Leona Carter is the author or co-author of 14 books “so far,” she says. Her books cover the gamut, from time management to helping mothers communicate with their children, and ideas for book No. 15 are already in development. But being a prolific author is just one of Carter’s endeavors. She is also a career and life coach, a corporate trainer, a filmmaker, CEO of Carter Strategies, a communication strategy company, and mother of six children.
Carter, who lived with her family in Seattle before moving to Kalamazoo in 2006 to take advantage of the Kalamazoo Promise, says her background “is rooted in a large family environment with limited financial resources for achieving success.”
“In Seattle we embarked on raising our family while I pursued and completed nursing school, subsequently practicing nursing for a decade before transitioning to roles in banking and social work. Through various career shifts, I eventually established my own business, driven by recognition of my talents and work ethic to empower others.”
As a mother of six, Carter is often asked for parenting advice, which started her thinking about writing books that could help others by presenting the lessons she learned within her own family. Resigning from a corporate position in 2016, she devoted herself to growing her new career, eventually adding business communications to her repertoire.
Another major change in her life began 11 years earlier.
“In September of 2005, my family and I were living in a house we had bought in Seattle,” Carter says. “We felt like there was a shift or an opportunity we were supposed to be pursuing. We felt like something was beginning to transition in life, but we didn’t know what, when, where or how. We didn’t know anything.”
Carter recalls how the family tapped into their Christian faith for guidance. “We embarked on a nine-month prayer,” she says. “That nine-month prayer meant we were getting up every Sunday morning for 40 Sundays in a row and going to our church to pray as a family. We didn’t have any more direction for our prayer other than feeling that there was this transition, and we asked God to show us what it is.”
Two months into the family prayer, Carter heard about the Kalamazoo Promise from a friend. Carter felt this was the transition calling her family to move across the country.
“The more I researched, it became clearer and clearer that that was what we were supposed to do,” she says.
Carter hadn’t researched the Kalamazoo job market before moving, but found full-time employment within two weeks of the move. All six of the Carter children have subsequently taken advantage of the Kalamazoo Promise, earning free tuition to Michigan higher education.
Faith and intentionality are guiding forces in all Carter does. Most of her books are built on the theme of being intentional in what one does in life, beginning with the words they use in their own thoughts as well as in speaking to others. She encourages giving additional power to intentionality by journaling one’s thoughts and feelings.
“I published my first book in December 2016,” Carter says. “I write books to clarify complexities for people in the areas of motherhood, messaging and marketplace, often through a form of media. I don’t self-publish — I use a traditional publisher such as Publish Your Gift for my solo projects.”
In her book Because I Said So!: Equipping and Inspiring Mothers to Be Intentional About the Words They Speak (2017), Carter advised moms about equipping and inspiring children to be intentional about the words they use. Carter notes that what we say impacts others, and she encourages mothers to use only words that are supportive and encouraging and lead children to more positive actions.
“Because everything you say will be held against you,” she says. “There is power in your words. It makes a difference. When you are raising your children, it can be hard. I really wanted to bring that intentionality to everything moms do every day, and that’s to speak to your children, talk to them, lead them with your words.”
In her own life, Carter believes the words she speaks to herself manifest her future. “We’re not in denial that things happen,” she says. “We acknowledge it, and we move on to the goal that we want. That’s why you are fueling your words to what you want to see grow and not dwelling on what is negative that you don’t want to see.”
With that in mind, Carter wrote Maximize T.I.M.E.: 44 Strategies to Effectively Manage Your Time From Motherhood to CEO (2021) to empower company leaders who are also mothers to fill both roles effectively. “When I am talking about motherhood, I again have a faith foundation in raising children,” Carter says. “I believe we can be empowered to pursue our purpose parallel to parenting. I approached this topic because many times, as mothers, we are balancing so much. We want to be the primary voice in their life.”
When Carter is not writing another book or offering a workshop on communication, she provides coaching for companies and organizations, spreading her message of intentionality and faith-based principles with her infectious laughter and bubbly spirit. She has been asked to talk about her books on television shows on CBS, FOX, ABC and NBC.
Despite having the autoimmune diseases lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, Carter has not slowed her personal and professional development. “I am nearing completion of a degree in communications to complement my existing expertise in corporate communication strategies with Carter Strategies,” she says.
“When you are operating in your purpose, you know what to say yes to and you know what to say no to,” Carter says. “It lightens the load in life. Someone right now is thinking they have to do it all. You don’t. I’m here to release you from the chains of thinking you have to do it all. Find the thing that you are called to do. When you find it and operate within your purpose, you never have to work again.”
