Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Flowers.
Hi Angela, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
In 2006, I was looking through Black Enterprise Magazine and came across an ad for a “Business Plan Pitch Competition.” My friends turned business partners, Meleika Wadley and Dakota King-White and I decided that we would try to meet the two-week deadline and start a business. At the time, we were all working in three different school districts as social workers and school counselors and saw an unmet need with the scholars we were serving. We brainstormed the various things we felt like we provided and decided to use our initials of our first names to create our business name “Making A Difference Consulting.” Our business was formed and we received seed money from MillerCoors Brewing under the Miller Urban Entrepreneur Series (MUES) which we used to launch our first summer camp in collaboration with University Hospitals. This year, we will embark on our 15th year in business and we have served the needs of over 15,000 youth and families in Northeast Ohio. We currently have 18 consultants on our team and provide four main services: gender-specific programming (D.I.V.A.S., Boys II Men, and YouthBiz Academy), Professional Development Trainings, Retreats, and Workshops, Program Design and Management, and mental health counseling.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being an entrepreneur has its ups and downs. We have been blessed to continue to provide meaningful programming and services to the school districts and families we serve but it has not been an easy road. Some of the challenges that we have faced include having enough cash flow to support day to day operations, finding enough good consultants to carry out our contracts and making sure our brand is still represented the same way as if we are delivering the services, tracking down invoices/accounts receivable in a timely manner, and needing to reimagine business once the pandemic hit and stopped our in-school services.
We’ve been impressed with Making A Difference Consulting, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Making A Difference Consulting is a social enterprise that focuses on providing social and emotional learning skills to help youth make a healthy transition into adulthood. We focus on teaching life skills in our programming which occurs during the school day, after school, and in summer. Our signature programs provide a safe and supportive outlet for youth. We offer the following: D.I.V.A.S (Demonstrating Inner Value, Acceptance, and Self-Worth) a gender-specific program that focuses on boosting self-esteem and confidence, goal setting, responsible decision making, relationship skills, communication skills, and managing feels and emotions through the use of discussions, role play, journaling, art, and exposure opportunities.
Boys II Men- our boys’ component that explores masculinity, managing feelings and emotions, self-esteem, goals, and healthy relationship skills
YouthBiz Academy- our nine-week co-Ed program that focuses on entrepreneurship skills, building a small business, and a pitch competition
Other services include corporate and nonprofit trainings and workshops focusing on mental wellness, stress management/burnout, parenting, diversity and inclusion, and any youth-centered topics. We also provide individual and group Employee Assistance Programs and counseling.
We are constantly looking for guest speakers for our programs, exposure opportunities for field trips, and currently in need of a van to transport our scholars to college tours and events.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
During Covid-19, we started a live bi-weekly series where we explored the educational inequalities that were occurring in the various districts with our scholars due to lack of access to technology and internet and we interviewed youth all over Northeast Ohio on “The State of the Teens” on Instagram. We found that the youth were suffering from anxiety, depression, and loneliness due to the confinement and that they did not feel prepared to complete work online. In our practice, we had a skyrocket of clients that were dealing with various stressors, anxiety due to worrying about finances, health, deaths, and even years later the impact on mental health is still impacting most people.
Contact Info:
- Email: acflowers32@makingadif.com
- Website: www.makingadifferenceconsulting.com
- Instagram: MADConsulting
- Facebook: Making A Difference Consulting
Image Credits
Angela Flowers
