The Black Girl Business Bar

Taishma Council, founder and CEO of Virtual Goals Assistant Agency, talks with me about building an agency and when it’s time to seek out help from a virtual assistant.

Show Notes

Taishma Council is the founder and CEO of Virtual Goals Assistant Agency, where she helps business owners achieve their goals through operational excellence, administration, content creation, and other services.

In this episode, Taishma talks with me about building an agency and when it’s time to seek out help from a virtual assistant.

Find more information on the Virtual Goals Assitant Agency at vgaallc.com. Follow Taishma on Instagram @theceo.taishma.

Other resources
More on Khalida

Khalida DuBose is a business mentor specializing in sales strategy. As a previous crowdfunding coach, she supported more than a thousand crowdfunding campaigns and project creators in their quest to bring their dreams, passions, and ideas to the world. Now, she focuses on helping women of color who are early-stage online business owners as they navigate the entrepreneurial journey. For more information on Khalida, visit khalidadubose.com. Follow Khalida on Instagram @khalida.dubose. You can email her at khalida@blackgirlbusinessbar.com.

The Black Girl Business Bar is produced by Zuri Berry (@ZMCPodcasts). Music by Vincent Tone and Die Hard Productions.

Creators & Guests

Host
Khalida DuBose
Business + Mindset Coach
Producer
Zuri Berry
Principal Producer at ZMC Podcasts

What is The Black Girl Business Bar?

The Black Girl Business Bar Podcast is for Black entrepreneurial women who crave practical information to implement in their businesses and careers. They want tips and tactics that work and they want on-the-go mentorship that will make a difference in their businesses, projects, and lives.

Hosted by business coach and crowdfunding expert Khalida DuBose, the Black Girl Business Bar is all about letting Black women know what's possible for them in their entrepreneurial journey.

Khalida DuBose: Welcome to the Black Girl Business Bar podcast. I'm your host Khalida DuBose. This podcast is all about helping you as a woman of color, increase your sales, overcome your mindset blocks and giving you the practical information you need to thrive in your business and life.

Today, we're talking to Taishma Council, the founder and CEO of Virtual Goals Assistance Agency, where she and her staff assists, established small black owned businesses who want to increase their brand awareness.

Tai, welcome to the Black Girl Business Bar.

Taishma Council: Thanks for having me.

Khalida DuBose: You're welcome. So I'm super happy to have you here. I watched, I actually, I listened to a podcast episode. I think you were on the radio, but I think they share to podcasts. And I think it was like a Wichita show and I was like, whoa, you know, I want to talk to her because you have an agency style business rather than just like kind of a solopreneur style business, like myself and many other people who listen to this podcast.

But I do know many people who are like, I don't want to be a solopreneur. I want to go agency. So I was super excited to have this conversation with you. So how about you kick us off with letting us know a little bit about you, your personal story and how you got started on this crazy entrepreneurial journey.

Taishma Council: Oh, it's been crazy. How did I get started? So I would say my passion became my purpose growing up. I was very involved with a lot of nonprofits and just helping out volunteering, helping them get organized planning events and basically just being the leader all my life.

So, I reside in Kansas. My husband was in the Air Force and I had been working with non-profits in North Carolina, where I was from. And basically they were telling me like, you know, you should look at to maybe starting a business virtually because you're able to help us streamline our business better than the receptionist that we have here in the office.

And at that time, I didn't even know what a virtual assistant was. So it had me looking to like, what is a virtual assistant? What is an online business manager? What are these things? How do I accomplish them? How do I do them? And I basically learned how to start my business from YouTube. Just watching YouTube and... I didn't really have a business coach or anyone I knew besides one woman who was an entrepreneur and she really inspired me just being able to follow in her footsteps for about two or three years before I actually left my full-time job. I worked for a mortgage company. And for the mortgage company, I was a setup coordinator. So I had to manage a pretty large pipeline, which I think really prepared me for this. Cause I manage a pipeline of six team members and maybe about 12, 12 clients. And so it was a lot of different personalities, a lot of different businesses, a lot of different people, but everybody's happy and everybody's satisfied.

