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

Hi Stefany, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I was living paycheck to paycheck while also dealing with serious health issues that prevented me from being able to work continuously. I knew I had to do something that would push me to the next level, despite the circumstances and challenges I faced. That’s when I decided to get involved with credit restoration. I’ve always had a passion for helping others and being a Credit Consultant allowed me the opportunity to help people all across the country increase their credit scores and get approved for homes, cars, etc. However, I was still working a full-time job while providing credit restoration services part-time. The pivotal moment for me came when I was sitting in the parking lot at work, dreading having to go in. I stopped and thought to myself, “It’s time. I can no longer work for someone else’s dream. It’s time to work for my own dream.” So I left my corporate career and began working my credit restoration business full-time.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What sets me apart from other businesses is my authenticity. The business I’m in requires honesty and integrity. Whether I’m providing my clients financial education or healthy living advice, I’m able to genuinely connect with them because of my transparency. I truly care about people and have empathy for their situations and circumstances. This moves me to help everyone I can to reach their fullest potential.

One of the things that gets me excited is being able to assist people with their personal finances and well-being. Most people neglect the two most important parts of their lives, health and finances. It brings me great joy to help my clients get back on the right path. Seeing them reach their fullest potential and live the best quality of life gives me a great sense of accomplishment. On a personal note, leaving my 9 to 5 and starting my own business has given me freedom, serenity and a sense of purpose. I love having the ability to set my own schedule, which allows me to manage my time more effectively and efficiently.

While my circumstances have not always been easy, perseverance and consistency has helped me to meet with great success as an entrepreneur. I’ve had to overcome many challenges, one being my health. Due to the inconsistent nature of my illness, I never know what each day may bring. However, prayer has helped pull me through some very tough moments. A no excuses mentality and constantly reminding myself that giving up is not an option created a fire with in me that made me unstoppable. Also, personal development has been an integral part of my growth. My experiences have taught me that words are very powerful. If you tell yourself you can do something, your mind will believe that you can do it. But the opposite is also true. If you tell yourself you can’t do something, your mind will believe that too. And for that reason, it’s very important to repeat positive affirmations to yourself throughout the day. I’ve also learned that no one can stop you but you. So it’s important to block out the noise and stay focused on accomplishing your goals.

After 15 years of customer service, I clocked out of Corporate America on August of 2018. I decided to take control of my health and my career. I also decided to help people who have that same fight, struggling to make ends meet while battling serious health issues.

Prior to embarking on this path, I had a constant battle with self-doubt. I often questioned my strengths and abilities. When people would make disparaging remarks, this caused me to second guess myself because of my own inner struggle and insecurities. I had to learn to keep the opinions of others in it’s proper place. I started to take advice only from those who wanted to see me win. I also learned to stop telling people what I was going to do and start telling them what I had already accomplished. At this point, life really began to change for me.

I continued to work my full-time job while working as an independent contractor for a Financial Education company. I went from being well-known as “The Credit Diva” to creating my own health & wellness company, Blair Necessities, to recently launching my newest company, 1st Class Credit. During this time, I’ve mentored 30 agents and assisted them with launching their own credit restoration businesses. I’ve helped my clients get approved for new homes and cars by increasing their credit scores. I’ve created a presence for my brand on multiple social media platforms.

One of the things I realized at the beginning of my journey was that health and wealth go hand in hand. I knew if I was going to be successful I had to take care of my health so I would be able to take care of my finances. Because of my constant battle with chronic health issues, I decided to research healthy alternatives to find solutions. I also had to learn that I could not let my illness dictate my success. This led me to create a Facebook group for health & wellness known as Blair Necessities. By means of this community, I’ve been able to help a great deal of people improve their health & wellness.

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 definitely take my friends to Atlantic Beach. It’s always been a favorite of mine, especially around this time of year when the weather is perfect. It’s the perfect time for relaxing, walking barefoot in the sand and dining at the finest restaurants. We’d have to eat at Joe’s Crab shack for lunch and also Azurea. I’d take them to dine at Roy’s at Jacksonville Beach to enjoy Hawaiian cuisine. We’d also have to visit Elliano’s, my favorite coffee shop. TThey have the best coffee and chai tea. We’d visit Stockton Park in Ortega and chat it up by the river. We’d go shopping at the Town’s Center and hit a few restaurants there – J. Alexander and Maggiano’s. We can also visit Bartram Park’s new movie theater and shopping plaza.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have a very strong support system in my family and friends. My husband, Damon Blair, has always encouraged me and supported my business endeavors. He provides the type of support that allows me to focus primarily on my business. My parents, Bobby & Joan Harris have always been extremely supportive, as well. My siblings, Cherella, Bobby and Brian have been very helpful in motivating me and promoting my businesses via social media. My nieces and nephews have also willingly helped me with various tasks.  I’ve had many amazing mentors along the way who saw the value in my vision and gave me the confidence to overcome my fears. These include Sid Scott, Jasmine Chanelle, Rue Gumunyu and Eshanda James Nwamara/Auntie Peaches. I also have a very strong network of friends who are entrepreneurs and we have become accountability partners for each other.  These include Marion & Linora of BeautyByLinora.com, Jonisha of PrimeLushBeauty.com, Quana of Mackollection, Ellexia of The 2SheaLady and Laphney Gaillard of Mysaney Services LLC. Also, the book “The Big Leap” by Gay Hendricks helped me to go beyond my internal limits and take my business to the next level.

Special thanks to Marion & Linora of BeautyByLinora.com for providing me with this awesome opportunity! Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and my businesses. Your friendship and loving support means everything to me. Thank you so much VoyageATL for providing an amazing platform for small business owners to get our names out there. We appreciate all that you do for us.

Website: https://www.1stClass.Credit

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/blairnecessities/

Other: TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMe5L5Wfq/

YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC0iLc61WRSdLJFWGdjQnDTw

Schedule a Consultation: https://calendly.com/stefanyblair

Image Credits
Damon Blair, Joan Harris, Brianne’ Harris

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlana is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.