Meet Bisa Lewis | Dr. Bisa, Early Education Curriculum Developer | Professional Development Specialist & Speaker

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

Hi Bisa, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
My work-life balance has improved with the progression of technology; while, social media has increased my need for more business support. I used to perform most daily business duties myself, but no longer try to do so. I’ve learned to focus on what I do professionally, and delegate to others activities they do well.

I’ve mostly thought about work-life balance as a parent. As my sons grew up, my thoughts about work-life balance changed along the way. When they were younger, it was important for me to work a job with a traditional schedule – evenings and weekends off to spend quality, attentive time with them and be present for their extracurricular activities. As they got older and more independent, I was able to increase my entrepreneurial endeavors.

My thoughts about work-life balance changed as my sons went off to college. These days, I think of self-care more and make a conscious effort to press the stop button each day. I love what I do and can literally spend all day on the computer. So, paying more attention to myself and what my body needs has become the focus of balancing my life and work.

What should our readers know about your business?
I have three businesses. Ideal Early Learning, LLC and WINGS Curriculum, LLC are my for-profit entities. Dr. Bisa Foundation is my nonprofit organization.

Ideal Early Learning, LLC: All the consulting work I do is under the auspice of Ideal Early Learning, LLC – a service company devoted to providing quality technical assistance and professional development opportunities for early childhood programs, school districts and elementary schools (birth through third grade + high school Career and Technical Education programs seeking to implement the national Child Development Associate – CDA program). In a nutshell, Ideal Early Learning, LLC provides professional development, coaching and resources for educators of society’s youngest learners.

WINGS Curriculum, LLC: WINGS Curriculum, LLC is my publishing company offering a comprehensive learning system designed to guide early educators in effectively organizing and implementing developmentally and culturally appropriate practices based on the interests, needs and skill levels of children from infancy through age 5. WINGS Curriculum provides daily activity schedules, learning environment tips, assessment tools, fillable and printable forms, plus lesson plans for the entire year for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers-pre-k. Lesson plan guides are available for each of the age groups. In addition, early educators have access to electronic versions of the forms and lesson plans inclusive of live web links to additional resources through MyWINGS – our online resource center.

After publishing children’s books through traditional publishers since 2004, I recently started publishing through WINGS Curriculum. This process has enabled me to incorporate my own vision for illustrations, as well as keep more accurate records of sales, profit, ratings and overall progress. In May 2022, I relaunched my first children’s book How Flowers Get Their Colors with new illustrations, along with a coloring book and activity guide to extend the learning of academic key concepts.
Learn more at https://www.wingscurriculum.com/

Dr. Bisa Foundation: After years of making personal donations, giving away products, and providing complimentary services, my accountant recommended I start a nonprofit for my philanthropic efforts. Dr. Bisa Foundation was launched in 2013 as a 501(c)(3) public non-profit organization for this very purpose. The mission of the Dr. Bisa Foundation is to support current and prospective educators to engage in quality professional development and small-business aspirants to develop profit-level brands. We have three focus areas:
Entrepreneurship
Early Childhood Education
Higher Education
We raise funds to:
Provide business development workshops and resources for current and prospective entrepreneurs.
Provide complimentary curriculum to child care providers.
Offer college scholarships to future early educators.

Learn more at https://www.drbisa.com/foundation.

What sets me and my businesses apart from others is my range of professional experiences in education. I have worked in almost every sector of education and with every age group – from preschool to college, as well as with professionals at all levels of the workforce. My work and publications are rooted in experiential concepts and not just research. The practices I recommend and strategies I publish are tried and tested, which is what makes me most proud brand wise. Best of all, I work with integrity as my guiding principle, in all that I do.

My overall career goal now is to show fellow educators, at all levels and in all industries, how to increase earning potential using their superpowers.

