We caught up with the brilliant and insightful TeKay Brown-Taylor a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi TeKay, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.
As a non-traditional HR firm, one of the things that we do differently than the industry standard is normalize conflict. In a world where conflict is inevitable even to include the workplace our standard is to teach leaders to embrace conflict. Though we have been conditioned to believe it is, conflict is not inherently bad. Workplaces that don’t see their people or people relations as THE gamechanger from their competition usually are those who pay significant costs to mismanaging conflict. That’s where BMS comes in. We provide the tools to help drive better workplace experiences through focusing on human relations. Whether a leader or an employee, most learn to associate conflict with negative emotions like fear, anger, and disagreement. We rise above the industry pack because in most of our work, we facilitate the typical aversion to conflict that stifles communication, problem-solving, and the prevention of healthy expression of differing viewpoints into normalizing turning these harmful behaviors into well-meaning and constructive workplace interactions that serve as a powerful catalyst for growth, innovation, and deeper understanding among leaders and individuals within organizations. We do this by helping those same organizations gain the skills, capacity, and confidence to manage conflict more meaningfully. No more “check your feelings at the door”. By doing this work early, helping workplaces recognize conflict as a natural and useful aspect of human interaction will foster resilience and collaboration within teams in the workplace. We believe “Better Teams. Better Relationships. Better Performance.” This is different than the standard that preaches prevention prevention prevention or defers to expensive attorneys and high-cost litigation which at that point is an at the 11th hour strategy to addressing issues. It becomes the price a company will pay with its morale, reputation, and bottom line. Its too late by then! So our standard is we are constantly asking “What is conflict costing your organization?”
TeKay, 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 a EntrepreneuHER, successful business owner, military officer, community leader, thought leader, workplace strategist, consultant, speaker, Sr advisor, trainer, coach, professional Mediator, and HR boss—none are more important than my philosophy of leading with people first. In my home, my work, in life in general. Its a view I have carried as a leader in organizations and one that serves as the guiding principle as a business owner. I started my business after I left corporate HR due to a company restructure. In fact, I established the business legally even before I started working in corporate HR. Shortly after taking the leap of faith and becoming an entrepreneur I was approached by a headhunter with an offer at the time I thought I would be a fool to refuse; a corner office, 6-figure salary, on the local leadership team of a Fortune 500, and a 15-min drive from my house. I convinced myself I could do both; however, quickly learned I could, though not well. I would have to sideline the business. Since I hadn’t quite opened the doors I justified giving myself 5 years to stay with this company and return, dust off business plan, and pick up where I would leave off. Sure enough, unbeknownst to me, in just under the 5 year mark, the company started going through changes. Changes that helped me realize I had a different destiny and the timeline would begin sooner than I had planned. I was giving 2 options—take a severance or consider another role. Two days I sat on an emotional rollercoaster, by Day 3 I was here for it! I added another title to my name: EntrepreneuHER! I stayed in my lane. I started an HR Consulting firm. I recognized in my industry there was a great need to do employee relations better. I write a blog titled “Mediation: The Unknown Option” and that was the underlying business purpose and problem I wanted to solve and bring to the masses. In an effort to take a breather from the traditional throes of HR, our niche was conflict resolution. Somehow, someway with the help of COVID I realized we were working harder than we had too and would better serve our clients if we were able to engage with them sooner. What would set us apart would be to help clients realize the cost of conflict and us help facilitate tools to embrace conflict in meaningful and constructive ways that drive more positive workplace experiences for all. We are 5 years in and have accomplished so much in that little time on a shoestring budget. The value we bring year over year continues to be authenticated by our growing number of clients, supporters, business colleagues, and friends in the community through the various “Best of” awards and recognition BMS has received. We have been blessed to be named a “Best of Georgia” by the Georgia Business Journal for 4 out of the 5 consecutive years we have been in business. Last year we received the “Business Professional of the Year Award” from iHeart Media/Perry Broadcasting during their annual MayFest Festival and the year before the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the CSRA Business League. Our work speaks for itself! We are fortunate to be able to do this work and continue to be a resource in the local community.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
Funding the business I will say has been the most challenging part of being an entrepreneur. I started my business from personal finances. Thankfully, my startup overhead was minimal. For the first few years every dollar I made went right back into the business. In fact, with the first $1,000 in revenue I made in the business I hosted a MLK Scholarship Competition oratory and essay contest for students, business wise probably wasn’t the smartest idea but it was something I wanted to do. Even when it didn’t make smart business sense, I gave the first $1,000 away as a scholarship of course along with other expenses to fund and support that endeavor. I often say “No one told me it take money to make money!” We are 5 years old and with the exception of 2 business credit cards that were opened along with the checking and savings accounts BMS has totally been self-sustaining. I do wish we had been informed enough to seek some the PPP funding which we did not seek because we were misled by our financial institution. It takes capital to build and grow a business and like for most small businesses is always an area of opportunity.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
What has helped me build my reputation within the market is my personal brand. My personal brand is strong if not stronger than the business brand. Its actually something I am working feverishly to get the two better aligned. How I did this can be attributed to a number of things. Number 1: I bring value. No matter what space I am I want to make it better than how I found it. That means I am reliable and dependable. I keep my word. I study. I prepare. I am constantly seeking to improve and grow or seeking to find ways to be better. Number 2: Is I give back. I serve in my community. I make time for causes that align with my purpose personally or for doing business. It in return creates an opportunity for relationship building, increasing supporters, potential clients, and business partners. I believe in collaboration. I might be the hard working person around the table but I never want to be the smartest person at the table. I try surround myself with others who have a “better together” mindset. Number 3: I am who I am. I am authentic. I am honest. I don’t change based on who is in the room. I value all those I meet and I treat everyone with the same dignity and respect. Though disappointed in sometimes, I love all God’s people. Lastly, I keep a smile because you never know who’s life a smile will change.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.brownstonemediationHR.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brownstonemediation/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tekayb2/
- Youtube: August 2024
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/brownstone-mediation-services-augusta
Image Credits
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