And so I started, I started with myself back in 2019 or 2020. When the pandemic first happened, but as soon as I posted on Facebook that I was going to this full-time I had, I just got so many contracts and I just decided to bring somebody on early on to start training them. Because training takes time.

Khalida DuBose: Right.

Taishma Council: So I didn't want to wait until I was overwhelmed to find somebody I wanted to go ahead and start like, grooming them. So that when it was time for me to bring on somebody else that will be ready to go. So, I guess I always had the mindset of wanting it to be a business where I'm helping other women also make money doing what they love when it's convenient for them.

Khalida DuBose: Right, right.

Taishma Council: And giving them the ability to be flexible and allowing them to use their creativity. So that's basically how I structured my business.

Khalida DuBose: Nice. So let's back up just a little bit. Talk to us about getting contracts when you first, cause you know, that's entrepreneur, their ears are going to up, right? Like, a minute, you know, how do you do it? How did you do it? So tell us a little bit about that.

Taishma Council: I would say I had already had a track record in doing this just in volunteer. So I think that, you know, when people saw that I was leaving my full-time job, they knew I was committed because they seen the effort that I had put in nonprofits just for volunteer work. So I think that it was kind of my calling.

And so that's, that's why for me, I don't think it was that difficult for me to bring in contracts because I had already made a footprint in this industry without even realizing that I was doing that.

Khalida DuBose: Right. You were building community before you even realized.

Taishma Council: I was already networking, building community, active, and already just had like a professional mindset, even when I was just volunteering.

Khalida DuBose: Oh, nice. So take notes, ladies. For those of us who are a little bit introverted and we just want to hide and we don't want to be out there sometimes. That's the difference between starting and just kind of being able to kind of take off a little bit faster and not being able to do that. Right. Having to take the time to lay that ground work.

Taishma Council: I will honestly say I used to, I've always wanted to run a business. I just didn't know what type. And so most people, most black people, I would say it's usually product based businesses, a T-shirt line or lashes or hair, doing nails. And I'm not really that creative. Or I didn't really. Yeah, no, I can't do those things. Like those things are not my things I can not design T-shirts, I can not lay your edges. I can't do none of that. But I still wanted to be a business owner. So for a long time, people would just say like, what is your hobby? And I'll be like, what is my hobby? I don't know.

And then volunteering, it was my hobby. Like, what I did in my spare time. After five o'clock I will go volunteer. I will join a club. I would network on the weekend. I'm volunteering. I'm feeding the homeless. I'm doing toy drives. I'm adopting families. You know, that's just what my hobby was.

Khalida DuBose: Right.

Taishma Council: It was easy for me to, to identify that. Well, it wasn't easy. It took me two years. But once I identified that and I realized that I could do this and make my self a contractor and make my own prices and make my own rules and do it that way. That's when I realized that I found my passion, that was going to make me a ton of money.

Khalida DuBose: That's awesome. That's that's really awesome. Because yeah, you're right. I felt the same way. I'm like, you know, a lot of black businesses, especially the ones that are very lucrative and they're like, hey, here's my receipts. I was like, oh my God, they're all products. And of course there are, as we both know, there are many, many service businesses out there that are black people of color. But sometimes like this, when you're first orienting yourself to a new space, like that's what you see. Cause it's like the loudest. So yeah, I felt the same way, but, and I would say the same exact thing. I'm not creative, but as I got into service-based business you realize you're just creative in a different way. Right?

Taishma Council: a different light. Yes.

Khalida DuBose: flavor

Taishma Council: Yes.

Khalida DuBose: the, maybe like the product side. Right. Talk to us a little bit about like the advantages from like your perspective, the advantages and the disadvantages of going agency versus solo. Cause I know you work with solopreneurs, but then you're an agency, so you probably can see both of those.

