Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiana B. Jones.
Hi Kiana, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
How much time and space do I have? Because how I started to how I got where I am today is a novel… LOL
As a child, I knew I wanted to be successful. The one thing I was sure that could help me be successful and improve my life and circumstances was education. Schoolwork came first for me because that was going to be a way out of a drug and crime-infested city. I grew up in Baltimore City in the 80s and 90s during the crack epidemic, so I saw and experienced more than I care to share. Focusing on school and getting my education was a distraction from my reality.
I daydreamed a lot. I dreamed about what I wanted to be, where I would live, and what I would drive when I grew up. My first career choice was an architect because of the 80’s movie “Three Men and a Baby.” Then, at some point, I wanted to be a teacher because of my favorite teachers. Also, teachers were educated so in my mind that was perfect since education was my way to success. Later, my focus shifted to being a businesswoman.
I am sure it was influenced by a movie as well. I watched and still do watch a lot of movies. I was not sure what being a businesswoman entailed, but I knew I wanted to be one. So, it started for me in about 6th grade when my daydreams were me in a suit with a briefcase in hand and getting out of my dream car for work. This was the 80’s so my dream car at that time was a Jaguar.
My mother, Ramona, affectionately known as Mimi (God rest her soul) taught me early on that nothing in life is free. So, I knew I had to work hard for anything I wanted. I was business-minded as a young girl who learned to barter with family and friends for things that I wanted. I would do odd jobs for family members to earn money.
When it was time to apply to high schools, my mother made it clear that I was going to Western High School. In Baltimore City, we have citywide high schools that require you to apply, test, and get accepted. It did not matter what other schools accepted me because like I said my mother’s mind was set on me attending Western High School. The all-girl school model was appealing to her since she too attended an all-girl high school.
So, it was off to Western in the Fall of ’89 for me. Little did I know how much being a Western Dove would change my life and put me on the path to my dream of being a businesswoman. As a college preparatory school, Western offered a rigorous course load. The motto “Only the Best”, instilled a confident and competitive spirit in me that would prove to be beneficial throughout my life. I learned sophomore year that Western also offered a business program that was the hidden gem of the school for me.
At the end of 10th grade, I quickly switched from what we called the “A” course to the business course. It was at Western that I fell in love with the business and was groomed to be the educated businesswoman I am today. While at Western, I joined Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and became an officer of the club. The experience from FBLA solidified for me that I was meant to have a career in business. Additionally, while in high school, I got my first bookkeeping job.
You couldn’t tell me I was not a real accountant when my grandfather hired me to help him track his business expenses. That was a proud moment for me to do that for my grandfather. He was an owner/operator tractor-trailer driver. I would tally up his expenses and categorize them for him to prepare his tax returns.
After graduating from Western, I attended Coppin State University in their Honors program and majored in management science with an accounting concentration. I think it’s obvious what encouraged me to concentrate on accounting. While at Coppin, I, and a few other accounting students with the help of our professor chartered the school’s student chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants.
During my sophomore year of college, I had a life-changing experience when I gave birth to my firstborn, my son Kai. My entire life changed! I has to figure it out because dropping out of school was not an option for me. One reason is that I was on an academic scholarship that did not allow me to take semesters off. Secondly, my mom and my dad Gary already went down that road of not pursuing their education or dreams when they had me at the tender ages of 18 and 19.
Now, here I was at 18 facing the same fate. I was determined not to disappoint myself or my family. I continued to attend classes even as my belly continued to grow. I remember not being able to fit in the desk in my last trimester of pregnancy. Kai was due in January, during winter break. Business as usual, I planned for the next semester and registered for my spring ’95 classes. The look on my honors counselor’s face was clear; she didn’t believe I could do it.
Which motivated me more to return to school spring semester, and graduate college on time with my bachelor’s degree. I gave birth to a wide-eyed baby boy days from the start of the spring semester. With the help of my son’s dad, family, and friends, I was able to get my books and syllabus for each class.
I started the spring semester working from home as I settled into being a new mom. I studied and completed assignments between feedings, diaper changes, and naps. I was able to return to school in person about 4 weeks later just in time to take my midterms. I begged my doctors to examine me and Kai at 4 weeks so we could be released to go to school and daycare. Kai started daycare at about 4 weeks old, and mommy headed to school.
