Meet Sika Smith of Sika Inspires

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sika Smith.

Hi Sika , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born in Chicago, IL, but raised in a small suburb just outside of the city called Riverdale. Born to a first-generation immigrant father and a mother who was raised in the Chicagoland area, my life started culturally divided. That gave me a unique perspective on heritage from a young age.

I was the middle child of four in a household led by a stay-at-home mom and a father who drove a cab. You could say poverty had our name tattooed on it. As a child, I remember never having anything new—everything was handed down or given to us by someone from church. I didn’t realize then how deeply that could affect a child: to never experience the joy of having exactly what you wanted, and instead be taught to settle and be grateful for whatever you received.

That mindset followed me through grammar school and high school and led to a very uncertain young adult. At some point, I decided I would never be so poor that I or my children would miss out on experiencing the desires of our hearts. That decision fueled years of ambition—ambition that was quietly killing me. I pushed myself relentlessly, not just for me, but for my children and my children’s children.

Somehow, poverty had taught me how to grind and hustle for financial stability, but the chase was taking a toll. After becoming an ICU nurse at one of the top hospitals in Chicago—Northwestern University Hospital in the Liver and Transplant unit—I felt accomplished. But it still wasn’t enough. I was still running, still chasing, still on the treadmill of survival.

With that same mindset, I pursued anesthesia, a path that demanded even more of me. I was married when I got accepted into the program, but by the time I started almost a year later, I was divorced. The financial support I thought I would have had vanished. But I pushed through. Driven by pure grit and adrenaline, I worked and attended school to provide for myself and my daughter during that first year.

By the second year, the residency schedule made working nearly impossible. That led to one of my lowest points—homelessness in the pursuit of greatness. What an oxymoron. Yet, by the grace of God, I made it through and graduated as an Advanced Practice Nurse Anesthetist.

I had finally made it—right? Not quite.

Even in the operating room, I began to feel that anesthesia wasn’t enough. I couldn’t pass my career down to my children. So I co-founded a medical spa in Schererville, Indiana, became a certified nurse injector, and started caring for patients in both hospital and clinical settings. I had time—at least I convinced myself I did. I needed the adrenaline. I had grown addicted to being superwoman, and I couldn’t settle. I had to be stretched to the edge to feel accomplished.

Next, I founded and opened a content creation studio for business owners to build digital marketing materials. Helping others thrive brought me joy, and building a business I could pass down felt like I had finally arrived. But instead of peace, I found myself navigating a second divorce. I realized I had become numb to trauma, disappointment, and pain.

I knew it was bad when my father died and I couldn’t cry. I was a daddy’s girl—how was that possible? Not a single tear. My autonomic nervous system had burned out completely in my pursuit of becoming.

Now, I spend my days teaching women how to balance ambition—because unbalanced ambition is a killer. How do I know? At the age of 42, I was diagnosed with heart disease. Shockingly, 45 percent of women aged 20 and up suffer from some form of heart disease.

This became my why. Ambition, imbalance, unhealed trauma, and the superwoman complex are silently killing us. Even as a healthcare provider, I didn’t realize the damage I was doing to my body.

This revelation led me to launch Sika Inspires—a platform that helps women take off the cape and live in balance: socially, emotionally, mentally, physically, financially, and spiritually.

Today, I speak publicly and mentor on burnout prevention, healing from trauma, and living life in full bloom. I’ve discovered my life’s purpose—to raise awareness and help women lead, love, and live without losing themselves.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road to becoming the woman I am today has been tumultuous, and I still find myself having to overcome hurdles to become the greatest version of myself in this season of life. Trauma and chronic stress are not easily healed; they require grace with self and gentleness toward every part of who you are. So to answer the question, without bumps, we don’t become, and without lessons, we don’t learn. Although the journey has not been easy, I continue to persevere so I can serve the women I impact every day.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Sika Inspires is a personal and professional development company that empowers women to lead with clarity, heal from past trauma, and thrive in every area of life. Founded by Advanced Practice Nurse Anesthetist and leadership strategist Sika Smith, the business offers keynote speaking, workshops, wellness coaching, and corporate training focused on burnout prevention, emotional resilience, and work-life balance.

Rooted in the belief that success should not come at the expense of well-being, Sika Inspires equips high-achieving women with the tools to live in balance—socially, emotionally, mentally, physically, financially, and spiritually. Through its holistic approach, the company helps women remove the pressure of perfection, let go of the superwoman mentality, and step fully into their purpose with confidence and sustainability.

Any big plans?
The future is full of promise and balance. I look forward to continuing to grow the reach of Sika Inspires into international territories while leveraging my background in anesthesia to launch women’s health clinics both locally and globally. The vision is big, and the impact will be even greater. The cycle of women being urged to perform while neglecting themselves to care for everyone else must come to an end. These clinics will highlight the beauty of balance and offer services that integrate both traditional and naturopathic treatment modalities.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sikainspires.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sikainspires/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sikasmith