It all started with a desire to live out my journalism dreams after graduating from college. By June 2018, I realized I was not going to be the journalist I always fantisized about being.
But hope began to arise during a dark time in my life and led me to creating Intellectual Beats in March 2019. A space I promised would be dedicated to shining a light on people doing extraordinary things in their community. I decided to set out on a mission to elevating conversations from an independent journalist’s standpoint.
Did I feel like a fraud? Absolutely….Did I feel like I did not know what I was doing…..several times.
That is why I am so grateful to every person who has allowed us to share their story.
Needless to say, we have experienced many transitions, but God is always faithful. I think that is why the faith-based content we posted began to resonate with so many people. Even more so, that is behind our vision to engage, uplift and challenge each person who comes across our content.
I remember in 2025, I made the decision that I was going to allow God to be the algorithm for me, especially since posting consistently while working could be a challenge at times.
I even had to get to the point where I operated in obedience- posting when the Lord said to post (even if I had to use my phone to record).
Giving my platform to God resulted in some huge wins: I became a YouTube partner in November 2025. By July 2026, I reached 500 podcast downloads and realized our website received about 5,000 visitors. That is amazing! Glory to God!
It’s funny because I remember saying that 2025 will be the year to thrive, only if you first align with God.
God is so good and has done exceedingly above what I could have imagined inspite of all the pauses and my inconsistency.
I think what blew my mind the most is being featured on Living My Faith, a TV segment in Florida hosted by James Fenimore, in June 2026. You can watch it here.
I have grown so much in my faith and when it comes to taking risks building something while promoting the Lord.
Overall, this journey is a testament to what happens when you do not give up on what God has called you to do. Here’s to more dynamic conversations!
Blessings, 🙏✝️
Shayla
Read our journey from when we first started: https://intellectualbeats.com/celebrating-our-one-year-anniversary/
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