Meet Meredith Coleman Mcgee

 

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Meredith Coleman Mcgee a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Meredith Coleman, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

My grandmothers displayed work ethics by their example. Half stepping was never a part of the agenda. My maternal grandmother Roxie was born in 1903 in rural Attala County, Mississippi. My paternal grandmother Beulah was born in 1921 in Gadsden, Alabama. They both demanded that we (grandchildren) do our best whether it was spring cleaning, cooking, ironing, or gardening. My first work experience was in the seventh grade at Piney Woods School, 21 miles south of Jackson, Mississippi. Piney Woods is currently the largest boarding school for Black people in America. Back then, students were trained to work in the school’s enterprises which included an automotive shop, a car body shop, a farm, etc. I ran a steaming press in the school’s cleaners. Our female supervisor was proficient and extremely detailed. Superior service was demanded. We had to do our jobs well. Residents were satisfied with the school’s cleaning service because business was booming. Our student jobs taught us skills and helped pay our tuition.

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?

Professionally, I operate two for-profit businesses: Typing Solutions Resumes & Etc and Meredith Etc; and one non-profit organization: Community Library Mississippi. When I write an entry level resume for someone entering the job market, I discover their employment strengths and articulate those skills with words to help them stand out in the competitive job market. When I acquire a manuscript, I take the time to collaborate with the author to produce a finished product which will sell in the book market.

Community Library Mississippi spreads intellect through various programs including a book club, book festival, poetry contest, spelling bees, speaking series, etc. When we see a child advance from writing a one stanza poem with five lines to writing two or more stanzas with complex themes, we know that the programs are spreading intellect. Intellect matters.

I am in the process of writing my 14th book highlighting blues and jazz in Jackson, Mississippi. I am excited about this book because Mississippi is the birthplace of American music, and producers in my hometown played a vital role in recording early rural blues music by bluesmen like Charlie Patton, Son House, and Robert Johnson. Writing a book which will be available to the general public about this important music history humbles me. Meredith Etc acquired a manuscript consisting of a collection of poems last year and I am working with the 23rd author in this company to produce the 40th book title soon. Well, progress is progress! Certainly, a product launch should focus on producing a great product via an average product, keeping in my mind that readers have an appetite for different voices. Hence, launching new quality products is important in the life and transformation of an entity.

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?

During my business journey, the most impactful qualities, skills, and mastery that I had when I started my business included bookkeeping skills, knowledge of profit and loss analysis, and computer and writing skills. I recommend that prospective business owners have a business and operational plan up front. The U.S. Small Business Administration offers free courses which teach prospective business owners all aspects of business from owning and operating a store front business to running an e-commerce site.

Before anyone goes into business, it will be wise for he or she to gain an understanding of how to maintain books and how to determine profit and loss. Every business owner should know how much money is coming in each day, week, month, and quarter and how much is going out and vice versa to be able to weather the difficulties of business. My Uncle Claudell taught me how to maintain books manually and how to tabulate profit and loss when I ran a candy store business. I took the online business courses, and I enrolled in the local program hosted by Jackson State University. When one is launching a business, he or she must use every available resource. Self-study is very important. Mentorship is relevant.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

The number one obstacle Black authors face is relevance and market access. The political climate, library policies, and book industry trends overshadow Black, self-published, and new authors. Small book publishing outlets have a hill to climb. Personally, I am climbing. I have to catch my breath. Producing new books, new online content, and making appearances helps improve relevance.

Utilizing small outlets and independent book retailers helps expand our books in the marketplace. Frankly, we have to sell out of the trunks of cars and focus on hand sales. In all honesty, the culture of book bands is not an easy wall to climb. But an “A” for effort is better than an “F” for failing to try. I’m hanging in there! Going forward! Check us out! Visit meredithetc.com and typingsolutions.biz.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

UWF alum highlight

Meredith Coleman McGee standing with Jazz icon Cassandra Wilson, right and Jazz Vocalist Rhonda Richmond, left after A Billie Holiday Tribute at Fusion Coffeehouse, Ridgeland, MS 08.17.2024

Meredith Coleman McGee holding an autographed cover story featuring her with Kisha Newell at Blue Monday, Live Blues featuring the Central Mississippi Blues Society band at Hal & Mal in Jackson, MS

Meredith Coleman McGee posed with Brucie Campbell at a Billie Holiday: Jazz Singer book event at Barnes and Noble in Pensacola, Florida 03.16.2024

Meredith Coleman McGee, center with 6 of the 60 sixth graders who attended her book talk “James Meredith: Warrior and the America that created him” about her famous uncle Mississippi icon James Howard Meredith.

Meredith Coleman McGee at the Elizabeth Jones Library, 08.09.2024 with a fan who purchased three books at a Lunch & Books event in Grenada, Mississippi.

Meredith Coleman McGee, center, with her reading and writing mentees Christasia and Christavier Leslie at Kwanzaa Celebration 01.01.2025 at the Medgar Evers Community Center in Jackson, Mississippi

Meredith Coleman McGee, center with 6th graders at Jackson Academy in Jackson, Mississippi

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Empathy Unlocked: Understanding how to Develop Emotional Intelligence

“Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus

Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Boosting Productivity Through Self-Care

When you have a never-ending to-do list it can feel irresponsible to engage in self-care,