Atlanta's Fathers' Rights Attorney

Early in my legal career, I represented clients in a range of areas before I settled into my

transactional practice. During that time, I was able to personally witness the injustices that many fathers, especially black men, were subject to in the courtroom as a result of many women abusing the legal system to punish men because they were no longer together.

And if a father appeared in court without an attorney, he didn’t have a chance against a

vindictive mother. I didn’t have the gumption to continue in that area of law, but LaTonya

Askew perfectly donned as" Atlanta’s Fathers’ Rights" Attorney, has taken that helm and has a proven record of getting those fathers who should have custody of their children as well as fair child support orders. 

Today, Latonya shares how she came to be a “Fathers Rights” Attorney and tips for fathers

on how to 1) Present the best to Judges in Court, 2) Obtain legal rights to your children,

and 3) Avoid jail time when you are behind in child support. Here’s that conversation.

Question: Thank you for joining us today Attorney Askew. Before we begin though, I would love to know how you earned the “Fathers’ Rights” Attorney title. Did you start your practice with the intention of being an attorney for fathers or did that evolve for you another way?

LaTonya: Actually, a little over 10 years ago, my now marketing director, Eric, was working for a radio station here in Atlanta and asked if I wanted to advertise with the station. I said

sure, and he came into my office. He asked about my clientele and at the time, the majority of my clients were men. He quickly responded by saying that “Oh, you're more or less like a father's rights attorney.”

Fast forward. One of the DJs at the radio station was having an issue in regards to seeing his child and he retained my services to assist him. Next thing I know he gives me a shout-out on the radio, “Just want to let you know I went to court, got custody of my child. You need to contact my attorney LaTonya.” I didn't know anything about it and my receptionist called and says, “Miss Askew, the phones are blowing up. We're having all these men calling and they need your help.” I'm like what is going on? Then I get a text from Eric stating that my client gave me a shout-out on the radio. Eric no longer works at the radio station and he's now my marketing person. After that, I was deemed a father's rights attorney. The majority of my clients are men who truly want custody of their children, who are having issues with child support, and men who come from the fatherhood program. 

However, I do not assist fathers who only want custody for the purpose of trying to cut child support. I don't believe in that. I mean, whoever is the custodial parent, whether it's the mother or the father, they need financial assistance to take care of those children.

Question: Amazing! Now talk a little bit about “Abandonment” and a few tips or advice for men who’ve had “Abandonment” charges filed against them and/or how to beat an abandonment charge as it relates to their children.

LaTonya: I'm glad you brought up abandonment. I just had an abandonment case where my client was behind in his child support, and he was more or less trying to work to pay his child support. The mother understood that, and she had no problem as long as he still more or less provided for the children by buying them clothes and food. He had a food stamp card and would buy food for them. He didn't necessarily have the finances. I mean he may give her $50 here, $60 there, but he tried his best. Well, fast forward a couple of months later when dad meets a young lady. They dated for about a year. What do you think happens? He gets married.

As soon as he marries this young lady, the kids’ mom has a fit and then he gets an abandonment warrant placed against him. A lot of mothers do this. They do it out of spite.

My advice would be, first of all, if you can't afford your child support, you've lost your job,

or you've been laid off or you've been injured on your job - you need to file a Modification of Child Support. My client is over $18,000 in arrears or child support. He agreed to a child

support amount when he was not represented by an attorney. Mom was okay with not getting the money as long as he wasn’t dating anybody or seeing anyone. Now, he's behind $18,000 in child support and he's saying that he can't afford it. There's still an order that states that you have to pay it. You need a legal Modification. If you cannot find a job, then enroll in some type of Fatherhood Program in your area.

The next issue is abandonment. Abandonment has to do with if you have not done anything for your children for 30 days, here in the State of Georgia. That means that you have not purchased them a happy meal, a pair of shoes, diapers, formula, coats, etc. Never, never, never go more than 30 days without providing some form of support for your children. Keep your receipts from when you buy the children clothes, and you take them out to eat – everything. 

Although that's not child support in Georgia, if you can prove that you've done something for your kids within 30 days, then it’s not abandonment.

I had one client who retained me, and he showed me a receipt from McDonald's where he

had just taken the kids to McDonald's less than 30 days before the mother filed an

Abandonment. There was no abandonment because he got the kids and got them happy

meals. He showed the Court that he was doing something - he was feeding the kids. So, always keep your receipts.