Taishma Council: So what advantages. Okay, going from solopreneur to agency, I would say that, I had to lean into my strength. I'm a very good leader. I'm a very good trainer. I'm a very good person who can just gather people and, and show them the way. And so I had to identify that in myself and lean into that. I'll always say like lean into your strengths and hire your weakness.

So I realized that I couldn't take on too many clients cause I'd be pulling myself thin. Balls would get dropped. And I don't want that for our goal achievers, is what I call our clients. And so I realized that sometimes our goal achievers needed me to do something, but there's somebody better at it. So I wanted to bring that person on.

And so I didn't want to be the pressing who is doing all the work and trying to manage all the work and trying to be the only person leading all the work. I want to build a legacy. And so that's kinda like where that came from as far as bringing other on board. I'm like, there's money in this so I can teach you. I can show you. All I really need from you it's like to be able to be professional and to be confident in the type of work that you are good at.

Khalida DuBose: I really love that. Lean into your strengths, hire your weakness. Love that. I love that.

All right. So, so talk to us about, cause I think you, when you, when I was reading something, I think maybe it was like when we were talking back and forth about being on the show, I read something. And you said I'm building a business out of your passion versus necessity, but I wanted to know where's kind of the sweet spot of the intersection of those two, because there are just so many people out there, especially post pandemic who really do have a necessity. But then we still want to be able to like, kind of package that in our passion as well.

Taishma Council: Okay. You might have to repeat that one more time. So you said

passion and necessity.

Khalida DuBose: Right. So you said building your business out of your passion versus necessity, but I said, is there a sweet spot somewhere.

Taishma Council: I would say the reason I say passion is because nowadays it's like a trend to start a business. You know, everybody's a business on everybody's a CEO. But I think that if you're not passionate about what you do, you're setting yourself up for failure.

Say if you're a truck driver, but you just invest money into the trucks, but what if a truck break down or a driver quits on you? You don't have a CDL. How are you going to get your truck back to where it needs to go?

Taishma Council: So that purpose or that passion should be in you so that if one of your, team members were too quit, you can still step in and get the job done until you're able to fulfill that role or hire somebody else that can come in and fill that role. So that's why I really try to encourage people that when you're wanting to take that step and wanting to start a business and, leave your full-time job, that is something that you're actually passionate about. And not something that's trending. Because I've had other business ideas and they didn't survive because I wasn't passionate about it. It didn't wake me up out of my sleep. It didn't give me that feeling that I get every single day that I have nails. Like, I don't even feel like I'm working. I feel like it's just still a hobby because I'm just so passionate about it.

I'm always looking for ideas for each of our goal achievers. There's not a time that I'm not like, oh you need, I'm talking to somebody networking. And I hear them say, I need an accountant. Oh my goal achiever's an accountant. They can help you with this. Or I need a marketing agency. Oh, I have another goal achiever who does that. Or, you know, I'm always thinking about our goal achievers and what value they add to the world. And so I'm always looking to place them in different connections that I make within my circle because that's my passion. It's easy. It comes natural. It doesn't feel like a lot of work. It's not as exhausting as it was. Okay. Now I'm not going to lie. There's a lot of work, but it feels good. If that

Khalida DuBose: Right.

Taishma Council: I worked a nine to five and that hard work did not feel like I was appreciated or valued. I know that the time that I'm putting in is worth it.

Khalida DuBose: I would agree with you. I would say there are definitely some RIPs for some businesses that I started that did not make it. They didn't make it y'all I couldn't, I couldn't resuscitate them. But with like business coaching, I feel the same way. When I hit roadblocks, I'm like, okay, how can I get through this? Because there is no other alternative.

Taishma Council: No plan B girl.

Khalida DuBose: There's no like how, oh, you know what I give up, I'm not doing this anymore because it's too hard. It's like, first of all, I'm so in love with being a business owner and like making my own decisions, even though it takes time to learn how to make your own decisions, but then I'm really, I really like you, I love working with other owners.

I love encouraging them through tough times. I love celebrating them when they're winning.

Taishma Council: Yes.

