What happens when a lifetime of experience—from growing up in Los Angeles to rigorous academic training in psychology, and deep personal experience as a caregiver—converges with a singular purpose? For Yolanda Wright, the answer is Focus One College, an organization changing the trajectory of young people’s lives. With a stunning 90% success rate of students receiving acceptance into one of their top three colleges, Wright’s work proves that purpose and profit are not mutually exclusive. We dive into her unique philosophy: challenging students (and their parents) to identify their passions, and then creating a strategic plan to literally “monetize” those passions through the college application process. Read on to learn how Wright built a thriving, successful business born out of her deep commitment to advocacy and holistic support.
Music courtesy of Dealer’s Choice Sound Recordings, Inc.
Music artist: djezi
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How To Monetize Your Passion: Lessons From The Founder Of Focus One College With Yolanda Wright
Welcome back to the show. We have the privilege of sitting down with a woman whose life’s work sits at the powerful intersection of psychology, education, and purpose. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she has taken everything she’s learned from growing up, studying, and living and poured it into a mission that is changing the trajectory of young people’s lives.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Arts degree in Psychology from Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology. Beyond the impressive academic credentials, she’s a founder, a leader, a mother, and a caregiver. She’s also a woman who has dedicated herself to making sure that every student she encounters has the tools, the support, and the confidence to compete for their seat at the table.
Introduction Of Focus One College’s Phenomenal Success
As the Executive Director and Founder of Focus One College, she has built an organization whose mission is to equip students with the educational and psychologically social support they need to not just apply to college, but to thrive in the process. The results speak for themselves. Ninety percent of Focus One College students receive acceptance into one of their top three colleges.
She is passionate, she is purposeful, and she is here. Please welcome the extraordinary Yolanda Wright.
Thank you so much, Angela and Sylvia. Thank you so much for inviting me to your show. It’s an honor. Before we start, I want to give my flowers to Sylvia. I want to thank you so much for helping me with my dad. If it wasn’t for you, I’m not sure if he would be here. We had taken my dad to urgent care. They sent him home. Sylvia happened to be with me. She interjected and said, “What is going on?” I told her. She said, “Take him back to the ER.”
You even said, “He may have pneumonia.” I said, “They checked his lungs and sent him home.” She said, “No, take him.” He had pneumonia. If we had waited, I know he wouldn’t have made it. He’s still very weak, but he’s fighting. Thank you so much, Sylvia, for listening and giving us that advice so that we still have our dad with us. Thank you for that.
Yolanda, you’re embarrassing me on my own show. I was not expecting that, but that’s what we do. We are a community of women. We support each other. I’m so happy that Mr. Gonzalez is doing well, but let’s shift a little bit. Clearly, we know each other. We will just say that we went to high school and college together.
We’re going to shout out St. Bernard’s Vikings. As well as Cal Berkeley. Go Bears. We are from LA. I know people are like, “Lower Alabama?” No, we’re from Los Angeles, California. Can you talk about what it was like growing up in LA? How has that shaped your worldview, your drive, and the work that you’re doing with young people?
I grew up in South Central Los Angeles. Growing up in Los Angeles gives you that multicultural experience. On the other hand, you grow up experiencing and observing the inequities. That experience has been at the foundation of the work that I do. It’s what motivates me to do the work that I do. Oftentimes, as we’re growing up, it’s very unconscious until you have those experiences. That was Berkeley for me, to make me aware of my own experiences with inequities.
As you know, in Los Angeles, you’re fifteen minutes away from all the varied socioeconomic backgrounds and neighborhoods. You turn a corner, and you’re in a different world in LA. It’s wonderful on one end because you’re exposed to so many people from different backgrounds and perspectives. You experience those inequities in health, social access, and education. As I proceeded in my career, I always thought I was going to be a psychologist, but I realized that I love advocacy. Especially growing up in LA, for me, at least, I’m more effective. Not in a silo of just one specialty, but in advocacy.
