We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful LaShon Carter. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with LaShon below.
LaShon, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?
My nickname in highschool was Tiny because I am very small and my great grandmother would call me tigers becasue she use to stay don’t make the little tiger mad.
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
Hey hey, I am LaShon Carter born and raised in Chattanooga Tn my mom worked in childcare my aunts worked in childcare so basically I was born to be a childcare owner. I love making money at a young age I started watching my cousin’s kids around the age of nine and then I started working at the inner city misinery around 12 years of age. I remember doing my high school English project on what you want to be when you grow up and I wanted to own a hair salon and nail salon and on the other side a childcare center. I remember doing a history report on the first African American to own a childcare center and I fell in love with her story. I love doing arts and craft project with my children and when my own children had arts and crafts so that made me like childcare even more. I open my family home daycare back in 2015 and then in 2016 I branched out to the childcare center world, I saw more parents needed the hours I had 5:30 am till 11: 00 pm 5 days a week we also had weekend care available as well. I was getting kids more than Kindergrand ready I was getting them life ready. I was having kids reading, writing, math, and speaking on a first-grade level.
I am proud of myself for continuing to push through it all the good and the bad. It’s not easy being a business owner I didn’t have anyone showing me how to do this I just opened up thinking hey it couldn’t be that hard. I need help with money management and how to talk to clients how to remain professional at all times and how to take care of myself. coming from only one employee to 14 staff members was a change for me. I have overcome so many challenges in my business that sometimes I have to break down and cry because I made it so
I am an author, I am a transformational speaker, I am traveling the world to teach others about business, and I have my own coaching program for entrepreneurs. I am an educational retail store owner I bring educational supplies to everyone in the Chattanooga area go check our website out and get 15% off at letsgoexpress.org
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I remember when I was sitting in my office and I had to figure out how to get unstuck in my business. Yes, it was time for me to switch it up a little I was at a standstill in my business staff was leaving my parents were leaving it was a moment where I thought my doors weren’t going to stay open. The state wasn’t paying me on time and my staff wasn’t getting paid on time. I had the labor law called on me licensing called me so much during that year it was sad. I was sitting in my office and a friend reach out to me and ask did I want to go to a childcare conference in my head I was like girl hell no I am broke. I told her right now I can’t afford it she then reply girl you coming cause I don’t want to go along. I said okay let me chat with my husband at this time I felt like this is not the right time to be traveling I should be trying to figure out what I am going to do about these bills and this staffing problem. I went and learned so much about my company hierarchy, and the way my childcare program should flow from day to day. Learning how to delegate my workload hiring a bookkeeper and so much more. I felt like I was in the right room and glad my friend invited me. I got back from the conference on fire I work on my workload I promote within my company I start hiring the right staff and I went out into the community to get more kids. Partner with a local business owner with chiild care for their staff. My business started making money and getting on the right track hired a childcare coach (Andrea Dickerson) Hire a bookkeeper (Tori Roberston) hire a CPA (Donna Waffer) and got my Prayer Life back in order with my Pastor (Kamau Dickerson). I thank my friend Shellia Jackson for thinking about me and God for blessing her with the tickets for me to go. I always remember God not done with you yet you got the eye of the tiger here me roar and am not done roaring yet
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
I got funded with bright bridge I worked night and day on my business plan and got help from score.org on setting up my business. I was at the SBA office probably every other day working on my business plan this was my first time ever writing one. Let me tell you the hold truth. I trusted a company to help me write the business plan they told me they were from the SBA office me not doing my research and trusting everyone because they were so nice and helpful. Yea right I paid them a one-time setup fee and they ended up cleaning my attire bank account out leaving me with nothing. Scam I mean they block my number and deactivate their email account the login in portal was the only thing I had left to use to start with my business plan. Lesson learn I ended up getting my money back of course but me trusting people was very hard. I ended up meeting Mary from bright Bridge lending she came to my home send my home daycare and worked on my business plan with me. We close on the loan and were able to get into my childcare center in October 2016
Contact Info:
- Website: letsgoexpress.org
- Instagram: mrs.carter620
- Facebook: Beaboutyourbusiness1
- Linkedin: TinyTigersLearningCenter@gmail.com
- Twitter: mrs.carter620
- Youtube: TinyTigersLearningCenter@gmail.com
Image Credits
Hacker Media Necklace Iownadaycare