Khalida DuBose: light in their eyes when a light bulb goes off, because they're

Taishma Council: Yes.

Khalida DuBose: hundred times. I love the fact that they, that I learned more than, them, because you know, like I'm learning from them.

Taishma Council: Yes.

Khalida DuBose: So yeah, it's, it's really wonderful. And I think you're right. Like it, sometimes things just become a trend and we're in these tough situations. And so it's like, yeah, that's what I want to do.

Taishma Council: And I will say, I would like to add there's nothing wrong with working the nine to five. Nothing wrong. Trust me running a business, you got to think about accounting and bookkeeping and like supplies, demand, getting the contracts, maintaining those contracts. It's a lot of work and sometimes life could be a lot simple if you're at a nine to five that you enjoy and you can clock out and leave and not have to worry about, how they're gonna have, they're going to pay that light bill.

Khalida DuBose: Okay. So on that note.

Taishma Council: You know?

Khalida DuBose: Talk to us about the mindset that you had to develop to not only like launch your business, but then go the route where you're bringing other people into the business for agency.

Taishma Council: So the mindset that I had to go into was, like I said, I wanted to build a legacy. I had been under leadership where they didn't want to share, they wanted to take all the credit and I'm not that type of leader. I love to show off my girls. I love to talk about how amazing they are. You know, sometimes when people ask me to do podcasts, I might throw a team member in there because they love what we do so much. They can advertise it and market it just as well as I can, because I make them feel included. I make them feel like they're a part of the family because they are, they mean a lot to me. My team members mean a lot to me. And so. Like I said, I just had to lean into my strength and realize that I'm a better delegator.

And that's like a skill that a lot of people don't have is knowing how to delegate when to delegate and how to train on delegation. So that's what I do for all our clients. You know, I onboard a client. I help them pick apart their business, identify their gaps. We see what they're lacking, where they're lacking in their business.

I look at my team. I see who's the best person to fulfill these gaps. I help the business owner come up with training material. I help them develop a strategy on how to delegate and

Khalida DuBose: that's

Taishma Council: my strength.

Khalida DuBose: That's amazing. That's amazing. Yeah, that's definitely needed because I think as business owners in the online space, we always think, oh my God, I have to do it all. I have to figure it out. I have to know how to run a business. And I finally got comfortable somewhere along the way with the idea that like, you know, no, I'm a coach.

I coach, well. I'm great at pulling things out of people. I do happen to have, you know, really good organizational skills for myself, but I still don't want to do it. I still have a bookkeeper. I still have a VA. So, just not feeling like you have to do all of it.

Taishma Council: And I just want to kind of piggyback off that because I feel like a lot of black owned businesses, they think that bringing on somebody is so expensive, but having a VA is a lot more affordable than hiring a W2 or a full-time person. And so with hiring a VA, you kind of just want to make sure that you are identifying what you actually need and finding a VA that fits what you're looking for and not just, you know, going online or Indeed and typing in VA, but there's a lot of talented VAs out there who could really help you level up your business and elevate your business.

Khalida DuBose: Yeah. So along that, that thought line, talk to us about what, what do you think it is that black women, women of color, people of color, you know, I know people of color listened to my podcast. What do you think it is that they need to be successful? You know, like along the realms of just this area of like hiring and getting help in their business, need? So they hear you say it and not me all the time.

Taishma Council: You know, I love black women. I love black people in general. I'm just like a blackity black, pro-black want to rebuild Black Wall Street type of girl. And this is my way of doing that. My, I think that you need to figure out your lane, get in that lane and be great at just that. You know, I'm not trying to do all the things, but I think for my clients are people that reach out, It just feels so good to me to see a Black owned business, be able to thrive and be so successful on their own. And that I just know that they have been burning their self out because it's hard to trust somebody with your baby. I know, I know it's hard to trust somebody with your baby.

