We recently connected with Tracie L James and have shared our conversation below.
Tracie L, appreciate you joining us today. Covid has brought about so many changes – has your business model changed?
As a result of COVID, I had to shift from planning in-person events to virtual and hybrid ones. It was necessary to learn about new platforms to convert existing events into virtual ones and still create a connected experience. I will continue to offer planning services for in-person, hybrid and virtual events. The versatility enables my clients to offer their events to more people and removes the boundaries of a physical location.
Tracie L, 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?
About Tracie As a child growing up in Mississippi, I struggled with my self-identity and wanting to be liked by everyone. From the outside, I appeared to be confident and successful. I was a top student, active at school and church and very vocal. Inside, I struggled with insecurities and doubts.
After graduating from college, I entered corporate America with a drive to conquer it just like I had done in school. This time, however, it was more complicated and difficult than I ever realized it could be. I changed jobs every 2-3 years… some by choice, others due to layoffs or being fired. My “perfect” professional life was beginning to look like my personal life.
I finally realized I needed some help to get things on track in my life. I decided to enter counseling and it’s helped me get stronger and more confident. It’s enabled me to pursue my dreams and be open to being loved the way God intended.
Now at 50, I’m thankful for all the struggles I’ve overcome because they’ve helped me become the woman I am today – resilient, confident, and optimistic. I’m able to use my personal and professional experiences to help other women overcome their struggles to live the life they were created to live. I’m all about eliminating excuses… you know the ones you create in your mind because you’ve failed in the past or had something terrible happen to you in your past. Excuses will keep you stuck if you allow them to. I’m blessed to be able to live out my purpose helping others eliminate their excuses.
How I got into my business
I began my entrepreneurial journey after a series of layoffs in the early 2000s. I realized that if I wanted to maintain some level of financial stability, I needed to have something of my own that I could control. Ever since, I have had a business I was working at least part-time. Every business has had some level of success, but I’ve transitioned as the markets changed and as I’ve learned more about myself. Being an entrepreneur is a journey and I am committed to doing my best no matter what the venture. Currently, I’m niching my business down to specifically corporate event productions. I love working with business owners and helping them to create experiences that align with their brand and add profits to the bottom line.
I named my company James Ratliff to pay homage to my family. I learned the value of applied knowledge and hard work from them. This is the foundation of what we do at James Ratliff – our team is knowledgeable and work hard to make sure your event is a success.
Services I provide
We provide comprehensive event production services for businesses and non-profit organizations. It’s about more than just an event plan. It’s about creating an experience that effectively showcases your brand, your message, and your mission.
We provide planning, implementation, coordination and event marketing services for both in-person and virtual events. We offer customized logistics manuals, training for your event staff and volunteers, solutions to any issues that arise and access to our network of professionals to assist with every aspect of your event. Our goal is to reduce the stress of event production.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Throughout my life, I’ve had to overcome obstacles personally and professionally. A few weeks after delivering my high school valedictory speech, I became a teen mom. A few months later, I entered college with my baby boy on my hip. It was not easy to juggle my son, classes, work and attempts at a social life.
One night while I was trying to type a paper, my son didn’t want to sleep in his bed. I had him lying in my lap as I was typing. I was struggling with footnotes and kept re-typing the same page over and over again until I was in tears. I didn’t know how I was going to make it and I just started praying. Soon my mom came home from work and took my son for me. I was finally able to finish typing my paper and get a few hours of sleep.
I kept focused and continued to put in the work. I graduated with honors and learned the importance of not giving up no matter what obstacles you face. The more you do it the more resilient you become. It’s the foundation of my mantra ‘solutions not excuses’.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
Learning the skills to manage a team and maintaining high morale is something most leaders struggle with at one point or another. I outlined some key strategies in my first book, Excuse Proof Leadership.
When leading your team, you must be sure to:
* Set clear expectations in writing
* Delegate tasks without micro-managing
* Hold each team member accountable
* Learn what each team member needs to feel appreciated
* Consistently show your team their valued and heard
Contact Info:
- Website: JamesRatliff.co
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/jamesratliffco
- Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/tracie-l-james
Image Credits
Headshots by Ronnie Bliss Photography