The SAVEDpreneur™ Spotlight: Valesia Crayton, Founder of Direction to Health

Valesia Crayton did not plan to become a holistic nutritionist. She planned to keep climbing in the world of luxury fashion — and she was doing exactly that. But in 2021, God called her back to her foundation. What followed was one of the most painful and transformative seasons of her life: caring for her mother, whose memory had been devastated by a medication switch, while quietly receiving the vision for something entirely new.

Let's lean in.

Tell us who you are and what is your God-driven purpose?

My name is Valesia Crayton. I am a Certified Holistic Nutritionist with a genuine passion for all things holistic health and wellness. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and an Associate of Arts degree in Visual Communications. Fashion was my first love, and I worked in the fashion industry up until January 2021. I graduated from The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, CA, and went on to work for Saks Fifth Avenue as well as Neiman Marcus as a Buyer.

My mother started having seizures in 1999 and was on a specific medication until around 2018. Her doctor came to us and said there was a new medication coming on the market and he thought it would be great for her to try. We switched her medication, and within six months my mother had completely lost most of her long-term and short-term memory. She could not drive a car, she could not bathe, hold a fork, or even walk without assistance. This went on for about three years, but in 2021 God told me to move home and assist with care for my mother. I was devastated because I was in the middle of my career and I was having the time of my life. I was also 29 years old and I desired marriage, and I did not believe that could happen to me if I moved back to my hometown.

Boy, was I completely misled. Moving back home has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I was able to die to the Valesia I had created and step into the Valesia God created me to be. While actively caring for my mother, God shared with me the vision for my company, Direction To Health. I never wanted another family to experience what my family had endured — all from a side effect of medication. So I became certified as a Holistic Nutritionist and studied alternative medicine options for common issues.

In this season of life, I believe God is calling me to help educate people on taking control over their health and to help individuals find holistic solutions to everyday common issues.

The slogan for my company is “Your alternative medication destination.”

What does it mean to be saved and how do you live a saved lifestyle?

Being saved means living a life full of true freedom. Whenever I want to minister the Gospel to anyone who is not a believer, my opening line is always, “Do you want to experience true freedom?”

Living a saved life means living a crucified life. We have to die to ourselves daily. In order to truly live, you must first die. Living a saved life means giving up the version of you that you created, in exchange for the person God has called you to be. Although trials and tribulations do not stop, life somehow becomes easier — and it is because you now have access to your unseen partner, Jesus Christ, who is able to lead, guide, and direct your steps. There is no more problem-solving you have to do alone.

Many of us want to be successful. What does success mean to you?

As a Kingdom believer, success is simply defined as fulfilling the plan and purpose for your life. I personally do not believe that it is limited to just one thing. I believe your purpose can shift and change in different seasons of life, which is why we should be in constant communication with God on a daily basis.

The problem we run into is that the world defines success as acquiring material things — houses, cars, jewelry — for personal enjoyment, but even with that you still never feel successful because somehow it is never enough. And it will never be enough, because our vessels were only created to complete the will of God for our lives. That is where true joy and fulfillment comes from.

When God gave you a vision for your life/work, what did it look like? Are you working to fulfill it? How?

When God gave me the vision for Direction To Health — A Luxury Wellness Company — it was a total stretch for me because there was no roadmap I could follow. I had to be the trailblazer for the concept, which meant I had to have full dependency on God every step of the way. I started the business in 2021, and even though I had the vision, I struggled for around two years with sharing it with the world. I tried to emulate other wellness companies I would come across on Instagram — it was difficult, and at times I felt like it was so hard to run the company. But I realized at the end of 2022 that the struggle was me fighting against the vision I had already been given.

In 2023, I rebranded the company and changed the packaging to reflect what I believed fit a luxury look, and running my company became a breeze. The marketing was easier, I loved the packaging, and my customers absolutely loved the concept. Total dependency on God each day is how I am working to fulfill the vision He has given me.

What does being a SAVEDpreneur™ mean to you? What is your kingdom assignment and how are you carrying out your assignment now?

The definition of an entrepreneur is an individual who starts a business based on an idea they have or a product they created, while assuming the risks and reaping the reward.

A SAVEDpreneur™ is an individual who realizes the idea for their company came from God. Every product I have personally formulated has come from God. I also realize that I do not assume any risk alone — God instructed me to do this and He guides me on how to carry out His plan. The reward I receive daily is knowing I am doing the Father’s will for my life. People constantly ask me how I developed my products, and I always tell them God literally gave me the formula as well as the concept. My Kingdom assignment for this season of my life is to educate individuals on how to take control over their health and wellness, directing them back to the foundational principles of truly living a holistic lifestyle.

What did God call you to build, and how did you know? What steps did you take to be obedient? How quickly did it take you to answer the call?

God called me to build a holistic wellness company that would help direct individuals to health in a simple and effective way. The first instruction I heard from the Lord was to become a certified holistic nutritionist. Within a week of researching the certification course, I was enrolled and off to the races.

Where did obedience cost you something—money, time, identity, approval? And how did you handle the tension?

Being obedient in this instance cost me a lot of time. I finished a 12-week course in about seven weeks because I was so committed to the assignment. I read countless books and studied day in and day out. I had to turn down a lot of events and gatherings during that season, but knowing what I was working toward truly helped with any tension I wrestled against.

What upcoming projects are you working on that you want our readers to know about?

We are in the process of developing a few new powdered formulas specifically designed for constipation relief.

We are also in the process of designing some clothing merchandise for the company. I am excited to dip my toe back into the fashion space for a little while.

What is the best way for our readers to keep up with you?

Website: www.directiontohealth.com

Instagram (Business): @direction.to.health

Instagram (Personal): @valesiacrayton_