We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sheleia Phillips a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Sheleia, appreciate you joining us today. Do you take vacations? How do you keep things going – any advice for entrepreneurs who feel like they can’t step away from their business for a short vacation?

Yes, I do take vacations but honestly not as often as I should. I feel that oftentimes, small business owners are responsible for doing all of the things when it comes to operating their company. With that said, it becomes very challenging to shut down and unplug. As a remedy or strategy to help hold myself accountable for taking more breaks. Here is what works for me: 1. Schedule a specific day to be “off work” every week. This means computers are off and no meetings are scheduled. For me, it Wellness Wednesday which routinely starts with a swim and usually ends with a relaxing spa treatment.
2. My team documents daily steps and has an archive of SOP’s for various areas of business. This ensures that operations run smoothly in my absence and it makes training new team members easier.
3. I also schedule quarterly vacay’s. These are either luxury stay-cations in my hometown or I take the time to travel to places that are on my bucket list.

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

It is my God-given assignment to empower and support nonprofits who are devoted to the common good of society.

Sheleia Phillips, MPH, CHES is the Founder and Principal Consultant of SMP Nonprofit Consulting. A servant leader, Sheleia has dedicated herself to the growth and development of nonprofits for the past six years. A graduate from Saint Louis University College of Public Health and Social Justice, Sheleia is equipped with advanced training in public health, program design, and public policy regarding maternal and child health. Sheleia has an affinity for research thus making her an advocate for implementing evidence-based approaches. Sheleia has secured and co-authored over $3 million dollars in grant awards for youth development, education, and health programs. She is also a grant reviewer for federal agencies such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

A Bank of America Emerging Leaders alum, Sheleia believes that nonprofit agencies are essential to creating the change we all want to see. She has a deep passion for serving those who serve others and helping community organizations succeed. Sheleia motivates and empowers others with her can-do attitude, enthusiasm, and positive personality.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

Yes, my part-time side hustle turned into my full-time dream career! The biggest milestone in my process was me actually deciding to submit my resignation letter. I remember working a corporate job that turned toxic. I was completely drained by the environment I was in and I started to notice a decline in my mental and physical health. Everything in me knew that it was time for change. For some reason, I did not think that I would be successful, especially to the point where I could make a living. Leaving my job was the biggest risk of my adult life BUT it has turned into the most rewarding decision I’ve ever made. The funny thing is that I created a solid plan and I sincerely thought that after 3 months I would return to a traditional job.Well, three months had passed and so did my plans. My company had experienced major progression. It was no longer just a side hustle. It was my life. Now, we’re almost 2 years into business and things are still progressing positively. Challenges come, yes, but we can’t turn back now. I’m excited now more than ever to see where this thing grows!

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I give a lot of credit to my business coach @jerrishahawk. She taught me how to be comfortable with publishing a polarizing perspective. With that new knowledge, I started to show up on social media in new ways. My content was developed around the real grit work of the industy, debuning myths, and the pain points of our ideal clients. Also as a women of color in my industry, I found it important to show up authentically. I may not always sugar coat a topic but I take pride in sharing knowledge with love. I believe that my combination of thought-provoking conversations, humor, professionalism, and midwest country grammar work in my favor as well as my industry

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.smpnpc.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegrantwritingcoach/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegrantwritingcoach/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/thegrantwritingcoach/

Image Credits
Mena Darre Photography