In LA, I have a twenty-year professional experience working with foster youth. That led me to the opportunity of becoming a director at UCLA, where I learned everything about college access. I ran a college access program for foster youth. That then led me to my own business. It’s my passion. I love it. All those experiences have formed me into the professional that I am now. I feel my ability to provide unique services to students that they can’t get anywhere else because of my background and growing up in Los Angeles.
Lessons Learned From Caregiving And Advocating For Family
Thank you for your insight. For those of us who didn’t grow up in LA, our experience is Hollywood, 90210, the beach, and all the beautiful things. In reality, no matter where you are here, at least I can speak for the United States. You’re usually about fifteen minutes away from somebody who may be suffering. I can’t wait to get into more of these questions because it sounds like what you have done is phenomenal with your experiences.
Before we get into your career, can you tell us what you have experienced? I know that you are the youngest daughter in your family. You’re a mother and now a caregiver. What are the most powerful lessons those experiences have taught you about nurturing others and advocating for people you love? Even when it means showing up when it’s hard, which I completely understand.
As I shared earlier, I’m a caregiver for my father. Also, I was a caregiver for my mother, who had Alzheimer’s. She passed away on the first day of the stay-at-home order on March 19, 2020. The day that chaos ensued is the day that my mom passed away. You’re isolated. We were all isolated during that period of time, during grief, when family wanted to come over and visit. We couldn’t.
A month before my mom passed, I moved in with my parents to take care of her. It was up to my father. I’m happy he did it. He wanted her home, but my father was already in his 80s at the time. What I’ve learned about caregiving and parents is the importance of support and family. It’s pretty simple, but it’s also difficult because I know not every family has that. I’ve been so devastated in this experience with my father, not necessarily for us.
I think about all the elderly people who do not have someone advocating for them. I am probably on average on the phone, maybe two hours a day, coordinating his services and fighting rejections. He was never denied anything before. In 2025, it’s a battle. I’m assuming it’s with the administration, the changes, and the pressures that are coming down on insurance companies. Everything is a battle. I feel so much for the elderly who do not have that support system. What do they do? If they’re sick, how are you on the phone for two hours? Many things have to be done on a computer.
In 2025, it’s a battle—between the administration, ongoing changes, and the pressures coming down on insurance companies. Everything feels like a battle. I really feel for the elderly who don’t have a support system. Share on XWe’ll fill out the paperwork online and set up an appointment online. What did the elderly do? My father has never had an email address. For me, it’s family, even just passing it down to my children so that they understand the importance of family and support. Even if someone doesn’t have that, it’s establishing that. It’s trying to maintain that and establish those friendships or what have you to provide support. Especially for our elders who are getting older and having to battle a system that is broken now.
Yolanda, you have two older brothers. It sounds like your relationship with your brothers is solid, such that you can then provide care for your father as a family. That’s important. You’re very fortunate.
I need to mention my brothers. That’s why I feel like I can keep my sanity.
The Impact Of Summer Bridge And Becoming A First-Generation Advocate
Yolanda, let’s shift gears. Let’s talk about our years at Berkeley. I remember Summer Bridge. Summer Bridge for me was the best possible way to get introduced to Cal, to learn where the buildings were, to have an inkling of the rigorousness of the classwork, the coursework, and most importantly, to meet people. Can you talk about how your experience at Berkeley and maybe Summer Bridge ultimately helps you sit across from students today as a college counselor?
Summer Bridge was the best experience. It was a huge learning curve at the same time. The college experience is a completely different experience from what you’ve ever experienced, especially being part of an underrepresented group.
Were you a first-generation college student, Yolanda?
Yes. I don’t know if you know this, but neither of my parents graduated from high school. I was a first-generation high school student. I was a first-generation college student, and to get my master’s. My parents always instilled education. I have two older brothers. I followed their steps. They attended Bernard’s as well. They went to Bernard’s and graduated from Bernard’s. I had them as role models.
I’m the first one to graduate from college. The Summer Bridge experience was critical. That was a critical experience for me to have. Understanding the learning curve and the cultural shock is definitely at the foundation of the work that I do with students. When I work with students, and if they happen to be part of an underrepresented group, I speak to them about that and that experience.
