The Truth About College

As a little girl, I grew up SET on going to college to become a pediatrician mainly because I saw my mom in the medical field my entire life. It seemed like ‘the right thing to do’. 

Once I got to college I was set on becoming a nurse (because you know it’s still in the medical field). To be honest, I wasn’t good at it. I tried my hardest but I couldn’t grasped the concept of Biology or anything science related lol! I was failing my classes mainly because I was also partying a lot. 

So the hard truth came to punch me in the face (not really lol!) my brother came to the dorms and talked to me about changing my career path. I enrolled to do Industrial Engineer — because that’s what my brother graduated in. Then he finally asked me okay what are you passionate about? What do you enjoy? I really didn’t know how to answer. Then I looked back on my childhood  & quickly realized that I loved Computers & anything Technology related. 

At that point is when I switched my major to Computer Science then Information Systems.

Here’s the truth about college or continuing education in general. The courses equip you with the knowledge but will never equip you with the years of experience. So you spend 4+ years in undergrad trying to find yourself because it’s the first time you are away from your parents, your hometown, & your childhood friends. Now you’re responsible for feeding yourself, clothing yourself and providing financially for yourself. LOL! Do you understand how hard that is for an 18 year old?!

On top of all of that you are also responsible for attending all scheduled classes. It can be a lot especially for someone that has never left home & depended on mommy and daddy to provide for them. The truth about college is that you’ll never feel prepared. You’ll never really be ready for ‘said’ job that you are applying to before graduation. And once you are hired (after getting a crap ton of rejection emails for not having enough experience) you’re suppose to attend work daily to ‘get on the job training’. 

The world and its expectations are really funny. So if you’re reading this and you’re a recent graduate — this is a message to you. You’ll never feel ‘prepared’ even after all the internships and resume writing courses. Experience will always triumph education. That’s jus the honest truth. 

Resume writing lol! I’ll do a separate post for just resumes. 

How My Kids Have Taught Me To Be A Better Business Owner

Being a mom of 2 kids that are only 15 months is no easy job. Being a mom isn't an easy job period lol! Then adding business owner to your list of tasks -- it just screams 'tired, frustration, challenging'. 

I started doing T. Major Design which is my consulting/creative studio that assists small business owners, real estate agents, and corporations with digital designs and social media strategy. 

I know you're thinking "how in the world do you find time to do all of this"? 

Well my kids have taught me important business tactics that all business owners should practice.

1. Time Management: By scheduling out blocks of time to work on certain projects allow me to plan out my day. So every morning I know my day starts with packing them up for daycare then dropping them off to daycare. After daycare drop off I can start my day with atleast 30 minutes of exercising around the neighborhood. During this time of exercising I listen to an inspiring word, a podcast, or read the Bible app -- this gives me a chance to start my day and week off in a positive mindset. I love listening to different marketing podcasts which inspires me to implement in my businesses. 

2. Prioritize: Okay so now that my time is blocked in 2-3 hour increments I can focus on prioritizing my schedule. It usually looks something like 'Finish all MBA course assignments' (or atleast start lol!) 'Send out follow up emails to clients' 'Start new client project' 'Market on Social Media' 'Target & engage with audience'. 

3. Find a stopping point: Now that my week is prioritized and time is blocked off for all tasks. I need to find a stopping point. Let me tell you -- the importance of this is MAJOR. You need to find a stopping point so that you can make sure you are not over doing it.

Quick story -- I took on a client project that became too much for my current lifestyle and my family time. I found myself constantly on my phone, on social media, on my laptop -- my husband was constantly complaining about not being present when spending family time. I was like 'you trippin. I'm just trying to make these coins.' I had to scale back & realize 'no Tiff. You trippin. You need to rethink what you're trying to accomplish & how you can accomplish that with your family in mind'. 

It's like when I was single or without any kids -- I could be so selfish & it didn't matter to anyone. Now that I am a wife and a mother I can no longer do that. I have 2 human beings to keep alive and fed lol! I also have a partner that I have to work on our relationship daily. The only thing that I am still struggling with is finding time and resources to plan time for myself. We've been struggling with finding a babysitter that is available on our time schedule.

Motherhood births so many ideas and inspires you to pursue them even harder because you have the littles depending on you. This doesn't mean you can't continue to work towards them you just have to be strategic with your planning. 

Yes you can have it ALL | Entrepreneur Life

Being an entrepreneur and MBA student and mom and wife -- that means honestly I have no idea what it means but I know how it feels. As an entrepreneur I started my venture out with logo designs and web design (more on this later) but after a 1.5year in business I realized that logo and web design wasn’t my forte -- not the I am incapable but simply because my God Given talents were meant for other areas. 

