Creating a Legacy For Her Children: The Story of Tisa Clark

By Kekeletso Nkele, small.news Assistant

Tisa is a part of the Silver Lining global community thanks to support from Wells Fargo.

(small.news) — Tisa Clark first created her business because of her first born son. For the first time, she had a realization about needing to build something sustainable, not just for herself, but for her son.

A lasting legacy that her child could be proud of. This led her to the real estate industry, mortgage banking, and eventually, launching her first company, J.D. Clark Professional Services, L.L.C.

A business ignited through motherhood turned into a firm that partnered with government agencies, financial institutions, and nonprofits to restore vacant and unoccupied properties and keep communities safe.

However, like any normal journey, it had its own setbacks.

Hurdles Amid The COVID-19 Pandemic

October 23, 2019. Tisa had settled her divorce after a long seven-year battle. But her personal and business lives were dismantled. Her ex-husband walked away with half of her assets, leaving her with just her primary residence and her construction business. Tisa was also left with $1.2 million in business and personal debt, including an IRS lien.

This setback was followed by shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Tisa had just taken on her new role as the Chamber of Commerce Chair. Others in her position might’ve given up on their business at this point, but Tisa saw this as an opportunity to be even more determined.

This is when she launched J.D. Clark Consulting, L.L.C., turning a crisis into opportunity. She started helping small businesses access relief grants and loans during the pandemic. This venture later grew into something amazing. Leadership development, business advisory, and accelerator programs across the state of Maryland.

In 2021, Tisa signed on to become a member of Silver Lining’s community.

Rebuilding With Determination

Through her determination and perseverance, Tisa was able to see a change in her business. As the consulting business stabilized, she was able to reignite her roots in real estate by launching J.D. Clark Real Estate. She became a real estate agent in Maryland and the District of Columbia. This gave her the opportunity to not only help buyers and sellers but also potential developers.

Tisa’s determination was always rewarded. Firstly, by eliminating her $1.2 million debt. Secondly, her business had been running at a profit for the first time since 2011. Her own CPA said that anyone in her shoes would’ve given up and filed for bankruptcy.

“I chose to rebuild through faith, perseverance, and a refusal to quit,” she said.

Tisa’s Missions

As impressive and amazing rebuilding has been for Tisa, it was never about the money. It was always about completing a mission. Her missions consist of:

– Construction: Focusing on public sector contracts, clean lot programs, and property revitalizing.
– Consulting: Becoming a trusted provider for cohort-based training and advisory services, with partners such as FSC First, CRMSDC, and the College of Southern Maryland.
– Real Estate: Guiding families and small developers through transactions, while re-investing in community projects.

Tisa’s Reflections

Tisa keeps going because of her faith, her sons, and the joy of seeing leaders she’s trained step into their fullest potential. She said that, some of the highs during her journey have included:

– Eliminating $1.2 million of debt
– Securing government contracts
– Teaching five cohorts of Intuit ESB prep
– Launching DAIS and TT-VBI

She has also dealt with a lot of lows, like her years-long divorce, her debt, the uncertainty of the pandemic, and cash flow challenges with delayed purchase orders.

Looking Ahead

Moving forward, Tisa plans to launch the DAIS (Develop | Advance | Inspire | Succeed) Impact Center. This will be a training and event space in Charles County, Maryland, that will anchor government leadership development, small business accelerators, and certification/testing programs.

Another initiative she is working on is the Tisa Transforms Virtual Business Incubator (TT-VBI), a subscription-based LMS offering courses, workbooks, and mastermind support. Tisa hopes that, with DAIS and TT-VBI together, it will widen her reach, equipping both local and international leaders and business owners.

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