"My Greatest Fear in Life is Being Unsuccessful." - Sherice Major
1. Do you think female entrepreneurs feel intimidated? –
I don’t necessarily think that female entrepreneurs feel intimated. I think in a male dominated world, it simply is a bit harder for women in business, but that is no excuse. As a woman, I never felt intimated; I know I was just as good as the next woman or man. I felt I had to work much harder to prove to everyone that I was serious about my business, I had to be firm, I had to do my research and I had to take no prisoners, no is never the answer that I want to hear.
2. You have a 9-5 but you also have your own business. First and foremost, what is your 9-5 and what is your entrepreneurial goal? How are you able to balance both?
I wish I had a 9-5! I have a ‘always on the clock’! I work for the Government of The Bahamas as a Social Media Strategist in the Tourism Industry. As we know social media is constant, 24/7, so I’m always working, always on the clock. On the other had, I also run my own business. My business works because its in the same field as my ‘9-5”. I developed a mobile ‘What To Do’ app for The Bahamas, which is geared to international & domestic visitors and I am a Travel Blogger. The balancing act is hard, because I’m constantly on the go, constantly working but because it is in the same Tourism field, it’s not so bad. I am able to network which helps my business, additionally, I always have something blog about. Ultimately, I would like to own my own vacation destination company that helps visitors seamlessly plan their vacations to The Bahamas.
2. How did you get to where you were today and who helped you along the way?
Hard work, persistence, dedication and prayer have helped me get to where I am today. Success is never overnight, it is a long road and it’s tough. My friends & family have been very supportive and have helped to push the business and I to where it is today.
3. What has been your role of luck in success?
Luck…hmmm. I’m not so sure that I believe in luck. I believe hard work and being ready for an open opportunity have been most important in my life. If you’re always ready, you never have to get ready. I hate when people say ‘she’s so lucky’. One quote that I absolutely love is by Amy Hempel — 'There's no such thing as luck. Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.'
4. What three pieces of advice would you give college students who want to become entrepreneurs?
Three pieces of advice I would give college students who want to become entrepreneurs is:
· Make sure whatever it is that you are setting out to do you LOVE. If you don’t love it, you’re wasting your time.
· Don’t be a know it all. There is always something you can learn from someone who is older than you. Always.
· Be patient. In a world of instant gratification. Things take time. Be consistent and be patient.
5. What is your typical day like?
A typical day for me includes waking up, getting dressed for work, fighting awful island traffic, spending most of my day in the office or travelling, or experiencing a tour. Writing for my blog, researching for my app or some new idea that I have. Cooking dinner, spending time with my bae, researching blog ideas, reading, praying and finally sleeping!
6. How has being an entrepreneur affected your personal life?
Being an entrepreneur hasn’t affected my personal life too drastically. I’m not a party animal, I don’t go out, I don’t have a lot of friends. The people that know me know what my life is about and they’re ok with it. I’ve had a few ‘friends’ in my life that couldn’t accept that my life consists of heavy doses of work and once they figured that my main priority was work, they dwindled off. My family and friends support me and understand what I’m trying to achieve. I like to surround myself with like-minded individuals because that’s what life is about – finding people who can make you better and help you achieve your goals.
7. What motivates Sherice Major?
Being told she can’t do something motivates Sherice Major. Maybe it’s the Leo in me, but the moment I am challenged, it’s on! Challenges motivate me to my core. But seriously, I want to be a role model for women, I want women to know that anything is possible in life in this male dominated world. I want to live a life of purpose. Life is about finding your purpose and every day I’m on a search to find out what that is. Why am I on earth? This is my true motivation.
8. What is your greatest fear and how are you able to manage it?
My greatest fear in life is being unsuccessful and being a failure. I know that I won’t be successful at everything in life, and I know that success is relative, therefore I try not to be negative about my shortcomings, and I try not to dwell on them.
9. How do you go about marketing your Island Break travel app?
Marketing Island Break travel app has been all about networking and word of mouth. Thankfully social media exists in the world because it makes it a lot easier to market products and services. Marketing hasn’t been too painful because, who doesn’t want to come to The Bahamas?
10. Would you say there is a lot of competition in the Bahamas, especially as a female?
I wouldn’t necessarily say there is a lot of competition, but maybe there is. I honesty do not compete with anyone because there is only one Sherice. I run my own race at my own pace and I’m not interested in running anyone else’s. I stay in my lane. There aren’t too many women in tech thankfully!
11. What sacrifices do you have to make in order to be successful?
Sacrifices. Hmmm. I sacrifice sleep! Lol. Seriously, time with family and friends probably is the biggest sacrifice. I am always travelling, always working so I don’t get to ‘hang out’ as much as I can.
12. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In five years I see myself as a mother, a wife, and an influential travel writer with my very own brand of travel related goodies!