LaToya Williamson With Virtually4You Business Solutions, LLC

Intro: [00:00:03] Broadcasting live from the business radio studio in Chicago, Illinois. It’s time for Chicago Business Radio, brought to you by firm space, your private sanctuary for productivity and growth. To learn more, go to firm Space.com. Now, here’s your host.

Max Kantor: [00:00:21] Hey, everybody. And welcome back to another episode of Chicago Business Radio. I’m your host, Max Kantor. And before we start, as always, we want to take a moment to thank today’s sponsor because today’s show is sponsored by Firm Space. Thanks to firm space, because without them, we couldn’t be sharing these important stories. And we got a really good one for you today. Today on Chicago Business Radio, we have the CEO of Virtually 4 Business Solutions. So please welcome to the show. LaToya Williamson. Welcome to the show, Latoya.

LaToya Williamson: [00:00:52] Hey, Max, thank you so much for having me. I am so excited for our conversation today.

Max Kantor: [00:00:57] Me too. I’m excited to talk to you about everything you’re doing. So let’s jump right in. Tell me what is virtually for you business solutions.

LaToya Williamson: [00:01:05] Yes. So Virtually for you is an online business management agency that I started on, my gosh, back in 2012, I think. And so what we really specialize in is helping other business owners, other entrepreneurs, especially in the coaching and consulting space, because that’s where I came from. So we help those business owners really elevate the operations of their business as well as even giving them the support they need to run their businesses. Because a lot of times when my clients come to me, there are solopreneur hours and they know that in order to grow their businesses the way they need to, that they need that structure in their business as well as that support. And so that is something that I specialize in as an operator, but also as a visionary. I can help them strategically think about what they need as well as just even help them to dream up some of the things that they have or goals that they have for their business.

Max Kantor: [00:02:05] Now, when did you realize that you kind of had a knack for helping people grow their businesses?

LaToya Williamson: [00:02:11] Yeah, you know what? So when I was in my corporate career that I spent probably about 15 to 20 years in corporate, I ended up working probably like my last ten years or so in corporate. I had an amazing leader that I worked with, and I really saw how being a good business partner to her really helped her in her career. And so I really started to see how how instrumental it was. And even in the corporate environment where you’re dealing with department heads, but how that that having that right support was so important and how much it it really helped her mentally, but also just productivity, right? And so when I started thinking about my entrepreneurs, my solopreneur years, I felt like that was something that was really missing with them because they were so used to building these businesses from their dreams. And and they were doing everything on their own, but they weren’t really acting as a CEO. They didn’t have that opportunity to be a CEO because they had to do the work as well as try to run the business. And so I quickly realized that I’m really good at being that support behind the scenes to really help elevate my clients in order for them to really be in their zone of genius and be the CEOs that they really are meant to be and that they’re trying to be, which is why they started their businesses in the first place.

Max Kantor: [00:03:37] So for people who come to virtually for you, are are they mainly people who are just beginning with their business or in the early stages, or can someone at any stage of their business come to you?

LaToya Williamson: [00:03:48] So I have a couple of different programs, but ultimately when I’m working with my clients, I do want them to be generating revenue because, you know, so not necessarily in that startup phase, because if they’re consistently generating revenue, obviously we know that the services that they are offering are working for them, but now they’re ready to grow. So it’s kind of like in that mid stage of business and I’m not even going to talk about like revenue or anything like that, but just they’re ready to start taking things to the next level, maybe even coming up and adding more products and services into their businesses. That’s where I can really help them to look at what they’re already doing, see how we can make adjustments and change, and then helping them to get to that next level.

Max Kantor: [00:04:31] So obviously, you know, COVID 19, I think, impacted everybody. Yes. Can you talk a little bit about that adjustment for businesses and and how you help them during the pandemic?