Next, never give the custodial parent cash. Always have a paper trail. Use CashApp, Venmo, Zelle, money order, or a certified check. If you do pay in cash though, get the mother to actually sign something on a piece of paper stating I received $50 from Joe Blow. However, in my experience, most women aren't going to sign anything. They don't want you to have any record of it. But always have a paper trail of everything that is going on.

Another thing to be aware of is that an Order is an Order. A judge may be sympathetic and say I understand you lost your job sir or I understand that you were injured, I

understand. The economy went down but an Order is an Order. If you sit back and don’t

pay your child support and you get $20,000 in the hole, a judge may not lock you up because he may be sympathetic and say you were trying by giving mom $100 a month. You've been trying and you still owe that money, but you likely won’t go to jail either.

Question: Great advice. Now talk to us about Legitimatization and the importance of it if you have a child out of wedlock and the mother and father aren’t and have never been married.

LaTonya: Sure. Legitimation gives fathers rights to their children in Georgia. The way I

explain it is that men have the sperm, the woman has the egg, that sperm and egg come

together and make a baby. But that sperm has no rights – the egg holds all the rights. So, you can go to the hospital, you can hold her legs when she pushes out that baby, you can have skin to skin with that baby, and you can even sign a birth certificate in Georgia. You still have no rights in Georgia.

You have to go through a judicial process called Legitimation. An illegitimate child is a child who is born out of wedlock, meaning that the parents aren't married. So, although you were at the hospital, although you signed the birth certificate, as a father, you have no rights. Let me give you an example. Mom can tell you to come to pick a Suzie Q. You come to pick up Suzie Q and as soon as you knock on the mom's door to get Suzie Q for the weekend, the mom calls the police and says she wants you off her property. The father tells the officer that the mother called him to pick up their daughter. The first thing the police officer says is, “Do you have a Custody Order?”

You have to have some rights and if you don't go through that judicial process of filing a

Petition for Legitimation, you have no rights to that child, essentially meaning if the mother wants to up and move to Texas, she can up and move to Texas. She doesn't have to give you an address. She doesn't have to give you any notification. You as a father have no rights whatsoever.

Lastly, just because you're paying child support, that it does not mean that you have any rights to the child. A mother can collect child support even if the father has not legitimized their child. I strongly suggest that if you are not married to your child’s mother, be sure to legitimize him or her as soon as possible in order to have legal rights to your child or children. 

Question: What can a father do if he is behind in child support?

LaTonya: Sure. Judges love the Fatherhood Program. These types of programs put fathers

in positions to give them jobs and give them skills. One of my clients is a young guy in his

late 20s who doesn't have his GED. He works at a car wash; however, he also goes to the

fatherhood program so he can get some skills so he can work on getting his GED.

A lot of judges, before they come down in their ruling, the first thing they ask about is are you in a Fatherhood program? Are you in any sort of program? And if they say no, the judge many times will give them the information for the Fatherhood Program. Ironically though, the Fatherhood program is through Child Support Services – the agency that is suspending your license and pulling your passport if you are behind in child support - that's where the fatherhoodskin-to-skin programs are.

So, if you can't pay your child support, then you can ask Child Support Services. Hey, do you have a fatherhood program in this county? Then, when you get the information, if a judge sees that you are trying, that's very helpful. You’re trying to improve your skills and find employment. You're not driving around in a BMW or Mercedes. You're not adding or getting more women pregnant. Keep in mind that it is a judge’s discretion, but they are more sympathetic if you are in such a program, and they are not as inclined to incarcerate you.

To contact Attorney Latonya Askew, visit: www.askewlaw.com

Credit is one of those things that is neither taught in school or at home for many children,

yet we all need credit to purchase items that we choose not to pay for in full at the moment.

Obviously, the better credit you have, the more favorable options you have when

shopping around. But with many teens being offered credit cards as soon as they turn 18

years old, the easier it is for them to fall into the bad credit trap, ultimately making it

harder for them to buy cars, rent apartments, purchase a home, get certain jobs, have certain relationships, and more. Then at that point, many people want to “repair” their credit, but the damage has already been done. 

