Leading Ladies - Tenita Johnson

Summary

In this inspiring episode of Walsh College's Leading Ladies series, Tanisha Johnson, CEO and founder of So It Is Written, shares her journey from traditional journalism to entrepreneurship and her passion for helping authors refine their work. She discusses the importance of solving problems with excellence and using one's talents to make a significant impact. Johnson also talks about her transition to non-profit work with Monarch Circle, which supports survivors of sexual abuse, emphasizing the power of storytelling and community in the healing process.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The conversation is from the Walsh College Leading Ladies series, featuring Tanisha Johnson, an author, entrepreneur, and CEO of So It Is Written.
• 📚 Tanisha's journey began in traditional journalism but shifted to corporate communication after facing the reality of the newspaper industry's decline.
• 💼 Her experience as a contractor in various corporations, including DTE Energy and Mercedes-Benz, led her to utilize her Journalism degree in unexpected ways.
• 📈 After facing unemployment, Tanisha identified a gap in the market and started her own editing and proofreading business, which eventually evolved into a publishing company.
• 🎓 She emphasizes the importance of identifying a problem you can solve and aligning your talents and skills with that purpose to make a significant impact.
• 💡 Tanisha's business grew by responding to market demands, expanding from editing services to full publishing packages and coaching.
• 📖 The creation of her coaching cohort, Brand Book Bestseller, reflects her focus on helping clients achieve their goals efficiently and effectively.
• 🌱 Her work in the publishing industry led to the founding of a nonprofit, the Monarch Circle, which supports healing from sexual abuse through small group sessions.
• 🗣️ Tanisha's personal experiences with overcoming adversity have become a driving force behind her mission to help others heal and find their purpose.
• 🔗 The Monarch Circle's in-person approach to healing sessions ensures privacy and trust among participants, differing from virtual options.
• 🚀 Future plans for the Monarch Circle include expansion to every major city, reflecting a vision of widespread impact and support for survivors of abuse.

Q & A

What led Tanisha Johnson to start her own editing and proofreading company?

Tanisha Johnson started her own editing and proofreading company after realizing that many self-published authors' books looked like they were self-published, and she saw an opportunity to provide a service that could help these authors produce higher quality work.

How did Tanisha's business evolve over time?

Tanisha's business evolved from an editing and proofreading service into a full-fledged publishing company. This transition occurred as a result of market demand and the requests she received from clients for additional services such as marketing and publishing.

What is the main focus of the Monarch Circle non-profit organization?

The Monarch Circle non-profit organization focuses on helping both men and women heal from sexual abuse through small group sessions. The ultimate goal is to empower individuals to overcome their trauma and potentially share their stories to inspire others.

How did Tanisha's personal experiences influence her work with the Monarch Circle?

Tanisha's personal experience of overcoming sexual abuse greatly influenced her work with the Monarch Circle. It provided her with a deep understanding and empathy for the individuals the organization aims to help, allowing her to create a more effective and supportive program.

What is the significance of the book 'Hush' in Tanisha's journey?

The book 'Hush' is significant in Tanisha's journey as it represents a turning point where she realized the broader impact she could have beyond publishing. It led to the creation of the Monarch Circle non-profit and the 'Hush' series, which aims to share stories of overcoming sexual abuse and empower others.

What advice does Tanisha give to aspiring authors regarding the length of their books?

Tanisha advises aspiring authors to keep their books concise, as longer books may not be finished by readers and thus may not receive reviews. She suggests focusing on key points or tips that can provide value to the reader in a more digestible format.

How does Tanisha approach the storytelling aspect in non-fiction business books?

Tanisha emphasizes the importance of incorporating storytelling in non-fiction business books, even when the content is practical advice or tips. She believes that engaging storytelling is essential to keeping readers interested and invested in the material.

What is the main goal of the 'Brand Book Bestseller' coaching program?

The main goal of the 'Brand Book Bestseller' coaching program is to guide individuals through the process of writing their signature brand book within 60 days or less. The program aims to help business owners and entrepreneurs overcome procrastination and complete their books efficiently.

How does Tanisha view the relationship between personal growth and leadership?

Tanisha views personal growth as a crucial aspect of leadership development. She believes that unresolved personal issues can hinder one's ability to lead effectively, and by addressing these issues, individuals can become more resilient, innovative, and better equipped to lead and contribute to the world.

What is the vision for the future of the Monarch Circle?

The vision for the future of the Monarch Circle is to expand its reach and impact by potentially franchising the program throughout the country, with the aim of helping individuals in every major city to heal from sexual abuse.

Outlines

00:00

🤝 Introduction and Background in Journalism

The conversation begins with an introduction to the podcast and an excited welcome to Tanisha Johnson, a colleague and friend. They discuss their shared history, meeting at a Troy Chamber of Commerce event for authors and publishers. The host expresses admiration for Tanisha's journey from traditional journalism to becoming the CEO and founder of 'So It Is Written'. Tanisha shares her initial career aspirations in journalism, her time working at Disney, and her transition into corporate communication. She also talks about her experience of unemployment and the decision to start her own editing and proofreading company, which eventually led to publishing.

