Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Angela Majette. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Angela, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
Under the left-brain, right-brain dominance theory, I would be deemed “brain-ambidextrous” because I require active engagement of my analytical skills and my creative talents in order to function at my highest level. Creativity is involved in the legal, accounting, and strategic planning work that I do. Being able to think outside the box and find creative solutions to problems is crucial to entrepreneurship and non-profit and small business management, but I also tap into my creative side by coordinating creative projects. Dancing, writing, and designing are my passions. I enjoy choreographing routines for girls who are interested in dance and I’ve written and published a children’s book that is a work of historical fiction and promotes literacy and high scholastic attainment. The story is a tribute to Mary Lou Allison Gardner Little, who was an orphan, educator, and pioneer that dedicated her life to motivating youth to greater horizons. Mrs. Little is important to the history of the city of Indianapolis and I’m proud that The Pretty Poodle has been permanently placed in the Indianapolis Special Collections Room in the Indianapolis Public Library. You can learn more about the The Pretty Poodle at https://theprettypoodle.com.
Now, I’m excited to bring my first board game to market early next year.! We are in the midst of a board game renaissance and a favorite pastime is quickly becoming one of the world’s most engaging and far-reaching forms of media for children and adults. Since 2020 there has been a steady increase in sales in board games. However, representation in board games by the major publishers is happening in mostly shallow forms – in advertisements or a character on a game box with darker skin tones. True diversity needs more intentional and strategic diversity and inclusion in the invention and development of new board games that stimulate the minds of people across all walks of life and this is exactly what I intend to demonstrate by bringing my board game to market and amplifying diversity and inclusion in toy and game development. I invite everyone to support this project and follow our journey by visiting the website at https://tic-tac-pro.com.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a legal analyst and 20 years ago I started my own business, which I still operate today. I develop litigation strategies, analyze legal and financial documents, and draft legal briefs for attorneys. Over the last 20 years, I have worked closely with dozens of entrepreneurs and business owners while collaborating with attorneys in business litigation, business formation, and transactional matters and having analyzed tens of thousands of business records, contracts, and litigation documents, I see first-hand that many of the legal issues that business owners find themselves faced with can be avoided or minimized with proper legal guidance from inception. However, they lack the funding to obtain the legal representation they need so my goal was to create a legal program that would help level the economic playing field for Black business owners around the country and help them avoid costly legal mistakes and build sustainable businesses.
As a legal analyst and small business owner, I was well aware of the void that existed both in the provision of pro bono legal services and in the non-profit space with respect to the business needs of Black entrepreneurs and small business owners so in 2019 I founded Black Connect and developed our national pro bono legal services program, which provides business-related legal assistance, webinars and events.
Blackconnect.org is the only national 501(c)(3) membership and chapter-based organization dedicated solely to eliminating the racial wealth gap in America by increasing the number and success rate of Black-owned businesses. In addition to programs and services that facilitate business development, we advocate for equity and inclusion in spaces and opportunities that help our members gain exposure and increase sales and we provide our members with a tools-based business and social network that enables entrepreneurial activities and promotes the socioeconomic growth and empowerment of the Black community. Blackconnect.com is the most comprehensive business and social networking platform with members across the United States, Caribbean, Africa, and the United Kingdom. We currently have local chapters in New York City, Atlanta, Tampa, and Tulsa. We have several membership categories and we invite everyone who joins to support our mission at https://blackconnect.org/join.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I would say self-reliance, self-assurance, and time management are most impactful and I would advise aspiring entrepreneurs or business owners to grow stronger in these areas for several reasons.
Self-reliance is important for an entrepreneur with limited resources because you will wear many hats from sales, product development and planning, to website design, social media and contract negotiations so you should be prepared to handle the lion’s share of the day to day responsibilities.
My son thinks I work too much but I’m so passionate about the work that I do because in one or way another each venture involves helping build the next generation of entrepreneurs. My only complaint is that there’s only 24 hours in a day, which makes time management crucial. Plus meetings, events, and competing deadlines can be draining so it’s also important to schedule time to tune the world out and focus on your needs.
Doubt is one of biggest killers of innovation. Some ideas never see the light of day because the creators are deterred by naysayers and people for whom the creators’ products or services are not intended or well suited. But not everyone is going to like your idea and the good news is they don’t have to. There are 8 billion people in the world and your ideal customer is out there! You just have to believe in your idea, find your community of supporters and identify your target customer. Don’t let self doubt rob you of the pride and joy of bringing your vision to life and the opportunities for growth that come from learning from your mistakes.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
The Pretty Poodle, absolutely! The book has messages of perseverance, family, values, and achieving goals and I wrote it so that when parents are reading the book with their children, the parents are also receiving encouragement and it reminds us as parents to continue to set goals and not give up on our dreams. Baby steps are ok, just keep moving forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: Tic-Tac-Pro.com
- Other: Connect on Black Connect at Blackconnect.com/angie All websites: JustWritelegal.com Blackconnect.org Tic-Tac-Pro.com ThePrettyPoodle.com
