We were lucky to catch up with Tosha Wilson-Davis recently and have shared our conversation below.
Tosha , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Innovation comes in all shapes, sizes and across all industries, so we’d love to hear about something you’ve done that you feel was particularly innovative.
As a business owner of a career services firm, I am tasked with creating resumes, revising resumes, providing interview prep, and career coaching. I started Penciled IN Resume Writing & Career Services in April of 2019, and we are now in our 5th year. The first five years of a small business are deemed the most crucial and the amount of hats you have to wear as an entrepreneur can be overwhelming. So, you have to think outside of the box on ways to continue to serve clients most effectively while continuing to make profits. I am always pursuing win-win solutions to keep clients coming back and referring others.
I am happy to say we survived the five-year mark. On April 8, 2024, Penciled IN turned five years old! We survived because of our innovative approach to career services. In 2022, I launched a full-service career academy that gives my clients more flexibility and allows them to bundle services with a variety of packages. Our academy includes career packages that serve college students, early career individuals, and experienced professionals. This has allowed us another path and avenue of revenue and has allowed clients to receive more effective job searching and career coaching through a bundle of services. My motto for any small business is innovation over imagination. We can either make a wish for change or we can make change happen. We chose the latter, and the academy has grown since we debuted in January 2022.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am a native of Middle GA hailing from the small town of Butler, Georgia. I have a diverse background within the federal government, higher education, and Corporate America including 14+ years in higher education teaching in criminal justice, public administration, and political science. During my tenure in higher education, I have served as a Lead SME and Course Developer for Criminal Justice, an Assistant Professor, the Justice Studies Department Chair, and an MPA Faculty Mentor/Liaison for Tulane University.
In April 2019, I became an entrepreneur. Because I have such a passion for writing and research, I decided to open my own business and have spent the last 5 years building & operating Penciled IN Resume Writing and Career Services, LLC. The business is now located at 524 S. Houston Lake Road, Building B, Ste 300 in Warner Robins, Georgia, and has served over 160 clients in 11 different states. In March 2024, Penciled IN became a federal contractor.
In February 2022, I joined the Tech Giant, Amazon, as a Corporate Sourcing Recruiter, where I sourced talent for critical technical and non-technical roles and worked with over 20+ hiring managers. From July 2010 to May 2017, I served as a federal government employee (Contract Specialist/Negotiator) with the Department of Defense (DoD) at Robins AFB and was promoted to the GS-12 level with the General Services Administration (GSA). Since then I have held two federal contractor roles with SRA International (Program Manager 2014-2015) & Longevity Consulting as a Contract Consultant supporting the USDA Forest Service Southwest Zone. So, I am no stranger to the workforce or job market and this is what gives me an edge over others to effectively coach and inspire my clients. Most of my clients have over 10+ years in the job force and some lack motivation to change careers or pursue other opportunities. When they see my record and background, it always gives them a change of heart. That is why I share with them my journey and have specific coaching sessions within the packages to prepare them for new beginnings.
After being laid off in December 2022 by Amazon, I obtained my real estate license on January 19, 2023, and now a two-time entrepreneur running my career services firm and my real estate business here in Middle Georgia. I am most proud of working hard to pursue my passion and dreams – never letting my lows bring me down but allowing them to lift me. We only get one run at life, and I have always been determined to make the most of the journey.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I always get a bit saddened by sharing the loss of my father. He was a strong man and two days before being laid off from Amazon in December 2022, my father passed away. It was unexpected because 31 days prior, I had spent some quality time with him and he had made so much progress. He was a Vietnam veteran and it was hard to see the progress and then not have him here anymore.
With such tragic events simultaneously, it was a very dark time and I still have those “down” days. However, I know that with progress comes failure, setbacks, and the repeat button. We live in an imperfect world, so things are going to happen. However, it’s all about preparing yourself to rise above when you feel down, to allow yourself to bend but not break, and to embrace the falls but to have the courage to get up.
I have experienced a lack of support, tragic life events, and financial burdens, but I continue to keep the words of Maya Angelou in my mind and heart:
“Up from a past that’s rooted in pain; I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear; I rise…
The pain may linger but the passion to rise above has to be greater. With any builder (and I refer to myself as a builder), the journey will have curves, bumps, and unforeseen occurrences; yet, it is the final results that make the building worth it. Resilience is a crucial element of any entrepreneur’s DNA.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Your first impression makes a lasting impact on others. I have always lived by the motto to treat others like you want to be treated. It is a simple concept. I am genuine, honest, and upfront with my clients when they come to Penciled IN for services. I have a track record of being a hunter, avid researcher, and perfectionist. I am just a person who puts my all in what I do! I think this is why Penciled IN’s marketing has 90% of the time come through Word of Mouth (WOM) advertising from previous and repeat clients. This is what has set me apart in the career services/development space. I also am a proponent of collaboration and not competition. I have referral partners that I also use and when I see another career services professional, I am happy to welcome them.
I also have a varied background that spans over 16 years taking me from a Social Services Worker to Corporate America, the Federal Government, Higher Ed, and an Entrepreneur. That has been an inspiring journey not just for me but to my clients as well. I started out in 2007 making $13.34 an hour and my highest pay has topped at $52+. So, I practice what I preach and have the background and experience to serve my clients to get them to the next level in their careers.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://penciled-in-resume-writing-career-counseling-a.teachable.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Penciled-IN-Resume-Writing-Career-Services-LLC-100092013160144/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tosha-wilson-davisentrepreneureducatorrealtor/
- Other: https://penciledin.squarespace.com/
