sharing stories that help others heal, connect and learn has become my purpose.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you ended up writing a book?
I’ve worked in Corporate America for over a decade in the roles of event planner or assistant. A job is not the same thing as a passion and although I’ve been grateful for the work, I never quite felt it was a calling.
I did not set out to write a book, there was no master plan to be an author. An episode of depression triggered by a painful divorce sparked the beginning of my career as a writer. I wanted to purge, write about the pain and how I came out on the other side of it. Every journey has pain, loss, trauma, or challenges that must be faced. I believe sharing my story can help others that may have been feeling alone in their journey. I wrote the book so that those in need of hope can feel like they too, can come out of great despair, stronger than ever thought possible!”
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
My hope is that readers of “A Journey to Becoming the Best Self” will be inspired to create the life envisioned. Inevitably, our journey will be filled with challenges and change, oftentimes, unexpected. Our fountain of resilience is surprisingly deep. When you are in trouble, tap into the power you have to overcome the dips in life. These are the moments that will bring the most growth and truly help you evolve into the person you are meant to be. Hold on a little longer, the light is never far behind.
What would you say are the top 3 skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur, and why?
A successful entrepreneur should be prepared to have thick skin, relentless determination, and be willing to pivot at any time. The path of entrepreneurship presents many challenges, one of the hardest to tackle is rejection. We all have a fear of rejection. I learned that if I was going to have success, I would need the strength to hear “no” and keep going. The goal is to chip away a little at a time. Once you receive the first yes, the rest of the road can be a bit easier because you have already been rejected. You have to trust there will be another yes, around the corner.
The will to keep pushing forward has to be present. There are going to be days when you feel discouraged and insecure about whether the path is right but if you do the work and believe in your mission and yourself, the rest follows. The job of an entrepreneur is difficult, draining at times because of its uncertainty.
The ability to change course at any time is an important skill. Understanding how critical it is to be fluid in the process can save you some of the pain. There is no straight shot to successful entrepreneurship. Go with the flow and most importantly, never stop learning!
How have the pandemic and Lockdown affected you or your new business?
The pandemic and lockdown tested my creativity. Writers create from life experience. Restricted to home life 24/7 left me short of ideas and inspiration. Producing content isn’t easy when you are not living life. The site needed fresh topics but I couldn’t find the spark to get creative. The mission did not change, AW needed to be infused with new life. I was inspired by an interview I watched on television one morning. I came up with the idea to create a series of interviews to inspire, empower and encourage the readers.
In June 2020, I began running the AW Empowerment Series, interviewing female CEOs, actresses, television media personalities that were willing to share a piece of their personal journey to becoming the best self. The series has received tremendous traction and may not have happened were it not for this time.
Tell us a little bit about your marketing process, what has been the most successful form of marketing for you?
Marketing is a tricky business. People have a short attention span and trends change very quickly. A business has to be able to pivot at any given time to effectively put out its message into the world. I am constantly asking myself: What can my business offer customers that add value? How can my business help customers solve a problem? Is my content delivering information that is helpful in some way? One of the early lessons as an entrepreneur has been understanding the significance that social media plays in the life of the business.
People follow people, they connect with your story, not a brand. People want to see and relate to you as a human being. One of the most effective ways to fulfill this important goal is to share experiences in real-time. Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok are the best ways to get to your audience. There are close to 5 billion social media users around the world, can you imagine the reach? I’m always creating content but not posting every moment of the day. I post if I have something to say, an intentional message to help or encourage others in some way. It’s important for me to be genuine with AW’s mission, making sure messages on the platform align with the brand.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
Honestly, figuring out the proper pricing structure for various services AW offers has been challenging. At this time, AW does not have a brand storefront, there aren’t any tangible products for sale on the site, nor is there a membership. AW is a free site. The main source of revenue comes from clients hiring to create written content or speak at events and workshops. It can be challenging to put a price on your work. It takes time to get comfortable asking for your worth and get clients on board.
What is your favorite quote?
“When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.”
– Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Everyone has grappled with troubled times but we can’t allow life to beat us. Hope is always out there waiting to be grabbed by the horns, so find a knot to hold on to and work your way up to the next win. Small steps to the top are how you gain lasting traction.
What is your definition of success?
Success during my younger years looked different than it does today. I used to think success was tied to the size of a house or bank account, the aesthetics and financial gains were signals of prosperity. Today, success means something very different. It is waking up each day with purpose and doing what I love to do!
How do you personally overcome fear?
We all have some type of fear. Personally, I have always been afraid to fail. Turning away opportunities or challenges because they made me uncomfortable or scared me were my norm. Creating this platform has forced me to put myself out there in different ways. I am learning to take more chances as an entrepreneur, it is the only way to figure out what works or doesn’t for the business.
I have been able to overcome fear by shifting my mindset. Reading books that empower me has been helpful during this process. Speaking to other entrepreneurs or people that have taken their own calculated risks has also been encouraging, helping me understand that it’s all about trial and error.
Fear hinders growth, failures are lessons disguised. Making a small change in the way I think about fear has been invaluable. Now, instead of going in head first to the worst scenario, I take a pause to consider what is the best possible outcome. It requires constant practice and commitment to modify our behavior but it’s possible.
How can readers get in touch with you?
Readers can get in touch with me on Instagram and Twitter as @womanawakened. Also, visit the awakened-woman site. AW has a library of 500 articles, short stories, and high-profile interviews.
Founder Interview: Caston Binger: How a Thriving Lucrative Business Evolved from a DIY Project