I took a light load that spring semester of only 12 credits. So, I had to take summer classes during my sophomore and junior year to graduate on time. And I did just that, I graduated in 4 years May 1997, with an amazing 2-year-old son who got to see his mommy walk across the stage.
I did not continue my education immediately after graduating from undergrad, instead, I accepted a job offer as a staff accountant at the public accounting firm where I interned from my junior year until graduation. Then, some months later I got married. A little later, I was blessed with 2 more amazing children Braxton and Colby. Several years later, I would need the same determination that got me through undergrad to get me through my master’s degree in Accounting and Management from Walden University.
My career began in public accounting, and prior to that, I interned in the tax department for 2 years. My experience in the tax department is why I specialize in tax preparation today. My experiences up and through my tenure at the CPA firm shaped me as an accountant and fostered my love for accounting. It’s the next chapter of experiences that got me started in entrepreneurship, non-profit and grant management, loving all things business, and learning I have the gift of teaching.
I understand now that I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I turned my knowledge and experience of tax preparation into a small tax preparation side business within a year of graduating. I started out with family and friends as clients. Then, I changed my career focus from public accounting to research accounting in higher education. I wanted to get satisfaction from my work that public accounting was not able to provide me. So, I transferred my skills, experience, and education to sponsored projects/grant financial management where I felt the work that I was doing made a difference.
A few years after my career change, my uncle introduced me to the multi-level marketing (MLM) business world. Oh boy, did that change my life and mindset forever? It ignited the entrepreneur inside of me and showed me that wealth and millionaire status is attainable. I started my first MLM business at 24 years old selling art. I fell in love with the art and the money I was making. I learned so much about operating a business that I did not learn in my undergrad business studies. The MLM business model coupled with my book smarts was the perfect mix that spearheaded the entrepreneur I am today.
I would go on to join a couple more MLM businesses that always afforded me the extra income I wanted and a wealth of knowledge and marketing skills. I honed my marketing and people-reading skills by doing MLM businesses. In addition, MLM pretty much forced the employee mindset out of my thought process to never return. I never looked at having a job the same. A job to me is simply another stream of income.
Now one job I viewed as more than simply a stream of income, is teaching. I made a lot of positive impacts as a teacher, and I discovered that teaching was my gift. After having Colby, I did not plan to return to a full-time job plus I was still doing the MLM business and my tax business. So, another benefit of MLM is that you get to network with a lot of people. Remember earlier, I said I wanted to be a teacher at one point. Well, I did it! I was conducting an art presentation for my MLM art business, and one of the attendees was a math department chair. She also was an alumna of Western-like me.
After my presentations, I network with the guests and take sales. Well, she and I started talking and she asked me if I ever thought about teaching. All I could do was laugh because I heard that so much from co-workers over the years. Apparently, I sound like I am teaching when I talk. And this encounter obviously proved it because my presentation must have felt like an art lesson instead of a sales pitch.
Long story short, I started teaching geometry a few months later at Woodlawn High School. Now, this was right before no child was left behind which ended up leaving a lot of kids behind. Nevertheless, I embarked on my teaching career. I would go on to teach for about 5 years, and during that time I returned to school to get a certificate in secondary education.
I completed a program at CCBC for career changers in secondary education. I feverishly worked to get my teaching certification but did not complete it in time to not be left behind. Someone came up with the bright idea to let all teachers go who were not certified at the close of the school year which started my hiatus from teaching.
That of course produced a teacher shortage that the school systems still have not recovered from because many teachers were career changers like me and had other options, so they never returned to teaching. The school system automatically made the teacher they essentially fired long-term substitutes on the payroll. I returned to teach only for a few months of the next school year as a long-term sub until a job offer came through. That job offer took me back to the accounting and tax world as a Payroll Tax Accountant.
From there, I ended up back in grant and financial management for another 10 years, until I decided to go into full-time entrepreneurship and focus more on my business. The word got out to my educator friends and family that I was not working a job; my phone began to ring off the hook for me to come to teach math because there was still a teacher shortage.
They knew I missed teaching and would not say no. After a 10 year hiatus, I returned to teaching math while building the new non-profit management arm of my business. It did not take long for me to start getting contracts for non-profit consulting and grant writing because I had 15 years of experience at that point.
I’ve gone through a few changes in my business. I’ve had a business name change. I changed the services that I provided over the years as my focus changed. The journey of entrepreneurship is full of ups and downs like a fun roller coaster ride. I love good roller coaster rides maybe that explains why I love entrepreneurship. I am also passionate about education as a lifelong learner obtaining one degree or certification after another.
