Te-Erika, a former Captain D’s employee, pursues entrepreneurship as her career goal

Shatarra Daniels, a 26-year-old from Montgomery, Alabama, grew up on Edward Street in the Chisholm area. She has a twin sister and together they shared the responsibility of being the eldest out of five siblings. From a young age, Shatarra enjoyed lending a helping hand around the house. Whether it was preparing meals with her mother, cleaning, or assisting her father with household repairs, she was always eager to contribute.

Like many children, Shatarra had dreams of becoming a teacher, but eventually, she found her calling as a hairstylist. Her passion for helping people and making them feel good about themselves remained at the center of her ambitions. As she grew older, she discovered that she had a talent for achieving her goals. With this newfound confidence, she set her sights on a grander ambition; becoming a business owner.

Shatarra understood that to be a successful business owner, she needed to first become a proficient employee. She started her journey at Captain D’s Seafood Kitchen on Atlanta Highway in Montgomery when she was just 16 years old. Shatarra’s tireless dedication to the company paid off, and after nine years of hard work, she was promoted to the position of General Manager at the restaurant.

After attending Alabama State University, Shatarra worked various odd jobs while also holding a position at Captain D’s. Despite her love for the company, she eventually decided to take a chance at entrepreneurship and left after nine years.

Shatarra draws on her extensive background in customer service, employee management, and business leadership, which spans nearly a decade. To stay motivated, she heeds her mother’s wise words of advice: “Have faith in God, even if it’s as small as a mustard seed. Trust that it will be enough.” These words of encouragement from her mother have been a source of inspiration for Shatarra throughout her professional journey.

Shatarra didn’t waste any time after her husband’s encouragement. She channelled all her passion into her most brilliant idea – starting a custom handbag business. After becoming a mother, she knew she wanted to create something special and unique. The business was aptly named MaDDesignz, after her daughter Madisyn. Shatarra’s goal was to establish her own line of handbags with designs that she believed would be popular. Looking back, she reminisces on her journey with fondness and pride.

After pouring her heart and soul into her handbag business, she took a leap of faith and invested in it. To bring her vision to life, she hired a talented artist to sketch out her designs. With the sketches in hand, she then had a professional sample of her custom handbag produced. She knew that every detail mattered, and she was determined to create a product that was both beautiful and functional. With her passion and dedication, she was well on her way to building a successful business.

Shatarra fondly remembers wearing a particular purse for months, despite it not matching some of her outfits. She felt a sense of pride in owning the purse and treated it like it was a high-end brand like MK or Louis Vuitton.

Regrettably, her aspiration of becoming a handbag designer faded away. Being a stay-at-home mom and wife, she was facing financial constraints and didn’t want to put additional burden on her husband when he was already providing for the family. Even though her husband never objected to investing in her entrepreneurial dreams, Shatarra realized that it was not prudent to keep pouring money into that pursuit.

Shatarra remembers feeling defeated when she couldn’t achieve her dream of owning her own business. Even now, the disappointment lingers because being an entrepreneur was something she had always aspired to.

Shatarra didn’t let her first business failure hold her back from pursuing her dream of becoming an entrepreneur. Although she is currently working as a bank teller, she spends most of her evenings researching business tips, applying for grants, and reading about successful business owners in order to turn her dream into a reality. Her determination and persistence are truly inspiring.

Shatarra had been feeling disappointed in herself for a year after her handbag business didn’t work out. However, when her sister asked for her help planning a baby shower, Shatarra discovered a new passion. She jumped at the opportunity to assist and found herself falling in love with the entire process. It was the celebration of an impending birth that gave birth to Shatarra’s newfound love for event planning.

Shatarra has a deep passion for managing things, serving others, and making them happy. According to her, celebrating success or milestones through parties is a great way to spread joy. She believes that by adding her act of service to each event, she can make a family’s day even more special. For her, the happiness of others is the ultimate reward, which brings her immense joy.

Shatarra is thrilled to bring happiness to families by organizing baby showers and events. However, she confesses that she’s been struggling to find actual clients.

Shatarra keeps a close eye on the Montgomery Black Pages Facebook group, where she finds inspiration in the numerous Black women entrepreneurs who promote their businesses. Despite her eagerness to join them, she feels lost when it comes to taking the first steps. Shatarra has even volunteered to plan events for free, hoping to showcase her abilities, but unfortunately, she hasn’t received much response yet.

Shatarra expresses her desire for an opportunity to prove her dedication to her customers, even during difficult times. She believes that a new business is equally important to one that has been established for years. She emphasizes that regardless of the number of customers, her business is still a business, and she will treat it as such. In order to help secure your first client for your business, here are three effective ways to do so.

3 Tips to Land Your First Client for Your Business

Shantarra, a baby shower and event planner, is on the lookout for ways to attract her first client. To help her out, we found three savvy female business owners who were more than happy to share their unconventional paths to securing their first business clients. You can read all about their experiences on The Feisty News for Women.

Re-written Heading: News for Women with a Fiery Spirit

One effective way to establish yourself as an authority in your field is by offering a free workshop. By sharing your expertise and teaching others, people will recognize your knowledge and respect you as an expert. Additionally, when they are seeking help or guidance in your industry, they will remember your workshop and consider reaching out to you for assistance. This is a great way to build credibility and establish yourself as a go-to resource in your field.

Rewritten: Provide a Complimentary Workshop

Vena Verga-Danemar, the founder of Legally She Can, an online business legal strategy firm, shares that she got her first clients by organizing a free workshop. According to her, it is crucial to establish a relationship of trust with people before making any offers. With the online world being incredibly crowded, the best way to stand out is by providing real value. Vena conducted a free legal workshop, which not only addressed the challenges her audience was facing but also offered practical solutions to those issues while demonstrating how she could assist in resolving them.

Build connections with strangers – By taking the initiative to get to know someone new, you open up the opportunity to share your interests and hobbies with them.

Discover the Joys of Meeting New People

Christine Kutnick, a Joy Coach, shares how she landed her first client. She says, “I got my first client by sharing what I was doing during a walk. I thought about a few people who might be good clients and asked them for a walk. During the walk, most people discuss what is happening in their lives and what obstacles they are facing. If it was appropriate, I asked them if they knew much about coaching and how it worked. Once I described it and tied it to something they wanted to address, she asked me if I would take her on as a client. I was so appreciative that she asked me because it gave me the confidence to have more walks with people I know vaguely.” Christine’s approach highlights the importance of networking and building relationships in finding clients.

Embrace the Power of YES– Although you may have a clear vision of your desired direction, life may present you with unexpected opportunities that could lead you to greater success. Therefore, it is important to embrace the power of YES and be open to pivoting. Saying YES can bring exciting surprises and lead to new heights you never thought possible.

Rewritten Heading: Embracing the Power of Saying Yes

Jennifer Broderick, Content Coordinator for Teak and Twine, shares the story of the company’s shift from a wedding gift business to a corporate gift and swag company. The shift was initiated when Microsoft approached the company’s founder, Torrance Hart, for employee gifts. Interestingly, one of the brides who had previously ordered bridesmaid gifts returned with a request for 1,000 corporate gifts. Despite the enormity of the order, Torrance did not hesitate and accepted the challenge with a positive attitude, saying “we’ll figure it out later!” This “say yes” attitude has been the driving force behind the company’s growth, which now boasts of a multi-million dollar business and almost 75 employees.

If you wish to get in touch with Shatarra Daniels, you can send her an email at [email protected].

Get in touch with Shatarra Daniels via email at [email protected].