June 4, 2025 • 35 mins
Ever found yourself fighting against a calling that feels too big, too demanding, too disruptive to your carefully constructed life? Coco Collier knows this tension intimately. After battling uterine cancer and finally settling into a peaceful rhythm, she found herself repeatedly approached by strangers sharing stories of their darkest moments – divine appointments that couldn't be dismissed as coincidence.
"I was throwing a temper tantrum and telling God no, pick anybody but me," Coco confesses with disarming honesty. Yet these encounters only intensified until she surrendered to the vision that would become Illumina of Hope Foundation, a nonprofit creating transformative retreats for women in crisis.
The results have been nothing short of miraculous. From mothers of special needs children who haven't had a break in 15 years to women leaders seeking deeper connections, Lumina's retreats create sacred spaces where walls come down and authentic healing begins. One exhausted mother took four naps in a single day – finally experiencing the rest she desperately needed in a community that understood her struggles.
Coco's approach to ministry is refreshingly practical. She shares her system of "buckets" for managing multiple passions, her practice of reading her body's signals, and her commitment to pushing through what she calls "fear bubbles" – those moments of terror before breakthrough. "Once I pop through that fear bubble, something magnetic happens... it's transformational," she explains, encouraging listeners to embrace bold confidence in divine guidance.
Whether planning mission trips to Guatemala or teaching women to leverage technology for their businesses, Coco embodies her advice: "Being bold brings bountiful blessings." Her journey reminds us that sometimes our greatest impact comes not from our carefully laid plans, but from saying yes when God interrupts them with something better.
Ready to find hope in connection or answer your calling? Follow Coco's work at luminaofhope.com and discover how collaboration with purpose can transform lives, including your own.
CoCo Collier Contact Info
- Email: coco@luminaofhope.com
- Phone: 678-628-8738
- Website: www.luminaofhope.com
- Social Media:
- Instagram: @coco_collier
- Facebook: @cococollier
- TikTok: @cococollier
- LinkedIn: @cococollier
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome to Ready Set.
Collaborate with Wanda Pearson.
This is where ideas spark,connections grow and
collaborations fuse success.
Tune in for inspiring stories,expert insights and
game-changing conversations.
Let's build, connect and thrivetogether.
Remember collaboration is thekey to success.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Hello and welcome to Ready Set Collaborate podcast,
and I'm your host, wanda Pearson.
Today, I'm joined by theincredible Coco Collier, a
powerhouse of purpose, passionand collaboration, whether she's
leading, creating or inspiring.
Coco is all about impact.
Get ready for a powerful anduplifting conversation with my
(00:49):
guest, coco.
Coco.
Say hi to the audience.
Hello everybody.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
So happy to be here.
Thanks for having me, Wanda.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Oh, you are welcome.
I really admire what you'redoing because we're in the same
kind of soul here, because I,like you, know my work is social
work as far as mentoring andwhat you're doing, because we're
in the same kind of soul here,because I, like you, know my
work is social work as far asmentoring and what you're doing.
And we're going to talk moreabout you because I'm going to
read your bio of what you'redoing to help women to have some
kind of outlet to be able toendure their lives too.
I really appreciate you beingon the podcast and some of my
people that haven't been on yourpodcast yet.
(01:20):
I pulled you in first, coco,thank you you.
I pulled you in first, coco,thank you.
It's dear to my heart whatyou're doing.
I really appreciate what you'redoing here.
Let me read your bio.
Coco Kaya is a founder ofIllumina of Help, a hundred
percent volunteer led nonprofitbody empowering women through
retreats, mission trips and reallife encouragements.
(01:41):
She's also a speaker, bookcoach and faith-based motivator
who teaches on topics such as AI.
Thank you for that traininggirl.
You're welcome.
Canva a personal branding andself-publishing.
From launching a nonprofit tobuilding a movement rooted in
hope, coco's mission is to helpwomen rest, connect and thrive
(02:05):
right where they are.
I love this, coco, because itreally tells you.
It gets down to the degree ofwhat you're doing, thank you.
In fact, I think we really needto speak to June, because
you'll be a good speaker at herevent as well.
I'm going to introduce you toher again.
Welcome to the Ready SetCollaborate podcast.
I am so excited to have youhere.
Tell me a little bit more aboutyou before I get into the dive
(02:26):
into the questions that I'mgoing to ask you, something that
I didn't ask you or you told meabout.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Oh man, there's a lot about me, but one thing that
some people don't realize is Iam a preacher's kid and my dad's
dad was a minister as well.
Sometimes I can get a littlebit how do I say?
It sounds like I'm putting outa sermon, when I don't mean to
be putting out a sermon, but itis what it is Just a little bit
about me.
I have two kids.
My daughter is getting ready togo to college this fall my
(02:54):
oldest and then my son is goingto be starting high school, and
I'm in that weird phase.
It's just weird.
Things are weird right now.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
No, that's awesome.
Things are weird right now.
No, that's awesome.
That's awesome.
And you don't even look likeyou have a college student going
to college.
Oh, you're so sweet.
No, that's awesome.
And congratulations to yourdaughter, because I know it's a
lot of graduations going on.
We don't know how our kids aregoing to turn out, and I have
two daughters the same thing,both of them, I said, college is
not an option of not going.
Both of them graduated.
In fact, one of them, she's mygraphic designer, which you see,
(03:22):
my WP Associates logo as wellas my QR code, but she actually
creates the pliers that I sendto people when they do a podcast
.
So she does that.
She's a graphic designer, aswell as her husband Like I said,
you never know what they'regoing to be doing and the other
daughter.
She is actually my interiordesigner.
She also makes my promotionalitems.
(03:43):
It's a family.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
It's a family.
I love it.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Yeah, it's a family affair, but no, this is
interesting.
And really your son, he startedin a journey going to high
school and I know that's a bigstep and he's probably oh, yes,
oh, what do I do, mama?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Yeah, it's new to me, that's for sure.
It's been so many years.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
It's good that your daughter can help him.
That's true.
Let's start with the end ofyour hair.
Let's start with your story.
What led you to work whatyou're doing now?
Oh man.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
There was a few things I actually had.
These conversations startedhappening about December of
about a year and a half ago, Iwant to say, in our community,
in our neighborhood.
And they started when I wouldleave my house.
I'd be at a grocery store or agas station or Barnes and Nobles
down the road and, for whateverreason, some complete stranger,
a woman, would come up to meand we'd just start a
(04:36):
conversation with me and westart talking and the next thing
I know it's 45 minutes to anhour later.
And the common denominator thatI started noticing, this
pattern I started seeing, isthey're sharing about a time in
their lives where theyexperienced hopelessness, the
darkest time in their lives.
And these women their agesranged from as young as 18, as
(04:58):
old as I think 81 was Winifred,this one lady I met at Barnes
and Nobles.
They started occurring here andthere and big pattern right,
and I started feeling like Godwas calling me to start a
nonprofit to help give womenhope and connection.
Because there's one thing I'velearned over time and I'm going
to not sound a little preachyhere, but the devil wants you to
think that you're the only onegoing through what you're going
(05:20):
through and that's simply notthe case.
It's a lie that he tells andshares with women and everyone
Right, and so we got to stopthat.
We got to stop that, and we cando that by giving them spaces
to connect and share theirstories.
They actually know what I'mtalking about.
They're in the same exactsituation as I'm in and he was
starting to point that in mydirection, out that time I had
(05:42):
made some radical lifestylechanges.
I'd finally gotten my life intoa nice, easygoing pace.
I had uterine cancer threeyears ago, diagnosed with all
these autoimmune things as well.
I made radical lifestylechanges, stopped working at law
firms, started working formyself as a consultant,
published a couple books, verycentered, grounded, a lot of
time outdoors.
My life was nice and cushionedfor the first time in forever.
(06:04):
Right, I didn't want to do it.
I was basically throwing atemper tantrum and telling God
no, pick anybody but me.
It sounds like a lot of work.
I don't know anything about anonprofit.
My life is easy right now.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
What are you talking about?
We're in a good place.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
And so he's like that's fine, baby, you just keep
being you, do you boo?
And if anything, it was almostlike a joke because he dialed me
up, and what I mean by that isthe encounters increased, they
doubled or tripled.