As a multifaceted woman, I felt torn between so many parts, how can I automate, how can I focus on my family when my business is booming, what do I do when I don’t understand something in my business? 

Being an entrepreneur for me -- I’ve learned very quickly that it was using so much of my energy that I longed for the day of being a stable employee of a local company again. I wanted this business owner lifestyle right? Let me tell you what the “Instagram Influencers” don’t tell you. The journey to the top or atleast getting your feet wet is NOT pretty. I have no clue what self-care is simply because we currently do not have a babysitter. So Fridays we have date days to compensate for the weekends when we can’t go on dates.

So what am I a full-time entrepreneur of? I guess I should break that part down. 

Owner of T. Major Design this is where I create artistically digital designs and social media plans for small businesses and brands. 

Owner of XOSO Boutique -- Hugs & Kisses Savannah&Olivia my wish is for my girls to take over this store once they become old enough to understand how to operate a business. When I get an idea in my head I just go full fledge and just start putting things together -- it’s a gift but the creation at times can turn to look rush. So I have to remember to take a step back and really dive into what I am trying to produce & who will it benefit. At times I get so excited about my ideas and I’m like okay let’s just go for it but my husband is GREAT for snapping me back into reality. 

This is a great example so once I got laid off I was like “this is a perfect time for me to push my boutique really hard & I can accomplish so much because now I have free time”. My husband was like… you need to remember who you’re doing it for. You are doing it for these little girls that look up to you not for yourself. At times I do forget that I have 2 littles looking up to everything I do & depending on me. It’s like how do you find balance between being a mom, wife, career woman & entrepreneur?

I realized that the entrepreneur life just wasn’t 100% for me -- once I was able to really have time to focus on it. Yes I can sell myself but how can I sell to other people? Like how.

I slick feel like I’m having copy cat syndrome some say imposter -- I’m saying copy cat. Because that’s strictly what it is. As I’m browsing social media and all of the “bloggers” I follow I’m like dang what can I do to be there? Since being laid off I’m constantly thinking what should I be doing. It’s so difficult not to compare yourself to others when in the position I am currently in. 

It hurts to be honest. 

In my most difficult times I find enjoyment in risks and challenges. What can I do to be different?

Well the first thing is my blog posts. I’ve been blogging since Xanga was a thing and influencer marketing was never heard of. My blog posts aren’t for the science of blogging but strictly for the pleasure of myself. What can I do to better myself? Relieving all my thoughts and emotions on to my blog posts as I’ve always done makes me so happy and a bit more stress free -- not 100% but just a bit more. 

Deciding to pursue my MBA after having babies 15 months apart. How do I do it? Why do I do it?

Honestly I never really thought about it. I say to my husband all the time that I am a “do-er” -- when I set my mind on something I just start whether I succeed or fail atleast I know I tried. I view this a great outlook of life -- if I contemplate an idea for too long then it'll never get done. 

Currently working on automations and systems in my business so that I'm not constantly doing things last minute. My husband complains alot about my cell phone usage and being on social media. My reasoning is "it's my job" -- that may be somewhat true but it isn't fair to my family to constantly be on my phone. 

How do you balance work & life balance with a family?

5 Tips to Sleep Training Your 10 Month Old

My baby girl Olivia has had it SO GOOD compared to our oldest daughter Savannah -- Olivia has slept in our bed multiple times for an entire night. With Savannah we were super firm in not allowing her to sleep in our bed as soon as 6 months old.

This go round we went more lenient on Olivia because she sleeps in the same room as Savannah. So we wanted to make sure that they weren't causing any extra noise for each other. I continued to ask my husband when would be a good time for Olivia to fall asleep by herself until one night I just decided to just go from it.

Here's 5 Tips to getting your 10 Month to actually SLEEP in the crib

1. Start off SMALL: Start by introducing nap time in your baby's crib this will allow for your little one to get familiar with their surrounding and the idea of sleeping in the crib alone. This may not be easy for some easily for those that co-sleep but I would suggest rocking your baby to sleep and leaving a blanket or your shirt (because of the scent) in the crib as you quietly slip out of their nursery.

2. JUST START: Okay now this tip may or may not work for some babies. With both of our kids we allowed them to cry it out at a certain age. Of course after ensuring that they are full and dry diaper but allowing them to cry it out gives us an idea of how far along they've come and how much work we have left to do. Savannah cried it out until she was about 22 Months. So from 6 to 22 Months she cried it out. We would stop by momentarily to make sure that she was okay but for the most part crying it out has been our go-to.

