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

Hi Tamika, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started off blogging and podcasting and needed a community to connect with face to face, a place where I could retreat from the family to get some work done; a place where I didn’t have to compete with dishes or laundry in order to be productive. That place became a workspace just for that but I also wanted a taste of freedom from my 9-5 so that I could be effective in my business, flexible with my schedule, and present for what matters most-family. In order for me live out my purpose, I need to be present-present in my faith journey with God and present for my family. Those two aspects pushed me to get started and its those two aspects that keep me going.

What should our readers know about your business?
ConverSpace started off as a coworking model with a monthly membership package, rental space for social events, and a conference room. However, the market at the time, especially in our location, they were asking for something else. Visitors would ask for services to support them starting a business. We pivoted so many times until we found the right business model. Presently, we are a virtual office space providing office space, business phone and mailbox services as well as meeting space for organizations, businesses, and entrepreneurs starting and growing their businesses. We are so proud of our progress and having a business model that sustained our business during the pandemic. At the start of 2020, we had a little over 120 clients and as of today, we serve over 350 clients through our virtual office services. Honestly, it was not easy pivoting from our first business model because of pride. I wanted so desperately to make the original business model work but it was too challenging. The best lessons I’ve learned on this journey is that you have to plan for passion in order to make a profit. Yes, you have to plan for everything in business or you won’t be able to stick to anything. What did we need to better plan for ConverSpace? We needed to be clear on our target market. Trying to serve everyone was challenging and yielded no results. Another area we needed to have better planning was knowing our mission, vision and purpose. We didn’t have a real vision for our company and it was evident. We also needed to get clear on our numbers-financials, operation costs, and clear goals to achieve. Finally, branding was missing. We had the logo but not the brand identity. After pivoting many times, we became clear on our target, our goals, financials, and branding, our business started to shift. We are known as the “People’s Space” where you can extend your business while you expand your brand.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One of the first spots we would have to visit is my place of worship at New Beginnings Outreach Ministries International where we have an awesome time weekly with our leaders, Apostle’s Chaun & Kadesha Jenkins. What’s a visit to Columbia without meeting new people who are living super dope lives for God. Next I’d have to take my friend to the local haberdasher of men’s wear, Suit Yourself Fashion, to shop locally for all the men in her life. Oh and we’d have to visit my favorite place to grab a quick nontraditional dessert- Duck Donuts. Who doesn’t love the Maple Bacon Donut that is covered in bacon crumbles. YUMMY! I’d have to call my photographer, Mom’s Plus Photography, owned by Naomi Washington so that she can snap some pictures of us on Main Street downtown Columbia. While downtown Columbia, we’d have visit to a favorite Thai restaurant on Meeting Street, minutes from The State House, called Kao Thai Cuisine. I was introduced to this place by the Founder and Executive Director of The Hive Community Circle, Ashley Thomas, who would also be our guest for dinner along with Faith Davis, Executive Director of The Rose Leaf Foundation, so that we can hear about all of the exciting initiatives in 2022 for both of these nonprofit organizations.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicated my shout out to my husband who has been there with me every step of the way on this entrepreneurial journey. The times I wanted to throw in the towel, he would say, “alright, what’s the plan?”. When I had crazy faith ideas, he pushed me to pursue them. He always steps in when I need an extra hand and cheers me on along the way. Devin Washington gives me the space to think, plan, and act as well as the time to grow personally and professionally.

Website: www.theconverspace.com

Instagram: @iamtamikal & @theconverspace

Facebook: www.facebook.com/theconverspace

Other: We started consulting this year and extended our services through our newest initiative, I Create Your Brand, where we help entrepreneurs expand their digital footprint through business and digital marketing services. We offer masterclasses, have a few ebooks published, and will be launching our VIP services to assist our clients with growing their brand. Our website is www.icreateyourbrand.com.

Image Credits
Mom’s Plus Photography Devin Washington Photography Visions Made Plain

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