They also started happeningwhen I would go on vacation or
work trips and so much so thefinal conversation sold me and
(06:38):
slid me into that final momentwhere I said all right, god, I
give up, I'll do it, I'm all in.
And once I verbally said thatout loud and stopped throwing a
temper tantrum, stopped throwingand stopping my feet the doors
had been opening left and right.
Once I said yes to him andthat's how we started Lumina of
Hope.
I knew there was a Lumina in it,I knew hope needed to be in it
(07:01):
some way somehow, and I knew weneeded to do retreats.
That's what I knew and I ranwith it and I said yes to him.
February 27th of last yearlet's see May, we filed for our
501c3 approval June.
We received it and we've made ahuge impact in the short amount
of time that we've been around.
(07:22):
I joke that we are starting toenter our toddler phase.
We just finished the baby stageand I'm so excited because we
are running.
We went from crawling torunning and that's where we're
at and that's how I startedLumino of Hope Foundation.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
That is.
That's awesome.
And I totally understand whenyou say God said cause, I said
no, I don't look at this.
I ain't planning on doing nopodcast, I'm not writing a book,
but God said yes, you will.
Yes you will.
You can't fight with me.
Actually it's funny you talkabout.
I just told my girlfriend I'mnever writing a book.
One of my clients called me andshe's a minister.
(07:55):
She said, Wanda, God told me tocall you.
I said, OK, what did he say?
He wants you to be in our book,which was Audacity to Shine.
I love the title.
It was 10 of us that did thatbook and that was the first time
I actually started writing.
I was always writing in ajournal or whatever.
But when he says, yes, you will.
And then I got into anothercollaboration book, which is
(08:19):
Impact of One Voice, and thisyoung lady she was from
California, I hear what you'resaying I said I'm never doing
this again.
I know I wrote my book God'sGrace Through the Fire, from
Struggle to Triumph, and now Iam actually writing my fourth
book, which is Forgiveness, andthis is really something.
And actually I'm going to behaving a book, a pre-book launch
, relaunch with my book and thentalking about God's forgiveness
(08:40):
.
I hear you, you about God'sforgiveness.
I hear you.
You can't ignore God.
He's telling you, you just gotto do what you got to do.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
He's got a sense of humor, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Yeah, he does, he does.
I'm like, even speaking, I wasdealing with abuse and somebody
telling you you're not going tobe anything and then to say I am
doing something.
I know God is behind this wholething here.
We are God's child.
(09:10):
He knows what he wants, he usesus.
And then you I can see whypeople come up to you with the
smile that you have, that you'reinviting to people.
I can see that.
So that is awesome.
That's an awesome story.
Let's talk about collaboration.
Collaboration is the key togrowth.
Can you share one meaningfulcollaboration that helped
elevate your purpose?
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Oh, gosh, just one collaboration.
Okay, I'm trying to think ofwhat's the best collaboration,
oh man.
And let me just talk going way,way back the way I've always
viewed the different roles thatI've had throughout my career
and the different jobs that I'vehad.
Just like that workrelationship with your boss,
(09:46):
there's different.
Collab I view as acollaboration.
You're there as a team to worktowards a common goal.
And and everything I know aboutcollaborations comes down to
one leadership role that I hadwith this lady named Jane Perry
when I was in my 20s, early 20s,and she was the HR director and
(10:07):
she showed me and taught me howto work and collaborate with
other team members in a way thatI'd never experienced before
and it's forever been a way thathas blessed me and helped me
pursue the right collaborationsand realizing that not every
team member or collaborations orpartnership is going to be the
(10:29):
right fit, and we have to beokay with that.
We have to figure out what thatlooks like, what's a healthy
collaboration partnership andI've had several throughout the
years and I can't really narrowit down to just one.
I just want to say that, justlike with my relationships,
whether they're work related orfriendship related or whatnot.
(10:50):
I always view everything.
After that moment.
I evaluate how was thatexperience?
Did that help us reach our goal?
Did that help us betterourselves, them myself, et
cetera.
And I tried to decide if itwasn't a good fit, why wasn't
that a good fit?
Did it give you an icky feeling?
And that's how I viewcollaborations and partnerships
(11:11):
and how I pursue them or I don'tpursue them.
And I think, over the journey,my journey, I've really grown
comfortable having uncomfortableconversations and saying you
know what I love what you'redoing, sis, but this just isn't
a good partnership for us rightnow.
That's hard to do, but yeah, Ijust can't.
I don't know, I can't.
Wanda, you put me on the spot.
I don't know if I can narrow itdown to just one in particular
(11:31):
one.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
It's just all these lessons I've working in the
corporate.
I work for corporate.
I learned being a team leader.
I had to collaborate with.
I went to Rio de Janeiro threetimes.
I had to collaborate with themand us here.
I totally understand.
Yeah, that is a hard's.
So much to it.
We at Lumina of Hope we had awomen's leadership retreat last
November and every retreat is sodifferent.
I feel like again.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
I'm always bringing up God, but I feel like he puts
in the room the people he wantsin that room.
And what I love that we sawcome out of that because that
was our very first retreat awaywas that here's a group of 15
women that are game changers intheir community.
None of them, really a coupleof them maybe have heard of each
other, but they weren't closeat all.
(12:28):
We did not have to pushanything.
These relationships were justvery organic.
They connected in ways that Ibetter, ways that I could have
even dreamt for them andimagined for them, and seeing
that happen at the retreat andhow important it was for them to
be with like-minded people, toconnect on this deeper level, we
(12:50):
see them drop their guards aswell and dig a little bit deeper
and build those friendships.
And afterwards what wasbeautiful is that we've been
able to see the actual businessthat's developed organically
from that one moment, that oneretreat.
We've also had a retreat forour mothers that have a child
with special needs, and that wasan entirely different retreat.
(13:12):
We have 15 women attending thatretreat on sponsorships and,
I'm sorry, scholarships, notsponsorships, scholarships and
that was a very differentretreat.
That was a five day four, nightone.
And what we noticed, thispattern is that some again,
women that have a child withspecial needs.
That's the common denominator,that's it All right.
And so for many of them, thesewomen have not been able to have
(13:34):
time away for 15, 20 years ontheir own, because they have
nobody they can leave theirchild with to care for them
comfortably.
For so many of these women,what I heard, they were so
nervous to first of all makethat commitment, so nervous the
day before the day of to get inthe car to drive there.
We don't know anybody here.
What if we don't connect withanybody?
(13:56):
And what was beautiful to see ishow, by that third day again,
people's walls were coming down.
They were opening up theirconversations, their spirit,
what they're feeling, whatthey're going through.
Some of them are seeing somesimilarities to the person, the
woman that they're speaking with.
Right, there's so much restthat happened, healing,
(14:17):
encouragement and the connectionthat needed to give them this
new hope.
They've been running on anempty gas tank for years, but
out of the simple five days andfour nights, that's all they
needed.
It gave them new hope, newpurpose.
One of the women she took fournaps one day.
(14:37):
She's a young mama, has threekids, one of them very much on
the spectrum there.
Four naps in one day that's howtired this mama was, and we had
conversations with so many ofthe women and they feel
invisible, they feel unseen,they feel like they're
misunderstood, they're not heardin their community, they feel
sometimes helpless, and seeingthem connect with other women
(14:59):
who are experiencing the samethings and actually get hope out
of that was absolutelytransformational and it was such
a special moment to see.
So I am a firm believer inthese retreats.
There's some magical, beautifulmoments that come out of it and
I'm so thankful that we're ableto provide what we're able to
provide to these women.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I love it.
That is, you're an angel tothem Providing that, and I love
that.
It's faith-based, theleadership that you provide and
building something bigger thanyou're building, what God and
God.
That's what God picked you todo, what you're doing.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Well, Earl I, he tells me, he reminds me over and
over again.
I don't have to have the wordsbecause, again, I had a speech
problem for many years.
And that's one of my hiccups isbeing nervous I'm going to miss
, I'm not going to say this.
The right thing, right, youdon't have to have the words,
Just like Moses didn't have tohave the words, he had the heart
.
And you have to have the heart.
You have to to a choice, adecision, an action moment, and
(16:08):
that's a pattern in the Bible.
My choice was to show up and ifI show up he tells me, reminds
me time and time again I'll putthe words in your mouth.
I'll put you with the rightpeople and he's doing it.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Yeah, he is and I tell you it's just amazing, like
what you said, what you'redoing and he's blessing it.
