Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Taylor Willis.
Michelle Taylor Willis is a Florida native who began her career as a sales representative in the plumbing industry after graduating from the University of Florida. She set her sights higher and aspired to be a medical device or pharmaceutical sales representative. In order to obtain one of those jobs, she needed to gain business to business (B2B) experience, so she worked her way up the corporate ladder to Johnson and Johnson. Ultimately, being an entrepreneur was her main goal.
Willis is part of a legacy of entrepreneurs, which includes her parents and grandparents. Her paternal grandfather was one of the first Black contractors for JCPenney in Minneapolis, while her maternal grandfather owned one of the first Black businesses – a car detailing shop – in Mobile, Alabama.
Throughout Michelle’s career in corporate sales, she had many side hustles including a resume writing business, and a pharmaceutical sales consulting company. After the birth of her fourth child, Michelle decided to leave the corporate world and pursue entrepreneurship full-time through her medical consultant company, HR Synergies, LLC. Her consultant company’s success afforded her the opportunity to purchase South Fulton Lifestyle Magazine, a monthly publication created exclusively for the residents living in the county of South Fulton, Georgia.
Willis saw a need to share the great stories happening in and out of South Fulton and trademarked “SoFu,” which refers to the eight cities that make up South Fulton county. She now highlights movers and shakers in and around Atlanta through her weekly radio and television shows, “According to Michelle.”
Willis is an award-winning speaker, media personality, author and entrepreneur. She recently published an electronic book on Amazon, Raising Signifcance, A Guide to Raising Independent, Well-rounded and Confident Kids, which gives parents basic fundamentals they can insitll in their childrent to lead them to significance. The hardcover edition will be released at the end of September. Willis is also the creator of the Moms All In® Conference for woman entrepreneurs and executives.
She has been recognized by the South Fulton Chamber of Commerce as “Outstanding Businessperson of the Year” in 2017 and “Small Business of the Year” in 2016. She has been honored as one of the “Top 100 Influential Women in Georgia and Atlanta” numerous times by various organizations and as one of the “Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Georgia.” She recently was named “Top 25 Most Extraordinary Atlantans” by the Atlanta Business Journal and South Fulton Lifestyle Magazine has been named “Publication of the Year” two times in a row.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Yes, I’d say my road has been relatively smooth. Honestly, if you compare what I’ve been through to what a lot of people have endured, my journey’s been really good!
The walls I’ve hit are really around not managing my resources effectively, mainly people and money. I mean that in the past, I did not save in my business like I would save personally. You save personally, right? Your business needs a savings, too! Things like not paying myself. This is ok in the beginning, but you shouldn’t run a business for an extended period of time and not draw a check. Even when you run your own business, you want to be valuable enough to get paid! Also, I would not get help and hire people when I should have, and I tried to do everything on my own. This is a no-no. Again, in the beginning, you’re the janitor, the social media guy, the HR guy, I get it. But at some point, you have to start scaling and hiring people to do jobs that you’re not equipped to do. This goes back to planning. With a solid business plan and budget BEFORE you open your business, you’ll know what it will cost to bring these people on board, and you’ll know how to navigate and afford to be able to bring them in when it’s time. Luckily, I’ve never had to file for bankruptcy or had any major life experiences that have destroyed me. Outside of pulling my hair out and robbing Peter to pay Paul, I’ve had a pretty good ride. It’s crazy because all the things I train people to do now I really didn’t get right until later in my entrepreneurial career.
We’d love to hear more about the business.
MTW Enterprises is a boutique business empowerment and speaking firm that provides business coaching for woman entrepreneurs who have dreamed of business ownership or want to further their existing business. Through MTW Enterprises, Michelle speaks and travels around the nation hosting events. She delivers keynote addresses, provides sales training on development, mindset, entrepreneurship as well as coaching for moms and entrepreneurs.
Overall, Michelle considers herself a master strategist who likes to connect with others. “Strategy is my thing, and most of what I do is built around strategic thinking and placing. When I’m coaching someone, I can listen and see where they are, identify the need and build a strategic plan around the gaps that they may have in their business. I’m excellent at that.”
Her keen ability to talk along with being a great listener allows others to connect to her easily. That is what she believes sets her apart from others.
“It’s easy for me to listen to somebody, what they do, need and want and be able to package that up for them very nicely and figure out how to move forward in business.”
Additionally, Michelle founded Gagnant Media, which is a media company that allows businesses to get their messages to perspective customers. They do this through print, television, billboard and radio advertising. Gagnant Media encompasses South Fulton Lifestyle Magazine, According to Michelle radio show on Mixx106radio.com, According to Michelle television show on the AIB Network (in Atlanta, Georgia) and billboards around Atlanta.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me is the enemy of significance. For me, success is not a thing. Success is about you, what you’ve accomplished and what you’ve done that makes you feel good. That’s your arriving point. Significance is how you use your success to make everybody else significant. You’re not just empowered; you’re empowering other people to do the same.
The world is in the place it’s in because we have a lot of people who’ve achieved a level of success, but they stop there. They’ve found success, but forget about their significance. They have their two and half kids, white picket fence, $300,000 house, good jobs and they come home and raise their garage door, park and close the garage and go into their house and that’s it. And, that’s okay, but it’s not what you’re here for. You’re not here to go into your garage, close the door and not come out until the next morning. You were made to pull your car into the garage, stand outside, talk to your neighbor and see how you’re going to help them get to where they need to be. That’s significance.
Pricing:
- Magazine advertising starting at $525 a month
- Television advertising starting at $750 per spot
- Internet radio advertising starting at $150 a month
- Billboard starting at $900 a month
Contact Info:
- Address: MTW Enteprises, LLC
2275 Marietta Boulevard, N.W.
Suite 270-381
Atlanta, GA 30318 - Website: www.michelletaylorwillis.com
- Phone: 404-520-2957
- Email: michelle@mtwofficial.com
- Instagram: @michelletaylorwillis
- Facebook: @michelletaylorwillis
- Twitter: @michelletwillis
- Other: www.gagnantmedia.com
Image Credit:
Nick Nelson
Triston Willis
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