That is something that is very special to my program. I have families all the time who tell me, “Thank you for addressing those issues with my child,” or they interview multiple college counselors. They typically go with me because they know that I contribute to that part of it. I ask my clients questions that no one else is asking them. I prepare them. I’m a firm believer in creating advocates. I feel that’s what I developed out of Berkeley.
It’s that Summer Bridge experience and all the experiences afterwards to graduate from Berkeley. You have to become an advocate for yourself to make it in a very competitive environment. When I work with students, I want them to walk away feeling empowered and feeling like, “I can do this on my own.” You’re going to need support. We all needed support.
Also, that was the other thing that I loved about the Summer Bridge experience. The friendships that we developed during Summer Bridge are lifelong. I remember that first day when they said, “Look to the right. Look to the left. They’re not going to be there.” Honestly, especially our time that we were there, I feel like many more of us made it than probably should have because of that support that we had. We helped each other to get through.
It’s the power of community. That’s what we talked about. Thank you for sharing that. I was so impressed. Your Focus One College has a 90% success rate of students getting into one of their top three colleges. Flowers for that. It’s amazing. I’m hearing already your experiences, where you grew up, what you saw growing up, your experience in your family, and the dynamics of being the first to complete college. I feel like I can feel why you were led to where you are, but I’d love for you to tell us what inspired you to found Focus One College. Tell us the gap in the educational landscape that you were determined to fill.
As I told you, I learned everything about college admissions when I was working at UCLA as a director there for foster youth. I even learned more about the inequities. Our foster youth have the lowest numbers of graduation from high school, entry into college, and graduation from college and homelessness. Before I went to UCLA, I was working with homeless emancipated youth. I was helping them find housing and get jobs. I helped them with their educational planning.
Yolanda, can you help explain to us why foster youth experience being unhoused, why they’re not graduating from high school, and why they don’t have the support to graduate from college? Give us a thumbnail.
Unfortunately, they’re not supported through the process. The foster care system houses the foster youth. However, the way that they’re treated is not acceptable. Many people are doing advocacy for better quality of services for students. They’re often placed multiple times. When they’re placed multiple times, typically, their educational plans are supposed to go with them. There are laws in place, but they often don’t.
I would imagine they’re not placed in the same school district or the same community so that they can continue that.
Sometimes, their transcripts are incorrect. They don’t even show up. They’re placed in the wrong classes. They’re placed in the same class they took a year prior. They don’t even realize it. They’re losing time in high school to be prepared for the actual high school graduation. On top of that, to be competitive in school. Also, many foster youth, they have been abused. They’ve been neglected. Oftentimes, they’re not getting the psychological services that they need. They’re separated from siblings. They’re separated from family members, and then they are adults.
Can you imagine being seventeen or eighteen and saying, “I’m going to create a better life for myself,” then going out into the world and suddenly becoming homeless because you don’t have any opportunities? Share on XAm I correct in thinking that they’re already delayed? Sometimes, high school, which we think of at 17 or 18, could be much older. They’re emancipated at eighteen. If they chose, “This situation is not great for me anyway,” they can stop everything at that point, but don’t have the support to live.
Absolutely. For a 17 or 18-year-old, you don’t have a high school degree. You don’t have stable housing. Sometimes, you’re so desperate to leave the situation you’re in. Many foster youths are even abused and neglected in their foster homes. There are plenty of wonderful foster families, but there are plenty who do not care properly for the foster child for financial reasons.
I would say the majority of the students or the youth that I worked with who were homeless, emancipated youth had these horrific foster care stories. It’s traumatizing that they experienced that, but even to listen to their stories. These are in their foster care homes. Can you imagine being seventeen or eighteen and saying, “I’m going to create a better life for myself.” You go out into the world and all of a sudden, you’re homeless because you don’t have any opportunity? That’s where many of them land. They can’t finish high school.
