La’Toya Guillory is a purpose-driven author, coach, writer, and founder of The Intentional Author, LLC, who believes that every story deserves to be heard. After navigating personal health challenges, burnout, and a major career shift, La’Toya realigned her work with what truly mattered to her—helping people give voice to the words they’ve carried for years. Humans of Fuzia is proud to feature La’Toya for her intentional approach to authorship, her resilience, and her commitment to empowering individuals—especially women—to believe in their stories and claim their identities as authors.
Tell us about your journey and what inspired you to do what you do today.
I actually shifted my focus in August to author coaching—helping people self-publish their books from beginning to end. What led me here was a combination of health challenges and burnout. I had taken a hiatus, and during that time, I really started reflecting on what truly drove me.
When I first started my organization, it was meant to support my life and relationship coaching work and to promote a book I had written. But while going through health issues, I asked myself: What do I really enjoy? What lights me up? Around the same time, people in my community kept asking me how I wrote my book, how publishing worked, and how they could finally put their journals together.
I didn’t have a community when I wrote my first book. I had to teach myself everything—editing, formatting, publishing. It wasn’t perfect, but it taught me a lot. Eventually, I realized I wanted to be the person I didn’t have back then. I wanted to help people get their words into the hands of those who need to read them. That’s when The Intentional Author was born.
Who do you work with today?
I work with aspiring authors and established authors who want to self-publish their books on their own terms.
What changes do you see in people once they go through this journey with you?
Most of them never believed they could do it. Their stories have been sitting in journals, closets, and notebooks for years. When they finally realize they can do this—when they start calling themselves authors—it’s a powerful shift.
Once they write one book, they want to write another, and then another. It builds momentum. I’m very intentional about making sure their book sounds like them. This is their voice, their work. Seeing them own that identity and realize what was always possible—that’s the real transformation.
Did you ever struggle with self-doubt or imposter syndrome?
Absolutely—imposter syndrome is an everyday thing. Starting a business feels like birthing something precious and then putting it out into the world for others to judge. That fear doesn’t really disappear.
I didn’t even want to write after finishing my master’s degree because there was so much writing involved. I just wanted a stable job and peace. But in my heart, I knew that path wasn’t fully aligned with who I was.
Stepping out wasn’t just for me—it was for my family and for legacy. I want my child to know that he can do whatever he sets his mind to. Fear does creep in, but hope always overshadows it.
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently as an entrepreneur?
I wish I had truly understood who I was from the beginning. Early on, my work wasn’t strategic or focused enough. I was still figuring out my identity, and that cost me time and money.
If I had taken the time to really understand my purpose and my ideal client, I would have started as The Intentional Author from day one. You can’t do everything well—you have to be clear about who you are and who you’re here to serve.
What does success mean to you—personally and professionally?
Success for me is seeing people say, “I did it. I’m an author.” It’s no longer just a dream or a journal entry—it’s their reality.
My message is simple: Write it. Believe it. Publish it. I want people to move past writer’s block and imposter syndrome and fully step into who they were created to be.
What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?
I want people to know that I lived my life with intention. Everything I do has purpose. Whether it’s my son, the authors I work with, or my community—I want them to see what an intentional life looks like.
When I leave this earth, I want it to be clear that I lived fully, purposefully, and with intention.
“When hope comes in, it overshadows fear—and that’s what keeps me moving forward.”
Connect with La’Toya Guillory:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latoyaguillorymindsetandauthorcoach/
- Email: info@theintentionalauthor.com
Want to be featured?
If you’d like to be featured in the Humans of Fuzia series, email us at fuziatalent@fuzia.com
