We had the good fortune of connecting with Linda Murray Bullard and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Linda, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
In January 2013, I lost my 26-year career at a major healthcare insurance company. I did not want to lose what I learned during those years. I imagined repurposing what I learned to become a resource for small businesses. When testing my idea, I took notice of how people’s eyes would glaze over whenever “business plan” was mentioned.
I had been writing business plans and resumes for my coworkeers for years on that job for free. After losing my job, those became my first offerings. I took a class to learn how to do business well. The organization hired me to write $40 business plans for their graduates. The more I wrote, the more I understood I was undervaluing my worth.
LSMB Business Solutions aims to become a one-stop shop for new or struggling businesses who would like to confidently add technology and the best business practices to their business models.
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I live with the understanding of two very absolute priniciples: Nothing happens without reason. Nothing is ever lost.
With the implementation of the Affordable Healthcare Act (ObamaCare), my position was eliminated. While that sounds bad, it was the best thing to ever happen to me and my family. My niece received life-saving medical treatment using Obamacare at a time when she was unemployed. It literally saved her life. I consider losing my job an adequate trade-off for still having my niece.
I became a mom at the age of 14. With that responsibility, I used to put my age as older so I could work. I didn’t understand it back then, but the jobs I had would become the unique flavor I bring to my business consulting firm. I’ve worked as a maid, short-order cook, waitress, cashier, in 13 various positions in healthcare insurance including a manager, a data analyst at an acute care hospital and part time in the layaway department of Kmart,
My diverse work history helps me to position myself where I can relate to my clients. LSMB Business Solutions help the average person who is working a 9-5, while nurturing a dream to become more in control of their financial status while doing what they enjoy doing to serve others.
My students and a former coach labeled me, “The Business Plug” because I connect business owners and career seekers to solutions that help them to get to their individual successes. I do this through courses, consultations and referrals to reliable resources.
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.
Atlanta is bustling with plenty of things to do, places to go and people to see, so we would most definitely spend some time at Black Wall Street to say hello to my Amore Tea family! Also, visiting a few of my Traffic, Sales & Profit businesses in the ATL would be enough to take up 2-3 days.
When meeting up in Atlanta, I enjoy visiting the King Center, having lunch at OLG and shopping at Lennox Square Mall. Dinner plans for the week must include both Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen or Maggiano’s Little Italy, and then catching an outdoor concert, visiting a cowork space or attending a game are also on the list.
I would call Lamar & Ronnie Tyler of Tyler Media to get that long awaiting tour of their office space. We would visit the Aquarium, take the CNN tour, go through the Coca Cola Bottling Company’s exhibit and then sit down in the Centennial area just to people-watch and take it all in.
Atlanta has so many things to do, a week is barely time enough to do them all.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First, I want to shout out the US Library of Congress who accepted my autobiography, “The Well Ran Dry: Memoirs of a Motherless Child,” in 2013…the year I wrote and self-published it!
I want to shout out Steve Harvey and his “Act Like A Success” team. It was after reading the book and becoming a part of the first School of Business Acceleration group of business hopefuls that became the springboard of my ideas. I drove for 14 hours to meet him and his crew at the first event held in Reston, VA in March of 2015. After that one event, my life changed forever.
He introduced me to amazing people like Patrice Washington, Doreen Rainey, Lisa Nichols, Paul C. Brunson, Denise Hart, and so many others who literally poured into me and others in that private group for 2 years.
Website: https://GetTheBusiness.org
Instagram: www.instagram.com/LSMBBusinessSolutions
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/lsmbbusinesssolutions
Twitter: www.twitter.com/BizLSMB
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LSMBBusinessSolutions
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1VOzNZZwP8oOkrKRDU5zIQ
Other: https://tiktok.com/LindaMurrayBullard1
Image Credits
Images are all property of LSMB Business Solutions