Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kurtis Tompkins, President of Jobready2dey, LLC., located in Charlotte, NC, USA.

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

My Business, Jobready2dey, is a career services firm dedicated to preparing job seekers and career changers for their next rewarding opportunity. Service offerings include resume and cover letter writing, career training and coaching, outplacement and career transition support, and more!

Yes, there are many career service providers on the market. What sets us apart, you ask? Our secret sauce and our heart for the customer. The secret sauce because its application helps clients get hired faster. Our heart is for the customer because our mission, changing lives, one job seeker at a time, is not centered around what's in a customer's pocket.

Some of our greatest initiatives didn't bring in any profit but helped many job seekers land the job of their choice.

Tell us about yourself

Before migrating to North Carolina, I was selected to work as part of a federally funded project in New York City. New York City's Housing Authority, in partnership with the City College of New York, was responsible for bringing basic computer and career training to select neighborhoods. As an instructor on this project, I took my job to heart. Students were dedicated to learning, and their lives were changed as a result.

Hearing testimonials from students concerning my impact was humbling and left a lasting impression on me. I've held other positions but making a difference in this space stayed in my heart. On March 29, 2017, during the wee hours of the morning, that passion would rise once more and finally become a reality. Instead of working with another organization to make things happen, I went at it on my own.

Changing the lives of job seekers is what motivates me to do what I do. Each time a customer reaches out to let me know that my efforts or the efforts of one of my team members helped them to gain employment, it brightens up my day. While I've been in and around the career transition industry for over a decade, making a difference never gets old.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner was humbly helping to change job search trajectories for clients on six continents.

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

One of the hardest things that come with being a business owner is waiting. For what, you ask? Waiting for your shoot to emerge from the soil. After planting the seed and ensuring the environment is set for growth, it can be disheartening when results seem delayed. Oh, but when the shoot emerges!

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

  1. Don't be afraid to be unconventional. Trying to do things that were done already as they were done may not get you very far. You won't necessarily reinvent the wheel, but you can turn it in your own way if you get my drift.
  2. You may become an authority in your space. Always remember, though, that you will never be THE authority. Even if another individual lacks your experience and level of expertise, their way might work, too.
  3. A bad attitude will hinder personal and business growth. A positive attitude along with a solid skill set can open doors you never imagined would open to you.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

No matter what, be humble. Yes, you will have to sell yourself. Yes, you will have to be confident in the service you have to offer. However, there is always room for humility. Never allow your humility to exit left.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.jobready2dey.com/
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/kurtis_tompkins
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ktompkinscfrw/

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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