Lisa banks

I attribute my success to believing in giving back to others and having been blessed along the way. I've had a mentor, Ernesty Major, who mentored me from a young woman to a full adult woman, wife, mother, and caregiver. She's been one to always encourage me along the way, correct and encourage, advise but encourage. I feel like I've been blessed, and that's why I give to others. Life hasn't been perfect, but I'm here, and I try to see the glass as half full. Each day is a new day, and if I got it wrong yesterday, I can get it right today or start to get it right. I try to live my life so that someone will say, I can make it because Miss Lisa made it, despite different things that may have happened in her life.

The best career advice I received was from the associate commissioner who selected me for my position as office director with the federal government. He told me, 'I'm throwing you into the fire, but you'll be okay.' I was fairly young, under a certain age, and most of my team was older than me, so I had to be bold, be fair, and be firm. From that experience, I learned that leadership is 80% people and 20% work. I had to learn how to get the best out of people, to encourage them, motivate them, see where they are, do skills assessments, and help them get the skills they need so they can be the best version of themselves and show up to work and want to be there. I've used those mottos, be firm, be fair, and be bold, in everything since then.

I would tell a young woman to write the vision, make it plain, and write down a business plan, and then start. As John Maxwell talks about, get moving and don't try to make sure you have to be perfect before you start. You start, and then you become perfect. Know your target audience, your theme, your vision, mission, and value statement, and then get moving. Don't procrastinate, because procrastination is the enemy of success. There are so many resources and services out here for free or nominal costs that will help you get your business off the ground. Your attitude, your reputation, and customer service can go a long way. Most of the things that I get are from word of mouth, so how you present yourself will help. But definitely have a business plan and do all the ABCs. Make sure you have your LLC, a sole proprietorship, a separate bank account, and those types of things so that you're structured professionally and it's not a hobby, but a legitimate business.

The most important values to me are giving back to others and serving. I believe in giving people hope, especially in these current times, letting them know that despite how life is, you can still make it and you have to believe in yourself. I try to serve whatever age, whether it's my elementary school students or senior citizens. I'm passionate about the less fortunate, the unhoused, children, and senior citizens. I love them from 4 to 84. I feel like I've been blessed with these skills, and I want to share them to help a person, an organization, or a company be their best or operate at their best. Sometimes people just need someone to listen, because that's all they need, is someone to listen and to be heard.