Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Qiana Tompkins. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Qiana, appreciate you joining us today. What’s something crazy on unexpected that’s happened to you or your business

From Sleeping in a Tent to Running a Business by the Beach—My Wildest Business Story (That’s Still Unfolding)
I’ve built my business in a tent.

Yes, a literal tent—in the middle of the woods in Williams, Arizona. No WiFi. No electricity. No espresso machine. Just a $100 tent, a trusty iPhone XR, and a pawn shop Chromebook running on pure willpower and a Cricket hotspot.
But let’s rewind…

In 2023, I left my job and my cozy apartment in Santa Clara, sold most of what I owned, and drove to Los Angeles with $340 and faith. I worked at Instacart full-time, earned Diamond Cart Shopper status, and self-published a book on my 31st birthday: Escaping Generational Poverty. I thought I was finally getting ahead—until a bad relationship and burnout sent me running to Tijuana for a fresh start.

From Tijuana to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, I tried to get back on track. But when the money ran out, I packed up everything I had left and moved into the forest. It was cold at night in northern Arizona, but too hot to head further south. I gathered water from a spring. Ate from the food bank. Slept through coyote howls, mountain lion chirps, and woke up to bulls grazing near my tent.

But here’s the kicker—I didn’t quit.
I launched my business from that tent.

I did livestreams with stiff fingers. I stacked more certifications from free online programs. I scheduled content from a $10 folding table. I sold services by demonstrating my expertise. And I hit my first $900 sales week—on a hotspot, in the woods. Oh, and I landed a 7-figure client while boondocking off-grid, but THEN I was let go because I wasn’t a good fit.

Every challenge became leverage.

Living rent-free gave me freedom.
No distractions meant full focus.
No comfort meant clarity.
I stopped trying to fit in places I was not meant to be.
I learned how to automate with zero budget.
I mastered selling without any ad spend..
I made consistency my currency.

The results?
📌 9 clients
📌 I increased my monthly income by 1800%
📌 I rent a house at the beach in Mexico
📌 Finished my Graduate Certificate in Business Administration
📌 Landed a contract with a rising AI company
📌 One class away from my MBA

Some say delusional—I call it strategy.
That tent taught me what no job ever did:
🔑 Leverage is everything.
🔑 You don’t need more stuff, you need more strategy.
🔑 You don’t need approval—you need faith and action.

I’ve learned that business isn’t about perfection—it’s about betting on yourself when no one else will. I stopped surviving and started owning my story.

So if you’re sitting on a dream, waiting for “the right time”…

This is your sign: Take the leap. Even if it’s cold. Even if it’s lonely. Even if it looks crazy.
Because crazy just might be your breakthrough.

Qiana, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi, I’m Qiana Tompkins—business consultant, marketing strategist, and founder of QT Business Consulting.
I help entrepreneurs stop surviving and start scaling—efficiently, effectively, and expansively.

My journey into business wasn’t glamorous—it was gritty. After working corporate, juggling multiple side hustles, and finally burning out, I walked away from it all. I quit my job, sold everything, and left behind what looked like “stability” to pursue what felt aligned: my purpose.

I built my consulting business in the middle of the woods—in a tent—with nothing but a Chromebook from the pawn shop, a $100 hotspot, and a vision. That decision changed everything.

At QT Business Consulting, I provide done-for-you, done-with-you, and do-it-yourself marketing, operations, and business strategy services for coaches, consultants, service providers, and startups. My signature offers—Executive Ease (business management), Funnel Fixer (marketing systems), and Task Master (operations support)—are designed to help clients reclaim their time, streamline their systems, and scale with confidence.

I specialize in working with purpose-driven founders—especially women and folks of color—who want to grow sustainable businesses without burnout. Whether they’re struggling to automate, overwhelmed with client work, or unsure how to package their genius into a sellable offer, I step in to simplify the chaos and build strategic systems that convert.

What sets me apart? I’ve lived every phase of this hustle—from paycheck-to-paycheck panic to running a business from a campsite. I don’t just consult—I build, teach, and walk the walk. My clients don’t get BS—they get strategy, structure, and solutions that actually work.

More than anything, I want potential clients to know:
You don’t need perfect conditions to succeed—you need aligned energy, mindset, strategy, support, and the courage to bet on yourself.

My work is rooted in compassion, integrity, and results. I care deeply about helping people create healthy lifestyles and wealthy legacies. It’s my mission to help people leave poverty through entrepreneurship, and that was I am committed to offering products and services that every budget level. So if you’re ready to stop grinding and start growing—I’m your girl.

Let’s get to work.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I landed what I thought was the opportunity—a contract with a 7-figure marketing agency. I’d completed their brutal 20+ day training while boondocking (off-grid camping with barely any cell service). I hit every deadline, passed every test, earned every star. I felt unstoppable.

Then… I made one mistake. A minor task, but I took accountability anyway. A few days later, I got the message: “You’re not a good fit.” Contract terminated.

I was devastated. I ugly-cried. I disappeared from social media for a month. But when the dust settled, I realized: That wasn’t rejection. It was redirection.

That experience revealed my work ethic, capacity, and calling. I applied what I learned from their systems to refine my own business. I went from feeling like a failure to booking my clients, on my terms—and now, I’m thriving because of it, not despite it.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

Near-death moment for my business? I lived it—and it cost me everything.

At one point, my business wasn’t really a business. It was a glorified side hustle built on survival and burnout.

I was undercharging ($300–$500 per client), taking on short-term projects (45–90 days max), and trying to juggle it all while Instacarting, selling insurance with AFLAC, and dog sitting on Rover. I wasn’t all in—I was chasing any and every bag just to stay afloat. I thought hard work meant running myself into the ground, and it nearly did.

I had no margins.
No retention.
No long-term vision.
And no plan to actually scale.

The truth? It wasn’t sustainable—mentally, physically, or financially. I was stuck in a cycle of “just enough,” and that mindset was keeping me poor.

That’s why I had to sell everything I owned and start over in Los Angeles with nothing but $340 and blind faith. I hit rock bottom—sleeping in my car some nights, Instacarting during the day—just trying to breathe life back into a dream I’d been neglecting.

But that season changed me. It broke the illusion that suffering equals success. It’s what pushed me to finally bet on myself and self-publish my book Escaping Generational Poverty on my 31st birthday. That was my turning point.

Now? I run a profitable consulting business from the beach in Mexico. I serve entrepreneurs with high-impact strategies, retention-based offers, and systems built to scale. I don’t hustle to survive anymore—I build with purpose.

Because I’ve lived what happens when you build a business on fear and scraps.
Now I help others build theirs with strategy and sustainability.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://qianatompkins.com
• Instagram: @itsqianatompkins
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/qiana.tompkins
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsqianatompkins/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsqianatompkins/videos
• Other: MY BOOK; https://www.amazon.com/Escaping-Generational-Poverty-Inheriting-Lifestyle/dp/B0CJL2GRVC

Image Credits

Red Blazer on the bench: Gary Brown, Technologist by day, Jazzer & Photography Creative by Night