He's bringing you the people toactually help you sponsor some
of the retreats that you'rehaving.
I've never heard of this as faras what you're doing for women,
that actually I have a grandsonthat's Take turns.
We go out and babysit in NorthCarolina.
(16:41):
Then they have my son-in-law'smother that babysits them
because she has four kids and Imean the 20 year old was just up
to but he's 15.
That is something that youbecause you all they need a
break and my daughter said mommyyou just don't know her.
She got four.
I said, my God, what the heckwas wrong with you.
I mean I had two like mydaughter here.
She had two.
That was a lot.
I am so proud of you, of whatyou're doing, thank you.
(17:04):
That is awesome.
It's really awesome.
So glad I met you.
Let's talk about Mama's MissionTrips and Miracles bringing
women together across borders,the different borders.
You're going to another country.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Yes, we are going to Guatemala next year in April.
It's so amazing because some ofthe mamas, some of the women
that have attended some of ourcommunity events, this
conversation just popped up atthis one fundraiser one day and
this one lady was like sheactually is faith-based.
She said I go to church and ourchurch does a couple of mission
(17:37):
trips and I want to do amission trip but I don't want to
go build a house.
I've never even been on one.
I don't want to go with a bunchof strangers, I don't know, and
a bunch of men and all thisstuff.
And but I would, I still wantto do it, but I have all these,
these reservations about it.
Next room, 15 minutes later,completely different woman
(17:57):
brings up a conversation ofagain a desire to go on a
mission trip.
I mean I would love it if mydaughter and I could go do a
mission trip together with justus.
And then I'm like, okay, thisis again our God is so dope.
And I think this is a God is sodope moment, because there's a
reason why we're having theseconversations 15 minutes apart,
two different women, twodifferent rooms next to each
other, and I was like why don'twe do it.
(18:18):
Why doesn't Lumino of Hope do amission trip?
I was like, I've been onpersonally many mission trips
right, my daughter as well, andwe are more than capable of
doing this, so why don't we doit?
Why don't we show up?
And so that's what we're doing.
We're showing up and it is amission trip to Guatemala to
serve single mamas and theirchildren.
It's for women only, and ifthey have a daughter and they
(18:40):
want to bring their daughter,they can.
You have to be 13 or older.
There's four young teenagegirls signed up right now.
My oldest will be going thereand leading them as well.
She actually was born inGuatemala and this will be her
first time going back toGuatemala, and so a very
spiritual back to Guatemala, andso a very spiritual, special,
emotional moment for all of us,but super excited we're going to
(19:08):
do.
It's.
The beauty about it being Luminaof Hope's mission trip is we
get to design the things that wewant to do, and we don't have
to go and do that hard laborthat some of the women's bodies
are not ready for, right, babymission trip, first one.
So we get to customize that.
What's beautiful is we're oneday going to spend time putting
water filtrations systemstogether.
Then we'll go to these women'shomes and install them.
(19:29):
So we can do that one day.
And that's not real labor,intensive labor or not, but it's
not just to install.
We're there to minister, tohave conversations with the
mamas, to play with theirchildren, to bless them with
some hygiene products, someclothing as well, and that's
just one day.
Another day we're going to do aVBS Vacation Bible School type
(19:50):
thing for some of the kids atthis compound and that's going
to be an amazing moment.
Another day we're going to do asports camp for kids to come in
and we get to minister to themthat way.
So it's going to reach somedifferent type of kids, right,
maybe do some art stuff, and I'mso excited to see that happen,
and that's in April of next year.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Wow, that is exciting , girl, you're on a roller
coaster here.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
As long as God gives me energy, roller coaster here.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
As long as God gives me energy, I'll do it, I'll go I
am so proud of you that you'redoing that, because a lot of
women need that.
They need that and they don'tthink that they can do it, but
you're giving them hope andthat's why I like the aluminum
of hope that you have as far asyour name here.
So how do you balance ministry,motherhood and managing
multiple projects?
How do you?
Speaker 3 (20:38):
do that.
I've worked really hard atlearning how to balance that.
I will say that I work hard atreading my body, reviewing,
doing almost like a personalscan.
How's Mama Coco doing?
That's what my son's friendscall me, Mama Coco.
How am I doing?
Am I taking time for myself?
Because it's taken me every bitof my 40, some odd years to
(20:59):
learn that I was the last personthat thought I wasn't taking
care of myself.
Because it's taken me every bitof my 40, some odd years to
learn that I was the last personthat thought I wasn't taking
care of myself.
I was taking care of everybodyelse but myself.
So I have to make sure I docheck-ins with myself and
reflections and make sure thatI'm remembering to give myself
some self-care time.
I am very organized and I'vealways been a person who loves
(21:20):
lots of projects, because I'vealways identified myself as a
multi-passionate individual.
So I always have what I callthese buckets of projects,
passion projects, and so mybuckets shuffle around and so I
do good at blocking my time.
I'll block my time and say okayand I'll do the do not disturb.
And this is when I'm going tofocus on this bucket which is
nonprofit related, this bucketwhich is book related, this
(21:43):
bucket which is kids andmanaging the household related
and I work in that system, andif that system starts to break,
I hit the pause.
I do not disturb.
For a couple of days I reset, goout in the woods, do some
hiking, come back with someclarity.
All right, I need to changethings up.
I need to be more restrictiveon who gets to spend that time
(22:04):
with me.
It's not given to just anybody.
I have to be selective and I doit in a nice kind, polite way.
But when everybody wants tohave a piece of you, you start
giving out too many pieces.
There's not going to beanything left of yourself, and
so I'm very selective on who Ispend my time with.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
That's awesome, Because actually that's what my
family told me when I was inChicago.
Wanda, you got to slow down,you got to step back.
I said, but I'm okay.
I said God has shut you down ifyou don't.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
He does have a way to do that, I know what they mean.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Yeah, I had so many of my cousins and my brother.
You need to stop doing this.
You need to stop doing, I said,but this is what God told me to
do as far as that.
So yesterday I was in my PJsall day yesterday because I had
to regroup.
I had to regroup and startworking on the project.
I got a lot of projects I'mworking on, like Saturday, next
Wednesday, I have a, I'm on a TVstation, so there's a lot of
yeah doing that.
I have to say, okay, let me aTV station.
So it's a lot of doing that.
I have to say, okay, let meslow down.
(23:03):
And it's funny that you saythat, because that's actually
what I'm going to be speaking onSaturday.
As far as that yeah, so as faras taking care of yourself,
because you see, and it's timeto say no, no, I do, that's a
big no.
And it took them from one of mygirlfriends.
She said, monda, you, it,that's a big no.
And it took them from one of mygirlfriends.
She said monday you got to learnhow to say no.
I said okay, and then I tell myhusband no, and then I feel bad
(23:26):
and then I do it sometimes yougotta fake it till you make it
and you keep practicing, you get.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
It gets easier, yeah yeah, it really does.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Now what?
Let me ask you something.
So how has your faith shapedyour business and nonprofit
journey?
Speaker 3 (23:45):
It's my faith shaped my business and my non oh man
it's.
It affects everything.
It really does and, just likeyou, you just shared with me how
your family's telling you needto slow down.
You need to slow down, butGod's told you what you need to
do and so, respectfully,sometimes we have to tell other
(24:07):
people, even if it's your familysorry, god's got me on this one
Like I've got that confidencein God that he has me and, and
thankfully, that faith is whatgives me new energy and gives me
purpose.
I joke about it because I hadfriends like how are you going
to do this when you've got yourconsulting business?
I get it that you need to dothis and you want to do it.
And if you say you're going todo it, you're going to do it.
(24:29):
Coco, they know me at thispoint, but they also know that
I've had struggles withautoimmune stuff.
I've had the cancer stuff, thelack of energy things, all this
stuff.
Right, since I said yes to God,what's beautiful and what's
faith is that's a that comes toplay about.
This is, since I said yes tohim, he's given me that 20 year
(24:50):
old energy and if I need,especially while I was launching
Lumina of Hope.
There were times where I workedall weeks, all weekends, because
I was also doing my consultingbusiness.
There's times when he wouldwake me up at 3am and be like
get on your computer, you'regoing to write this stuff,
you're going to send this up,you're going to update the
website, you're going to putthis and that.
