Meet Tiffani Baker

 

We were lucky to catch up with Tiffani Baker recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tiffani, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

Although resilience is a skill that you learn over time through various life experiences I would say that I got my resilience from my parents. Sometimes it does get challenging especially as a college student and entrepreneur but seeing how my parents handle themselves in life situations is what inspires me to not give up. Even when times get hard I have seen them time and time again carry themselves with grace which is how I aspire to be as well. I aim to not let life events get the best of me because at the end of the day those events are part of the journey to success.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am currently in my senior year of undergrad at Howard University. My major is Sports Medicine and my minor is Chemistry. With this degree, I plan to go to medical school and become an orthopedic surgeon. Alongside my educational career, I am also an entrepreneur. I currently have a business called Tiffani’z Boutique where I hand-make and sell satin adjustable bonnets, satin scrunchies, crochet hats, and more. I started my business in 2020 during the pandemic and I have continued to pursue it ever since. Before I started my business I did not know how to sew nor did I have any interest in it. However, during the pandemic when I had plenty of time on my hands, I thought about ways I could make money. I pondered on some interests that I had and I asked God to illuminate some business ideas to me. During the brainstorming process, I landed on the idea of hair care products. I liked to take care of my own hair and I knew there was a market of people who shared the same interest as me. From there I did research on issues that hair care customers have and hair protection was one of them. I searched on YouTube how to make bonnets, scrunchies, and headwraps as well as strategize some other products that I could make. With the help of my mother’s sewing machine, some tips from my mother, and YouTube University I learned how to sew. I practiced and practiced until I was able to make quality products and start selling them. I wanted to make sure my products not only protect your hair but are stylish in the process. Starting a handmade business was definitely a learning curve but my parents were and still are a great support system. They are entrepreneurs themselves so having a nurturing environment really pushed me to keep going. The most exciting part about my business and sewing is being able to express my creativity. It can be so surreal when I sketch a design and am able to create it and see it come to life especially when that design gives joy and satisfaction to my customers. Even though I’m still in the early stages of my entrepreneurship I am excited to see the plans that God has for me.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three qualities that were key in starting my entrepreneur journey include being patient, being a problem solver, and being a good communicator. Patience is a skill that is important to have when becoming an entrepreneur. In the early stages when it comes to building a customer base and getting the word out, sales can be slow at times. Patience is vital because not everyone goes viral the first time they post about their product but that does not mean that the product is any less valuable. A quote that comes to mind that perfectly describes this skill is by Sanhita Baruah. Baruah (2020) stated, “Good things take time, better things take a little longer.” Attracting customers and maintaining them requires patience which is one of the reasons why entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart because it is easy to get discouraged. Another skill is problem-solving. Sometimes when you envision something it does not always turn out how you want it to. For this reason, problem-solving comes into play to fix the issues and improve them. When I first started making my products and even now sometimes the products would not turn out how I wanted or the method that I used was not as efficient as it could be. Instead of just giving up I used my problem-solving skills to improve the product and figure out the most time-efficient way to make the product. The last key skill is being a good communicator. Currently, I run all parts of my business at the moment, so when I’m talking to customers I have to be detailed and understanding. If they have concerns I have to be able to properly communicate to them to address their concerns. Without good communication, it’s difficult for customers to want to continue supporting a brand because they will feel like they are not heard. There are many other skills that can help someone on their early journey of entrepreneurship but from my experience these three are essential. I would recommend anyone who is thinking about starting a business or is in the early stages of starting a business to heed to these three skills to be successful in their journey.

Baruah, S. (2020). The Art of Healing: Notes for Life. Notion Press.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

The number one challenge that I am currently facing is being consistent in my business. In my junior year of college, my course load was heavier and I had responsibilities that I had to attend to in my leadership positions on campus. On top of that, I am currently a one-woman team in my business so it has definitely been challenging trying to balance the academic life and the entrepreneur life and not get burnt out. My plan over the summer is to figure out a game plan for my upcoming senior year to give time to my business as well as stay on top of my studies since they are the most important thing right now. I have not mastered the balancing technique yet but eventually it will be something that hopefully comes a little easier with the correct planning. In this process, it’s also important to be mindful and give myself breaks. Self-care is definitely vital so I have to be gracious with myself as well.

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