We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Burnetta (Bee) Thomas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Burnetta (Bee), can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
In 2012 I was a part-time entrepreneur. I was dipping my toes deeper into the entrepreneurial water and experiencing the multiple failures and successes that come with stepping into the role of an entrepreneur. I considered myself a part-time entrepreneur because I was working multiple jobs when I started my very first company. By 2012 I had been playing around in the world of business for 5 years, I didn’t know what I was doing at that point, but I knew if I kept going, making adjustments, I would eventually see real success. True business success in my early entrepreneurial path meant working exclusively for myself, paying myself, and sustaining myself. I have finally gotten to that level of success and beyond.

What should our readers know about your business?

In 2012, while in my doctoral program, I started exploring the behaviors and traits that led companies to succeed. Why were Black women starting businesses? What were their thoughts on success and failure? The more I studied the literature concerning the topics of entrepreneurs within America—African American entrepreneur experience, woman entrepreneurs, and African American woman entrepreneurs—the more I became fascinated with the ideal mindset for business success.

There are lots of obstacles in our path along the way that we experience as females and as black female business owners. The issue of racism, there is an issue of not being taken seriously in business as a female, especially as a young female business owner. Again, not being taken seriously is one of the challenges for African American women. Not being able to secure monies, maybe because of my race. The difficulty in obtaining a loan is the reason I saved my own capital for my second business venture.

Dr. Bee outlines.… “In 2020 I published a book called: Expect F*cking More, The 5 Keys to Business Success for African American Women Business Owners. This book was birthed from a need to share what I learned about business success from the AAWBOs I interviewed in 2012, and nuggets of wisdom from my own entrepreneurial journey, which validates the research over and over. There are five keys to business success for AAW entrepreneurs. Within my book, I introduce the reader to these keys, which are mindset, defining, developing, financing, and networking. I have also published a 5-week business success course, which offers AAWBOs more support to expand their business knowledge of the five keys to business success and connects them with my private business support groups.

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.

I would show them the Portside Pier of the Harbor near me, with its Big Boats and Submarine. We would walk late in the evening to enjoy the quietness of the place. We can eat at one of my favorite restaurants, the Brigantine for Oysters. This place is very popular.

I would take them to a place called Little Italy and we would explore the activities and restaurants in the area.

I would take them to the Coronado hotel, the meditation garden in Encinitas, and the beachfront in Carlsbad.

We would check out the Star of India a Maritime Museum and learn more about its history.

Take some great photos and create memories at a beautiful spot called Sunset Cliffs.

Eat plenty of Tacos and Tacos and Tacos.

We can also have a great walk in my historic neighborhood and practice our Spanish-speaking skills with my lovely neighbors. And of course, we can visit a cannabis dispensary because cannabis is legal here.

There is so much to do, they would need more than a week.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

I would like to give a shoutout to both of my parents Craig and Cynthia Hedgley. They are my biggest supporters and best friends.

Website: https://www.drbeethomas.com/book#headline-70528

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbeespeaks/?hl=en

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/goddessmooneth

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bee.thomas333

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrBeeSpeaks/videos

Other: Business Education Website: https://expectfckingmore.com/courses Licensing Website: https://www.expectmoretraining.com/licensing-register VIP Consulting: https://www.drbeethomas.com/applyvip

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