Donnette Dawn Thomas aka The Beauty in Business is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, author, and actress based in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is also a former North Carolina Commissioner, but has now switched her focus to the world of business, and helping others achieve the same level of financial independence and autonomy that she enjoys along with her three children.
Donnette kindly answered some questions about her background, her businesses, and her writing.
Hi Donnette, can you tell us a bit about your background and how it inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
I was born in Bermuda and moved to the USA when I was only 6 years old. Both my mother and father left me, and I was raised by my sister from that point onwards. Ever since I was a little girl, I was thinking up business ideas, and I started out by selling candy from my locker to other kids or selling their unwanted toys for them and taking a commission. So, you could say that my entrepreneurial spirit has stayed with me since I was very young.
What businesses are you currently operating?
Currently, I’m busy running my two businesses MDL Transportation, which is a non-emergency medical transportation service, as well as Mindful Missions of SC.
MDL Transportation was created to help mobility-impaired clients, and clients who use wheelchairs go to and from a wide range of medical-related appointments and treatments. Mindful Missions is a behavioural therapeutic enrichment program for children and adolescents. The team works to provide compassionate, sophisticated, and innovative therapy services.
Mindful Missions of SC also has a non-profit component that is about helping children and communities affected by poverty benefit from life-changing programs, resources, and tools.
I also provide professional business and personal development coaching via my website. My goal is to help my clients achieved their personal and business goals using the toolkit I provide, based on my personal experience of what works.
Can you tell us about the business success books you have written?
In addition to my coaching, I’ve also published 3 books about business success.
These are ‘A New Dawn’, ‘Got Business Credit’, and ‘The Beauty in Business’. Each book provides valuable insights, and advanced business strategies that I believe are essential for any entrepreneur to know about.
What are the most difficult challenges you’ve faced as an entrepreneur?
Self-doubt is certainly the most significant challenge I had to overcome, and it’s something that every entrepreneur has to come to terms with. If you don’t have confidence in yourself and what you are doing, then it will be harder to sell yourself to others as someone they should invest in.
What motivates you on a daily basis?
I’m motivated by my need to live a purposeful life, one where I take action to secure my own happiness, rather than being reactive to external forces. This mindset is one of the things I promote throughout my books, and it underpins all of the advice I give when it comes to being an entrepreneur.
What do you believe makes you stand out amongst other business coaches?
I like to think I stand out because I focus on helping my clients become familiar with the practical world of business, rather than trying to explain every setback as a lack of willpower. I provide motivation and inspiration essential for taking that first step with a business idea, but I also give equal focus to the practical, fiscal strategies that enable smart business decisions.
