TaVia Wooley-iles Entrepreneur Extraordinaire, Executive of The EmpowerTHEM Collective 

 

TaVia Wooley-iles is a Business owner, and Executive Director of a non-profit organization based in Los Angeles County CA The EmpowerTHEM Collective, but mostly she is proud of being a woman who deeply believes in empowering women. 

Tavia is the owner and principal of Tavia W. Iles Communications LLC a Strategic communication agency that provides comms services to entrepreneurs, business and non-profit organizations, optimizing their reach through innovative and authentic strategies.

Tell us about your background and what led you to launch The EmpowerTHEM Collective. 

I founded the EmpowerThem Collective out of my own experience of feeling dis-empowered after the death of my son at birth. In the traumatic experience I didn’t have anyone to advocate for me, I was unable to stand up for myself and due to a lack of resources I was unable to seek a resolution to the treatment I received. The more I asked questions and listened to other peoples stories, I realized that there is a gap, or at the very least not enough training on leadership, specifically community leadership, and advocacy and policy, getting communities from under-seen and heard demographics to the table and economic empowerment, building business in communities of color. So I wanted to do my part to help reshape the narrative. The EmpowerThem Collective was born.

How is The EmpowerTHEM Collective empowering the community to be seen, heard, and to act?

We designed several community focused programs that will empower the community by teaching leadership and the value of community leadership and development, educational trainings and call to actions surrounding public policy and advocacy efforts that support social justice movements and through entrepreneur training, in which members will work through a series of modules that will support the development of a business idea, to a plan, to a successful launch.

Our beliefs is that when we provide community members these skills rooted in ownership of community, policy and economic empowerment we can begin to see the shifts needed to change a community for the better.

As a society we are enthralled by Film, Theater,  and Music. How does your organization provide advocacy through storytelling?

Storytelling is everything!! We have a framework that is grounded in the three C context, communication and community. We work with participants to identify the pivotal moments in their own story, identify what their call to action is and how to move the viewer from inspiration to act on the call to action. We are partnered with the City of Hope to provide storytelling with regard to Homelessness and mental health concerns that are impacting northern los Angeles County.

Our goal is to allow people to tell their own story, their own narrative, and move from victim to victor.

What can we find at the Build-A-Business Academy? 

The Build-A- Business Academy teaches foundational business building principals. Participants will start with their idea, and brainstorm the fruitfulness of such an idea by way of conducting market research, identify competitors and modify as necessary. They work with business owners in the community to develop their skills and increase their circle of influence as well as engage in coaching sessions to expand their business idea. From there participants begin to build the framework of their business relying on resourcefulness and developing a plan that has thought through potential barriers so that they can successfully launch. The participants end with a shark tank style investment panel, where business owners listen to their pitch and pledge their financial support. The next cohort will be open for application January 2023.

Tell us about the resources and programs offered. 

We offer Leadership and policy training

Advocacy through storytelling

Build a business academy

We will be launching soon a junior version of Leadership and entrepreneurship program for kids that families can use to teach their children.

What do you enjoy the most?

I enjoy the absolutely most seeing people have the aha moment, that moment when they finally believe that they can, or when they finally dismiss those old negative narratives. I am a firm believer in affirming people, so I am intentional about pouring into people positive thoughts and words of encouragement. I love to see people feel empowered and grow.

Tell us about Tavia W. Iles Communications LLC, a Strategic communication agency and how you are helping entrepreneurs, businesses, and nonprofits optimize their reach. 

We work with our clients to identify their authentic voice. Our page line is Have the Audacity to be seen. Take up space. There is an audience waiting to hear from you as you are. We do work with our clients on identifying their Power statements and position and then work to develop a plan of action that allows for increased exposure organically and aligned with their beliefs and principals. From there we move into developing their branded content and connecting them with other organizations or businesses that will provide a fruitful partnership that leads to M.O.R.E Money Opportunities Resources and Experiences.

www.theempowerthemco.org  

@Thecommunicationschic

@theempowerthemco

Jules Lavallee

Jules Lavallee is an International Journalist from Los Angeles, CA. For the past eight years, she has covered celebrities, global leaders, royalty, entrepreneurs for over 20+ magazines and countless cover stories. Staying true to roots in Boston, MA, Jules is a true humanitarian. She has supported many nonprofits in fundraising, strategic partnerships, and media. She has served on the Board of Big Brothers & Big Sisters and is currently on the Board of Fund Duel, gamified fundraising platform. She is an influential person in the areas of gender equality, diversity, and empowerment. She is a graduate of Harvard University.

Leave a Reply

turned on computer monitor displaying text
education New Online Pretty and Black Owned The Pretty Boss Mom

The New Artificial Intelligence: Risk or Reward?

One of the most significant risks posed by AI is the potential for data breaches. AI systems rely on vast amounts of data to function, and if that data falls into the wrong hands, it can be used to steal sensitive information or launch targeted attacks. For example, a hacker could use AI to analyze a company’s social media accounts, email correspondence, and other publicly available information to identify potential targets for phishing attacks or other forms of social engineering. They could also use AI to analyze a company’s network traffic and identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited to gain access to sensitive data.

Read More
education Finance/Careers Pretty and Aware Pretty and Hustling Pretty Herstory The Pretty Boss Mom

Shouldering the Weight of a Legacy: The High Stakes of First-Generation African-American Wealth Building For Black Women

As we close out Black History Month 2023, I speak to my melanin sisters. As Black women, we are no strangers to the pressures of familial and communal responsibility. It’s a weight that we carry with us every day, as we strive to build a better future for ourselves and our loved ones.

Read More
education Finance/Careers Kids Who Hustle New Online Pretty and Aware Pretty and Black Owned Pretty and Hustling Pretty Travel The Pretty Boss Mom

Debt Management in December

$timulating Tips Debt is when you owe money. You can owe money to someone, a company because you borrowed money, used your credit card or have some type of outstanding loan. There are many types of debt, but it all means you owe money. One year for Christmas I purchased gifts for all my nieces […]

Read More
%d bloggers like this: