Meet Akisha Holland of Superior Educational Enterprises in Central Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Akisha Holland.

Akisha, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My story started in Mt. Airy Philadelphia, PA where I was born and raised. My parents always wanted to expose me to the arts since I come from a musical family; however, they never thought of exposing me to business. Despite this, I was Inadvertently exposed to entrepreneurship through my grandmothers. My paternal grandmother was one of the first women of color to own a business on a major street in Philadelphia during her time, and my maternal grandmother was a real estate investor and seamstress. Clearly, entrepreneurship was in my blood; however, I didn’t realize this until later on in my life.

After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in English (with a minor in Psychology) from Temple University, I began teaching English at a local Philadelphia High School. I enjoyed teaching, but I knew that I wanted to have more of an impact with both the teachers and students. I didn’t map everything out, then, because I just started and knew that I needed to learn more about student learning, learning structures, classroom management, etc. I decided to get a Master’s degree in Psychology from Rosemont College; however, after looking at the list of majors, I decided to pursue a degree in Creative Writing, instead. I chose Creative Writing because I always enjoyed analyzing texts, constructing essays and stories, writing poems and scripts. At the time, I thought it made perfect sense, so I put my educational career on hold to feed my creative side. Shortly after, I received a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing which allowed me to teach college-level English. I taught at Widener University, Penn State and Community College of Philadelphia.

Although, I began teaching again, I still maintained a desire to make a greater impact which compelled me to invest in a franchise. Through franchising, I learned all about business from sales pitching to marketing to closing deals and everything in between. I am thankful for that experience; however, I quickly learned that franchising was not the best decision for me when the corporate office asked me to deny paying customers of a product they had already pre-ordered. I knew if I didn’t deliver the product, it would make me and the company look bad. I knew after that, that if I started another business venture that I would need to be more in control. It was at that point that I began to realize what I wanted and did not want in a business.

A year later, I moved to Phoenix, Arizona with my family and became Founder and CEO of Superior Educational Enterprises, LLC (SEE), an Educational Consulting Firm. My typical clientele consists of CEOs, executives, solopreneurs, school districts and educators who have the challenge of keeping students and employees authentically engaged enough to retain information. I help them by decreasing their idle time, increasing their student/employee achievement, engagement & interaction levels. After spending over a decade working in Education and Sales for multi-million dollar brands, I know what truly drives employees and students to excel and go above and beyond. I help employers and teachers understand that they have to connect with the heart-beating people they are trying to help and communicate their understanding back to them.

In addition to my extensive consulting experience, I am a Co-Creator of P A U S E, an organization that I built along with two other women, Chavon Green and Jade Hall, to enable and empower other women to step fully into their most authentic selves. I have been in several publications around the US and have started my own podcast titled A Fire Podcast. I am a public speaker, educator, and nutrition enthusiast with Uforia, a DNA-based nutrition company, and a booking agent to several athletes and music artists.

I still currently teach at Maricopa County Community College District and live in Central Phoenix with my husband and three children.

Has it been a smooth road?
It was never a smooth road for me. I’ve had a ton of obstacles thrown my way from lack of available resources and mentors to emotional stress from the loss and/or pain and suffering of family members and friends. I did not receive much support from anyone for either of my businesses. Some people thought that it couldn’t be done. Usually, when someone tells me that I can’t do something, it gives me more encouragement and drives to actually do it.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Superior Educational Enterprises story. Tell us more about it.
I run an educational consulting firm called Superior Educational Enterprises, LLC which provides instructional coaching. Our typical clientele consists of CEOs, executives, solopreneurs, school districts and educators who have the challenge of keeping employees and students authentically engaged enough to retain pertinent information. I not only coach employers and instructors, but also prospective coaches.

I also host A Fire Podcast which focuses on entrepreneurship and education. My goal is to reach as many entrepreneurs and educators as possible to provide them with the proper resources they need to succeed. I value relationships, team building and shared values and believe that this podcast will allow me to network, develop connections and tap into new and uncharted territories.

Lastly, I am a co-creator of P A U S E, an organization that was built for women by women to enable and empower them to step fully into their most authentic selves. This “pause” is an intentional time for women to focus on their feelings, embrace their vulnerability, and replant themselves in healthy soil.

I am known as a driven entrepreneur and visionary who sees beyond obstacles. I set goals and do as much as humanly possible to achieve them. This is what sets me apart from other people-my drive, my persistence and my philosophy on life which is to “continue to grow and help others do the same.”

I am proud that all of my brands and organizations are becoming more well-known each year. I am also proud of my upcoming book “How Challenges Can Help You Live a Better Life” which is scheduled to be complete by this summer.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success, to me, is synonymous with freedom and autonomy. Nothing is better than having the freedom to live your life on your own terms. I believe we were all created to bring light and joy into the world. By this, I mean that we were meant to share our gifts, our unique way of communicating, showing love and compassion towards others to foster healthier communities whether it be through our businesses, charities or speaking engagements. I choose to be a part of the solution, not the problem. I choose to lead, not follow. Lastly, I choose to live and not die behind a cubicle wishing that I would have taken a chance on me as most CEOs do for themselves.

My criteria for success starts with my values – Service, Contribution, Love, Freedom, Growth, Efficiency, Curiosity, Teamwork, Fun, Compassion, Discipline, Passion, and Resourcefulness. I learned years ago to never compromise my integrity. As I began to understand what my values were, I learned to adjust my standards.

Pricing:

• Call for coaching package prices
• Call if you are interested in being a guest on my podcast
• Call for a 30-minute consultation

Contact Info:

• Address: 2390 E Camelback, Ste 130
  Phoenix, AZ 85016
• Website: www.see-akishaholland.com
• Phone: 800.326.3140
• Email: superioreducational@gmail.com
• Instagram: @SuperiorEducational or @iamakishajenee
• Facebook: Akisha Holland
• Twitter: @educational_llc
• Other: LinkedIn Akisha Holland

Image Credit:
Emma Vargas, Denise Poindexter

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