Daily Inspiration: Meet Schemeka Bowrin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Schemeka Bowrin. 

Hi Schemeka, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Washington DC and for most of my childhood, I was raised in Maryland and St. Thomas USVI. My parents are West Indian, and my mom has always taught me to embrace my Caribbean roots. I had an amazing childhood! I spent just about every other summer on the islands. As a kid, I don’t think that I appreciated that as much as I do now. Lol. 

When we moved to St. Thomas, I was twelve years old and just as we were getting adjusted to a new life, I received news that my sister had gotten sick. A few months later, she passed away. I remember flying back to the states feeling like this lost little girl with no direction. It was like an out-of-body experience, I felt stuck; stuck between the reality that my sister died and the fact that she was just a kid. I will never forget that moment, watching as they lowered my sister’s body into the ground. It was one of the most difficult things to date that I have had to process. 

I grew up with a single mom and she has and is a true inspiration to me. (*wink Hey Mommy!) I watched her navigate the entrepreneurial journey beautifully. I admired it so much that it deepened my desire to become an entrepreneur. 

I’m a single mommy to seven amazing children. I have one son, he’s my oldest, and six daughters. People always get big cartoon eyes when I share that. Lol. I was a young mom, and we all know that parenting doesn’t come with a handbook. At the beginning of my motherhood journey, I dropped the ball majorly. I think I’m mature enough to admit that I was a horrible mom, I had some toxic behavior. I was emotionally absent and negligent. I showed up but I wasn’t present. I felt like I was defining motherhood, but in hindsight, there are various meanings behind the title. 

I battled with this for years, and finally, after every attempt to fix it myself. I felt like God was saying to me, “Let Me in.” And I did. It was true surrendering to Jesus that saved my relationship with myself and my children. I was able to see myself, my true self and when I looked at my reflection, I didn’t like the person that was looking back at me. I knew that I needed to change. I decided to put God first and to love myself from every angle unapologetically. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not! But every part of the journey is worth it. 

Becoming your own boss has its own struggles. When you incorporate being a single mom, having a million ideas, and feeling like there is never enough time in a day, it can take a toll on your mental and emotional wellness. Honestly, I didn’t think that I could curate a business and a safe space for moms to really be able to talk about the truths of motherhood. I overly doubted that there was a possibility of recovering from being a toxic parent. 

I wanted to teach other moms to genuinely believe that there is identity outside of motherhood. But how do you share that so others can embrace it without sounding like you hate motherhood? 

I was determined to change that narrative. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in people. I’m very much Pro-Woman but I don’t consider myself a feminist. I have a passion for women and mothers to become healed and restored and to embrace the beauty of their journey. I’m a certified Life Coach and Consultant. I coach moms that are transitioning to single motherhood and help them develop a plan to amicably co-parent and to establish a healthy rhythm for themselves and their families. I coach moms recovering from toxic parenting, I coach moms that are post-abortive and need help with their next steps. I also mentor young women between the ages of 25 and 35; this consists of building a firm foundation in Christ and working on their personal development and life goals. 

I have a luxury skincare line that is an Artisan Brand. I create skincare experiences for my clients. I also customize boxed experiences with my products. I want people to feel good when they use my products because I felt good as I was handcrafting them. 

I’m set apart from others because this is not just about making money, it’s about allowing women to embrace the feel goods of life with my products. 

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I do view myself as a risk-taker. When the pandemic first hit, I found myself in this dark place. I was secretly battling loneliness and just being overwhelmed with being a mom, a woman, and still having to work outside of my home, which was scary. Adjusting to what was becoming our new normal. Therapy sessions were being held virtually. I had no sense of balance. 

I always wanted to create my own skincare line, but I lacked the faith to leap. One day I was at home after having ordered all my products, oils, containers, and tools. I finally did it, I made my first batch and I felt good about it. Then I found myself waking up early to create. Then I thought what if I could create experiences for people? The more I created the better I began to feel, and I began coming out of that dark pit. I was also introduced to true sisterhood through a virtual ministry called Wives in Waiting-A Deliverance Ministry; a community where I was allowed to reconcile my relationship with God, feel safe, establish a healthy community, and be delivered from past bondage. Through this ministry, I was able to confront some ugly truths, and gain mentorship. I’m committed to serving in this ministry by serving as the DMV Sister Circle Leader, where we meet monthly, let our hair down, and do life together. 

I now walk in freedom, and I help some other women walk in freedom as well! 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://bio.site/schemekab
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/schemekab
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/schemekabconsulting
• Other: https://www.amazon.com/Labor-Love-Recovery-Toxic-Parenting