LaToya Williamson: [00:04:44] Yeah. So, I mean, I have been working from home. So like I said, when I started back in 2012 and I went full time working from home and I think it was 2015 or 2016. So I was kind of well on my way working from home. Before the pandemic hit. But what I saw during the pandemic, especially for my clients, is obviously there are a lot more people that were starting to start their own businesses, right? They were maybe leaving corporate jobs or they were working from home full time in those corporate jobs. And so they could see how they could start working from home more. So I started getting a lot of clients that were just ready to take things to the next level. They were actually growing in their businesses, especially the kind of clients that I work with, because I work with a lot of coaches and consultants in the executive leadership and diversity, equity and inclusion space. So in that COVID period, there were so many other things that were going on as well in the diversity space. So their businesses were growing and they were growing pretty quickly. And even though they were doing a lot of things virtually, they realized that, hey, I don’t really have the structure in place in my business to actually be able to handle this increase in revenue and increase in clients that they were getting. And so I was getting a lot of referrals in the in the COVID period, which actually worked out for me because I was able to really help them and continue to help them in their business and do it all virtually.

Max Kantor: [00:06:17] Now, when it comes to growth of a business like you just mentioned, when do you think it’s the right time, when when you have, you know, a client who comes to you, who’s just on their own, they’re starting a business fresh. When is that right time that they start bringing on people to support them in their business.

LaToya Williamson: [00:06:33] Yeah, so I definitely agree. Or I think that having someone having some kind of support in your business when you’re first starting out is instrumental. I cannot stress that enough. But the thing is, you have to have the right support and when you’re just starting out in your business and I know this from personal experience, that you really do need a strategy support before you need like administrative support, because a lot of times I’ll have my clients, they’re coming to me because they know that, hey, I have all these administrative things that I need to get done, so I need a virtual assistant. But that may or may not always be the right answer, depending on what they’re trying to do in their business. So I start with like strategic planning, where we really look at what are their goals for their business, their mission, their vision, even the values, What boundaries do they want to have in place in their business? And then we start to look at projects and tasks that need to actually get done in order to help them to reach those goals. And then from there, I can help them to determine exactly who they need to hire in their business during the time that they’re in, because obviously business is growing and it’s always changing. And so for right now, they might need strategic support, but maybe three months from now, after they kind of get a handle on things, they might need virtual support or virtual assistant, or maybe they need marketing support. Maybe that’s what they really need to help them to grow their business forward. So I love to start with my clients with a strategic plan where we look at what they need first and then we start making decisions after that.

Max Kantor: [00:08:06] I can imagine too, those first couple of months when you’re dealing with an entrepreneur or solopreneur who is creating a business for the first time, those first couple of months are so important because I’m sure you get people who come to you who have big ideas and then it becomes they get scared or nervous. They don’t know how to take those steps. So you’re kind of helping them ensure in a way that their dream of a business can come true through your consultation with them. Am I right when I say that?

LaToya Williamson: [00:08:31] Yes. Yes. I mean, and this is a thing like I believe that when we’re starting our businesses as entrepreneurs, we’re we’re starting it because we’re trying to do something on our own terms, number one. And we’re trying to make a huge impact, right? That maybe we weren’t able to do that in our corporate jobs. And so what I try to do with my clients is not just help them with strategy and operational support, but also with that visionary support. I love to be able to really partner with them and give them a different perspective and help them to see what really does make sense and maybe what doesn’t make sense, especially depending on where they are in their life, because that’s something that I’m really passionate about that as an entrepreneur. Yes, we’re trying to make money in our businesses. We’re trying to serve our clients, We’re trying to make an impact in the world. But we also are personal or human beings, right? We’re human beings. And so we have to be able to build businesses around our lives and not the other way around. And so I am even kind of that accountability partner for them to make sure that they are truly building businesses that are going to allow them to have the life that they want, even though we still want them to be able to make money and make the impact. So I love being able to come into my clients businesses, help them with that strategy piece, and then oftentimes we’ll continue to work together for three months, six months, even a year to really help them to actually. All of the things that we said they need to get done, and then I’m there to help them with myself and my team to actually accomplish all the things that we said they needed to get done.