Fortunately, Author and Speaker, Dionne Perry, is on a mission to educate teens, especially minorities, on the importance of protecting and having good credit from the start instead of having to “repair” it as an adult. We were able to catch up with Dionne, who shares her own personal story of learning about credit the hard way to how she now empowers teens and adults on how to be “Credit-Lit.” Here’s Dionne’s story…

Question: Share your journey about what you were initially taught about and why it is so important for you to teach young children about credit.

Dionne: Growing up, I didn't know anything about credit. Credit scores are not taught in

school and my parents really didn't understand the credit process; therefore, they were not able to explain it to me. After I graduated high school and started norcollege, of course you have all these different companies and banks and credit card companies, offering you credit cards. And because I really didn't understand the credit process, when I got pre-approval letters, I accepted a card and started using the card. I really didn't understand how, if I wasn't financially able to make the monthly payments, how it was going to affect me long-term because it's not taught in school.

It's kind of like a taboo topic. People don't discuss credit scores. We don't really discuss that within the family. Most families don't talk about credit scores. We talk about maybe potentially having a budget but not the impacts of credit scores. I didn't understand that when I moved out on my own that the rental properties were going to check my credit score to determine if I could rent a place. I was thinking, “I'm an honest person and I have an honest job” so, therefore, they were going to allow me to rent based on that. I didn't understand that my, paying something late was going to stay on my credit report for seven years.

I get that part because it's not being taught in school. It's still not currently being taught in school. As a result of that, I made a lot of mistakes in my early 20s, just because I didn't understand the process.

I remember when I went to a car dealership because I needed to purchase a car, and I was denied due to my credit scores. And that's what kind of intrigued me like this is much bigger than a credit card, something that you receive in good faith, and you just pay back in time. This is something that if you make a mistake, or if you have a hardship, it's going to affect you for seven years. And for seven years, you're going to have to explain something that you did that maybe you were not aware of, or you were not educated on it.

So, when I was denied the car loan, me being the person I am, it kind of made me angry. From there I started reading and finding articles and anything pertaining to credit, credit scores, and how the process works. I pretty much started reading the regulations and just trying to read everything I could find on credit scores. And I thought, wow, what an important topic, but why are we not being told that we need good credit scores to help us be successful? To make purchases on credit, your interest rate will be based on your credit score.

If you don't have a good credit score, you're going to pay more out of pocket. You're going

to go through more scrutiny. And that really put a fire under me. Once I educated myself on the credit process, and I rebuilt my credit, then I just started helping everybody else.

Question: What has been the response to your book “Credit-lit?”

Dionne: Most people say that it’s a great idea, however, some of those same people don't see the need to spend $10 on a book to educate their child on something that can really impact how successful they are, not just personal success, but if they want to eventually become business owners. They must have good credit to establish business credit, because first, they're going to base it off your personal credit. And then you know, you must go through all the stuff of establishing a business. It's a very interesting topic that we, particularly in the African American community, need to start having conversations

about. We're all big on repairing credit, but what about preventing it, so you won't have to

repair the mistakes? 

Let's educate our children so they won't need credit repair. I titled the book “Credit-Lit” because all of my kids are over here saying, “This is lit, that is lit” etc. I wanted it to be relatable. I didn't want it to be a boring information book. I tried to make it as simple as possible, where the teens are asking questions, and then I also included a glossary in the book so they can refer to it when they become adults because there are some financial terms. If that's not your background, you're just not going to know the meaning of those terms, if that's not the career field that you chose. And so that's how I arrived at credit lit. It's also short for literacy. That's how I birthed “Credit-Lit.”

Question: When and how should parents start teaching their children about credit? 

Dionne: You know, a lot of times our kids don't understand how we make these purchases. We don't explain to them that hey, I must fill out this application online and see if I get approved for it. All they see is that we live in a nice house and that mom and dad drive a nice car, but they don't understand that that's because of their credit scores. 

So in the book, I make it very relatable. I'm also very proud to say that “Credit’Lit” won the Mom Choice Gold Award! It’s an excellent book for families, but I really think you should start having this conversation with children at the age of 10. Then, when you make purchases and you come home with those purchases, or they're delivered to the home, you can explain that having good credit is the reason that I was able to attain this.