(25:10):
And I was fine, which is weird.
He gave me the energy, he gaveme the clarity and he also
teaches me when to hit the pausebutton, how to read my body, my
signals.
Okay, mama, all right, mama,it's time for you to get those
PJs on.
We need to regroup, we need toreset.
All right, downtime.
(25:30):
And then it's two days later.
He's like all right, let's hitthat pause button again and
you're going to hit the play andyou're going to keep going.
You're going to go on a fastforward now, because that's the
energy he gives to me.
So my faith has played a hugerole.
Like our women's leadershipretreat was not necessarily
faith-based.
We're still praying in thesidelines and I still see God
show up and so many.
(25:51):
What I call is like God is sodope moments.
I call is like God is so dopemoments, and that is phenomenal
to see.
How do I explain what a God isso dope moment is?
You could say, okay, what isthe most wildest, strangest
thing?
That's a weird connection thatcomes full circle back to you.
(26:11):
That's a God is so dope moment.
I'm probably over 200 god is sodope moments at this point too
many to keep track of.
That's how he shows up and howmy faith plays in lumina of hope
and in my relationship and mylife that is awesome, I tell you
.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
I love hearing what you're saying.
But now you, you do anotherthing, because you actually came
to a viral woman group andtaught canva and ai personal
branding.
So is that part?
Speaker 3 (26:36):
of your business.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
As far as what do you do in Canva?
Canva is my personal assistant.
I'm sorry, my AI is my personalassistant.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
AI helps me out a lot .
Speaker 2 (26:47):
I tell you when you get stuck.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
You're dusty.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Yeah, yeah, because they know so much about you
already.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
They do.
It's almost scary.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Tell us a little bit about that, and then we're going
to slow it down because I wantto ask you a question.
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
One thing again since I said yes to God on February
27th of last year, one thingthat he has pushed me.
Well, he has pushed me into somany uncomfortable moments in
conversations and pushed me towhat I call is like a fear
bubble.
He's pushed me so much so thatI know that there's something
I'm completely, entirelydreading.
But once I pop through thatfear bubble, make it to the
(27:21):
other side, there's somethingmagnetic that's transformational
, that happens and it's going toleave me for the better good.
It's happened so many times nowthat I don't stay in that fear
bubble.
I push through that fear bubblevery quickly and when it's
something that scares me, Imaybe get scared for only three
seconds versus three months nowbecause I know there's something
(27:43):
really good on the other sideof that the me speaking in front
of everyone for that one event.
That's my second big event thatI spoke at that.
That's a fear bubble moment forme because, again, I had speech
lessons for four and a halfyears as a child.
I'm a preacher's kid.
We were put up on stage early.
I was always a singer.
I always sang and led.
(28:04):
You know, praise and worshipdid the choir thing, harmony
thing, right?
Speaking I rarely ever did, andso that's always something in
my head.
If there's something that'sstill pulling you back, holding
you back, it would be publicspeaking, and that was a huge
moment for me because I'm verypassionate and confident in
(28:26):
Canva, ai, chatgpt, all thatstuff and my whole business is
on how I can help smallbusinesses excel, streamline
their processes.
It's very easy for me.
This is something I've alwaystaught other small businesses to
do and their team of employeesto do.
But I've never been up on stage, I've never had the microphone
in this type of field, and I'mspeaking and I'm teaching.
(28:47):
That was a whole nother level.
There's something beautiful thathe reminds me time and time
again that I just have to showup and let me tell you, I pray.
I pray the hours if you knewthe hours I'm logging praying up
leading up to that speakingevent.
It's ridiculous.
You would think I was dying orsomething, because it's next
level and God does take over.
(29:08):
He shows up, he takes over mybody.
He takes over my words, thewords in my mouth, my body
language.
You know how it's projected.
All of that he takes over,shows up and then it's like I
blink and I'm out of this trancealmost I was like what just
happened?
I just did it, like really Goddid it, he really showed up and
(29:28):
he shows off, and that's what'sbeautiful and that's what I
enjoy about doing things likethat.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Oh, he does Everything that I'm doing, like
I'm speaking on Saturday.
I was like, okay, what do I dohere?
Just like this podcast?
Speaker 3 (29:40):
I didn't think I could do this.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
It was just like oh my God.
I said, this is a-.
Girl, yes I didn't expect to do.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
My phrase for this year and it sounds like it could
be your phrase, or should beyour phrase, or should be your
phrase is being bold bringsbountiful blessings, and that's
my reminder to be bold, becauseI can't be a spokesperson for
Lumen of Hope and the women I'mtrying to serve and help and
connect with if I'm not bold andI'm not brave enough to show up
(30:09):
and start talking.
So, kudos to you for being boldand showing up and doing it.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
Thank you, I love that you got to send me that
phrase.
What advice would you givesomeone who feels called to do
more than where they are?
What to start so?
Speaker 3 (30:25):
yeah, absolutely.
So that's an easy.
It sounds easy.
It was hard, remember?
I threw that temper tantrum formonths.
So my thing is you've got tohave confidence.
You have to have confidence andenough in God that he's got you
.
And here's what's beautiful inthat confidence that means you
don't have to stress, you don'thave to worry, you don't have to
(30:47):
be fearful, because he isfearless, he is limitless.
The only limitations andrestrictions you have in your
life, or you think you have inyour life, are the ones that
society has told you and thatyou've listened to and you've
let the devil tell you about,because he's a God of abundance,
right?
So once you have thatconfidence, you just say yes to
(31:09):
him.
And guess what?
You don't have to worry aboutall of that.
He will literally line thingsup, open the doors that need to
be open and he will close theones that need to be closed.
And you've got to becomfortable and have that
confidence in him.
He's got you.
Let him do it.
Stop stressing about it.
Let him do it.
He'll open those doors and showyou which way to go.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
I love that confidence, confidence.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
Yes, yes, that's a good word.
That's a good word.
I love that.
It is a good word.
That's a good word I love that.
Speaker 2 (31:40):
It is a good word.
I love it.
Yeah, so just for fun.
What's one thing most peopledon't know about coco coyer?
Speaker 3 (31:45):
oh, okay, so I will.
This is kind of I'm.
I am a little bit of a nerd.
I'm actually a big nerd, I'm acloset nerd.
I love sci-fi, dystopianiannovels, things like that.
Videos, movies I grew upwatching Rambo and all these
other stuff.
There's probably that.
And then I'm also a little bitof a tree hugger.
(32:05):
Most people have their photos.
They're scrolling through itand I do have photos of my kids
and my dog and all that stuff,but I have a lot of photos of
trees and mushrooms that justmake my heart happy, okay.
Speaker 2 (32:21):
That is awesome.
Yeah, I love that and I likeRambo, I love Marvel, but I'm
the same way I love those.
I love karate, martial arts, Ilove all those type of movies.
Now my husband I said you wantto go see?
No, I don't want to go see this, but he goes whenever I want to
go see.
No, I want to go see this, buthe goes whenever I want to go.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
But oh, let's go see.
Let's go see movies together wecan be movie buddies exactly.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
I would love that.
I would love that.
So I am so happy that you cameon the show, but tell the
audience how they can get intouch with you, because you got
so much to share and how theycan actually with your
non-profit.
What they can do is for you tohelp your nonprofit.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
The easiest way to learn more about Lumina of Hope
is by going to luminaofhopecom.
You can see about the retreatswe're doing, things in our
community, the mission trip aswell, and learn more about
sponsorship and scholarshipopportunities.
You can also go to our businesspages.
We're on LinkedIn and Facebookand Instagram, but you'll hear a
(33:21):
lot more probably by followingme on social media.
Is Coco Collier justC-O-C-O-C-O-L-L-I-E-R, and I
usually post most of the stuffon my personal account.
I'm very passionate aboutigniting other people's passions
.
That brings me joy.
I want very passionate aboutigniting other people's passions
.
That brings me joy.
I want to see every person,especially a small business, be
(33:41):
successful, and I also ampassionate about helping women
just find some hope in thedarkness, some light in the
darkness, to learn how to bendthat darkness, and that's where
my Godfidence comes into play.
You can find more about me atLumina of Hope or you can go to
cococauliercom either one.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
Hey, all right, this has been a treat here.
Coco, thank you for being hereand sharing your such a powerful
insight.
