Tamiko Cuellar, Speaker, International Business Strategist, Author and Thought Leader, joined Benito Vergotine in studio on Tuesday 27 August. Listen to her inspirational conversation here: American Speaker Focuses on Entrepreneurship and Breaking the Cycle of Generational Poverty

Speaker – International Business Strategist – Author – Thought Leader

Dynamite in a small package, fearless and inspiring are just a few words to describe Tamiko Cuellar, the CEO and Founder of Pursue Your Purpose. She is a proven leader in the marketplace among small business owners nationally and internationally. Recognized for her leadership abilities, she has been invited to speak at Microsoft, First Bank, the City of St. Louis, the Greater North County Chamber of Commerce, Grace Hill Business Center, the Center for the Acceleration of African American Business (CAAAB), Justine Petersen, Better Family Life, churches, conferences, on several radio programs, and more. She has been featured on Forbes.com, in The Huffington Post, the St. Louis Business Journal, on ABC, STL TV and on the cover of the UK based Small Business Owner Magazine for her work with entrepreneurs and was nominated for the 2013 Business Influencer Award and in 2016 recognized by The Women’s Business Journals as a “Woman on the Move.” In 2015, she was selected to audition for TEDx to present on “Breaking the Cycle of Generational Poverty.” She also served as an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management at City Vision University.  In 2016, she was appointed as a Mentor to emerging entrepreneurs in Kenya and Uganda as part of billionaire Tony Elumelu’s Entrepreneurship Programme which funds and develops new enterprises throughout the continent of Africa. She is also a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and the National Association of Professional Women (NAPW).

Background. Born in low income housing projects into a broken family, in poverty, in a crime ridden neighborhood, and educated in the under performing school district of East St. Louis, Illinois. she considers herself to be a flower that was determined to rise from the cracks of concrete to grow and flourish. She went on to obtain three business degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia on a full academic scholarship, the University of Phoenix and City Vision University respectively, and has had a successful and adventurous career helping to secure $30 million clients, training employees and obtaining millions of investment dollars in corporate America prior to launching Pursue Your Purpose.

Her Company.  Pursue Your Purpose LLC is a global firm that coaches high-performing, purpose-driven women executives, managers and leaders with strategies to successfully transition into entrepreneurship. Tamiko coaches both aspiring and existing women business owners worldwide to pursue their purpose in the marketplace and equips them with proven strategies and inspiration that catapult their businesses to the next level.  Pursue Your Purpose LLC provides live and virtual conferences, strategy sessions, group and private coaching, workshops, and books. Tamiko is also the author of “20 Beautiful Women: 20 More Stories That Will Heal Your Soul, Ignite Your Passion And Inspire Your Divine Purpose” Volume 2, “101 Tools to Take Your Startup or Solopreneur Business to the Next Level” and “Own Your Brilliance! – A Woman’s Guide to Hiring Herself”. For corporations, colleges, conferences, churches, radio, and TV interviews, Tamiko is a speaker and facilitator on topics related to entrepreneurship, business and personal success, women’s leadership development, and discovering and pursuing your life’s purpose.

ACCOLADES

❖ Official member of the Forbes® Coaches Council, an invitation-only organization for leading business coaches

❖ Member of The National Association of Professional Women (NAPW)

❖ 3 College degrees in Business, earning an undergraduate full academic scholarship

❖ Helped to acquire $30 million clients at a Fortune 500 company prior to transitioning to entrepreneurship

❖ Business and Leadership Contributor for The Huffington Post and Forbes.com®

❖ Featured at virtual and live speaking events in the U.S. Canada, Namibia, The Bahamas, England, Switzerland, Mexico, New Zealand, and Germany

❖ Recognized as “A Woman on the Move” in The Women’s Business Journals

❖ Former Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship & Small Business Management at City Vision University

❖ Selected by The Tony Elumelu Foundation’s Entrepreneurship Programme to mentor emerging entrepreneurs in Kenya and Uganda, Africa

❖ Nominated for the 2013 Business Influencer Award

❖ Published Author of Own Your Brilliance! – A Woman’s Guide to Hiring Herself, 101 Tools to Take Your Startup to The Next Level!, and co-author of the critically acclaimed 20 Beautiful Women – vol. 2.