S2 Ep28. From Hairstylist to Hope Dealer: Living a Life of Purpose with Neesha Stringfellow

In this heartwarming episode of ABWilson’s Heart of the Matter podcast, host Aderonke Bademosi Wilson sits down with Neesha Stringfellow, an inspiring encourager, woman of prayer and seasoned hairstylist with over 36 years in the beauty industry. With warmth and honesty, Neesha shares her powerful journey of faith, resilience and purpose, opening up about the experiences that have shaped her personally, professionally and spiritually.

Neesha reflects on how she stays grounded through daily gratitude and the practice of breath prayers, a simple but profound way she connects with God throughout her day. Her faith is not just personal, it’s a source of strength she shares with others, especially those going through tough seasons. She speaks candidly about her path to mental health, the importance of therapy, and how learning to celebrate her own growth helped her overcome insecurity and build lasting confidence.

Her journey is also one of joy. Neesha talks about the power of laughter, the joy of celebrating others, and how simple pleasures, like a quiet day fishing, can bring peace and clarity. She brings the same passion and light to her professional life, reflecting on her 36-year career in the beauty industry as a hairstylist, salon owner, and mentor to many. For her, it’s not just about style; it’s about helping people feel seen, loved and whole.

A devoted wife and mother, Neesha also shares how she and her husband have built a marriage ministry over the past 26 years, helping hundreds of couples strengthen their relationships through faith-based guidance and their signature curriculum, Reboot Your Marriage. This ministry is an extension of her belief in love, community, and legacy. Values she lives out daily through her children, grandchildren, and chosen framily.

The conversation also touches on Neesha’s unique self-care practices, from journaling and traveling to moments of solitude that help her refuel. As an author, she passionately believes that everyone has a story worth telling and shares how writing has been a healing outlet and a way to inspire others.

Filled with wisdom, encouragement, and practical tools, this episode is a beautiful reminder that healing, joy, and purpose are possible, especially when we choose to live with intention, surround ourselves with love and remain open to growth.

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Transcript

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Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (00:01.012):
Welcome to another edition of ABWilson's Heart of the Matter, a podcast that uses overwhelmingly positive questions to learn about our guests, where every episode uncovers extraordinary stories of triumph, growth, and empowerment. Hi, I'm Aderonke Bademosi Wilson, and my guest on today's show is Neesha Stringfellow. Neesha is loving, an encourager, a woman of prayer and fun. Neesha, welcome to the show.

Neesha Stringfellow (00:36.312):
Thank you so much, Aderonke, for having me today. I'm privileged to be here.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (00:40.768):
So, Neesha, I ask people to explain their descriptors to me. Let's start the show with that. Tell me about being an encourager. What does that look like for you?

Neesha Stringfellow (00:53.976):
Well, I think that I look at everyday life as a blessing, and I look at it from the perspective of asking, "How can I encourage myself first of all, and then how can I encourage others?" I live my life seeing the glass half full or even full and overflowing. Nine times out of ten, I try to share that with others, to encourage them to see that there is hope. As long as there's breath in your body, there's an opportunity to make better choices or to enjoy what life has to bring, no matter the circumstance.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (01:35.296):
You said you encourage yourself first. For anyone listening, what does that look like? How do you find the focus or the energy to encourage yourself in the first place?

Neesha Stringfellow (01:49.128):
One of the things I do is definitely experience and exude gratitude. I am a woman of faith, and I believe in thanking God every day for another opportunity to just be present in this life and in this world. I encourage myself by saying, "I can," first of all. So, thank you for the opportunity, for the gift of life, but also to encourage myself that I need to choose me and encourage myself. It's something to be able to encourage the whole world, but if you can't encourage and strengthen yourself, you really walk away empty. So, making sure that I am encouraging myself first and choosing me first and showing gratitude first—then I can share with others.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (02:42.398):
Thank you. Another descriptor you mentioned is "a woman of prayer," and you've talked about being in full gratitude. Tell me about being a woman of prayer.

Neesha Stringfellow (02:53.804):
I grew up in the church. I say I was born and conceived probably in the church—my grandfather was a pastor. With that being said, I've really known nothing else, but it wasn't until I got married (I got married very young) that I realized I needed to develop my own prayer life. I call them "breath prayers." Sometimes you don't have a lot of time to get on your knees—what I call "go down into sackcloth and ashes and tarry for people." But every moment is an opportunity to pray. I use every moment: from the time I'm getting in the car, driving through Starbucks, working, or even if I'm watching the news (which I don't watch very often), I always take a moment to say, "Lord God, just bless them." If you see an ambulance going by, I don't know what's going on, Lord, but you do, so I'm asking you just to cover them and keep them from death, harm, and danger. Any opportunity to pray, or just a prayer of gratitude. I know I'm called to intercession, but I posture myself to say, "You may ask me to pray for you—Neesha, would you pray for me?" Yes, I'll take a moment right there: "Lord, do whatever is needed for Aderonke," because I don't want to miss the moment or opportunity. I realize it's not me, but I'm asking on behalf of you. I try to posture my position and my purpose as a woman of prayer.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (04:30.092):
And you said "loving." Tell me about being loving.

Neesha Stringfellow (04:35.382):
As a child, I grew up in a church, like I said, so I didn't get to do a whole lot. I went to a Christian school, and as much as I wanted a lot of friends, that wasn't my journey. I was kind of isolated and rejected because of the choices my parents made—we couldn't do everything. I was made fun of, and I'm the oldest of eight children. I have other half-siblings, but I'm the oldest of eight from my mom and dad. I was ashamed of it early on, but as I grew older, I realized that having a family was huge, and I wanted them to experience love because of the areas I was rejected in at school—feeling abandoned and like I didn't have friends. I was determined to love hard. Loving hard hurts hard, but I was determined to love hard. People tell me I have a motherly nature. I used to not like that term because I was only 35. Now I'm 55, and I still don't really like to be called motherly, but I realize I have a motherly nature—I care. Loving is caring. Loving is showing empathy. Loving is saying that you see people and that they matter. Those are the things I didn't experience, so I always wanted people to experience that.

Aderonke Bademosi Wilson (06:13.506):
What does fun look like for you?

Neesha Stringfellow (06:15.224):
Girl, let me tell you something. I like to laugh. I recently had an opportunity to go to St. Martin for the Soul Fest, and I heard Cedric the Entertainer—he was one of the guests. When I tell you, I laughed until my stomach hurt! I love to laugh. I love to have a good time. I love going fishing. I love celebrating people and giving them their accolades and having parties. I love highlighting people. As you are doing yourself, I'm sitting on the other end of the spectrum, because usually, fun to me is watching other people glow up and grow up. I love life, and I am grateful for it. I love having fun. I think anything you do—work, whatever—there should be some elements of fun. So, I think I'm a fun person, and I like to laugh.