So that's why when I'm onboarding my team and let them know there's a stereotype that I will not tolerate. And that is Black owned businesses don't have good customer service. And they know I don't play that. You know what I mean? Because that's just a lie. Um, and if that is the case, then maybe training is just needed or maybe just a little bit of grace on your end, the customer end is needed. Because we give McDonald's a whole lot of grace. 'Cause how often is that ice cream machine down, honey? Well, we still go find our way back into that establishment. You

Khalida DuBose: Right. And we don't blame McDonald's in the world for it. Right.

Taishma Council: Right.

Taishma Council: I just I have consultations and I just talk to black women and I just see how long they have been trying to stay above water alone and do it alone by theirselves.

And I'm like, look, you found what you've been looking for because my team is more than ready to come in and be your sidekick, your helper. And because I match the VA with the business on a base upon what the VA actually enjoys doing, I haven't had a bad match yet. So say for instance, you come to me and you're like, you know, I need somebody who can help me with my organization skills, somebody who can come in and help me time blocks somebody who can come in and get me together.

I'm going to make sure I match you with someone who does that authentically. Who does that in their sleep. Who does that because it comes natural to them. So when they're working with you, it doesn't feel like work. That's the problem, I feel like, with nine to five. That's why I think that I'm starting to fall in love with the culture that I've created, because I bring on people and I ask them, what do you enjoy to do? I'm not going to hire somebody and say, okay, here's the job description. And I'm going to train you on how to do this. And this is what you need to do. It doesn't work.

Khalida DuBose: Right.

Taishma Council: And if it does, it's only going to work until they find something else. That's more interesting.

You know

Khalida DuBose: aligned with yeah. Aligned with what their strengths are. Yeah, you're right. That's, that's the hard part about working in a nine to five, that it has to, sometimes businesses are so big that they have to just be structured. They can't individualize, they can't play to somebody's strengths, which then makes that person more successful, which then makes your client more successful, it makes the culture overall a lot healthier. Right?

Taishma Council: everybody's got.

Khalida DuBose: So it sounds like. You're saying Black women, women of color, all, all the women out there, everybody who's listening, even if you're, even if you're not a woman, get some help.

It's not as expensive as you think it is.

Taishma Council: No, and it's okay.

Khalida DuBose: Right,

Taishma Council: It's okay. You're going to get help and sometimes they're not gonna do it to your standard, but give them time, teach them about your business. Tell them why you got started, help them see the vision, help them understand your goals, help them understand why it's important to you.

That's the thing you have to share your story. And, you know, I think that I do a good job at working with our goal achievers and reminding them, you, you have to tell your VA why this was important. You have to help them see the vision you have to, because nobody's going to love your business like you. You're right. But once you get them as invested as you are, it becomes their baby as well.

Khalida DuBose: Right. They want to see you shine. I mean, this is something I also, help clients with, you know, like when they're onboarding or when a client's like, oh, you know, I'm going to fire somebody. I'm like, let's have a conversation first. Let's have a conversation of what might be going on here.

Because a lot of times us as business owners. We have a hard time delegating. We still have employee brain. So most of us have been in entrepreneurship for a lot less time than we were employees. So we still have employee brain. We still, you know, kind of sometimes can rule with an iron fist. We're not delegating, we're not being as clear as we could be. And as you said, onboarding a person into your business is so important for them to understand why this is important to you.

I know when I first started hiring, that was some of the things that I did. I like, I had like little systems in place. But then knowing that my VA and my staff that now helps me was going to help me refine and sometimes even have better ways because this is what they do. I don't do this every day. So that's been the most helpful. And I think like, just opening yourself to being like, Okay. I'm bringing somebody on to help the business flourish is what really, really makes the difference.

So I was wondering, give us like three signs that it's time to potentially think about hiring a VA.

Taishma Council: I say it's time to think about hiring a VA when you have been a business owner for at or I know there's sometimes people who start businesses and then within like two months, they want to hire somebody else. I, I will not say I'm against that, but it does do you some justice when you know your business entirely.

Because I have seen situations where they have a VA do something that they've never done and say, for instance, that VA decides to quit well, that business owner has no clue how to do what it is that they have hired somebody else to do.

