Ep. 230 - LaFarris Risby rose from abuse to become a successful entrepreneur even as a young teen mother. She describes her journey and shares some of the valuable lessons she’s learned in the nearly 3 decades of her entrepreneurial journey. LaFarris Risby is a business strategist, consultant, author, public speaker, and calls herself a community stabilizer. She helps entrepreneurs uplevel in every aspect of their lives and has successful businesses. She was named as one of the Enterprising Women Magazine’s world’s top women entrepreneurs of 2020. In this episode, LaFarris describes her journey from an abused young mother to building a business enterprise focused on leaving a legacy. Listen in to learn why you need to focus on what you have instead of what you don’t have to grow your business as a newbie entrepreneur. You will also learn the importance of taking time for self-care daily to reflect and replenish.
Key Takeaways:
- How to take advantage of your gifts to grow your business as a new entrepreneur
- Understand your strengths and weaknesses as an entrepreneur so you can build a team and grow your business
- The importance of having a business plan and the right support before starting a business
- How to shift your mindset and do affirmations to balance life and business as a female entrepreneur
- Learn to focus more on your strengths and opportunities rather than your weaknesses
"The decisions you make today will ultimately affect your tomorrow, wrong or right, good or bad. You affect other people in every situation that you find yourself in, it’s not just about you.”- LaFarris Risby
In this episode you’ll discover:
LaFarris shares her journey starting a business by chance and experience with domestic violence [2:28]
How she approached marketing as a newbie entrepreneur by placing herself in her clients’ shoes [5:45]
How she expanded her business to a large enterprise that reflects her vision [8:13]
The important components that you need as part of your business journey to be successful [14:04]
LaFarris’s long-term vision as a service provider to people trying to get out of abusive situations [15:42]
The childcare hardships brought by Covid-19 and what we can do to balance the sector [17:46]
How to build your business and life starting backward to avoid regrets [22:48]
How she shifted her mindset and learned to control and walk in her destiny after years of abuse [25:32]
Why she wrote her book to heal plus advice to those planning to write a book [29:12]
She shares her top three tips and actions to take from today’s conversation [39:46]
Understand your strengths and weaknesses as an entrepreneur and focus more on the strengths [41:10]
LaFarris’s recent accomplishments and her commitment to advocating for childcare reforms [46:30]
LIFE STORY
I am the founder of Loving Arms Enterprises, the largest African American-owned business in Junction City, KS. I started this company as a need to provide a safe and nurturing environment for my two children.
I arrived in Junction City with $50 in my pocket, escaping from my abusive first husband, and began picking up the pieces of my life. I started a childcare business out of my home and took steps to turn it into the multi-million dollar company it is today.
But Loving Arms Enterprises is not just a childcare center. You should know that one of my main goals in life is to create generational wealth and leave a legacy for my children, a member of my family runs each entity of our company.
Over the last 27 years, my family and I have grown Loving Arms Enterprises into four separate companies to become the community stabilizer in Junction City. We now have Loving Arms Childcare and Preschool, an accredited childcare center.
Loving Arms University, an online education resource hub, providing educational tools and activities to parents and teachers. MGB & Associates, a real estate group, providing a safe haven for domestic abuse survivors.
And then there is my brand, LaFarris L. Risby CFLE, a business and life consulting agency.
CERTIFICATION
LaFarris is a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) to provide education, social, emotional, and cognitive support for students and parents.
AWARDS
She was recently recognized at the 35th Annual Minority and Women Business Awards Luncheon by the Kansas Department of Commerce Office of Minority and Women Business Development.
Her childcare firm was awarded the Minority-Owned Business Service Industry Firm of the year in 2019 and, in 2013, she was awarded Business Advocate of the Year by the same organization.
LaFarris was named as one of Enterprising Women Magazine's World's Top Women Entrepreneurs in 2020.
HER BOOK
NAN MCKAY AND DONNA MILLER COLLABORATE!
JOIN PURSE POWER!
Donna Miller is the founder and CEO of Purse Power, Let's Share the Journey. Purse Power promotes women-led, women-owned businesses by providing a Google extension that allows everyone who visits your website to locate nearby businesses.
Let's Share the Journey holds calls at 10 AM Central every Friday to learn from national leaders to share expertise, ideas, and support. One week a month features Zoom Room networking. We support Donna's endeavor and have provided the speaker calls in a podcast format. Please join her on Friday mornings! You can register for the calls here.