3. Be Patient: It won't happen over night but your patience has to be STRONG. When baby starts crying don't be in a hurry to pick them up. Wait it out for atleast 30 minutes -- if baby continues to cry then step in & pat/rub baby on the back to encourage them and let them know you are still there BUT YOU WILL NOT PICK THEM UP.

4. Phases: So Tip #1 was to start off small -- As your baby begins to sleep for naps for longer periods or times. This is your signal to start allowing them to sleep in the crib at night. Your baby will try the same tricks as she does during the day for nap time and of course at night you're SLEEPY so that's why tip #5 is so important.

5. Bedtime: Babies NEED routines. If you think one night baby can go to sleep at 9P then the next night at 7P -- nope that will not work. In our house we try to make sure we are at home during bedtime which is 7-7:30P. This trains your baby to be sleepy at a certain time. Once you put baby down for bedtime be FIRM just like naptime to refrain from picking her up.


If you have any questions or tips to add hit me up on IG @themommyplug

I was LAID OFF | How I'm coping?

Just so you know -- companies are NOT that excited about you being pregnant for 9 months THEN having to take 6 to 12 weeks maternity leave. I’m like dang man. Life is really just getting to me. 

Then my husband steps in as usual and tells me 'YOU GOT THIS.', God has us. It took me probably until my 2nd trimester to really be comfortable in my 2x--15months later pregnant self. 

I felt the urge to post and vent and let out everything I was feeling at that moment in time but I couldn’t. 

I couldn’t simply because my job and employer was watching my every move. Every day and prayer I asked God to grant me the opportunity to work for myself. If no one else believed in me or my dreams -- I knew that God believed in me and that he wouldn’t give up on what I was trying to accomplish. I wanted to be a blogger, a digital designer, an influencer, a boutique owner. 

Like all of this came to me after I gave birth to my first child -- it’s like once I physically gave birth I wanted to birth new ventures, new opportunities, new legacies. Basically anything that gave me pleasure and joy I wanted to push it forward -- but it in front of an audience. The reality of me still working at an office job set in & I began to regret everything I did as a corporate professional. 

I didn’t feel like I was progressing in my position and I definitely wasn’t seeing any type of promotions. 

As I gave birth to my second child I began to feel resentment settling in -- resenting my position at my current job and longing and wishing more and more to become an entrepreneur so that I could spend time with my family. I longed for the time where I was on maternity leave doing whatever I wanted and moving so freely around town without worries of having to drive into an office. 

So here goes…. I was laid off exactly 6 months after giving birth to my second child. 

The moment I wished and waited so patiently for happened and turned me into a full time entrepreneur. Let’s recap that time in my left when I felt so useless and pointless -- I think all moms wish and want to become a “stay at home mom” but what does that really mean? 

On January 24, 2018 -- I was called into the office (lol! Wait I forgot to tell you guys that I started working from home)

Okay let’s rewind… after I returned to the office I was given an option -- to share an office with 2-3 other people WHILE NEEDING TO PUMP BREAST MILK AT THE OFFICE and having to ask them to leave. (I’m pretty sure that’s illegal but whatever.) or the other option was to work from home and come into the office for meetings. Of course this mama wanted to stay at home while the kids were at daycare I pictured all the work I could get done at home without any interruption. 

So 6 months into me returning back from maternity leave I was given the option to either be laid off or to move to a different state to work at the corporate location. 

…….how did I end up here? I was just working at IBM (Fortune 100 company) where I was pictured as a somewhat successful graduate. Now you’re telling me I’m being laid off at a position I’ve been at for almost 2 years because of internal issues. This was not the life I pictured. The day before I was officially laid off -- I text my best friend and told her “I feel like I’m going to get fired. I’ve never had this feeling before but I know it’s going to happen”. Well I didn’t exactly get fired but I was let go of a job that I put my all into. 

I came to the thought of the company no longer being satisfied with my work besides the fact I just had given birth again -- no maternity leave pay or anything that would affect the company. But it was time for me to move forward and I would have never pushed myself to an uncomfortable position to experience entrepreneurship full time. 

Oh how I thought I was so really to venture out into this full time entrepreneur. I was wrong. Yes I am an entrepreneur but I am still working at perfecting my processes and automation -- I look at IG influencers and bloggers and I'm like dang they have it so much together but in reality no one really does. As I plan for The Mommy Plug for be such a "perfect blog" -- I have to take a step back and realize that social media does not defines my life. 

Follow me on my journey as I continue to press forward & pursue my dreams or career which ever comes first lol!