3 minute read
CEO, Swain Consulting, LLC
Cover Story
Being Obedient and Serving From Her Heart STEVIE SWAIN
by Siobhan Davenport, Contributing Features Editor
After a successful 27-year management career working for big corporations, Stevie Swain leaned on her faith to launch her own financial consulting firm, Swain Consulting, LLC, in 2016. Swain shares how her entrepreneurial journey was not a straight path but, instead, consisted of a series of events over many years. To Swain, however, the journey and destination were worth it.
As a servant-leader, Swain now has the largest African American female-owned Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) processing company in the Midwest. She helps companies reduce their tax liability by millions of dollars annually.
“I thought working 9-to-5 was the way to success. I was wrong. By being my own boss, I’ve never been happier, felt more freedom, or had more income. I needed time to assess and evaluate my own gifts.”
Swain is recognized as a leading businesswoman and has won numerous prestigious awards, including 2020 Cincinnati Enquirer Woman of the Year, 2020 Best of Cincinnati Financial Consultant, among many others. Swain leads with enthusiasm, compassion, and a desire to see change for improvement in her business and the women she mentors.
Swain didn’t always think like an entrepreneur. Although people throughout her life encouraged her to start her own business, she didn’t believe them.
“If someone said I could have my dream life by doing my own thing, I would have thought they were crazy!” Swain credits her faith in God and the supportive people in her life for helping her gain the courage to take a leap of faith and start a business. While working for one company, Swain decided to leave and put her resume online. She kept getting offers to interview with insurance companies, and thought, "No way!" Swain kept praying for a sign. She shares that God did answer and told her He had given her lots of signs. Finally, being obedient, Swain went to work for Western and Southern Life.
That one decision put her on the path of entrepreneurship. While there, Swain was promoted to management after one year. However, many on her team were not following her advice, thinking they couldn’t
Entrepreneurship hasn’t always been easy. Swain shares, at times, her bank account was low, and there wasn’t enough money to pay the bills. Leaning on her faith and with the support of her husband, Swain met that challenge by having the “right mental attitude.” Swain and her husband refused to feel overwhelmed or depressed. They lifted each other, held on to each other, and kept their heads above water. They devised a plan to pay one another on alternating weeks to get through this difficult time.
Swain’s Advice to Entrepreneurs:
1. Pay attention while on your path. It’s leading to where you are supposed to be.
2. Ask yourself, “What is my God-given talent, and what is my passion?”
3. Focus on your skills. Always seek help where needed.
4. Surround yourself with a solid support team of three to four people who want to see you succeed.
5. Follow your heart.
6. God may remove some people from your journey, but that is because they were not supposed to go with you.
Keep them in your prayers but move on.
With all the wisdom Swain has acquired, she shares a message of hope that has led to her success.
