Jamelah's Real-World Wisdom

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Meet
Jamelah aka The How To Mama

NO GATEKEEPING! INTERVIEW

Thank you for joining me today. As someone who has navigated challenges to turn a vision into reality, can you share a pivotal moment that defined your entrepreneurial journey?

A pivotal moment is when I hired a friend to help me out in the office when I first started my nursing business. She started counting all of the money that was coming into the business even though all of the money that was coming into the business did not belong to me. She was asking for a raise every two weeks, Which I gave her And she in turn started doing less work taking time off and not being very helpful. I was the kind of person that when I was winning I wanted to see everyone around me win also. I then came to realize that I needed new friends. Friends who were doing new things the types of things that I was doing and beyond. Friends who were like-minded regarding life creativity and business. I had to change my environment in order to elevate and that was really a hard decision because I really wanted to bring all of my friends with me. It's lonely at the top but love the view.

Before we dive into the specifics, could you introduce yourself and share a bit about your background and the experiences that have shaped your path in entrepreneurship?

My name is Jamelah aka The How To Mama and I am a nurse by profession. I guess the thing that has shaped my entrepreneurial experience and background the most is the fact that I never really wanted to work for anyone. I wanted freedom. While being an entrepreneur is far less stable than getting a solid 9 to 5 with a paycheck that I could count on every week or two. I would not trade it in for the world. Yes it's uncertain it's scary it's doubtful it's ambiguous and most importantly it's all mine. it's my journey it's what I am creating it's the life that I want to live. A problem solver's dream.

What inspired you on the path of entrepreneurship, and how has that initial inspiration evolved over time?

When I was little my mother had an African shop in our neighborhood where she sold handmade clothes for all the dyshiki wearers in the 1970s. That is what I really think sparked my entrepreneurial spirit. she became a teacher later in life and worked a 9 to 5 because the business wasn't doing so well after my father passed away. Unfortunately, the shop just wasn't something that could sustain taking care of 5 children. but seeing her run that business when I was younger really spark that entrepreneurial spirit in me.

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Reflecting on your journey, what unexpected challenges have you encountered, and how did you navigate them?

In my business we put private duty nurses to work and they receive a certain hourly rate for the work that they do from the Insurance Company. When the Insurance Company decided that they would deduct $12 Per hour which is a really big deal, the nurses went crazy because of the big hit to their pockets. The biller in my office discovered that there was a glitch in the system that would allow the nurses to continue to be paid same rate which would allow them to retain additional $12 per hour. However using that glitch was considered fraud. I made the decision To stay above board and avoid any trouble that may come in the future. that decision cost me half of my business which meant half of the money that was coming in monthly as profit.. however, I was able to sleep at night knowing that no one could accuse me of dipping hand in the cookie jar. Years later a few nurses went to jail for fraud. Lesson always do the right thing, and you won't end up in sing sing!

How do you stay resilient in the face of setbacks, and what role does resilience play in entrepreneurial success?

I tell Myself that it's all temporary cause it really is and I just keep on going. if I keep going I will definitely reach my destination.

How do you balance risk-taking with calculated decision-making to navigate uncertainties in your industry?

I never bet the farm, I only risk what I can afford to lose if I have a choice. So far, that has worked for me.

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What steps have you taken to amplify underrepresented voices within your industry or community?

I started this business so that nurses could get the bulk of their money from the insurance companies instead of having to pay the agency which takes 40% of their money. my company not only allows nurses to work independently as entrepreneurs themselves but in addition I take a very small fee. I make my money from having many nurses Uber a 100 to be exact. it's important not to be greedy there is enough money with that small percentage for me to be comfortable.

Can you share a specific challenge that seemed insurmountable at the time and the steps you took to overcome it?

When I got hit with a huge tax bill into the hundreds of thousands that felt insurmountable Because I did not file my taxes for years.. I just didn't know what I was supposed to do. I wanted to crawl under the covers and never come out. Instead I chose to face it head on get the proper support an accountant and bookkeeper to help me tackle all the little things that I never knew that I had to tackle. Being an entrepreneur is so different than being a W-2 employee and I just never learned of the things that I had to do until the IRS was knocking at my door. but anyway this is why a community and a mentor is important and just being honest it's really important to practice honesty And integrity.. you don't have to have a good memory when you tell the truth and if you know that you're always honest and always it's full of integrity then you know that you've done nothing wrong. The important thing is just to face things head on and tackle it little by little and in order not to become overwhelmed by it.

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Can you share a time when a failure or mistake turned into a valuable learning experience for you as an entrepreneur?

Very early on I did a verbal contract and the other party breached it after poorly completing 50% of the work. The problem was that I paid them 75% of the agreed upon amount, and refused they to return the 25% that I over paid them. I learned to put everything in writing and to pay increments after each stage of work is completed satisfactorily.

How do you balance risk-taking with calculated decision-making to navigate uncertainties in your industry?

I have no real road map, I’d spend it all investing or taking a chance with someone I believe in. I guess only taking on what you can handle. Be vocal what works and what doesn’t for you.

As you look back, what advice would you give to your younger self when starting your entrepreneurial venture?

Nothing beats a failure but a try! So keep trying things. The more you try the more you do the more you do, The more you learn from it. And as long as you don't give up you will make it! Lastly you do have to know when to hold them fold them walk away and run so if something that you've tried everything to make work is not working it's time to try something else. And that's also an important part of the journey to success!

Ready to share your story?

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