We recently connected with Tunteyya Mohammed and have shared our conversation below.

Tunteyya, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

I am happy as a business owner, but I wouldn’t say it’s all sunshine and rainbows. I have especially recently been going through the imposter syndrome of starting another business. Everything is going well with the business, however, my internal world is scared of the unknown. Will this be successful? Am I wasting my time? Will I be able to pay the bills with business? All these questions pop up, which is normal number one. However, they are all symptoms of “monkey brain.” Whenever you are doing something new your brain comes up with reasons for you to stay in your comfort zone. However, I am pushing through the uncertainty because weirdly enough that’s where success lies. We do not have the answers to our success, however, if you quit, your answer will always be no. I don’t see myself ever getting a normal job because for me it has limitations. There is a limit on how much you make and there is a limit to your free time. Now, this is not to say there are no pros. I would say the perk of a job is the stability of knowing you will be paid as long as you do your work. However, I am a free spirit and I like being in control of my career and my future.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am Tunteyya Mohammed, I was born in Ghana and moved to the US at 3 years old. I have always been a free spirit. I don’t like being tied down or micromanaged. I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Business Management but decided entrepreneurship was the path for me. I worked at Apple as Tech support and in other food service jobs through high school and college but none felt right. I notice that as people, we often disregard the very thing that makes us human, our emotions, and intuition. However, for me, if something feels off or I feel like I am suffering, I have to leave and move forward. I’ve known since High school that I want to own a successful business, however, nothing ever stuck for longer than a year. I have had businesses for e-commerce, event planning, holistic health coaching, moving and so much more. They all were great ideas, but I was missing proactivity and mindfulness. I was too busy perfecting each business that it never really got much traction or breathing room to naturally progress. So, in the past five years of entrepreneurship, I’ve learned a lot and now have an established business called Tidy Homes. It is a home service business that provides cleaning, moving, and home organization services. My business solves the issue of having a cluttered home. The disabled, busy families and the elderly especially suffer from not being able to maintain their homes and we get them the right person to help. What sets me apart from others is we build relationships with our clients. Without them, we wouldn’t have a business. So, we make it a priority to get to know who we are helping. We not only keep up a client’s home but with their well-being too. It’s like the saying clear home, clear mind. I am proud of my authenticity and the community I have built alongside the business. I want potential clients and people, in general, to know that “peace of mind” should be the motto of life and I bring that with my energy and my brand.

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

A lesson that I had to unlearn was not undercharging for services. Often we feel we have to be cheaper because we’re uncomfortable with charging higher due to fear of no business or looking greedy. However, if you know your worth, it will show in your business. If you are providing high, premium work, your prices should match that. It’s all an inverse relationship.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

This is my favorite. I was finished with a client’s home and just as I put away all the supplies in the car, I hear “You have a card?” It was from the neighbor right across and I said “Not on me right now” and gave her my phone number instead. When I get leads from this way, I really don’t expect much because usually, they are not as serious as when someone books online. So, I didn’t think I was going to hear from her again, but that same night I got a message from her. We scheduled her appointment. Leading to her appointment, we had been messaging back and forth. We clicked so well and had so many commonalities from being herbalists, plant moms, and bookworms. Ever since our first encounter, I have seen her almost every week and we have grown such a professional bond. I love connecting with others because it makes this business much more fulfilling.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tidyhomestx.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tidyhomestx/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/tidy-homes-austin

Image Credits
Tunteyya Mohammed