They don’t get their high school diploma. It’s very difficult. Even the students who get into college find themselves in homeless situations as well. There are some colleges that are better than others that fill that gap. For example, UCLA did a fantastic job filling those gaps. They found that their foster youth at UCLA ended up homeless every summer.
It’s because you have to move out of the dorms.
You have to take summer classes.
No one thought about that for decades. Foster youth were figuring it out and staying with their friends, their roommates, and their family. Most of them stayed on people’s couches. That’s homelessness. That’s not appropriate. They are staying on someone’s couch or in a car. They would live in their cars. UCLA established a program where everyone went home except foster youth. Foster youth could stay. You know how they turned their housing into summer programming. In the summer programming, youth come in and stay in the dorms. They are athletes and foster youth.
Foster youth are allowed to stay during the summers and during any breaks. Kudos to UCLA and other colleges that are very aware of the unique needs and challenges of foster youth who experience homelessness for years until they can establish a career for themselves, where they can become independent. As we know, for many youths, on average, that’s 26 years old. We’re asking foster youth to do that at seventeen. They need that support and help.
Integrating Psychological Support Into The College Application Process
Yolanda, thank you so much for helping us understand a little bit more about foster youth. We appreciate your advocacy. It’s helpful for us to think about communities that may be a little bit different from ours. Let’s shift gears. When you’re working with the students at Focus One College, I think of high school students applying to college.
There seems to be a lot of anxiety. There’s a lot of angst around applying. Did I climb Machu Picchu as well as start my own foundation, letter on the soccer team, and all of those things? We know that emotional and social support is an important dimension of the college application process. How do you approach that support?
This is what elevates my programming, my Psychology degree.
You’re a people person, Yolanda. You go anywhere. You’re going to meet somebody. You’re going to get us in. You connect people.
It’s my personality already. That’s what led me to advocacy because when I thought about being a psychologist for the rest of my life, I said, “I don’t know if I could just sit in an office.” Not that always has to play out that way, but I get to do this advocacy work. I get to talk to different people, make things happen for people, and elevate situations. My psychology background helps. It allows me to approach all my students in a holistic way.
When I speak to my students, I already know 100% are experiencing some type of depression, anxiety, hesitation, or worry. During COVID, I would say 100% of my students were experiencing depression and anxiety. These are normal levels of depression and anxiety. It’s normal to experience that through this process.
I address it with the families. I address it with my students. It’s important to address it. Oftentimes, there are obstacles or barriers to their progress. I’m not someone who goes in, and we’re just going to fill out applications. It’s a strategic plan to get them emotionally and mentally ready for the process and to understand why they are doing this. Sometimes, I ask my students why.
Do you mean why they’re applying to college?
Yes. No one ever asked them. They’re told they’re going to college. There’s nothing wrong with having a college-going culture and a college-going family. No one asks the students, “Why are you going to college?” When I ask a majority, they hesitate. They’re not too sure. Many students don’t know why.
My children would say, “It’s because my parents said I was going.”
There you go. It’s very common. It’s actually understandable. It’s completely fine, but someone has to ask them. I’m the one who asked them. It’s important that they have insight into themselves as to why. I challenge my students to figure out the why because once they figure out the why, they’re more motivated. I have many parents come to me and say, “Will you work with my child?” It’s because they feel like there are some issues there. They may tell me, “He seems checked out. I don’t even think he wants to go to college. I don’t know. He doesn’t talk to me, so I don’t know if he’s going to talk to you.”
How are you supposed to fix that? That’s a relationship within the family. I’m just saying.
I have 100% success rate. That’s why I feel like I’m successful in what I do. When my parents get off the phone with me, when I do my initial consultation, they’re like, “Thank you so much.” They feel better about the process. It’s important for me to first establish rapport with a student because I know how important those questions are. They need to be able to trust me.
I take an interest in why they are pursuing college and finding out, “What do you love to do? What are your passions?” I’ve had parents even say when I use the word passion, “Does passion pay the bills?” They ask the question. I don’t blame them, but I tell them, “Yes, they can.” This is what I do with students as well. I take their passions. I’m real with them. I say, “Let’s see how we can monetize your passion.”
