We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Meyakka Sturdivant a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Meyakka , thanks for joining us today. Alright, let’s jump into one of the most exciting parts of starting a new firm – how did you get your first client who was not a friend or family?
During my start up journey I was always labeled as the “go to person” for bouncing ideas and developing a plan. So I had just created my social media and Google profiles during the month of May-June 2019. I figured how else would the people who truly needed me in the public would find me? (Introvert: even though I would Rather that they took their time lol). Anywho a local business real estate investor booked a 15min consultation from finding my business online. He said he was looking for a black owned Consultant. During our meeting we discusses his needs for hiring someone to help him merge all of his services from a Wisconsin state registration to North Carolina state registration. What’s commonly known as a foreign registration.
I quoted him a price, turn around time and provided him with a plan to get his business legitimate within the state of North Carolina. This one meeting turned into a retained based advisory and consulting one year service.
He was the first stranger to find me and my brand and book with ease because he knew what needed to be done for his business. And the rest is history.
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.
One thing I’m not is a stranger to the corporate call center world. My professional career started wayy back in 1998 with American Express. I had to show up and start orientation for this position that was going to change my career path on the very same day that my grandmother transitioned into heaven. Honestly it was one of the hardest emotional time period to experience but my determination was to break the chains of life, keep going as I was determined to start a winning career and make some moves.
For 24 years I worked for 4 major telecommunications providers in multiple areas including training coordinator, quality analyst, customer service professional, accounts receivable and collections and technical support associate. Looking back while I’ve been in business I realize that all of these roles in my career gave me the Foundational basis I needed to be a mighty and strong vessel in consulting. I can honestly say I didn’t choose to start this type of business it was Chosen for Me. And at the right time on the brink of the Covid Pandemic.
Soon after, the Covid-19 pandemic hit and we found ourselves working strictly indoors and from home, Causing so many professionals to seek other streams of income, tapping into entrepreneurship at record rates, Ms. MeMe responded by launching a free 5-day business training that a room of over 40+ women entrepreneurs and leaders from around the globe enrolled and participated in virtually. Total Game changer right!!
When it comes to reading industry reports, metrics and forecasts, business books, blogs, podcasts, or business related classes, I tune in big time. My most proud personal attribute comes from my intuitiveness, I just love learning, and the things I’ve captured mindfully over the years, along with all of the new stuff, I in turn share with others. I’m a supreme believer in No Gatekeeping!! In order to Incite and Empower, WE must share the knowledge. Help one another be greater going forward!!
I use my 24 years of expertise, knowledge, extensive vault of resources, and network to empower others in making their dreams come true while owning and operating their business.
For the longest it was a big perception that high ambition was just relatable to men. Well I’m glad to be one of the changed narratives, creating my own lane in a very ambitious way. It’s my Purposeful Mission for sure. I have a God given gift of being resourceful, highly intuitive and a “Ruler” in creating strategic ways to make things happen and get it done to where you end up in a much higher capacity in life. When you’re ready to go to the next level, experience a different taste of qualitative improvement, Coach MeMe is here to help you move the needle forward into your best self as a business owner. I am determined and focused about sharing my knowledge and experience with you in hopes that it helps you understand with divine clarity how exactly to operate a long term, thriving business. Coach Meyakka has a commitment to ensuring increased diversity, equity, inclusion, and fair access to real opportunities for greater numbers of diverse women business owners across the country—representing all industries, and from all walks of life.
In my spare time you can catch Coach MeMe at my line dancing classes, being a mom to my very active 6yo son who loves sports or helping my 27yo daughter tap into her inner creativity and keeping busy with her independent graphic design business. We partner together on a lot of projects. I coach her through a lot of business best practices and she helps me stay branded online.
If you had to ask what’s my passionate push…….Strategy & winning is it for sure! Reading a book, researching, or listening to information to share with you to help you grow as a budding entrepreneur is my Purpose. Welcome to my baby MS Consulting Solutions, where we work with you to secure the Keys 2 Your Success!
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Being someone who leads with intention and has a high level of integrity and ethical practices is something that I know for sure helped build up my brand with positive reputation. When people speak highly of you, send referrals, request your presence inside of important change making meetings, and just know that you will tell it like it is and give you the “Free Keys” to success then that’s a recipe for greater impact in your community. Folks have to trust your words and guidance in order to be able to impact your reputation. Coach Meyakka exemplifies this in every way
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
One book that’s now in my digital library and on my desk is The E Myth Revisited……
Mr. Gerber is what I call a mindset genius. His commentary, examples, thought provoking details and examples have kept me with an open mindset to not being perfect as I continue to build up my brand and business. One excerpt in the book that made me evolve in how I approached my coaching for business development clients is ” one must have an intimidate awareness of what conditions are truly present. What people know and what they don’t…. How people do what they do and how they don’t.
This book is a total mindset shifter for the best of the best in Entrepreneurship and it has helped me as a leader think twice and coach and guide with intention to succeed in a humane way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.msconsultingsolutionsllc.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/ms_consultingsolutions?igshid=MzNlNGNkZWQ4Mg==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KlassyBusinessCo?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Image Credits
Image Credits John Ingram of J’s Photography