Vanessa Mitera shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Vanessa, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
Honestly, I’m being called to step out in my faith publicly—unapologetically—and lead other women in weaving that faith into their businesses. For years I kept that part of my life quiet because I worried it might alienate clients or make me look unprofessional. I never imagined God would ask me to guide other women in this space, and even now it still feels bigger than me. But leaning into it has been the most life-giving and humbling thing I’ve ever done.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Vanessa Mitera, a brand strategist and the founder of Mitera Branding and Eden & Empire. My work is all about helping women entrepreneurs build businesses that reflect their faith and values without sacrificing their families or their sanity. Eden & Empire is special because it’s not just a membership—it’s a whole-woman ecosystem where strategy meets soul. I spent years chasing hustle culture before realizing God was calling me to build something slower, truer, and more integrated. Right now, I’m pouring my energy into our Eden Experience virtual summit and preparing to open our membership doors, creating a space where women can grow brands that feel holy-aligned and wildly impactful at the same time.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that chased validation through overachievement. For years, rejection and the need to prove myself fueled my drive—it’s what made me a high performer. But I can see now that God let me walk through that so I could feel the weight other women carry, to understand their pain from the inside. That mindset served its purpose as a teacher, but it can’t come with me into this next season. Now I’m learning to build and lead from a place of rest and trust instead of striving.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
My biological dad walked away before I was even born—we never met. For years I told myself it didn’t matter, that you can’t really miss someone you’ve never known. But twenty years ago he was murdered, and that rejection I’d kept at arm’s length suddenly felt permanent. There would never be a chance for reconciliation, no late-night conversation to fill in the gaps. I didn’t realize how deeply that finality shaped me—it quietly touched everything: how I loved people, the pressure I put on myself as a mom, even the way I built my business.
I over-delivered for clients, panicked at the thought of letting anyone down, and hustled for a kind of approval I couldn’t name. I thought I was just ambitious, but really I was living from a place of proving—afraid that if I slowed down or showed weakness, people would disappear just like he did. Healing has been slow: letting God into places I swore were fine, therapy that gave words to the ache, and choosing connection over performance. The rejection that once defined me has become the very thing God uses to help me see and hold space for other women who carry silent wounds.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
I used to believe that if I just worked hard enough, checked every box, and stayed ‘good,’ life would go the way I imagined. I clung to the idea that hustle could earn security and even God’s favor. It was all I knew. I felt like control was the safest place to live. But life, and God, have both shown me otherwise. Hard things still happen. Good people still get hurt. And favor isn’t earned, it’s given. Letting go of that belief has been freeing. Now I see obedience and trust matter far more than performance or perfect plans.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I’ve learned that success built on striving will always cost more than it gives. Most people see the highlight reel and assume the hustle is harmless, but I know how invisible wounds, like a parent’s rejection, can quietly drive every decision. I understand that the ache behind someone’s ambition is often the very place God wants to heal, and that the most impactful work doesn’t come from proving ourselves but from building out of wholeness and trust.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://miterabranding.com
- Instagram: miterabranding
- Linkedin: Vanessa Mitera
- Facebook: Vanessa Mitera
- Youtube: Eden Edit Podcast
Image Credits
Mitera Branding
