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Yvette Braswell’s journey is anything but ordinary. Once known as a celebrity hairstylist and salon owner, she has transformed her career—and her life—into something far greater than beauty alone. Today, she stands as an author, motivational speaker, licensed life insurance broker, and the visionary behind Finance, Fashion & Fly ShT*. Her mission? To revolutionize the way Black communities approach wealth, style, and legacy.

After nearly losing her life to endometriosis in 2014, Yvette embraced her calling to motivate others through resilience and reinvention. Now, she calls herself a “creative wealth strategist,” blending financial literacy with culture, fashion, and soul. For her, building generational wealth isn’t just about numbers—it’s about identity, representation, and rewriting centuries-old narratives.

In this exclusive interview with Sheen Magazine, Yvette shares what inspired her bold career pivots, the meaning behind her role as a “creative wealth strategist,” and why her mission to cultivate generational wealth—without sacrificing style or soul—is not just timely, but revolutionary.

Sheen: You’ve gone from being a celebrity hairstylist and salon owner to an author, motivational speaker, and now a life insurance broker. What inspired such a bold transition?

Yvette: I can’t front and say my move was based on boldness or bravery. Life will push you into the changes that you’ve been thinking about, sometimes. Or it will move you out of your comfort zone. It was a decision based on necessity.

Sheen: How has your past career in beauty and fashion shaped the way you approach wealth strategy and insurance today?

Yvette: I became a business owner at age 19. That made me unafraid to approach new ideas, people or things that I feel a bit intimidated by. Wealth and insurance are topics that I often have to put on my big girl underpants to get past my hangups.

Sheen: What was the defining moment that pushed you to reimagine yourself as “Yvette B Motivates”?

Yvette: I almost died from endometriosis in 2014. So once I was able to get through that and come out on the other side, I knew that I had a voice that could motivate others to get through seemingly impossible situations.

Sheen: You call yourself a “creative wealth strategist.” What does that mean, and how does it set you apart from a traditional insurance agent?

Yvette: To be a creative wealth strategist means that people who are in various industries come to me for ideas and solutions to expand their businesses or make them more interesting, noticeable and profitable. I meet them where they are and help them to come up with new and creative strategies for their business to make money.

Sheen: You describe Finance, Fashion & Fly Sh*T as a cultural shift. What does it mean to revolutionize wealth in a way that is “soulful, fashionable, and Black AF”?

Yvette: Historically, in the life insurance space, Black people have been worth more dead than alive. It is absolutely revolutionary for us to understand how insurance was meant to be used, and then apply that use to go from the property that was being insured to the proprietor. It’s a complete flipping of the script in relation to generational wealth.

Sheen: What’s next for you personally—another book, an expansion of YBM Insurance, or something entirely new?

Yvette: What’s next for me, business-wise?… Immediately- Finishing self-publishing my book, ‘Cultivate Legacy, The Black Family’s Guide to Life Insurance & Generational Wealth’, and continuing to help families to cultivate their legacies. I’m going to continue growing my company and the brand, Finance, Fashion & Fly SH*T. Personally, I plan to keep perfecting my soft, pink and beautiful life!