I’m imagining the parents. It’s definitely not me, but I come in contact with a lot of parents who would take offense to that because they feel like giving in to the child’s notion of what they want or they’re passionate about. Have you had any big pushback in those areas?
No pushback because I also involve the parents. I have the consultation, but I tell the parents that my meetings are one-on-one with students. The student does better with just me because they know that the parents have very strong opinions. I hear what you’re saying. They’re like, “My child is going to become an engineer. They’re not going to be an artist. I don’t know what you’re talking about this passion stuff.”
I have a very open relationship with my parents. I acknowledge that. These are not things we’re going to hide. If they want their child to be in engineering, but their child loves art, I let the parent understand that if they have a talent for math and science, I get that they want to leverage that. If they have a passion for the arts, I say, “Let’s figure out how we can combine that. Let’s figure out how they can explore both because this is what colleges are looking for.”
Families don’t realize that college admissions are a little different. Colleges are looking for something different than what they looked for when we were coming up. Before, you had to catch a specialty. There was also more opportunity to find a job and have longevity at a job. This is not the world we live in anymore.
Most pensions are gone. Stability at jobs is gone. Our children need to be academically prepared, but they need to be dynamic in their thinking. When I explain that to parents, they open their mind. I’ll give you an example. I’ve had several parents, especially of the young men, who’ve come to me and said, “My son wants to be a hip hop artist.” They’re frustrated.
Back then, you could specialize early, find a job, and build a long-term career with stability. That world is gone—most pensions and job security have disappeared. Today, our children still need to be academically prepared, but more importantly, they… Share on XI just rolled my eyes secretly.
They are probably hearing from nephews and this and that they want to go into hip hop. It’s common because they have this passion for music. The parents went to college, and they’re engineers and doctors. They’re like, “Come on now.” When I work with my student, I don’t diminish their dreams. What I do is I challenge them. When I work with them, I say, “You love hip hop. You love music. What do you love about it?” “I love writing.” It’s like, “Do you want to be a great writer? You need to have top, excellent English writing skills. You need to read. You need to write.”
Kendrick Lamar won the Pulitzer.
He was taking classes at UCLA. I will tell my clients this. My students will perk up, “They use their college education?” “Yes. You want to be a master of your passions.” When I talked to parents, I said, “We’re not saying passions, and they’re just going to sit by the beach, write poetry all day, and not earn a living.” Even though there’s nothing wrong with poetry by the beach. That’s what I do.
That’s what I’m trying to get to.
It’s how we can leverage what they’re passionate about. Another student may say, “I love the production of music.” I say, “You need to learn technology. Let’s look at computer science. Let’s look at anything that will help those technical skills. Maybe you need to learn AI.” That’s being created at colleges as majors. The student is excited. You love hip hop. Who doesn’t?
I love hip hop. How are you going to leverage this and become a master of your craft? That’s how I challenged them. We come to a happy medium. It could be engineering. Their hip hop artist student is now continuing on an engineering track, but with a specialization because they want to become a producer one day. That’s how I approach those issues.
Focus One College Strategies For Financial Aid And Scholarship Search
I love that and getting the buy-in from the student and the parents together. I can see having that mediator as being of value. Let’s go to another part of this struggle in terms of college. We know that there are many families that struggle with the financial side of college admissions. Tell us what strategies Focus One College uses to connect students with scholarship opportunities and align with who they truly are.
I approach the scholarship search very similarly to the college application search. I implement two practices. Part of it is a business approach. I do backwards planning and matching. There’s a scholarship. The earlier I can work with students, the better. I can work with students as early as middle school. If I start seeing students in middle school, I only see them once or twice a year. That’s because we want to strategize. The earlier I can get them, the better we can strategize.
Throughout high school, I start seeing them maybe more often. In their sophomore and junior years, maybe once a month. In their senior year, I’m meeting with them weekly. What we do with scholarships and money is that I have them look at the scholarship applications. Maybe six months to a year in advance. We’re going to backwards plan. We’re going to look at the scholarship because they start applying at the last minute. We don’t want that to happen.
