Today we’d like to introduce you to Linnita Hosten.
Hi Linnita, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
As a high school student, I had it all mapped out. I was going to be somebody’s journalist on somebody’s TV. And at age 16 that dream had the nerve to come true – I was interning at a TV station. I was in the newsroom y’all- where all the magic happened. Not only did I get on to be on TV but I got to write my own segment, edit video, and run the teleprompter.
I was in the same room with news anchors I admired… But my enthusiasm for that dream quickly dissolved on the first day of my internship when I saw the work environment -firsthand. Too afraid to face the reality that my dream wasn’t real- U went to college and studied it anyway
Freshman year- had a good time, still not sure what I was doing but I made it to year two, and year three. I got all the way to my senior year… never changed my major… still have no idea. No aim. No dream. Sitting in my seat at graduation and a tear hit my cheek.
It was a tear of excitement because my momma was proud. With thousands in the room, you could still hear her screaming. My sister had made a huge sign with my face on it. I was super proud to have made my family proud but I had no IDEA of what to do next.
After spending 50,000 and finding myself on my momma’s couch unemployed- I was determined not to go “out like that.” I took months of reflection and studying and eventually went from no job to three offers- eventually negotiating the salary of my first job.
I now travel the country speaking and teaching saucy strategies to students and their parents across the country about leveraging their education investment BEFORE purchasing it. because no family should make a 5 figure investment with buyers remorse, fear, uncertainty, etc.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
“When life throws you lemons, make lemonade.” I love that quote because it is to be expected that obstacles will arise.
Here are a few obstacles I’ve endured:
- Building a business while working full-time and 4 part-time jobs to repay the debt incurred from making poor financial decisions.
- Repairing a credit score of 512 to 720.
- Using journaling to overcome depression created the outline for my first book The College Strategy- which began my journey with my work with students.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Excellene Brainery?
After conducting over 700+ hours of workshops, keynotes, and educating families on the importance of advanced education with an Investment Plan, Linnita realized there was a greater need.
High school students were lacking an understanding of the connection between degree attainment and career development. With Linnita at the helm, Excellence Brainery was formed to provide college and career coaching services to high school and college students, partnering with families, and community groups.
With the support of curriculum writers and part-time student coaches, we now deliver in-person and virtual workshops and group coaching to help students prepare for college and career success.
We strongly feel that students must understand the importance of earning career-related skills (outside of the classroom) while concurrently earning their degree, and proactively and consciously building relevant and competitive skills, and we are passionate about helping them devise and implement an actionable plan to do so.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I firmly believe that luck did not have a place in my journey. As a woman of faith, it is no doubt in my mind that everything that has transpired and everything that will transpire is steps that have been ordered by my heavenly father.
It amazes me in hindsight how my journey of working with youth, coaching cheerleading, teaching on a college campus, and supporting low-income families with college access planning- it amazes me how those things prepared me for the work that I do today.
It’s almost like I had success clues from the very beginning. And I’m super grateful for that.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@linnitahosten.com
- Website: linnitahosten.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/linnitahosten
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/linnitahostenofficial/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChrvLSeFpiuoqQu64PykcRQ
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/linnita-hosten
Image Credits
@RODGERSPOLKPHOTOGRAPHY and @LABHOUSESTUDIOS
