We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Roketa Johnson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Roketa below.

Roketa, appreciate you joining us today. Can you recount a time when the advice you provided to a client was really spot on?

The best advice I ever gave a client was to “begin with the end in mind”. A lot of minority entrepreneurs lack funding to begin or keep their small businesses afloat. My client had a low credit score below 500 and was having trouble getting business credit cards or business loans as you could imagine. After a having a brief consultation about their business goals, I advised my client to start working on building their personal credit or enrolling in my business credit program in order to begin obtaining funding with no personal guarantee within 6-8 months. They enrolled in the business credit program and was able to begin building business credit immediately – receiving approvals from Sam’s Club, Shell Gas Card, Best Buy and Floor & Decor to name a few. Needless to say, leveraging the right resources and asking the right questions at the right time can put you 10 steps ahead and save you money in the long run.

Roketa, 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?

I am an experienced business mogul and executive with Accenture, the world’s most admired Information Technology Services company, with in-depth knowledge and insights for my business consultancy clients. I have a special commitment to serving entrepreneurs who are women and minorities and who are undergoing career transitions or launching their own businesses. Opulence, Inc. works to advance and empower clients by eliminating barriers to increased rates of entrepreneurship by providing access to capital, networking, and essential resources deemed necessary for success amongst scholars and entrepreneurs in the U.S.

After receiving my M.S. in Administration I became affiliated with the non-profit Women in Technology in Atlanta, GA as Director of Campus Programs – focusing on helping college women advance their careers in STEAM fields. Through my network I quickly found myself helping students with their resumes to land good paying jobs, while many of them had side hustles that helped them fund their dream job of becoming an entrepreneur. This is how Opulence was born.

For minority entrepreneurs, who lack access to capital, Opulence is a powerhouse business service provider that offers access to a variety of business resources including, but not limited to business plan building, business credit programs, web design services and grant funding opportunities. But we don’t stop there. We also service individuals who want to advance their career or begin living an opulent lifestyle through life coaching and a variety of personalized assessments.

I am most proud of being able to inspire others and paying the knowledge forward that I have learned from working in Corporate America and being a successful entrepreneur faced with socio and economic barriers. What makes Opulence different, is that no matter where you are in your life, Opulence has a service or resource that will help elevate you. We take pride in Creating Rich Brand Experiences 24/7.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Being accredited by the Better Business Bureau has helped solidify our trust as a brand and amongst those in our community. Obtaining state and local small business certifications and remaining compliant sets us apart from our competitors. Consumers who are looking for services do their due diligence in making sure they do business with companies they can trust. The majority look to reviews from others and the professionalism they receive upon first contact with our business.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I had no choice but to use my 9-5 to fund my business. Starting off I had a decent personal credit score and could obtain loans, but I quickly realized with rising interest rates that was not the way to go. I worked long hours every day and never turned down a customer for a service offering in the beginning. I pretty much had a name your price model and if it was feasible, I would do it. I also, utilized platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr to gain new clients so that I could show steady revenue in my business bank account before applying for a business line credit. All of these things did not happen overnight, my first 2 years were rough but the sacrifices I made then got me to where I am now – on my own with no handouts and it feels really good!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.opulence247.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/opulence247/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/opulence247
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/opulenceinc/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/opulence247
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/opulenceinc
• Other: E-mail: [email protected]

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