We were lucky to catch up with Miriam Muhammad recently and have shared our conversation below.
Miriam, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?
I am absolutely happier as a business owner. As a “Mompreneur” I have the flexibility to create my own schedule and work at my own pace and be as present and involved as I need to be for my family. Although being independent has many benifits at times I do sometimes wonder if I should polish my resume and once again work a 9-5 and within a few hours and weighing the pros and cons I talk myself back to my senses and get to working on improving whatever area is causing me to doubt my decision.
Typically when I start to wonder if working for myself is the best option it is because I am experiencing mental fatigue from not having a team to brainstorm with or to delegate and assign task to. I’m the driving force and although it sounds powerful at times it is exhausting. As a self published Author aside from the publishing process once the book is here then what? The contacting bookstores, libraries and schools, creating marketing content and a strong social media presence as well as in person networking and building meaningful partnerships offline can be tasking on a individual.building a brand and a business can be a stressful process and in those moments I question if I made the right decision. And after careful consideration and remembering my why the answer is always YES. I think about my freedom, flexibility and my family and reminded myself that I have what it takes to meet and overcome all obstacles. I preserve and continue to work towards my business goals and I have no regrets.
Miriam, 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?
I have always loved reading children’s books and writing my own stories and poems as a child. It wasn’t until I became a mom that I made my goal of becoming an Author a reality. Reading daily with my then infant I realized that there was a huge need for more children’s books with black charecters. I wanted my son to see himself on the pages and develop a deep love for reading and a strong sense of self. Out of that desire I wrote ABC I Love Me children’s book, ABC I Love Me Coloring Book and the Spanish translation ABC Me Quiero which are allavailable for purchase on Amazon.com ABC I Love Me takes black children along for a journey of self love, confidence, and adventure while teaching young learners positive affirmations for each letter of the alphabet. This book encourages children to accept their unique qualities, and promotes positive self-esteem and a healthy lifestyle.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
The word Pivot has been so prevalent thanks to the global Covid 19 pandemic. Everyone has to pivot in some form or fashion. Personally during covid closures and restrictions made in person school visits, book signings, vendor events etc. Impossible but I refused to let it stop me from serving children and families. I had to pivot mentally to accept that in person events were not a option and figure out how I could continue to grow my business under these unfortunate circumstances. I had to pivot to online and virtual events like the rest of the world. It was truly amazing to see the amount of schools that reached out to me to do virtual school visits and storytimes after I marketed the service on social media. I was afforded the opportunity to read ABC I Love Me at various international elementary schools, Sororities, Fraternities and a wide variety of virtual children’s events. I am very proud to say I was able to Pivot with a purpose successfully and I will continue to offer virtual services. I am grateful to every customer and business partnership for helping to to pivot successfully.
How did you build your audience on social media?
No matter how you personally feel about Social media it’s impact is undeniable. I built and continue to build ABC I Love Me one post and reel at time. With all the responsibilities that come with being a business owner social media can be daunting for some and if that’s the case I encourage you to hire a brand manager or intern. Don’t stress about it but by all means build your social media presence. Some days you may have low engagement and no comments don’t be discouraged people see you and your content is necessary. Keep posting and engaging on social media.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.abciloveme.com
- Instagram: Abciloveme_
- Facebook: Abcilovemebook
Image Credits
Kelli Dionne visuals