Creating a Legacy to Empower Others: Sharon W. Reynolds - a podcast by Leah Glover Hayes

From making clothes for 30 customers when she was a senior in high school to founding four successful companies, Sharon W. Reynolds’ whole life is a testament to the power of hard work and not taking no for an answer. Today, Sharon runs four companies: DevMar Products, DevMar Global Healthcare Solutions, DevMar Manufacturing, and Bryla J Couture Clothiers. In everything she does, Sharon is driven by a passion to help others, whether that’s through her companies, community service or her work to empower other women business owners.

Each of Sharon’s companies is devoted to making the world a better place in its own way, from creating environmentally-friendly janitorial products to providing breast milk for premature babies in the NICU to empowering women with fashion that’s for a purpose. She also serves on boards of directors such as Second Harvest Food Bank, the West End Home Foundation and Women’s Business Enterprise National Council South. Sharon has received many honors and awards for her incredible work, including the WBENC 2019 Women Business Enterprise Star, the 100 Black Men and Women Presidents Organization Women of Color Achievement Award and the Power Moves Best Entrepreneur of the Year. Sharon has so much to offer other women through the lessons she’s learned about business, service and finding success.

In This Episode: Sharon shares her inspiring story of entrepreneurship she learned from her family and expanding that into the four companies she runs today (3:11). She explains why serving the community has always been important to her and how the difficulties she faced when she was younger motivate her to help others (13:32). Today, Sharon is most passionate about empowering other women in business, which she does through organizations like Women’s Business Enterprise National Council and Enterprising Women (18:28). 

Though all of these things keep her incredibly busy, Sharon has learned to take time for herself without feeling guilty, and she encourages other women to do the same, whether that’s through getting enough sleep or through taking a day off to go to a spa (27:31). She also shares her sources of inspiration, including books that have changed her outlook and mentors like her Aunt Gloria and Oprah (33:16). 

As she enters a new season of life, Sharon believes success is about more than just doing great things, it’s about empowering others to get to the next level, too (38:52). Her passion for helping other women is such a powerful demonstration of how a combination of achievement and service can change the world. 

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