Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Taneka Johnson, Owner of Cultivate with Taneka Johnson, located in Memphis, TN, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
The name of my business is Cultivate with Taneka Johnson, and we specialize in transforming the "common" workplace into a thriving, productive environment using corporate holistic wellness programs that attract, retain, and empower talent.
What we offer is not your average “cookie-cutter” wellness program or EAP. We customize the needs for enhancement of company culture to build trust amongst leadership and employees that boost productivity and morale for a collective workplace vision.
We also specialize in helping beauty, health, and wellness business owners grow and scale their businesses to $20k+ months using our on/offline business and client attraction strategy.
Tell us about yourself
I'm a certified professional life and business coach and corporate wellness strategist. I have been in business for 5 years now. I earned my degree in Industrial & Organizational (I/O) Psychology from Capella University in 2016. I am also currently enrolled, working on my Doctorate in I/O Psychology at Capella University.
My mission is to provide opportunities to help CEOs create longevity in their life and business that focus on 4 key areas of success: Mindset, Operations, Business Diversity (multiple streams of income in one business), and business credit. These are the four pillar areas that help entrepreneurs through the growth and scale phases of their businesses. We do this by implementing systems and processes that bring ease, flow, and connectivity to teams while enhancing the collaborative spirit and culture within the business.
My specialty is in helping small, mid, and large businesses grow to their full potential by improving their organizational culture, leadership, and workplace. My goal is to inspire positive change in what the next generation of successful companies looks like. We do that with healthy teams, company cultures, and environments. I want to equip small, mid, and large-sized businesses with the things that they need to start healthy, remain healthy, and keep being healthy – to be that trailblazer, that disruptor in the industry to help bring everything together, full circle.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
What I am most proud of is how I now have a brand and a business that truly speaks to who I am as an individual. I feel truly aligned with my business and my brand now, and it really feels good! But the only way that I was able to get here was by allowing myself to evolve as an individual, learning more about myself, who I wish to serve, the impact I want to make, and how to do it with being authentically me.
So many people get stuck in businesses or brands that are not authentically them and have been mirrored from watching someone else. I'm glad that I took the time to do the self-discovery work and self-care to be able to add a more personable touch to my business. Because of that, I'm majorly excited about where my business is headed!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Entrepreneurship is by no means easy at all. Even though that's what social media portrays, it's not. It takes a lot of endurance to travel this journey. You have to be open to making mistakes, doing some trial and error, and taking risks to bet on yourself and trust yourself. Honestly, the only way that I was able to get past most challenges that I have had is by hiring a coach to help me in building this vision and implementing a self-care regimen that keeps me grounded.
Self-care is so important in my practice as a coach and even as a strategist. If I am not at my best, there is no way that I can perform the way my clients or even my friends and family need me to. That's important to me. The other part of beating the challenges is having a great support system. My friends are literally the greatest group of friends that I could ever ask for, and they keep me grounded and focused and make sure I stay on top of my self-care regimen.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
The biggest lessons that I have learned along the way are:
- If you can’t find a door, build one. Don’t be afraid to be the first to build a blueprint for what you desire to do. When there is no table, be the table and then determine who will sit with you.
- Free yourself from the validation of others and society. Put more focus into being self-validated and lead fearlessly.
- Learn how to self-advocate!! In every aspect of your life! The moment you learn how to do this, your life will change.
-#CoachTWithTheKeys
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://cultivatewithtj.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cultivatewithtj
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultivatewithtj/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CultivateWithTJ
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cultivate-with-taneka-johnson/
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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