Hi everyone! Welcome to “Entrepreneur in the Spotlight”, where I sit down with amazing solopreneurs and have them share their journeys and insights. Today, I’m excited to introduce you to someone truly inspiring -Uconjay Nelson. She’s a powerhouse – not only serving in the military but also dedicated to empowering women to save money. Join me as I dive into her story, uncovering her experiences, perspectives, and the impact of her work in both the military and financial empowerment for women.
Hi Uconjay! What is the name of your business and what motivated you to start it?
Uconjay Financials. At the age of 22, I became a single mom with $30,000 worth of debt. During my journey of paying it off, I realized that a lot of people were in similar situations. The problem was a lot of people were ashamed of reaching out for help because they felt like they should know how to manage their debt properly. Due to this, I decided to create a space where I teach women how to manage their money, get out of debt, and build generational wealth.
Tell me about your mission, and what type of products you offer.
My goal is to teach women how to become that girl financially which entails teaching debt repayment, budget strategies, and credit repair.
I offer one-on-one financial consultations as well as selling saving binders.
What makes you unique from your competitors?
I believe what makes me unique in comparison to my competitors is my ability to relate to real-life situations. I know what is like to be a single parent. I know what it’s like to be the only one in your family that made it. I know what it’s like to be the one breaking generational curses while healing your wounds, I know what all of that is like therefore, my content lands home with a lot more people because they see themselves in my content. I am them and they are me.
As an active duty Sailor, how do you manage to run your business while serving?
Being a culinary specialist and in a leadership role, it can be hard to balance having a military career and being a business owner. What works for me is that while I’m at work I focus on work and while I’m at home I focus on my business. I take advantage of the weekends to interact with potential clients or the ones that I already have who have supported me throughout the week. I also stay up late when I need to get things done. I believe that the same energy required to be successful in the military is the same energy required to have a successful business. Just as I don’t allow excuses in my military life, I also do not allow excuses in my business.
What impact has your business made on your community or the environment?
I believe that my business has given people a roadmap on how to take back their lives and get out of debt. Just recently in February, I challenged my online followers to pay down as much debt as possible. I required that they try to get their debt down to 50% or less than what they owed at the time. As a result, I helped many women pay off $400K worth of debt in 29 days. If that’s not impactful I don’t know what is!
That is amazing Uconjay! Truly impactful indeed! What was the most difficult part of starting and running your business?
I will say the most difficult part of starting and running a business is the imposter syndrome. Feeling like I wasn’t good enough or feeling like people wouldn’t listen to me when I would tell them what to do. Your biggest enemy in life will always be you and starting a business showed me that.
What has been the most rewarding outcome of your business?
The most rewarding part of my business I would say is getting my clients to the point where they’re able to become homeowners because they were able to fix their credit.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Honestly, I have a wild imagination. Anytime I think of something, I just go on Google to see if it’s already been done. If not, that’s where I get to be creative and put my own pizzazz on it.
What do you do when you’re burnt out or unmotivated?
Read my Bible and remind myself that even God rested on the seventh day.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Honestly, I’m not a big fan of trends because they’re so temporary and are impossible to keep up with.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?
Posting on social media every day multiple times a day.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
A couple of years ago, I launched my first financial planner. The planner cost me $3,000 to create. Because I had an editor, I didn’t think to double-check the spelling on the planners and approved it to go to printing without double-checking. This turned into a very expensive lesson. I found out later that the days of the week on every page were misspelled. I was devastated and wanted to give up. But I didn’t. Two years later, I re-launched my planner and this time, I was the editor. I also made it digital just in case some changes needed to be made. This also gave me a chance to get feedback from customers so that when I do decide to create a physical planner again, it’ll be perfect.
Last question. Do you have any advice for the new entrepreneurs out there?
Stay consistent! Anytime you consistently show up or do something repeatedly you have no choice but to eventually be successful at it. Each day is another opportunity to be better than the next day so keep pushing and keep posting!
And that’s a wrap for today’s interview with Uconjay. Make sure to follow Uconjay on her business website, Instagram, and TikTok to stay updated or to book her today. Stay tuned for new blogs coming soon and remember, your dreams are worth chasing. Take care!
About Denesha Smith
Denesha Smith is a SEO freelance writer for small businesses and solopreneurs and is the owner of Denesha Smith -Magical Ink LLC. She’s been featured on Proceedings Magazine, QueenEx Literature, and Gamers Decide.