05:02

🚀 Evolution of Business and Leadership Academy

The discussion shifts to the evolution of the business based on market demand, highlighting the importance of recognizing opportunities and creating value. The host shares the story of starting the Walsh Leadership Academy in response to the need for leadership training in soft skills and communication. Tanisha talks about her realization of the importance of solving problems excellently and the transition from editing to publishing. She also discusses her current season of serving clients and finding balance in her services.

10:02

📚 From Book Business to Nonprofit Impact

Tanisha shares her journey from the book business to founding the Monarch Circle, a nonprofit with a significant impact. She explains how the book signings and panel discussions led her to realize the bigger purpose beyond the book. The conversation touches on the Me Too movement and the cyclical nature of societal issues. Tanisha discusses the Monarch Circle's goal to help people heal through small groups and the importance of sharing stories to empower others.

15:05

🌟 Personal Growth and Leadership

The conversation delves into the importance of personal growth for leadership and the impact of unresolved issues on professional and personal life. Tanisha emphasizes the need to identify and address the root causes of bitterness and anger. The host shares an analogy of cleaning up a broken jar to illustrate the responsibility of dealing with one's own issues. They discuss the impact of personal problems on leadership and the importance of breaking through personal barriers to achieve success.

20:07

💡 Quantum Leadership and Entrepreneurship

The host and Tanisha discuss the concept of Quantum Leadership and the idea of entanglement in the universe. Tanisha shares her pivotal moments, including her decision to fully commit to her business after being laid off. She talks about the support from her husband and the realization of her purpose in helping people heal from sexual abuse. The conversation highlights the importance of entrepreneurship in solving problems and the continuous process of upgrading those problems.

25:07

🌿 Vision and Impact of Monarch Circle

Tanisha elaborates on her vision for the Monarch Circle, including the plan to franchise it across the country. She discusses the importance of in-person small groups for healing and the potential for participants to become accountability partners after their sessions. The conversation touches on the idea of giving back and using one's talents and resources to make a difference. Tanisha shares her desire to downsize her lifestyle to have more resources to bless others.

30:08

🎙️ Closing Remarks and Call to Action

The episode concludes with closing remarks, highlighting the impact of the conversation and the call to action for viewers to engage with Tanisha's work. The host encourages viewers to support the Monarch Circle and get connected with Tanisha through her websites. The conversation ends on a positive note, with the host expressing excitement for future discussions and the potential for others to join and share their stories.

Keywords

💡Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship refers to the process of designing, launching, and running a new business, which is a central theme in the video. It involves identifying opportunities, taking risks, and being innovative to create value. In the context of the video, Tanisha Johnson exemplifies entrepreneurship through her journey of starting a publishing company and later a non-profit organization, the Monarch Circle, which aims to help people heal from sexual abuse.

💡Publishing

Publishing involves the process of producing and distributing books, articles, or other literary works. In the video, Tanisha Johnson shares her experience in the publishing industry, starting as an editor and proofreader, and eventually becoming a publisher. Her company, 'So It Is Written', has published 24 books, showcasing her expertise and success in this field.

💡Leadership

Leadership refers to the ability to guide, inspire, and influence a group of people towards achieving a common goal. In the video, the concept of leadership is discussed in the context of personal growth, business, and the non-profit sector. It emphasizes the importance of leaders in solving problems, creating value, and making a positive impact on society.

💡Non-Profit

A non-profit organization is a group that works towards furthering a particular social cause and operates without the aim of making a profit. In the video, Tanisha Johnson shares her experience in founding the Monarch Circle, a non-profit focused on helping individuals heal from sexual abuse. The non-profit's mission aligns with her personal experiences and passion for helping others.

💡Healing

Healing refers to the process of recovery or becoming whole again, often used in the context of overcoming trauma or abuse. In the video, Tanisha discusses the importance of healing from sexual abuse as a critical part of the Monarch Circle's mission. It involves emotional and psychological recovery, which can lead to improved mental health and well-being.

💡Personal Growth

Personal growth refers to the process of self-improvement and development, which can involve overcoming challenges, gaining new skills, and enhancing one's understanding of oneself and the world. In the video, personal growth is discussed as a critical aspect of leadership and entrepreneurship, as well as a necessary step towards healing from trauma.

💡Mission-Driven

Mission-driven refers to an approach that is guided by a specific purpose or goal, often related to social impact or positive change. In the video, Tanisha's work with the Monarch Circle and her publishing efforts are described as mission-driven, indicating that they are focused on achieving a greater good beyond just commercial success.

💡Storytelling

Storytelling is the art of using narratives to convey experiences, ideas, or information in a compelling and engaging manner. In the video, storytelling is highlighted as a powerful tool in both business and personal development, as it helps to connect with audiences on a deeper level and communicate messages more effectively.

💡Accountability

Accountability refers to the responsibility one has for their actions and decisions, as well as the expectation to explain and justify them. In the video, accountability is discussed as a crucial aspect of personal growth, leadership, and entrepreneurship, emphasizing the need for individuals to take ownership of their healing process and the impact they have on others.

💡Purpose

Purpose refers to the underlying reason or objective that drives an individual or organization to take action. In the video, the concept of purpose is central to Tanisha's journey, as she discovers her mission to help others heal from sexual abuse and to make a positive impact through her work.

