Today we’d like to introduce you to Shakea Miller.
Hi Shakea, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started from humble beginnings. Born in New Jersey, we moved to Alabama when I was nine years old. I was raised by a hard-working and dedicated single mother along with my two siblings. I attended Booker T. Washington Magnet High School located in Montgomery, AL with a focus in Broadcast Media. In 2008, I graduated from Prattville High School. Odds were against me when my wonderful son was born to me at an early age. There were the naysayers that was looking for me to be a teenage single mother living off the government for the rest of my life. However, I was determined that my son and my future was going to be bright. After giving birth to my son, I attended Alabama State University in Montgomery, AL. Unfortunately, I was not able to complete school at the time, due to needing help with my son as I juggled working 2 jobs, One at a call center and the other as a security guard. Childcare was a major issue for me.
However, instead of being down and out, I dropped out of school and continued working my two jobs. My amazing husband came into my life and helped encouraged me to fight through all of my trials and tribulations. He assisted me with all of my responsibilities to help me elevate in life. Although I did not go back to college, I continue to work. Shortly after we married, we moved to Troy, AL. Unfortunately, six months after our marriage, he lost his job and shortly thereafter, I lost mine as well. I was now only working part-time which caused us not to be able to pay our bills. Not long after this, we became homeless for a short period of time. However, when I was pregnant with my son back in 2009, I applied for section 8. Miraculously, during the time while being homeless is when I finally got approved for Section 8 in 2013. It may have taken four years, but it was right on time. We moved to Tallassee, AL and stayed there for a year. During that time, we got robbed 3 times due to the neighborhood that we lived in. It was after that third time of getting robbed, that I knew I was ready to make a change for my family and myself. So, on this particular day, my husband took us to Huddle House in Auburn, AL.
While sitting there, I picked up the Thrifty Nickle and saw an ad stating that they were hiring a car salesman. After discussing the option of working there with my husband and receiving encouragement that I can do anything that I put my mind to, the decision was made to give it a try. After going and applying, I got the job. It started off at a minimum wage of $7.25 plus commission. Each month I was fighting to make sales. There were months that were good and some months that were not so good. The hours I worked was from 7am – 7pm. In the midst of working day in and day out, it was causing me to miss a lot of time at home with my family. I became ill and find out that I had cancer in 2014. After receiving the diagnosis, and speaking with my husband about what we need to do as far as me working because those long hours were not going to work for me anymore. I had to make a conscious decision about leaving my job and finding something easier. Later on that night, there was an ad on social media for credit repair classes to start your own credit repair business. Showing the ad to my husband, he told me that I would need to purchase a computer or laptop in order to do it. Still working at the car lot, he advised that we could go in half for the purchase of what I would need.
At this time, he was purchasing storage lockers and would resell the items. In this one particular storage that he bought, there was a lot of name brand shoes and clothes that made him a really good profit. One day after coming home from the car lot there sat a brand new computer and a computer desk already put together without me having to go half on it after all. All I had to do was pay to take the course and pay for my exam once I received my next check. I continued to work at the car lot while taking the class. After taking the exam and becoming a Board Certified Credit Repair Specialist, I left the car lot that I was at and went to a more feasible car lot that was more flexible working regular 8-hour shifts where I was able to spend more time with my husband and son. After working there for several months, I decided to put my Credit Repair certification and my Tax Preparer knowledge to good use. While still working at the car lot, I opened my first Tax Preparer and Credit Repair office. There was this government program being offered where they would match my funds that I was saving up to a certain percentage. With the funds that I was saving, money from doing taxes and working at the car lot, we were able to purchase our first food truck which enabled me to leave the car lot. After leaving the car lot, we did the food truck business up until the next tax season. During the 2nd tax season, I did really well and wanted to start another business.
Shortly thereafter, I meet a wonderful lady named Carla Barnett whom brought the idea of opening a staffing agency to the table. She interviewed on March 21, 2016. She stated that she could start on March 23rd since her birthday was on March 22nd which was also my birthday. It was most definitely God’s way of bringing two people together to be a blessing to thousands of families. We started the groundwork for getting the business going. After having plenty of doors closed in our face, we finally landed our first contract in June of 2016. Once we got the first contract and started putting individuals to work, we were blessed to start getting other contracts. Continuing to work on the staffing business throughout 2016, by the time 2017 came along, I was able to open up a 2nd tax office and staffing location in Lagrange, GA. Also, in 2016, I moved forward with the creation of my very own tax software called Empire Tax Software. With my tax software, I was able to start offering tax classes and helping others start their very own tax companies. In 2017, I started my 1st non-profit organization called Fight for Our Children and opened up a Food Pantry. With this, we were able to feed hundreds of children with the summer program for two years.