Your words remind us thatpurpose and partnerships go hand
in hand.
Right yes To everyone,listening, keep showing up, stay
in line and remembercollaboration is the key to
success.
I'm Wanda Pearson and we seeyou next time on the Ready Set
(34:22):
Collaborate podcast.
Also, make sure you all followand, with Coco here, follow her.
I'm going to have it in theshow notes, but follow our
podcast.
I have so many incredibleguests on the show.
Incredible guests on the show.
Thank you again, Coco.
I appreciate it and I'm goingto have you on again because I
want to see the updates on thattrip that you're planning there.
I love it.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
I would love to Thank you Bye, thank you.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (34:45):
That wraps up another episode of Ready Set.
Collaborate with Wanda Pearson.
I hope you found inspirationand valuable insights to help
you build meaningful connectionsand successful collaborations.
If you enjoyed today'sconversation, be sure to
subscribe, share and stay tunedfor more great discussions.
Until next time, keepcollaborating and making an
(35:06):
impact.
Welcome to Ready Set.
Collaborate with Wanda Pearson.
This is where ideas spark,connections grow and
collaborations fuse success.
Tune in for inspiring stories,expert insights and
game-changing conversations.
Let's build, connect and thrivetogether.
Remember collaboration is thekey to success.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Hello and welcome to Ready Set Collaborate podcast,
and I'm your host, wanda Pearson.
Today, I'm joined by theincredible Coco Collier, a
powerhouse of purpose, passionand collaboration, whether she's
leading, creating or inspiring.
Coco is all about impact.
Get ready for a powerful anduplifting conversation with my
(00:49):
guest, coco.
Coco.
Say hi to the audience.
Hello everybody.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
So happy to be here.
Thanks for having me, Wanda.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Oh, you are welcome.
I really admire what you'redoing because we're in the same
kind of soul here, because I,like you, know my work is social
work as far as mentoring andwhat you're doing, because we're
in the same kind of soul here,because I, like you, know my
work is social work as far asmentoring and what you're doing.
And we're going to talk moreabout you because I'm going to
read your bio of what you'redoing to help women to have some
kind of outlet to be able toendure their lives too.
I really appreciate you beingon the podcast and some of my
people that haven't been on yourpodcast yet.
(01:20):
I pulled you in first, coco,thank you you.
I pulled you in first, coco,thank you.
It's dear to my heart whatyou're doing.
I really appreciate what you'redoing here.
Let me read your bio.
Coco Kaya is a founder ofIllumina of Help, a hundred
percent volunteer led nonprofitbody empowering women through
retreats, mission trips and reallife encouragements.
(01:41):
She's also a speaker, bookcoach and faith-based motivator
who teaches on topics such as AI.
Thank you for that traininggirl.
You're welcome.
Canva a personal branding andself-publishing.
From launching a nonprofit tobuilding a movement rooted in
hope, coco's mission is to helpwomen rest, connect and thrive
(02:05):
right where they are.
I love this, coco, because itreally tells you.
It gets down to the degree ofwhat you're doing, thank you.
In fact, I think we really needto speak to June, because
you'll be a good speaker at herevent as well.
I'm going to introduce you toher again.
Welcome to the Ready SetCollaborate podcast.
I am so excited to have youhere.
Tell me a little bit more aboutyou before I get into the dive
(02:26):
into the questions that I'mgoing to ask you, something that
I didn't ask you or you told meabout.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Oh man, there's a lot about me, but one thing that
some people don't realize is Iam a preacher's kid and my dad's
dad was a minister as well.
Sometimes I can get a littlebit how do I say?
It sounds like I'm putting outa sermon, when I don't mean to
be putting out a sermon, but itis what it is Just a little bit
about me.
I have two kids.
My daughter is getting ready togo to college this fall my
(02:54):
oldest and then my son is goingto be starting high school, and
I'm in that weird phase.
It's just weird.
Things are weird right now.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
No, that's awesome.
Things are weird right now.
No, that's awesome.
That's awesome.
And you don't even look likeyou have a college student going
to college.
Oh, you're so sweet.
No, that's awesome.
And congratulations to yourdaughter, because I know it's a
lot of graduations going on.
We don't know how our kids aregoing to turn out, and I have
two daughters the same thing,both of them, I said, college is
not an option of not going.
Both of them graduated.
In fact, one of them, she's mygraphic designer, which you see,
(03:22):
my WP Associates logo as wellas my QR code, but she actually
creates the pliers that I sendto people when they do a podcast
.
So she does that.
She's a graphic designer, aswell as her husband Like I said,
you never know what they'regoing to be doing and the other
daughter.
She is actually my interiordesigner.
She also makes my promotionalitems.
(03:43):
It's a family.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
It's a family.
I love it.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Yeah, it's a family affair, but no, this is
interesting.
And really your son, he startedin a journey going to high
school and I know that's a bigstep and he's probably oh, yes,
oh, what do I do, mama?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Yeah, it's new to me, that's for sure.
It's been so many years.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
It's good that your daughter can help him.
That's true.
Let's start with the end ofyour hair.
Let's start with your story.
What led you to work whatyou're doing now?
Oh man.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
There was a few things I actually had.
These conversations startedhappening about December of
about a year and a half ago, Iwant to say, in our community,
in our neighborhood.
And they started when I wouldleave my house.
I'd be at a grocery store or agas station or Barnes and Nobles
down the road and, for whateverreason, some complete stranger,
a woman, would come up to meand we'd just start a
(04:36):
conversation with me and westart talking and the next thing
I know it's 45 minutes to anhour later.
And the common denominator thatI started noticing, this
pattern I started seeing, isthey're sharing about a time in
their lives where theyexperienced hopelessness, the
darkest time in their lives.
And these women their agesranged from as young as 18, as
(04:58):
old as I think 81 was Winifred,this one lady I met at Barnes
and Nobles.
They started occurring here andthere and big pattern right,
and I started feeling like Godwas calling me to start a
nonprofit to help give womenhope and connection.
Because there's one thing I'velearned over time and I'm going
to not sound a little preachyhere, but the devil wants you to
think that you're the only onegoing through what you're going
(05:20):
through and that's simply notthe case.
It's a lie that he tells andshares with women and everyone
Right, and so we got to stopthat.
We got to stop that, and we cando that by giving them spaces
to connect and share theirstories.
They actually know what I'mtalking about.
They're in the same exactsituation as I'm in and he was
starting to point that in mydirection, out that time I had
(05:42):
made some radical lifestylechanges.
I'd finally gotten my life intoa nice, easygoing pace.
I had uterine cancer threeyears ago, diagnosed with all
these autoimmune things as well.
I made radical lifestylechanges, stopped working at law
firms, started working formyself as a consultant,
published a couple books, verycentered, grounded, a lot of
time outdoors.
My life was nice and cushionedfor the first time in forever.
(06:04):
Right, I didn't want to do it.
I was basically throwing atemper tantrum and telling God
no, pick anybody but me.
It sounds like a lot of work.
I don't know anything about anonprofit.
My life is easy right now.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
What are you talking about?
We're in a good place.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
And so he's like that's fine, baby, you just keep
being you, do you boo?
And if anything, it was almostlike a joke because he dialed me
up, and what I mean by that isthe encounters increased, they
doubled or tripled.
They also started happeningwhen I would go on vacation or
work trips and so much so thefinal conversation sold me and
(06:38):
slid me into that final momentwhere I said all right, god, I
give up, I'll do it, I'm all in.
And once I verbally said thatout loud and stopped throwing a
temper tantrum, stopped throwingand stopping my feet the doors
had been opening left and right.
Once I said yes to him andthat's how we started Lumina of
Hope.
I knew there was a Lumina in it,I knew hope needed to be in it
(07:01):
some way somehow, and I knew weneeded to do retreats.
That's what I knew and I ranwith it and I said yes to him.
February 27th of last yearlet's see May, we filed for our
501c3 approval June.
We received it and we've made ahuge impact in the short amount
of time that we've been around.
(07:22):
I joke that we are starting toenter our toddler phase.
We just finished the baby stageand I'm so excited because we
are running.
We went from crawling torunning and that's where we're
at and that's how I startedLumino of Hope Foundation.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
That is.
That's awesome.
And I totally understand whenyou say God said cause, I said
no, I don't look at this.
