The Story Behind Influence
Every ministry has a story.
Every mission has a beginning.
Influence was born from a personal journey that taught me the power of stewardship, discipline, faith, and intentional decision-making.
Stenell — The Money Therapist
Long before Influence became a website
It began with a personal challenge.
There was a season in my life when I found myself carrying approximately $50,000 in debt.
Instead of accepting it as my reality, I made a commitment to myself.
I gave myself 12 months to become debt-free.
By applying financial principles, intentional decision-making, discipline, and stewardship, I paid off that debt in 11 months.
The experience changed my life.
More importantly, it changed the way I viewed stewardship.
I realized that many people were struggling not because they lacked intelligence or potential, but because they had never been taught how to manage what they already had.
That realization led me to teach.
At the time, I approached a church about offering financial literacy classes.
The answer was no.
But I did not let that stop me.
Instead, I hosted the classes myself.
Over a nine-month period, approximately 30 people participated in two separate classes focused on stewardship, financial literacy, budgeting, intentional decision-making, and building a stronger future.
One of those families is featured in the Stories of Stewardship section of this website.
Years later, after applying the principles they learned and remaining committed to their goals, they paid off their home.
The Lesson
A closed door does not always mean no.
Sometimes it means build it yourself.
What Influence is really about
Influence was not created to teach people how to get rich.
It was created to help people become better stewards.
Through my work as a mental health therapist, educator, entrepreneur, ministry leader, Realtor®, real estate investor, certified AI consultant, and community advocate, I have learned that money is rarely just about money.
It is often connected to mindset, habits, leadership, purpose, and stewardship.
Influence brings all of those lessons together into one journey:
Consumer → Owner → Investor → Legacy Builder
Awareness → Stewardship → Multiplication → Influence
My prayer is that this website helps you pause, think differently, and ask a better question:
“Lord, what have You entrusted to me, and what am I doing with it?”
If this journey helps one person make a better decision, build a stronger future, create a legacy, or walk more confidently in their purpose, then Influence has accomplished exactly what it was created to do.
Welcome to the journey.
— Stenell The Money Therapist