Highlights

Tanisha Johnson, CEO and founder of So It Is Written, discusses her journey from traditional journalism to entrepreneurship and nonprofit work.

After facing unemployment, Tanisha utilized her journalism degree in corporate communication for companies like DTE Energy and Mercedes-Benz.

Tanisha's initial foray into entrepreneurship was editing and proofreading for self-published authors, aiming to enhance their book quality.

Despite not initially intending to start a publishing company, Tanisha's business evolved based on market demand and her commitment to quality.

Tanisha emphasizes the importance of solving a problem excellently and using one's talents to make a significant contribution.

The Walsh Leadership Academy was created in response to the need for leadership training in soft skills and communication.

Tanisha's company, So It Is Written, offers a range of services including editing, book coaching, and ghostwriting.

Tanisha's experience with her own book led her to create a coaching cohort to help others complete their books within 60 days.

The power of storytelling is crucial in business books, and Tanisha advises keeping the content engaging and accessible.

Tanisha's nonprofit, the Monarch Circle, focuses on helping individuals heal from sexual abuse through small group therapy.

The Monarch Circle's mission aligns with Tanisha's personal experiences and passion for providing healing and empowerment.

Hush, a book series initiated by Tanisha, aims to share stories of overcoming sexual abuse and encourage others to speak up.

Tanisha believes that healing from trauma is a personal responsibility and is essential for improving all areas of life.

Leadership and personal growth are interconnected, and unresolved personal issues can manifest as interpersonal conflicts in the workplace.

Tanisha's vision for the Monarch Circle includes expansion to every major city and potentially franchising the model.

The importance of giving back and using one's success to make a positive impact on others is a core value for Tanisha.

Tanisha's story exemplifies the power of turning personal adversity into a force for good and a platform for helping others.