So it can put them in a bind. So I would say, try to know your business inside and out. When your business is keeping you away from your family and your kids and your spouse, and your self-care time, it's time to bring on a VA.

I'm not really into the hustle and bustle mentality. It doesn't have to be that way. You don't have to stay up to three o'clock in the morning, just because you're a business owner. There is other options.

And when you're looking for something new, I feel like right now, a lot of business owners are reaching out to me who have been in business for five plus years. And they are looking to, they're looking to take back their freedom pretty much. Or they're looking to. Step out of their business, work on their business, not in their business. Because a lot of them, at this point they could be coaching or hosting webinars about their business, where other people are working in their business to help generate passive income and things like that.

Khalida DuBose: Okay, so you said, let me just make sure I have this straight, when you like been in business for about a year, know your business inside and out, and when it starts to take you away from your family. Yeah, I would say definitely. I agree with that. And unless you are in a situation like you were where you announced, hey, I'm going to have a business. And then all of a sudden four contracts came in, then yeah. I think sometimes...

Taishma Council: But, but looking back on it, looking back on it though, the first, when I did my first hire it, wasn't a good idea. Um, it wasn't a best business move. It worked out, but I wouldn't, I wouldn't say it was like the best thing for my business. And then maybe eight or 10 months to two of my businesses when I got a business coach. And that really helped me identify where my weaknesses were to bring on somebody who can help with that. So, yes, I did bring somebody on fairly early, but I wouldn't say I recommend it.

Khalida DuBose: Okay. Y'all heard it from her.

So tell us what piece of, what helpful piece of advice or maybe pieces of advice you've received at this point that you would like to share with women like you, other black women, other women of color.

Taishma Council: I would say when it comes to I would say I live by the saying that I said earlier, hire your weakness and lean into your strength. That has really helped me a lot. I would also say that I am happy that I'm the type of leader that doesn't feel like bringing on other people who are just as great as I am, takes away from me as the owner. My team is pretty badass. They're, they're pretty badass and it doesn't intimidate me at all. I love it.

You know what I mean? Like I can definitely say. Hey ladies, does somebody want to lead the team meeting? Somebody is going to lead the team meeting. Hey ladies, what are your advice on this? Or what do you recommend? Or I'm always like asking them and engaging them.

And I have some VAs who are younger than me, some VAs who are 10 years older than me. You know, it doesn't make a difference. I love working with other women who are specialized or who are experts in what they do. And I allow them to be that. I do not micromanage. I have systems in place that doesn't require me to micromanage, but I don't believe any of our goal achievers feels the needs to micromanage their VA. And I say, outsourcing is key. You know, if you're trying to run a business and do it all you can't, and that is okay. You're not a failure. Running a business is a lot of work.

And even if your family does not support you, there's going to be strangers that will make you millionaires, I promise. Do not rely on your circle or your friends or sometimes your spouse. Thank God. I have a very supportive spouse.

When you feel that calling within you, you listen and you buckle up and you get ready to go, period.

You know, I journal, I journal a lot. Cause it's kinda hard to balance, work, live mom, life, wife, life, self life. So I try to keep a fine line balance. I don't work after five. I spend time with my baby after five.

And if I really do have to work or getting something done, it would probably be after he goes to sleep. So I'll put him to sleep and get it done, but I don't really allow my entrepreneur life to interfere with my family life because I want to make room for all of it. I don't ever want to feel like regret or anything like that. I've seen women where their work life or their career kind of dominates them because they feel like they have something to prove, but you're going to look up and you're going to see that your kids are old and you're not even going to remember what their favorite food is.

And I would also say just be authentic. That sells. People want to hear your story. They want to know about you. Even if you're a shy, hire a VA to brag about you.

We brag on all of our

Khalida DuBose: Oh,

Taishma Council: goal achievers. We do it for them

because your story sells your business. So, Facebook may not seem like the right place place to brag, but LinkedIn is, you know, find where you feel comfortable telling your story?

