Introduce yourself to the Visions of Greatness audience.
I am the owner of All-Star Scholars of Atlanta, an after-school and mentoring program that services children ages 4 to 12 yrs old in the Atlanta area. I am also the founder of Virtuous Women of Success which is a non-profit that services women and young girls with counseling, coaching and workshops to help aid them through life challenges, mental health issues and other situations they may find difficult to deal with.
Who or what inspired you to pursue entrepreneurship?
After working in the childcare industry for 15 plus years and seeing the lack of quality care being given to our children in low income or at-risk areas in the city, I wanted to start a program that would give quality and affordable care that would provide our children with different experiences that they necessarily wouldn't be exposed to at home as well as a nurturing and judgement free environment to help foster and bring to life their talents and gifts. Virtuous Women of Success was birthed simply out of my own life challenges that I have overcome as well as seeing the need for women to have a "safe space" to be vulnerable and open about what they are going through and seeking and getting the help they really need.
Tell the Visions of Greatness audience more about your products/services.
Right now All-Star Scholars of Atlanta is offering digital learning support for those parents that chose not to send their children back to school and they have to return to work and also after-school pick and care to those that sent their children back to school. Our mentoring program will meet each Friday and we are planning outings and activities for future dates due to COVID.
Virtuous Women of Success will be launching a crisis and resource line for those that are seeking help for anything such as counseling, suicide prevention and those needing emergency help like food, diaper, living arrangements, etc. Our coaching services are available for those seeking help with finding their purpose/calling and need a little direction with moving forward after a life challenge.
What adjustments have you made in your life and business since the pandemic?
This COVID pandemic has been interesting! I really didn't have to make many adjustments to my personal life because I already don't really get out much other than working and running errands unless it is a family event. Because I am in the childcare industry and a germaphobe (lol), I don't have a problem with the extra sanitizing and cleaning.
As far as business goes it has been a huge adjustment! I have had to figure out first how to make the same revenue with less. Here in the state of GA class sizes were reduced and it has been at our discretion to increase them when they took the class size restriction off. I chose to keep the smaller class sizes for safety reasons. Handling counseling and coaching sessions via Zoom was difficult at first because I like to deal with my clients face to face. I guess we have to get use to our "new normal" for a little while longer.
What advice would you give to women struggling to balance their life and business?
Patience and self-care is key! You have to take care of yourself first in order to do anything for anyone else. We as women are so busy being and doing for everyone else and we tend to forget about ourselves.
My mom use to tell me as a child, "just be patient!" I use to want things right when I wanted them and most times it wasn't the right time. Everything is done in perfect timing.
Share with us one ingredient in your secret sauce for success.
Consistency! Be consistent with everything you do!
How can the Visions of Greatness audience connect with you?
We are on Facebook and Instagram: @allstarsofatl and @virtuouswomenofsuccess
By phone/text: 404-663-2462
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