Transcripts

Welcome to our Walsh College Leading

Ladies series I am so excited for this

episode and I am joined by my colleague

and friend Tanisha Johnson and we are

going to talk everything from books

entrepreneurship authors and nonprofits

that have Mission first so I am so

excited to have you here Tanisha thank

you for being here with us thank you for

having me I'm so excited to be here new

be it is going to be good because this

is our new podcast yeah so excited it's

so creative and fun it is this is great

so first I want to talk we met about

over a year ago actually through a Troy

Chamber of Commerce event that they had

for authors and Publishers yes and I was

so amazed here I come with my one book

or two books and you had a on a panel

together and we were on a panel yes and

you had the whole table of books yes and

that's how I got to know you as the CEO

and founder of so it is written correct

so tell us a little bit about your

journey with so it is written and then

the books that you've wrote and then

where that is leading today wow so

started in traditional journalism

thought I would be working up the ladder

at the Detroit Free Press or the St

Louis Post or and we see where newspaper

is today so oh yes those dreams were

quickly crushed um and so when I came

out of college I didn't have a job I

actually worked at Disney for six months

at Epcot which was crazy um I thought

that I would be working for ABC

eventually and that's not how things

worked out um so I found myself in

corporate communication for a lot of

Corporations so your DTE Energy

mercedesbenz Financial Services

Volkswagen Audi those types of company

so I was still using my degrees I have a

bachelor of Journalism but I was using

it in a way that I did not expect um

fast for it between 2007 to 2010 I was

unemployed for three years so I was a

contractor so you know with contract

work it can be three days on M 6 weeks

off it can be 3 weeks on seven months

off you know it just varies there's a

need for a business and when there's not

a need you're off again and so I'll

never forget I was sitting in my living

room at the time we had a 900t house if

you can believe it 900 square ft and it

was actually three bedrooms so they were

tiny um but sitting in my living room

and it was like okay what do I have in

my hands and what can I use to generate

income and what problem can I solve and

so for me my biggest pet peeve was

seeing so many self-published authors

look like self-published authors so what

I tell people is just because the book

is self-published doesn't mean it

doesn't need to look like it's coming

from a traditional publisher absolutely

yeah wow yeah and so I said I'm just

going to start an editing and

proofreading company I did not set out

to start a publishing company I just did

editing and proof reading and then I

would send people on their way they

would ask me do you do marketing do you

do publish I don't do any of that I'm

just the editor and I did that from 20 9

all the way to probably 2018 2019 so

I've only been publishing probably five

or six years um but I was trained by a

publishing professional in Dayton Ohio

oh um I'm 24 books in now and so 24

books4 books my goodness I can't even

believe that wow yeah and so by the time

I got she published my first book but by

the time I got to my third book in 2014

she was like I'm not taking your money

like I'm going to show you how to do it

yourself and I appreciate that cuz she

didn't have to do that um and so because

she did that now I'm publishing she's

still publishing wow yeah well Tanisha I

want to go back to something that you

said because I love that story how

you're sitting there saying okay I'm a

contractor I'm between jobs what do I

have in my hand what is in front of me

that I can do to make money that's the

well that's the part that a lot of

people don't think about the other piece

is what problem can you solve that

nobody else can solve like you solve it

cuz there are a lot of people who solve

problems but there are people who solve

problems and they sloppy you know it's

not done in excellence it's your way

that is the yeah and so that is so

important for leading ladies for

entrepreneurs to know number one you

have all the tools that you need right

in front of you in it's in you it's

already in you I love it and I love so

it is written it was almost as if this

became than what you did but I think

it's really important to highlight that

successful people are asking what

problem can I solve in the world and

where do my talents and skills in your

case journalism writing editing align

with that so I can make a massive

contribution and you actually created

value you built a business from this

absolutely it and it's so funny I

started out charging a dollar page oh

wow and I thought I was really doing it

when I went up to like $3 a page yes yes

and now um to have full publishing

packages ghost writing packages book

coaching packages I mean it just morphed

into because people kept asking me for

it so when the community or the market

is demanding for you to do something

different shift oh 100% I I was just

thinking about this the other day

because we just started our Walsh

Leadership Academy we've been doing it

now for a while but we were thinking

that's why we created it we heard from

so many Business Leaders entrepreneurs

companies that leadership training those

soft skills communication leading teams

was so important and we thought at Walsh

College we teach Business and Technology

why wouldn't we offer leadership

training as well so I love how you said

we kept building the business based on

what the market asked for absolutely and

that's another success you know it's so

funny I talk to a lot of folks and they

say oh entrepreneurs you know they just

think differently or they're made

differently crazy I hear that but it's

you see an opportunity and you say you

know what I've got to create value and I

I would tell you it's it's who you

become in the process absolutely a

resilient Innovative you know you have

grit and I see that in you and I love

how you're constantly going okay now how

do I bring more contribution to the

world absolutely and so now I'm in a

season of I've been serving so many

clients for so long

I really had to take a step back and say

who do I serve best and what service can

I offer that's also serving me because

here's what we can do as entrepreneurs i

s i I solve this great problem this is

what I do my clients love it they're

happy but we're

miserable that's not good either you can

be making all the money in the world we

know that money doesn't bring happiness

or joy right so and a lot of people are

like show me give me more money you know

but it's one of those things where it's

like you can be doing a lot of things

and most of us are good at multiple

things but what are you great at it's

the thing that people call like your

zone of Genius like nobody's doing it

like you're doing it so now I created a

coaching cohort that's called brand book

bestseller where we walk you through

writing your signature brand book in 60

days or less Susie let me tell you I

talked to so many business owners who

are like I've been writing my book for

10 years I can help you get it written

in 60 days Y and then I give them the

cost and they're like that's not in my

budget I'm like well you're paying me

for the 10 years that I'm saving you

from and we're getting it done in 60

days so you can start generating some

income and I love that because you know

