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

Hi Zollyann, looking back, what do you think was the most difficult decision you’ve had to make?
One of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever made was walking away from my full time career as a teacher to become a full time entrepreneur. When I decided to quit, I didn’t know how I was going to make it. I left with no plan and just my last paycheck and whatever was left in my teacher retirement account. Little did I know a pandemic was going to happen just months after. The most difficult part about it all was not knowing where my next income will come from and trying to figure out how I was going to now survive as a single mother with three children. Starting a business pre-pandemic and with limited funds was frustrating and left me stressed out many nights. But somehow, not having a consistent paycheck made me hungry, it made me smarter, and it became a test of my character. A test to help me become a better version of myself. I now had the flexibility to be as creative as I would like. I wanted to make sure that my children continued to have security, so I started to birth a new mindset. A bulletproof mindset as I like to call it. I started to learn the importance of knowledge, resources, and connections. My parents are from the Caribbean, so I was taught to grow up and go to school, get a good job, pay off my debt, save money and then retire to enjoy my life. But once I shifted my mindset, I started to think and do things differently. I started to spend time educating myself about debt, taxes, entrepreneurship and so many other things. I started to network and build connections with people and most importantly I stopped being afraid and started to trust my potential. Developing a successful mindset is crucial to achieving the level of success you want.

What should our readers know about your business?
I have a lot of labels, but they are just labels. They don’t define me. What defines me is my compassion. Whatever journey or project I embark on must touch my heart. My passion lives within helping people and that is what I get the most excited about and that what I truly believe sets me apart from others. Since resigning from my full-time teaching career, I’ve gone on to publish two self-help books and three children’s books, which includes the Best Selling Title “My Momma’s Glasses” which can be found on Amazon and Barnes and Nobles officially claiming my “label” as Writer.

I’ve also launched a Fashion Brand called BAE & CO. where I provided women of all shapes and sizes with trendy fashion finds and high luxury dresses at an affordable price. While running my fashion brand, my passion for teaching and helping was still growing and inspired me to Relaunch my daycare center ZAM Learning Academy by transforming it into Preschool to K-2 In-Home Learning and Enrichment Learning Academy. At ZAM Learning Academy we strive to engage Learners, enhance academic skills and make learning fun.

The amazing part about running all these businesses is that I use a portion of the profits to help fund my non-profit organization Bae & Co. Gives Back where I help supply children with school supplies, holiday toys, supporting other entrepreneurs’s dreams, or simply giving back to underserved communities. One of my favorite projects of them all is Zee’s Virtual Library, which is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age eight, no matter their family’s income. We’ve provided over 400 books to children across the country and in Cape Town South Africa. My goal in life is to make sure I can continue pouring into communities that have poured into my success and to continue providing as much as I can for those less fortunate.

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’m big on downtown Atlanta. There’s so much culture and creativity that you can explore. I think some of the most exciting places for people to visit is of course the Georgia Aquarium. I enjoyed taking trips to the T.I Trap Museum and of course you can’t forget to check out the Birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. That has been one of my favorite places to learn about my history. And if you’re big on journalism like I am, then getting a tour of the CNN Studios is definitely a must. There’s also tons of food places and spots to check out and enjoy. Trap Place ATL is one of my favorite food spots!

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?
There are so many people that contribute to my success. My mother and of course my children will always be my biggest support system but thinking all the way back to high school, having teachers like my English Teacher Ms. Bigham, who was more than just an educator, she was a mentor, an inspiration, a confidant, she exposed me to so many different possibilities and opportunities in high school that I am grateful for. Then fast forward to college, having a professor like Mrs. Demillo who encouraged me to write more, which led me to falling back in love with writing and exploring my creative site, she really helped me step outside of the box with my creativity and encouraged me to start my very first blog back in 2011. Then there was Professor Doug. He encouraged me one year to attend a retreat off campus. During the retreat we did an activity where we were asked to find a quiet space, meditate, and write a letter to ourselves saying anything we’d like and were instructed not to open that letter until we felt like we needed a reason to keep us going. I didn’t open the letter until years later in my adult life after I became a teacher. Every year since then I would write a letter to myself and put it away in an envelope and would open it whenever I needed some motivation or inspiration. That letter was the reason behind me creating my list of 30 before 30 goals that led me to becoming an Author and Entrepreneur. That letter is the reason why I found the courage to do everything that I am doing today. Still to this day, I think of Professor Doug inviting me to that retreat and I am very grateful for that experience.

Website: https://linktr.ee/bossbabemove

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/zoll_inreallife

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

Other: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-zees-virtual-library?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer

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