Learn Why This Award Winning Business Developer Believes Entrepreneurship Can Beat Poverty

AFRICAN AMERICAN MARKETING EXPERT VELMA TRAYHAM LAUNCHES SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM WITH A MISSION TO END POVERTY THROUGH ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Atlanta, GA -- As last month's government shutdown left over 800,000 workers in the lurch, influencer and marketing expert Velma Trayham was focused instead on increasing employment, entrepreneurship and small business success. Trayham, CEO and founder of award-winning agency ThinkZILLA PR & Consulting Group, is launching her brand new Pioneer program, designed to help entrepreneurs find their purpose and turn their passion and purpose into a profit.

As poverty continues to spread across the globe - almost half of the world's population lives on less than $2.50 a day, according to DoSomething.org - Trayham believes small business success is a key to raising people out of poverty and recently launched business training programs focused on entrepreneurship. The Pioneer curriculum for start-ups provides the step by step guidance needed to launch a successful business.

"Entrepreneurs can change the way they live and work - and inspire others to do the same. Innovations created by small businesses can improve the quality of life, creating personal success as well as create communities that are more prosperous," Trayham noted.

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"When people find success doing something they love and believe in, they have the power and capacity to help others do the same. I appreciate the mentors who helped me early in my career and am dedicated to helping others find their passion in business, reduce the causes of poverty, and creating a chain effect of business support and success."

The first training takes place March 30th in Atlanta, with monthly training programs extending in Houston, Orlando, Washington, D.C. and across the globe; new and current business owners can sign up at www.velmatrayham.com. Participants will learn how to pick the business model that best fits their product or service, how to determine what to sell, what to charge, the value of creating a minimum viable product, the importance of creating a Strategic Plan, the keys to a successful Marketing Plan, and much more.

Exclusive Business Finance Interview With Velma Trayham

We caught up with Velma and asked her about what drives her to help small business and the most critical question for many businesses of how to obtain funding or financing.  This is her interview below. 

Question: What inspired you to go into your present business training programs?

Answer:  It is important to acknowledge that startup success is not easy feat. 46% of startup businesses fail due to incompetence, while 30% due to managerial inexperience. 

With commitment, grit, experience and vision, I have been able to help my clients to build successful businesses as well as building my own companies.  With saying that I started from nothing and it was hard. So I felt a dire need to create something to help more start ups achieve success. 

Question: Why do you feel entrepreneurship can empower people of meager resources and fight poverty when they have to compete with well financed businesses? 

Answer:  I believe that people have more resources than they think. RESOURCES start within. We all have gifts, but tapping into them and organizing them wisely is what's important and what most people don't even think about.

Most people automatically are fearful because of the big companies that are well financed. But I don't look at anyone as competition. When you discover a solution to a problem you are in a lane of your own. 

Question: How much do you feel business financing is a challenge to developing businesses? 

Answer:  Financing is a huge challenge. But if the average person calculates how much they spend on shopping, coffee, cigarettes, traveling, paying high interest rates, and wasting money by buying things that are not necessary --  they will discover they have the money to at least start up.

When a person takes one or two steps, God will align the right people, resources and partnerships to get them to the next level. Just have faith, and apply action as well. 

Additionally you have to be willing to sacrifice. Each year, a person who smokes one pack per day will spend an estimated $2,011 on cigarettes alone. this is just an example. 

Question: Do you have creative ideas to finance a small business?

Answer:  Yes -- crowdfunding, successful crowdfunding campaigns are all about perfecting the message and having a solid marketing strategy in place. Get investments from friends or family members.

One can utilize their Income Tax Return to finance a business. Bank loans or credit cards are always great! Tapping into a 401 K is a great way to finance a business especially if one is looking to transition from a 9-5. 

Question: Can marketing, business, and sales prowess overcome lack of capital and can you give some examples?


Answer: Yes marketing can certainly overcome lack of capital because the tragedy in business is " WHEN NO ONE KNOWS YOUR SERVICE EXISTS". If marketed correctly you can attract the right people that may in return want to invest in your business.

One Example, is my client Jive Juice Company, the first African American owned juice company to be placed in Whole Foods. We had the honor and pleasure of working with her when she just had an idea.

I helped her to build her brand utilizing marketing strategies we have used for years to build our client's brands.

And she didn't have to look for Whole Foods, "Whole Foods found her" and now other national opportunities have come from that. Having a good team is very important also.  The possibilities are many.

About Velma Trayham
Velma Trayham is the CEO of ThinkZILLA PR & Consulting Group - a high growth marketing firm based in Atlanta, with clients in multiple industries across the globe. Certified as a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) by the U.S. Small Business Administration, ThinkZILLA is recognized for its larger than life marketing campaigns, innovative public relations strategies and branding solutions.

For more information on the Pioneer program, or to book Velma to speak, please visit www.velmatrayham.com

For more information on Thinkzilla, visit www.thinkzillaconsulting.com

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