Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in training and development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Tamiko Nettles, Founder, and CEO of Let Go - Be Great, LLC., located in Chicago, IL, USA.

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

Many educational consulting firms help clients get to an end product curriculum, resources, etc. My business, Let Go-Be Great, gets their clients to an end goal of retaining their people AND uncovering the processes they took to get there. Our mission is to get our nonprofit and for-profit educational organizations and leaders within them to focus on their key players--their people. Without them, their company, programs, or by-products within their organization will not be successful.

We offer customized "client-centered" professional learning, strategic coaching with team-building essentials and resources, and a hands-on approach to building the capacity of ALL stakeholders in both nonprofit and for-profit education-related industries. Creating an organization that is rooted in inclusion, Social Emotional Learning, and belonging practices is our goal. We want to get our organizations to rewrite their stories by creating programs and professional learning that gets those who were written out of the company narrative back in them so that each organization, team, or individual has the necessary tools to empower every staff and student to be seen, valued, and heard. Our hope is that through each motivational moment workshop shared, each 30-day challenge experienced, and each professional development taught, organizations and their employees can truly identify what they need to let go of to be great. Moreover, each individual can drop whatever is holding them back and move their team and their organization forward, therefore, empowering others to do the same.

Tell us about yourself

I have been in the education and advocacy space for the past 22+ years. My roles as a former teacher, instructional coach, advisor to school leaders and executives, and advocate for educators, families, and those experiencing homelessness have been fueled by experiences of seeing many of the above-mentioned individuals looked over. These individuals were either unable to find a safe place to share their concerns or opportunities for advancement, or leaders within the organization were unable to find ways to connect authentically with members of their team. I began to notice a disconnect between the organization and the people within it. Last year alone, over 43 million people walked out of their workplaces due to these same patterns– 300,000 of them were educators or school staff.

I partnered with members within and outside of each organization to design a framework to change that trajectory. I began to create programs, and experiences where employees within it could start to see, hear and value EVERY staff member and student. Each time one of these programs or initiatives was created, it was a success! A newfound mission to cultivate conversations that brought forth change empowered people to build effective teams and fostered an inclusive mindset began.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

One of my biggest accomplishments as a business owner was starting. My educational consulting business had been dormant since 2017, and during the pandemic, there was a strong yearning to start again. Seven short stories were written and shared at twenty different events, organizational consultations were well received, and a new desire for moving students, educators, businesses, and all types of people from good to great arose in me through the consistent prompting to begin. The process of beginning full-time in June 2022 was a process that involved many starts and stops. Nonetheless, since I have been a full-time entrepreneur, it has been one of the most freeing experiences that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.

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

One of the hardest things that come with being a business owner is knowing that everything you do within your business depends on you. Marketing your products and services and letting others know their value is a 24/7 role. You are responsible for keeping your business afloat. Although this is the hardest thing as a full-time entrepreneur, I have learned that nothing can be done in isolation. With this lesson, having mentors and support systems are very important.

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

  1. Utilize your resources. Every person along your journey plays an important role. Keep up with all of your contacts. Continue to share what you are doing in your business with them and let them know what you need to be successful.
  2. Stop comparing, start preparing—> We can get into the rut of comparing our business to others in similar industries. Instead of comparing yourself to others, start working on your gifts and prepare for the possibility of your business being successful. No matter how hard things get, don't forget why you started.
  3. Don't doubt the abilities that you have. There's always something we are equipped to do. There will always be fear, but when you second guess, the people who are waiting on you to do what you need to do will never get what they need. Once you say "yes" to the beginning, every single thing will fall in line.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://letgo-begreat.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LetGoBeGreat/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letgobegreat/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/let-go-be-great-llc/

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.

Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.