Life and Work with Erin Schreyer

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Schreyer.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Erin. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
In college, I majored in mass communication with an additional emphasis in journalism and public relations. I fell in love with writing and communicating and have always believed in the power of positively influencing others. The funny thing is, I really didn’t have a clear picture of how I would actually use my degree once I graduated.

Ultimately, I went into marketing and sales, which led me to a consulting firm. I loved the consulting business; building relationships with customers, seeking to understand their challenges and needs, and customizing solutions to solve problems. I built strong relationships all over the city, and I learned so much about both business and people challenges. Interestingly, many companies think they have technology and process problems, but many times the core issues stem from frustrated people, poor communication, lack of inspiration and broken teamwork. When I discovered this, it lit something in me.

I love people. I love communication. I love encouraging others and motivate them to do good things that are fulfilling and purpose-driven.

I took the next steps to better equip myself to offer solutions and guidance. I trained with Marcus Buckingham, who is one of the pioneers of Gallup’s strength assessments. I learned how to help people identify and use strengths and how companies can build highly efficient (and happier!) teams accordingly. It’s incredibly fulfilling work to open people’s eyes to how God created them and how they can best use their talents.

From there, I went on to study with John Maxwell in the inaugural group of JMT coaches and speakers. Maxwell had long been a leadership hero of mine, and I held a deep respect for his faith foundation in all his work. I had interacted with him several times through the years, and it was my honor to be invited personally into his program. There, I dove into deep leadership waters and honed coaching and communication skills.

After that, I launched my own practice, serving mostly corporate clients. I loved what I did and found much purpose and satisfaction, but I knew something still wasn’t quite right. Because of most corporate environments, I wasn’t able to share openly about faith. I often translated scripture into layman’s terms, and people walked away with powerful concepts, not knowing where they originated. I, of course, knew, and I felt slightly internally conflicted about not giving full credit where I so desperately wanted (all glory to God!).

Thankfully, the timing became right when my family and I moved to Dallas seven years ago. It was the ideal opportunity to shift my practice and focus, turning my business into more of a ministry, freely quoting scripture and openly encouraging faith. Since then, I have written and managed several blog projects, and I’ve had the privilege of speaking to various groups around the Metroplex, offering encouragement and hope in Christ. I’m also active on social media and in various community and philanthropic groups, spurring on women, families, and communities in faith and love.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I can’t say it’s been a completely smooth or easy road… but it’s been worth it to find my purpose and passion. It takes a lot of discernment to figure out where God may be leading, and it doesn’t always work out in the same timeframe we may have envisioned. My advice would be this: 1) Discover and understand your strengths and how to use them. God gave them to you for a reason, so this is a first and necessary step. 2) Understand what your passions are. Where can you use your strengths for a purpose? What matters to you? 3) Determine what more you need to learn to be effective in your passion. Do you need training, classes, certifications or mentoring? Equip yourself to be a knowledgeable and proficient leader. 4) Surround yourself with good people: trusted advisors (people way smarter and way ahead of you in life), those who will encourage you and pick you up when you want to quit and people who can consistently remind you of Truth, when you can so easily believe the noise around you or the lies that can swirl in your head.

Please tell us about your work.
I blog on my website and am also part of a collaborative writing effort, called “Good Word Project” (www.goodwordproject.com) Our team writes four perspectives about one word each month in the hopes that we can offer depth, meaning and faith-based encouragement in fresh, engaging ways.

Another team I’m on, which is SO fun, is the “Say Something Show” (www.saysomethingshow.com) with Kay Wyma. Kay is a best-selling author, and one of the warmest, smartest and funniest people you’ll ever meet. Together with her and several other women, we interview a variety of faith-based authors, speakers, and influencers in a car while driving! It’s a bit like James Corden’s “Carpool Karaoke,” but we have “Carpool Chats” instead. It’s fun to get people to relax in the car and then, learn and laugh together.

Additionally, I speak and microblog on social media with a theme of #SpurOn; which hopefully motivates women, families, and communities to move toward greater love and purpose. It’s based on my favorite Bible verse, Hebrews 10:24 which says, “and let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” I believe fully that love can change the world, and it’s more needed today than ever before.

Were there people and/or experiences you had in your childhood that you feel laid the foundation for your success?
That’s an interesting question. I came from a broken family that had its challenges, and I’ve made some big life mistakes myself. I don’t know that it makes me any different than anyone else, though. We all have our “junk” and our stories of hurt that make us who we are. I think the biggest thing that sets me up for success is trying to be obedient to what I believe God wants me to do. It might not always be doing exactly what I want or even in my comfort zone, but I know that if I’m working within His will, then He’s going to do great things with it. For me, success means that I can help others grow deeper in faith and share love more boldly. Can you imagine if that was everyone’s definition of success? I think our world might look different.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.erinschreyer.com
• Email: erin@erinschreyer.com
• Instagram: @erinschreyer
• Facebook: @erinschreyer
• Twitter: @erinschreyer
• Other: www.goodwordproject.com

Image Credit:
Amena Brown, Max Lucado

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