Today we’d like to introduce you to Precious Hearn.
Hi Precious, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My story really begins in Chicago, where I was raised by my grandparents in a broken home. Because of their age and declining health, I learned responsibility much earlier than most kids. While my friends were thinking about what they were going to do after school, I was thinking about getting home to cook dinner, clean the house, and help care for my grandparents. Those experiences shaped me into someone who naturally serves others, pays attention to details, and carries a deep sense of responsibility.
When I was 13, I moved to Memphis. It was a difficult transition. Everything felt different. The pace of life, the culture, and even the church environment were unlike what I had known in Chicago. I had to rebuild my community from the ground up, and spiritually I found myself navigating different teachings and trying to rediscover where I fit.
During that season, I became involved in volunteer and philanthropic work throughout Memphis, which gave me purpose and allowed me to pour into others. Eventually, I found a home at Eikon Ministries, a discipleship-focused ministry that helped me deepen my relationship with Christ. That experience grounded my faith, strengthened my identity, and became a turning point in my life.
After high school, I attended college but didn’t finish. Instead, I built a career in hospitality, where I worked for 13 years. That industry taught me leadership, customer service, operations, and how to work with people from every background imaginable. Along the way, life brought its share of victories and challenges, but every experience helped shape the leader I am today.
One of the greatest lessons I learned during those years was that I had never really learned how to enjoy life. Because I had grown up carrying so much responsibility, I had become incredibly serious. Thankfully, I had friends who reminded me that life wasn’t only about surviving. They taught me how to laugh, celebrate, and embrace joy, something that has become just as important to me as hard work.
I married in my mid-twenties and later became a mother, both of which transformed my perspective even more. Then, at 35, I made one of the biggest decisions of my life. I left hospitality and went back to school. It wasn’t just about earning a degree. It was about proving to myself that I could finish what I started. Today, I’m proud to have earned both a Bachelor of Science in Business and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership.
Today, I serve in full-time ministry as the Chief Financial Officer for a church organization in Memphis. I oversee finances, business operations, and strategic planning while also investing in leadership development, coaching, and discipleship. Looking back, every season of my life—from caring for my grandparents, to working in hospitality, to returning to school later in life—has prepared me to help people and organizations grow with wisdom, excellence, and purpose.
My journey hasn’t been a straight line, but every chapter has taught me resilience, strengthened my faith, and shaped the leader I am today.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. One of my biggest struggles has been figuring out who I was and where I belonged.
Being raised by my grandparents meant I became aware at a very young age that my life looked different from many of my peers. Even as early as five years old, I understood that I wasn’t being raised by my mother and father. That awareness created a longing to be accepted and to find my place. Throughout much of my childhood and adolescence, I wrestled with questions of identity and belonging.
Like many people searching for acceptance, I found myself in some of the wrong groups along the way. Thankfully, I also learned when something wasn’t healthy for me and had the courage to keep searching until I found environments where I could genuinely grow. Looking back, my faith was the turning point. The church became the place where I discovered my identity, developed meaningful relationships, and realized that my worth wasn’t determined by whether I fit in but by who God created me to be. I can honestly say my relationship with Christ changed the trajectory of my life.
Another challenge was learning to embrace who I naturally am. I’ve always been curious and adventurous. I’ve always enjoyed learning about different cultures, music, movies, perspectives, and experiences. At times, those interests didn’t always fit the expectations of the environment I grew up in, and I often felt misunderstood or even ostracized for being different.
Over time, I realized that I didn’t have to shrink myself to fit someone else’s definition of who I should be. One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is that it’s okay to be uniquely who God created you to be. My journey has been less about fitting in and more about becoming comfortable in my own skin, embracing my individuality, and using my experiences to help other people do the same.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
People often describe me as someone who wears a lot of hats, and that’s true. But at the core of everything I do are a few very clear strengths.
Professionally, I serve as the Chief Financial Officer for a ministry organization in Memphis. My specialty isn’t just finance in the traditional sense. It’s helping organizations steward their resources wisely. I have a natural ability to analyze data, build budgets, forecast future needs, and develop strategies that position organizations for long-term health and sustainability. I love taking complex financial information and turning it into practical decisions that help leaders move forward with confidence.
I’ve come to realize that many of those strengths were developed through my life experiences. Therapy helped me recognize that the responsibility I carried from a young age sharpened my ability to anticipate needs, think ahead, solve problems, and remain steady under pressure. What once felt like survival has become one of my greatest professional strengths.
Beyond finance, I’m also a pastor, coach, and strategist. I spend a great deal of time discipling people, developing leaders, and helping individuals and organizations move from where they are to where they want to be. I’m naturally solutions-oriented. I don’t spend much time dwelling on problems. Instead, I enjoy identifying opportunities, creating practical strategies, and helping people take their next step. Whether I’m working with a leadership team on strategic planning, coaching someone one-on-one, or helping an organization navigate change, my goal is always the same: bring clarity, create a plan, and help people move forward.
If there’s one thing I’m known for, it’s being a solution builder. I naturally see possibilities where others see obstacles. I enjoy bringing wisdom, strategy, and practical insight to every room I’m in.
What I’m most proud of isn’t a title or an accomplishment. It’s the impact I’ve had on people. I love seeing organizations become healthier, leaders become more confident, and individuals discover that they’re capable of more than they believed. There is also a nurturing side of me that naturally comes out in everything I do. Whether I’m mentoring, coaching, or simply walking alongside someone through a difficult season, I genuinely want to see people heal, grow, and thrive.
I believe what sets me apart is the combination of strategy and compassion. I can help build a budget, develop a long-term organizational plan, solve operational challenges, and then sit with someone afterward and help them navigate the personal side of leadership. I care deeply about both the mission and the people carrying it out, and I believe the strongest organizations are built when both are cared for well.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
If I had to choose my favorite childhood memory, it would definitely be my time at church in Chicago, specifically being part of the drama ministry.
Growing up, my childhood wasn’t easy, so church became a place where I could breathe. I had the opportunity to perform in stage productions and eventually on a local television program called *The Awakening*, which aired in Chicago. Being part of that ministry gave me a sense of belonging and purpose at a time when I really needed it.
What’s interesting is that the character I played, KK, reflected many parts of my own story. She was being raised by her grandmother while her parents struggled with serious issues. In many ways, I wasn’t just acting. I was processing my own experiences through storytelling. It gave me a healthy outlet for emotions I didn’t always know how to express.
Looking back, I think that’s where my love for the arts was born. To this day, I love movies, television, music, theater, and storytelling because I know firsthand how powerful they can be. They have the ability to inspire, heal, challenge, and help people feel seen.
That experience didn’t just teach me how to perform. It taught me the power of creativity to bring hope, tell meaningful stories, and transform lives. It’s still one of the most impactful memories of my childhood.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.precioushearn.com
- Instagram: @precious_hearn
- Facebook: Precious Hearn
- Youtube: Precious Hearn
