Oshaleigh Johnson was the winner of the Entrepreneurship Conference and Pitch Competition hosted by 3-N-1 Trinity Services at the Popourri House on Saturday.
“Our entrepreneurs are in our classes for a long period of time — eight weeks,” says Darris Anderson, executive director of 3-N-1 Trinity Services. “They learn about target audiences, target marketing, market research, how to build credit, how to start a business, how to run a business — we teach them all of that, plus we teach them how to pitch.”
3-N-1 Trinity Services is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping Tyler youth and adults.
“What inspires me is that there are so many entrepreneurs out there who have naturally been successful during the pandemic,” Anderson said. “Now that we’re coming out of the pandemic, we need to teach these people how to start and run a business the right way.”
Participants will participate in an entrepreneurial training and mentorship program covering key business topics. Each participant will receive personalized instruction from a business coach with an emphasis on practical skills in starting and sustaining a business. The program also provides mentorship and networking opportunities with experienced entrepreneurs and industry experts.
Through this event, Anderson aims to empower individuals who can make a positive impact on the East Texas economy by hiring local talent and buying from regional businesses to drive growth and sustainability.
It is important to share these efforts and encourage others to help develop their communities.
This year’s class featured five up-and-coming business owners: Johnson, April Cook, Raven Flanagan, Tasia Scott and Chika Nanna. Their businesses range from nail technicians to travel agents, life coaches and trucking companies.
3-N-1 Trinity Services aims to help companies grow and expand their businesses, promoting economic development and job creation in East Texas.
“A big goal of our group is to encourage networking and foster relationships and partnerships,” Anderson said.
Johnson says she’s always been a “girly girl,” so becoming a manicurist wasn’t too far removed from her field, and when she started doing nails as a part-time job, she quickly fell in love.
“After doing it for so long, I realized I wanted to be an entrepreneur,” Johnson said. “I had my own mindset, so I just had to put my feet up and do it enough that I felt confident and saw where I could get, and then I knew I wanted to continue being an entrepreneur.”
She realized that once she set her mind to it, her possibilities were limitless.
As a beginner nail technician, she struggled to maintain confidence in her work. Despite setbacks, she persevered with years of continuous practice, learning, and determination. Today, she works full-time as a nail technician and hopes to open a nail supply store in Tyler.
“Facing the problems head on and knowing what the issues are has helped me keep going. No one is great at things at first, but you just have to keep going and keep trying,” Johnson said.
Participants don’t just learn the superficial aspects, she said, but teach business owners how to dig deep into the fundamentals.
“They taught me a lot,” Johnson said. “I really learned a lot. I learned how to look more closely at my business and my plans and really get in there and know who I’m serving.”
Anderson said 3-N-1 Trinity Services is seeking sponsorship and donations to continue providing services to Tyler entrepreneurs. Anderson can be contacted by email at 3n1trinityservices@gmail.com or by calling 903-245-1446.
You can also follow the organization on Facebook at 3N1TrinityServices, on Instagram at 3n1_trinity_services, on LinkedIn at 3-N-1 TRINITY SERVICES INC, or on Twitter at @3N1TrinityServe.
“We believe entrepreneurship is a powerful tool for creating positive change in our communities,” Anderson said.
