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

Teniqua, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I established VerveSimone Consulting as a means to build an organization where I could control the fruits of my labor. I wanted to exercise my own capacity as a community leader for the issues and topics most dear to my heart: Arts and Culture, women and girls and marginalized communities. I saw so much opportunity to make a difference in these areas. That’s why VerveSimone focuses on providing nonprofit governance, EDI readiness and leadership empowerment surrounding the challenges marginalized communities face. It’s about building bridges with the dominant culture – all with a goal to develop strong communities, businesses and nonprofits.

In less than ten years, I have expanded my client base exponentially. My commitment to providing operational management for small businesses, grassroots, or fledgling nonprofits by leading with empathy from experience is what sets me apart. Having the ability to offer the road map to organizations and small businesses curated from my professional and personal journey is a unique and valuable offering.

Teniqua, 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?

VerveSimone Consulting was founded in 2014 after I decided to culminate my vast experience in leadership strategies, nonprofit governance consulting, diversity, equity & inclusion, and the implementation of management strategies to create the outcome that have always been desired by organizations to achieve success and achieve their goals. As a minority and woman-owned small business providing customized consulting services to individuals and organizations, I have built VerveSimone’s work and reputation on the idea that we should lead by example. To us, this means operating in a way that allows us to lead in the way in which we are role models of the industry, but to also push our employees and clients to lead with excellence.

Leading with passion, I identify strategies that support the sustainability of organizations by leveraging my experience, initiative, and insight gained throughout my professional career. I believe in igniting creativity and challenging mediocrity to drive desired outcomes.

The mantra “Leading for Change” is my vision to continue advancing age and race diversification throughout our services, more specifically for nonprofit governance and leadership and equity empowerment consulting.

At VerveSimone, we create impactful change in organizations we work with as we strive to become a partner that helps them create a compelling and inclusive culture.

The services we provide include:

Equity and Inclusion Empowerment. Equity practices and EDI readiness is becoming a pillar for corporate and organizational change. VerveSimone offers organizational DEI assessments and leadership coaching to help create and implement a DEI plan to ensure that your goals are met. Our DEI services ensure that your organization is identifying areas for change and implementing these changes effectively. Our programs work to help leaders understand their own core values, leadership strengths, privileges, and skills, while using these traits to find ways to become stronger advocates for diversity and to assist in developing the confidence to stand up for the organization’s shared values. VerveSimone offers two leadership workshops which can help your organization become more of an equity partner and ensure that your organization’s leadership has true insight into what is needed by both employees and clients.

Project Management in Arts & Culture. VerveSimone works with the best artists and organizations to seamlessly ensure that an artist’s foundation and skill is conveyed with ease and efficiency. We specialize in artist management with a specific focus in the execution of events, financial planning, and creativity development, while also assisting in talent selection and program design for corporate clients. VerveSimone has and currently works with artistic organizations that are working to change the perception of art and who it serves, organizations like the Arizona Opera and Journey Home by ASU Gammage are examples of the life-changing work in which VerveSimone participates.

Nonprofit Governance Consulting. VerveSimone works with nonprofit organizations of all sizes. We are passionate about the difference the nonprofit industry can make in an individual’s life. VerveSimone offers workshops focusing on preparing your board for systems change, organizational consulting, and nonprofit life cycles.

Leadership Training. Successful equity efforts start with individuals. Each stakeholder must be given the education, resources, and tools to explore their own personal beliefs and biases to gain perspectives that may be foreign to them. While we believe that diversity represents a wide range of social identities and characteristics, we also believe that any meaningful discussions around equity must lead with race. Our leadership empowerment training programs will give leaders and employees the proper guidance on how to move beyond the lens they currently have and take the perspective of different stakeholders.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

First, my relationships have elevated my reputation. In this line of work, who you know and how your network works for you can mean the difference between creating actionable change and just knowing a lot of people in the community. From my experience I have been able to help organizations create the most change when I activate my professional network and my personal relationships. Relationship currency is important to understand how it works for you and others you share your relationships with. I believe there is great benefit to understanding that everyone is looking for either an opportunity or an authentic support system for mentorship, coaching or allyship. While some relationships start as a transaction, if it is meant to be, you can elevate the transactional relationship to a partnership, thought partners for shared ideas and opportunities to increase your sphere of influence.

Second, the outcome of my work has helped build my reputation. I strive for excellence in everything I do, and I encourage anyone I work with to do the same. I don’t settle for mediocrity. It’s about results. It’s about achieving successful change.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Starting my own business was not easy as my focus as an entrepreneur was to branch off to display my many talents in my toolbox. It took me time to find my purpose in life. I realized no one is going to make things happen for me, and I have my idea of the kind of change I want to see in the world. As a result of finding my purpose, my personal and professional life is much more enjoyable. But it took many years of soul searching and practicing self awareness to identify my calling to serve others. It took a lot of reflection and experiencing failures from those experiences. I also recognized people unintentionally preferred to categorize me in one organization or role for their own explanation or comfort. I realized my superpower: my voice. I realized I have to control my own narrative, and I wanted to work to make sure my allies, supporters and naysayers understood this journey is about fulfilling my purpose, my destiny – what I was meant to do and be for others and especially for myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.vervesimone.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teniqua-broughton-8b29417/