Markita Samuel: #GenYBG’s Business Coach

Markita and I met on Twitter. We live in two different time zones, but still made an awesome connection. She started following me and simultaneously, Twitter suggested that I follow her; I did. We started small chat. That led to us checking out one another’s websites.

First impressions mean everything and being that we met online, Markita’s website happened to serve as her first impression. And boy was it impressive…clear, concise, and pretty. Most importantly, I loved her message. I also connected with her testimony in that we both started out as kidpreneurs.

After a few e-mail exchanges and giggles, I determined that…

Markita is definitely someone worth keeping in the front of the rolodex.

It’s not too often that we encounter likeminded, business-oriented, and good-spirited individuals. When she agreed to participate in the #GenYBG zone, I went ahead and threw her name up there on the BFF list.

Without further ado…

How old are you?

I am 27 years old.

When did you know that you wanted to work for yourself?

I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur, but was never clear on when to start.  When I was younger my “plan” was to go to school, get a good job, and when I retired open a restaurant.  But while in my last year in law school reality hit!  I was really struggling to find a job and was starting to doubt my ability to be successful in the legal field.  I was flying all over the country, interviewing for jobs that didn’t really speak to my heart and had no real prospects lined up.  Then one of my first clients offered to pay me for something I had been doing for free my whole life and that’s when my business was born!

What do you do and how long have you been in business?

I am a business coach and consultant and I help people create their business or non-profit organizations.  As one client puts it I’m the, “dream maker.”  Lol! I specialize in helping people create the business of their dreams and really begin on the path to their purpose! I’ll be celebrating three years in business in April!

Describe your ideal client.

My ideal client is the person who is ready to get started on their dreams.  They have been working in this job or that and may even be really successful but are unfulfilled because they are not living out their full purpose.  They may be scared or not sure how it will all work out but they must be dedicated to giving their dreams the chance it deserves!

Did you ever think to give up?

Most definitely!

What happened?

2013 was a really hard year for me.  I was struggling financially with my business and I couldn’t keep up with my law school loans and big girl bills.  I was looking at the financial security of some of my law school peers and started to feel like maybe I should try to do more legal-centered work or just put my business on hold and get a “real” job.

What motivated you to keep going?

I had to remind myself that all entrepreneurs struggle in the early stages of their business and I can either quit and run, or stand and fight–for not only my dreams but the dreams of my clients. I am a big believer in integrity and I didn’t want to be the type of coach that didn’t practice what I preached. So, I stuck it out and decided to get some help!  There is a popular Einstein quote that states, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

So, I invested in another point of view. I got myself a new coach (all coaches need a coach!) and went to work on changing my perspective and business.  Having a new perspective about life and my approach to coaching brought a fresh wind into my business and I have been moving ever since!

What advice would you lend an aspiring entrepreneur?

Get started NOW!  Don’t wait until you have “enough” time, money, support, etc.  Start researching, start networking, and start putting yourself out there in a tangible way.  Time is your biggest supporter when you start early because you can learn and grow along the way.

The later you wait, the more pressure you’ll feel to be successful right out the gate and that does not happen.  So give yourself the gift of the present (kinda cheesy, I know) and get started leaning, changing, growing, making mistakes, and being successful NOW!  The world needs what you have to offer, so don’t keep us waiting!

 

Learn more about Markita and Making Straight Paths online at makingstraightpaths.com and on Twitter @Markita_Samuel.

On Instagram? Follow #GenYBG for more Young, Black Women Entrepreneurs.