Prospering in a Pandemic

I told my friend that 2020 was LIT 🔥 Jan 1-March 16th after March 16th, 2020 has digressed and has been all downhill. This COVID19 pandemic has taken lives, shut down businesses temporarily, permanently closed businesses, 🥺 even with assistance from the federal government with economic disaster loans, and PPP funding some businesses have had to pivot while others had to furlough, layoff, or terminate their employees permanently. It is now Oct 2020 the 4th quarter summer has come and gone and now it is fall. How many of you work full time, have a side hustle or small business on the side what is the new motto work your 9-5 and when you are done working your 9-5 you work your 6p-12am.

I am currently employed at CVS Health ❤️ working remotely at home and I own and operate a small business Simpson Walker Contracting Corp, it is a general commercial contracting business and we build excellence. I am in 2 different industries but business is business. I have been blessed during this season to maintain my livelihood even though business has slowed, because municipalities are not working at fully capacity so that makes for contracts for improvements/services to slow down. I have been successfully working from home with my “day job”. Yup, I am that girl I work full time, and run a business on the side for now.  During this pandemic, I have been working on my professional development cause why not improve yourself and livelihood while you have sooooo much down time. Eliminating travel, parties, brunches, visiting family, friends and church just a few of my favorite things I began to sit still and think about my future and where I wanted to be in the next 10 years. (Side note “I am always thinking about the future”) My overall goal is to run my business full time, but being in business for 8 years I have yet to leave my full time job, and run the business full time. I would be living out of my car (which is paid off) if I had to rely on my business solely, because general commercial building services is not consistent you can be on a construction project for a few months then it is over you made 100k but that slowly starts to dwindle when you pay your subcontractors, taxes, vendors and operating expenses.

I have been in my position at Aetna/CVS for 6 years, and I am looking to advance my career so I decided to invest in myself and gain some more professional development as I am a young professional so I,  revised my resume while continue to seek funding for my business to scale when the time is right to eventually take the leap and quit my job and run my business full time.

The first step in my professional development was linking with a company that has a mission and vision that I can live by and that ultimately has my best interests in mind I have become more intentional of who I engage with, who I spend my money with, and who can I do business with that looks like me so I bought the Overhaul Jobbee Bundle at Black on the Job, Black on the Job is a business movement dedicated to the advancement of black people in the workplace. Historically black people especially women were seen as the “HELP” cooks, maids, and caregivers now we are working in Fortune 500 companies and with the wealth pay gap for women especially black women, discrimination, and stifled growth in many companies the vision of Black On The Job envisions a world free of biases, injustices, and economic justice. So if you stay ready you ain’t got to get ready so my services with Black on the Job included: Resume Review, Career Coaching, LinkedIn Review, Mock Interview, and Confidence Coaching. I utilized all these services because I haven’t interviewed for a job in 6 years 😁 so I got some development and recently I got my resume revised to step my game up so when they call for more diversity in leadership…lol I will be ready. I got a LinkedIn review and the recommendation for me was to gain more recommendations from colleagues and friends because I had no recommendations and Cyn owner of BOTJ advised me HR recruiters look at those and potential customers. Black on The Job is great if you are looking for professional development here is their website for more information.

Please utilize their services @ Blackonthejob.co and join the FB group Black on the Job with Admin Cyn https://www.facebook.com/groups/blackonthejobbee

What have you done professionally during this time of quarantine?

Well outside of listening to DJ D-Nice in Club Quarantine on IG, every Friday night since social distancing and quarantine has begun I have been attending these Master Classes by Valeshia Butterfield Jones via Zoom. Valeshia’s  resume is long she has worked for Def Jam, the Obama administration, Google now she works for The Recording Academy as the Chief D&I Officer and she has her own company called ValeishaTV. Again like I said before I have become more intentional of who I engage with, who I spend my money with and who I do business with that looks like me, and attending these masterclasses they have made me hone in on what I want for the second half of my career, some of the master class topics included “Progress over Perfection”, “How to Close the Deal”, “Imposter Syndrome”, and “Navigating the C-Suite”.  Valeshia’s Master Classes included special guests like Morgan Debaun from Blavity and Dr. Angela Anderson a personal life coach. It is truly a new found sisterhood for me during this time of uncertainty, unrest, and career transitions so this has been my NEW Friday evening quarantine ritual. I am not in a C-Suite position at my current company. I am on the fence if I even want to reach that level of leadership in corporate America, but after taking these master classes it made me realize I may never reach the C-Suite level..Lol because we are not highly represented now, but with corporate America’s awakening to the value that we have always brought, but it is not always reflected in these organizations especially at the C-Suite level. I recognize the efforts and attempts some corporations are making with diversity, but with others, what did the Wells Fargo CEO say again, “The black talent pool is limited” Well hell look at this post

and this is just 1 post I am sure there are countless others that have gone un-viral. BLACK seems to be a scary word to white corporate executives and HR recruiters it seems to be an underlining invisible mask. Where is the equal opportunity? Where is the, we don’t discriminate based on color, sex, or orientation? Those words equal opportunity is the lie it sounds good but it is a lie because organizations do discriminate and they do not provide equal opportunities because it is not reflected.  I honestly think they are afraid we will take their jobs and do it better, but for the many reasons of the disparity it is nice to know and to be supported by black women who are trying to navigate the C-Suite and make career transitions. If you want to attend Valeshia’s master classes follow her on IG and the link to register for the master classes is in the bio!

She has a masterclass this Friday entitled Executive Presence hope to see you there 😉

Now switching gears on to my small business Simpson Walker Contracting Corp since the pandemic business has slowed even though we are considered essential. The municipalities we work for City of Phoenix has slowed. Our last job was conducted in May of 2020 and since then I have been applying for small business grants. I have been applying for grants since April 2020 to date I have received $15,000 in grant money for my business, it has been a blessing because we have no business right now, but still have operating expenses and I am still continuing to apply for grants I have about another $10,000 in grant submittals I am waiting to hear back from 🤞. I have always worked full time, and operating and running a business for 8 years, it hasn’t been easy but it has made me grow and push my capabilities to the max. I don’t believe in the struggle bus entrepreneurship it is not a sprint it is a marathon. My company was incorporated in 2012 and I still have yet to make 1 million dollars. Capital has been an issue for growth, and the pandemic and social unrest has opened up a new wave of buy black, grants specifically for black business owners, and a slowdown-ness to regroup, refocus, and revisit your growth, business, and marketing plans. And it has been a time to add a new line of business or pivot and adjust to the new normal post COVID.

As a small business owner whose customer is municipalities and government I have utilized the Small Business Administration AZ office and the US Black Chamber. I was a participant in these organizations prior to COVID but after COVID I relied a lot more them than I did before. These are good resources if you have a small business and or want to do work with the federal government. For small business owners it is important to build a network of other small business owners and entrepreneurs to get support, feedback and potential customers. The US Black Chamber will be hosting a By Black event for black business owners the info is listed below. Again I have become more intentional of who I engage with, who I spend my money with, and who can I do business with that looks like me!

The USBC's By Black conference is a 3-day business conference for Black business owners and Black Chambers of Commerce. To learn more visit: byblackconference.com

If you have maintained your employment and your business or businesses have survived during this pandemic I salute you 👏 because it has not been easy, but it can’t get any worse right? 🤔 This is my first pandemic and I am surviving it, and I thank God everyday for my health and the many blessings he has provided during this time. If you have prospered during this pandemic let me know in the comments!

XOXO

BGUC