Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamika Bickham.
Hi Tamika, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I began my career in the local TV news business. I was first a reporter for the CBS affiliate in Montgomery, Alabama, covering everything from state politics to tornadoes, and college football. Then, I came back to South Florida (where I attended the University of Miami – Go Canes!) to join WPLG Local 10 News as a reporter and fill-in anchor. But at some point, I knew that local TV news wasn’t my forever. I wanted to share positive community stories and get away from chasing crime and breaking news. I wanted to have more of an impact and tell stories.
Fast forward seven years out of the TV news business, a few full-time jobs later, I am running my own video and content marketing agency, where we help health, happiness, and purpose-driven brands tell authentic stories and connect with their audiences through organic content.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Of course not! If someone says it’s been a smooth road for them, they are not telling the truth. I never intended to pursue entrepreneurship. I didn’t want the trouble of it, to be honest. But as a creative, I was good at doing something, which is video storytelling, and someone asked me to create a video for them. I said yes, and that person would become my very first client. That is how my business started. It certainly wasn’t intentional. As I was referred to clients, I wanted to keep my video production company as a side hustle to make additional income.
In 2018, I was laid off from my full-time job with the City of Miramar. It was unexpected, and I had no backup plan. I didn’t have enough clients to pay my bills. I didn’t really have a structure or process in my business. I also didn’t have a proactive way to go about getting new clients because I never did it. Well, this became my crash course in building a business from the ground up. I figured, if not now, when? And three years later, here I am doing it with intention.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am most proud of building a business from scratch. I could certainly name individual projects, but overall building a business with a team is the hardest part and the part I am most proud of. I’m also very proud of practicing what I preach as a business owner. At TB Media Group, we are storytellers and content creators. I tell my own story, my business story, and create a ton of video content and other content to continually engage my online audience.
One of the more recent projects I’m most proud of is my video podcast, Lift U Up: Inspiring Health Stories, which shines a spotlight on health and happiness businesses, entrepreneurs and individuals who are making a difference in our community. If we don’t have our health, we don’t have anything. And my guests have overcome challenges to build their businesses, nonprofits, or give back to others — and health is at the center of it all. I’m really proud to give back to my community by sharing these stories and amplifying diverse voices.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I’ve gotten more comfortable with taking risks. Entrepreneurs have to be more risk-tolerant because nothing is guaranteed. So while I was not comfortable with taking risks in the past, and I really wanted to be in control of everything in my life, I’ve learned to let a lot of that go. Life and business is a lot more fun when we can roll with the punches and be flexible. Without risk, you don’t reap the rewards.
Contact Info:
- Email: tamika@tbmediagroup.com
- Website: https://tbmediagroup.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamikabickhamtv/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TBMediaGroup
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TamikaBickham
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2qXjgzE9k6EdsCgbZQVHuQ
- Other: https://tamikabickham.com/