Additionally, I've gotten a lot of feedback from adults who purchased the book and they told me that it was perfect.

It was just enough information even for them. The book is actually for anyone. I'm in the

process of writing my second book, which is going to be focused on adults, but I'm pretty

much keeping it the same way. I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible. I gave enough

information in the book that when you do make purchases or you're working towards the

purchase, I gave enough to make you think before you get ready to make a purchase.

Surprisingly, a lot of adults told me that they bought the book for themselves, and they

learned a lot in the book. 

Question: That’s awesome. Now, before we end, what is the biggest tip that you would give to parents to do with their children in learning about credit?tried

Dionne: Have the conversation. Have the conversation and start explaining how you're

making these purchases. Because again, oftentimes they just don't understand the

process of you coming home with a new car. They don't understand that you signed a

contract and you will be making a monthly payment, hopefully on time, for the next five to six years. We don't have those conversations with them and I'm trying to start the dialogue between parents and teens. I started having those conversations with my children when they were 10 years old. They understood the ramifications of paying something late when they became adults because every time I purchased something I explained to them the process. I oftentimes took them with me to see the process so they wouldn't be surprised by the process.

Since I taught them at a young age, it resonated with them once they got older and started making purchases. and then once they saw how easy it was to make the purchases. They didn't get it until they were in the position where they had to apply and do what they needed to do for themselves as adults. My actions and being open with them and having the discussion, preparing them for it, and then after they went through the process of applying for credit, it was easy for them. 

Tell your children that they can't do anything without credit nowadays. You can't get water

or an apartment in your name without them checking your credit score. Teach them that if they have a bad credit score that they must pay a deposit because they had bad credit. Inform them that credit affects your job. Many people have not been hired at certain companies because they had a low credit score. So, it's so much bigger than applying for credit. It affects everything. And that’s why it is important to start having those conversations at an early age.

About:

Dionne Perry, a Certified Credit Consultant, delivers the goods on credit, giving young people exactly what they need to make it in this economy. She is also a national award-winning author and is uniquely qualified to educate young people and adults on the importance of maintaining a good credit score. For more information about Dionne Perry's services, visit: www.credit-lit.com

If you have ever thought about publishing a book, there's no better time to do so than now. The story and journey is already in your mind, and Queashar L. Halliburton is here to skyrocket your book from a thought to financial freedom. Check out her journey below.

THE BEGINNING...

Writing has always been an integral part of my life. I developed a love for creative writing and the literary world in elementary school. I always knew that I would become an author, but I never pursued it. In high school, I wrote for the newspaper, which led me to obtain a

Communications degree from Michigan State University. After college, I put my writing

dreams on hold after some career disappointments. However, decades later in corporate America, I missed writing.

So, in April 2017, I decided to stop procrastinating and establish a publishing company to self-publish my literary works. After sharing my journey to authorpreneurship on social media, people started asking me about the publishing process. I wanted to help aspiring authors become successful and avoid the pitfalls of the publishing industry, so I began offering professional publishing services.

IMPOSTER SYNDROME...

I had to overcome multiple challenges during my journey to entrepreneurship. The imposter syndrome held me hostage. I was a chronic procrastinator when it came to achieving personal goals and dreams. I was always playing it safe and operating within my comfort zone. I had to stop living in fear and bet on myself. I had to see myself winning to activate my goals. After self evaluation, self-evaluationI realized what made me happy, and I started actively planning and crushing my life goals. It began with self publishing my first project on procrastination, then multiple books and

collaboration projects with industry experts thereafter. The rest is history!

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE...

The most challenging part of my business is empowering potential authors to visualize

the value of investing in a high-quality professional publishing project. Most potential clients have no idea regarding the investment involved in publishing a quality industry-standard book. As a nonfiction success coach, I teach professional women to build a legacy through publishing a signature nonfiction book.

THE BIGGEST REWARD...

The best thing about my business is that I get to assist women with building their

legacy and establishing generational wealth using the knowledge and skills they

already possess. We are all experts, and we can share our life lessons with others

to change the world. Authoring a book is one of the easiest ways to start a

business, and I love guiding others into financial freedom. Once you publish your book, you can monetize your intellectual property for a lifetime. The sky is the limit!

MY ADVICE...