I ain't planning on doing nopodcast, I'm not writing a book,
but God said yes, you will.
Yes you will.
You can't fight with me.
Actually it's funny you talkabout.
I just told my girlfriend I'mnever writing a book.
One of my clients called me andshe's a minister.
(07:55):
She said, Wanda, God told me tocall you.
I said, OK, what did he say?
He wants you to be in our book,which was Audacity to Shine.
I love the title.
It was 10 of us that did thatbook and that was the first time
I actually started writing.
I was always writing in ajournal or whatever.
But when he says, yes, you will.
And then I got into anothercollaboration book, which is
(08:19):
Impact of One Voice, and thisyoung lady she was from
California, I hear what you'resaying I said I'm never doing
this again.
I know I wrote my book God'sGrace Through the Fire, from
Struggle to Triumph, and now Iam actually writing my fourth
book, which is Forgiveness, andthis is really something.
And actually I'm going to behaving a book, a pre-book launch
, relaunch with my book and thentalking about God's forgiveness
(08:40):
.
I hear you, you about God'sforgiveness.
I hear you.
You can't ignore God.
He's telling you, you just gotto do what you got to do.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
He's got a sense of humor, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Yeah, he does, he does.
I'm like, even speaking, I wasdealing with abuse and somebody
telling you you're not going tobe anything and then to say I am
doing something.
I know God is behind this wholething here.
We are God's child.
(09:10):
He knows what he wants, he usesus.
And then you I can see whypeople come up to you with the
smile that you have, that you'reinviting to people.
I can see that.
So that is awesome.
That's an awesome story.
Let's talk about collaboration.
Collaboration is the key togrowth.
Can you share one meaningfulcollaboration that helped
elevate your purpose?
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Oh, gosh, just one collaboration.
Okay, I'm trying to think ofwhat's the best collaboration,
oh man.
And let me just talk going way,way back the way I've always
viewed the different roles thatI've had throughout my career
and the different jobs that I'vehad.
Just like that workrelationship with your boss,
(09:46):
there's different.
Collab I view as acollaboration.
You're there as a team to worktowards a common goal.
And and everything I know aboutcollaborations comes down to
one leadership role that I hadwith this lady named Jane Perry
when I was in my 20s, early 20s,and she was the HR director and
(10:07):
she showed me and taught me howto work and collaborate with
other team members in a way thatI'd never experienced before
and it's forever been a way thathas blessed me and helped me
pursue the right collaborationsand realizing that not every
team member or collaborations orpartnership is going to be the
(10:29):
right fit, and we have to beokay with that.
We have to figure out what thatlooks like, what's a healthy
collaboration partnership andI've had several throughout the
years and I can't really narrowit down to just one.
I just want to say that, justlike with my relationships,
whether they're work related orfriendship related or whatnot.
(10:50):
I always view everything.
After that moment.
I evaluate how was thatexperience?
Did that help us reach our goal?
Did that help us betterourselves, them myself, et
cetera.
And I tried to decide if itwasn't a good fit, why wasn't
that a good fit?
Did it give you an icky feeling?
And that's how I viewcollaborations and partnerships
(11:11):
and how I pursue them or I don'tpursue them.
And I think, over the journey,my journey, I've really grown
comfortable having uncomfortableconversations and saying you
know what I love what you'redoing, sis, but this just isn't
a good partnership for us rightnow.
That's hard to do, but yeah, Ijust can't.
I don't know, I can't.
Wanda, you put me on the spot.
I don't know if I can narrow itdown to just one in particular
(11:31):
one.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
It's just all these lessons I've working in the
corporate.
I work for corporate.
I learned being a team leader.
I had to collaborate with.
I went to Rio de Janeiro threetimes.
I had to collaborate with themand us here.
I totally understand.
Yeah, that is a hard's.
So much to it.
We at Lumina of Hope we had awomen's leadership retreat last
November and every retreat is sodifferent.
I feel like again.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
I'm always bringing up God, but I feel like he puts
in the room the people he wantsin that room.
And what I love that we sawcome out of that because that
was our very first retreat awaywas that here's a group of 15
women that are game changers intheir community.
None of them, really a coupleof them maybe have heard of each
other, but they weren't closeat all.
(12:28):
We did not have to pushanything.
These relationships were justvery organic.
They connected in ways that Ibetter, ways that I could have
even dreamt for them andimagined for them, and seeing
that happen at the retreat andhow important it was for them to
be with like-minded people, toconnect on this deeper level, we
(12:50):
see them drop their guards aswell and dig a little bit deeper
and build those friendships.
And afterwards what wasbeautiful is that we've been
able to see the actual businessthat's developed organically
from that one moment, that oneretreat.
We've also had a retreat forour mothers that have a child
with special needs, and that wasan entirely different retreat.
(13:12):
We have 15 women attending thatretreat on sponsorships and,
I'm sorry, scholarships, notsponsorships, scholarships and
that was a very differentretreat.
That was a five day four, nightone.
And what we noticed, thispattern is that some again,
women that have a child withspecial needs.
That's the common denominator,that's it All right.
And so for many of them, thesewomen have not been able to have
(13:34):
time away for 15, 20 years ontheir own, because they have
nobody they can leave theirchild with to care for them
comfortably.
For so many of these women,what I heard, they were so
nervous to first of all makethat commitment, so nervous the
day before the day of to get inthe car to drive there.
We don't know anybody here.
What if we don't connect withanybody?
(13:56):
And what was beautiful to see ishow, by that third day again,
people's walls were coming down.
They were opening up theirconversations, their spirit,
what they're feeling, whatthey're going through.
Some of them are seeing somesimilarities to the person, the
woman that they're speaking with.
Right, there's so much restthat happened, healing,
(14:17):
encouragement and the connectionthat needed to give them this
new hope.
They've been running on anempty gas tank for years, but
out of the simple five days andfour nights, that's all they
needed.
It gave them new hope, newpurpose.
One of the women she took fournaps one day.
(14:37):
She's a young mama, has threekids, one of them very much on
the spectrum there.
Four naps in one day that's howtired this mama was, and we had
conversations with so many ofthe women and they feel
invisible, they feel unseen,they feel like they're
misunderstood, they're not heardin their community, they feel
sometimes helpless, and seeingthem connect with other women
(14:59):
who are experiencing the samethings and actually get hope out
of that was absolutelytransformational and it was such
a special moment to see.
So I am a firm believer inthese retreats.
There's some magical, beautifulmoments that come out of it and
I'm so thankful that we're ableto provide what we're able to
provide to these women.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I love it.
That is, you're an angel tothem Providing that, and I love
that.
It's faith-based, theleadership that you provide and
building something bigger thanyou're building, what God and
God.
That's what God picked you todo, what you're doing.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Well, Earl I, he tells me, he reminds me over and
over again.
I don't have to have the wordsbecause, again, I had a speech
problem for many years.
And that's one of my hiccups isbeing nervous I'm going to miss
, I'm not going to say this.
The right thing, right, youdon't have to have the words,
Just like Moses didn't have tohave the words, he had the heart
.
And you have to have the heart.
You have to to a choice, adecision, an action moment, and
(16:08):
that's a pattern in the Bible.
My choice was to show up and ifI show up he tells me, reminds
me time and time again I'll putthe words in your mouth.
I'll put you with the rightpeople and he's doing it.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Yeah, he is and I tell you it's just amazing, like
what you said, what you'redoing and he's blessing it.
He's bringing you the people toactually help you sponsor some
of the retreats that you'rehaving.
I've never heard of this as faras what you're doing for women,
that actually I have a grandsonthat's Take turns.
We go out and babysit in NorthCarolina.
(16:41):
Then they have my son-in-law'smother that babysits them
because she has four kids and Imean the 20 year old was just up
to but he's 15.
That is something that youbecause you all they need a
break and my daughter said mommyyou just don't know her.
She got four.
I said, my God, what the heckwas wrong with you.
I mean I had two like mydaughter here.
She had two.
That was a lot.
I am so proud of you, of whatyou're doing, thank you.
(17:04):
That is awesome.
It's really awesome.
So glad I met you.
Let's talk about Mama's MissionTrips and Miracles bringing
women together across borders,the different borders.
You're going to another country.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Yes, we are going to Guatemala next year in April.
