Today we’d like to introduce you to Coach Selena Smith
Hi Coach Selena, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Coach Selena’s journey to becoming a health consultant and all-around connector of people to information and resources, who profoundly impacts South Carolina’s moms, families, and communities, is rooted in her unwavering dedication and community-oriented spirit. Over the past seven years, she has carved out a legacy of coaching, transforming, inspiring, and empowering. Sharing invaluable parenting insights and strategies that have transformed countless families’ quality of life and helped parents get their students through high school and into college. Her mission transcends simply imparting advice; she instills in every mom she interacts with the unshakable belief that they already possess the inherent qualities necessary to be exceptional people. By empowering them to trust in their abilities, she has nurtured a wave of confidence that improves their parenting skills and enhances their sense of self-worth and fulfillment. These moms and families have secured college acceptance and scholarships for their students because of tips and guidance from Coach Selena and her son. The mom-and-son duo has helped over 1000+ parents and their students get into college and get funding for college, all by giving them the blueprint and encouraging the parents and students to do the work now and reap the reward later.
Through her healthcare consulting, she has assisted over 800+ South Carolina residents in attaining the health insurance they need and deserve. In addition, she is currently lowering the number of South Carolina residents who lost Medicaid. Coach Selena believes that her journey of helping others help themselves comes from her great-great-grandmother (Selena) and great-grandmother (Florence), both of who made sure that no one in the small town of Cross Anchor went hungry, as anyone who came to their house would leave with a meal. They were also confidants and encouragers in their communities.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As most black women entrepreneurs do, I encountered a distinct set of challenges when starting my businesses. Black women frequently lack access to capital or professional networks that can provide valuable guidance, support, and opportunities to connect with potential clients or partners. I needed funding for large-scale marketing and start-up costs. Since I didn’t have corporate funding, I had to depend strictly on building relationships and partnerships, and connecting with the community as a trusted small business, all of which took time and effort. There were many trial-and-error moments until I learned that word of mouth and social media were my best friends when reaching my audience.
Social expectations and cultural stereotypes added another layer of difficulty, often casting doubt on credibility or fostering feelings of self-doubt and imposter syndrome. Furthermore, balancing entrepreneurial ambitions with family responsibilities and societal expectations can be overwhelming; I was sometimes expected to prioritize family gatherings over my professional aspirations. What worked for me was to prioritize what was most important to me each day. I always made sure to be a mom 24/7, 365 days a year, while blending my business priorities into the mix.
Despite these challenges, I showed immense resilience, creativity, and determination in pursuing entrepreneurship. I leveraged my unique perspectives, community ties, and innovative thinking to establish businesses that uplift my family and inspire others. My efforts exemplify the spirit of perseverance, creating successful enterprises that challenge stereotypes and serve as models for future generations. I remind myself everyday that I developed these businesses in my lane of expertise to show my son that he can do the same thing if he chooses to.
We’re big fans of CS Consulting Group and ANP Health SC (RUCoveredSC.org). For our readers who might not be as familiar with the brand, what can you tell them about it?
Selena Smith, known to many as “Coach Selena,” is a nationally licensed and certified community & health equity strategist, health consultant, and community connector. She founded CS Consulting Group because many moms and families in South Carolina were going without the information needed to access the resources they qualified for. She has assisted over 1500+ families in securing healthcare, life skills, and employment resources and helping their students attain acceptance letters & scholarships to attend college. She is the Director at RU Covered SC, A group of Community Health Advocates & Navigators who assist South Carolinians in attaining Affordable Health and Dental Insurance. They help individuals 18-64+ with all areas of health insurance and resources to gain access to healthcare facilities. All of the health advocacy services that RU Covered SC provides are free of cost to their clients. Their goal is to help to insure the 500,000+ uninsured SC residents, while helping them attain the health insurance they deserve. If you were denied or lost SC Medicaid, recently lost health coverage, had a change in income, are unemployed, recently moved, or are receiving disability benefits, visit RUCoveredSC.org.
This summer, Coach Selena soft launched ANP Health, focusing on “Health for All, Prosperity for All.” ANP Health aims to make healthcare accessible, affordable, and equitable for all individuals. They aim to improve health outcomes, enhance financial security, and build healthier communities through advocacy, education, and personalized support. Together, we can create a future where everyone has the opportunity to live the best version of their lives. Coach Selena believes that her purpose is to plant the seeds of success in the lives of everyone she comes into contact with. She takes pride in her ability to provide encouragement, inspiration, and access to information to those (at or below the poverty level) who desperately need and deserve it. She works daily with individuals, women, communities, and businesses within the workshops and facilitation space; she continues to develop and implement programs that focus on making sure that when given an equitable playing field, we all move to the highest levels of stability.
Coach Selena has been successful in helping moms and parents get their students scholarships and admittance into the colleges of their choice through the information she shares on www.linktr.ee/coachselenasaid, Instagram, and TikTok, where she and her son provide a wealth of information from both the parent and student perspective to aid in their journey of completing high school, getting admitted into the college, applying for college scholarships, and going on this college educational journey. With the help of her son, they have reached over 1000+ parents and students. These families accredit CS Consulting with their students successfully getting through high school and college.
We’d love to hear what you think about risk-taking.
Taking risks has been pivotal in my journey to becoming a successful business owner. As a black female entrepreneur, I’ve learned to embrace uncertainty and venture into uncharted territories, leveraging my experiences as a mom, community connector, and advocate for change. By daring to step outside my comfort zone, I’ve been able to seize opportunities that others may have overlooked, propelling my ventures forward whether it’s developing and launching innovative programs to support moms and families, forging strategic partnerships to access vital resources, or advocating for policy reforms to address systemic inequalities regarding health equity. I’ve recognized that progress often requires bold action. Through calculated risks and perseverance, I’ve expanded my business endeavors, I continue to make a meaningful impact in South Carolina, inspiring others to pursue their aspirations fearlessly. Each risk taken has served as a stepping stone towards achieving my goals, reinforcing my resilience and determination to create lasting change in my life, my son’s life, and those I’ve impacted.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.linktr.ee/coachselenasaid
- Instagram: @coachselenasaid
