Lateshia Pearson has built an empire on empowering others, but this season of Belle Collective reveals her most challenging assignment yet: empowering herself. The entrepreneur, empowerment leader and driving force behind the Belle Collective brand is stepping into a new chapter that requires courage, vulnerability and what she calls “self-permission.” As the show returns for another season, Pearson is redefining what modern Black female leadership looks like by setting new boundaries, evolving publicly and choosing growth without guilt. From navigating a decades-long relationship to building her business while raising her son Joshua, she’s learning that putting yourself first isn’t selfish—it’s necessary.
How would you describe yourself this season compared to when the show first began?
I’m definitely all of those things—CEO, wife, friend, woman in transition, sister. I will always be all of those things, but in addition to that, the audience and the viewers will be surprised to see the new boundaries that I’m setting. They’ll be surprised to see the strength that I embody and the courage, because I surprise myself. They’re gonna see a different Lateshia moving in a different way, and I’m excited for that.
The premiere opens with vulnerable moments between you and Glenn. Where do you both stand today?
We’ve been together since 1998. What you see on the show every Friday night is our lives—it’s up and down. We’re trying to navigate this different space of elevation. He and I both are totally different people than we were when we were 17 years old. Continue to tune in so you can see what’s happening right now with Lateshia and Glenn. But I will always respect and love him and have an emotional connection with him, because we’ve shared two decades, going on three, together.
Courtesy:Lateshiapearson
Do you want the relationship to work, and what would that look like in a healthy, evolved partnership?
Absolutely. Relationships are beautiful. What Glenn and I have shared, prior to the ups and downs, it’s beautiful. We have a beautiful friendship. One thing we’ve always put first is family and friendship. Even when you guys see me screaming and doing all these things, yes, those are true. Glenn gets on my nerves. But when it comes to family, I would love to see what I didn’t see growing up, and that is to have Joshua in a two-parent home. I don’t think anybody wouldn’t want that, a healthy relationship.
What does balance look like for you in this season of your life?
There’s no such thing as balance. Balance isn’t a thing in my home, balance isn’t a thing in my life. What it is now is prioritizing. What comes first? You have to have so much time for your children, so much time for your husband, so much time for your business, so much time for yourself. I didn’t make a lot of time for myself. When my son is home or on the weekends and he’s from school, I’ll put my phone away. That takes a lot because I make money on my phone—I’m a bail bondsman. When it says balance, I think it’s more about prioritizing, because balance is just something that I just haven’t balanced yet.
What did choosing yourself look like emotionally beyond what we see on screen?
It was hard. It’s hard choosing myself, especially when I’ve been a servant and of service to everybody else. That was something new. It really provoked me into purpose. As you watch, you will see me doing things that I normally wouldn’t do, saying things that I normally wouldn’t say, moving in ways that I normally wouldn’t move. I had to question myself. I had to literally give myself permission to choose myself. When I started repeating that over and over again—I give myself permission—and constantly reaffirming that in my life, it was up then. It was an emotional journey, especially when you’re not used to putting yourself first.
How did you get to that place of giving yourself permission?
Since day one, I was able to find my own voice in reality TV. Being here has provoked me to do bigger things and move in my purpose even more. I read something on social media one day—I woke up one morning and didn’t want to feel that way. I had to do the work deep inside of me. I went into deep prayer, meditation. I had to really say, me first. That was a struggle. That was hard for me. But I had to get up every morning and do my affirmations: I deserve this. Nothing is going to stop me. I am created for greatness. I had to tell myself, if you don’t move in your purpose, you’re going to die. I had to empower myself and give myself what I give my mentees.
How do you reconcile being an empowerment leader for thousands of women while allowing yourself grace to be human and imperfect?
It’s okay to be human. A lot of us get tied up or tangled up in we gotta be perfect. I was just telling a mentee the other day, it’s okay to have a negative thought. It’s okay to feel like, oh my god, why is this happening to me? But we can’t sit in it. It’s okay if you want to call and cry—life is breaking me. Have your moment, but then we have to keep moving. We have to get up and we can’t just sit in it. Motivating other people, talking to people, talking to my mentees and my mentors, it’s also an empowerment for me as well.
What can viewers expect this season?
Each season is better and better. You’re gonna be in for a surprise. There’s gonna be different things happening, different dynamics, different friendships. It’s going to be a rollercoaster. It’s gonna keep you on your toes. There’s not one dull moment with this season. It’s just us being our authentic selves.
What happens with you and Latrice this season?
It’s been up, down, up, down, up, break down, get good, break up, get good. One thing I love about Latrice and my friendship is that regardless of what happens, we both know that deep down we share a strong sisterhood. We literally fight like sisters. When me and her disagree, it’s on another level. It comes from a place of—the people that are closest to you can hurt you. When I’m going back and forth with her, she reminds me of my little sister. You’re gonna experience that as well as other things.
Do you feel like you’re evolving into a version of yourself that requires different energy around you?
Absolutely. Every time you evolve and every time you grow, you have to get a different surrounding around you. That’s mandatory. In some conversations that I sit in, I’m like, why am I even listening to this? Every level is going to require a different you, and not only that, every level will require a different surrounding.
Do you feel like you’re outgrowing certain dynamics or redefining them?
I think it’s both. I’m outgrowing certain things in my life, and I’m redefining certain things in my life. That goes back to I had to give myself permission to really evolve into the woman that God has called me to be. I know for a fact I’m outgrowing certain situations, certain people, and I’m also redefining.
If a woman felt torn between honoring her relationship and honoring herself, what would you tell her about choosing growth without guilt?
Put you first. Put yourself first, and those who understand, they will understand. Those who get it will get it, and those who don’t just don’t. That is very important for any woman. I feel like women can have it all. You just have to be surrounded by the right spouse, the right friends, the right team that can cheer you on. There is no place for selfishness when someone’s on their purpose to be greater.
Belle Collective premieres on OWN
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