Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Veronica James. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Dr. Veronica E. James is an Honorable Disabled Veteran and a Disabled American Veteran (D.A.V) Chapter 28 Historian. In addition, she’s a Phenomenal Single Mother and co-CEO of two successful businesses called Simpli Wisdom Incorporated, a non-profit organization, and Simpli Wisdom Body Butters. As a Business Strategist, Leader, Certified Mentor, and Community Sponsor, you will find Dr. James busy within the community making a difference. She speaks on behalf of others to instill hope as a Military Sexual Assault Survivor (MSA). Additionally, she stresses the importance of Mental Health access as an Advocate when sharing her personal story of resilience. Dr. Veronica E. James’ business is Affiliated with the Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and holds the National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA) Certified Status. Dr. James is a Working Women of Tampa Bay and Chamber of Commerce member. In addition, Dr. James is the producer and host of a top-ranked international podcast called Broadcasting with Boss Ladi Star, which is on a podcasting platform reaching 350 million homes worldwide. She utilizes her platform and influence to spotlight business owners and entertainers everywhere. Dr. James is the Comedy House Consultant in Columbia, South Carolina. Her position has assisted with creating and coordinating community events to promote positive economic growth within the community. Dr. Veronica has been featured on CBS News Affiliate WIS10 Soda City Live. She’s the Moderator of Sip Laugh And Paint Party (SLAPP) Events—currently CTR Media Network Event Coordinator, Amazon Content Creator, and MPW Capital Group LLC Funding Affiliate. Lastly, Dr. Veronica is one of the Top 50 Empowered Women Empowering Women recipients of 2022.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being a military veteran of the Iraqi war, nothing has been smooth or simple. Suffering from PTSD for many years was a challenge, especially not knowing what I was suffering from or how to begin to fix it. Being a new Mom after returning from war and trying to figure out how to become an average civilian was complex. I became a troglodyte.
Thanks for sharing that. Please tell us more about your work.
Simpli Wisdom-Body Butters and Lip Balms (SWBB): Everybody who starts a business wants to believe their product is the best. But actions speak louder than words. I launched SWBB in 2011 and had such an overflow of orders that after only 1 year, I had to close to fulfill orders temporarily. I then reopened in 2013, adding my assistant Christopher L. Robinson Jr. (my son). He has been on this roller coaster with me throughout my endeavors. I showed him everything from ordering raw materials to creating body butter and lip balms and how to pitch sales to customers and businesses to sell in their facilities. He learned to package and track inventory, accounts receivable, and payable. Making skincare from the comfort of your home allows you to manage every step and know how to adjust to make the products suitable for your customers. That in itself sets us apart from other companies. At 13, I made my son the CEO of SWBB, and his young mind influenced other employees to want to do more and thrive for the best results and turnaround time for our customers. We specialize in customer service, and that is our greatest accomplishment.
Simpli Wisdom Inc. Profit Organization (SWI): During the pandemic’s beginning, SWBB could not receive the raw materials needed to create the products for our customers. We decided to contact each customer individually and inform them of our dilemma. We provided them each a 6 month supply of products to keep them afloat until the world opened up for business. During that time, we reached out to other states and countries to see if we could assist people needing supplies. Then Simpli Wisdom Inc. Non-Profit was created.
Broadcasting With Boss Ladi Star (BBLS): At night, once I finished assisting my son with his homework, I would get online and talk to people worldwide about different topics, but mainly about business and how to stay strong during those trying times. Born with the gift of gab, I would be online for hours talking to random people. It was during that time I learned about podcasting. I immediately jumped in with both feet. I enjoyed talking to people, sharing ideas, receiving feedback, and providing updates about SWBB for the customers. I also informed people online how they could contribute to SWI and what we’ve received and showed them proof of what was purchased and the deliveries. It was very satisfying to help so many people.
Sip Laugh And Paint Party (SLAPP): When things started looking up for the world, doors opened. I used the opportunity to provide something different and new. Sip and Paints seemed to pop up all over town and worldwide. But I wanted to provide something different. So, I created Sip Laugh And Paint Parties. I was in the Comedy arena for about years and enjoyed every moment. Traveling from town to town and city to city put my mind back to when I served in the Army. So I launched the idea of having a Sip and Paint with Entertainment (mainly comedy); it took off, and I put people on the map and started doing SLAPP shows in multiple cities and states.
Laughing Through Pain Foundation-Non Profit Organization: With life comes death. It’s a vicious cycle, but it cannot be escaped. Pain does not have to be identified as death solely, but during the pandemic, death affected many families, friends, and loved ones. Many issues arose during the pandemic; death, debt, and divorce were the top three. Businesses closed without ever returning, incarcerations skyrocketed, and everyone was divided. Many people try to get through or over pain differently, but laughter usually takes the burden away, even for a small moment. Physical, Mental, and Emotional Pain can sometimes temporarily heal with a smile or something to take your mind off the deepest and darkest moments in one’s life. Understanding this personally, what I lived through after being in the military, and what Mykle K Bowman: CEO and Partner of LTP went through with losing 3 immediate family members, the Laughing Through Pain Foundation was formed.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
There is nothing I can think of at this time. I will briefly break down pricing with all the many businesses I operate. Pricing fluctuates. If they are interested in supporting my non-profit, donations are always appreciated. Prices vary if someone wants me to host a SLAPP event in their city or state. If they’re going to purchase our Body Butters and Lip Balms, stay tuned; the new SimpliWisdom.Com website will be released at the end of February.
Contact Info:
- Website: BossLadiStar.Com
- Instagram: instagram.com/theebossladistar
- Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009648342191&mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Twitter: x.com/bossladistar1?s=21&t=8qxclIODS-K38fGBRSFwv5g
- Youtube: youtube.com/@broadcastingwithbossladistar
- Other: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/broadcasting-with-boss-ladi-star/id572261698
Image Credits
Scenes of Vera-Mae
