Entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey. Find your tribe early on and surround yourself with people you aspire to be like.
Jessica Moseley currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at TCS Interpreting, a premier provider of sign language interpreting services. Mrs. Moseley is a social entrepreneur and serves as a Managing Partner for The Moseley Group and its portfolio companies.
Mrs. Moseley received her Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Marymount University. She graduated from James Madison University, where she received two Bachelor’s degrees, one in Communication Sciences and the other in Human Resource Management. Currently serving as a Board Member of Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO-DC), Bridging Hands Camp, Deaf in Government. Mrs. Moseley hold her SHRM-CP certification from the Society of Human Resource Management and her NIC from the Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf.
Mrs. Moseley has been features in the following magazines; Inc., Forbes, Success and Kiplinger. Mrs. Moseley was recognized by the Washington Business Journal in the 2017 class of Women Who Mean Business. In addition, Mrs. Moseley currently mentors both hearing and Deaf entrepreneurs.
Mrs. Moseley lives in Frederick, MD with her husband Bryan and three children Brayden (7), Cooper (4) and Riley (2).
Where did the idea for your company come from?
My parents were also business owners, having started a retail technology hardware, software and services organization in the 1980s. I witnessed them grow and run their business in a time where being Deaf was not, and still isn’t, an easy journey. In 2008, the business had a setback. This was the catalyst that led me to me join their business and ultimately launch TCS Interpreting with my mother, Myrna Aiello.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
How do you bring ideas to life?
During my weekly executive board meeting, we discuss various ideas and thoughts I’ve written about over the week. My executive team helps me filter through ideas worth exploring and those that may not align with our company’s goals. To be honest, I do less of bringing the ideas to life on my own. My executive board and leadership team are the ones who are the lynchpin to making things happen.
What’s one trend that excites you?
It is exciting to see all the attention surrounding minority entrepreneurs and the growth of social entrepreneurship.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
Learning, for sure. I don’t enjoy reading books for “pleasure”. I set a goal to read for 30 minutes a day – must be related to business, news or other topics I am interested in. It’s been incredibly rewarding and it’s made me more productive than ever.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey. Find your tribe early on and surround yourself with people you aspire to be like.
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.
People have a perception that my life runs like a well oiled machine. The truth is, I struggle like everyone else to juggle all my personal and professional responsibilities. I am just trying to keep my head above water most of the time! People also tend to think I have an abundance of self confidence. However, to a certain degree, I am challenged by a lack of self confidence.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
I would remind other entrepreneurs that it is okay to fail. The important thing is to reflect on why the failure happened, and identify new ways to grow.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.
Taking risks regardless of fear and surrounding myself with people who know more than I do. Seeking the expertise of others has helped catapult my business to new levels.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
I made an important decision that impacted my leadership team and the growth of the company. I overcame the failure by addressing the elephant in the room and soliciting feedback from the leadership team. Furthermore, the next time I had to make a similar decision, I took my time in finding a replacement and consulted with my team before moving forward.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
An online platform for Nanny’s to use and connect with eachother in the same area. It would allow for easy child playdates to be arranged, a small community of Nannys who can share advice, ideas, etc as well.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
A customizable Agendio planner. Fully customizable planner that keeps track of my water and food intake, my priorities, notes of gratitude and my to do list that never ends. It keeps it all in 1 place.
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
A myriad of calendar apps that merge into one calendar. It assists me in keeping various personal and professional events organized.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
Radical Candor by Kim Scott. This book teaches you how to be a better person and manager, and the importance of being honest with the person standing in front of you.
What is your favorite quote?
“Obstacles and challenges are the agents of growth.” – Jen Sincero
Key learnings:
- It doesn’t serve you to have a fear of failure. Address your fears head on – run toward them and not away from them.
- Make time for yourself every day.
- In order to be productive, you must have measurable goals and priorities.
Connect:
IG: @moseleymomma
FB: @Jessmoseley
LI: @Jessicaaiellomoseley
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.