One of my challenges was waiting for technology to catch up with my business and product goals. While a variety of software has existed and progressed over time in certain industries, the primary technology I wanted to increase access for and engagement with my clients wasn’t readily available for the public, or the cost was not economically sustainable for small businesses. Cloud computing enabled my companies to move beyond CD-ROMs and single-functioning subscription software to more advanced applications, improving user experiences.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love to experience different cultures, so my itinerary would be pretty eclectic. I’d start with food, weave in entertainment, and end with relaxation. On my list would include:

Food & Entertainment:
Atlanta Breakfast Club
Desta Ethiopian Kitchen
Fox Theatre
Gocha’s Breakfast Bar
Afternoon Tea at The St. Regis Atlanta
The Bermuda Bar
Pasha Restaurant and Bar
Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint
Thumbs Up Diner
The Battery Atlanta
Colony Square & Politan Row
Ponce City Market, including The Roof
The Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View

Tours & Historical Experiences:
Atlanta Botanical Garden
CNN Center
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park
National Center for Civil and Human Rights
Atlanta University (AU) Center – historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs): Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morehouse College, and the Morehouse School of Medicine
Sweet Auburn Avenue

Rest & Relaxation:
Chateau Elan Winery & Resort – wine tasting, music and drinks in the lounge, spa…
JeJu Sauna & Home of Wellbeing

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to all the educators in my life – from preschool through college! While my greatest influence in business has been my mom, who encouraged my sister and me to be innovative by building an above average life and career, it was my teachers who showed me how – both personally and professionally.

In preschool, I had the pleasure of attending The Land of Little People owned and operated by Ms. Daniels in my hometown Albany, Georgia. It was a very small building filled with a lot of love and positivity. At 50 years old, I still remember how well Ms. Daniels treated us, how caringly she fed us, and how attending her school felt like home. This experience taught me the importance of treating the youngest of people with love and respect. Every individual matters, no matter their age, income or status.

In elementary school, my fourth grade teacher Ms. Laura Carter and fifth grade teacher Mrs. Patricia Gilbert showed me I was special, long before I realized it. They treated me as if they saw something in me and wanted to nurture it. In sixth grade, which was our last year in middle school during the 80s, my sixth grade English teacher Ms. Darol McGhee taught me the importance of integrity and respect. I watched how she interacted with the other teachers and valued us as students. I learned to be respectfully steadfast in my professional endeavors and exchanges, after watching Ms. McGhee stand up for us, long before we knew what racism was.

It was my seventh grade English teacher Mrs. Minnie Suttles who piqued my interest in writing and speaking. After I recited a poem by Sojourner Truth for an assignment, she had me repeat the performance for several teachers and classes on our hall. She also gasped over my essays and poems. It was in her and Ms. Patricia Alford’s class when I learned my talents include writing and speaking.

This treatment continued in high school with Mrs. Anita Tunstall, Mrs. Valerie Overstreet, Mrs. Willa Menefee, and Mrs. Gloria Roberts. These Black women were known to be ‘tough as nails’ and extremely serious about the subjects they taught. Each of them took a special interest in me as a student. Whether it was solely assigning me to complete an important task or inviting me to participate in extracurricular activities, I was able to spend individual time with these stellar educators witnessing behaviors that would later influence my treatment of others, family choices, postsecondary education and parenting.

My experiences with educators at the college level only got better! I took Ms. Yolanda Penn’s English class in freshman year. She assigned me to the writing lab each week to improve the sophistication of my sentences. By this time, I thought I was already a good writer; but, she showed me I had more to learn. I am so thankful for her investment in the gift that has become my primary source of income as an educator, entrepreneur and nonprofit leader.

Once I decided on early childhood education (ECE) as a major, after changing four times, I was blessed to take Mrs. Denise Burson’s education literature course, during which she would share examples of how she utilized her knowledge and expertise to earn income outside of the classroom. For instance, she worked as a consultant for a well-known education publishing company. My ears perked up whenever she’d share these examples with us. Eventually, she hired me as her workshop assistant. I soaked up every lesson from our work together and recall her telling me to “never change”, after complimenting me on my genuine spirit and bubbly personality.

I could go on thanking educators who have affected and supported my career trajectory, as well as my life choices, but I’ll stop here. As I share in the dedication of my bestseller, The PAID Educator: 10 Professional Ways to Supplement Your Teaching Salary, I am thankful for every educator who recognized my flicker. I yearn for the day when society will recognize and respect the value of educators at all levels.

Website: https://www.drbisa.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbisa/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbisa/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBisa

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrBisa

Other: https://www.mywingsonline.com/

Image Credits
Headshot by Overstreet Media Studios Conference presentation: Council for Professional Recognition