I met Nichelle at the Black Writer’s Reunion and Conference in Ft. Lauderdale two years ago. We connected during the retreat, which was reserved for the last few days of the conference. Though there were a number of us in attendance, Nichelle and I stayed up until the infant hours of the morning, vibing.
When I was younger, my granddad would occasionally bring me a strawberry Icee and a big, fat peppermint stick. He would only do it maybe two or three times a year, so when he did, I made sure that I took my time and executed all five of my senses to savor the moment.
My conversations in Ft. Lauderdale with Nichelle were much like my gifted sweet ice and red stripes. I’m a talker, so if you were to randomly pop up on me somewhere, I’m most likely talking vs. listening (don’t believe me? Take a lot of my conduct cards from grade school). But Nichelle has such a way with words that make you want to do nothing more than grab a blanket, a mug of tea, and listen.
Being that #GenYBG is dedicated to young, black, and gifted women who also happen to be 80s babies, it was so fundamental that Nichelle be included.
How old are you?
I am 33.
Who do you serve?
My business serves mostly international clientele who move to Miami looking to learn English as they grow their businesses here in the states- I have mostly Brazilians and Japanese clientele at the moment.
Did you ever think to give up?
Well, yes of course. I have been tempted because most of us are so indoctrinated to work for someone else that it seems so tempting at times.
What motivated you to keep going?
What keeps me going is knowing that I have full creative control and that I meet people I would not meet otherwise. Plus, being an entrepreneur is liberating- freeing- I feel like I have control over my day and what to fill it with and that is über important to me.
What advice would you lend an aspiring entrepreneur?
Keep it fresh. When you get in a rut, seek to reinspire yourself. The vision is with you, so part of being in control is knowing when to change flow and how to get the inspiration you need to take it to the next level.
Learn more about Nichelle and The Native English Experience in Miami online at http://nativenglishmiami.com/ and on Facebook.
On Instagram? Follow #GenYBG for more Young, Black Women Entrepreneurs.