Meet Erika Gilchrist of Women Thriving Fearlessly in South Holland

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika Gilchrist.

Erika, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have overcome unimaginable circumstances – childhood sexual molestation, homelessness, and domestic violence. I began a downward spiral of mistrust, defensiveness, and complete sadness. As the years progressed, I claimed an identity that I believed to be the one I was supposed to have and yet, felt utterly inauthentic.

I became a CHRONIC PEOPLE PLEASER and often times the things that I needed to do for myself fell by the wayside. That forced me to work harder, for less money, and I became completely overwhelmed. I recall being curled up in a corner on the floor feeling the worst emotional pain that I had ever experienced and made the decision to end my life. Then, I heard a voice so clearly that I thought there was someone else in the room. It sternly said, ‘Erika, you’re better than this. Get up!’ The only word I can think of that could describe how I felt after standing to my feet was “UNSTOPPABLE.” And in that moment, The Unstoppable Woman was born.”

I began building a strong power circle of people who had a genuine desire to see me succeed. This required years of networking and filtering the authentic from the fake. I also made a point to show up for those who showed up for me. I took a deep dive into business classes, workshops, and conferences to sharpen my skill set as a business owner, implementing the strategies that I learned and slowly but surely by business began to grow. I sacrificed luxuries and reinvested in my business to grow my brand. I’m now an influential, financially secure, and emotionally sound woman who thrives fearlessly.

I’ve been speaking professionally for 18 years, traveling the world delivering powerful messages of hope, courage, and action. I’m a published author of 10 books and is currently publishing the stories of other women. My vision is to create a grass roots revolution of unstoppable women, which brought me to create a series of events appropriately named Women Thriving Fearlessly! This is how I can impact the lives of women on a very personal level.

Ms. Gilchrist’s amazing story has captured media attention and she was featured on CLTV, Rolling Out Magazine, Chicago Woman Magazine, and she was named one of the “15 Most Powerful Women on the South Side of Chicago.”

Has it been a smooth road?
Not at all smooth! But having a smooth road doesn’t build character – it doesn’t stretch you beyond your familiarity. Many of my struggles were directly related to my environment during my formative years. I didn’t grow up around people of influence, so I didn’t have the network to move me forward quickly.

Financial woes played a huge part in the turtle’s crawl of building my business. Even my mindset about money came from a place of lack, so it’s no wonder why I found myself in “hustle mode” all of the time.

Another big challenge was keeping up with industry changes. Just when I thought that I had a handle on what’s new, it was on its way out and I found myself “chasing the sunset (TM).”

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Women Thriving Fearlessly!™ is a brand created by Erika Gilchrist after hosting women’s events for over 15 years. It began as an online T.V. talk show where she interviewed numerous successful people including Grammy Award-Winners, and Emmy Winners.

The brand spread like wildfire because of its acronym, W.T.F., and quickly caught the attention of women all over Chicagoland. The brand is now the signature name of the three (3) entities we use to empower women:

Live Events – We host 3 to 5 events each year, focusing on 3 key areas: Networking, Educating, and Celebrating Women.

Book Publishing – We publish the life stories of women in a collaborative book designed to self heal the author, and empower the lives of those who read it. We then teach the new authors how to use their book to distribute their message to build their business [if applicable], gain media exposure, and generate revenue. Our goal is to build our resource library to more than 50 books.

Online Talk Show – We travel across the Chicagoland area to interview prominent women who have taken a journey from fearful to fearless. We feature their stories online and invite viewers to share their thoughts and questions about the interview.

Here’s what sets me apart – I’m the ONLY publisher in Chicagoland who not only publishes the stories of women, but I take the new authors through a series of sessions focusing on their writing technique, pulling out their vulnerabilities, and cultivating a relationship with the reader. After that, I CELEBRATE these women by hosting an
elaborate book signing held in their honor (at no additional fee), and they’re presented with an award for their courageous contribution.

Also NO ONE can move a room of women like I can. I share my heartache willingly to remind the audience that my success was created through hardships. I focus on the story behind the success, not the accolades and media attention.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Chicago and its surrounding suburbs is indeed an excellent place to get started. It’s rich with culture, so no matter what your focus is, there will be a group of people who are into it.

If you’re starting out, here’s what I suggest:

1- Get CLEAR about who you are and what you’re offering. Don’t be vague. Messages like, “I help people” doesn’t grab anyone’s attention.

2- Choose the right networks. Not every networking group is right for you. Be sure that you can measure the results of being in the group. What does it do for you and what can you contribute back to it? Also, join the leadership teams of that group so you can be on the front end of the direction of the group.

3- Show up for people who show up for you! This means filling your social calendar with events, dinners, and other things that are being hosted by people who support you.

4- Be consistent! Whether you realize it or not, people follow what you’re doing and they may NEVER say anything. If you keep switching up your message, or fall off the radar, you lose the momentum that you’ve worked so hard to create.

5- Invest in creating a professional brand. That includes your website, business cards, and other marketing materials. Don’t do free websites with their ad on it. Get quality cardstock for your materials.

Pricing:

• Powerhouse Panels for Women (Monthly) $10
• Women Thriving Fearlessly Book Signings (2 per year) $35
• Women Thriving Fearlessly Expo (Annual) $10
• Vendor opportunities $75 – $500

Contact Info:

• Address: 430 E 162nd St #330
  South Holland, IL 60473
• Website: www.TheUnstoppableWoman.net
• Phone: 866-443-6769
• Email: info@theunstoppablewoman.net
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/erikagilchrist
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/erikagilchrist

Image Credit:
Jordan Cart
CounterPoint with Garrard McClendon

Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.