Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dr. Michelle Boone-Thornton, Vice President of CMV Communicators LLC, located in Hampton, VA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am an international speaker and author. My platform is emotional wellness and mental health. My mission is to help people worldwide release the emotional baggage they've been masking for years by living life more abundantly and openly to God, who can Refill and Renew them with love and peace, allowing them to fulfill their God-given purpose.
Tell us about yourself
Prior to working exclusively in higher education, I worked for 20 years in the field of mental health, providing direct services to children in their families in the community. As an in-home counselor, I saw families who, when I initially met them, I thought they don't need services, but after about the third visit, they stopped hiding their true feelings (unmasking), and I began to see true behaviors, strained parent/child relationships, and each member as their authentic selves.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I enjoy presenting and providing workshops and trainings where I combine my skills as a speaker, educator, and trainer to help people understand mental illness, seek additional support, prevent suicide, and find valuable resources. My biggest accomplishments are the workshops that I do with homeless women, the reception I received in Nairobi from my emotional wellness platform, and being a recipient of the IChange Nations Astell Collins Global Inspiration Generation Leader Award. Most importantly, my entire family (husband and three children are all speakers on a variety of tops designed to empower others to be all that God created them to be.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
As a business owner, the totality of the work falls on me, from scheduling events, preparing contracts, ordering products, training materials, books- book signing, and conference set-up breakdown. I am currently working on other book projects and preparing conference proposals. It is a lot of work since I am a full-time faculty member at my university. Being able to just engage and empower audiences through speaking and training would be easier, but for now, it is a labor of love.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Learn how to delegate and let people help you.
- Don't worry about what your haters say, or listen to people who have not been where you are headed.
- Align yourself with like-minded people who are where you want to be.
- There's nothing new under the sun, so don't reinvent the wheel and consider collaborating with others.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website:
https://www.cmvcommunicators.com/
https://drmichelleboonethornton.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drmichelleboonethornton
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbt/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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