We recently connected with TJ Mixon and have shared our conversation below.
TJ , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later
Looking back, it’s not that I wish I’d started sooner, it’s that I wish I had a business mindset shift earlier in my life. I became a “business man” in college. I started selling school necessities to classmates, eventually ran a network marketing organization, to investing in a health bar and acquiring a rental property in my hometown! If I understood the concept of business in my younger years maybe high school, I would have focused more into developing the necessary skills to run a business. But, it’s never too late! I am still young and on the move!
TJ , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
“I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man!”
My brand is myself. I am small business investor, real estate investor, short -term stock trader, content creator & motivational speaker.
I got in to business first trading with a network marketing trading company and operated an organization with 70+ wonderful people. I still trade stocks & also trade foreign exchange privately.
After that I invested in my first small business Access Health Bar owned by Denzel Veale. A great business designed to provide healthier options to a community that doesn’t have ACCESS to healthier choices.
My father is in real estate and has been for some time so after investing in that business he encouraged me to also invest in real estate. Me and my sister started an investment property business to buy houses and rent them out and we actually bought our first house in 2022 and are growing our business month by month.
Content creation is something I am new to using for monetary gain. I have developed a significant following I am grateful for on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook and I am growing everyday. Since taking it more seriously I have became a brand ambassador for various businesses. The largest one is “TonesofMelanin”. A brand that sells clothing for HBCUs and Greek organizations!
Public speaking has also become a business for me but it is the most rewarding. I love speaking to youth groups, young sports teams, marching bands, large teams and more just to give them my perspective on different things and hopefully encourage them to go further than what they previously believed they could.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Anyone will tell you the best type of engagement on social media is organic. With that being said. I built my audience outside of social media.
Traveling, networking, performing, and supporting others in real life helped me to build the audience I have.
Even though I may not have hundreds of thousands of followers yet I’m grateful for those that engage with me on social media. This is just the beginning.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
There is a lot of different ways to fund your business including:business loans, fund raising, selling goods and more.
I am blessed to have had plenty of opportunities to make money when I first started business in college. From selling campus essentials, to getting a Co – op opportunity to work for a company in my major during my junior year of college. I was able to fund whatever business I had with my own money.
Once I graduated from Tuskegee, I was able to get a job working in computer science which enabled me to further expand my business ventures even more.
Whatever it takes, make sure youget it done. Whatever resources you have, use them. Utilize all networks and all avenues to make a better future for yourself and your family.
I know my ultimate business goal and I can not wait to see it come to fruition.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: tj_millionaire
- Facebook: T.j. Mixon
- Linkedin: TJ Mixon
Image Credits
Kaci Merriwether-Hawkins Marcus W Phillips