From Burnout to Purpose: Georgia Wolfe-Samuels’ Journey of Faith, Resilience, and Flavor

Georgia Wolfe-Samuels’ life has been a testament to resilience, faith, and transformation. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, she endured childhood trauma that included abandonment and sexual abuse, yet she refused to allow those experiences to define her future. Over the years, she has walked a road many would not survive. From emotional wounds carried into adulthood to corporate burnout and a TIA stroke, Georgia has turned pain into purpose and faith into fuel. Today, she stands as a devoted wife, mother, restaurateur, and Career Burnout Prevention Coach, committed to helping others create lives they do not need to recover from. In this conversation, she opens up about healing, love, business, spiritual grounding, and the legacy she is building one courageous step at a time.

Your journey from enduring childhood trauma to building a successful life and business is incredibly inspiring. What inner strength or mindset helped you keep going during the hardest seasons of your life?

What sustained me was a quiet conviction that my pain had purpose. Even when I could not see the lesson, I trusted that God could take the most painful parts of my story and turn them into fuel for something greater.

For a long time, I lived in survival mode. I performed, achieved, and pushed because I believed that was what strength looked like. Healing taught me something different. True strength is not just about enduring. It is having the courage to face what hurt you, forgive what you cannot change, and rebuild with grace.

The mindset that carried me was faith. Faith that I was created for more than the trauma I came from, and faith that God would not waste my suffering.

You and Dwight have such a beautiful love story rooted in faith and healing. What lessons from your past helped you build a strong marriage today?

Before Dwight, I was familiar with love that required me to shrink. I had to unlearn that. Healthy love does not silence you. It sees you, supports you, and gives you space to grow.

We came into marriage aware of our scars but committed to not letting them define our future. Love, to us, is ministry. It is choosing each other daily and covering each other’s humanity with grace.

Our marriage foundation rests on three pillars: faith, friendship, and forgiveness. Faith keeps us centered, friendship keeps us connected, and forgiveness keeps us evolving. We do not get it perfect, but we stay anchored to those values.

Your burnout and stroke in 2018 was a major turning point. How did that experience reshape your priorities and your approach to work and self-care?

The stroke was my wake-up call. I had spent years chasing achievement and wearing exhaustion like a badge of honor. When my body finally said enough, I realized success meant nothing without health, peace, and spiritual alignment.

I had to redefine success by redefining my worth and the narrative I believed about myself. Today, I measure success by how aligned and fulfilled I feel, not by productivity.

That season also birthed my calling. I became passionate about helping women build careers they do not have to recover from. Now I guard my peace, health, and faith with the same commitment I once gave to work. You cannot pour from an empty vessel, and you cannot fulfill purpose from a hospital bed.

EscovitcheZ has quickly become known for its authentic Caribbean flavors and warm atmosphere. What inspired the vision, and how do you ensure the essence of Jamaica shines through each dish?

EscovitcheZ was created from a desire to bring a piece of home to our community in Gwinnett. Growing up in Jamaica, food was never only about flavor. It held emotion, history, and connection. I wanted people to taste the culture, not just the cuisine.

Everything in our restaurant is intentional. From the reggae music and warm greetings to the way we prepare our dishes, hospitality is personal. Every recipe, from the escovitch snapper to the jerk burger, is made the way our grandmothers cooked: with patience, pride, and heart.

EscovitcheZ is more than a restaurant. It is a love letter to Jamaica and to the community that raised me.

Building a business as a couple can be both rewarding and challenging. How do you and Dwight balance marriage, family, and business while staying connected?

We do not believe in perfect balance. Instead, we honor our roles without losing sight of our relationship. When we are running the business, we respect each other’s strengths and responsibilities. At home, we focus on being husband and wife…most of the time.

Communication is key for us. We learned to separate feedback from feelings and to remember that we are always on the same team. What keeps us grounded is our shared vision. We are building legacy, and that anchors our decisions and our commitment.

Your story is a powerful testament to faith, resilience, and redemption. What message do you want women who are struggling to take from your journey?

I want women to know that they can rebuild their lives and succeed without betraying themselves. Your past does not disqualify you. It prepares you. The things that once broke you can also strengthen you when you allow God to work through them.

Healing and success can coexist. You do not have to choose between ambition and alignment. My message is simple. Do not become better at shrinking. Become bolder about showing up as who you truly are. That is where your peace and power live.

Georgia Wolfe-Samuels is proof that healing is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of a life rooted in purpose, peace, and authentic success. Her journey reminds us that resilience is not about never breaking. It is about rising again with faith, grace, and the courage to become who God created you to be. As she continues to build, serve, and pour into others, Georgia stands as a living testament that even the most painful stories can bloom into powerful legacies. Her message is clear. With faith, intentional healing, and unwavering self-belief, a woman can rewrite her future and walk boldly in her calling.