Through the Food Pantry, we were privileged to help feed thousands of families in the Lee County Alabama Area. After doing that, I meet another individual that gave me information on opening up a drug testing business within my staffing agency. With this new added information, I opened 1 On 1 Wellness Clinic in Lagrange, GA. To add on more services to offer, I ended up taking a body contouring course in Atlanta, GA. While the clinic was up and running, a manufacturing company in Auburn, Al ended up closing down unbeknownst to the employees whom had now become displaced. Our staffing agency was able to employ many of the displayed workers which was reported on various local news outlets. We held a food and clothing drive for those individuals as well. So my mission of all of my businesses was to help give back to my community throughout all the years.
Within the year of 2018, we were offered the opportunity to start staffing for the medical field. We decided that we wanted to offer training in the medical field and tried to open a training center, but was not able to do so. In April of 2019, we ended up moving the clinic to Columbus, GA and it really took off. After the clinic was up and going full force, we decided to get back on opening a healthcare training facility. This gave birth in November 2019 to 1 On 1 Technical College Inc. which is a fast-track institute that allows students to complete courses in the healthcare field anywhere from 6 days to three months. Our first classes started right before the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2020. In March of 2020, we were advised that we would have to shut down due to this unforeseen event. At first, we were a little nervous not knowing what lied ahead. Carla and I decided to work from home and offer the classes online that could be offered online.
In June of that year, we were able to start back having in-house classes. Once we reopened, we had a very high enrollment of students start to come through our doors. The courses that we offer are Clinical Medical Assistant, Medical Administrative Assistant, Medical Billing & Coding, Phlebotomy, Pharmacy Technician, and more. In December 2020, God gave me the idea to open up more locations throughout the State of Alabama. So in 2021, we opened 6 more locations. This year we opened another location and there are still more locations to come. I have other works in the making, but you will have to stay tuned to see what great things God has in store. If it was not for God having his hands all over my family, my staff and myself, I would not be where I am today. I give God all the Praise, all the Glory and All the Honor for what He has and is doing in my life. Lesson, the sky is not the limit, but God is the limit.
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?
Some of the obstacles and challenges that I had to overcome are teenage pregnancy, homelessness, finding out that I had cancer, being terribly betrayed by people that was the closest to me, overcoming depression from multiple miscarriages being used and abused and surviving two heart attacks.
We’ve been impressed with 1 On 1 Technical College Inc., but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am known as a true Entrepreneurial. The business that I would like to focus on for this article is my school. As previously stated, we first started in November 2019. At this time, we currently offer fast-track healthcare courses such as Clinical Medical Assistant, Medical Administrative Assistant, Medical Billing & Coding, Phlebotomy, Pharmacy Technician, Electronic Health Records and more to come. What sets us apart from the rest, is the way we operate as a school. Students are coming into a family-oriented environment. When they finish classes, they are debt-free without having huge student loans hanging over their heads. Our prices are very affordable and we do offer in-house payment options. We offer morning, evening, weekend and online classes to make it easy for students that work and still have to take care of their families. The main thing that sets us apart is that we have a whole clinic on-site where they can see live patients and volunteers for low-income families. We also have our staffing agency on-site as well, that helps our students with Job Placement. This is called 1 On 1 Staffing & Wellness Clinic. Our mission is for individuals who come from all different walks of life and may face obstacles to know that you can do anything that you put your mind to. I am proud of the mission that is behind all of our brands. I believe in being selfless and giving back to my community.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My husband, Earl is my support. He provided very good advice and he helped with labor as needed.
My Mom, Rhonda she has given me a lot of love & encouragement. She is the one that I looked up to for many years while watching her be an entrepreneur herself.
My right hand Carla Barnett. She has been with me through a lot of ups and downs.
Also, all the other staff members that have come and gone that has made this vision possible.
Pricing:
- Clinical Medical Assistant $1,500
- Medical Administrative Assistant $1,300
- Medical Billing & Coding $2,000
- Electronic Health Records $699
Contact Info:
- Website: www.1on1technicalcollege.com
- Facebook: 1 On 1 Technical College Inc.
