We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tina Young-Holman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Tina , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Drive and determination to succeed against all odds. Right mindset to achieve what you’re going after in your business and life. Know that nothing impossible if you trust God and write steps down so you know where you going in this life journey.Know you might stumble but keep your eyes on the prize. Learn about what you’re trying to achieve and put in place things to achieve it. Study and research skill or business. Ask others what it took to make them a successful business. Then implemented it from started with your own twisted to improve or make it fit your life. Remember if you love what you’re doing it makes it much easier. I love what I do so it makes me happy and give it that extra effort to get it done.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I started my business in 2008 Tina & Jamari Gifts a novelty and online gift shop. Rebranded (T& J Emporium)was birth for business in 2015. I started doing more Pop-up shops. I even hosted a couple in 2021 but working outside home didn’t allow me to do it often. So I pivot a bit to a magazine in 2022 for Black owned business because of my experience I had in the market of entrepreneurship. I thought I need to find a way to provide visibility and give Black owned business the opportunity to show credibility in their niche or experiences to potential clients they have not meet yet. Through the shift I thought let me also guide small business because many companies say they can’t find minority business or their not totally qualified( don’t know where to find minority business). Starting the magazine and consulting business the two allowed me to offer a unique opportunity, to meet a need for small business and entrepreneur, plus give most companies a place to find minority business. Entrepreneur or small minority business is my main client that are looking to started,grow or expanded their business. Help entrepreneur looking for opportunities to grow but don’t know where to started. I help them get exposure and position to get the financial help because all their information is organize and ready to do business. Magazine gives them a different marketing tool and a chance to share their expertise and places ads on a monthly basis. Chance to live in their purpose on purpose with a mindset shift.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

During the pandemic business was not the same as usually ordering items to sell was at a halt. I working outside the home kept getting exposed to people with COVID doing private care and security. I had enough so I came home to do business for myself. Because of delivery issues. I pivot to opening my own magazine business and consulting. I never gave up and worked my business to give other small business a chance to be seen in a wider audience nearly 20,000 views. This pivot has given me purpose and I love doing it.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to learn everyone not for you are wish you well even though their in your face on a daily basis. Family & friends don’t expected them to support you like you do. So I now know by default to trust totaled strangers get better opportunities to excel in sales.I’ve had more cheers and talks from people I just meet. I have a magazine that people I know want even support because of envy or hate. No I don’t run from hate or worrying about it just love is my goal. Learn I need to make my own plan and trust the process with totaled strangers. Catered to my niche market in wider audience in due time through speaking and events.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://[email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tnjhous3enterprise
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TinaYHolman
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/TJEmporium

Image Credits
Harold Jackson