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

Hi Sierrah, thanks for joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

Bossy Girl was birthed back when I was a teacher. I had a mentor group called Girls on a Mission in which I would mentor girls in High School on self-care,, self-love and being a girl leader. I was successful and made a positive impact on the girls I was mentoring. As a mom of three girls I knew it was important for me to show my own daughters that they could be all that they wanted to be and dream of by be a representation to them of the possibilities. Bossy Girl was developed because I had a vision of wanting to help young women see themselves as Bossy Girls in the world and not just on a local level but globally and providing them the sisterhood ( mentorship), the network ( the toolkit and playbook) on how to be their own CEO’s, entrepreneurs and girl leaders in their communities, businesses and so on, I believe that young women need to see themselves in spaces where they want to grow and become, so representation does matter. I had no doubt that Bossy Girl would work, it was a matter of getting the right people in place who were just as invested and enthusiastic as I was to see this be made possible. I had to hone in on my mission, vision and core values and establish myself legally to become a 501(c)3 this wasn’t an easy process but it was one that I knew I could do because the need was there and my heart was in the right place to see it through.

Sierrah, 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?

An active education advocate, domestic violence advocate, race and gender equality advocate, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging champion. Mrs. Chavis has an Educational Specialist degree in School Administration and Leadership from Old Dominion University and a Master’s degree in Special Education and Secondary Education from Grand Canyon University. She is a Director of Education at United Way South Hampton Roads. Her previous roles included Chief of Staff, Curriculum Specialist, SierrahChavis previously worked for ten years in education as a curriculum specialist administrator and case manager. She is a two-time Amazon best-selling author of “No Shame in my Pain” and, with Sharon Poshe Anderson, “From Pain to Power”. She serves on several boards and is the co-founder for the Survivor Advisory Committee with FinAbility. Currently, Sierrah is in the process of establishing a Non-Profit, Bossy Girl, a network of women who are entrepreneurs, CEO’s, mothers, and aspiring leaders that are helping to shape the world around them in a positive way. Bossy Girl is more than just a network but a sisterhood that’s empowering women around the world to all be a Bossy Girl globally. For the past 10 years she has been dedicating her career to advocating for equitable and inclusive education and overall well-being while galvanizing community partnerships to develop her clients, staff, and students’ fullest potential and mentoring new teachers in special education. Sierrah has presented at several conferences, women empowerment events, and radio, and has written several published articles. She is a contributor for the Connected Woman Magazine and is currently working on her next book project. She has received a number of awards including the Diversity Champion award from Old Dominion University, Impact Leadership award from the Virginia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (VASCD), Teacher of the Year award from the Virginia Council for Learning Disabilities, and most recently National Teacher of the Year from the Council of Learning Disabilities. She is also a devoted mother and wife and enjoys traveling, cooking, writing, and volunteering her time in the community to make a difference.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Personally, I’ve had some challenges and barriers in my life to overcome. My mom used to tell me nothing worth having will ever come easy. I am a testament of what perseverance, resiliency and the power of prayer can do. I am a cancer survivor and survivor of domestic abuse. At an earl age on I’ve had to overcome and pivot while being a mother, in school full0time to get my degree and work. In business, like any start- up company it comes with growing pains, it’s all about trial and error and for me it’s about taking it day by day and focus on what you can control rather than what you can’t and learn how to push through adversity.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

I met Stacy a couple of years ago at her Co-Author book launch, after hearing her story and reading her chapter. I knew we shared the values, and in many ways similar life experiences, She is a mother of 4 girls and I am a mother of 3 girls and we both had some experiences that were traumatic. After keeping in touch and up with her, I approached her about the opportunity to co-found Bossy Girl, she was instantly engaged and we’ve been Rocking and Rolling ever since. I feel it’s important to find people who believe in your vision and help keep you balance and focus on the goal. Stacy and I are aligned in the future of our business and where we are going.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sierrahchavis.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author_sierrahchavis/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sierrah.willis/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sierrahchavis/