We’re looking forward to introducing you to Natasha Guynes. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Natasha, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Lately, what’s bringing me joy is my pittie, Stella. She’s more than just a pet — she’s family, my sidekick, and in many ways, my daily reminder of love and joy. I’ve learned that a dog’s only job in life is to make you happy, and when I look at her, it’s hard not to want to return the favor.
Every morning she waits at the top of my spiral staircase, refusing to come down until I coax her with our little ritual: “Stella, shake your booty, shake your booty, come on down.” I’ve been saying it since she was a puppy, because she’s never loved the spiral stairs, but the moment is pure joy — she wiggles with excitement, eyes sparkling, and for a second, the world feels lighter.
Stella brings me back to the present. She reminds me to laugh, to soften, and to delight in the small routines that make up a life. No matter how heavy my day might be, I can look at her and feel grounded in love. Honestly, she’s one of my greatest teachers in joy.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Natasha Guynes, an entrepreneur and the founder of HER Resiliency Center and NG Innovations. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been dedicated to enhancing the lives of women and girls and making sure they are safe from harm. That passion has guided my entire journey — both personally and professionally.
HER Resiliency Center, which has been serving young women for 10 years, is a trauma-informed organization rooted in my own lived experience. I don’t call myself a survivor — I see myself as a warrior — and I bring that perspective into building spaces where women can access support, mentorship, and opportunity. From HER grew NG Innovations, a woman-owned construction company that takes an equity-driven, community-focused approach to general contracting, workforce recruitment, and staffing. Born from the success of HER’s Triple Crown Academy workforce program, NG Innovations is about more than construction — it’s about creating pathways to economic independence for women and underserved communities.
At the heart of everything I do — whether through HER, NG Innovations, or the brand of Natasha — is a relentless drive for evolution: always asking what’s next, what gap can be filled, what innovation will move women forward. That’s the story I carry and the legacy I’m working to build.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
When I think about who taught me the most about work, it’s not a simple answer. As a little girl, I carried a lot of responsibility — caring for my younger siblings, making sure my sister got to school, even bathing my baby brother when I was only 10. It forced me into adulthood at a very young age, and while I don’t credit that experience for my success, I do acknowledge that it shaped my thinking. It became my responsibility to cultivate the parts that served me — the discipline, the resilience, the drive — and to turn them into something productive.
My mother left me with my dad when I was young so she could pursue college in another state. Our home life was marked by poverty, neglect, and abuse, but one thing I credit my mom with is exposing me to the idea of college and getting me out of Louisiana, where opportunities were so limited. That small exposure planted the seed that there could be more.
I’ve always chased that “more.” In high school, while working at a dry cleaner, I pitched the president of a bank — a customer — on hiring me, even though I wasn’t yet old enough to be bonded. After college, I started out answering phones for Senator Harry Reid. I watched how staffers carried themselves and worked, and though he never knew it, I studied Deputy Chief of Staff David McCallum like a mentor. Those lessons shaped my career path.
But if I really answer the question honestly — it isn’t just one person who taught me the most about work. It’s the presence that’s been with me all along, ensuring I had opportunities and strength when I needed them most. I call that presence my higher power. That’s who has guided me, and that’s who continues to teach me about the meaning of work and purpose.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I am a persistent woman. I rarely give up. The truth is, the only thing I’ve ever truly surrendered was my addiction — and in letting that go, I gained my real life. When I got clean from drugs and alcohol at 21, I learned something life-changing: “you have to surrender to win.”
In leadership, the closest I’ve come to giving up has been these past two years at HER Resiliency Center. Struggles with one of our state funders have made it incredibly hard to operate and, at times, forced me to question if I could continue in my role.
But every time I think I’ve hit my limit, something extraordinary happens — a breakthrough, a success story, a reminder of the women we serve. And in those moments, I know why I’m here. That’s what keeps me on course. That’s why giving up has never been an option.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Lol — yeah, it is. Recovery gave me the greatest gift: freedom. Not just freedom from substances, but freedom from the bondage of self. I don’t have to worry about what I said last night, because I always remember. And if I said something about you, I’ve also said it to you. That’s real freedom — living straight, honest, and unchained.
Starting HER Resiliency Center only amplified that. In sharing my story, I realized I didn’t have to hide behind a mask. The more I owned my truth, the more women leaned in. That’s when I stopped apologizing for the parts of me that people once said were “too much.”
So yeah, the public me is the real me. I’m raw, I’m real, and sometimes I’m guns-a-blazin’. And I’d rather be too much than not enough.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
Connection.
Because I’ve always been open about my own experiences—child abuse, homelessness, mental health struggles, and sexual exploitation, all before I turned 21—it’s stripped away the walls and barriers that often keep people from seeing each other as real. Sharing my truth has given others permission to share theirs, and that’s where the most meaningful relationships are built.
Everything I do is rooted in connection—building it, protecting it, and nurturing it. If everything else were gone, I’d still have connection. And, of course, I’d still have my pittie and love, Stella.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.herresiliency.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herresiliency/ or https://www.instagram.com/natashaguynes/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/her-resiliency-center/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/nguynes/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HerResiliency/ or https://www.facebook.com/natasha.guynes.5
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@herresiliencycenter
Image Credits
Mike Morgan Photography:
Pink Couch
Walking w/Lumber
Speaking @ Event
Shayna Hardy Photography:
Wonder Woman
Kyle Biller:
“This is What Resiliency Looks Like”
Emily Long:
Ribbon Cutting
Kyle Haas:
Six Women Together + NG
