- How much does that support help? Do you have family support of the decision that you're making and how critical is that for you? - Yeah, so my family support, they're 100% in. My mom said, you know, "Do what's best for me." My mom's the type that will have a backup plan. She was like, "Well, at me, you need to have a backup plan." And I was like, "Hmm, this is gonna work." You know, my husband is 100% in and he supports me. He's a very good supportive background. - And then my social media, I have a lot of people that repost my stuff on social media. That's how one of my clients found me was they've seen a post on social media. - You have to have a passion for what you wanna do. Because as everyone said, if you don't have that passion, no matter how much money you make, you're not gonna make it. You're not gonna do it. So when you see athletes, entertainers, when they say, "All I had was acting." All I had was to be a basketball football player, you know, tennis, golf or whatever. That's what I wanna do, playing baseball. (dramatic music) (dramatic music) (dramatic music) - Hello, everyone. Welcome to the correct education learners in the podcast. I'm your host, Mitchell Rivers. I am thrilled and honored to have on our show today, Ebony Knitson. Ebony is CEO and founder of Knitson Legal Solutions, LLC. How are you doing today, Ebony? - I am doing great, blessed and highly favored, and I'm happy to be here. - I am so happy that you are here today. Ebony, tell the owners a little bit about yourself and how you come to have your own company, Knitson Legal Solutions, LLC. - So my name is Ebony Nixon. I am a young entrepreneur. I have two kids under two. Newly married, and I started my own business. Knitson Legal Solutions is a paralegal and notary business, so I'm certified paralegal. And I gained clients that are attorneys for the paralegal side. And then the notary side, I do notary work. So notary, notarizing wills, things like of that nature, documentation, bank notarized, loan signing, and stuff like that. So I just build my own business mainly because I was a young, you know, I'm a young mom. I have two kids, I needed that flexibility. And I've always wanted to work for myself. So that's how the business came along. And I'm here. I've literally just started my business April 1st. I have five clients already. Two of them are permit clients. So I work with a paralegal agency who refers attorneys to me. So that is a permanent client of mine. And I create my own schedule. I work when I want to. All that good stuff. So I'm very excited, very excited about the future for this business. - Well, that is great, Ebony. Because, you know, flexibility is one of the advantages of having your own business. Is that why you open up your own business for the flexibility, the schedule that you can control and it won't control you? - Yes. So I'll give my own business for that reason. It'd be that I have my kids back to back. So there's doctors appointments. They're sick, they can't go to daycare. I wanted to be there for all their milestones. And me punching somebody else's cloth, I previously worked at a law firm and it was coming in eight to five. It just wasn't working being that, you know, I'm postpartum, I need to go to doctors appointments and all that good stuff. So I didn't really get to experience an understanding manager boss. So that's why I've been wanting to open my business. I just didn't know what. I love being a paralegal. My goal is to become an attorney one day, but I wanna wait 'til the kids are older around five. And yeah, so I love what I do. I love just working for myself. It's just such a good freedom to have. - Well, and that is very good. I mean, most times like me, I wait way longer to open my own business or to be an entrepreneur. But you got right off the gate saying, "This is not what I do. "This is not for me." The nine to five to grind. If I can have the flexibility and the way of all, to go ahead and do my own business, that is fantastic at your young age. Did you, as a paralegal, did you go to school for paralegal? I had to take a exam. How do you wanna come in paralegal? - I'm the undergrad, I went to University of North Carolina, Pembroke, and I got my bachelor's in criminal justice. My original plan was go straight to law school after, but COVID hit and they were switching everything to online. And I do not learn anything. And I was so nervous. I did not test well. I had to take the LSAT during COVID. So then I just said, "I'm gonna take a year off." In that year, boom, half my son, like life would just happen. I was originally in the paralegal program at Liberty University. And I ended up switching programs because they wanted me to get in the associates. And I already have a bachelor's, so I didn't wanna waste money because I didn't need it. It was like an associates paralegal program. So then I switched to North Carolina central program. They have a certificate program for paralegal. So I went ahead and did that, obtained that, and I'm getting my master's in public administration right now. That's at Grand Canyon University. It's a self-paced, you have fun class every seven weeks. So I'm halfway done, I'll be done in the fall. I'm very excited. And then I just gained the experience. Many people don't know that