Then I became an educator which increased my passion for education. So much so that while co-hosting and speaking at a business networking event in 2017, one of the speakers called me “The Educated Entrepreneur.”
It stuck with me, so in alignment with Kiana’s business marketing mind, I branded it. That wasn’t the first time I have coined something. I was coined “The Tax lady” by one of my dear clients and that stuck from the late 90s until the early. Then, I was coined “Busy Bee” early 2000s by a friend naturally because I’ve been a busy bee my entire life. That sparked me to rename my business in 2008 to Beehive Enterprise Professionals to embody who I was and the enterprise legacy I am building for my children. Over time, I’ve branded “Bizy Bee Kee” as my public figure persona.
I am still on the entrepreneur roller coaster ride as the sole owner and CEO of Beehive Enterprise Professionals. In addition, I am co-owner with my business partner and cousin Tori Rose of Beehive Connected Group dba BCG Management that we founded in 2017. We also co-host The Connected Corner, a podcast created by Beehive Connected Group in 2019.
I tried to open a childcare and learning center in 2016-2017 but it did pan out. I still have the business plan on ice for the right time. My faith teaches me it’s all about “God’s timing” not ours. I do not look at that endeavor not working out as a No or throwing in the towel, it just meant not right now. I know that idea and vision will come together at the right time with the right partnership.
I am currently in the business idea lab working on another arm of my enterprise “Beehive Pros Brand.” Everyone should stay connected for more information on the launch coming later in 2022. I also plan on doing a few projects with my children. I am an unofficial momager because all 3 of my children are entrepreneurs, and two are business owners.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I will say it’s been a windy road with potholes, hazard warnings, and danger signs along the way. There are days when I say to God “Ok, Lord that’s enough, I am good on the trails and tribulation for now. Let this season be a victory season, PLEASE.” I mentioned earlier in the interview the challenges and struggles I experienced having a child during my sophomore year of college.
That became a part of my journey and let me know early on what I made of. Starting my family young while to still in undergrad, then getting married and extending my family right out of college was a recipe for Struggle! I had a husband and 3 children by age 26. In no way, did I outdo my maternal grandmother Josephine (God rest her soul) who had a husband and 6 six children by age 23. Now, I do not know how she did it, but I had a quarter-life crisis and reached a breaking point. My plate was overflowing with husband, children, job, business, and marital troubles, and the anxiety started creeping in, so something had to give.
Eventually, It was the marriage that gave in and ended in divorce. I am a firm believer in, “I can have it all,” and it’s just at what cost. As a divorcee and single mother of 3, I struggled to find my footing and bounce back. With resilience and a strong support system, I got it together. My business continued to grow by word of mouth (that was a thing before social media… lol). I now had several of my education colleagues as clients, and that was around the time I transitioned out of teaching back into the accounting and finance career track. Things were going well, and the kids and I had our groove of life activities.
However, the struggles came and went like clients not paying invoices timely, or bouncing checks, schedule conflicts with the kids’ extracurricular activities and client meetings, and more. I continued to persevere and implement standards, terms, and conditions into my business model to help with client challenges. I took professional development courses through my employer that strengthened my time management and communication skills.
Today, I still live by my color-coded calendar. I found solutions like meeting clients at the library. While I consulted with clients, the kids did their homework, read books, and did learning activities on the library computers. We will not mention the struggle of trying to date and have me time which was non-existent for many years. I still struggle with finding time to date and I have an empty nest.
The biggest struggle has been grief over the loss of my loved ones to gun violence, cancer, and most recently COVID. In a span of 5 years 2012-2017, I lost a close 1st cousin to gun violence, my mother to cancer, my maternal grandmother to a rare blood disease, several other family members in a similar fate, and a few students to car accidents and a drug overdose. Some days, I realize I am still grieving, and it can hit you like a ton of bricks.
All in all, I view struggles as an opportunity to self-reflect, build character and tenacity, find innovative solutions, and perfect my craft.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Beehive Enterprise Professionals and Beehive Connected Group?
I am the founder and driving force behind Beehive Enterprise Professionals (BEP) established in 2008. BEP is a boutique firm that provides strategic solutions for its clients. Our services include business development, non-profit management, and document preparation. I am proud to say we are an environmentally safe firm that uses paperless cloud systems. Since 2011, we have been 100% virtual.
