Today we’d like to introduce you to Moniqueca Sims.
Hi Moniqueca, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve known since I was young that I wanted to be an entrepreneur. It was never just about the money, it was about freedom. My real love is acting. I could act for free, and I’d be happy doing it. But I also knew that I didn’t want to rely on it to pay my bills. That’s why, at 19, I started my first business. Since then, I’ve been trying different ventures, learning, failing, growing, and trying again.
Things took a turn when I was 28. That’s when my mom passed away. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I fell into a depression that lasted ten years. I was still working, holding down jobs, moving through life, but the fire, the ambition, it wasn’t there. I only discovered that I had been grieving all those years when I finally went to therapy. My therapist helped me trace it all back to that moment when my mother died, and so did a part of me.
I always say I’m ten years behind, but the truth is, I was still moving forward, even if it didn’t feel like it. After therapy, after doing the inner work, I slowly began to rebuild. I started to believe in myself again. That ambition I thought I’d lost, it came back.
Like any true entrepreneur, I’ve had more businesses fail than succeed. But failure only happens when you quit and I never quit.
In 2017, I managed the business side of my uncle’s seven McDonald’s restaurants when he decided to sell. I had to pivot. Around that time, a I wanted to help my friend with his appliance repair company. I wanted to grow his team and take pressure off him, but he never slowed down. Suddenly, I had technicians but no guidance and the ones I hired didn’t know what they were doing.
That’s when I realized: the appliance repair industry was facing a serious gap. It was like finding a unicorn to find someone that knew how to repair appliances. So I decided to create the solution, I would open a school and train technicians myself.
The more I worked in the field, the more I saw how empowering this work could be. Every time you fix something, you leave feeling a little stronger, a little more capable. It was a gift that kept on giving. And I started thinking about how this could impact women, especially women coming out of hard situations: domestic violence survivors, single mothers, women trying to rebuild their lives.
I didn’t want to just give them a job skill. I wanted to give them a way forward. So, I partnered with women’s shelters and programs to reach women in need. But I knew that wasn’t enough. I wasn’t teaching the classes myself, but I wanted to give something of deeper value. Something that helped me on my own journey.
At a Wonder Woman Weekend with Iyanla Vanzant, She said, “If you don’t call anybody I told you to call, call and get your heart wall cleared. I started working doing emotional release work for a few years and had watched my life transform through it. So I decided to get certified, to learn the method myself. Now, I offer emotional healing sessions to the students at my school completely free of charge.
Because healing matters. You can’t build a new life on a foundation that’s still cracked. So I help these women rebuild on the inside and out. I give them a trade. I give them a skill. And I offer them healing, just like I needed myself.
This journey has been far from easy. But every part of it every twist, every loss, every breakthrough has led me here. And here is exactly where I’m meant to be.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all! The road has been anything but smooth. It’s been filled with roadblocks, detours, and hard lessons. Starting SSG Appliance Academy has been one of the most challenging and rewarding journeys of my life. Building a business in a male-dominated industry came with its own set of unique obstacles. From the very beginning, I felt like I had to constantly prove myself, not just as a business owner, but as a woman who could hold her own in the technical world of appliance repair.
One of the biggest hurdles was funding. My school is completely self-funded, no investors, no big grants, just my own belief and commitment. It took years of persistence to even become qualified to accept grants for students. And even after clearing all the red tape and finally getting approved by the State, I learned the hard way that funding availability is scarce and often inconsistent. Finding reliable funding sources has been one of the most ongoing and draining challenges.
Another struggle has been encouraging women to even consider appliance repair as a viable path. Getting them to believe in themselves to see themselves as capable of learning and excelling in this trade has not been easy. But I’ve found that when I go out and recruit alongside one of my female graduates, we can break through those mental barriers. Because we’re relatable, because we’ve walked the walk, they start to see that maybe they can too.
The school has had plenty of ups and downs. During the first few years, everyone got paid except me. I poured more money into this school than any other business venture I attempted. Some days, it felt like I was riding a roller coaster, and I couldn’t get off. But through the highs and the lows, my vision has never changed: to create opportunities, to open doors, and to train the next generation of skilled appliance repair technicians, especially those who’ve been overlooked or underestimated.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about SSG Appliance Academy?
SSG Appliance Academy is a hands-on training school designed to teach individuals the skills needed to succeed in the appliance repair industry. We specialize in fast-track, real-world education, no fluff and no wasted time. Our program focuses on both Basic Appliance Repair and Refrigeration Sealed Systems, preparing students to walk into entry-level positions or even start their own businesses.
What truly sets us apart is who we serve and how we serve them. We’re not just a school, we’re a second chance, a new beginning, and a launching pad for people who may have never seen this path as an option. Our students come from all walks of life: former CDL drivers, HVAC techs, people looking to start over, and even individuals who’ve felt overlooked or counted out. We believe in training the underdog and helping them win.
We’re also proud to be breaking barriers, especially for women. As a woman in a male-dominated field, it means everything to me to show other women that they have a place in this trade. It’s not just talk, we actively go out into the community to recruit women and ensure they know they are welcome, capable, and needed.
I’m most proud that we’ve built this from the ground up, with no investors, no shortcuts, and no handouts. Thanks to the work we’ve done behind the scenes to meet state requirements, our students can now apply for grants, but this school was built with pure grit and passion.
Our brand is about empowerment, excellence, and opportunity. When someone comes to SSG Appliance Academy, they’re not just getting trained, they’re joining a family that’s going to support them, challenge them, and cheer them on. Whether you’re looking to change careers, start a business, or gain a skill that will always be in demand, we’re here to help you make it happen.
How do you think about happiness?
What makes me happiest is seeing people win, especially the ones who didn’t think they could. When a student walks into SSG Appliance Academy unsure of themselves, maybe doubting whether they’re smart enough or capable enough, and then leave with skills, confidence, and a job offer, that’s what lights me up. Watching someone go from surviving to thriving because of something I helped build is a joy I can’t even describe.
I’m also happiest when I see women stepping into roles they never imagined for themselves, breaking stereotypes, and realizing they belong in this space just as much as anyone else. That’s personal for me, because I know what it feels like to be overlooked or underestimated. So every time we help someone rewrite their story, it reminds me why I started this.
At the end of the day, I’m happiest knowing I’m walking in my purpose and creating something bigger than myself, something that changes lives.
Pricing:
- $2750.00
- $1550.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ssgapplianceacademy.com/
- Instagram: @ssgapplianceacademy
- Facebook: @ssgapplianceacademy
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssg-appliance-academy-429b19238
- Youtube: @ssgapplianceacademy1549
