Tamela Todd saw a lack of resources and a need in her community for a book club and mentorship program to help guide youth towards achieving greatness, so she opened up Brown Girls Read. Read our interview with the lovely Tamela below…
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
Children lack the tools needed to effectively communicate with one another. Technology continues to evolve; it has decrease the amount of face to face interaction. Human interaction helps us build and maintain relationships.
Tell us about your business.
Brown Girls Read is and book club/mentoring program aimed to increase adolescent literacy and empower our youth in the community. Our program strives to provide workshops that are both fun and educational where members learn essay writing, tips for applying to college, best practices for obtaining financial aid, money management and more. To keep the seminars interesting and relevant. The ability to read, write and communicate connects people and empowers them to achieve to the highest level possible. Members are divided into groups based on age and grade level.
Group Yellow – ages 7-9
Group Orange – ages 10-12
Group Green – ages 13-15
Are you currently running any promos/contests/giveaways that you would like our readers to know about?
We have a upcoming Fundraiser on Nov 5, 2016 to raise money for monthly books and supplies for our workshops.
Where is your business based?
Metropolitan Detroit Area. We operate out of the Northwest Activity Center at 18100 Meyers Rd, Detroit MI 48235, on the 3rd Saturday of each month from September – June. We are closed for the month of December and during holidays.
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
- Researching literacy test scores in the community
- Researching book clubs for children in the local area
- Researching purchasing books in bulk for the members
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?
Social media has been great with people sharing our Facebook link. Also effective has been promoting at the Northwest Activity Center, natural word-of-mouth, along with very supportive friends and family.
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Funding the program has been my greatness challenge.
How did you overcome these challenges?
Funding is and will always be a work in progress. But with faith about our mission it will always work out.
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
Prayer along with the excitement from our members, it makes me ecstatic that our youth in the community are eager to read.
How did you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
We are a girl’s youth books club for ages 7-15, most book clubs are for adults. Being social is very important for children also.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
Invest in yourself, nurture relationships, learn and breathe your brand, value people around you, and work every day to build your legacy.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
When partnering with another organization always have and partnership contract. Have patience! Do not mix business with pleasure.
What is your favorite business tool or resource?
The Reminder App allows me to reach my parents quickly with updates and events.
What social media outlets do you them below?
Instagram @browngirlslovestoread
Twitter @browngirlsread5
Facebook www.facebook.com/browngirlsread
Website www.browngirlsread.org
Hashtags #browngirlsread #literacy #ourfuture #ouryouth
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
“Success Women Think Differently” by Volorie Burton.
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
We are currently learning about the best ways to keep our youth excited about reading while enhancing their comprehension skills.
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?
- Our goal is to have 60 members in our organization!
- Establish a strong network of support with the community.
- Launch a series of fundraiser activities that will successfully fund the expansion of the program.
- Establish an effective training program for our members.
- Launch mobile tutoring in the community to increase our youth reading skills.