you don't have to have your paralegal certificate or be certified. You could just gain it from experience. Like you just start off with this, work your way up, legal assistant and paralegal. So like you can just work yourself up that way. You don't have to spend money on that certificate. It looks good, because I don't need it. - Well, that is fantastic. And then I did not know you graduated from USC, Pembroke, because I ain't also a USC Pembroke alumni. - How do you? - You know what I'm saying? This is why I wore this color tie y'all, because this is Pembroke colors. I knew I was gonna wear another color tie, ladies and gentlemen. But no, something told me to try this tie. I tried to three different ties. Let's be honest, this is behind the scenes, ladies and gentlemen. Nobody else knows. I tried three different ties this morning. And for some reason, this came up the door and you wonder why? Because we are both USC Pembroke and all of that. That is why I mean, and see, it's a small world. See, I also is living in Charlotte, North Carolina this time, like I am. It's amazing, it is amazing, you know? And because she's a beginner entrepreneur, I'm a beginner entrepreneur. She has two kids, I have two grown men. I mean, it's amazing, you know what I'm saying? I mean, if somebody can get my grown men out of the house, I'll be thankful for that. But anyway, I hope they won't see this podcast, because they're probably saying, oh, daddy won't get rid of us. Yes, daddy, you got us. (laughing) And so, that's what I think so fascinating with your story, Ebony, is that you decided that this wasn't for me, that I'm just gonna go out there, you know, and do that. So, did you train it, whether at Pembroke or even the classes and other things that you take, that that prepare you for your entrepreneurial ship and your parent legal? - Actually, no, I did not take no business class. So the parent legal side, of course, I was a criminal justice major. No, I got to experience, you know, some of the criminal justice classes, I was actually a part of the pre-law society. So I knew what I wanted to do. - Right. - You know, but life took a different turn for me. And I'm not, I'm so grateful, 'cause I've learned this so much about myself and things about life that, you know, sometimes you gotta take a step back and slow down. So, for entrepreneurship, I actually, two classes away from completing my certificate from Cornell. Morning Women's History Month, they were offering three entrepreneurship classes to be certified at Cornell. I'm so glad I came across it. I was like, I need to learn how to manage my business. I didn't wanna pay for another, you know, learning course in history. So, I'm two classes away from completing that. So I'll be done in May. - Well, that's something that I think people who are watching this show need to know, is that as someone told me yesterday, you know, learning never stops. Getting, learning and getting educated in different areas in your business, and you start out as great. Whatever you can go to conferences, you can do internships, co-ops, like it's the online courses, whatever it take in your business, you wanna emerge in there. And you already running that at a young age. And I say young because, ladies and dem, you know I'm 50 plus. So anybody on the fort is young to me. And so, for everybody to do that, for you to do that, it shows that I want students to know, and people to know that, hey, if you wanna change careers, if you wanna do something different, you can do that, you know. Go out there, get online courses, and they offer free stuff, take it. I don't have a community college here, technical college is here. You know, take whatever you can get to emerge yourself in that program. Everything, I read books before I started my entrepreneurship. I ran this organization as a non-profit between 2007 and 2013, to where I just go to different schools, libraries, workshops all over the place in the city around Charlotte, Mecklenburg's area. But with the online, for social media's concern, I said, why don't I take this to social media? So, that's when you decide in your career path, your career path for entrepreneurship, when you had your children, and you thought, well, that's gotta be a better way to where I can handle both working and my children. Is that when that path's harder for you? - Yes, so it's most definitely a challenge. This is the first month I have been doing this. My revenue is great. For the first month, I feel like it's great. So I know the future month is gonna be even better. Managing wise, it is hard because I have to literally write down everything that I'm a planner, so I have to have my planner, I have to have my whiteboard, everything is written out. This room that I'm in, me and my husband transformed it into my office. This was supposed to be the guest room, a few little ones in their room. And I was like, no, this is gonna be my office. Someone wants to stay, they gonna have the blowup band. And this is gonna be my office because I just needed that step of weight. Okay, the kids are in their room, they're downstairs, I hear you know, managing it all. It's all about schedule and timing. I just don't play about schedule. - Right, right. It is some of the challenges you had over your business, is