Welcome to the Christian Business Growth Podcast where faith meets entrepreneurship. Each episode, we uncover the strategies, stories, and spirit-led insights that help Christian business owners align their goals with God’s call. From practical tips to real-life testimonies, we explore what it takes to build a business that honours Christ, serves others, and impacts the Kingdom.

In this episode of the Christian Business Growth Podcast, Lyle talks with Schequita Goldsmith, a registered nurse, author of nine books, jewelry designer, and founder of Free To Do Me Foundation, LLC.
What started as a painful season—divorce after 19 years of marriage—became the birthplace of a journaling habit that has lasted over 18 years. Through asking God hard questions and writing honestly, Schequita discovered a deep lie at the root of her life: “I didn’t know I was enough.”
God used that journey to birth her first book, “How to Move Beyond Where You Are to Where You Want to Be,” and a business dedicated to transformational coaching, motivational speaking, book publishing support, and creative design—especially for women and girls.
For Christian entrepreneurs, her story is a powerful picture of how God can use your pain, your pen, and your gifts to build something that changes lives.

1. The Journey Begins
Schequita Goldsmith’s path from nursing to entrepreneurship began when she felt a divine calling to write her first book, “How to Move Beyond Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.” In 2018, after 27 years of nursing, she founded the Free To Do Me Foundation, LLC. While she still practices nursing part-time, her entrepreneurial spirit drives her to work full-time on her business, focusing on products and services that transform lives.

2. What Does the Free To Do Me Foundation Offer?
At Free To Do Me Foundation, Schequita offers a variety of services, including:
– Motivational speaking engagements
– Transformational life coaching
– A comprehensive intrapersonal development curriculum
– Book writing, editing, and publishing services
– Educational classes and consultations
– Unique unisex apparel and accessories designed by Schequita herself.

3. The Power of Writing
Schequita emphasizes the importance of journaling as a tool for personal growth and creativity. She shares her experience of writing in a journal daily since 2007, starting each entry with “Dear God.” This practice not only helps her express gratitude but also allows her to document her visions and desires. She encourages aspiring writers to begin journaling their thoughts and inspirations as a first step towards writing a book.

4. Networking and Growing the Business
Networking has been crucial to Schequita’s success. She actively participates in vendor events and book signings, such as those at Half Price Books, where she connects with customers and shares her story. Schequita believes that building relationships is key; she often meets potential clients and collaborators at these events, allowing her business to grow through personal connections.

5. Overcoming Fear and Embracing Confidence
One significant hurdle Schequita faced was the fear of rejection, particularly with social media. She shares how overcoming this fear has opened doors for her business. Now, she confidently posts regularly and interacts with her audience, focusing on delivering inspirational content. She reminds others that everyone has a unique story to share, which can resonate with at least one person.

6. The Message of “You Are Enough”
A central theme of Schequita’s journey is the affirmation that “You are enough.” In her fifth book, she explores the idea that everyone, regardless of their background or experiences, is worthy in God’s eyes. She shares her own struggles with self-worth, particularly related to colorism, and how her journey has led her to empower others to recognize their value.

Conclusion and Key Takeaways:
Schequita Goldsmith’s journey from a registered nurse to a successful entrepreneur is a testament to the power of faith, resilience, and self-acceptance. Her story teaches us that:
– Embracing our passions can lead to fulfilling careers.
– Networking and building relationships are vital for business growth.
– Overcoming fear is crucial for personal and professional development.
– Everyone’s story is unique and can impact others profoundly.
– We should always remind ourselves that we are enough, just as we are.

Lyle: As we wrap up, what’s one final tip or word of wisdom you want to leave with someone listening—especially a Christian in business?

Schequita:

“You are enough, just like you are.
You are enough.
God’s grace is sufficient.
Believe God for what He has spoken over your life—and believe in yourself.”

 

If you’d like to connect with Schequita, invite her to speak, or learn more about her books and designs, you can reach her at:

📧 Email: TransformingLives@FreeToDoMeFoundation.com
🌐 Website: FreeToDoMeFoundation.com

Lyle Leads:
Hello and welcome to the Christian Business Growth Podcast. I’m here with Schequita Goldsmith. She’s a registered nurse, and she’s on a mission to transform lives—especially among women and girls. God’s called her to some amazing things.
So, Schequita, tell us: how did you get started in business?

Schequita Goldsmith:
I got started in business in 2018. That’s when I wrote my first book,
“How to Move Beyond Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.”
It’s all about transitioning your thought process—taking every thought captive to what God has spoken over your life. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
After I wrote that first book, I started my business, Free To Do Me Foundation, LLC, so I could sell my book and build around that message.

Lyle Leads:
So your book was the kickoff of your company?
Tell us what your company does.

