VaShaun Nichole

By Ellen Richardson

Photos Provided by Chanel Wells-Henderson

“I didn’t plan on becoming a serial entrepreneur... all of my businesses evolved from a need I saw in the community.”

Successful businesswoman, VaShaun Mosby’s story is that of determination, hard work, and promise. Born and raised in Lexington, KY, she began her career in the corporate sector. VaShaun was a troubled youth who never went to college, yet she set her sights on working in the corporate sector. Without having a college degree and experience, she had to start at the bottom, and she did. She shares, “I worked from small beginnings, all the way to the vice president of Global Services and Operations before I was 30-years-old.”

VaShaun had acquired 20 years of corporate experience before a last-minute ultimatum led her to a new beginning in the world of entrepreneurship. “While I enjoyed corporate life, a new path began forming for me when I received an email that said my entire department would be shipped to the Philippines. As a newly divorced single mother with two small children, I realized I had a significant decision to make.” After understanding that she had already received the skills and talents necessary to gamble on herself, this decision quickly turned into an entrepreneurial venture, VaShaun Nicole Enterprises.

VaShaun Nicole Enterprises is a minority, woman-owned publishing house and marketing firm that was born from her personal story. “When I started my own business, I wanted to do so by telling my personal story of overcoming struggles,” she said. Her story would begin while growing up with a father who was a sniper and a mother who was a preacher. Together, VaShaun says they raised a troubled child who even faced jail time at one point. That was before VaShaun would find her life being dug from the ashes and climbing the ladder of success.

“I may have been a young kid whose past even included facing 25 years in prison at the age of 19. Still, I always tell anyone who will listen to not let your past dictate your future because you could be the person that others look to for advice and encouragement.”

After publishing my first book, Behind Her Eyes, VaShaun was offered a deal from Barnes & Noble and Joseph-Bell Booksellers in Lexington, KY. There she participated in a series of tours and inspirational book signings. That experience was what she needed and opened her eyes to more opportunities.

She hoped her writing would serve as encouragement for women, and soon she was on her way to publishing her second book alongside Angela Allen-Johnson. Entitled 365 Days of Attacks but God, this devotional is written from a mother and daughter’s perspective and allows readers to experience the highs and lows of becoming who God called them to be.

VaShaun’s entrepreneurial journey would continue. She reveals she learned there was more to her life than just making people feel good. After giving birth to her second business, she officially launched VaShaun Nicole Consulting. “My second chance to become a successful entrepreneur stemmed from my love of helping people learn their God-given abilities. Today, our alternative staffing organization focuses on those who have criminal backgrounds or lack the professional skills necessary to scale the corporate ladder,” she shares.

As VaShaun continued to climb the entrepreneurial ladder, she began to see other needs within her local community that would eventually spawn her newest business creation. Vauntech Solutions, a minority-owned tech startup, creates innovation and social services spaces that help provide the information necessary for people to meet their basic needs.

Her fourth venture came about due to challenges she was already facing within her existing businesses.

“As I began to grow in entrepreneurship, I noticed others within this field were not adapting within the professional setting and could not effectively present their small business,” she says. This revelation gave the “queen of entrepreneurship” the idea for VaShaun Nicole Advisors. This advisory company offers professional development for new business owners and those who may need to brush up on their skill sets. VaShaun uses 130 classes and other workshops, all based on what she learned during her time in the corporate and entrepreneurial sectors.

As VaShaun continues to follow a path toward philanthropy, she remains committed to building up others who look just like her. “I may have been a young kid whose past even included facing 25 years in prison at the age of 19. Still, I always tell anyone who will listen to not let your past dictate your future because you could be the person that others look to for advice and encouragement,” she says.

Please visit her website for more information about VaShaun Mosby and any of her four effective businesses.