Everything starts with a story.

How I got started

During my first year of college, pursuing a political science degree, I started a side business nail salon in my mother's kitchen. My mom was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, three times. My parents were divorced, and I needed to put school on pause to become my mom's main caregiver.  I went back to work at a nail salon.

Several years passed, and I was tired and felt defeated. One day while chatting with my dad, a small business owner, and sharing my frustrations, he said “Why don't you open a business?”

I started thinking about his idea and felt joy for the first time in a long time and loved the idea of being my own boss.  But I didn’t know where to begin. 

I barely had the internet as a resource, and my computer was from a police auction with dial-up internet.  I went to my local bookstore and bought "Everything You Need To Know About Starting a Small Business." The first thing I remember reading was “Most businesses fail because they don’t have a plan.”

I wrote my short business plan on a graph paper and gave it to my dad. He loaned me a small amount but said the rest was up to me. The day before I opened, I cashed in my change to buy a $200 hot towel warmer and at 23 years old, I opened The Beauty Lounge, a natural nail care salon.  A year later, The Beauty Lounge was featured in an influential industry publication. By my second year in business, we hit six figures in sales.

I realized my passion for community advocacy when a developer proposed a gas station at a nearby intersection. Initiating discussions with my then aldermen, convening a group of neighbors, learning about municipal decision-making processes and leading an effective yet cooperative neighborhood initiative has reinforced my belief that with collaboration, even the most daunting goals are attainable.

In 2019, I was ready to make some life adjustments. They say your purpose is when your gifts, experience, and passion come together. For me, that has been community involvement, entrepreneurship, and empowering women-owned business owners.

I went back to school for business coaching and started Goal.Get.Her Inc, Consulting Services, a realistic & professional coaching approach to help small business owners.

Almost 20 years later, times, the marketplace and business practices have changed. I have been through the good, bad, and a whole bunch in between. One thing that hasn’t changed is setting a basic foundation for your business. 

You may have already started your business, but you must continually revise your practices and outreach to stay current in the marketplace and to increase profitability. 

My passion is to help others achieve their goals and to share my story to inspire others.

* Photo: Last February with my mom in Savannah, GA celebrating her 70th birthday