Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Roquita Johnson, Founder of Roquita Johnson Public Speaking LLC, located in Huntsville, AL, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

My business is Roquita Johnson Public Speaking, a public speaking and presentation skills training organization. I primarily work with Christian female professionals and entrepreneurs who want to be confident, clear, and engaging speakers. I also conduct in-person and online workshops for a variety of organizations that want their staff/members to feel more comfortable in public speaking situations. So I offer private coaching, group coaching, and workshops.

Tell us about yourself

What may surprise many people is I HATED public speaking! It was not something I looked forward to at all. However, as I progressed in my past career in marketing, I had to host workshops or lead team meetings, and I dreaded it. I knew I needed help with being more comfortable and with having clarity, so I got public speaking training. After a while, I found that I liked it! I entered and won quite a few speech contests and helped youth and adults who wanted to be better speakers. One day, a parent of one of my youth clients said, "I don't know what you do for your day job, but you are a good teacher." He was right. I was, and I enjoyed it. A few months later, I got certified as a World Class Speaking Coach, and the next year started my business. I LOVE seeing the women I serve blossom into the speakers they always desired to be. They feel more confident expressing their ideas, sharing their expertise, and impacting their audiences. It's very fulfilling to be a part of the process.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I would say my biggest accomplishment is showing my clients that they can indeed be their authentic selves. Sometimes people feel like they have to be who they THINK a public speaker is or looks like, and I get to burst that bubble in a good way. I hit the point home that you can be yourself - the BEST version of yourself. And we work together on how they can be their best self. They really appreciate that, and I think it's a relief for them.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

You have to balance working in your business and on your business. It's easy to get caught up in just doing the day-to-day things if you're not careful, like working with clients and posting content to your social media pages. But you have to be intentional with managing the big picture of your business. Look at what needs to be done to grow your business and plug the holes so you can be successful in the long term. You have to be able to take yourself out of the daily tasks of the business and look at it from the outside to see how to operate it better.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. You should be able to say in a brief sentence what you do. If you can't, potential customers won't understand it either. And a confused mind says "NO" to working with you.
  2. Be clear on who it is you really serve. When some entrepreneurs are starting out, it's tempting to say you serve everyone. You actually don't. Create an avatar for who your ideal customer/client is. Why? It will be easier to market to and attract them because you're speaking their language.
  3. Have grace with yourself. You won't have it all together when you first start. Do your best with your due diligence, get legal things in place, and know that some other things will come with time.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Stay in the know about your industry. Read the books and articles. Go to the conferences. Watch the videos. I have this mindset that I will make myself the BEST option for my client. It will be a no-brainer to work with me! This means that I have to keep my skills sharp by always learning. Don't let yourself get stagnant.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://roquitajohnson.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoquitaJohnsonPublicSpeaking
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roquitajohnson_publicspeaking/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roquita-johnson-57b65028/

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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