that, you know, 'cause we all have challenges. Mine is funny, like yours, and you are in profitable. I'm trying to become profitable. (laughs) Almost after we don't try to become profitable in my business, I'm going very well. I'm being very blessed like you have. - Yeah. - That's some of the challenges that you have is that, you know, this is your first month. And I'm so happy, ladies and gentlemen, I'm able to get everything right at the beginning. And that way, when she comes back, next time, see me blown up, okay? See me blown up and we help donate some money toward me. You've offered not to support toward our hard task. But in the meantime, why are you an entrepreneur and some of the challenges you have, what are any other challenges you have become an entrepreneur? - Yes, originally I was working at a very, very well-known law firm here at Charlotte. And I was working there, I got the job, the most money I've ever made in my life, my goal, my goal was to make 100k. I was more than halfway there. And I was just very unhappy. I'm just like, oh, man, like, I want to work for myself. During this time, my daughter, she was getting her shots. So she was literally from the shots, stay home from daycare a couple of days. And my job was just like, oh, well, you can't, you know how to show Dr. Snow. And I'm like, man, like, if I was working for myself, this will be okay. I prayed a very spiritual when it comes to my religion. I believe in God, he is all mighty. I prayed that night. I said, God, what do you want me to do? Should I quit my job? 'Cause it was already ruined. I already had, I hired somebody for my marketing to make my desires. I was on the ball. I was like, what should I do? Should I do this part time or take it all the way? The next day, I woke up, I said, quit your job. Oh, my God. Are you sure? Are you sure? Like, you literally want me to quit my job. I have two young kids. Like, should I quit my job? Something in the back of my mind just said, quit. Go ahead, just quit your job. I said, okay, God, I'm gonna listen to you. Quit my job. Got a permanent client. Wow. I had said my hourly rate basically at the same pay that I was getting paid at at my previous term. And they're like, yeah, what most definitely pay you that for your services. And they're a permanent client. And it just was amazing. 'Cause I didn't know God was gonna answer me so fast. So I took that risk. And I was on TikTok and I was like, okay, people are taking risks, you know, should I quit my job? A lot of people who was like, oh, you should have this much money saved up. All of that, let me tell you something. Everything's in my Williams. All we had about $2,000 in a bank account. I rather quit her job. And I was like, God, just lead me. And I let him lead. And I had my calendar, every day I had a meeting. I have some notary signings at the end of the month. I got my first check from the attorney that I'm breaking up under. So God will make a way. You have to just follow his path. And that was one of the things that I was struggling with was following his path and thinking I wasn't going to be profitable. I spoke life into my business every day this month. - That is amazing. I didn't even cut you off, but I mean, this is amazing, ladies and gentlemen, because I also somewhat listened. I did not listen as much as Ebony. As you can see from my size in my head, ladies and gentlemen, it's a hard thing here. And so I was more receptive to listen to Lord than this year. So maybe I am. And this comes to what you said is real critical to a person, everybody here is that everybody's journey is different. Everybody, the way the Lord wants to do things is different. And your journey is not Ebony journey or my journey. Your journey is your own journey. So Ebony journey is definitely my journey. My journey is more long-term. Only recently have I blown up with so many guests on my show. I mean, quality guests. I mean, when I started out, I mean, I had a quality guest. If you go back on my podcast, you see the quality guests that I have and continue to have. So I am continue to be blown up and blessed by the Lord on my podcast and out of areas. But my journey is going to be different Ebony journey because we are two different people at two different times in our life. - You're right. - So that is the way I want students. I want people with changing careers. If you think about changing careers, they may come out to North. You might go out there by yourself. Or you think about changing jobs to another company, you know? You do what you think is best. Not Ebony and that myself, I prayed about it, like you did Ebony. And this is where the Lord say, "Go here." It's not always, you know, easy. Sometimes you don't know that my voice talking or that is what you are. But you do what's best for you and everybody's journey is different. Do not judge your journey by my journey or Ebony journey. Judge your journey by the relationship that you have with the Lord and where He takes your goal. Because entrepreneurship is different. Even changing profession is different. Changing careers is different. And it's a risk. And if you have a supportive person in your background, you have a mentor, I have mentors. And if you have people that's supporting you, you know, then it helps out. How