To say that Sharon Delaney McCloud is superhuman might just be an understatement.  Sharon is a mother, an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, advocate, TEDx Speaker, cancer survivor, author, communications expert, and entrepreneur. It’s near impossible to find something that Sharon has not conquered.

About 15 years ago while Sharon was enjoying a successful career working as a television news anchor, she suddenly felt her life pulled in a different direction after the loss of her daughter to cancer.  Sharon realized she wanted to change her focus and though she was not sure exactly what to do, she knew she wanted to have more control over her life and time with her family.

Sharon started the process by asking herself “What am I good at?” and “What comes naturally to me?” She asked her friends those same questions and wanted to know what they saw in her.  The common answer was that she was an amazing storyteller and could help others tell their own story. And with that, she set off on her own journey to put her gifts to use coaching clients and helping them learn how to communicate their own stories through media relations, message development, and digital marketing.  

Sharon will tell you that great storytelling requires creating a connection and showing uniqueness in your story. But in a noisy world, it can be difficult to connect and Sharon says that soft skills - which she prefers to call power skills - are paramount to forming a deep connection with your audience. She believes women naturally have these power skills which combine high emotional intelligence with intuition, authenticity and reading people and situations.  And Sharon’s ability to use those power skills to quickly connect is something you feel the moment you meet her. 

What can our intentional community do to help Sharon?  Sharon would love if we could support the organization she created to help families that suffer the loss of a child. After she lost her own daughter to cancer, Sharon was inspired to create Vilomah Voice to give a voice to grieving parents everywhere. This community provides a safe space for parents to talk about and celebrate the lives of their little ones that have passed away.  You can support this amazing organization at Vilomah Voice.

Also, make sure to follow Sharon on Facebook and check out her amazing TEDx talk in North Carolina. Let's be intentional together.

Elisha is the perfect balance of grit and heart. When you meet Elisha you know right away you are in the presence of an incredibly strong woman but also an incredibly kind soul. 

A rare find, Elisha offers the unique ability to look at any situation through the lens of experience and compassion. Elisha has said that she has always felt a calling to help others and she gives her heart and soul to everything she does. She makes decisions by asking herself, “How can I change things to make it better? How will I serve others and myself better?  Does it align with my inner core?”  

And her worldview is also shaped through hard times and hard work.  As a child, Elisha’s family became homeless for a period of time. And though she experienced homelessness she never gave into hopelessness. She remembers angels that helped her when her family faced obstacles and she was determined to one day become an angel to others in need. In that spirit of selflessness, Elisha created a non-profit called Encompass Life Foundation whose mission is to offer support and guidance to people experiencing housing instability.

Elisha has worked hard to pursue excellence in every facet of her life. In addition to her philanthropy, she has become a successful real estate broker and recently took the leap into property management as an investor and contractor and will soon open an amazing co-working space for women.  As a broker, she is able to blend her passion for houses and real estate with her passion for helping people. She enjoys being a support system to her clients and encourages us to connect to our inner and most real self and to always be in search of our happy place.

How can our intentional community help Elisha?  Elisha would love if you could visit her website and provide feedback on her new co-working space for women. Let her know your thoughts on the space, the things that seem beneficial as well as any drawbacks that you notice.  You can also check out her podcast, Real Talk, Real Change.

Let's be intentional together.