Schequita Goldsmith:
Yes, my book launched the company.
At Free To Do Me Foundation, we are transforming lives by inspiring, empowering, believing, encouraging, motivating, and advocating through our products and services.
Our services include:

Motivational speaking

Events and transformational life coaching

Coaching using the Free To Do Me Foundation intrapersonal development curriculum

Book writing, book editing, book publishing services, and consultations

Our products include:

Inspirational, motivational, and empowering books and journals

The Free To Do Me intrapersonal development curriculum

Custom-designed earrings and accessories through Designs by Schequita

Unisex apparel

That’s the heart of what we do.

Lyle Leads:
You’re a registered nurse. What went through your mind when you said, “I’m a nurse, but now I’m going to start something different”? What was that process like?

Schequita Goldsmith:
It wasn’t really that I decided, “I’m going to try something different.” It came out of a life transition.
In 2007, I went from being married for 19 years to being divorced. One child was in college, and one was going back and forth between her dad and me. Suddenly I was living a new, unfamiliar single life.
I had a journal someone gave me 10 years earlier when I graduated from nursing school. One day, the Holy Ghost said, “Pick up that journal.”
So every day, I started journaling the details of my life—and to this day, 18 years later, I still journal.
When I first began journaling, I started asking God hard questions about myself—the kind of questions we don’t like to ask, because we’re afraid of the answers.
As I wrote, God began to pull back the layers of my heart. He answered me through:

Other people’s stories

Sermons

His written Word

His still, small voice

At the tenth year of journaling, the Holy Ghost said:

“Since you have connected the dots to your roots, I would like you to write a book to help others connect the dots to their roots.”

That became my first book, How to Move Beyond Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.
I had to change my mind about me. That’s where it all began.

Lyle Leads:
A lot of people don’t journal. That may not be a practice for them. For someone who’s never done it, why has journaling been so impactful for you personally?

Schequita Goldsmith:
Journaling has become very therapeutic for me.
It’s impactful because I get it out of my soul—whatever it is:

I journal my pain.

I write down the visions God gives me.

I write down the desires of my heart.

Then, when I go back and read what I’ve written, I can see how God has answered. It’s both therapeutic and cathartic.

Lyle Leads:
You mentioned you dug into deeper questions about your life. Did you seek counsel from others, or is that something God just laid on your heart?

Schequita Goldsmith:
God just laid it on my heart.
One of the questions I asked was, “Why did I stay married so long?” I was a teenage mom and a teenage wife.
God showed me the root of it:

“You didn’t know that you were enough.”

That was the root of me. Then He pulled back the layers and showed me why I didn’t know I was enough.

Lyle Leads:
That’s powerful, because a lot of people don’t understand who they are. We just had a Bible study on the book of Judges, and we talked about the power of understanding your worth as a child of Christ. There’s a lot of power there.
What is God currently doing in your business?

Schequita Goldsmith:
Right now, God is expanding my business.
I’m on a tour just about every week. I’m local here in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, but I also travel to other cities—Austin, San Antonio, Round Rock.
I get to:

Share my story with so many beautiful people

Hear their stories

When I share my story and they tell me theirs, the common thread is humanity.
We all go through things. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but God delivers us out of them all. When I tell people how God transformed me—and how I had to go to the root cause—it bridges the gap between me and whoever I meet, whether it’s a different race, age, or gender.
Often, they buy my first book because they simply want to know where to start. And the start is in your mind.

Lyle Leads:
You mentioned the humanity of it. Are you talking about authenticity, or is there more to that?

Schequita Goldsmith:
Both—authenticity and humanity.
We all go through something in life. Everyone has a story.
That’s actually the title of my fourth book—a journal called “Everyone Has a Story, Write Yours.”
I get to hear other people’s stories and realize I wasn’t alone on my journey. And they realize they’re not alone either.
Scripture says we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. So when I share what God has done for me, it gives them hope.

Lyle Leads:
When you go to these events, do you have the same message every time, or does it change? A lot of people want to go out and speak but aren’t sure how. How does that work in your business?

Schequita Goldsmith:
In most settings, I don’t go as a speaker to a group—I go as a vendor.
I go to a lot of:

Book fairs

Vendor events

Community markets

I’m there to sell my products and services and share my story.
I usually say something like:

“Please check out these amazing books and journals written and published by me.”

That’s my lead-in.
Once I say that, people are often in awe that I’ve written and published nine books. That makes them want to hear my story. They usually ask:

“What inspired you to write your story?”

Then I tell them:

How I started journaling in 2007

How I went through divorce

How I started living a new single life

How I had to ask God hard questions

I tell them my story in a very short time, and they’re often amazed—that’s where connection happens.

Lyle Leads:
That’s great. At the end, we’ll share how people can connect with you.
If a Christian in business feels like God is leading them to write a book, what are three quick tips you’d give them?

