Finalist, up to $2 million | 2019 Revenue: $75,500
For the majority of the time she has owned her business, Alfreda Boney has been spread thin.
Until February 2019, Boney worked full time as a recruiter, running Perfectly Suited Career Consulting in the spare moments between. She would attend networking events on her lunch break and after work, trying to grow her company while working as a recruiter.
“During the day you have to put on that hat and be there for them and do what they need you to do,” she said.
“And in your heart you’re saying, but gosh, you can give all your time and attention to someone else, but they may not appreciate you to that level. They may not see things your way.”
For a little more than a year, Boney has been focusing solely on her business, although working two jobs for 11 years wasn’t all bad.
It helped her see things from the job recruitment perspective so she could better help those looking for jobs, which is her company’s focus.
Working for herself has its challenges, but Boney said she loves being available for her clients and the flexibility her job allows her.
“This is all I have – no net,” she said. “It’s like you’ve got to do it or die.”
Perfectly Suited Career Consulting provides career development services and training and an accredited customer experience professional certification program.
She works with organizations such as Operation New Hope and individuals looking for work.
Boney, 48, grew up in Jacksonville, Georgia. She has two children, Desiree, 25, and Alex, 29.
Boney helps build resumes, prepares clients for interviews and assists them in finding jobs for which they are suited.
“This is truly a passion of mine, to help others to be self-sustaining, to see them being able to win, take care of their families or themselves,” she said. “I love being that change agent for them.”
With COVID-19, most of Boney’s training sessions went virtual. While she did see a downtick in sessions and some financial losses, starting virtual training allowed her to open up her services to people anywhere, not just in Jacksonville.
Even without a global pandemic, owning a business has its challenges. Boney said that on days when “you just want to lay there,” her clients give her the motivation to get up.
“I like helping others,” she said.