A year in advance, we look at the scholarship. It’s very important to see what they’re asking for. The student understands, “What are they looking for?” We look at the essay prompt. We don’t write them. It’s not the time to write them, but it’s important for them to read the essay prompts to see what the emphasis is. Typically, they’re looking for leaders, community service, and passion. The word that’s a no-no for a lot of parents. Guess what the colleges ask? “What are your passions?” There are even colleges that ask, “How are you going to change the world?”
That’s passion.
These are the top selective colleges. With the scholarship search and the financial aid, I could help families when they start early. I’ve been very successful in helping students get pretty close to full rides, if not full rides.
Yolanda, the finances for every family, even middle-class and upper-middle-class families, could be that you are dropping $60,000 to $70,000 a year for undergraduate education. Could you give us a ballpark? If we’re talking about a private college, what is the cost of tuition, room, and board, just so that we can level set?
The cost of a private education is astronomical now. Many undergraduate programs cost at least $60,000 just for tuition per year.
That’s not room and board.
It’s just to sign your name on the contract. It’s for tuition for your classes. You’re talking about another probably $20,000 for room, board, and other expenses. That’s $80,000.
One year, Yolanda, right?
That’s for USC, NYU, or Wellesley College. They’ve all jumped dramatically. Let’s not even talk about graduate school, which at NYU is about $80,000 for tuition. It’s astronomical. I don’t know how some families are going to do this, especially in the middle ground with the changes in the administration. Where did they get the money if it’s not loans or what have you? For a public school education, maybe it’s between $25,000 and $30,000 for in-state.
It’s still a lot.
If you go out of state, it’s close to $50,000 or $60,000. I work with my families so that they are aware of every single opportunity from WUE, which is the Western Undergraduate Exchange, where you get close to in-state tuition in an out-of-state college. Most families don’t know about that, but it’s particular colleges and majors. If the student is open, we will find them. If they’re open to their major, we will find the major that will qualify them for WUE.
I also make sure that they’re aware of federal health grants, which are for very low-income families. They have to complete the FAFSA. Many families are not even aware of the FAFSA. There’s the in-state money if we’re talking about California colleges, but most states have their own in-state money to give to families. That’s typically the Cal State grants. There’s institutional money.
When families apply to college, there’s usually a checkbox to say, “Are you interested in scholarships?” We will assess you for our scholarships. However, what families don’t realize is that there is additional scholarship money at the colleges that you have to apply to. You have to do your due diligence. Most families aren’t aware of that, and they leave money on the table.
What families don’t realize is that there is additional scholarship money at colleges that you have to apply for. You have to do your due diligence. Most families aren’t aware of this and end up leaving money on the table. Share on XThey will be assessed for their major scholarships. Families will be like, “I didn’t get any of the scholarships.” It’s like, “No, but I’m here to make sure they’re applying to these other institutional scholarships that, in many cases, do require an additional application.” Also, I work with them on finding outside scholarships. I show them how to bypass these databases.
It’s the algorithm.
What happens is that you put your email into Scholarships.com. Nothing’s wrong with it, except that if you put your email in there, you’re going to get bombarded with trash email. I show my families how to bypass that. I teach them how to search for scholarships that these databases have. You think you have to input your email. You do not have to.
I help them find outside scholarships. It’s a strategy and a process there, too. I make sure my families are aware of all the scholarship opportunities and financial aid. I do know for certain that, without my assistance, so much money would be left on the table, and they will be going into debt. It’s very important that my families don’t go into debt.
Yolanda, in this brief period of time, you have already established the fact that if my kids were needing to go to college. Which they’re beyond that point now, and are thriving, you would be the person that I would be calling. Your passion, your experience, and your life lived thus far certainly put you in a phenomenal position for families.
There’s no doubt that the readers needing this service are already looking you up. I don’t think we necessarily have to go much further. I’m happy for you to talk more, but I can’t wait for people that I know who have kids. I have two questions for you. Do you work with families outside of California? Is this anywhere?
