Founder Biography – Velma  Becks

I am Velma Becks, the Founder and CEO of Zealists, a Dallas-based, women-owned small business dedicated to trauma-informed coaching, empowerment, and sustainable growth. My journey as a leader and entrepreneur has been shaped by both professional expertise and lived experience.

I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Information Technology with a concentration in Application Development, and I became a certified Master Life Coach in 2020. My academic training equips me to approach complex challenges with both analytical and human-centered solutions, while my coaching certification allows me to connect deeply with individuals and communities in need of hope and transformation.

My life story has been profoundly shaped by resilience. As the eighth of eleven children, I grew up watching my mother work multiple jobs to keep our family afloat while my father was largely absent. Upon becoming a college graduate life as I knew it was interrupted with many adversities. 

These experiences of loss, trauma, and perseverance fueled my commitment to serving vulnerable populations—especially at-risk youth, single mothers, survivors of abuse, widows, and orphans.

Through Zealists, I created a platform where my personal testimony meets professional innovation. We provide trauma-informed leadership, social-emotional learning (SEL), financial literacy, and empowerment programs designed to break generational cycles and build opportunities for long-term success.

My vision is to see individuals not only survive but thrive—to turn pain into power, and trauma into triumph. By aligning with schools, nonprofits, government agencies, and community partners, I ensure Zealists delivers both direct impact to individuals and strategic value to organizations.

At my core, I am driven by faith, resilience, and a deep passion for helping others rise above life’s hardest challenges. Founding Zealists is not just my business; it is my calling.

Mission Statement

At Zealists, our mission is to empower individuals, families, and communities to heal from trauma, build resilience, and create lasting change. We provide trauma-informed coaching, health promotion, and leadership development that bridge the gap between crisis and opportunity.

By equipping people with tools for emotional regulation, self-sufficiency, and generational growth, we help communities rise stronger — transforming pain into purpose and instability into empowerment.