Layo Emmanuel is a Medical Doctor, Transformational Speaker, coach and a Bestselling author, For more than 6 years, she walked through life not knowing who she was or where she was headed. Her self esteem and confidence plummeted. Her studies were jeopardized and her marriage tethered on the brink of divorce. Layo got indebted  due to a fraudulent business partner and became the joke of the town in far away Ukraine where she lives with her Pastor husband

Layo almost lost it  but decided to take her fate into her hands and  took the long lonely road of finding herself and God given purpose in life. She wrote a book that became  an overnight Number Bestseller and  got featured by some of the most coveted media houses in the world – FOX news, ABC news, NBC, NewYork Chronicles and some others.  In her words “I  re-wrote my life story and turned my pain into passion . Here is my inspiring interview with her

Childhood Preparation

I grew up with a mum who was a banker and a dad who worked as an Engineer. I and my siblings grew up sheltered. Oh! My mum is the strictest of “Yoruba mothers.”

She wouldn’t even allow usrelate to the house helps we had living in the house with us. Neither will she let us speak with other neighbors in the compound.

So, I found myself growing up in the company of all manner of books alone. I mean educational books, magazines, novels etc. Those were the only things permitted in the house.

Meet Me

I am a #1 Bestselling Author and an international speaker. I trained as a Medical Doctor from a University in Europe. I’m also an ordained Pastor, a Pastors’ wives coach as well as a certified beauty coach.

But in reality …

I am simply a young woman who is determined to enjoy the best of three worlds and passionate to see that other women enjoy the same as well.

By the best of three worlds, I mean, I’m looking at women who are sound in their faith/spirituality. But then, they are disrupting the financial playground because they are loaded.

At the same time, they are living for and fulfilling a definite life assignment. Their home front is thriving. They are emotionally balanced and yes, they are stunners, in the sense of drop dead gorgeous.

All these for me sums up, enjoying the best of three worlds – Spirit, Soul, andBody.

My Best Selling book ‘The Survivor’

“The Survivor” details my journey on how I found my way out of the dark pit that life threw me into.

The goal is for anyone facing giant oppositions to get a hold of that book, apply the insights shared to their lives and come out winning.

Even, if a man has been condemned to spend his life in the worst Syrian prison, if he gets a hold of that book, he will be able to find his way out with the insights I share in it.

And believe me, Esther, the responses from people all over the world makes me believe that the book is achieving its aim.

In there, I detailed all the helpful secrets, truths, principles and tools that I stumbled upon in my lowest moments in life that helped me to “reinvent myself and transform my life.”

Serving pastors’ wives by helping them to find their place in the Ministry and shine in all their authenticity’

 I do that through my mentorship program for young pastor’s wives where I get one-on-one with the woman in question. With a series of tools and exercises, we come up with what her unique assignment ought to be in ministry and in life generally.

I also have a Young Pastor Wives Academy” which is an on-going membership community where I basically hold the pastor’s wives hands along their journey in ministry.

There, I aim to shed light on the peculiar challenges most Pastor’s wives experience at one time or the other. And I also proffer God approved solutions to the particular challenges and struggles members of the academy are experiencing.

Being a happy and fulfilled pastor’s wife is one of the hardest things to be in life. Truly, uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.

Other activities

I hold training and Masterclasses around programs whose aim is to enable women to thrive in their spirituality, finances as well as their physical wellness.

To this end, I created my flagship program

“Reinvent Yourself In 90 Days Like A Boss(90 Days To Your Best Version Yet)” as well as “Turn Your Story To A Source Of Income In 30 Days.”

With this, I teach women how to leverage their stories as their greatest platforms in life. Both to impact others as well as turning their stories into a financially rewarding venture.

Greatest reward

I have been invited to the Ukrainian Parliament to speak on National Transformation.  I havebeen featured in world-class media, Huffington Post, FOX News, ABC News, New York Chronicles and several others. I have shared stages with Media Influencers, Diplomats, Entertainment Stars, widely respected Pastors and all.

However, the greatest reward I have gotten is the gift of being free to be me.

I mean , there was a time in my life where I never thought I could amount to anybody outside my husband. There was a time, I didn’t think I could do anything by myself without the involvement of other people and it would succeed or thrive.

I would never have thought I could speak and people would listen simply because they believe I was dishing out something of value to them.

So, just being able to display my authentic self and gifts imperfectly to the world like I sometimes do is the greatest gift.

Managing It all

There is no “one size fits it all” answer to this question. There’s no perfect answer. But what I know is that I have a supportive husband, a supportive team and an understanding child.

They all make it seemeasier. Though, there are days I feel like I am drowning and there are days I feel like a boss, on top of it all.

I simply put one foot in front of the other per day and try to take each day as they come. Although, it helps that I’m a workaholic. I keep on working most times until I am stopped by my husband or one of my team members.

Giving up

I feel like giving up every now and then. Life just has a way of throwing darts at you especially when you are gunning to live a life of purpose.

So yes, every now and then, I feel like throwing in the towel but then I have trained myself not to enjoy such luxuries. At such times, I only resort to affirmations and confessions. Or I just put on an upbeat music and start dancing like a crazy woman.

Dancing like that has been proven to help release the happiness hormone in the body called serotonin. It most times combats cortisol which is the stress hormone.

Who and What inspires me to be better

It’s a nexus of things that inspired me. Firstly the intense dissatisfaction I felt in my soul for living an empty life.

Secondly Ted McGrath (one of my coaches who is also one of the highest paid transformational speakers in the world)

Lastly, funny enough, a Yoruba movie I watched a couple of years back also informed my desire to be better. The star actor in the film was “a down and out guy” who turned his experience in that movie into a book.

The book became an overnight hit – a bestseller.

As I watched, I thought to myself “girl, you can do this” that is, turn my life’s story into a Bestselling book. And it happened.

I am a Woman of Rubies

I have gone through fire. I have conquered. And every day, I keep defeating life’s demons that show up at my doorsteps in the name of challenges.

I also keep seeking to improve myself daily, to get better.

Also, like Dr. Myles Munroe said, I am pushing to see that I die empty haven blessed humanity with all that God has given unto me.

Besides this, I am living a life of freedom, one that is authentically me. I play as I want, laugh as I want and do the things I want to do no longer bothered about “societal acceptable standards.”

Now, I get on the pulpit in my ripped jeans and use words like “yeah” or “def” when I am preaching and God is still present strong in the meeting.

And I, on the other hand,feel super comfortable, no longer feeling inferior that I don’t talk or look like the picture-perfect pastor’s wife.

Final word for women all over the world

To young women, the world over, know that no one makes the rules by which you must live in this life. You make the rules by yourself with the sum total of information you expose yourself to and the purpose you were given to live out.

I recommend first, the Bible to you as your primary navigation system in life. Then, every other book. Please, don’t forget financial education in all ramifications.

And if you don’t read any other fiction in your life, do read – Master Of The Game by Sidney Sheldon.

While at it, plan never to be defined as Mrs. Somebody. Rather, ruthlessly invest in yourself and be all that God will have you be on earth.

Then carry a value that not even the richest oil reserves in the United Arab Emirates can pay for enough in terms of bride price.

Even as a woman, the world is a magical garden but you will have to create your own magic with your own hands. A good place to begin from is the thoughts of your heart and the utterances of your mouth.

If I can go from losing myself in my marriage, losing over a hundred thousand dollars in debt, and becoming pregnant right at the verge of a divorce to finding myself where I am today, then anyone can do the same too. 

You too can do the same.