We were lucky to catch up with Tosha Wilson-Davis recently and have shared our conversation below.
Tosha, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?
I remember sending an email to 22 ex-coworkers on April 5, 2019 stating that I was opening Penciled IN Résumé Writing & Career Services, LLC. I had previously worked in higher ed as well as the federal government as a Contract Specialist & Negotiator with Robins Air Force Base. Nervous about the results, I decided to push the send button and had one response from a K-12 educator who was the spouse of one of my former Base coworkers. She was looking to retire in May 2019.
After the initial consultation call, she was sold and I completed my first résumé package! The customer was pleased and came back for more once I added mock interview sessions on the menu. I am happy to report that she was hired as an Online Adjunct Professor which is what she has done in the last 3 years in her retirement. We have grown, and to date, Penciled IN has served 107 clients and counting!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Tosha Wilson-Davis, and I am the Founder/President of Penciled IN Résumé Writing & Career Services LLC. I started Penciled IN at the kitchen table working for months to develop a business and marketing plan and working on a path for certification. I have always been a writer since Kindergarten. I remember winning 1st Place in my school’s writing contest and being featured in the local newspaper. My love for writing continued in high school, college, and onward. I completed my memoir in April 2021 titled, How I Used My Lows to Lift Me Not Limit Me: Becoming a Hard-boiled Egg – A Tough Shell to Crack.
So, I have a knack for language and content and decided what’s a better way to assist others and enjoy diversity in writing, résumé writing! Every résumé is different which allows me to create a different story for every client, which is such a joy.
I take pride in providing quality documents that changes the lives of others. I have placed more than half of my clients in positions and myself at the corporate level as I joined the online retail giant, Amazon in February 2022. That was a huge accomplishment, and to hear the interviewers praise my résumé was such a proud moment!
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
The most powerful and defined method used in growing my business and clientele has been word of mouth as many of my clients have referred coworkers, friends and family to Penciled IN. Actually, after some research, just in the last 8 months, I have had 13 referrals from previous clients.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
As a small business owner, we start from scratch, or as most term it today, at the bottom. This simply means we start with nothing and have to be creative in building our business. We also wear many hats. With the pandemic, it has been hard to focus on in-person appointments so most all of the consultation calls have been held on Zoom. This took some time to adjust to, especially with the services we offer being so hands on. However, it has worked out well..
Also, some months may be slower than others. To assist with this, I built a full Academy that allows clients to take self-paced courses like out Résumé Writing Bootcamp course and Mock Interview Readiness Program. All courses and coaching packages can be reviewed by clicking this link:
https://penciled-in-resume-
Contact Info:
- Website: Penciledin.squarespace.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/penciledinbytosha/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069643280127
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tosha-wilson-davis-resumewriterandeducator
- Other: https://penciled-in-resume-writing-career-counseling-a.teachable.com/