Because even if your friends or family might be tired of hearing it, you can inspire someone else.

Khalida DuBose: Yeah. I love that. I love, I love all of those tips and I love all of those. Your insight there.

But for sure, you know, it's like, I think we do want to, two things we get caught up in my family is not supporting me. Oh my God, I must be a failure. Or we're like, I can't sell to anybody I know. Like, I, it needs to be all strangers.

And I've kind of found that, that you know, that balance where it's like, no, there's, there could be customers within your friends and family, but I don't think you're going to tap them right away. A lot of times, you won't, some people do. But a lot of times friends and family have known you. They've known, they've seen every single little change. And so now they need to see you be serious about this. They need to even understand it. Just because they're your friends and family don't mean that they're tapped into every little thing you're saying, right? Like, I don't know what my siblings are doing. I have like, it's like nine of them.

I don't know what they're doing every single day.

Taishma Council: Wow.

Khalida DuBose: Right.

Taishma Council: Yeah.

Khalida DuBose: But the thing is, is that I share with them a little bit here and there, you know, and you get over the hurt feelings of everybody not coming to your Instagram page and liking everything. But also knowing what I found out this year was having a lot of people who were past colleagues and friends, reach out to me and say, hey, I want you to coach me. I was like, what? So there's, there's, there's always that open, but yeah, I wanted to kind of zero in on that because that's like, know, a good point. They're strangers, the people will come tell your story, be authentic about it, and it, and it had

Taishma Council: I had, I had to get over, uh, people think of that. I was perfect.

Khalida DuBose: Right,

Taishma Council: A lot of people just think I've like perfect. And my life is just perfect. Perfect, perfect. But I had to start telling my truth not really caring about, what it may look like or what it seem. It just is what it is.

And I've gained a better following and more support just by being authentic and showing up in spaces as myself. And not being what people thought I was, I guess. And, you know, to some people, even though my truth, they may still think I'm I'm, I'm perfect. But I can say that now that I'm like showing up and can do this podcast and not be afraid that I'm going to say anything wrong, it's like, you know, I may have said something wrong. I'm not sure. But I know that through this podcast, I want to be authentic and show up as who I am.

Khalida DuBose: Yeah, and we love it. Trust me, as a podcast host. I love it. I don't want you showing up and being a robot. Neither does the audience and that's not gonna serve any of us. We need to find the people that we're most comfortable working with. So as we head out and wrap up, let us know, let all of the people listening, know where they can follow you, how they can reach out to you if they're interested in your service, all the things.

Taishma Council: I also just want to finish out by saying happy Black History Month.

Khalida DuBose: Oh yeah.

Taishma Council: Happy black history month. And I hope that you guys are just loving on yourselves being patient with yourself and giving yourself grace.

You can find my business, the Dream Team, my team at, uh, VGAA LLC on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and our website is vgaallc.com.

You can find me on Instagram personally @ theceo.taishma. I'm starting to get more into coaching and in working. Businesses who already have a team, but they have trouble with training their team. I will also help you with training your team that you already have that exists. So, don't be shy. Tap in. I'm really nice. Book a coffee and conversation with me and we can chat and network, and I'm always looking forward to engaging with new people.

Khalida DuBose: Amazing. Thank you so much for your time today. It's been my pleasure. Thank you so much. I think this episode has so many good things to think about for business owners who are getting to that stage where they want to hire. And even those just coming in who are deciding if they want to go solo versus agency.

Taishma Council: Well, thank you for having me. It's been a pleasure talking to you.

Khalida DuBose: All right, friends. Thank you so much for hanging out and listening to the Black Girl Business podcast. And a special thank you to Tai for joining us today and sharing so many gems with us. If you haven't already, hit that follow or subscribe button so you never miss an episode. And if you found today's episode helpful or had any aha moments, Tai and I would love to hear from you. So you can take a screenshot of this episode and tag us on socials. We'll have those in the show notes. As always, we're dropping episodes every Tuesday and we can't wait to see you back then.