The Founder and Creative Director of Tess the Tooth Fairy, the #1 tooth fairy experience for kids, takes our Black at the Office Career Questionnaire.

Tell us a little about yourself and your upbringing. What were your early years like?

I grew up in Memphis, TN, in a family of five. I have twin brothers who are eight years older than me. Education and hard work were very important in my home. My brothers and I were encouraged to do well in school and attend college from a young age. My parents divorced when I was 15, and I lived with my mom until I left for college at 18. I attended Washington University in St. Louis and graduated with a degree in psychology.

What was your first grown-up job?

My first grown-up job was working as a customer service representative for Advanced Services, Inc., the call center division of GE.  

What mistakes did you make early in your career?

Early in my career, I didn’t do an excellent job negotiating my salary. I also didn’t take advantage of the opportunity to get a professional teacher’s license for free since I worked for a college. Doing this would have increased my salary for my next job. 

I also did not spend enough time networking and getting career advice. I also did not save enough during the early years of my career. Probably because I did not make very much money. Nonetheless, I should have saved more money. And I also should have made a more robust plan for paying off my student loans.

Fast forward to your current role. How did you get to the position you are in now? What was your career trajectory like?

I taught most of my career–first in the public school system and then in higher education. I learned a lot. I also suffered a lot but was thankful for the work. But I am most thankful for the work I do now because I created my job. It’s hard to think of it as a job. I found a way to turn the things I love the most and am skilled at into a career aligned with my goals and my vision for my life. Work can feel like play to you if you are good at it and if it is aligned with who you are. So now, I work a little and play a lot.

What skills have you found vital to your current role?

People skills are vital to any role, which is true in my current position. Writing is a largely solitary endeavor until it is time to sell your book or pitch an idea to an editor or publisher. Having good people skills is essential. No one wants to connect with a jerk. It is also important to be creative and disciplined. A writer needs to write. Simple but true. You can’t move closer to your goals without writing each day. You also need to have tough skin and care deeply about the work that you are doing. Everyone is not going to like what you create. You have to be okay with that. Most importantly, you must play the long game and see the value in your actions. My motto is “Validate your damn self.” It is not always easy, but it is a necessary survival skill.

What do you enjoy most about your current role?

I love being immersed in the world of writing and connecting with other writers and reading their work. And I love children’s books! So now I have the time and brain space to write as many children’s books as I want. I love that my work now feels like play for the first time in my life.

If you could do it all over again, would you choose the same path for yourself? If not, what would you change?

One thing I would have changed was obtaining a real estate license and an insurance license after undergrad rather than taking on more student debt for a master’s degree. These are relatively easy and affordable licenses to obtain, and real estate and insurance are good businesses with a lot of built-in support for professional development.

Also, I would have moved to a different city (maybe even abroad) sooner to get into a better market. If I wanted to teach, I could have made more money and had great experiences living abroad.

Finally, I would have started writing sooner. I have always written, but I would have committed to a more regular practice early on and learned the business side of it sooner. It’s fun; if you understand the business side, it can be a good business.

What’s the best career advice you have ever received?

I didn’t receive a lot of career advice early on. I wish I had asked for more advice. One thing comes to mind. I had a job that I didn’t like. I talked to one of my mom’s colleagues about it, and he said that I should pursue other opportunities. He also said if someone asks me about the job, to say, “I’m thankful for the work.” Doing this taught me the importance of gratitude. Even when you are not where you want to be professionally or in any area of your life, finding something to be grateful for and focusing on that helps shift your energy and mindset and attract more good things into your life.

Whose career inspires you and why?

Leila Janah’s career and legacy inspire me. I am also inspired by Iyanla Vanzant’s career as an author and spiritual psychologist.

What was the last good book you read?

Give Work by Leila Janah