By Laci Ollison Photos by Lechelle Jackson For Talisha ‘Tee’ Birdsong, it really is all about the money. As a mindset and money coach, the 26-year-old Nashville, Tennessee native has decided to use her expertise in finances to help other people of color repair the credit, start businesses, and establish generational wealth. Tee, who currently resides in Richmond, VA, is the founder and CEO of Dream Financial Services. The business aids individuals who are looking to fix their credit as well as start a business or gain more knowledge about personal and business finances. She is also known as a mindset coach. “I believe if you shift your mindset your money shifts,” Tee said. “So, I help people get on top of their finances and help them with whatever they’re struggling with from a financial standpoint.” Through her company, Tee helps individuals and families by providing workshops, courses, and one-on-one coaching. “In a lot of my programs, you get way more than what you pay for,” Tee said. “I’m big on educating and I always pray that my students and my clients don’t have to end up in my program again unless they’re a referral partner.” The inspiration to start a financial services business came from her past experiences. “I lived a pretty sheltered childhood. When I got in the world, I did everything under the sun and eventually ended up messing my credit up,” she says. Eventually Tee’s decisions caught up with her. She experienced eviction after eviction, repossession after repossession. By the time no one would lend to her or allow her housing, Tee had to shift some things because she also had a son at the age of 18. It was at this time that Tee realized she needed to do something different. “I decided I had to fix it because if not we were going to be homeless. I made the conscious decision to take hold of my finances to provide a better life for me and my son. I started changing my budget. I started applying for stuff and doing what I could do that made sense for what I made,” she says.
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“In a lot of my programs, you get way more than what you pay for. I’m big on educating and I always pray that my students and my clients don’t have to end up in my program again unless they’re a referral partner.” 23
