Today we’d like to introduce you to Aisha Taylor Issah.
Aisha, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY but spent every summer and holiday growing up in South Carolina. So, I’d have to say my story is the perfect blend of city girl hustle mixed with southern charm. My passion for helping people, whether it be the young people I lead as a Youth & Young Adult Pastor, the clients I assist with their careers and recruitment through my first business, TAYLORmade ~ Professional Career Consulting, or the entrepreneurial women of color that I empower through the Sistahs in Business Expo, pushes me to go hard every day.
I was inspired to create the Sistahs in Business Expo because I wanted to provide a platform for entrepreneurial women of color that I didn’t have when I first started my career consulting business with my sister back in 2005. Most expos were geared towards products, rather than services, and they all had extremely high vendor fees. This excluded us from a lot of expos because we owned a business that provided service and couldn’t afford thousands of dollars in vendor fees as a new small business.
Additionally, when I learned that women of color are the largest growing demographic of entrepreneurs but the least earning, it frustrated me. It disappointed me to know that so many women of color were starting businesses, but they weren’t earning much compared to other demographic groups. I wanted to create an accessible and affordable platform for women of color that would help to close that gap.
Since our launch in 2018, the response has been overwhelming. Thousands of entrepreneurial women of color have become a part of our community and the number continues to grow daily. More significant than the numbers is the impact. So many women in business have shared their stories of how the expo helped to motivate, educate, inspire, and inform them in ways we could have never imagined. This is what really has gotten us to this point, and what keeps us moving forward.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ha! Far from smooth! Building a multi-city expo tour is a huge undertaking that requires a great deal of planning and an even larger amount of support. Each market presents its own set of challenges. Whether it be finding the right venue, securing the right partners, booking the right speakers, or developing the right marketing plan… there is no shortage of challenges around here. We’ve learned to build on what works and immediately repair what doesn’t.
We’ve also learned that everyone who starts with you won’t stay with you… and that good talent doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a good match for you. Despite these challenges, we’ve been able to build a strong core team who works really well together to ensure that this train keeps moving in the right direction.
Of course, the global pandemic that we are currently facing has added another layer of challenges to the dynamic. While our brand isn’t just about events, they are a huge part of our business model. For the first time ever, we have had to postpone major events with several still hanging in the balance. It hasn’t been easy but the health and safety of our community is our top priority. In the meantime, we continue to provide valuable content and resources to our community through our Sistahs in Business University, the teaching and training arm of our brand.
Please tell us about Sistahs in Business Expo.
The Sistahs in Business Expo (SIBEXPO) is the country’s only multi-city small business expo with a focus on entrepreneurial women of color and provides an affordable and accessible platform where women of color can significantly expand their reach and grow their businesses. While other small business expos usually require costly vendor fees, the SIB Expo offers a more cost-effective option for small businesses, thereby guaranteeing their ability to earn more on their investment. Additionally, our expos cater to a larger audience by including a broad range of vendor types including both products and services. The expo’s most unique quality is that the large majority of our vendors are businesses that are owned by women of color (the largest growing demographic of entrepreneurs), thereby including and attracting a larger audience of entrepreneurial women of color and those who support them.
As a multi-city venture, the SIBEXPO has been held in Newark, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; Columbia, SC; and Atlanta, GA annually since 2018. Our keynote speakers have included MC Lyte, Cynthia Bailey, Dr. Lynn Richardson, Vivica Fox, Cathy Hughes, Kim Fields, Yandy Smith, and many other notable women in business. We’ve been able to garner media partnerships with Radio One, iHeart, and Cumulus Radio. Our sponsors have included Merrill Lynch, Sanaia Applesauce, State Farm, AT&T, Miss Jessie’s, Curls, NY Life, and HSBC.
We are known for creating experiences that are full of sisterhood, support, and positive energy for participants and attendees. Many have raved about how well-organized and professional our events are run. We are both humble and grateful every time we hear this. We want to continue to be known as having a high standard of excellence.
In addition to our events, in 2019 we launched the Sistahs in Business University where we provide valuable resources and training to our community. All offerings are designed to equip and empower #sistahsinbusiness to start, grow, or scale their businesses effectively.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I was raised in a very close-knit family. Though we were mostly spread out throughout South Carolina and New York City, we always made it a point to get together for holidays and other special occasions. These are certainly some of my fondest childhood memories. Our grandmother instilled in us the importance of family and always sticking together. I appreciate her so much for that. To this day, we still gather and have the best times ever. The food, the fun, the games, the trash-talking, the vacations, the celebration of life experiences, and the support during life’s difficult times…as a family we do it all together and I can’t imagine what my life would be like without them.
Contact Info:
- Website: sistahsinbusinessexpo.com
Image Credit:
@shotsbypriiincesss
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