“Trust God, and He will direct your path. He will place you in the right place at the right time and send you everything you need.” – Felicia Tinsley

On my list of one of the nicest people on the planet, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to Felicia Tinsley, the founder of Girls With Gainz 2^nd Generation, LLC.  As a wife, mother of two teenagers, and a registered nurse for the last 18 years, she still finds time to give back to her community and the next generation of future goal getters.  Overcoming self-esteem issues gave her the tools she needed to plant seeds of wisdom into her mentoring program.  It is of no surprise to me that she is a mentor and motivator because this is who she has always been to me.  iBronze had the opportunity to learn more about her new venture and the love behind the movement.

iBronze: What is the name and nature of your business? 

GWG: Girls With Gainz 2nd Generation, LLC. is a girls mentoring program. We provide a safe environment for young girls ages 13-17 to gain confidence through workshops, hands-on activities and teaching life skills through classes and demonstrations. We provide them with tools to be resilient during tough times and become future change agents. We not only teach them physical gains but mental and spiritual gains.·        

iBronze: What was the turning point in your life when you decided to pursue your GWG? 

GWG: I have always had a passion for teenage girls. I was a teenager who had low self-esteem and other issues. I did not want my teen daughter or other girls to go through what I did and not have resources available to them or a platform to share how they feel and bring up those tough issues. I also incorporated exercise in the program, which is something else I love to do. I have been exercising for over five years consistently and helping others along the way. I have also decided to pursue my personal training certification to expand my knowledge and take what I love to the next level. I want to develop an exercise program for my young girls as well as others. It brings me joy to help others set goals and work hard towards them. I am not perfect by any stretch, but the goal is never to quit or give up on yourself. 

iBronze: What motivates you? 

GWG: The girls motivate me. When I see their faces at our events, it brings me joy to watch them engage in conversations and activities. The feedback and comments we get from their parents let us know they see changes in behavior, and they are eager to participate in the next event. 

iBronze: Can you describe your typical day? 

GWG: On my typical pre-covid day, I would get up, go to work at the hospital, come home, and either hit the gym or chill out. After the gym, I help the kids with any homework, checked to see how school went, made sure hubby was good and started dinner. After dinner, I would either crash, spend hours on social media or hit the bed. 

Post covid, life was different for me. I never stopped working, thank God! I went into the hospital every single day and put myself at risk every day. I would come home from work, take off my clothes, shower, and then check on the family. I started getting familiar with Zoom during this time. Initially, all my workouts were on zoom, and more and more meetings were happening via Zoom. This was our new normal. I made the best out of it and connected with my family and friends through this platform. After my zoom workouts in the evening. I would relax, and I started reading more. I started listening to meditation music and videos. This was my new routine to keep me grounded with all the noise going on in the world. 

iBronze: How has GWG affected your family life? 

GWG: This new business has enhanced my family life as it allowed more collaboration and communication with my spouse and children. I get to share ideas with the family and obtain feedback from them. They understand my vision and mission and are on board with my plans. They share my story and what I am doing with others. I feel rewarded after each meeting with the girls. I think we are making small changes and giving them pearls to take with them throughout their lives. 

iBronze: What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage it? 

GWG: My greatest fear is quitting when things get tough. My fear is becoming stagnant when I do not have the answers or know what to do. Another fear is not reaching the girls, and they do not gain any knowledge from my program. 

iBronze: How do you define success? 

GWG: The goal is to help many people, but if I reach one and they share their experience with another person, I have succeeded. Success is impacting a life and sharing experiences that will help shape and mold the individual’s life.

iBronze: Do you have any advice for someone thinking of reinventing themselves later in life? 

GWG: Do it afraid!! Sometimes you may have to do it alone and without your friends, but do not let that stop you. Trust God, and He will direct your path. He will place you in the right place at the right time and send you everything you need. The key is to start and take that leap of faith even when you cannot see the whole path. Do not be afraid of failing. If you fail, learn from it and try again. There is always room for learning and growth.

iBronze: What has been your most satisfying moment in the business?

GWG: The most satisfying moment is seeing the girls evolve. I have enjoyed seeing our young girls have tough conversations and expressing how they feel and what they believe will help change the issues. They are not afraid to share their feelings and feel safe communicating with my team and me. I also enjoy our fun times together. A highlight was when we taught the girls how to double-dutch. It was such a fun activity for the girls and the adults. The young ladies in our program bring their own special flair, which makes our program unique. I am also happy to have this platform to give them something I did not have growing up with nutrition and exercise. 

iBronze: Do you have any favorite quotes or mantras? 

GWG: I AM ENOUGH!! Work hard and be proud of what you achieve!!