Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cheryl Polote-williamson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Cheryl, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
My business is built on the principles that your mindset is your superpower & it is never too late to be great. What started as a desire to be more and to excel and be an executive in T.V., radio & film has blossomed into so much more. It’s given me the opportunity to meet and connect with powerful women around the world who share the same goal and vision as I do. It’s allowed me to serve and to pour into people who are hurting and in need of encouragement and words of affirmation. It’s allowed me to publish books that speak to the souls of people who have been broken. It’s allowed me to be the hands and feet of Christ. It’s allowed me to electrify audiences globally and remind them of who they are and who’s they are. I am so full of gratitude and excitement for what God is doing right now.
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 truly proud of the fact that I am a trailblazing global media executive, transformational speaker, and multi-best-selling author, and Global Media Executive. I’m grateful that I have been able to have a profound impact across industries with Cheryl Magazine, my 120-page love letter to Black women, and most recently, my new podcast “Ageless, Fearless, & Unscripted.” On my podcast which debuted last month, I sit down with inspiring women over the age of 40 to discuss their stories, their life, their unique perspectives, and their insights on business. Our real, raw & candid conversations shed light on issues that women over 40 often face, but also how we find solutions for these issues.
I am thrilled at the fact that my influence continues to grow in the literary world, having recently signed my first book deal with Penguin Random House through Store House Publishing. With this new venture, I look forward to impacting and reaching more people with my published works.
I also recently became a Global Ambassador for She Empowerment Global, and I had the honor and privilege of representing the organization on a speaking trip to Ghana earlier this month. Everything that I do is about global impact and I am so grateful that this opportunity became available to me.
In my next act, I look forward to continuing to expand my impact, to reaching more souls and inspiring more women to use their gifts to change the world.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
As a business owner, resilience must be part of who you are. Business is cyclical. You are going to experience ups and downs. You will have dry seasons and you will have amazingly lucrative seasons. You have to be able to roll with it all. One story that comes to mind from my journey was when I was experiencing personal health concerns. I am well and in a good place now, but I have experienced some health concerns that I needed to tend to. During that time, I had coaching clients and multiple businesses to run. I refused to allow anything or anyone to cause me to give up or slow down. When you are called to do something, you have to stare adversity in the face, lean in and keep moving forward. This was the case when I was dealing with my personal health. I am grateful that I was resilient as my business never suffered during this time. Resilience is the ability to fall down 7 times, but stand up 8. To any entrepreneur who is reading this and who has fallen (in life or in business), dust yourself and get back on the horse. There is a calling, a voice deep inside of you that propels you forward – listen to that voice & let it guide you through every season. You got this!
Have you ever had to pivot?
As a business owner, I have to pivot often. This is part of my business plan. Being an entrepreneur means constantly evaluating – and re-evaluating- your business. Your business model, your sales process, your team, your initiatives, your expenditures, etc. Your business has to flow and evolve with the market and with the demands of your customer base. Being an entrepreneur requires you to have a keen understanding of your market and to be able to pivot and adjust accordingly. I pride myself on being able to assess the needs of my business and to act accordingly. And sometimes, that means pivoting.
I have had to pivot with my team on multiple occasions. And while it is not always easy, it’s what’s best for my business. This means knowing when to bring a new person with a specified skill set and in the same vein, knowing when it’s time to let go of a team member. Being an entrepreneur requires flexibility and the knowledge to always act in the best interest of your business. Knowing how and when to pivot is a big part of that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cherylpwilliamson.com
- Instagram: @cherylpwilliamson
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cherylpwilliamson/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-cheryl-polote-williamson-ba208a134/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@cherylpwilliamson
- Other: Readers can check out my new podcast here: https://agelessfearlessandunscripted.com/
