Entrepreneur took leap to life’s purpose in business
There’s a reason Natasha Donerson is passionate about helping businesses grow. At one time, she needed help herself.
“I found a mentor who really helped me expand my business,” said Donerson, CEO of Success Unlimited LLC. “That opened my world, and I thought, ‘Wow, there’s so much value in having someone who is an expert who will take you under their wing.’”
Donerson has always dreamed of being her own boss. In college, she took the pre-med track because that is what everybody expected her to do. When the time came to make choices, however, she realized there were plenty of career options out there that made more sense for her.
“I always made top grades in school, so my family always said, ‘Oh, you’re so smart. You’re going to be a doctor when you grow up,’” she said with a laugh. “A lot of entrepreneurs, you don’t grow up seeing people in your family having their own businesses, so you don’t really look at that as an option.”
After earning a bachelor’s degree from Spelman College and an MBA from Union University, Donerson spent 13 years building experience in the business world as a pharmaceutical sales representative.
“During that whole time, I wanted my own business,” she said.
She finally took the leap, opening a Memphis-area franchise of The Growth Coach, a national company that offers coaching services for business owners.
“I started looking at franchises because I knew they have a higher longevity rate when growing your own business,” Donerson said.
After four years of success with that venture, she knew she was ready to grow her own business beyond it. With the franchise, Donerson was limited to working with small-business owners in the Memphis area. However, she saw plenty of opportunity in the market to work with corporations and organizations here and elsewhere.
“Currently, I work with smallbusiness owners, with a focus on women- and minority-owned businesses,” she said. “On the flip side, I work with corporations doing leadership development with managers and top-level executives. I also do consulting when it comes to procurement and diversity.”
Her particular niche is bridging the gap between the two types of clients — helping small-business owners work effectively with larger organizations and vice versa.
Meanwhile, Donerson is an active community leader, a real estate investor and author of “Jumpstart Real Estate Investing: A 30-Day Action Plan to Buying Your First Property.” Among other properties, Donerson owns the Bartlett building that houses Success Unlimited. Recently, she added a new venture under its roof — a business incubator called Ignite Center for Women Entrepreneurs.
Her goal is to help women-owned businesses grow to $1 million-plus in revenue.
“Women start businesses at twice the rate of men, but we don’t grow,” she said. “Our average revenue nationwide is about $100,000, and we don’t have a growth continuum. Ignite is going to address that.”
One day, Donerson hopes her daughter, 6, will follow in her footsteps by blazing her own trail.
Tell me about your role with Success Unlimited. What does a day in your work life look like?
Success Unlimited is a company I started over four years ago. In the beginning, I focused on small-business owners. I added corporate clients in 2011. With all my clients I focus on the mindset, which has an impact on their actions, which has an impact on the company growth. Each day is different for me. If I am not serving a current client, I focus on building a relationship with a potential client. In between, I am devoting time to the various boards I serve.
What’s your proudest moment so far, career-wise?
The proudest moment for me was when I released the “golden handcuffs.” It is when I left my job in pharmaceutical sales after 13 years to run my business full time. I have not looked back and know that I am living my life’s purpose. How do you spend your spare time? I spend my spare time reading, honing my skills as a speaker and trainer, and working out in my boot camp or Fusion classes.
What (or who) most inspires you, and why?
Oprah Winfrey inspires me the most. I have been following her for over 20 years, which is most of my lifetime. She is a true example of triumph after struggle. She is one of the most powerful women in the world and continues to inspire people to live their best life.