It's so amazing because some ofthe mamas, some of the women
that have attended some of ourcommunity events, this
conversation just popped up atthis one fundraiser one day and
this one lady was like sheactually is faith-based.
She said I go to church and ourchurch does a couple of mission
(17:37):
trips and I want to do amission trip but I don't want to
go build a house.
I've never even been on one.
I don't want to go with a bunchof strangers, I don't know, and
a bunch of men and all thisstuff.
And but I would, I still wantto do it, but I have all these,
these reservations about it.
Next room, 15 minutes later,completely different woman
(17:57):
brings up a conversation ofagain a desire to go on a
mission trip.
I mean I would love it if mydaughter and I could go do a
mission trip together with justus.
And then I'm like, okay, thisis again our God is so dope.
And I think this is a God is sodope moment, because there's a
reason why we're having theseconversations 15 minutes apart,
two different women, twodifferent rooms next to each
other, and I was like why don'twe do it.
(18:18):
Why doesn't Lumino of Hope do amission trip?
I was like, I've been onpersonally many mission trips
right, my daughter as well, andwe are more than capable of
doing this, so why don't we doit?
Why don't we show up?
And so that's what we're doing.
We're showing up and it is amission trip to Guatemala to
serve single mamas and theirchildren.
It's for women only, and ifthey have a daughter and they
(18:40):
want to bring their daughter,they can.
You have to be 13 or older.
There's four young teenagegirls signed up right now.
My oldest will be going thereand leading them as well.
She actually was born inGuatemala and this will be her
first time going back toGuatemala, and so a very
spiritual back to Guatemala, andso a very spiritual, special,
emotional moment for all of us,but super excited we're going to
(19:08):
do.
It's.
The beauty about it being Luminaof Hope's mission trip is we
get to design the things that wewant to do, and we don't have
to go and do that hard laborthat some of the women's bodies
are not ready for, right, babymission trip, first one.
So we get to customize that.
What's beautiful is we're oneday going to spend time putting
water filtrations systemstogether.
Then we'll go to these women'shomes and install them.
(19:29):
So we can do that one day.
And that's not real labor,intensive labor or not, but it's
not just to install.
We're there to minister, tohave conversations with the
mamas, to play with theirchildren, to bless them with
some hygiene products, someclothing as well, and that's
just one day.
Another day we're going to do aVBS Vacation Bible School type
(19:50):
thing for some of the kids atthis compound and that's going
to be an amazing moment.
Another day we're going to do asports camp for kids to come in
and we get to minister to themthat way.
So it's going to reach somedifferent type of kids, right,
maybe do some art stuff, and I'mso excited to see that happen,
and that's in April of next year.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Wow, that is exciting , girl, you're on a roller
coaster here.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
As long as God gives me energy, roller coaster here.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
As long as God gives me energy, I'll do it, I'll go I
am so proud of you that you'redoing that, because a lot of
women need that.
They need that and they don'tthink that they can do it, but
you're giving them hope andthat's why I like the aluminum
of hope that you have as far asyour name here.
So how do you balance ministry,motherhood and managing
multiple projects?
How do you?
Speaker 3 (20:38):
do that.
I've worked really hard atlearning how to balance that.
I will say that I work hard atreading my body, reviewing,
doing almost like a personalscan.
How's Mama Coco doing?
That's what my son's friendscall me, Mama Coco.
How am I doing?
Am I taking time for myself?
Because it's taken me every bitof my 40, some odd years to
(20:59):
learn that I was the last personthat thought I wasn't taking
care of myself.
Because it's taken me every bitof my 40, some odd years to
learn that I was the last personthat thought I wasn't taking
care of myself.
I was taking care of everybodyelse but myself.
So I have to make sure I docheck-ins with myself and
reflections and make sure thatI'm remembering to give myself
some self-care time.
I am very organized and I'vealways been a person who loves
(21:20):
lots of projects, because I'vealways identified myself as a
multi-passionate individual.
So I always have what I callthese buckets of projects,
passion projects, and so mybuckets shuffle around and so I
do good at blocking my time.
I'll block my time and say okayand I'll do the do not disturb.
And this is when I'm going tofocus on this bucket which is
nonprofit related, this bucketwhich is book related, this
(21:43):
bucket which is kids andmanaging the household related
and I work in that system, andif that system starts to break,
I hit the pause.
I do not disturb.
For a couple of days I reset, goout in the woods, do some
hiking, come back with someclarity.
All right, I need to changethings up.
I need to be more restrictiveon who gets to spend that time
(22:04):
with me.
It's not given to just anybody.
I have to be selective and I doit in a nice kind, polite way.
But when everybody wants tohave a piece of you, you start
giving out too many pieces.
There's not going to beanything left of yourself, and
so I'm very selective on who Ispend my time with.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
That's awesome, Because actually that's what my
family told me when I was inChicago.
Wanda, you got to slow down,you got to step back.
I said, but I'm okay.
I said God has shut you down ifyou don't.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
He does have a way to do that, I know what they mean.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Yeah, I had so many of my cousins and my brother.
You need to stop doing this.
You need to stop doing, I said,but this is what God told me to
do as far as that.
So yesterday I was in my PJsall day yesterday because I had
to regroup.
I had to regroup and startworking on the project.
I got a lot of projects I'mworking on, like Saturday, next
Wednesday, I have a, I'm on a TVstation, so there's a lot of
yeah doing that.
I have to say, okay, let me aTV station.
So it's a lot of doing that.
I have to say, okay, let meslow down.
(23:03):
And it's funny that you saythat, because that's actually
what I'm going to be speaking onSaturday.
As far as that yeah, so as faras taking care of yourself,
because you see, and it's timeto say no, no, I do, that's a
big no.
And it took them from one of mygirlfriends.
She said, monda, you, it,that's a big no.
And it took them from one of mygirlfriends.
She said monday you got to learnhow to say no.
I said okay, and then I tell myhusband no, and then I feel bad
(23:26):
and then I do it sometimes yougotta fake it till you make it
and you keep practicing, you get.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
It gets easier, yeah yeah, it really does.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Now what?
Let me ask you something.
So how has your faith shapedyour business and nonprofit
journey?
Speaker 3 (23:45):
It's my faith shaped my business and my non oh man
it's.
It affects everything.
It really does and, just likeyou, you just shared with me how
your family's telling you needto slow down.
You need to slow down, butGod's told you what you need to
do and so, respectfully,sometimes we have to tell other
(24:07):
people, even if it's your familysorry, god's got me on this one
Like I've got that confidencein God that he has me and, and
thankfully, that faith is whatgives me new energy and gives me
purpose.
I joke about it because I hadfriends like how are you going
to do this when you've got yourconsulting business?
I get it that you need to dothis and you want to do it.
And if you say you're going todo it, you're going to do it.
(24:29):
Coco, they know me at thispoint, but they also know that
I've had struggles withautoimmune stuff.
I've had the cancer stuff, thelack of energy things, all this
stuff.
Right, since I said yes to God,what's beautiful and what's
faith is that's a that comes toplay about.
This is, since I said yes tohim, he's given me that 20 year
(24:50):
old energy and if I need,especially while I was launching
Lumina of Hope.
There were times where I workedall weeks, all weekends, because
I was also doing my consultingbusiness.
There's times when he wouldwake me up at 3am and be like
get on your computer, you'regoing to write this stuff,
you're going to send this up,you're going to update the
website, you're going to putthis and that.
(25:10):
And I was fine, which is weird.
He gave me the energy, he gaveme the clarity and he also
teaches me when to hit the pausebutton, how to read my body, my
signals.
Okay, mama, all right, mama,it's time for you to get those
PJs on.
We need to regroup, we need toreset.
All right, downtime.
(25:30):
And then it's two days later.
He's like all right, let's hitthat pause button again and
you're going to hit the play andyou're going to keep going.
You're going to go on a fastforward now, because that's the
energy he gives to me.
So my faith has played a hugerole.
Like our women's leadershipretreat was not necessarily
faith-based.
We're still praying in thesidelines and I still see God
show up and so many.
(25:51):
What I call is like God is sodope moments.
I call is like God is so dopemoments, and that is phenomenal
to see.
How do I explain what a God isso dope moment is?
You could say, okay, what isthe most wildest, strangest
thing?
That's a weird connection thatcomes full circle back to you.
(26:11):
That's a God is so dope moment.