Schequita Goldsmith:
If you’re thinking about writing your own book, here are three tips:

Write down what God gives you.
Every time God puts something in your heart or mind related to your story or your book, write it down. Get a journal and capture what you hear God saying for the book.

Ask God about publishing.
Allow God to lead you to a publishing company, or show you if He wants you to self-publish.

Market your own book.
Once your book is published, do your own marketing. You are your best marketer, because people want to hear the story from you.

Those are my three tips.

Lyle Leads:
That’s great. One thing I suggest to authors is creating a book trailer—like a movie trailer but for your book, where you tell the story behind the story.
Have you ever done that?

Schequita Goldsmith:
I’ve never called it a “trailer,” but I have recorded videos sharing my story with my books and uploaded them across my social media platforms.
So technically, I’ve done it—I just called them videos, not trailers.

Lyle Leads:
That works!
When you’re marketing your book, what are you doing? Are you using social media, videos—what else?

Schequita Goldsmith:
Since I have nine books, I use several strategies.
I’m on Amazon, which is one of the biggest platforms. I learned that Jeff Bezos started in his garage with books—it encouraged me that something small can grow if you stick with it.
I’m also on several social media platforms:

YouTube (I have my own channel)

Two Facebook pages (one personal, one business)

Two Instagram accounts (one personal, one for Designs by Schequita)

LinkedIn

Every day—usually twice a day—I:

Post an inspirational video (motivational speaking)

Post a video of my art and creativity

On each platform, I have a different audience, so I post on all of them.

Lyle Leads:
So you have multiple accounts, but how do you balance personal versus business? Are you posting the same things?

Schequita Goldsmith:
Actually, I don’t separate my “personal” from my business.

I am the business.

I believe there isn’t a separation between us and the business. We are the business. We are stewards over who we are and over what God has blessed us with.
God’s Word says, “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
So:

I am the author.

I am the designer.

I am the motivational speaker.

Everything I post is:

Motivational speaking to inspire others

My creativity to inspire others

All of that is part of the business. I don’t really post “social” content—only to engage with people. Otherwise, everything is intentional, connected to my calling and my business.

Lyle Leads:
Some people shy away from social media. Others get lost in it. How do you personally balance your time, especially when you start getting a lot of interaction?

Schequita Goldsmith:
Since I’m the content creator, I limit my time.
I spend about 30 minutes a day on social media across all seven platforms.
Here’s what I do:

I make one video and post the same video on all platforms.

In the morning, I post a motivational or inspirational video.

In the evening, I post a video of my art or creativity.

Each platform has a different audience, but I don’t make seven different videos. I just distribute wisely.
Then I go back, respond to comments, say “thank you,” or, if someone seems to need prayer, I pray immediately.
I don’t get caught up in scrolling. I’m very focused and disciplined.
Starting soon, I’m going to teach a class on YouTube. I’ll start with recorded videos and then move into YouTube Live.

Lyle Leads:
Are you using a scheduling tool, or are you going into each platform manually?

Schequita Goldsmith:
I’m doing it personally.
By God’s grace, I’m:

The photographer

The videographer

The content creator

I record, edit lightly if needed, and upload directly. I thank God for social media, because I’m also able to monetize on some platforms—so it’s worth the effort.

Lyle Leads:
Social media is someone else’s platform. What are you doing to bring people into your business—into your world?

Schequita Goldsmith:
Personally, I see myself as my best marketer.
Every day, I hand out at least 10 business cards.
The earrings are a huge part of that. I told God, “You set me up with these earrings!” They attract attention. Women will say, “I love your earrings,” and I get to say:

“Thank you, I designed them. I’m also an author of nine amazing books and journals.”

Then I hand them my card. That’s where relationship starts—and business starts.
I also:

Keep my products in my car, so I can sell on demand.

Use Square to process payments right away.

I even created a portfolio with photos of my earrings so I can show a quick sampling anywhere. The earrings are the hook God uses to let me minister to women and girls.

Lyle Leads:
That’s smart. I love how you’ve aligned your creativity, your story, and your calling.
As we wrap up, what’s one final tip or word of wisdom you want to leave with our listeners?

Schequita Goldsmith:
I want to leave you with this:

You are enough, just like you are.
You are enough.
God’s grace is sufficient.
Believe God for what He has spoken over your life—and believe in yourself.

Lyle Leads:
Thank you for that. How can someone get in touch with you? What’s the best way to connect?

Schequita Goldsmith:
You can reach me at:
📧 Email: TransformingLives@FreeToDoMeFoundation.com
🌐 Website: FreeToDoMeFoundation.com
On the website, there’s a “Connect” section where you can reach out directly.

Lyle Leads:
Perfect. Thank you so much for being part of our podcast today. I look forward to seeing how many lives are impacted as people hear your story—and as God uses it to help them take their business and their calling to the next level.

Schequita Goldsmith:
Thank you, Lyle, for allowing me to tell my story today.