#1: The most important tip that I would offer aspiring authors would be to stop

waiting for everything to be perfect before you get started. Stop overthinking

the process! If you can provide the next level transformation your ideal client

seeks, dive in! You will perfect your craft as you learn during your journey. Your

tribe is waiting on you to deliver their next-level change.

#2: The second tip that I would offer aspiring authors would be to research and educate yourself about the publishing process on the front end. This will empower you to make informed decisions regarding your publishing project. Countless aspiring authors have been taken advantage of during the publishing process because they are so anxious to add the title of the published author to their resumes. They forget to do their due diligence or ask the right questions.

Become an informed author and empower yourself to win through researching all your

options. Learn about the difference between traditional publishing and self-publishing.

Learn the new publishing trends and read books in your genre.

#3: The third piece of advice that I would offer is to seek help from publishing professionals that have already successfully published a best-selling book. Most importantly, be ready to invest in coaching and publishing education. YouTube and Google are helpful, but there will still be gray areas. Seeking publishing experts' professional advice and services will shorten your learning curve and set you up for a successful book project.

OUR SERVICES...

Queashar Detroit Publishing, LLC ® provides professional services for aspiring authors and corporate clients. As a Better Business Bureau accredited organization, Queashar Detroit Publishing, LLC®, empowers professional women to monetize their genius through publishing a signature nonfiction book. Not only do we support the publishing process, but we help our clients build an information-based coaching business based on the principles taught in their books. This helps authors to establish a more profound level of transformation for their coaching clients.

I am also a keynote speaker and an award-winning international best-selling author. I have published two personal development books and collaborated with other industry experts by contributing to four nonfiction anthology projects. My signature book is Skyrocket Your Success! 10 Keys to Refocus, Reposition & Reclaim Your Purpose. This book is the foundation of my coaching business. Skyrocket Your Success is a guide for professionals seeking to increase their emotional intelligence and become more action-oriented. This playbook will allow readers to stop comparing themselves to others, identify their zone of genius, and focus on implementing a plan to monetize their expertise in the marketplace.

BUSINESS TIP...

Becoming successful in your industry does not require you to be perfect. It only requires that you are constantly committed to growth and taking the necessary steps toward accomplishing your goals. Keep investing in yourself through coaching, personal development, reading, and learning. 

About: 

Queashar (Shar) is a certified success coach and an award-winning international bestselling author who empowers professionals to push past self-sabotaging behaviors and utilize their innate abilities to excel in life and business. For additional information, visit: https://sharhalliburton.com/

Collaboration is the new competition - well, at least some have adopted this new saying in the entrepreneurial world. However, let me be the first to debunk it or publicly say that “collaboration and competition” do not belong in the same phrase together. 

In fact, competition brings division. On the other hand, building strategic partnerships is the result of synergy and it fosters valuable relationships. This should be an aspiration in every entrepreneur’s business planning goals.

I can say this because I am a business strategist who specializes in business development, event production, marketing, and branding. Being on my entrepreneurial journey for over 20 years, I have learned about the value in building strategic partnerships. As I recall, some of my greatest opportunities I received were through partnering and even bartering with other entrepreneurs or organizations. 

There is something special when you can come together on one accord with other professionals and tackle individual and partnered goals at the same time. 

Here are several valuable benefits in strategic alliances that I want to share with every professional reading this article.

1) Increased Exposure: Starting a professional alliance with other business owners affords one with the opportunity to extend their reach in each other’s community. The target audience increases for everyone involved. A perfect example of a valuable partnership is sharing a platform via events.

2) Longevity in Relationships: Partnering does not mean it has to stop at one project. Those who form strong bonds in business tend to participate in future endeavors together.

3) Referrals: Word of mouth is still an effective classic marketing tool and referrals are typically made to other business professionals who are in proximity to the collaborating entrepreneur.

There are other advantages in strategic partnerships such as shared cost for a project, competitive edge, expansion of projects, and shared risk.

Strategic partnerships, if cultivated properly by all parties, can have its rewards. Many may shy away from this because of being burnt in the past or fear of having their ideas and methods stolen. 

That can happen - in fact, I experienced a small loss financially with a temporary partnership. I had an event in Las Vegas, NV and collaborated with a young lady who in turn left the event and did not return - leaving me holding the bag, per say. 

