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Meet Dr. Sheila Pope of Pope’s Resource Center in Pearland

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Sheila Pope.

Dr. Sheila, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started Pope’s Resource Center, LLC in 2017. I left my position in the Houston Independent School District (HISD) and I was trying to determine my next step. I started The Resource Center as a sole proprietorship business in 2006, but I saw it as a part-time business. However, when I left HISD, I knew I would never return to work for another company full-time. I knew I was going to be a full-time entrepreneur. I was going to going to go where feet may fail, but I would trust God to see me through.

I had been an educator, school counselor, and principal for most of my professional life. While I was completing my doctorate, other female professionals would ask me to help edit their dissertations or build their websites. I was thrilled to know I played a role in helping women change their lives. I would edit clients’ dissertations and provide business consultations. I was seeing God really use me as a “resource” to help encourage women to complete the necessary paperwork to start their own businesses too.

In January 2017, I took the leap and created Pope’s Resource Center, LLC. I did not have a clear picture of what product I would sell until a friend, Khufere Qhamata said, “Dr. Pope you are your product. You are the brand.” At that time, I had a blog called “Dr. Pope’s Writing World”. I had my first digital e-textbook published by Great River Learning called “Writing Essentials: Strategies to Master Freshmen English and Writing Placement Exams”. I am a tech girl. I was also designing websites and building social media platforms for clients. I could not see the big picture in 2017, but I was building a media company.

In 2018, I became a Community Television Producer for Houston Media Source. It was not a strategic move on my part. To support me and to promote my company, the Honorary Mayor Sandra Massie Hines asked me to accompany her to Bishop Delagraentiss’ live television show. I helped her create a 501c3, and I served with her as a volunteer in the Sunnyside community. I walked into the studio and saw the control room and the cameras and instantly I knew I could be a television producer. When I saw myself on live television, I knew I was going to learn how to produce a show. I was in tech girl heaven! By August 18, I had filmed the first episode of my own talk show, “Conversations with Dr. Pope” on the campus of Worthing High School. Ironically, Worthing High School was the last place I held a full-time teaching position in HISD.

While working on the first episode of my television show, I quickly learned how to direct my guests, to secure interviews on the spot, to edit my television shows with iMovie, to use different video cameras, to purchase/license music for productions, to create media consent forms, and I learned to produce television shows from start to finish. More importantly, I learned my work ethic, my previous technical skills, my people skills, my communication skills, and my editing skills were perfect for my purpose as a producer.  I determined my goal was to build a media company. In 2019, I created New Beginnings Media & Production Company. I would use my strength as a community leader and businesswoman to build content for my television show, my podcast, “Boss Lady Podcast” (Soundcloud & iTunes), and to publish books and magazines. Through my production company, I will produce documentaries and movies. More importantly, I would produce shows, movies, and content for clients to do the same thing.

I have been blessed to volunteer with a great organization such as Peoples United Summit. While working with Mr. Allen Provost, Vice President & Treasurer of Peoples United Summit, I have grown as a community leader and a businesswoman. While serving as a community leader, I have had the opportunity to volunteer with State Representative Senfronia Thompson (District 141), Honorary Mayor for Sunnyside, Sandra Massie Hines, and State Representative Shawn Thierry. I am grateful I have been able to share my experience as a volunteer with State Representative Senfronia Thompson on my television show (Ep:6). I have also volunteered to help residents of Tamina, TX  because of my connection to Peoples United Summit and volunteering with State Representative Senfronia Thompson. Those efforts turned into my first documentary.  I have interviewed State Representative Shawn Thierry (District 146) twice for my television show. I had the honor to film our interview in her office at the Texas Capitol (Ep 1 & EP 5). I have been blessed to learn from some of the strongest female community servants in Houston, TX.

While building my company, I learned it was often a lonely journey. In 2019, I created the Boss Ladies Professional Network to provide a platform for other female entrepreneurs, especially minorities, to share their experiences, to gain the support they needed to grow their businesses via contracts and to take the risk to go outside of their comfort zones. At first, I started the group as a free Facebook group called Boss Ladies in 2017. In 2019, I realized in order to make real money, we had to go offline for real growth. I have walked members through the Metro Small Business Enterprise Certification process. I have helped Boss Ladies to become vendors in Aldine ISD and other areas. We are working on securing contracts as Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) and Metro Certified Businesses Enterprises.

