“Clear Cut Direction: Helping you grow.”  This is the name and mission of Mint Hill Mom Lea Oglesby’s teen and tween life coaching business.

Oglesby’s work with teens began over a decade ago in New York City where she worked with inner-city teens as part of a church ministry.  “I was the oldest teen worker at 30, and I just loved it,” says Oglesby. “Some of my teens I’m in touch with now are in their 30s, and I just see how it really changed their lives.”

After a long break to focus on raising her own children, Oglesby hopes to once again find a way to help teens through her new business venture, Clear Cut Direction.  Oglesby offers character workshops and life coaching for tween and teen girls, but it’s tough to precisely pin down her product. “As far as one thing that says what I do, there isn’t one thing,” says Oglesby.  “My one thing is I help. That’s what I want anyone to know. I’m here to help. Does your church need ideas? I’m here to help. What do you see the need is? I’m here to help. How can we help kids to really enjoy just being together?  I’m here to help.”

“To be a parent this day in age is as hard as it’s ever been because there is just so much input and so much risk,” continues Oglesby.   “I feel like teens nowadays are bombarded with outside input via their cell phones, never even given a chance to just kind of let their minds rest and find out what they are really thinking.  If you have a bad feeling, it’s easier to turn on a YouTube video than it is to talk about it with parents.”

One of the services Oglesby provides is character workshops that help girls navigate the tough business of being a teen in 2019.  Oglesby recently completed development of “Strong as Nails,” a character building workshop that compares shaping one’s character to getting a manicure.  “It’s not always fun for kids to step into a [character-building] program,” says Oglesby. “It opens the door in a comfortable way to talk about character.”  The workshop, which can incorporate scripture or not, is appropriate for girls anywhere from age 9 to 18 and can be presented in schools or churches.

Another of Oglesby’s workshops, “Thugs: A Love Story” focuses on the ugly thoughts that can destroy us.  “It is almost commonplace with teens and parents alike to be self-detrimental,” muses Oglesby. “The things you say to yourself – ‘You’re too fat, look at your skin, you don’t need to face your day yet’ – you would never say about your daughter or best friend.”  Based on the scriptural advice to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ,” Oglesby’s workshop focuses on diminishing negative thoughts like those by wrapping them in what is positive and good.

Oglesby considers herself lucky to have recently made contact with Kimberley Roseboro, founder and executive director of Firm Foundations Youth and Family Outreach, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate, expose and empower adolescents and families to become self-sufficient and confident of succeeding in society.  Oglesby hopes to work with Kim to expand her services to the Mint Hill area.

“I’m really hoping that I can just help her spread her word,” says Oglesby  “It’s not about the title of Clear Cut Direction, it’s really about the teens.  It’s about maybe saying one thing that will trigger one person to get the help they need to change their life from being shy and insecure and scared to knowing someone’s there to listen.”

Ultimately, Oglesby hopes to make a difference for teen and tween girls here in her home of Mint Hill.  “I figure there’s a reason I’m here,” says Oglesby. “You never know who needs the help, and no one’s going to get the help, no one’s going to be aware or know how to get the help if I don’t start opening my mouth a little bit more.  You never know what one conversation is going to do for somebody.”

In place of set pricing for her services, Oglesby works within organizations’ and individuals’ budgets.  Read more about her work on her website: https://clearcutdirection.com/.  If you’re interested in her services or workshops, you can reach her at lea@clearcutdirection.com.