success loves speed and successful

people many times will pay for Speed

because even for myself like when I

published my book I had a team of folks

I had an editor a copy editor I had a

proof editor I had graic designer I had

someone that took the book and put it in

the Amazon dimensions and it was like

four five folks and when I add all that

up by the way I love the liveness of the

podcast Studio there's a little fly that

is flying around so if you see me do

this I'm not trying like you know we're

not waving at you I know but like I

think I got it that's what's so funny

but no I think that's so important is

that you know if you want to get your

book done because a lot of people they

start things absolutely and I can be a

great starter I know a lot of people can

but to get it across the Finish Line

you're saying I've got a system in

process I know how to do it and I know

how to actually do it in a way that

we'll get the book sold get reviews on

Amazon one of the best things you told

us at that panel I loved it which

one was the one we did with the chamber

and you said you don't want to write a

200 plus page book because people will

not finish it and then they won't write

a review absolutely and I thought that

was so wise because most of my books are

150 170 pages I joke I could write an

email longer than the book right yet I

know that people don't want to read

these long books they want to be able to

get in especially business folks and

entrepreneurs we want to get in we want

to get the tools get out and then apply

them so a lot of times when I'm working

with business owners like yourself I say

what are seven keys or 10 tips or uh 12

things that you can do to whatever it is

whatever it is that you do you need to

simplify it for the reader the other

thing I tell people is if you don't

capture them in chapter one you miss

them not finishing the book at all cuz I

can't tell you how many books I have

started and have not finished and then

the author will email me and what did

you think and I'm like huh it it was

good chapter one I'm on chapter three

but yeah I'm not finishing it wow that's

so that's also a pro tip I wouldn't have

thought about that I would think that

you have to make sure you have a good

ending and you're thinking no you have

to keep them reading it should be a page

Turner even if it's a self-published

book it's a non-fiction book The Power

of Storytelling still needs to be

present most people only think about

stories with fiction books no no you

need to use storytelling if it's a

business book oh this is so powerful in

fact you know in our one of our classes

I'm actually teaching it in the DBA

program high performance leadership one

of the end options to do the final

project is to publish a small leadership

guide book on Amazon tell them call me

yeah I say you're going to be a great

resource because I can see a lot of

folks going oh how do I get this done

but I love that because just because

you're self-publishing doesn't mean it

has to look self-published or like you

just printed it on the printer stapled

it PDF scanned it put don't go to

Kingo don't no we're not doing the

Kinkos books no and and now with so many

tools even AI

you can a lot of to create

covers so great share with me a little

bit Tanisha and our audience of how then

you came from the book business to now

you have founded an incredibly amazing

nonprofit that is having a lot of impact

in the world tell us a little bit about

the journey to the Monarch Circle what

you do there and then how that plays

into the book we have here on the table

absolutely well actually it was the

opposite the book is what catapulted me

into the nonprofit because we've done

hush one and we we now have hush two I'm

working on hush 3 which will actually be

a book just with seven men sharing their

story of overcoming sexual abuse we have

three African-American males which is

like unheard of in hush two and then

hush one is all women okay so my goal

for three is to just do men um but it's

almost like I tapped into a gold mine I

tapped into purpose I tapped into

passion when we started having the book

signings the panel discussions that went

along with it I was like w this is

bigger than this is bigger than a book

this is bigger than me let me just be

honest wow this is bigger than me this

is probably a movement yes I I see it on

the scale of like the me too movement um

and I feel like in America we can only

deal with one issue at a time so it's

like it might be me too movement for a

year and then it might be black lives

matter and then black lives matter go

silent and then something else will and

it's hush three or hush yes okay yes so

we'll go in this cycle until another

Scandal or something comes up where a

football coach has now been molesting

you know teenage boys on the team and

now it's a big deal again so it comes in

waves but when those waves come I'm

writing those ways because I already

have the books I already have the

nonprofit and so the Monarch Circle our

goal is to help people heal both men and

women so that's what sets us apart I

like that our goal is to help them heal

through 10 we um small groups when I say

small Susie very small 5 to seven that

is small that's that's a tight neck

group yeah because I found my greatest

level of healing in a year small group

with five women it was very small it was

very intimate we built trust but those

people gave me the courage to now go to

my family and say this is what happened

to me I was 38 years old I'll never

forget but they gave me the courage to

actually she go tell my family this is

what happened this is why relationships

are so strain this is why I feel the way

I do and my mother had no clue until I

was 38 I was molested at seven and 8 and

then 13 wow she found out at 38 she

found out at 30 but I love how you just

said that you said you know this is why

my relationships are so strain this is

why these things I'm dealing with and

there's a there's a level of beauty

there and being able to share that

vulnerably but also I love your

leadership and taking your accountabil

for okay I wasn't yeah I wasn't

responsible for what happened to me yeah

but I'm I'm 120% responsible for the

healing love that that's what I want

people to hear the healing is your

responsibility yes they could have been

wrong yes they hurt you all of the

things because here's what I want the

entrepreneurs to hear it will begin to

show up in your business yes it will

show up in your marriage it will show up

in the way you raise your kids it will

show up everywhere and you won't know

know what the it is until you can name

it like oh this is rejection this is

abandonment this is fear from

molestation or rape or sexual abuse yeah

yeah that is so true and that's so

important is so many times we think we

have to compartmentalize our lives this

is my work this is my family this is how

I am in Social settings we don't do

we're doing a horrible job absolutely

and there's a kernel a pattern that

stays there when you can open that up

you free yourself to go to the next

level and you know I see it in business

all the time too what shows up usually

as interpersonal conflicts among team

members I always say you know your your

problems your leadership will only be

limited by your personal growth and

development so say work hard yeah so I

like to tell people I'm like listen you

may have a woman who's very nasty in the

office and you may say she doesn't like

me I'm here to tell you it's so much

