Starting a business can be a challenge, but for those who are willing to put in the time and effort, the rewards can be great. This week on the podcast, we spoke to Tamika Stephens, the owner of 4 Tees Custom Designs, about her journey from being laid off and starting a business to becoming a successful business owner.
Tamika’s story is one of perseverance, dedication, and faith. She had always wanted to start her own business but never had the time due to working multiple jobs. After being laid off from her job at the beginning of COVID-19, she decided to listen to what God was telling her and started her own business using all her savings. Some people thought she was crazy for taking such a risk, but she never looked back and is now a successful business owner.
4 Tees Custom Designs is a family-run and operated business, with the owner occasionally receiving help from family members for tasks such as marketing and packaging. The business offers a range of custom items beyond T-shirts, including umbrellas, backdrops, shoes, and baby bottles. The business’s motto is “We turn your dream shirt (or anything really) into a reality,” indicating their willingness to create custom items based on customer requests.
One of the most interesting facts about Tamika’s story is that she took part in a business initiative created by LA21 CDC and supported by the Philadelphia Commerce Department called Scale Up. The program is designed to provide business planning, training, technical assistance, and resources to help Cohorts scale up their businesses and become successful. The ultimate goal is to enable Cohorts to create more jobs in Philadelphia and to sustain their businesses for the long term.
Tamika had a desire to start her own business but never learned about business growing up in her community. Through the Scale Up program, she was able to learn a lot about being a business owner and receives ongoing support and assistance. The program helped her believe she could succeed and gave her an army of support.
Starting a business can be hard, and those who are also parents have an additional challenge of juggling their time and space, specifically managing time for parenting and business operations. Tamika offers sage advice to new business owners that you may not have all the answers, but you should try and ask others for help. LA21 is a great resource for new business owners, and the key to success is doing the work required to become successful.
Tamika’s story is an inspiration to anyone who has ever dreamed of starting their own business. She took a risk, bet on herself, and has made it work through hard work, dedication, and faith. If you are interested in starting a business or need help scaling up, reach out to the LA21 Scale Up program, and if you need custom designs, check out 4 Tees Custom Designs.
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