However, I learned from that experience and that allowed me to move forward in wisdom and build other partnered relationships. Granted, not all experiences are positive but providing a solid plan along with understanding the do’s and don’ts of collaborations will help to protect yourself and your brand.

DO:

· Have an open mind to the limitless possibilities of building an alliance with other business owners; 

· Use a partnership agreement that clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of the agreement as well as the length of the contract; 

· Develop a non-disclosure agreement to protect the ideas and plans of both parties within the alliance;

· Have an exclusive agreement as well to reduce the risk of either party involving additional people after the initial agreement is signed;

· Always communicate clearly with each other; and 

· Have a clear understanding of everything, including, any shared risk, revenue, and even something as small as an email list, etc.

DO NOT:

· Do not assume that either party automatically knows what to do.

· Do not ever work without an agreement.

· Do not break the agreement abruptly - Follow the terms of the agreement

· Do not be dishonest

· Do not go into a partnership blind

· Do not merge businesses. Both parties can work on projects together without a merger. Remember it is all about the individual project with which you are aligned.

· Do not partner with others who are not aligned with your overall business goals or where there is a lack of integrity and discipline.

There are advantages and disadvantages involved when participating in a strategic partnership, but the most important part to remember is how you align with the potential agreement. It is about longevity and the right business relationship can enhance the goals of each party.

With that being said, “Collaboration is the new partnership.”

About:

Sacha Walton is the owner of SWI Management Group, which specializes in strategic business planning and development, marketing, branding, and event production. Sacha is a business strategist and coach and takes a holistic approach in business supporting entrepreneurs in becoming the highest version of themselves in business by way of mindset and business coaching.

As the founder and host of According 2 Sacha Podcast, she created a platform to highlight all entrepreneurs to promote their products and services. According 2 Sacha is a livestream video and audio podcast. You can the show on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Google Podcast, Amazon Music, and Audible.

Sacha is also a speaker and an author of her new book “Beyond the Music: A Guide to Entrepreneurship”

To find out more about Sacha Walton and SWI Management Group, contact info@swimgtgroup.com or visit www.swimgtgroup.com. You can also follow Sacha on: 

Facebook & LinkedIn - Sacha Walton

Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok - thatgirlsach

What happens if you or a loved one suddenly becomes ill or even worse dies?

Will your young children be taken care of both custodially and financially? Are there means to take care of your final expenses? Who gets your most precious heirlooms or collections? 

You likely know all too well about the fights and arguments that ensue when someone passes. But it doesn’t have to be that way. And it’s attorneys like Nefertara Clark, Esq. who have a wide range of legal experience and expertise to assist individuals and families like yours to protect your children, family, and assets without the unnecessary costs and litigation associated with not properly planning. 

We had a chance to interview Attorney Clark as she shares the how and why she is on a mission to protect your legacy. 

Question: Hi Nefertara, thanks for joining us. Now let’s start with what inspired you to become a lawyer?

Nefertara: My story begins in the small town of Bowman, Georgia, population 866. Back when I was growing up in the 80s and 90s, it was roughly the same size. I grew up in a home with a lawyer as a father and a teacher as a mother. 

From a young age, I knew that I would help people, I just didn’t know how or in what capacity. I began my career of helping by becoming involved in Girl Scouts. Beginning in middle school, I was very involved in school and community activities.

Being a combination lawyer and educator is in my blood - in every sense of the word. I attended Savannah State University, where I majored in Criminal Justice and minored in Accounting and Chinese. College is where I began to come into my own and realized who I was as a person. After college, I began my legal education at Southern University Law Center. It was there that I began working for a local attorney and in the Elder Law Clinic assisting elderly citizens with estate planning and grandchild adoptions. I was hooked!

After passing the bar though, I became a public defender, or constitutional defender, as I like to say, in Fulton County Superior Court. While there, I enrolled in the University of Connecticut School of Law to complete my LL.M., before I entered into private practice.

In transitioning into private practice, I was fortunate to have a business model in the form of my father and partner-in-law.

Question: That’s awesome! So, what do you enjoy most about being in private practice?

Nefertara: Being my own boss, helping clients launch businesses to create generational wealth, and assisting clients to protect their legacies are the top three reasons that I enjoy what I do. When I’m doing those things, my “job” doesn’t feel so “job-like.”

