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

Hi Tandy, how does your business help the community?
My business impacts the community and the world by providing a place for students to explore who they are and who they can become. College Mode Academy is all about empowering students to step into their strength and their desired life after college without worrying about paying back student loans. Our mission to impact the world is centered around closing the wealth gap which prevents so many people from embodying their true level of genius and contributing to society. But, we also impact the lives of parents just as much as we do the students. Kids don’t come with manuals, but my business comes with a guide to help parents understand their teens better while promoting strong family bonds. Ultimately, we equip students and parents with the tools they need to be successful in the college application process and beyond.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business is all about helping students go to college without the burden of them or their families being in debt. Overall, our goal is for students to graduate and pursue dream careers with the freedom of being debt-free. The foundation of this business is built on my own success of winning over $1 million in scholarships and being awarded teacher of the year so that I could have the funding I needed to help students reach the pinnacle of success through innovative projects, skill-building activities, and individual growth. I get so excited about the hard work each of my students is putting in to make their lives better and express their unique interests. It’s a beautiful part of the journey to be involved in someone’s life transformation, and that’s what makes this business all worth it. Building this business has not been the easiest, but I’ve had some great coaching and support in the areas where I fall short so I can continue to show up for all of the students who are counting on me. And through this, I have learned 3 valuable lessons: Work with people you actually like to work with, accomplishing tasks fast only comes when you delegate work to people who are strong in the areas in which you are weak, and finally, taking care of yourself is the most important tool to remember if you want your business to flourish.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Food can turn any event into a good time! If a best friend of mine was traveling into my hometown of Dallas, Texas, I would introduce them to the Cake Bar which is a Black-owned gourmet cake shop with an assortment of various desserts, Grits & Gravy which is a soul food restaurant that is packed with a contemporary flair, Gloria’s for a Tex Mex adventure, and Trinity Groves to show them the historical sites and neighborhoods.

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?
I’d like to shout out to my faith community of Christian believers who rally so strongly behind me. My family and my friends have been an incredible source of support in my business which has motivated me to keep going even when everything seems crazy. They step up with prayer and encouragement whenever I need it the most, and they have even provided me a place to stay or even food to eat when I’ve traveled on the road to help grow my business. My faith community is an impeccable group of people who have prayed together, prayed with me, and prayed for me. I am grateful.

Website: http://www.collegemodeacademy.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tandycaraway/

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcMVdNdXtN8M8i7DGjo3N7A/videos

Other: http://www.GetScholarDollars.com

Image Credits
Ariawna Talton (fountains photo)

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