ABOUT SHALA
I’m passionate about walking out my discipleship to Jesus in vocational ministry and ministry in the marketplace.
The road I have taken in life has not been because of my great plans, creativity or extraordinary vision. In my flesh, I was just a hustler making the most of opportunities.
But when I look back on where I've been and where I am going, I see and I know that I am calling qualified. I didn't go to a fancy business school to become an entrepreneur. God called me to it—unknowingly at times—and so He qualified me for the task. I did not go to seminary, but God called me to love Him and His Word and to use my gifts and talents as a speaker and writer to teach His truth, and so He alone qualifies me to do just that.
I was ordained and installed as a pastor at The Bridge, a church in Silver Spring, MD, who hired me in 2017 to launch their first youth ministry. Over the next four years, I led various teams in addition to youth, including small groups, the marketing and communications team, and serving on the executive team. Feeling led by the Spirit, I launched Calling Qualified Ministries, Inc. in January 2020 to courageously chase my own call to Jesus, and to help others do the same.
Entrepreneurship is something that I stumbled into in 2005, ultimately becoming a serial entrepreneur.
As a personal branding photographer, I shoot headshots and business portraits of fellow women who are chasing their calling. I ran a brand consultancy serving ministries and nonprofits for 14 years, so I get to offer my years as a certified branding expert to help women thrive. And born out of a desire to help other creative entrepreneurs grow, I launched Creative Colony, a coworking space where creative people work.
Certified by the Brand Academy, I have a proven process for developing an authentic brand for organizations, resulting in trust and engagement for my clients. My unique process can help you reinvent your organization or polish off the hidden gems to really make it shine! I have a knack for helping business owners prioritize, build their business on brand, and cutting to the chase while being gentle, humorous, and gracious.
Like many entrepreneurs, I learned from the school of hard knocks. There are many things I've done the wrong way, and many things I learned from reading books, seeking advice from other enterprising women, attending conferences, and getting training through workshops and seminars. I love to learn and I highly encourage others to take advantage of every opportunity to grow in their craft. In the same vein, I love to teach what I've learned. I've spoken at many conferences, covering topics from branding to faith.
I graduated from Howard University in 2004 with my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Electronic Studio Art, and I completed my Master of Arts in Graphic Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2011. Upon completing my graduate degree, I was hired by Johns Hopkins University and Howard University. I thoroughly loved teaching, but found being a full-time professor at Howard and a full-time entrepreneur was challenging, and left no room for ministry. So I left my work as a professor to focus on my business and being available for Kingdom building. After being calling into vocation ministry, I earned a Graduate Certificate in Pastoral Counseling from Liberty University in 2020 to help me care for the hearts of those I lead well. I’m currently working on my Masters in Theology at Northern Seminary.