deeper than that the question should be

who hurt you to the point that you are

now nasty to everybody that you engage

with you are so guarded you have 18

gates up before we can get to the real

you I mean literally people have the

walls up they're nasty you say good

morning they're like it's not a good

morning it's like what is going on like

who spilled your coffee like what is

happening so it's one of those things

where I tell people if you see someone

who's constantly angry constantly bitter

it's the root of bitterness and now

whatever has happened in childhood

somebody dropped you somebody didn't see

you somebody didn't pay attention to you

somebody didn't give you what you needed

and because of that you're bleeding on

everything you're doing and how to shift

so I love that because as an

entrepreneur world the leadership world

we call that from breakdown to

breakthrough yes the Breakthrough is not

Down the Walls first of all those 18

walls 18 walls we're not responsible for

what happened to us but we're

responsible to clean it up and to move

forward and I really like that how that

is your message in fact that very type

of a message could resonate so well with

high performing leaders because they

will hit a wall too if they don't do

this work and it may be abuse it may be

trauma or it might be simply they never

learned a better communication strategy

and they need to give up belief systems

they had and I see that all the time so

you got to think about the owner of a

store or a clerk that's working at a

grocery store a little kid walks by he

breaks a jar jelly who's got to clean it

up the little kid doesn't clean it up

good analogy yeah yeah the person who

owns the store clean up on L7 yep yep we

hear it all the time on a ler somebody

wasted something it was a mistake oops

but now we're responsible the owner and

we're the owner of our bodies Our Minds

our temples it's like you're responsible

for cleaning it up I think that's

beautiful now let's talk about these

these small groups or PA you have so you

have these small groups and they work

together and then the program you said

10 weeks okay great and then they get to

know each other and they're able to

share experiences and I think that is so

powerful yes and then at the end of the

10 weeks we give them the option to

share their story in hush so if they

want to share their story of how they

were sexually abused or sexually

assaulted and then they want to share

what the overcoming process was like and

they want to empower other people to

come out and share their story that's

what it's all about it's like Free

People free people and that not very

healing too because I I've heard a lot

of folks say for me to be able to speak

into it that was their biggest fear I

can't talk about this I'm so ashamed

once they talked about it if they were

ready and they had a support system like

your network then said wow this opened

up for me and I want to share my story

to help others not from a victim

standpoint from a Victor from a healed

standpoint so you're not going into it

speaking to an audience saying woe is me

right we we know it happened okay it

happened but how did you heal from it

and what triggers showed up and how do

you deal with those triggers yes so it's

like some of the same things are

happening to all victims of sexual abuse

so I mean it's it's just it's amazing I

tell people that marriage even is a

mirror because I feel like I wouldn't

have done the level of work that I've

done had I not been married because I

had a person telling me every day like

you're angry all the time like you were

just nasty like for three years I swear

I got up and he would be like you woke

up on the wrong side of the bed for like

three years and it was like oh my God

but subliminally I was like

self-sabotaging my marriage yeah because

of the trauma that happened long before

he got there yes so yeah yeah I think

that oh so powerful for people to hear

this this thank you so

so now what I about this is your through

line the ability to go from your

journalism to author help people books

to then saying wait a minute I can

actually pull all this together yes take

pain from my past that I'm still living

a little bit in my own life I know that

very well we don't resolve the things

they you know what is repressed gets

expressed they Fester right so we have

to go in and do that deep work that's

why I always say leadership is a Journey

to the Center of yourself and back again

and I always think about redefining yeah

redefining I'm glad you said that

because our identity is is like you know

we're people of Faith so we believe it's

that spark of God in us but it's that

spark of life you say everything else is

a behavior you can always change your

behavior you can always change I tell

people I am so creative when I make up

my mind to change my handwriting style I

can change it wow I have done it over

and over again I love that example yeah

and people would say oh that's just my

handwriting it's no it's a behavior of

your neurology yes okay so now this is

so cool I love the vision behind hush

because in a similar way you know I'm

working on a book called Quantum lead

about Quantum leaders and you're part of

the the book and that's so great I love

all the the mirrors here that we have

but talk a little bit about you know in

Quantum leadership we're going to talk

about how you see things aligning for

you in the universe that you say you

know what this couldn't have happened

unless there was some sort of

entanglement some sort of force that's

bigger than just coincidence tell me a

little bit about in your life what do

you think that was where do you see that

Quantum lead moment yeah so for me it

actually came so 2009 was pivotal cuz

that's when the business started but

2017 when I got laid off for the last

time at Ron I was working at Ron in Troy

and I had worked for Ron like three

times and I've worked for DTE Energy

three times as a contractor it's

hilarious my husband always says you are

unemployable that is the problem would

you just stop you're an entrepreneur

exact he's like you are making these

senior managers and managers go crazy

you're sending them through hoops and

you know you're not

staying yeah so in 2017 I was literally

going to work I was making about $45 an

hour into the average person they would

say that is amazing that's great that's

like 100k like you're living a dream but

I was miserable I would literally sit

and cry in the parking lot before I went

in and some days when I went in there

was 8 hours of no work So eventually as

a contractor when you don't have work

they're like yeah well we don't we don't

really need you we'll put you on call

can you kind of log on from home so I

did that for a season and then

eventually it was just they ended the

contract and my husband had been telling

me for years but you know we're

hard-headed we don't really listen to

them much so he's like you know just

just come off and just just do the

business yeah and I'm like no why would

I do that I can run the business and I

can work a job like what it's the whole

idea of if if you chase two rabbits

they're both going to get away

cuz you're chasing two rabbits instead

of just focusing on one yeah wow so 2017

is when I stepped into it fully and I

have not been back well and that's so

powerful too because first of all I

commend your husband he really took a

stand for you and I always say that is

like my husband's the same way I want

