Meet Tosha Wilson-Davis of Penciled IN Resume Writing & Career Services in Fort Valley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tosha Wilson-Davis.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in a small town in Middle Georgia called Butler, GA. It only had about 2000 residents, an abundance of farmland and one red light. I had a rocky childhood as my father, a Vietnam Veteran, fell victim to alcoholism during my middle and high school years. So, that was a tough time for me.

However, I was able to push through adversity and graduated from Taylor County High School on May 26, 2000, with a 4.3 GPA and Number 6 of my class. I am the Founder and President of Penciled IN Resume Writing & Career Services, LLC., a full-service career services firm catering to college graduates and entry – mid-level candidates. I opened my business on April 8, 2019, and it has been growing.

Instead of chasing success, I decided to chase excellence and passion. Doing so has led me to a previous federal government career, serving as a college professor for over ten years and now the founder and owner of Penciled IN Resume Writing & Career Services.

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?
This has been one of the toughest journeys that I have embarked on. In May 2019, right after opening my business on April 8, 2019, my father was sent to a mental health facility, and in July 2019, my parents who had been married 38 years decided to divorce. My father has had so many issues, medical and mental which delayed my initial opening of the business. In November 2019, I had emergency surgery and my father had his first amputation ten days later. In January 2020, he had his second amputation. Talk about some major LOWS, I have experienced my fair share. Also, the grueling paperwork to open a legitimate business can be overwhelming and time-consuming. I learned very early in life to use my lows to LIFT me not LIMIT me. I pushed through all of the turmoil and here I am in 2020 standing tall and running a successful resume writing and career services firm.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Penciled IN Resume Writing & Career Services story. Tell us more about the business.
We are a woman-owned, minority-owned, and BBB-accredited small business offering virtual career services. We offer resume and CV revisions and full development for those clients who do not currently have a resume. We also offer cover letter writing, salary negotiation sessions, and mock interviews. The most popular service is our job search services. We offer several packages ranging from 30-day to 90-day job search packages. We search for jobs daily in the client’s career field and prepare cover letters and resumes for those positions they are interested in and the client completes the application process. This takes the time and effort away from the client, and we are able to search and research opportunities on their behalf.

I overcame apprehension and pushed myself to become uncomfortable. It takes that to start a business. I don’t come from rich beginnings or have parents who had good jobs to put me through college. Rather, I worked hard to make good grades in high school and made it my mission to again chase excellence and beat the odds. Doing so, allowed me to receive the HOPE scholarship and other private scholarships to ensure my education was paid for. Of course, I had to also obtain student loans, which I am proud to say have been paid off as of May 6, 2020.

My mother was a homemaker and farther a laborer at a manufacturing company. So, I am happy of the determination I had to step out of my comfort zone and obtain not one but four college degrees and ultimately become an entrepreneur. I wanted to develop a social services approach to the firm where my clients and I develop long-term relationships. This has proved so valuable as I have had 28 of the 48 clients as repeat clients. Showing genuine concern about the clients present and future goals is what sets Penciled IN apart from the competition. I always tell my clients that they are family and the relationship lasts well after they use my services. I was able to send three repeat clients, who were directly impacted by Covid-19, $50 gift cards in April to help during this pandemic. I believe in building a business built on quality rather than quantity. We also offer a loyalty program for repeat clients which have kept them coming back and kept me busy!

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t believe in luck. However, I believe in passion, grit, and motivation. Doing so has led me on a personal and professional mission to be productive and successful. Such passion has given me the opportunity to showcase to others that success is possible no matter where you start. Being from a small town, there were not many opportunities, especially for those who looked like me. Minorities had a tough time even working as cashiers at the local grocery stores. Our high school prom wasn’t integrated until 2001. So, growth wasn’t in the plan for that particular county. With only 2000 residents and abundant farmland, success was a foreign concept for many.

I would say that we have been very fortunate during our first year of service here at Penciled IN. We have gained a respectable clientele from college students to directors of security for a well-know Porche dealership to those who hold Ph.D. degrees. Again, we believe in quality over quantity and treating each client like family, genuinely interested in their career success. We have placed over 26 clients in interviews and 22 have received job offers including myself!

Pricing:

• Resume Review & Revisions $199.95
• Resume Developments (Clients Without a Current Resume) – $229.95
• Mock Interviews (per session) – $200.00/Job Search Services – Starting at $550.00

Contact Info:

• Website: https://penciledin.squarespace.com/
• Phone: 4782077975
• Email: twilson55828@gmail.com
• Instagram: penciledinbytosha

Image Credit:
Janee Ford Photography

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