Lean On Mi Feature of the Week: Makeba Green
I am so excited to bring you another installment of Lean on Mi feature of the week. This feature is a new initiative to allow women and girls a place to feel secure about themselves by enhancing their self esteem, and a safe hub to empower one another. Through Lean on Mi I am able to feature women like Makeba who are influential women in the community you can "lean on". So Lean on Mi to know a better you.
1. Tell me a little about yourself and your background ? Why did you choose to start your own business?
My name is Makeba Green, I’m a virgo which means that I’m hardworking, analytical and practical. I’m a fulltime college student majoring in Communications & Media. I plan on pursuing my master's degree at Howard University to obtain my MBA. I’m a business owner, I’m the co-host of my own tv Show, and author of three books, I’m working on my own documentary, along with going on a HBCU tour with other young millennials. I started my business at the age of 13 years old, I’m currently 21 years old. I choose to start my own business because in high school i had a bitter sweet experience. I was always told by my parents if you have a problem with something instead of complaining or saying how unfair something is change the current “problem”, by me starting my business I was fortunate and I had the ability to make an impact at a young age, along with inspiring, motivating and empowering young people along the way. I wanted to be the outlet that I felt like I needed in order to survive in business.
2. You are truly inspirational by starting your own photography company and your own non profit organization? What obstacles did you have to go through to make your businesses successful? How did you overcome them?
Some of the obstacles that that I faced to make my business successful is constantly proving myself as a young person of color that I was reliable, educated and business ethics. I overcame these obstacles ultimately by embracing that yes I am young, yes I am an African American Woman and I can’t change that, but what I can do is let my actions speak louder than my words to show that I am a responsible young African American Women Business owner.
3. What has been a pivotal moment or event, while having your own businesses and various events?
A pivotal moment while owning my own business is actually to see how everything started as a simple idea and developed into a whole empire.
4. What is the most rewarding thing about being an entrepreneur?
The most rewarding things about being an entrepreneur is having the ability to create my own schedule, meeting people from all walks of life and learning different life lessons that you might not have learned unless you were a business owner.
5. How do you deal with the pressure of success and negativity that make come into play when serving others?
I deal with the pressure of success ultimately by placing God first and always remaining humble. I have to constantly remain humble, because nothing is permanent in life when it comes to materialistic things, because they can always easily be taken away.
Negatively when it comes to serving others,I would also have to again look at God for support and guidance to truly help me during the negative times in my life.
6. What is the legacy you wish to leave ? and Why can other girls or women lean on you?
The legacy I wish to leave is to young people all over the world and to my children, is something that a good friend of mine said to me, Don’t speak because you need permission to talk, but speak because you have something to say- Superman Donovan. Other girls can lean on me because I know what it’s like and how it feels to be discouraged or to feel like you’re not good enough. I would love to be a support system for any young girl who has ever felt discouraged to truly show her the way or to make her understand that she is important and that she is truly good enough to rule the world.