somebody to hold I don't want them to

agree with me and buy into my breakdown

I want them to be like no I'm going to

stand for your leadership How Could You

military he he does not have the tears

he y he's like what are you going to do

about it I'm like I just want to cry

right now he's like no what are we doing

about it I love solve it well solve and

resolve because you know your purpose

he's a fixer yeah and and I kind of am

like that too I know that most times

they say by and large women are more

ventor and men are fixers I'm a fixer I

want it fixed if I somebody brings me a

problem I'm what are we doing yeah so I

totally get that and I appreciate that

because I'm thinking I want to make

massive impact in the world this problem

I know you'll have to solve it and

that's the other thing is with

entrepreneurship a lot of times we think

we're going to be successful when when I

solve this problem but really you are

always upgrading your problems you're

always upgrading so you should think wow

when I have a new problem that means I'm

moving ahead absolutely if you're in the

same problem over and over again you're

in a pattern you're stuck you're in a

cycle you're in a and so I tell clients

all the time because you know you have

people who come to me and say can you

get me on the Amazon bestsellers list I

can c can you get me the New York Times

bestseller we can try but then I ask

them why yeah

and most people are like well that's

like the Pinnacle for authors I'm like

okay so you get the New York Times

bestseller status you know you put the

sticker on your book and all the things

and then

what and most people are like I didn't

think that far because my goal was

Amazon bestseller which by the way we

talked about can be manipulated I won't

give the code away but there's a code to

I I'm I yeah but I mean it's not a

natural progression now the New York

Times and all the other ones yes that's

different but even with that what does

it really mean I mean it's the idea of

you can win a Grammy you can win an Emmy

great it's it's cute the award ceremony

all the Glam we love it we watch it on

TV and some of those people when they go

home at night they put it on the shelf

and they are still dealing with

depression and Suicidal Thoughts that's

so true so you can get another award but

what does it really mean right what is

the vision Beyond there and you know you

you've said it so well is I think as we

grow in our leadership in life we

recognize we're not on this Earth for

ourselves we're here to help and make a

difference for someone else absolutely

so everything about what you're doing

with the Monarch Circle with hush with

the whole project and you're also a

person of faith I know you're very

active in the church and you've been

able to bring all of that and I really

feel together you're living your purpose

absolutely and you're doing something

that not only the world will pay for

because there's a need but you're also

in that zone of Excellence but it did

take your own overcoming of adversity to

get there absolutely so what I found out

recently is I thought the books the

publishing the speaking I thought that

side of the journalism I thought that

side of things was like my Pinnacle like

that's what I'm going to die doing and

God swoops in like

nope literally like it is my plan I'm

going to complete the Goldman Sachs

10,000 Small Business program next week

so I graduate next week wow

congratulations you are booking through

these things wow so um 13 we program at

Wayne State it's phenomenal I'm in

cohort 29 they're already planning for

like the next cohort but we create a

5year growth plan good but a part of

that growth plan is how far do I need to

grow my business to then sell

it because at the end of the day I can

do it but should I do it for another 30

40 years I'm probably a little bit more

pass just a little bit more passionate

about helping people heal from sexual

abuse and that for me that's a fire that

I don't think is ever going to go away

right that's part of there are a

plethora of people who are still when I

do my small groups I'm looking at women

who are anywhere from 17 to the last

lady was maybe

67

67 it happened when she was seven so

you've been holding a secret for 60

years can you imagine what's happening

in the body trying to hold on to the

trauma the yeah we know the power of

that what was that book the body keeps

the score score so we wonder why all

these Cancers and all these and it's

like the power of forgiveness Works

doing Soul work Works going to

counseling works the Bible work you're

going to need all the things like get

all the things it's going to take an

army it's going to take all the things

to get free and stay free cuz it's one

thing to get free lot of people don't

stay free exactly because what happens

the brain pulls you back to what's

familiar because that's what's safe and

then we think it's safe but it's not but

it's the prison that we've created for

our own selves so it's like while you're

putting up walls you can't get out and

nobody else can get in but you can't get

out so now you're stuck you're stuck in

your own story so if you think about

your journey were there one or two

moments that you look back and say wow

that was just too weird to be a

coincidence I can't believe that

happened at the point it did it almost

felt like this was meant to be give me

like an example or two of where you see

that showing up for you so I'm going to

say something unorthodox and I and I

don't good our ratings will go up yes

and I don't want people to take this the

wrong way and it took me a long time to

get to this

Revelation it was for the greater good

that I was molested now hear me I'm not

saying that the act itself was good what

I'm saying is for the greater good of

the people that I will imp impact the

greater good of the people who will come

through our small groups or our Live

Events that's a much greater good if I

had to be the sacrificial lamb if you

will I would have never been forming a

nonprofit around sexual abuse if I

didn't have the personal experience

because I feel like it's your heartbeat

when you can totally relate to a woman

or a man who's coming in the room saying

listen I can't be intimate with my

spouse because

I was sexually abused like that's a real

thing wow you know and most people who

have not been sexually abused they don't

get that right so there are a lot of

people who advocate for sexual abuse

survivors but they don't have the

personal experience and so I I won't say

oh it was good that it happened but

because it happened yes here's how I can

turn it for good does that make sense it

does make sense in fact I think that's

great the way you positioned it because

you want to make sure that the folks are

hearing you're not saying that was okay

at the same time you are talking about

what Napoleon Hill in his book Think and

Grow Rich says in every adversity there

is the seed of equivalent or greater

Advantage absolutely and he studied

millionaires probably billionaires if

they were around today and he said

people that took adversity in their life

whether they created it or it was put on

them because we know sometimes when

we're young I didn't choose this you

we're here less WR with it exactly and

then where is that seed of equivalent or

I like to say even greater advantage the

Bible talks about that that for our

shame he will give us double double so

we're not just trying to restore we're

trying to go even higher yes love that

