In the world of entrepreneurship, knowledge is a key pillar to success. Atlanta-based Entrepreneur and Global Business Curator, Sherri J White exemplifies this truth and is determined to share the keys with as many people as possible. From teen mom to business mogul, Sherri J White’s journey is a testament to resilience and determination.
At just 23, she began her entrepreneurial journey by founding the first location of Success Souviners Day Care. Since then she has significantly impacted her city, opening two additional locations and expanding her credentials as a savvy real estate investor, business consultant, mentor, motivational speaker, and published author.
Her empire was not built overnight. It took 16 years of dedication and hustle to get where she is today. Now she is on a mission to give back to the city that raised her, guiding others through their own paths to success.
Finding Passion in Humble Beginnings
White’s path toward dominating the childcare industry began at the early age of 14 when she experienced the harsh realities of teen pregnancy. With no income or work experience, she began working for the father of her child’s family business, a daycare center.
“Working at a very early age at the childcare centers and having those qualities of work ethic and character instilled in me is where [my journey] started,” White tells BAUCE as she reflects.
“I just got so good at it and was being molded and groomed on how to be a successful business owner,” she continues. “I took everything that I learned and put a twist to add my own sauce to it.”
Childcare With Intention
What sets Success Souveneir Daycares apart from other childcare centers is its holistic approach to early childhood education, prioritizing enriching experiences beyond basic care.
The Atlanta-based daycare centers cater to low- to moderate-income families and offer a supportive environment with devoted and highly qualified teachers. The center also provides nutritious meals and intentionally crafted curriculums designed to enhance each student’s physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development.
“We don’t even have TVs in our center, because we learn the entire time that they’re there,” White says. “I provided an experience, unlike any other experience that you would find in areas such as mine, which is why my centers are sought after the way they are.”
Building an Empire
Establishing Success Souviners as the prominent daycare empire it is today took years of consistency and determination. It wasn’t until a few years that she gained complete confidence in how she was running her business.
“Year five was when I said ‘Okay, I’m growing. I’m scaling and people are taking me serious. I’m enjoying it. I have actually come up with a way to not even have to be present and my center still ran like clockwork,’” White explains.
Once White discovered the formula to success in her industry she knew she wanted to share it with others. She credits the help she received from her mentor with being able to skip a lot of trial-and-error experiences.
“If I didn’t have someone there to kind of help me and show me the ropes when things got rough, it probably would have taken me a lot longer to get where I am.”
This inspired her to start a business consulting service, guiding entrepreneurs across various industries to properly scale their businesses and open brick-and-mortar locations.
One piece of advice White shared with BAUCE for entrepreneurs looking to grow and scale their businesses is the importance of knowing your business inside and out.
“You can’t grow it if you don’t know it,” White emphasizes. “You have to know it like the back of your hand. So that if in the process of scaling your business, somebody isn’t on board or doesn’t execute or do the things that you need them to do, it doesn’t stop the growth.”
In addition to her business endeavors, White also holds the title of a published author under her belt. She published her first book Success Souviners: A Memoir in 2018. Her latest release Mommy, I Thought You Said Black Was Beautiful is a children’s book that addresses issues of race in a way that is digestible and meaningful for young readers.
Uplifting Other Women
There’s no doubt that White has a talent for uplifting others. She leveraged her resources to host the Galentine’s Day Gala, an annual event created to celebrate entrepreneurial women nationwide.
White created this event to recognize hard-working women in business who are often overlooked and celebrate them for their efforts.
“A lot of times, we don’t get the flowers we deserve, especially if we’re not popular or we’re not affiliated with some type of celebrity,” said White.
“There are so many women who wish that they had support, wish that they have resources, wish that they could look to the left and right of them and congregate with like-minded level women, so why not create that space?”
Continuing the Legacy
As White continues to inspire and educate many ambitious entrepreneurs, she has also passed some of her “souvenirs” down the family tree. More specifically, to the person who ignited her entrepreneur journey, her daughter Janaya Burke.
Burke, now 25, is the founder of Belle Lux Day Spa, located in the Offices at Dogwood Park—a building she co-owns with her mother. White instilled in her daughter the knowledge and skills needed to secure property with other valuable insights, inspiring Burke to start her entrepreneurial journey at just 18 years old.
“I’m very, very big on joining forces and doing things with her because she is my legacy,” says White. “Being able to show her things that will ultimately create generational wealth for not only you know me and her but for her children and their children is pretty big to me.”
Today as she heads into the next phase of her life, White is content with her years-long run of accomplishments and plans to keep her legacy going for years to come.
“The first 40 years of my life are complete and heading into the second 40,” White says. “I’m just ready to amplify everything that I already have going on. So that I could continue to be an inspiration, motivation, and a source of light to those who may need it.”
You can keep up with Sherri through her Instagram @sherrijlovely and contact her for business inquiries at her website.