I'm probably over 200 god is sodope moments at this point too
many to keep track of.
That's how he shows up and howmy faith plays in lumina of hope
and in my relationship and mylife that is awesome, I tell you
.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
I love hearing what you're saying.
But now you, you do anotherthing, because you actually came
to a viral woman group andtaught canva and ai personal
branding.
So is that part?
Speaker 3 (26:36):
of your business.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
As far as what do you do in Canva?
Canva is my personal assistant.
I'm sorry, my AI is my personalassistant.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
AI helps me out a lot .
Speaker 2 (26:47):
I tell you when you get stuck.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
You're dusty.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Yeah, yeah, because they know so much about you
already.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
They do.
It's almost scary.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Tell us a little bit about that, and then we're going
to slow it down because I wantto ask you a question.
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
One thing again since I said yes to God on February
27th of last year, one thingthat he has pushed me.
Well, he has pushed me into somany uncomfortable moments in
conversations and pushed me towhat I call is like a fear
bubble.
He's pushed me so much so thatI know that there's something
I'm completely, entirelydreading.
But once I pop through thatfear bubble, make it to the
(27:21):
other side, there's somethingmagnetic that's transformational
, that happens and it's going toleave me for the better good.
It's happened so many times nowthat I don't stay in that fear
bubble.
I push through that fear bubblevery quickly and when it's
something that scares me, Imaybe get scared for only three
seconds versus three months nowbecause I know there's something
(27:43):
really good on the other sideof that the me speaking in front
of everyone for that one event.
That's my second big event thatI spoke at that.
That's a fear bubble moment forme because, again, I had speech
lessons for four and a halfyears as a child.
I'm a preacher's kid.
We were put up on stage early.
I was always a singer.
I always sang and led.
(28:04):
You know, praise and worshipdid the choir thing, harmony
thing, right?
Speaking I rarely ever did, andso that's always something in
my head.
If there's something that'sstill pulling you back, holding
you back, it would be publicspeaking, and that was a huge
moment for me because I'm verypassionate and confident in
(28:26):
Canva, ai, chatgpt, all thatstuff and my whole business is
on how I can help smallbusinesses excel, streamline
their processes.
It's very easy for me.
This is something I've alwaystaught other small businesses to
do and their team of employeesto do.
But I've never been up on stage, I've never had the microphone
in this type of field, and I'mspeaking and I'm teaching.
(28:47):
That was a whole nother level.
There's something beautiful thathe reminds me time and time
again that I just have to showup and let me tell you, I pray.
I pray the hours if you knewthe hours I'm logging praying up
leading up to that speakingevent.
It's ridiculous.
You would think I was dying orsomething, because it's next
level and God does take over.
(29:08):
He shows up, he takes over mybody.
He takes over my words, thewords in my mouth, my body
language.
You know how it's projected.
All of that he takes over,shows up and then it's like I
blink and I'm out of this trancealmost I was like what just
happened?
I just did it, like really Goddid it, he really showed up and
(29:28):
he shows off, and that's what'sbeautiful and that's what I
enjoy about doing things likethat.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Oh, he does Everything that I'm doing, like
I'm speaking on Saturday.
I was like, okay, what do I dohere?
Just like this podcast?
Speaker 3 (29:40):
I didn't think I could do this.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
It was just like oh my God.
I said, this is a-.
Girl, yes I didn't expect to do.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
My phrase for this year and it sounds like it could
be your phrase, or should beyour phrase, or should be your
phrase is being bold bringsbountiful blessings, and that's
my reminder to be bold, becauseI can't be a spokesperson for
Lumen of Hope and the women I'mtrying to serve and help and
connect with if I'm not bold andI'm not brave enough to show up
(30:09):
and start talking.
So, kudos to you for being boldand showing up and doing it.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
Thank you, I love that you got to send me that
phrase.
What advice would you givesomeone who feels called to do
more than where they are?
What to start so?
Speaker 3 (30:25):
yeah, absolutely.
So that's an easy.
It sounds easy.
It was hard, remember?
I threw that temper tantrum formonths.
So my thing is you've got tohave confidence.
You have to have confidence andenough in God that he's got you
.
And here's what's beautiful inthat confidence that means you
don't have to stress, you don'thave to worry, you don't have to
(30:47):
be fearful, because he isfearless, he is limitless.
The only limitations andrestrictions you have in your
life, or you think you have inyour life, are the ones that
society has told you and thatyou've listened to and you've
let the devil tell you about,because he's a God of abundance,
right?
So once you have thatconfidence, you just say yes to
(31:09):
him.
And guess what?
You don't have to worry aboutall of that.
He will literally line thingsup, open the doors that need to
be open and he will close theones that need to be closed.
And you've got to becomfortable and have that
confidence in him.
He's got you.
Let him do it.
Stop stressing about it.
Let him do it.
He'll open those doors and showyou which way to go.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
I love that confidence, confidence.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
Yes, yes, that's a good word.
That's a good word.
I love that.
It is a good word.
That's a good word I love that.
Speaker 2 (31:40):
It is a good word.
I love it.
Yeah, so just for fun.
What's one thing most peopledon't know about coco coyer?
Speaker 3 (31:45):
oh, okay, so I will.
This is kind of I'm.
I am a little bit of a nerd.
I'm actually a big nerd, I'm acloset nerd.
I love sci-fi, dystopianiannovels, things like that.
Videos, movies I grew upwatching Rambo and all these
other stuff.
There's probably that.
And then I'm also a little bitof a tree hugger.
(32:05):
Most people have their photos.
They're scrolling through itand I do have photos of my kids
and my dog and all that stuff,but I have a lot of photos of
trees and mushrooms that justmake my heart happy, okay.
Speaker 2 (32:21):
That is awesome.
Yeah, I love that and I likeRambo, I love Marvel, but I'm
the same way I love those.
I love karate, martial arts, Ilove all those type of movies.
Now my husband I said you wantto go see?
No, I don't want to go see this, but he goes whenever I want to
go see.
No, I want to go see this, buthe goes whenever I want to go.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
But oh, let's go see.
Let's go see movies together wecan be movie buddies exactly.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
I would love that.
I would love that.
So I am so happy that you cameon the show, but tell the
audience how they can get intouch with you, because you got
so much to share and how theycan actually with your
non-profit.
What they can do is for you tohelp your nonprofit.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
The easiest way to learn more about Lumina of Hope
is by going to luminaofhopecom.
You can see about the retreatswe're doing, things in our
community, the mission trip aswell, and learn more about
sponsorship and scholarshipopportunities.
You can also go to our businesspages.
We're on LinkedIn and Facebookand Instagram, but you'll hear a
(33:21):
lot more probably by followingme on social media.
Is Coco Collier justC-O-C-O-C-O-L-L-I-E-R, and I
usually post most of the stuffon my personal account.
I'm very passionate aboutigniting other people's passions
.
That brings me joy.
I want very passionate aboutigniting other people's passions
.
That brings me joy.
I want to see every person,especially a small business, be
(33:41):
successful, and I also ampassionate about helping women
just find some hope in thedarkness, some light in the
darkness, to learn how to bendthat darkness, and that's where
my Godfidence comes into play.
You can find more about me atLumina of Hope or you can go to
cococauliercom either one.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
Hey, all right, this has been a treat here.
Coco, thank you for being hereand sharing your such a powerful
insight.
Your words remind us thatpurpose and partnerships go hand
in hand.
Right yes To everyone,listening, keep showing up, stay
in line and remembercollaboration is the key to
success.
I'm Wanda Pearson and we seeyou next time on the Ready Set
(34:22):
Collaborate podcast.
Also, make sure you all followand, with Coco here, follow her.
I'm going to have it in theshow notes, but follow our
podcast.
I have so many incredibleguests on the show.
Incredible guests on the show.
Thank you again, Coco.
I appreciate it and I'm goingto have you on again because I
want to see the updates on thattrip that you're planning there.
I love it.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
I would love to Thank you Bye, thank you.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (34:45):
That wraps up another episode of Ready Set.
Collaborate with Wanda Pearson.
I hope you found inspirationand valuable insights to help
you build meaningful connectionsand successful collaborations.
If you enjoyed today'sconversation, be sure to
subscribe, share and stay tunedfor more great discussions.
Until next time, keepcollaborating and making an
(35:06):
impact.
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