We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jessica Starks. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jessica below.
Jessica, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.
The primary reason I started both of my businesses – J.D. Scribes and B.O.N.D. Small Business Group – was so I could help those who tend to get looked over. I remember when I first started out and how people wouldn’t take me seriously because I’m a minority, my gender, and even my age at the time. I wanted to use my business to create a platform for business owners like me to thrive and be successful. I look for those who are overlooked, undeserved, and underestimated. They are just as deserving of assistance as any other entrepreneur. I want to do my part to lift others up, and I hope that’s part of my legacy.
Jessica, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
B.O.N.D. Small Business Group is a promotional and developmental networking organization that aims to educate, empower, and advocate for small businesses across the country. We offer courses, resources, tools, and opportunities to help small businesses thrive and build community.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
One lesson I had to unlearn was that everyone is going to understand your vision for your business. I’ve had several ideas that I’ve pursued in my business that many people talked down on or tried to convince me not to do. If I would have listened, I would have missed out on some great successes that helped move my business forward.
Have you ever had to pivot?
COVID caused us to have to pivot, because the majority of the work we did was in-person and event-based. We found ourselves having to get creative and do things through the internet. This was tough at first, but it actually helped to grow our business and increase our reach in ways that had never happened before. As a result, we are still actively pursing online efforts in addition to moving back into some in-person events.
Contact Info:
- Website: Bondsmallbusinessgroup.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/bondpontotoc
- Facebook: Facebook.com/bondpontotoc
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bond-small-business-group/
Image Credits
Photographer: Larissa Starks