Meet Ms. Cece

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ms. Cece. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Ms.(Cece) with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from? 
I inherited my work ethic from my grandparents. They owned and operated Taylor’s Personal Care & Educational Center in Atlanta, Ga for 40 years. Prior to the creation of the daycare, my grandparents had a history of being serial entrepreneurs before settling with the daycare. I recall some of my fondest childhood memories growing up at Taylor’s. My hope is to create a legacy such as the one my grandparents built. Their legacy is my idea of an authentic and attainable ” Black American Dream”.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a pianist, piano teacher, and business owner. Fancy Fingers Publishing is a business I created in 2021 that creates beginner piano books that teach musicians about African American composers. I also provide piano lessons, accompanist services and event pianist services. I currently operate a 10-week afterschool piano program at Bolton Academy here in Atlanta.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I would say flexibility, financial literacy, and initiative are the three main qualities that have impacted my journey to building my career. If I can offer any advice to any new entrepreneurs, solo-preneurs, music-preneurs, remember that aside from being flexible in your schedule, you have to be flexible with life in general. Do not be afraid of a pivot in the plan. Things will not always go as you intended so you have to be willing to pivot whether it’s expected or unexpected. Once you’ve practiced being consistently flexible, understanding your finances is the next step. Financial literacy is the trait that I am currently building and learning as I go. Dealing with finances will always be intimidating, but you can’t disregard them. Learn and study the habits of your money. It is a daunting task, but not impossible. Lastly, there will be many days when you don’t feel like working towards the goals for your life and business. However, if you only work when you feel like it, you will never get anything substantially done. That’s where initiative comes into play. When it comes to being a business owner, remember that nothing will or can happen unless YOU set the wheels in motion. From product design to finances to marketing to any other division, everything starts with you. I am currently a “solo-preneur”, which means that it is just me in charge of everything. Therefore, I have to consistently take the initiative to make sure my business is running.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
I advise all entrepreneurs to go pick up “I Hope You Fail” by Slutty Vegan CEO, Pinky Cole. I read this book during the end of the year and it really lit my entrepreneurial fire. My favorite nugget of wisdom from the book is remembering that one shot changes everything. All you need is one “yes” to change your entire life.

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Harrison Photography

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