Renea S

Founder/President of the Board of Directors

Fostering STEPS

Jan 2026 - Present • 7 mos

Fostering STEPS Foundation was born out of my own personal experience. I aged out of foster care when I turned 19 years old and, like far too many former foster youth, I transitioned into adulthood without the support of mentors, financial guidance, or any sort of long-term support to enable educational and stable success. Once my daughters became adults, I returned to school at the age of 49 years old after several previous attempts. Fostering STEPS aims to find scholars in their earlier years so they can be supported and guided into a successful future. ACRE Scholars is a navigation-first program for young adults aged 18-26 years old who have aged out of foster care and are interested in completing their bachelor’s degree. This initiative will provide support for scholars to navigate academic and financial-aid needs, emergency gap funding, and community of peers. Fostering STEPS aims to have a great positive social impact. Young adults who have aged out of foster care have noticeably lower four-year degree completion rate, as well as increased risk of homelessness, becoming involved in justice system, early parenthood, disability, and mental health problems. Our mission is to increase the number of scholars who complete their degrees, achieve stability, and self-sufficiency. Fostering STEPS is starting off in Metro Detroit with Q1 2027 pilot program and national roll-out vision. Additionally, we will develop an entrepreneurship readiness lab for young adults who wants to pursue vocational education, trades, and entrepreneurship.

Founder

Virtual Tasks Group • ZZP

Jan 2019 - Present • 7 yrs 7 mos

Virtual Tasks Group started because I chose, many years ago before having a formal business plan, that I would not go back to corporate America and play the game as if life did not exist outside of an office environment. Being a mother of three girls, one of whom diagnosed with special needs, I know the feeling of being a very capable, experienced person that was controlled by systems that were not allowing room for anything else. Being an entrepreneur became my way to build differently; initially for myself, and later for the entrepreneurs that believed in themselves just as much. That is the work I do through VTG. Using formal training in marketing, business management, and entrepreneurship together with my practical experience of solving such issues as helping multiple HUD-assisted properties to advance from the state of rent abatement to Satisfactory rating within 120 days, assisting a brick and mortar organization grow into global e-commerce, helping a creator brand become more visible to gain paid deals, and many others. VTG was created for the business owners who need strategies that work and help that comes from somebody who knows the severity of the situation. And, most importantly, knows what can happen when everything falls into place.

Licensed REALTOR

Keller Williams Realty

Nov 2010 - Sep 2019 • 8 yrs 10 mos

Through my experience in real estate, I have learned that customers rarely just need someone to make the deal. They need someone who will listen carefully to the issue, identify the main problem, develop a proper strategy to solve it and move forward despite any obstacles along the way. As a licensed Realtor at Keller Williams Realty, I helped many buyers and sellers with their goals which sometimes were not limited to buying or selling. I helped buyers with such issues as credit problems, difficulties with financing, resolved various obstacles that could delay or prevent a closing. I accomplished this by working alongside lenders and other specialists, then recommending the best decision for the client. For the sellers, I analyzed such things as market conditions, the position of the house, the price of upgrades and profits and told the client where he/she should put efforts and money. That is why now, while doing branding, marketing or developing business strategy and operations, I apply the same principles: identify what the client really needs, what prevents him/her from it, offer various solutions and develop a strategy how to reach the goal from the current situation of the client. My clients are not hiring me for tasks alone. They are hiring me to think with them, spot what they may not see yet, and help turn decisions into measurable progress.