I have come to realize that my purpose here on earth is to help clients with what I like to call their own person protection project and that consists of (1) assisting their families by creating and preserving the means for generational wealth, and (2) protecting their legacies by creating the appropriate estate plans. Because of that, I truly enjoy discussing estate planning with individuals, families and organizations.

Question: Regardless of any field that a person is in, there are sure to be challenges. What were yours as it related to being in private practice?

Nefertara: My journey to becoming an advocate for others has been a fairly smooth one. I have moved from goal to goal without much heartache. But, I truly credit that to the relationships I’ve established along the way. Despite the fact that I am admittedly not a fan of networking, I have managed to forge some amazing alliances that have endured the test of time and distance, providing me with sounding boards and a vast referral network.

However, my journey as a business owner has not always been as easy as I would have liked. That is in part, based upon my desire to have things done my way and not having the ability to trust others with my dream and my livelihood. But, during the pandemic, a light bulb went off for me. I hired full time staff and a personal assistant. 

Before that time, I had the occasional attorneys and paralegals I would contract with on an as-needed basis. With the addition of staff, things became so much easier, and business increased.

Two are better than one. You can get more work done, and if you need help, there is someone there to assist. Even the bible tells us this (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). Hiring help was definitely worth the investment. Because of my positive experience with expanding, this is one thing that I have begun to encourage our entrepreneur clients to do, especially as they level-up and scale their businesses. 

Question: That’s a great advice for entrepreneurs! Now as a community advocate, what professional or legal tips to do you give to people?

Nefertara: First, estate planning is not just for the elderly. At any age, a medical crisis can leave you ill or incapacitated. Or death could even strike. I learned this early on, and it has remained with me throughout my life and legal career.

Additionally, we offer Tuesday Tips in our four (4) primary practice areas (Estate Planning, Business and Non - profit Entity Formations, Personal Injury and Criminal Law) each week on our social media platforms, so be sure to check us out there. 

As far as Estate Planning goes, here are a few tips that I give to people: 

1. Create a Will;

2. Execute a Financial Power of Attorney;

3. Execute an Advance Healthcare Directive (sometimes referred to as a Living Will);

4. Verify and update the beneficiaries for your policies and bank accounts;

5. Purchase a life insurance policy; disability and burial insurance policies are also recommended; if you already have life insurance, increase the death benefit, especially if your family has expanded and/or if your family depends on your income to stay afloat.

6. Purchase a copy of our Estate Planning Resource, “Things That Only I Know: A Guide to Efficiently Handling Incapacity or Death”

Question: Lastly, what are you most proud of both personally and professionally?

Nefertara: I am described as a philanthropist, public speaker, community and voting rights advocate, craft enthusiast, music lover, mentor, and an encourager. I am a servant leader who is perfectly imperfect and created in Christ Jesus to do great works. I am known for my great ideas and willingness to help. This is what sets me apart from others.

I am most proud of the fact that I wrote two (2) books in 2021 and am now working on the audio and hardcover editions of my father’s biography, “Daddy, Tell Me A Story: The Life and Legacy of Activist and Attorney John M. Clark.”

100% of the proceeds are being donated to our family’s foundation (JMN C.A.R.E.S., Inc.) to fund scholarships for students attending Savannah State University and Southern University Law Center. And as I mentioned before, the second book is the estate planning resource, “Things That Only I Know: A Guide to Efficiently Handling Incapacity or Death.”

So often people are so caught up in the business of death that they can’t properly grieve. To assist a wider audience with “getting their houses in order” this book was expanded from a pamphlet for clients into a more in-depth estate planning tool. Though this book is no substitute for a properly drafted and executed Estate Plan, completing it will assist your loved ones in (1) caring for you if you become incapacitated, (2) claiming all insurance and other available benefits, (3) stopping all auto-pay services, (4) carrying out your wishes when you pass away, and (5) providing information about your life that only you know (i.e. device and account passwords).

Despite one’s budget, an estate plan can be created. As it is often said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The same is especially true in Estate Planning. Preparing on the front end is more cost and time effective than needing to establish guardianships, conservatorships and other legal relationships in probate court.

