Successful Business Woman Sabrina L. Cobb

Sabrina L. Cobb: Successful Business Woman & Author

 

Sylvia: Ms. Sabrina L. Cobb, how nice to meet you.  Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to interview with me.  Please tell us about yourself and your business?

Sabrina:  Thank you Sylvia.  I appreciate your interest in my business.  I am the CEO of an etiquette concierge business named Pearls and Bowties.  We are dedicated to working with children to teach dining etiquette and improve their dining skills to help them advance in life and become successful, socially acceptable young people.

 

Sylvia:  How interesting. I am sure there is such a need for this type of service. What is the format of your business?  How do you teach dining etiquette?

Sabrina:  I offer children the experience to which adults are more accustomed – dining at a restaurant.  I conduct the session in a real-life situation.  It is the best way to learn.  Learning in a classroom setting is important, but learning in a practical setting is crucial.  Moms have been very receptive to this.

 

Sylvia:  I like that. Very interactive… this is key to connecting with our young people. Do you have an alternate way for children to learn dining etiquette at home?

Sabrina:  Yes, I do.  I have created an at-home learning tool which is the only one to teach exactly how to set the table for every day dining.  It is named Setting the Table Made Easy and it includes 4 customized placemats and 4 5-piece sets of hand-engraved flatware indicating where each item should be placed.  It’s easy to work with and it is effective.

 

Sylvia: What does success mean to you?

Sabrina:  Success means impacting the lives of children by changing their dining habits for lifelong benefits.  Success means continuing to be flexible while running a business and rearing a family.  Success means getting up every day and looking forward to working on my business, even when obstacles are faced and challenges arise.

 

Sylvia:  Great! How do you create work-life balance?

Sabrina:  This is something I continuously work on.  There are specific times of the weekday that are dedicated to family and business.  For the most part, I adhere to them.  Of course, life happens and priorities change.  I am a wife and a mother of two and my family always comes first.  They also know that there are times when I have to order in for dinner versus prepare a home cooked meal or skip a family movie because business is demanding and deadlines must be met.  Fortunately, my family understands.

 

Sylvia:  Yes, that is important; to have everyone on the same page… working together. I am the mother of 5, so finding that balance has been extremely important in my life.  What steps are necessary for a woman entrepreneur who wants to move her business to the next level?

Sabrina:  It is necessary to stop trying to work on your business alone.  Generally, we feel as though we can manage every aspect of our businesses better than anyone else.  However, we must admit that we cannot do everything well and eventually something suffers.  Focus on what you do well and outsource the rest.  This will alleviate time to focus on the bigger picture.

 

Sylvia:   It is important to give back.  In what way do you give back to your community?

Sabrina:  I am a member of two organizations where community service is a significant part of our annual programming.  I have been instrumental in fundraising efforts to help underprivileged and disenfranchised people.

 

Sylvia: Love it… so important as a leader.  What challenges and opportunities do you see in the present economic environment?

Sabrina:  The current environment shows the need to create multiple streams of income.  I believe the days where we can solely rely upon one path for our business are gone.  We need to be creative in identifying various ways to grow our businesses and remain relevant.

 

Sylvia: How do you promote/market your business?

Sabrina:  Word-of-mouth advertising is crucial for my business.  It is a personal service that involves children.  People are typically skeptical of others focusing on their children, but if a strong referral is given, they are more open.

 

Sylvia: Word-of-mouth is golden. To build a reputation on honesty, integrity and trust is huge. I commend you!  What books and resources would you recommend to other women in business?

Sabrina:  1) Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill 2) ClientAttraction.com with Fabienne Frederickson 3) The Wind Blew My Way:  An Entrepreneur’s Journey Built on Faith by Sabrina L. Cobb

 

Sylvia: Sabrina, you’re an author as well. How awesome is that!  Just to let you know, I also have an interview series for women authors. Click here for the link. What advice do you have for women who are just starting out?

Sabrina:  Do your research.  Although your idea may be great to you, it may not be so great to others.  Make sure it is wanted and/or needed.  Also, do not make assumptions about your target market.  Validate them before investing time and money to market to them.

 

Sylvia: Absolutely! I also give similar advice to my clients. How do you stay connected in mind body and spirit?

Sabrina:  I recently began yoga.  As you know, this will stretch my body and put my mind at ease, at least for a little while.  Spiritually, I pray to a higher being which keeps me grounded and inspired.

 

Sylvia: Oh yeah… I tried yoga years ago; so good for your body. What is your favorite quote to live by?

Sabrina:  I actually have two quotes that I love.  The first is “success is intentional”.  The second is “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

 

Sylvia:  Love those quotes! Share with us two industry or general business related tips that could help other women business owners.

Sabrina:  The first is networking is key.  You need to constantly expand beyond your circle of friends and family.  They will not grow your business.  The second tip is to admit when you need assistance to find new, creative ways to expand your business.  Many entrepreneurs tackle all aspects of their businesses on their own and work with the expertise that they brought to the business.  At some point, you will need to seek the expertise of others to help you flourish.  It does not mean that you are incapable of thriving on your own.  Instead, it demonstrates that you are smart enough to tap into available resources so that you can reach new heights.

 

Sylvia:  You are amazing!  Thank you for sharing your time and expertise with our members and subscribers.  Please share your contact information.

Sabrina:  I can be contacted via email at info@sabrinalcobb.com or telephone at 888-952-5665.  My website is www.sabrinalcobb.com where you can access my etiquette services, etiquette product and books that I have authored.  Sylvia, I thank you so much for speaking with me and allowing me to share my thoughts on business.  I hope my insights have helped other entrepreneurs.