Today we’d like to introduce you to Tameka Williamson.
Tameka, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
As a first-generation college student, I had to figure out how to bring my engineering dreams to fruition. It was later revealed to me that my knowledge could benefit other families. This is when I transformed a guide developed for a community outreach initiative into my first book, The Road to Success: A College Planning and Preparation Guide. I thought I could just publish the book, it would sell, be hugely successful and that would be it; although Dr. Dennis Kimbro told me I would need to do more. That was not the case. Although families needed the information, they didn’t want it in a book only. My initial goal was to educate families on the process of college admissions and financial aid so they could properly prepare and have a road-map to follow. Thankfully, I listened to the needs of the people, expanded the messaging and didn’t give up. The book has now evolved into a platform and movement focused on crushing college debt and educating families on how to do college for free. As a result, we’ve been able to help families garner over $5 Million in scholarships via our products, workshops, and coaching services and send their kids to college for free. Ultimately, we are tackling the $1.5 Trillion student loan debt crisis one family, speech and workshop at a time.
For this reason, my training & development company has always included the educational component. So, when I say my company focuses on developing and building progressive and high-performing leaders and teams for today’smarketplace, it includes college and career readiness of our youth. We must build a new generation of resilient and transformational leaders at all levels. This is how we can level up the next generation, our community, and country.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth road, what a hilarious thought. Smooth airways will never create a skilled pilot. It’s the turbulence in life that builds our mental, educational, and faith muscles. When I first published my book, it was during my first layoff. That was my first time in life being without a job. So, my faith was tested on so many levels, as I had a house, major responsibilities and it was during the market crash in 2009. I ended up being unemployed for 18 months. But God! Because of my obedience and trust in Him, He gave the provision needed to get through those trying times. After going back to work and taking a $30k pay cut, I was laid off again. This time, I didn’t have the nice severance package and large savings account. Here I was, two layoffs within three years, not fully recovered from the first layoff trying to figure out next steps. On top of being jobless, I ended up “homeless” because the owners of the townhouse I was renting let it go into foreclosure while taking my money. This forced me to reevaluate, reset and restart life again, but on my terms. I made a conscious decision to not return to Corporate America, but take what I learned and leverage it to build my empire. It started with small training classes and an adjunct professor role; that has now grown to me living on an airplane 80% of the year going around the world training professionals and speaking to youth. This journey allowed me to discover my love and passion for training, educating and developing others.
As a result of my grind, self-investment, and relationship currency, I get to travel the world doing what I love; while, adding value at the same time. There are still struggles along the way, but I remember to trust the character of God and reflect on all He has brought me through and promised me. So, I look for the opportunities in life and see how I can use them to empower and encourage others. No pain, no gain! Go big or go home is how I choose to live life. You can’t grow without encountering growing pains. It’s all part of your process. You must ask yourself, how bad do you want it. If you take a shortcut, expect to receive a smaller payoff. Besides, nobody wants a half-baked cake.
College for Free – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Celestial & Associates focuses on building, developing and educating high performing leaders and teams one speech, training and coaching at a time. This is facilitated through two arms: Corporate/Professional Development and Educational Development.
As an engineer by trade skilled at managing projects and process efficiency, I am a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (LSSBB). I’ve been trained to solve problems and make things run, operate and be better. So, I’m in the business of re-engineering things. This is conducted through training classes focusing on leadership, problem-solving, project management, PMP, and Six Sigma certification. Because PMP is a high demand certification, it keeps me busy. Especially since my passion resonates in my class delivery, resulting in a 95% first-time pass rate.
Under the Educational Development arm, I have the College for Free platform. It is an extension of the best-selling book, Parents: Send Your Child to College for Free. The book hit #1 on Amazon’s best-sellers list and I was a 2018 finalist for IALA’s Author of the Year – Education. My greatest joy is connecting families to opportunities that allow them to send their kids to college for free and amass over $5 Million in scholarships. Along with working with families directly, there are strategic partnerships and collaborations in place with various prominent organizations where I serve as their resident expert and college coach.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Hmmm, proudest moment is not something I think about. I’m always focused on how God can use me to add value, be the answer to a family or a professional’s prayers, or share a strategy that makes a person’s dream a reality. Now, it does warm my heart when people share how I’ve inspired, helped or encouraged them because the journey has not been easy. But, it is one I would say is and has been worth it. The idea of helping at least one person, tells me my life has not and will not be in vain. My goal is to live a life of significance, giving a gift that keeps giving to other generations, even after I leave this earth. God has blessed me with this gift and it’s my job to share it.
Pricing:
- College for Free Book Bundle $35
- College for Free Essay Writing & Critique $197
- 5 Steps for Finding Scholarships – FREE (CrushCollegeDebt.com)
Contact Info:
- Address: National College Resources Foundation/College for Free
100 Hartsfield Center Parkway, Ste 500
Atlanta, GA 30354 - Website: www.crushcollegedebt.
com - Phone: 678.459.4552
- Email: booking@
tamekawilliamson.com - Instagram: @iamcoachtwill
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/
college4free - Twitter: @Iamcoachtwill
- Other: www.tamekawilliamson.
com
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