About:

Nefertara Clark serves as the managing partner of Clark & Clark Law Group, LLC, with offices in both Atlanta and Elberton, GA. She‘s an alumnus of Savannah State University, Southern University Law Center and UCONN School of Law.

They are a general practice firm with locations in Atlanta, GA (established 2015) and Elberton, GA (established 1981). They’re 4 major practice areas are Estate Planning, Business and Non - profit Entity Formations, Personal Injury and Criminal Law. For additional information or to contact Clark & Clark Law Group, visit www.clarkandclarklawgroup.com

Question: Hi Roquita, thank you for joining us today! Please share with us what inspired you to start training Speakers?

Roquita: I alwayyyys wanted to start a business! If you look in my high school yearbook, it says that I want to own a "lot of enterprises" in the future. Well, I did not know exactly what type of business I wanted to have, but I definitely knew I eventually wanted to be an entrepreneur.

As I began to navigate the corporate world in my twenties, it became clear to me that I needed to be a better communicator. In particular, when I was quickly promoted to a marketing coordinator role at one company, I found myself in a position where I had to lead some team meetings where I had to explain the project's details to our copywriters and email designers.

Often, this felt a little nerve-wracking for me because it was rare that I had to do any public speaking for work before. I decided to get help with my clarity and feeling more poised by going to Toastmasters. I became quite good at my speaking, and eventually entered speech contests. My talent became evident to others too, and people would ask me to help them with speeches or to give them tips to improve. I started realizing that this was a viable business - coaching and training in the art of public speaking. So, I became a Certified World Class Speaking Coach in 2015 and started the business in 2016.

Question: What was the light bulb moment for you to start your business?

Roquita: In 2015, I was tutoring three young siblings in public speaking. Their parents noticed that they were having some struggles with it and wanted to get them help early on instead of waiting. So, they hired me, and loved the progress the children were showing. One day the father said, "I don't know what you do for your day job, but you're a good teacher."

He was right; I really do love to teach! I took what he said to heart, and it was a turning point for me. That's when I decided to become serious about this endeavor and get certified.

Question: That's great! Now what has been the best thing about your business?

Roquita: What I love best about my business is seeing new, inexperienced speakers blossom into confident, clear, engaging communicators. Public speaking is something I love AND am good at it, and I get to share my enthusiasm and knowledge every day with other Christian female professionals and entrepreneurs who want to master this skill.

Question: And what has been the most challenging part of your business?

Roquita: I went full-time with my business at the end of June 2021, after simultaneously working a full-time marketing day job and running my business part time for 5 years. So, I must be even more disciplined and intentional when it comes to managing my time as my business is my major source of income now. Everyday there are any given number of decisions an entrepreneur must make, and I must make sure I'm focusing my time on those actions that support and advance my business. 

Some days, time can still be a challenge, but I've made lots of improvement. I remind myself to keep the main thing the main thing, and everything can't be done in a day.

Question: What advice would you give to someone who is interested in speaking professionally?

Roquita: First I would say that it's ok to admire another speaker. We all have

speakers that we love and who resonate with us. Don't try to be a copy of them though! It's better to take something you appreciate about their style and make it your own.

Second, God made you an original, so you have your own unique speaker style to bless the world with. It may take you some time to find your style, and that's ok. Enjoy the process!

Question: So true. Now as a speaking consultant and coach, what services do you offer to clients?

Roquita: My target clients are Christian female professionals and entrepreneurs who are new to or relatively inexperienced in public speaking. I was them. I know what it feels like to work in a corporation, and not want your public speaking skills to be a hindrance to your work performance.

I'm an entrepreneur, so I'm still doing presentations. What I do is give my clients the tools they'll need to slay their boardroom presentations, share their expertise in an engaging way, or just be ready to rise to any speaking occasion. I offer private one-on-one coaching through two packages to choose from, a quarterly small group presentation skills program, and I also provide training for organizations through workshops. Contact me if you're ready to Slay the Stage!

About: 

Roquita Johnson is an award-winning speaker, Certified World Class Speaking Coach, Certified Virtual Presenter, and founder of Roquita Johnson Public Speaking, LLC. She transforms Christian female professionals and entrepreneurs from simply being public speakers to being powerful presenters. Her goal is not to change who a person authentically is, but instead – to bring out the BEST version of who they already are as a speaker. For more information, visit: www.roquitajohnson.com