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Welcome back to Spotlight Hustle, where we celebrate Black women making bold moves in life and business.
Today, we’re spotlighting Claudette Milner — author, coach, and founder of Claudette Milner Media. Her journey is one of resilience, faith, and a fierce commitment to giving every child a voice.
What’s Inside Today’s Newsletter
- Feature Story → Claudette’s journey from rejection letters to books, workshops, and a legacy of faith
- Wisdom & Advice → Lessons on patience, myths to bust, and words for her younger self
- Resilience & Becoming → How faith carried her through homelessness, illness, and new beginnings
- Daily Practices → Time with God, movement, scripture, and balance after burnout
- Vision Forward → A book-to-film journey and a legacy of service
- Rapid-Fire Round → Mantras, workouts, faith rituals, and her discipline hacks
- Summit Spotlight → Why we can’t wait to hear Fredah live at the Top 100 Most Powerful Women Summit
Feature Story: Claudette’s Journey
Claudette Milner grew up between military bases, relatives’ homes, and eventually, Louisville, Kentucky. Her childhood was marked by high expectations, family conflict, and instability. Her father struggled with alcoholism and abuse, while her mother was driven by career at all costs.
In the midst of chaos, Claudette found her peace in faith and music. She poured herself into violin, clarinet, and bassoon, finding order and beauty in sound when life felt overwhelming.
But words from her parents cut deep. Her mother viewed her as intelligent but weak. Her father once accused her of not being “worth the salt in her bread.” Those wounds planted seeds of doubt.
Writing became her way of fighting back. Determined to become an author, she poured her limited time—while raising children and working—into her first book, Children of Plains Estates. Rejection letters piled up, and in despair, she threw the manuscript into the dumpster. But God had other plans.
A letter from an editor urged her to find an agent. It was the lifeline she needed. Claudette pressed forward, writing, marketing, and balancing single parenthood with her creative calling.
Years later, after suffering a stroke and retiring from her career, she launched Claudette Milner Media. Her inspiration? To give children and marginalised voices a platform through her books, workshops, and speaking. She calls this her true mission: “to give every child a voice.”
Faith carried her through homelessness, through an attempt at ending her life, through every setback. Each time, she returned to scripture, prayer, and the belief that God was not finished with her yet.
“My efforts plus God’s grace,” she says, “are what make everything possible.”
Wisdom & Advice
To her younger self:
“Be patient. God has His timing. When He opens a door, step through it in faith.”
On entrepreneurship:
“Black-owned businesses are not inferior. That myth must end.”
On success:
“Stop measuring yourself by the world’s standards. God has already created you in His image.”
On leadership:
“When you focus on service, success becomes legacy.”
Resilience & Becoming
Claudette’s resilience was forged in fire.
Homelessness tested her faith. A stroke forced her to choose health over hustle. Moments of despair nearly broke her—but she rose again, guided by the Holy Spirit and the prayers of her community.
Today, she no longer chases validation from the world. She seeks acknowledgment from God. Her becoming is about service, not status.
Daily Practices
Claudette’s rhythm of life keeps her grounded:
- Morning time with God to center her spirit
- A 45-minute workout every other day
- Quoting favorite scripture when frustration rises
- Taking short breaks to talk with God when stress builds
“After my stroke, I realized I was no good to anyone dead. Rest, balance, and health are not weaknesses—they are obedience.”
Vision Forward
Claudette is expanding her legacy through storytelling. She has written a powerful series titled Forgiven of Our Transgressions and is collaborating with executive director Clay S. Williams to produce a short film adaptation. With 62 editions in the series, her dream is to secure investors and bring these stories to a global audience.
Her ultimate legacy: service, faithfulness, and ensuring that every child has a voice.
Rapid-Fire Round
Coffee or tea? → Coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon
Morning or night? → Morning
One word for this season → Grateful
Current favourite read → Created in the Image of God
Mantra → “My efforts plus God’s grace”
Favorite activity → 45-minute workouts
Discipline hack → Open the Bible and go straight to her favourite scripture
Over to You
What part of Claudette’s journey resonated with you most?
Hit reply and share—I’d love to hear.
And if you know someone who needs this story today, forward it along.
Why We’re Excited
At the Top 100 Most Powerful Women Summit, Claudette Milner will share her journey of resilience, faith, and legacy. She will remind us that true leadership begins with service, and that every voice deserves to be heard.
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