EnterprenHEIR | Dr. LaTanya Tyson

Dr. LaTanya Tyson is the owner of Crossword Greek where they sell Divine 9 Greek paraphernalia. Her personal philosophy, “Education is the foundation of success” is a reflection of her inner spirit as a leader who seeks after God’s own heart.

Dr. Tyson is a native of Lakeland, Florida. She attended Polk County schools and is a graduate of Kathleen High School in Lakeland, Florida. She received an Associate of Arts and Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences from University of South Florida. Dr. Tyson also received a Master of Arts in Adult Education from University of South Florida, and her Doctorate of Philosophy in Higher Education from the University of Phoenix.

For more than a decade, Dr. Tyson professional endeavors have focused on educating underrepresented populations. Dr. Tyson is the wife of Rev. T. Tyrone Tyson and the proud mother of Kavaris 23, Garriell 19, and Garriann 10. She is the First Lady of Agape Baptist Fellowship and affectionately known as Dr. First and she is also a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

Dr. Tyson looking for a book in the library

What is your definition of Women Who Roar?

Women Who Roar are those who “Rise Up” for the challenges of life. Each challenge is different, but a woman that’s roaring takes no prisoners in this journey of life. This woman surpasses even her own expectation and enter into what God has called her to be.

This woman is no secret to society because she ruled well in Biblical times, she ruled well when the men were at war, she ruled well when others in the tribe failed to Rise Up. This woman is no secret to us today because she rules well in her home in spite of the perceived lack of male influence, but she also leads in midst of society.

Women who roar today sing loud from high rise buildings of downtown to the private prayer room found in our churches and homes. We rule with a loud voice and sometimes with a soft voice. And there is no lack in these voices because these women are supportive of each other.

How did you get your idea or concept for the business?

After my oldest daughter crossed over into the lustrous land of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., I found a lack of quality paraphernalia in the Triad area. As I searched for items to celebrate this momentous occasion I found that items arrived late, wrong items were sent, and items weren’t printed in the correct color. After sharing these experiences with my daughter/Soror she suggested that we open our own store and now we have Crossyard Greek.

There’s a tendency for entrepreneurs to roll up their sleeves and get everything done because only they can do it the right way. Successful businesses understand scale of of a true unit. What are your thoughts on teamwork?

Teamwork is not only needed, but its required. When we set out of this journey we quickly established our team 5 to cover the different aspects of the business. We choose individuals with a set of skills to enhance the team as well as individuals committed to the team. So teamwork is more than physically sharing the responsibility of the work, it is a commitment to everyone involved as well as the organization.

Many women are constantly seeking their purpose in every aspect of their lives. How important is self-awareness for the vitality of your business?

Self-awareness brings a balance to an individual’s life that’s needed as an entrepreneur and leader. We all have strengths and weaknesses and to maximize who we are we must know and accept who we are.

You can’t know it all. Some times you are the smartest person in the room, and other times you don’t know what to do. What lessons have you learned in entrepreneurship?

Networking will expose and cover my shortcomings. Meeting individuals that have mastered subject areas other than your specialty allow for you to be the best at what you do.

Many people tend to look at what successful people have and say “I want that” without comprehending what it took to get to that level of success. What did you have to sacrifice to get where you are?

Wow, I sacrificed me. I had to let my vulnerabilities be exposed to be rebuild a better me. There were things about me that I enjoyed, but for me to be successful I had to shape myself into someone that would be received by the people. I had to be someone that people want to engage with because without the people their is no business.

There are times in your life when you’re not in a position to take a risk, and that is a very hard decision to make—if you do not have the financial means to support that risk. What are ways of pursuing what you love while taking the jobs you don’t like?

Take the risk if you are committed to the dream. However, please be mindful of who you are (self-awareness) to ensure timing is correct. If you decide to work while pursuing your dream I would do the following 1) only watch television as an award unless its directly related to your business; 2) journal everyday; 3) set small goals.

If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?

Believe with all your heart that “Failure is Not an Option”, but this doesn’t mean that you won’t have to revise your dream. The key is to keep working the dream.

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