In this Business Blast Podcast episode, host Tyler Wagner interviews HR recruiter Shakira Hicks. Hicks shares a personal story about post‑college expectations falling short, leading to deep self‑reflection and the realization that internal growth matters more than external circumstances. She outlines her recruiting philosophy, emphasizing the importance of creative problem‑solving, clear career path discussions, and mutual understanding of challenges during interviews. Hicks offers broader business advice: consistently establish and communicate your value in any professional setting, as individuals are the core assets of any organization. She advises her younger self to stay present, avoid dwelling on the past, and not worry about the future, focusing on the now. Regarding happiness, she stresses releasing societal expectations and aligning actions with true desires. Hicks recommends the book One Day My Soul Opened Up by Ayaan Vasant, highlighting a 40‑day journaling practice that fostered presence and spiritual growth. Her favorite personal quote, "I am the prize," reflects a self‑worth mindset that attracts like‑minded individuals. The episode concludes with contact details for Hicks (LinkedIn, Facebook, email).
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Welcome to the Business Blast Podcast. I'm your host, Tyler Wagner. This episode is brought to you by Authors Unite. Authors Unite provides you with all the resources you need to become a successful author. You can learn more about Authors Unite and join the free community at authorsunite.com. Now let's jump into the episode.
Alright everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Business Blast Podcast. I'm your host Tyler Wagner. Today I have Shakira Hicks with us. She is an HR recruiter, so welcome to the show.
Thank you for having me.
Of course, thanks for joining us. We'll dive in, and the first question I have for you is, what is the best story from your life that has an underlying valuable message?
So after college, I had my mind set on expectations out of myself, like where I would be working or where I should be living or how much money I'm going to be making. But we all know that things rarely pan out how we see it in our heads. So when I didn't have all these things, I felt as if I was doing something wrong and I was very uncomfortable. But while being uncomfortable is when I developed my character and I had to ask myself, Am I a courageous person? Am I bold? Do I really have the strengths listed on my resume? Am I the person that I want to be? And for the first time, I experienced a real introspection of myself. So while things outside of me seemed to fall apart, it was the inside of me that was actually building up.
And what is the most valuable piece of information we should know that's within your expertise or industry?
So within the recruiting industry, a successful candidate placement to me is when they establish a career path with the company. Begin to pave the way is to understand, develop, and highlight your creative problem-solving skills. So discuss challenges in the interviews and how you overcome those challenges. It's beneficial for the both of you in the interview because now the employer knows you're aware of the challenges and how you plan to create solutions. And it's also good for you because you know what to expect and if those challenges are something you are willing to overcome. And now you have a direction on how to establish longevity with that company and what it takes to create a career path.
And what is your best piece of overall business advice? You're not necessarily industry specific.
The best business advice I can give is if you're on an interview or at a networking event or talking to a recruiter, establish your value, because ultimately people make these businesses run. People make the world go around with their efforts. So imagine if everyone called out for one day at work, the business actually loses way more money than the individual person. So we are the most valuable resources in the workforce. And we have to set the tone of what we deserve to make, the quality of our immediate work environment, the tone of communication between you and management, etc. So it doesn't matter if you worked in a restaurant or a bank or an art gallery, art gallery or whatever, you develop skills in that role and they can be transferred into any industry. So establish your value, keep it high and understand what you have to offer and hold it to a high regard.
And if you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be?
I would tell myself to stay present and don't spend a lot of time dwelling on the past because it's there to teach us, not haunt us. And to never worry about the future because what we do in the present is actively creating our future. So focus on what I really have, and that is right now.
And in your opinion, what is the key to happiness?
The key to happiness is letting go of societal expectations and choose what it is that we really want to do versus what we feel like we should be doing. Because when we live out our true desires, our heart and mind moves into alignment with each other. And life begins to shift around that alignment and you begin to live inherently.
And what is the best book that you've read and what was the number one thing you learned from that?
The best book that I've read was called One Day My Soul Opened Up by Ayaan Vasant. I think that's how you pronounce her name. But the book required me to journal for 40 days and 40 nights, and I had a new spiritual concept to focus on each day, such as trust, confidence, willingness, prayer, etc. So in the midst of working and exercising and whatever takes up our busy days, We don't always think about how we practice these very important things. So in the middle of being busy with my day, I had to pay attention to how I actually practice these concepts, resulting in me being absolutely present.
And what is your favorite quote and why?
My favorite quote is "I am the prize" by me, because when someone else reads this quote, they are reminding themselves that they are the prize. And that we are everything we are looking for. And once you see yourself as a prize, then your self-worth rises to a level in which you begin to attract people around you who feel the same way about themselves. And you'll never be in competition with anyone who understands their self-worth. And that's how you discover like minds and you can build successfully because the foundation is there.
Yes, I love that. Thank you so much for coming on. The last question I have for you before we let you go is, where's the best place for people to find you online?
You can find me on LinkedIn, Shakira Hicks, S-H-A-K-I-R-A-H-I-C-K-S. You can add me on Facebook, Shakira Latrell, L-A-T-R-E-L, or you can send me an email at shakiralhicks@gmail.com.
Perfect. Thank you again for coming on. We appreciate it.
Thank you for having me.
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