I’ve worked with international students. It’s international and across the country because all my meetings are via Zoom. That started with COVID. I’ve stayed with that. It’s been great.
Managing The Demanding Intersection Of Career And Caregiving
For all those readers who were worried, “I’m not in California. I’m not in LA.” You’re good. We’re set. Let me ask you this. From what you’ve described, you’re navigating one of the most demanding intersections someone can face. You’re running this thriving business organization, raising college-age children, and simultaneously caring for your aging father and your mom.
Many women that we talk to find themselves in this same season of life, and often silently. What has that experience been like for you? How do you manage it emotionally, physically, and logistically, in holding so many people and responsibilities all at once? I love to know what you would tell other women who are quietly carrying the same load right now.
I’ll tell you what I do now, but I’m going to first tell you what I did before, which was not to my benefit. I want to share this because of other women who are out there who are in that same situation. I don’t have many regrets in life, but the one thing that I wish I had done differently is not trying to do it on my own.
I’m a nurturer and a fixer. When you’re a nurturer and a fixer, you’re in mode. I was working full-time. I was working at UCLA. It was a lot on my plate. I was getting it done, but I was doing it all on my own. I was not even as connected, even with my friends. Even though we were always there and present for each other, but not nurturing that.
You were busy, Yolanda. You were a wife, a mother, a caregiver, and a high-functioning worker. That was a lot. I remember that.
I was doing it on my own because I’m like a soldier.
You don’t want to burden anyone else.
It’s because you had to, or you didn’t ask for help. Why were you doing that on your own?
It was my coping skills at the time. It’s what I learned. I had to relearn those coping skills. I don’t even think I realized that I was doing it, and there was another way. I was like, “I’ll see my friends later. I can’t do that.” Anything for myself, I set aside because it was very unconscious until I realized that I lost myself in the process.
I had to work on healing myself. Any woman out there, I want to let them know that they are worth it. They are worth it to pour into themselves. They need to pour into themselves as much as they pour into others. When I asked myself, “Do you pour into yourself as you pour to others?” My answer was emphatic no. It was absolutely not. Now, I pour into myself as I pour into others.
Concrete Examples Of The Self-Care Regimen
Give us a concrete example of you pouring into yourself.
I had to ask myself, “What do you love to do?” It was hard at first because I forgot. What are the things I love to do?
You like to dance. You like to hang out with people.
There was a period of time when I wasn’t doing that. You know that about me because when I’m with my friends, I’m happy and dancing and this and that. Imagine not doing that for a year. That is a toll on you. I realized I love dancing. I hadn’t written poetry. When I talk about poetry by the beach, that’s actually me. I love writing poetry. I started writing poetry again. I started journaling. Journaling was excellent.
I had meditation. I started yoga. That’s one of my favorite things to do. I love yoga. I love swimming. I love anything by the beach. I love traveling with my friends. I love being with my family. It’s pretty simple, but you can lose those pieces of yourself if you’re not conscious and pouring into yourself. I would tell that to all the women out there. I’m sure there are plenty who’ve lost those simple things. It’s those simple things that you need to incorporate in your life and pour back into yourself. That’s what I do.
What I heard is you’ve got to ask for help because if your entire block schedule is filled with caring for others, and they have to be cared for, you have to find a way to pay for help.
Yolanda, you shared with us your self-care regimen. We love that. I have a question for you. When you think about that seventeen-year-old girl or young woman who showed up at Summer Bridge and her idea of success, and you think about the woman you are now as a founder, a mother, a caregiver, and all the things. What’s your idea of success now?
My idea of success is putting everything into something. That’s important to me. Put everything into something. Give it all. With my students, it is to see those outcomes and to see them blossom. For my 17 or 18-year-old self, it’s so interesting coming up with passion. This is why I talk to my students, because it’s my lesson and my wisdom. I would tell her, “Figure out your passion. Do that for the rest of your life.”
