Hi, I'm Tessie, Your Leadership Consultant

It was my first official leadership role as a Probation Officer Supervisor that set a lot of things in motion. My first-year evaluation noted, “Tessie is a good supervisor, but struggles with her leadership skills.” This made little sense to me because I could not understand how you could be one and not the other – hence the fact that a position does not make you a leader. I asked my supervisor to teach me, and he had no clue where to start. So, I took it upon myself to learn as much as possible about being a leader, starting with myself and all those areas in my life that were a hindrance to me leading well. This resulted in having one of the most highly respected and awarded probation units and with me eventually earning an award as Supervisor of the Year for the State of Florida.

After moving on from that career, I took an amazing position that I loved with a nonprofit organization. However, after about 3.5 years with the organization, I walked into my job one day and was told my services were no longer needed. Although they attempted to produce a reason – they pretty much summed it up with “we don’t have to give you a reason”. Meaning, we can terminate you without cause at any time. This was a major blow to my world, resulting in the loss of my dream home, my car, having to take an entry-level job at a department store, and eventually moving into a rental property. All this chaos while working towards my master’s degree in Organizational Leadership.

Despite the aforementioned struggles, I maintained focus and went on to earn my master’s,  graduating at the top of my class and receiving several honors for my work. The biggest reward was the revelation of my company, The Leadership Haven, and an awakening to what it really means to be an effective leader of SELF as well as others.

Prior to taking the big leap into full-time entrepreneurship, I was what you would call an “Intrapreneur with an Entrepreneurs Heart”. I spent several years supporting the missions and visions of other companies, while determined to stay true to my own. It was in these spaces that I learned even more about myself as a leader, and as a follower. One big thing that came out of this was a promise I made to myself, and one I strive daily to keep, and that was to never allow anyone to make me feel like an employee ever again – even if I was one. I am an investor and a contributor, offering over 30 years of expertise and experience, and under no circumstances will my gifts ever again be used, abused, or misused. 

I am equally committed to supporting leaders on their journey to recognize their leadership potential, break down those intrinsic and extrinsic barriers, and occupy their space of influence with confidence. 

In my almost 35 years in Government and Nonprofit America, I've consulted with hundreds of leaders and watched many go on to become significant contributors in their companies and communities. 

I want to help you do the same because you deserve it.

I've made it my mission to work with leaders like you because you deserve access to resources and opportunities to help give you a competitive edge and to overcome internal and external challenges that threaten your leadership capacity.   

I want you to thrive in life and career. I want you to walk in confidence, show up unapologetically, and develop those strategically strong skills and habits that are essential to being the leader that you know you were created to be.