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About Me

Hey Y’all – I’m Tonya and I’m passionate about Jesus, using my God-given talents to fulfill my purpose, building sustainable businesses with the ideas God gives me, and helping others to do the same. I see business opportunities almost everywhere and I love doing the math in my head to see if it’s doable. I love creating new brands from nothing. I love creating the visual image and online presence, and I love setting up processes and systems to make it run as efficient as possible.

My Story

God has blessed me with a lot of creative talent. As a little girl I always knew that I wanted to have my own business. Over the years I’ve launched a bunch of brands for everything from clothing to hats & fascinators to jewelry to body butters. Below are pics of my booth display for my vintage-inspired brand named after my grandmother. I’ve also had my own graphic & web design business for years producing booklets, business, cards, signage, and packaging.

I started the Memphis Etsy Team in 2010 and Modern Made Memphis under which I produced craft markets and popup shops promoting the local artisans and makers in my local community. Below are pics from my last month-long popup:

I’ve done a LOT of things in the business space but I’ve always kept my day job as a backup. Honestly, I liked my corporate work and it allowed me to fund my business ventures. But somebody said ‘all good things must come to an end’ and it feels like my time in corporate world is coming to a close. All work is honorable, whether working for yourself or someone else.

“And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.” – 1 Kings‬ ‭17:7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Until two years ago, my work came easy to me. No matter what role or organization I was in, I always knew exactly what needed to be done and could do it with excellence. In return I was rewarded with increasing pay and flexibility which is almost more valuable than money. As I my interests changed, it was easy for me to find another position doing something completely different. As of today, I’ve been blessed to work in IT, Customer Experience, Solutions/Sales, and Marketing.

At the beginning of the pandemic, I interviewed for a position on the E-Commerce Strategy Team and I got it. I was excited to be working in an area that aligned with my side hustle work. #WhewChile….it has been the WORST experience in my 20+ years with this company. I feel in my soul that it’s time to go full-time on my business. Part of that is launching Church Girls Launch to share ALL that I’ve learned over the years with you.

“Now unto Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work in us…”
– Ephesians 3:20 ESV

Here are some highlights from my background:

  • Experience | 20+ years working at a Fortune 100 company and it’s customers in Information Technology, Marketing, Customer Experience, and Sales. I have a 360° understanding of what your business needs to be successful. My roles have included project & program manager, business application analyst, learning experience designer, learning developer, e-commerce SME, and marketing advisor are just a few.
  • Knowledge | From Agile to Design Thinking to Quality-Driven Management, I’ve worked with the most commonly used frameworks and tools used by the big guys to be successful and I can share this insight with you.
  • Entrepreneur | 10+ years working with creative entrepreneurs. 15+ years of developing ideas into businesses and launching consumer goods brands across a variety of industries from apparel & accessories to personal care. I understand the good, the bad, and even the ugly and can help you avoid it.
  • Pricing & Costing Expert | Not having a thorough understanding of all the costs of running your business is a major red flag. I can help you know your numbers and develop a strategy that will ensure you meet your financial objectives.  
  • Industry Insight | Specialized insight in key industries – online and Brick+Mortar Retail, Consumer Goods & Personal Care, Fashion & Apparel Manufacturing, Real Estate & Home Construction
  • Creative & Analytical Thinker | The best of both worlds, I approach things using both sides of my brain.  20+ years as a Graphic & Web Designer
  • MBA in Marketing + BBA in Information Systems | Yeah I have degrees but 99% of the stuff I know I DID NOT learn from school. #BigOleFacts