Ep. 5 - Overcoming The Fear of Asking For Help with Tyneshia Perine, Owner of Tootles Event Sitters

On this episode, Irene speaks with Tyneshia Perine, owner of Toodles Adventures event sitting company, on overcoming the fear of asking for help as an entrepreneur.

Instagram: http://instagram.com/tootleseventsitters
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tootles.event.sitters
Facebook: http://facebook.com/tootleseventsitters
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyesDdlQozUN5Zm_tXFfYGQ

Key Takeaways

• Overcoming fear and embracing vulnerability allows authentic connections and meaningful relationships that propel business growth
• Seeking help is crucial - closed mouths don't get fed
• Build a supportive "village" and lean on them, whether paid or unpaid
• Practice self-care, affirmations, and confirmations to overcome fear and move forward

Origin Story

• Started Toodles in 2020 after struggling to find an event sitter for her own wedding
• Grew slowly through networking and word-of-mouth
• Lost her husband and job in 2018, which pushed her to go all-in on the business

Overcoming Fear of Asking for Help

• As a minority woman, felt pressure to be "strong" and not ask for help
• Hit breaking point and realized she couldn't do everything alone as a solo parent
• Built a "village" to help with kids, housework, business tasks

Embracing Vulnerability

• Being authentic allows you to connect with like-minded people
• Vulnerability leads to meaningful advice and connections
• Overcame fear of identifying as a "widow" by embracing it as her testimony

Business Growth Through Connections

• Persistently reached out to venues/planners she wanted to work with
• Leaned on existing connections to get introductions
• Created template emails to easily inquire about partnerships

Advice for Overcoming Fear

• Get uncomfortable - being comfortable means not growing
• Talk yourself through the fear of the unknown
• Practice affirmations and listen to uplifting content
• Don't compare yourself to others' "highlight reels"

Next Steps

• Tanisha launching "Mastering Soul Parenting" series on entrepreneurship + parenting
• Speaking at Wedding Insider Conference and Nanny Agency Summit
• Potentially launching coaching for industry professionals who are parents