Today we’d like to introduce you to Shante Roddy.
Hi Shante, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I got where I am today by following my purpose and through hard work, dedication, and perseverance. I’ve been a business owner for 8 years. However, I lost my mom in 2016 which was very difficult for me, and I had challenges related to that. I struggled with self-care and by 2019, I was burned out. I took time to figure out what I wanted to do in the next phase of my life and to find out what God’s purpose for my life was going forward. I then focused my energy on the upliftment and empowerment of women. I wanted to work on bridging the inequity gap so that women can live their best lives unapologetically. I wanted to provide a platform through She Boss Talk where we can focus on programs and services to help women make that happen. That’s when I decided to turn, She Boss Talk into a media marketing company that provides a platform, community, and network of partners that are available to help women scale their businesses beyond 7 figures.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it has not been smooth. That’s where perseverance comes in and really understanding my why, purpose, and what I’m called to do. Since I always kept the ultimate vision at the forefront of my mind and understood my purpose no matter what challenges came my way, I always knew it was part of the process to get to where I’m supposed to be.
I mentioned some of the obstacles and challenges in the previous section but to recap they were grief and loss due to my mom passing away and burnout from overextending myself. I’m a giver and called to service and that usually leads me to neglect my self-care. That has been a struggle for me to manage but I’m more intentional about it now. COVID-19 was another struggle. During this time, I was pivoting from one business (the one I started 2014) to the next new business without knowing what was going on or what the future held. I was able to turn these challenges into opportunities not just for myself but for thousands of other business owners. I did that by leveraging my platform, being a resource for small businesses, and providing education, resources, tools, and funding to help them keep their doors open to pivot, scale and sustain their businesses. We continue to do that today.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about She Epic Enterprises/She Boss Talk.?
She Boss Talk is part of She Epic Media, a broadcast media company that produces live shows, podcasts, and a blog called, She Speaks Her Mind. Our mission is to become the go-to company for women all over the world to share their expertise to maximize their impact, influence, and income.
She Boss Talk is here to help women build brand equity. We help to give them a voice and to help them get noticed and seen by the right people who needs to know about their creativity, innovation, product, services, and the expertise they have. What women bring to entrepreneurship can solve the world’s problems if we are given equal opportunities. There are very few platforms out there focused on giving women a voice and allowing them to share their stories unapologetically. We believe in the power of their stories. We’re here to help elevate their brand and brand story. In addition to that, we help to connect them as a community and with partners that can help them really take their business to the next level. Therefore, whatever they offer can help improve the world and solve the world’s problems. That’s why we’re here. We also connect business owners with funding and corporate and government contracts, partnerships and help them to get into stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Whole Foods. That’s what our programs and services are here to support.
We initiated several programs to help women in business get funding. We launched the She Pitch Perfect competition, I Am Black Business Competition, and we are now going into our fourth year of the She Boss Up Grant Program that we launched at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to roll out new programs that we believe will be a value to women in business and help them scale their business to the level that we know they can. If only they had the right opportunities and access their male counterparts have.
What sets us apart is our founder and CEO’s passion and dedication to see women succeed and live their best lives. Her collaborative spirit, giving opportunities to others, and the fact that she wants to see us win together. She helps to facilitate that. In addition to that, she gives freely of her knowledge, expertise, and resources in connecting business owners to what they need really sets us apart.
We’re most proud that we’re globally known. We’re a reputable and memorable brand to others. We’re a trusted resource. We’re the go-to resource and the solution to what businesses need. We’re connectors. We connect business owners to whatever they need to help them in their business. One of the best ways we do that is through our network. We have a large community and network of entrepreneurs and business owners that have various skill sets and expertise, so we always look inside and reach within our community first for those that have the skillsets. We all have gaps that need to be filled within our business. When we’re talking to someone, we find out the gaps that need filling and then think about who we know that can fix these problems then connect them. Our CEO doesn’t charge a fee for doing that because it’s about the bigger picture and making sure we support every business connected to us.
We are always very mindful of community and their needs. We’re always working as a team to create more programs and services for our community and we’re here to create more opportunity for the community as well. Our programs and services include:
* Digital products to help support business owners with areas such as marketing
*Partnership packages so business owners can put their business in front of a larger audience
*Marketing coaching services
*Ambassador programs
*Sponsorship programs
*Funding opportunities such as grants and pitch competitions
*Shopping guides to help with visibility
*Membership programs to provide more resources, community, and access to experts
*Podcast to share expertise and increase the visibility of women entrepreneurs
*Blog packed with tips, company news, and women sharing their expertise
*Merchandise (The She Shop) to help women look great and feel great. The She Shop specializes in inspirational merchandise for women entrepreneurs and business owners.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
First of all, we’d like to plug our podcast She Boss Talk and our blog She Speaks Her Mind. Other resources we want to mention are: SCORE. Small Business Administration (SBA), Small Business Development Centers, Women Business Centers, Local Chambers of Commerce especially the President’s Council which is a Black Chamber of Commerce, US Chamber, Black Chamber of Commerce.
Apps we like are: Audible, Canva
Tools: Google Workspace, Accuity Scheduling, Click Up, Basecamp
Books: We Should All Be Millionaires: A Woman’s Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power by Rachel Rodgers, Atomic Habits by James Clear, The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber, Everyday Millionaires by Chris Hogan, Grit by Angela Duckworth, Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab.
Pricing:
- Digital Products $10 – $500
- Consulting services – $1,000 and up
- Merchandise – $10 – 50
- Grant Tracker – $10/month
- She Boss Tribe Membership $10 – $197/month
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shebosstalk.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/shebosstalk
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shebosstalk
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/she-boss-talk
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SheBossTalk1
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@shebosstalk
- Other: https://shespeakshermindblog.com/
