Life and Work with Ramina Wilkerson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ramina Wilkerson.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up in Baghdad, Iraq, life challenges were a frequent occurrence. I have lived through numerous wars, escaped several execution attempts by the Iraqi government, sought refuge in four different countries and was rejected by each one, all before the age of fifteen; the age at which we were finally allowed into America.

My family and I faced persecution in Iraq for our faith and being missionaries, as well as for working alongside American organizations such as the United Nations, Red Cross, and UNICEF. These experiences gave me a rich background full of obstacles, persecution, and overcoming. When I first came to America, I focused on learning the culture, adapting to life here, as well as pursuing my education. I worked through college and was able to acquire a job at a custom electronics company, where I worked my way up from an administrative assistant to the human resource manager and operations manager.

With a satisfying career that provided a lucrative salary, marrying my best friend, and having had two beautiful daughters, I was living the American dream. But, despite all of that, I always knew something was missing. I knew that everything I had been through in my past could not be wasted. There was more to my potential and my purpose and I needed to find it. I needed to use my past to make a difference somehow. So, I left my corporate career behind and embarked on a new journey I knew very little about. At first, I had no plan but I knew my purpose, and that was to help people. I knew I wanted to be a motivational speaker and life coach, having had the opportunity to work with both during my corporate years and experiencing the positive changes they helped to cultivate. So, I built my website and made some cold calls. Eventually, small talks here and there led to speaking engagements that lead to numerous opportunities that continue to grow.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all. Nothing worth having comes easy. The first struggle was knowing my life was designed for a bigger purpose and embracing that purpose by taking a huge leap of faith and resigning from my career to embark on a new journey. That took courage as I was overwhelmed with fear of the unknown. Learning to network and make connections is a challenge, especially for a newbie who has never attended a networking group before. Learning to sell myself to strangers and plan cold calls was a struggle for me as I’m not gifted with a sales personality, especially selling myself and learning to not take the word “no” and rejection personal. I had to learn how to read people’s motives. Some wanted a genuine connection that would benefit both parties, others sought the connection to sell me something. It has been a unique experience because it forced me to be smarter about my time and effort. It forced me to learn to say no to certain meetings and connections, an exhilarating and freeing feeling.

My advice for young women is to never look at setbacks as failures but to see them as stepping stones to gain experience and lessons for the next step ahead. It’s a challenge to not feel defeated when we face rejection, but part of personal growth is analyzing that feeling and learning from it instead of allowing it to burn within us. It’s okay to make mistakes as long as you learn from them. Never be afraid to go after what you want and don’t let others guilt you into anything you are not comfortable doing or wanting. You are following your dream and fulfilling your purpose, so it’s on you to make the smart decisions on what’s best for you and your business. No matter how strong peer pressure is, as long as you’re pursuing your vision, you can’t be rocked. Never compare your success to the success of others, it’s unproductive and it’s not fair to you or your business. Focus on where you are today and where you would like to be tomorrow.

Please tell us about Possibilities Beyond Limitations.
I am a motivational speaker and a life coach. My passion is to work with people of all ages. I enjoy speaking to groups of all sizes whether its businesses, churches, or conferences. I use my story and my background to help motivate and encourage people to see possibilities beyond their limitations. I also enjoy working with individuals one-on-one to help them achieve their goals and coach them to live the best version of themselves. In addition, I am a blogger and an author. I am known for my story and have traveled to several states across the country to share my story and use it to help others.

Were there people and/or experiences you had in your childhood that you feel laid the foundation for your success?
Absolutely! From a young age, I faced war with missiles exploding right outside my house. I lived two years straight without electricity and only one hour of water per day. I have survived with limited food and had to eat our neighbors’ leftovers for several weeks in order to live. I learned several languages and adapted to many different cultures as I sought refuge in different countries. I escaped attempted executions several times before I was rescued in the middle of the night by the United States military along with my family. Having all those experiences has taught me to appreciate what I have today and to never take what I have for granted. I have also learned to never settle. I have been presented with an incredible opportunity, a second chance, and I never want to waste that opportunity as many have lost their lives seeking the opportunity I have been blessed with. I have also learned to trust God in every way as he was always faithful and delivered us every single time we counted on him.

My past has shaped who I am today and has provided me with an opportunity to help encourage and build others. My life experiences were full of lessons, teaching me resilience and adaptability to each obstacle I am faced with.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.raminawilkerson.com
• Phone: 720-481-9273
• Email: ramina@raminawilkerson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ramina_wilkerson/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ramina-Wilkerson-1427392830676165/
• Other: https://raminawilkerson.com/blog/

Image Credit:
Jolene Wood

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