We had the good fortune of connecting with Angela McKinney and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angela, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
The idea for That’s My Village, LLC started about five years ago. Back in 2018 I had just given birth to my son and was still working as a caseworker for the Department of Family & Protective Services (DFPS) within the Child Protective Services (CPS) division. After becoming a mom and returning from maternity leave, I had a different outlook on parenting, of course. I would see parents visiting their children at the DFPS office and on occasion, I would see parents host their versions of a birthday party at the CPS office. I thought to myself, “That has to be pretty crushing to have a party at a CPS office in a visitation room” but most of the time, the kids looked pretty happy, more than likely they were just happy to have their parent around for that special moment. I convinced myself that there had to be a better option for moments like these, and there needed to be a place for the families to have a sense of normalcy but still have established safety precautions in place for visits.

The phrase “A Safe Place to Play” stuck in my head for years, and after researching nearby visitation facilities in the DFW area, I still couldn’t find one place that I felt matched what I was looking for the families I was servicing at that time. I decided, “Why not me?”. As a former caseworker I know exactly what is needed for caseworkers to feel that their families would be safe, and visits would be conducted appropriately. As a parent, I know exactly what families are looking for, venue wise, to make great memories with their children, and there was clearly a need for this type of venue. So, I decided to run with it.

That’s My Village, LLC was formed to be a safe place to play, by offering supervised visitation in a less traumatic environment. We are considered to be a one-stop-shop for families as we offer an online parenting class, supervised visitation services, and in the future, we will host a venue space dedicated to children’s celebrations for private rentals.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have over ten years of supervisor and social work experience dating back to 2011. I began as a supervisor of the front desk staff at a large luxury hotel brand in 2011. I would say this was the start of developing my on-the-spot problem solving skills. After earning my bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2012, I graduated to the big leagues and began working as a Conservatorship Caseworker for the Department of Family and Protective Service in 2013. I believe that I am most proud of my time as a caseworker, because this was when I had the most interaction with the families I served. This position was NOT easy, but I was fresh out of college, and it helped me to grow and learn about life. I was able to overcome challenges by simply listening to my families and being invested in their wellbeing. In 2017, I obtained my master’s degree in public administration, with the goal, at that time, to leave DFPS and obtain work outside the department, I had grown tired of the company’s ‘Sink or Swim’ mentality. Little did I know, God had other plans, and I’m proud to say I held my title as a Mentor Caseworker for five years until I backstroked to a supervisor position within the Department. In 2018 I was promoted to Conservatorship Supervisor position and supervised/trained a unit of 10 workers during my everyday work duties, and I was also a mentor to other supervisors within my program.

I founded my organization with the goal of increasing the quality of life within the black community by offering an online platform of wellness professionals to our consumers. My organization is set to launch its first podcast series on Spotify in July 2023 titled ‘Girl RELAX’.

In 2021, I was promoted to a Quality Assurance Specialist position, still within the Department of Family and Protective Services. As a Quality Assurance Specialist, I oversaw up to three regions at a time, totaling approximately 300 staff members and support staff, per region. In 2022 I promoted to my current position as a Regional Improvement specialist within the Department of Family & Protective Services. My job functions include policy implementation, policy review, and consultation services to upper management.

What I want the world to know about my brand and story is that as a social worker, I have experienced so much, and I now feel obligated to make a change within the child welfare system. I believe the positive and negative experiences I had to endure happened for a specific reason, and I believe that reason was for me to form my business and change the community’s view and interactions with the child welfare system. The reason I chose That’s My Village to be the name of my business, is because I want my company to be just that, a village for those that may not have one.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Most of my close friends are parents now so I believe our day would start off with something we could take our families to that has food, something for the kids to play with/on, sight-seeing, or food.

Our day would probably start with a visit to the Fort Worth Zoo, and end at a restaurant, maybe Chicken & Pickle in Grand Prairie.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We are a praying family, and I wouldn’t be anywhere without God and the people that pray for me daily. My family and friends truly spoil me with the love and support they give me, and the fact that NO ONE in my circle allows for me to give excuses pushes me even further. My husband truly makes me believe that if I can’t figure it out in that moment, all I need is a cup of coffee, an hour to think on it, and I’ll be back with a solution. He pushes me to be my best self and continuously pours love and positivity in me and our children. In combination my husband, my family, and my friends really give me the inspiration I need to keep going.

Back in November 2022, I participated in a ‘Women’s “CEO” Academy’ and was a part of their 2022 Inaugural Boot Camp. During my time with the ladies, I received enough business mentorship for a lifetime. They inspired me to put my ideas in motion and gave me several tools to form my business. A quote stuck out to me from my time in the academy and I often repeat it in those moments where I become frustrated with my business progress, “What is the best way to eat an elephant? One piece at a time.”

I have so many people that back me and my endeavors that I cannot help but to persevere through the hardships of starting and managing a new business.

Website: www.thatsmyvillage.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsmyvillagellc/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/that’s-my-village-llc-2483b725b/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThatsMyVillage

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thatsmyvillagellc

Other: www.girlrelaxmentalhealth.org

Image Credits
I have all rights and permissions to all the uploaded images

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