Max Kantor: [00:10:08] Now, are there some basic do’s or don’ts for anyone who’s listening, who’s thinking about starting their own business? Do you have some basic dos and don’ts when in that creation process of a business?

LaToya Williamson: [00:10:19] Yeah. One thing that I would say is to really stay true to who you are. So often I think we build businesses around what we think our clients need, but ultimately, especially because we are personal brands as entrepreneurs, that we’re building businesses around us. And that’s what people want. People want us, you know, they want us as the coach, they want us as the consultant, they want us as the service provider. And so if we build our businesses around us and being authentic to who we are, we’ll attract the right clients, right? We don’t have to come up with all these fancy programs and crazy offers and things like that when if we just stick to what we’re good at and what people already come to us for, then we’ll be able to really see the success that we want and we’ll be able to have those businesses that truly are aligned with our purpose and who we are.

Max Kantor: [00:11:17] Now, speaking of success, can you share maybe a success story of someone who came to you and you helped them grow their business?

LaToya Williamson: [00:11:25] Yeah. So I have been working with a few clients, but one of my clients that I’m currently working with still, we started, I kind of came in. It was so funny because they were looking for a virtual assistant. Someone had recommended me to them, even though I’m not a virtual assistant. But the person who recommended me knew that this client needed strategy and that they needed that support. And so I came in and we had a conversation on the consultation and it was like love at first sight. And and we started working together. We’ve been working together for the past year and almost a year. And just the growth that I see in her and it’s just me and her in her business, but the growth that I see in her and how she is really starting to step into her zone of genius, she’s really starting to really step into who she is and what she wants to be able to deliver to this this online space that we’re in. It’s just so exciting to see. And so I’m there now to help her to continue to be strategic about what she’s doing and what she wants to put out, but then also giving her that support that she needs. I mean, she often says to me when she’s about to make a decision to like, wait, I have to talk to Latoya first. Like, I couldn’t wait to talk to you because I had this idea, you know, But I want to run it by you first. And I love that because I feel like she needed that partnership and that’s what I’m able to give to her. So I love that. And she’s got some really great things in the works, and I’m happy to be that partner with her, to help her to actually see that being achieved.

Max Kantor: [00:12:59] So I think that story is a perfect transition. For my next question for you, this is a question I ask every guest who comes on Chicago Business Radio. But Latoya, for you, what is the most rewarding part of what you get to do with virtually for you?

LaToya Williamson: [00:13:14] Yeah, So, I mean, I talk about being aligned with your purpose a lot and helping my clients to do that. And for me, I think what I’m able to do in my business, that that is my purpose. My purpose is to really be that support more than anything for my clients. And I think that when they work with me that they really feel like they’re being nurtured, that they are part of something that is like a family, more than just we’re working together and it’s business. And I think that’s my unique value proposition, I guess, that I bring to working with my clients. And I just love that. I love being able to help them to have those aha moments and then to actually help them and roll my sleeves up and actually get it all done.

Max Kantor: [00:14:01] Now, if anyone who’s listening wants to learn more about virtually for you or maybe learn more about you, Latoya as an individual, where can they learn more about you online, social media, etc.?

LaToya Williamson: [00:14:13] Yes. So I am at WW Latoya Williamson and you can find me on Instagram and LinkedIn at Latoya K Williamson. Don’t forget the K, but. Latoya K Williamson And you can learn all about me and virtually for you and all of the services that I provide.

Max Kantor: [00:14:30] Well, Latoya, it’s been so awesome talking with you today. I mean, the work that you’re doing is really great and you are literally changing people’s lives by helping them, you know, find their purpose and grow their dreams. So thank you so much for being on the show today and we appreciate all the work that you’re doing.

LaToya Williamson: [00:14:45] Thank you so much, Max, for having me. This was a great conversation.

Max Kantor: [00:14:49] And thank you for listening to another episode of Chicago Business Radio. I’m your host, Max Kanter, and we’ll see you next time.

Intro: [00:14:58] This episode of Chicago Business Radio has been brought to you by firm space, your private sanctuary for productivity and growth. To learn more, go to Farm Space.com.