In a short time, God has helped me become a full-time entrepreneur with an LLC and two non-profits. I serve as a community leader and advocate for non-violent ex-offenders. Pope’s Resource Center, LLC serves as a platform to tell the stories of small business owners, female entrepreneurs, and non-violent ex-offenders. I also use it to shine the light on cities like Tamina, an unincorporated community located in Shenandoah. I filmed a documentary about their journey to secure a sewage system and to form a governmental body. I was also able to speak with Senator Borris Miles at Texas Capitol about his help to improve Tamina’s roads and other areas. He was featured in Ep: 5 of Conversations with Dr. Pope. I never imagined I would advocate for an unincorporated African American community at the Texas State Capitol. To film my brief interview with a Senator was a dream come true for me.

I founded The Next Move Re-entry Program to serve another purpose I have as a businesswoman and community leader. I want to teach non-violent ex-offenders how to change their lives through entrepreneurship and workforce development skills. Women and men who were in the prison system need skills to turn their lives around. They cannot find “good” jobs due to their criminal backgrounds. I can be a resource to them as well.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road. I am still adjusting to all of the financial struggles I have had to adjust to while growing the business and learning how to set boundaries. I learned people will give you a great review but will not pay you for your work. I learned clients will pay for services with credit cards and later claim they did not receive great service to deny the charges. Chargebacks are a nightmare! I learned to charge people for any time they want to talk about an idea. Now, I charge consultant fees for meetings. People will waste your time with meetings about their business, but they will not sign contracts or Memorandums of Understandings (MOU) to show they are contractually bound to pay/in-kind services. I learned my integrity is vital to my lifeline in business. I have to keep my word a provide great service, pay people when others refuse to pay me and to be clear in dealings with clients and potential clients. I have learned to be transparent with my struggles and to celebrate all my successes.

I learned to ask clients about their budgets for projects before we talk about business. If they do not have a budget, they are going to look for you do drive the pricing. I know what I need to make a profit and to make a living. If the client and I cannot agree on a price, I leave the money on the table. I also know I can have great quarters, but I must save for the unproductive quarters. I have dealt with downsizing and going without to continue to serve my purpose. The most important challenge I have overcome is changing my mindset from being money-driven to purpose-driven.

Please tell us about Pope’s Resource Center, LLC.
Pope’s Resource Center, LLC is a media and consulting company. I produce a television show called “Conversations with Dr. Pope”. I have a podcast called Boss Lady Podcast on Soundcloud and iTunes. Under the umbrella of Pope’s Resource Center, LLC,  I have a production company called “New Beginnings Media and Production Companies. At this time, I am producing documentaries. We also help clients build their social media platforms or promote their events.

I am most proud of the fact that I have kept my integrity and my faith while growing as a business owner. I am also proud of my Boss Ladies Professional Network. I look forward to seeing all of the female CEO members accomplish their business goals. I love coaching and working with the members. I enjoy watching them grow. I love going to their places of business and hearing how they built their businesses. I have access to a group of women who love talking about business; they are growing a business. They understand where I am as a businesswoman. Due to the network, I am no longer lonely on my journey.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memories from my childhood were going fishing with my Aunt Zeffie Lee Fraizer and her buddy Alice. I was 16 and I drove the car to and from the lake. We had a blast fishing. I laughed at their stories. I laughed at their need for tobacco, snuff and spit jars. My aunt insisted that I pull the car over when it started to rain. She was uncomfortable with driving in the rain. My love of seniors stems from my experiences with my aunt Zeffie. She truly loved me. Her children taught me how to tell time and to read. My aunt and allowed me to share my dreams with her on her front porch. She made the best biscuits and she shared words of wisdom.  My Aunt Zeffie influenced my love of serving senior citizens.  I advocate for senior citizens with passion and zeal because of my years of love of Zeffie Lee Frazier.

Pricing:

 

  • Sponsored advertising on Conversations with Dr. Pope starts from $150-1500.
  • Consulting fees $150.00 per hour
  • Publishing/editing fees for digital e-books and paperback books starting from $3000-$5000

 

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
Dr. Sheila Pope

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