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

Hi Tisha, is there something you believe many others might not?
‘The sky is the limit,’ in itself, is self-limiting. Yes, aim for the sky, by all means, and beyond. In my professional circle, we prefer to say “shatter the limits;” Dr. Lisa Wicker mentions it often and that resonates with me.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

Imagine retiring at the age of 41 to be a caregiver or because your friend prophesied that you must “turn the knob” or because you had to end a particular chapter in your career before a better one could open. Taking lessons learned from that plus a 21-year career in law enforcement and civil rights advocacy, I took that leap in April 2018 and found joy in working for myself full-time. In reality, I am working on the mission field, because for me, my business is a ministry of sharing the good news. A global Pep Squad affectionately calls me “The Small Business CheerleaderTM” because of my enthusiasm for spotlighting entrepreneurs. “I am” statements are affirming, so here is one of mine. I am the Best-selling author of Daily Devotional for Entrepreneurs: Your Season to Grow. In 2020, Dr. Dennis Kimbro, Best-selling author of Think and Grow Rich: A Black Choice, penned the foreword to my guide for faith-based, profit-first entrepreneurship. I am a writer who loves to speak about empowerment and community building.

I have a knack for tapping into human capital. It began when I totally drank the networking Kool-Aid and could not keep my circles a secret. Those circles started once I joined the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) – Greater Detroit Chapter in 2015. My company, Ascent Small Business Promotion, LLC, is the accelerant for those who desire to influence their own personal economy and impact their community through business ownership. Started in January 2015, as an A-Z business development source, the company now provides an online training portal for entrepreneurs, business consulting, creative content services, and media promotions. In February 2021, “Ascent” was recognized by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) as a Black-owned business that positively impacts Michigan’s economy and culture.

What sets “Ascent” apart from other marketing and media influencers is selflessness…we evoke the ‘God, others, self’ business culture which encourages others to become ambassadors for a global entrepreneurship message. In turn, we spotlight and recognize the ‘global Pep Squad’ in nearly every conversation and certainly on every one of our vodcasts, ‘Pep Talk LIVE with Tisha Hammond…Powered by DELL Technologies’ – the show where we elevate the conversation around Entrepreneurship year-round and worldwide. Our global Pep Squad even has a Captain – her name is Mary Wells; she’s in Cleveland, OH. People tune in from around the world each week to support our incredible guest stars and to see their comments and face profiles on-screen.

Reaching six of seven continents with the “Ascent” message of global cooperative economics excites me most. My vision board is literally a world map. Each time that a viewer from a new country joins the Pep Talk LIVE conversation, their country is added to the Pep Squad world map. It’ll be a proud day for the Pep Squad when we confirm that someone in Antarctica has read the book, watched the show, or hired my team for a consulting service…hey, maybe we even speak at a research station or field camp there. There’s no limit to how we can be a blessing to someone…anywhere in the world.

I wrestled with walking away from the luxury of a bi-weekly paycheck. My husband and I planned for several years as I prepared an exit strategy from employment to self-employment. On the surface, it appears to have taken 3 years from the time that I started my company in 2015 to the time that I deferred my retirement with my employer in 2018. The reality is that my mother raised me as an Entrepreneur and that home training was calling me. It was not easy; if it had been I may not have appreciated how much the company has grown. Challenges were as simple as setting unrealistic goals and expectations; failure to find the value early on in hiring employees to build and grow the company with other experts; and of course, cash flow projections that fell short one too many times. There is no option to quit on me…I start Monday – Friday with prayer and exercise; I work within hours that support my health and best improve my clients’ situations; I have multiple mentors with various backgrounds and skillsets; I hired employees; meanwhile, a community of entrepreneurs and people who support us keep me level-headed.

Lessons learned – I’ll share one: the peak is big enough for all of us. Always aim for peak performance because there is room at the top. When you reach your definition of success, enjoy the view and be sure to bring someone else with you.

If I could write a letter to the World, it would read:

Dear World,
we can have a thriving business commUNITY when we embrace collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, and faith. We have the resources to stay on the peak longer when we combine them. I want you to be encouraged, be blessed, and mind your business…together.

Cheering for you,
Tisha Hammond

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

A few of my favorite spots that I cannot keep a secret start with:

Second Baptist Church of Detroit for Sunday morning service.

After service, we head to Fishbone’s, across the street, for some cajun food and jazz.

To walk off all of that feasting, we drive to Belle Isle Park and walk along the waterway skipping rocks across the Detroit River as far as they can reach toward Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

As the days roll on, we make our way to the Avenue of Fashion and Livernois Corridor in Detroit to support local businesses after withdrawing some funds from the ATM at First Independence Bank, one of the largest Black-owned banks in the country.

We hang out at Pavillon Shore Park in Novi, MI one day. Another day, we fish at Kensington State Park. We grab some Ultimate Pineapple drinks at Bahama Breeze in Livonia and we must enjoy the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter party bus from Limo Giant in Farmington Hills, MI while friends are in town.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

Shoutout, you are reading my mind and I’m up for this.

Seeing no “I” in “Team”, to attain and sustain your definition of success it’s crucial to do this one thing every day:
mention someone’s name in a room full of opportunities.

Mrs. Jack Taylor Jones is the co-owner of Lighthouse Christian Stores in Detroit, Michigan. She was the first brick-and-mortar retailer to sell my book, ‘Daily Devotional For Entrepreneurs: Your Season to Grow.’ In 2020, Jack taught me the art of pitching my book to pour off of the shelves of local retailers and booksellers. She poured graceful salesmanship into me and recently surprised me by joining the in-person audience of the April 10, 2021, Leadership Experience Tour where I spoke about the plateaus, peaks, and valleys of entrepreneurship. She is a friend, sister-in-Christ, and a business mentor, for sure.

Website: https://www.tishahammond.com/

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TishaHammond1st

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TishaHammondTheSmallBusinessCheerleaderPepTalk

Other: https://linktr.ee/TishaHammond

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