What is the mission of Business Made Simple?
The mission of Business Made Simple Coaching & Consulting is to show soulpreneurs how to attract more clients and make more money without having to work so hard. I help soulpreneurs take the overwhelm and stress out of operating their businesses so they can focus more on what matters most.
What is a soulpreneur?
A soulpreneur is anyone with a spiritually led business. While the business doesn’t have to be religious in nature, it is one you feel is your calling.
How did you coin the term?
The term Soulpreneur came to me intuitively. I felt led to serve this community because it’s one that is underserved. Soulpreneurs have special needs and we lead our businesses differently than the average business owner. While learning and using solid business tactics is necessary, there’s no support for using our intuition in business. It’s frowned upon to give ourselves the necessary self-care that is needed to be in-tune with our intuition and creativity. We also take our missions to heart and need emotional support as well.
Who are your clients? E.g., startups? Corporations?
I work with entrepreneurs with service-based businesses that are in the early stages. They have an established brand and service, but they don’t have defined processes in place to help them create a consistent, sustainable cashflow.
I also work with entrepreneurs who have been in business for a while. They’re amazing at what they do, but the processes they have in place aren’t working for them anymore. Consequently, they’ve reached a plateau in revenue and they’re also beginning to feel burnt out.
Operating your business doesn’t have to be so hard. I love coming up with creative, customized solutions. Anyone that’s experiencing these challenges is welcome to book a strategy session with me here: bit.ly/businessmadesimple.
Details about my services can be found on my website: TikoshiaDavis.com
What is your background?
I’m originally from Chicago, and I’m a graduate of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I earned a degree in civil engineering, and I worked for eight years in the areas of highway design, environmental remediation, and facility assessments.
Although I enjoyed the lifestyle engineering provided, I didn’t feel fulfilled and I knew I was called to do something different with my life. I hired a coach to help me figure out my life purpose, and fell in love with coaching.
I then started my life coaching certification at the Inner Visions Institute for Spiritual Development, led by Iyanla Vanzant. I later completed my certification with the American Union of NLP. I’ve also studied under amazing business mentors such as Marshawn Evans, Rev. Anne Presuel, and Marie Forleo.
Why did you choose this career path?
I originally started out as a Life Coach helping women do the same thing I did: find their life purpose and develop the faith in themselves to go after their dreams. After about a year, I started having others who were new to the industry asking for my help in setting up the structure for their new coaching practices. Initially, I did it on the side and soon realized that I have a gift for creating intuitive and customized structure, processes and systems that simplify the way you operate your business. I love order and organization. So, it’s the perfect path for me.
What inspires you to show up at work every day?
I absolutely love helping others develop the faith in themselves to carry out what they’ve been called to do and give them the tools they need to get their work out into the world successfully. Working with just one person, in turn, helps so many other people. It’s a ripple effect; and, I feel so honored to be of service in this way.
Reveal innovative methods you apply to your business and life.
I believe it’s important to be clear on your values and priorities and schedule your life and business around them. When scheduling your time, you have to put first things first. I make prayer, meditation, self-care, and balance a priority every day. You can’t give others something that you don’t have, so it’s important to fill your cup first and give to others from your overflow. I make sure to give myself what I need to be my best so I can, in turn, give my best to the world. One of my favorite quotes is, “She refilled her pitcher, and in doing so, she was able to refresh everyone around her.”
Managing your time in a way that works for you is imperative to your success. I offer lots of easy to implement tips on this subject in my e-book: 10 Ways to Get an Extra Hour in Your Day (without feelings frazzled, overwhelmed, or stressed out!). You can download a free copy here: bit.ly/extrahourinday
What are the three most important factors of being a successful woman?
Confidence. You must know your power and believe in your ability to do anything you set your mind to you. You are valuable, and there is no one in the world that can do what you do.
Perseverance. You must be willing to fight for what you believe in. You must be willing to bet on yourself. And you must be willing to withstand whatever obstacles come between you and your goal and not give up.
Eagerness to learn. Life is all about learning. Always look for opportunities to sharpen your saw and get better at your craft. Also, don’t be afraid to expand your skills and learn things outside of your industry. It not only makes you a well-rounded person, but it also increases your value.
Technology plays what role in your daily life?
Technology provides the tools that support the processes and systems I put in my place for my business and for my clients. There are many amazing apps and tools that will help automate and/or simplify your everyday business tasks. Technology also makes it easier to have a flexible and office-free business — one you can operate from anywhere in the world.
What social media or digital tool has made the biggest difference in your life and why?
My favorite digital tools are SatoriApp and Contactually. SatoriApp helps me to keep all my client information, contracts, payments, and scheduling all in one place. It saves me a lot of time. Contactually is an amazing CRM that helps me to build and nurture my relationships with my network. It saves me time as well because it reminds me everyday who I need to connect with.
If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
I wish I could change the system in place that does everything but supports Black people’s inherent right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
What are the do’s and don’ts for young women in business?
Do the work. There is no such thing as an overnight success. You want to allow your business to grow organically and sustainably. If you look at nature, you’ll see that everything has a season and grows in its own time. Trust the process and be patient. It’s not your job to determine when things will happen, it’s only your job to do what’s necessary to make it happen.
Don’t ignore your intuition. Your intuition is your most powerful asset. Trust it. The more you follow it, the easier it will get to recognize its nudges.
How do you successfully grow from business failure?
It’s important to know that business failure is inevitable and necessary. If you’re not failing, you’re not taking enough risks, and you’re not utilizing your highest potential. One successful entrepreneur once told me that she fails 75% of the time — and she was running a million dollar business!
It’s helpful to reframe what failure means. You learn from your failures. Your failures shape you and strengthen you. This is just one piece of a larger picture. When God has called you to do something, it’s promised that He’ll give you the tools and resources necessary to be successful. So, failure isn’t the end, it’s simply an opportunity to watch the miracle of God redirecting you on your path.
The best thing I ever did for my sanity was to redefine success for myself. Success isn’t anything external. The external is just an eventual result of your success. Success for me is showing up every day for myself and doing the work. Success is honoring my wellbeing. Success is me being and living my purpose. As long as I’m doing these things, I haven’t really failed.
Name three successful female role models.
Myleik Teele, founder and CEO of curlBOX; Necole Kane, CEO at xoNecole.com; and Brandi L. Bates, entrepreneur, author, and professor at Georgia State University.
Each of these women has influenced me in so many ways. They’re each authentic, transparent, inspiring, and keep it real. Being an entrepreneur takes tenacity, dedication, and hard work. They each offer amazing advice and are my personal mentors, in my head.
