Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Monica McCoy, Founder of Monica Motivates, located in Atlanta, GA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
In 2017, I founded Monica Motivates, LLC, and now every day, I get to do what I love: help individuals and organizations build capacity. We help top companies develop their high-potential talent and provide the skills and connections that enable entrepreneurs to found and grow their own businesses.
One of the most rewarding aspects of our work is that we often connect small and large businesses with one another. One reason our company is growing rapidly is that we help organizations unlock more of the talent already present in their ranks, and we connect well-prepared small business owners with opportunities to become diverse suppliers to major corporations.
Those mutually beneficial relationships help founders grow their visibility and businesses while also giving large companies access to innovative products and services, greater supply chain competitiveness, and a robust vehicle for delivering on their stated social commitments. We work with multinational corporations, including Microsoft and Santander, across the globe to unlock the power of people.
We have launched a number of unique solutions. Many targeted increasing contributions from underrepresented team members and suppliers. That includes The BRIDGE, a solution that trains and then connects underrepresented entrepreneurs in the commercial real estate sector with the companies who need their goods and services.
Our Rural Accelerator performs a similar role in helping companies tap into the talents of women and underrepresented entrepreneurs located in rural areas where it can be particularly difficult for founders to gain the visibility and the resources to connect with the larger organizations who will benefit from their businesses.
We also offer company-specific programs that take a fresh look at entrenched processes to find new ways to develop overlooked or underutilized talent through our Blueprint for Opportunities, which brings an entrepreneurial mindset to corporate professionals.
In addition to our Pitch University for founders and Activate that helps early career professionals develop more fully (and helps employers retain them), we are particularly proud of our non-profit, Pivot Purposefully. This innovative program utilizes current and former business executives to equip formerly incarcerated women with strategies to found or grow their own businesses and increase their contributions to their families and communities.
Tell us about yourself
I am a business strategist, consultant, and Fortune 100 global speaker who is passionate about helping organizations unlock the power of their people and suppliers to deliver stronger results. I enjoyed a successful and exciting corporate career with The Coca-Cola Company (receiving 12 promotions in 15 years) and served most recently as the Global Director, Strategy and Innovation, McDonald’s Division, before launching my own business.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
What I’m most proud of in my professional life is the team we have put together at Monica Motivates and how we work together to drive change for others. We are a diverse group of entrepreneurs, educators, artists, engineers, designers, women and men, and people of varied races, ethnicities, and backgrounds united in our shared purpose of helping all people, including those often overlooked, to increase their capacity to contribute.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Starting your own business is a rollercoaster ride, and I think I’ve experienced ten things that didn’t work out, or ten failures, for every big win. Of course, it’s never easy, but I really do try to celebrate failures because I consistently find that I learn so much more from those than I do from successes.
The key for me has been disciplining myself to view trial and error as crucial feedback and to actually prepare for failure by thinking about what we will do next and how we will counter setbacks when they inevitably come. That way, failure becomes learning that actually accelerates progress.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Embrace the journey
- Celebrate the small wins
- Keep your faith
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Please do not let this life pass you by without walking in your authentic purpose.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://monicamotivates.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monicamotivates/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MonicaMotivates
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/monica-motivates/
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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