Today we’d like to introduce you to Sharika Cropper.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Sharika. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been very passionate about writing. I use to write everything from poems to short stories to raps (yeah, that’s certainly a topic for a different day… lol). In high school, I was actually the student who looked forward to writing assignments. I’ve always been intrigued by the fact that writing is one of the most important forms of communication but yet so many people hate doing it. I absolutely love writing. I also love helping people so about twelve years ago, I decided to combine both of the things that I love doing and unbeknownst to me at the time, The Sophisticated Writer was born.
My family and friends knew that I could write, so when they needed cover letters and resumes to apply to jobs, they would always come to me for assistance. I started focusing on how to effectively write those documents, studying the best formats to use for different fields and researching the best keywords to use to catch the reader’s attention. I was shocked at the amount of positive feedback I was receiving. I had always created my own cover letters and resumes to land the jobs I desired but to be able to do that for others was certainly mind-blowing.
I found so much enjoyment in it that I provided that type of writing/career service for free for about nine years. About three years ago, after finally listening to my mom, I started a business and I am so happy that I did. To date, I have used my writing skills and inside hiring knowledge from Corporate America to help hundreds of people get jobs, land promotions or switch careers altogether. I recently became inspired by a post on Facebook from Ashley Massengill- a successful online course creator. After reading her post, I instantly knew that an online course for my business would allow me to reach even more clients and in many new innovative ways. For years I have been working with clients 1:1, which has limited my ability to reach the masses but now with my course, Secure The Career, Sis (https://securethecareersis.teachable.com), there’s no limit in how many women I can help and empower on a professional level.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Honestly, it’s been a pretty smooth road so far and I am very thankful for that. My husband is also a business owner so having his guidance, reassurance and support has been a tremendous blessing to me. My biggest struggle thus far, as I previously mentioned, has been the amount of clients that I’ve been able to take on at one given time. I offer my clients a very personalized and customized experience and I’ve never jeopardized that just to take on more clients. The flip side of that has been losing potential clients because of being booked. Now, with the creation of my course, I won’t have those issues and I will still offer the same quality of work as I always have.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Sophisticated Writer story. Tell us more about the business.
The Sophisticated Writer provides a wide range of career services from writing cover letters and resumes to preparing clients for interviews to helping them navigate through salary negations. My business is unique because of a few reasons that I would like to highlight.
1. I provide my clients with all the tools and resources that I have personally used to accelerate my own career. I’ve been in Corporate America for the past 5 1/2 Years and to date, I’ve received 21 awards, two nominations for prestigious awards, been selected as a career spotlight out of 200,000 employees, received four promotions, held five titles and moved up five pay grades all without holding a college degree!! So I know that if I can accomplish all of that, my clients can too.
2. I have held roles within my career, where I have been responsible for hiring employees. I share exclusive information with my clients that I have gained from “behind the scenes.”
3. My client’s success is of the upmost importance to me. I work very hard to ensure my clients are equipped with all of the tools needed to accomplish whatever their professional goals are.
4. I am known for motivating others beyond my business! I love to see others win and always strive to have a positive impact on the lives of others.
Every single time a client calls or messages me or writes a review about how working with me led them to landing their dream job, I feel proud and accomplished because after all, that’s why I’m in business. In addition to my client’s success stories, one of the most surreal moments I’ve had in business so far is when I was hired by Salisbury University to teach a series of online career readiness workshops. That moment and the opportunity really proved to me that my services are needed and on a much bigger scale than I originally imagined. Shout out Cieara Revels for that opportunity! I am forever grateful and indebted to her for taking a chance on my business, which was fairly new at the time, and allowing me to do something I had never even imagined.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
No luck, just lessons and blessings! I don’t think that luck has played a role in my life or in my business. I contribute everything that I have experienced, whether good or bad, to either one of two things- a lesson or a blessing. For the good that has occurred in my life, God saw fit that it was my time and so his favor was given to me. For the bad that has occurred in my life, there was something that I needed to learn at the time and so, I had to go through whatever trial or tribulation that came my way.
Pricing:
- Course Option : $397- One Time Payment
- Course Option : 4 monthly payments of $136- Payment Plan
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thesrw.com
- Email: info@thesrw.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophisticatedresumewriter/
- Other: https://securethecareersis.teachable.com/
Image Credit:
Logo and Custom Illustration: Fashionlistically Speaking (https://www.facebook.com/FashionlisticallySpeaking/)
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