What makes us unique is the strategic partnerships that allow us to provide expert professional services with a personal touch. Because of our strategic partnerships, we can offer tailored services for small business owners and non-profit organizations. Through my business development consulting services, I specialize in educating business owners on how to increase and improve their business footprint by aligning with other entrepreneurs and business owners in or adjacent to their industry.
Additionally, we pride ourselves on understanding our clients’ business needs, industry needs, challenges, and goals which allows us to find strategic sustainable solutions. The ongoing mission of our firm is to give quality and professional service while educating clients on their business and financial health.
BEP Services:
Business Development: provides businesses & nonprofit organizations with innovative ways to expand and sustain their organization. We help them organize, strategize, and implement viable solutions to grow and sustain their organization.
Document Preparation: provides professional tax document preparation for individual returns including self-employed Schedule C filers, composing contract and grant agreements, contract and grant document analysis, and grant submission document preparation.
Kiana B. “The Educated Entrepreneur” facilitates/instruct workshops and seminars powered by BEP on financial and business literacy, tax preparation and planning, and business development topics.
I can not say enough that strategic partnership is an important construct for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Beehive Connected Group was birthed out of a strategic partnership between Beehive Enterprise Professionals my firm and THEOO (Together Helping Each Other Overcome) Tori Rose “The Connector” firm. What started as a strategic partnership to host a business networking seminar, turned into operations support, management, and marketing company. Tori and I were working together in financial services as licensed insurance producers (agents).
We both were known to put together and host a good shindig. So, we thought why not host an event together to move our businesses and other businesses forward. THEOO was a few months old, and BEP was in operation for 9 years with established clientele that could use the services that Tori provided with THEOO. Likewise, THEOO clients would be able to use the services BEP provided. Since Tori was new and I was seasoned as an entrepreneur, we curated the event to speak to a spectrum of entrepreneurs from novice to seasoned. In July 2017, we co-hosted a sold-out event that people came out in a rainstorm to attend.
That spoke volumes that we did the right thing and people wanted and needed it. You know we did not stop there. We establish Beehive Connected Group immediately (Guess how we came up with the name… lol) Beehive from “BEP Bizy Bee” and Connected from Tori Rose’s “The Connector.” We would go on to curate several events over a 2-year span that included a conference of about 100 people with speakers and presenters, a sold-out networking crab feast event, community events, and a brand launch/fashion show for our first client II.XI Society.
Beehive Connected Group (BCG) is an entity created in 2017 to provide management and operations support to entrepreneurs and business owners. The ongoing mission of BCG is to create platforms that stimulate growth and visibility through education, empowerment, and elevation. We provide signature events such as workshops, seminars, and conferences, as well as form strategic partnerships and support community initiatives. BCG is the solution for innovative, accountable, and mature entrepreneurs, business owners, and community advocates who want to make a lasting impact on their communities.
DBA/BCG Management is a boutique consulting firm whose services include strategic planning, event marketing and management, and public relations. The ongoing mission of the firm is to create industry leaders who have sustainability and visibility through coaching, education, and development. We fully grasp the full scope of the client’s industry, client satisfaction, and results that will take you to the next level.
In 2019, BCG created a platform The Connected Corner (TCC) a podcast that airs Tuesdays, at 8 pm est. on YouTube and FB Live. On TCC, you get News & Resources You Can Actually Use! It is a Live Podcast that discusses and interviews guests on a range of topics such as Community, Business, Health, Entrepreneurship, and Education.
I remain open to strategic partnerships that make sense and are mutually beneficial. I am happy to coach others on how to create strategic partnerships. It is important to have strategic partnership agreements in place, and of course, BEP can create those for anyone interested.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I believe being able to internally motivate myself is key to my success.
Additional qualities are resilience, critical thinking, and determination. However, I know that discipline beats determination any day. My faith and consistent self-development are at the center of my success. It takes grit and grinds to make it as an entrepreneur.
Finally, self-care is pivotal because we must take time to recharge.
Pricing:
- Strategy Sessions start at $75/hr.
- Document Preparation starts at $150
- Non-profit Development starts at $50/hr.
- Business consulting starts at $60/hr.
Contact Info:
- Email: consultkiana@beprofessionals.info
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kianabjones/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bizybeekee
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/kianabjones
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheConnectedCorner
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/kianab.jones/