much does that support help? Do you have family support of the decision that you're making and how critical is that for you? - Yeah, so my family support, they're 100%. And my mom said, you know, do what's best for me. My mom's the type that will have a backup plan. She was like, well, Ebony, you need to have a backup plan. And I was like, hmm, this is gonna work. You know, my husband is 100%. And he supports me. He bought all this stuff in my office. I ain't buying nothing. So, you know, he bought my new best, my couch, everything. So I have a very good supportive background. And then my social media, I have a lot of people that repost my stuff on social media. That's how one of my clients found me, was they seen a post on social media. So I just used that. I just ran with it. I didn't look back. I know some months may be harder than the other months. So I just have to keep having that. I would give advice to people that are trying to build a business. You need to keep having that drive. You know, what drives me is my children because I want them to know, look, mommy got it. If you need something, I got it. So that drive with my kids, I want them to see, my mom will pass her own business. You know, my mom in the future will be an attorney. That drive keeps me going. And another thing is promoting and marketing. Like next month, I am gonna be a future that a minority expo for Christian entrepreneurs. So it's a Christian minority expo in Charlotte. I will have my own table there just promoting. Even if it's no attorneys there, I still want to get myself out there. I do do noter you. So, you know, just putting myself out there, you have to take risks. I just took a leap of faith. My faith is strong. So, you know, if this doesn't work out, if my business is somewhat bombed, then I can at least say I tried. I have apparently a certificate, so I can get a job. - I'll tell you what, I mean, I think it's great what you're doing. I think you had something you'd driven there, you know? I mean, you just took my question right out. What did you have to take for? I mean, just took my question. So you had something prophesying in there 'cause that took my question right on out. When anything is a safe ride for all this before we leave this podcast, it just took the ride on out. So, the Lord has even had me prophesizing now. You know what I'm saying? Okay, Lord, see prophesying my questions now. - I think that is, it is a leap of faith, you know? And we talked about that earlier. Your faith had to be in there. Not everybody doesn't have the faith, and I realized that to each their own. And as I stated earlier, me and every say that our faith is there, it's staying, it's holding us together. And I've been ups and downs and challenges throughout my life, especially recently, challenges that come at me. And I had to approach it with faith, with comfort and support that I have family support too. And so, you know, a family, if there's an individual, especially parents, your kids may not do the things that you want them to do. They might not go the way. I knew you made thousands of dollars when I'm going to go to college, the thousands of dollars for them to be in this major, whatever, but they may have a patch for something else. You have to go, and I've said this before, and even had discussed with people, you have to have a passion for what you want to do. Because as everyone said, if you don't have that passion, no matter how much money you make, you're not gonna make it. You're not gonna make it. So when you see athletes, entertainers, when they say, all I had was acting. All I had was to be a basketball football player, you know, tennis, golf, whatever. That's what I want to do, play baseball, you know, play volleyball. That's all I want to do, you know, all I want to do was have my own business. All I want to do was be a singer, be a dancer, you know, and some of the arts, be a musician that's put down upon by people 'cause they don't make the quote, quote money that people desire. If you go within your passion, Ebony, I believe this, that you will make enough money to be comfortable and then have a decent and more than decent life for yourself financially, as well as the most important thing is your health, your mental health, because you're doing something that you enjoy. And if you're doing something that you enjoy, you are going to be successful. And Ebony, we gonna put everything we can in social media. I'm gonna repose everything you do. I already do it already, so it doesn't matter. - Thank you. - Is that the UQ, that's the ending of the lady. I'm so happy that you came on our show today. And again, we're gonna put this stuff on social media. If I need your services, I know where to go now. I know. - Yes, oh, I hear a shot. - You're gonna lose the LLC and she's here in Stronger, not too far away. So, Ebony, thank you so much for coming on our show today. I really do appreciate it. - Of course, so thank you for having me. Can't wait to connect with you in the future. - Definitely, definitely. Now I like to thank our viewers and listeners for joining me on another episode on the Career Education Learning Center podcast. We will be making your career dreams every hour. God bless. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music)