and so for me I realized that not

everybody is as bold as I am to talk

about it and it's because I've done 13

years of healing work in small groups

and counseling sessions and Retreats and

oh I've done all things I've thrown

things in the fire we we've boiled water

we ripped up paper we've written

forgiveness letters I have all the

things and guess what I am yet peeling

back layers yes exactly so I don't want

people to think that this is a

destination this is a journey it's a

journey now I you can get over a huge

hurdle of it the self-awareness and the

initial work probably gets at the what

we I think they've called it in trauma

work the initial sensitizing event the

isse what is it that the trauma Stacks

upon correct because people don't always

understand that problems are stacked in

layers and you many times try to treat

up here when the ISC is down here you

spend years chiseling chiseling then it

gets worse and people are like why am I

not years before you even get to the

root you think about a plant it's deep

down the root is you see the rose but

where's the root to the Rose yeah and

it's deep in the subconscious for

protection so being able to work in

those small groups allows you to work

with folks and to get that deeper faster

just like with the book 60 days to say

look I know it's going to take work but

I don't think it should take the second

half of our Lives to get over the first

we should be able to get in the other

component is what I want to put in place

is once they go through the small group

that they come back and they are now

accountability partners for other people

going through because you're constantly

healing but as you heal you're able to

help others heal and because you're

helping others heal you start seeing

things that you've never seen before you

go to another level of healing and

tiisha I think it's so important that

we're not just having you're not just

helping people heal you're actually

helping them find their purpose through

healing to say just like you said well

it's not just about the bestseller it's

not just about getting on

what do you want to do beyond that and

you're helping unlock

poal part is most people don't know yeah

I can go get another job I have two

degrees I can work at Mercedes Benz you

had some impressive companies I know

even still I was working at Mercedes and

I would get a car every weekend because

I was they call it a dash drive a star

home for the weekend I would leave my

car there and I would drive home on

Mercedes Benz wow when I tell you it

wasn't enough Susie wasn't enough

because I knew I wasn't in my purpose

right and I wasn't in my passion and

they loved me they had me there not just

for communications but change management

they're like it's 400 people we need to

change the culture let's do it so I had

the senior managers passing out Easter

candy and baskets and walking around for

Christmas and giving out gifts and yeah

but it but it wasn't serving me yeah no

it was the you know we always talk about

when Steve Jobs recruited um the Pepsi

president and he said you know you can

make sugar water for the rest of your

life or you can come with me and change

the world and up until that time he

didn't want to leave Pepsi Scully didn't

want to leave but he realized you know

what this is or MCN I think it was MCN

he said I realized I can't continue to

do this this is not fulfilling me he had

a great position a great salary great

stock options and I think money you know

we talk about this a lot I mean money is

in the Bible 25 200 times there more

than fely always important money answers

all things oh and you know people that

say like oh I I don't want to make more

money I'm thinking don't you want to

give more away think about what you can

do with the money like it isn't the

money itself cuz if I gave you 12

million in a suitcase and said you can

never touch it You' say well what good

is this just take the suitcase away so

it's what we use our talents for our

money for and I think when you're

building a mission like this it's going

to explode and it's already exploding

because you're seeing people going I

wish this was here earlier and you're

probably thinking I wish this was here

for me absolutely and so the other thing

is as as it relates to money even as

business owners yes we solve a solution

yes we we get a check or we send an

invoice all the things people are paying

for our services our products but how do

we then give back cuz now me and my

husband are like how can we build this

church in Peru it's 12 Grand how can we

um send a kid to college for journalism

CU that's what I'm passionate about and

I had to take student loans I would love

to pay for a journalism student to go to

the J school for free that's

transformational for me okay because I

didn't have it um but now our mindsets

are just really shifting of not how we

can get a bigger house we're actually

looking at

downsizing um cuz our house is like

3,200 F feet and kids keep leaving so

now it's like it's a lot to clean it's

like who's cleaning this this is just

not right on so many levels and so we're

looking to downsize because we want to

be able to give more not to just

downsize to downsize but if we downsize

how much more are we going to have in

the bank to be a blessing to the people

who really don't have oh Tanisha I love

that so let's talk a little about how

folks can get your book how can they

connect with you and also how can they

support the Monarch Circle and the work

you're doing absolutely so two different

website so the business so ittis written

it's soitis written. net it's not.com so

ittis written. net if you go in the

online store all of my books are there

all 24 some of my daughters too she's 11

and she has five books yes Nyla is like

a mogul in herself oh my go um and then

if they want to partner with the Monarch

Circle they can donate they can find out

about classes at the Monarch circle.org

.org yeah and that's really important

especially if you people know folks that

maybe could benefit from these groups or

to say wow there really is someone here

that can empathize that can help that

has been there so AB yes and the other

thing I want to say people always ask is

it virtual it is not it's in person okay

you have to show up because there's been

some concern about recording and zoom

and privacy and all the things we want

to take all those barriers your way five

to seven people in a room yeah and that

makes sense you know you can begin this

here and who knows you might even

franchise it throughout the country too

so that's the plan Monarch Circle in

every major city I love that Vision

that's so great well Tanisha thank you

so much for joining us you definitely

are a leading lady thank you I need a

part two a part three yeah well I'd love

to come back and talk with you too once

you have Monarch Circle and you have

done some things where you say okay wow

we had our event I saw you had the um

cut but also as as you're building out

hush 3 and the other stories we'd be

very happy too if anybody wants to join

us and talk about it if they're ready oh

yeah I love being able to help folks

feel like wow I'm really living my

purpose and I'm I'm doing it in such a

way that can help others and relate to

others absolutely yeah you're going to

be great at that I love this whole

vision and everything so well thank you

so much for joining another amazing

edition of leading ladies at Walsh

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