My idea of success is putting everything into something that’s important to me—giving it everything I’ve got. Share on XI love my career, but it took me years to get into the niche that I have now. I didn’t plan this. I didn’t plan years ago at 17 or 18 that I would be a college admissions consultant and counselor. It took years of experience to get to this point. I would encourage her to follow her passions and keep attaining goals. Pour into herself and love herself. Those would be the things that I would tell her.
College Admissions Guidance, Student Success Stories, And Personalized Support With Focus One College
Yolanda, you’ve been absolutely amazing. I know that there are so many people tuning in who want to know how to get in touch with you. Can you tell those who are tuning in the best way to reach you, and if there are any parting words that you want to give the audience? You’ve already given so much. I’m not sure if they need any more.
I do have a website. It’s FocusOneCollege.com. My contact information is there. I’m also on Facebook and Instagram under Yolanda Wright or Yolanda Gonzalez Wright. Also, Focus One College is on Facebook and Instagram. They can reach me that way. When they reach out to me, I’ll give them my cell number. We usually do our consultation via phone. I want to thank you guys again for inviting me and for letting me share my experience. This is something that I love doing. I look forward to my meetings with my students.
Sylvia, when you were speaking about success, every year during college admissions notices or decisions, I feel like I win awards. When you picture getting on stage and winning an award, every time my student texts me or calls me, “I got into this college or that college,” it’s like I’m winning an honor or award. It’s so exciting at that time. I’m so proud that 100% of my students get into college, and the fact that I’m able to get them into fantastic colleges. We’re not talking about elite colleges, but the best-fit colleges for them. It makes me happy. Thank you so much for inviting me.
Thank you, Yolanda. I am so proud of you and the work that you do at Focus One College, but also the human being that you are. You have always been one of my favorite people. You are a friend of the show. Yolanda, on behalf of everyone tuning in, we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your time, your transparency, and your truth. You were truth telling. You walked in here not just as an executive director and founder of Focus One College, but as a whole woman, as a whole human being, a daughter, a mother, a caregiver, and a visionary. You’ve given us all of that. Yolanda, we are deeply grateful.
Thank you so much.
For anyone tuning in who has a child, a grandchild, a niece, a nephew, or a young person in their life who is navigating the college admissions process and needs real guidance, real support, and a proven path forward. Focus One College is exactly where they need to be. Yolanda and her team are ready to meet your student right where they are and walk alongside them every step of the way. I’m going to put this in here, Yolanda. I had a brief experience with a similar business. It is not set up the way yours was.
I see the value in your background, your lived experience, and your psychology experience. Going one-on-one with the student is invaluable. That is a niche that you have created, but it was created and born out of your passion. I want to add that plug because there are a lot of parents out there like me that somebody came by word of mouth, and that’s it. I didn’t know how to search, but I wouldn’t be searching anymore if I had tuned in to this episode then.
I do want to say that I have contracted with some major, larger, college admissions consulting companies, very affluent neighborhoods, and what have you. I know for a fact that I provide additional services that they are not providing to students. I know that from my professional experience.
To connect with Yolanda Wright and her team at Focus One College, be sure to follow, reach out, and get plugged in. Make sure you take note and share it with everyone you know who needs to tune in to this.
Thank you so much, Yolanda. You’re a gift to this community for sure. It sounds like every student whose life you’ve touched. We thank you again for saying yes. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for reminding us that with the right support, every young person’s dream of higher education is absolutely within reach.
Until next time, take care of yourselves. May you be well.
May you be well.
Thank you.
Important Links
- Yolanda Wright on LinkedIn
- Yolanda Wright on Instagram
- Focus One College
- Focus One College on Facebook
- Focus One College on Instagram
About Yolanda Wright
Yolanda Wright is the Executive Director and Founder of Focus One College. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and Master of Arts Degree in Psychology from the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology. The Focus One College mission is to equip students with the necessary educational and psychological-social support to increase competitiveness in the college admission and scholarship application process. Each student’s skills, talents, and interests are leveraged to find best match colleges and scholarships. 90% of Focus One College students receive acceptance into one of their top 3 colleges.