Journey To Finding "My WHY”!

Welcome

I am Laketa Dumas, the founder of R U Ready 4 BIZness, BIG Institute, Surviving In The Real World, and Do It BIG Academy. I am a Detroit native, a graduate of Detroit Public Schools, and a retired employee of the Detroit Public School Community District. My heart beats for the youths of Detroit, and I dedicated my life to showing students they can make their dreams a reality. Many people speak about the negative things about Detroit, but they don’t speak about the gems. I worked with countless students in my 24 years at Detroit Public Schools who were priceless gems.

I was given the opportunity to create some dynamic programs at Detroit Public School, improving the lives of general education and special needs students. The three programs I created were The Entrepreneurship Project, R U Ready 4 BIZness, and Surviving In The Real World. These programs laid the foundation for developing Birthing Innovative Geniuses (BIG), nonprofit serving youths.

I have been in that entrepreneurial driver’s seat, lost, frustrated, tired, and uncertain of my ability to bring my dreams to fruition. I have experienced the heartache and pain that happens when a company you’ve poured your heart, soul, money, and energy into fails. I know firsthand what it feels like to have a vision that others are blind to and mock your ability to succeed.

Even with a BS and MBA in entrepreneurship, nothing prepared me for starting a business more than my personal lessons through failures. There was no roadmap to follow and no professional to guide me. I understand the struggles and barriers entrepreneurs face daily and how there is a dire need for a direct route to executing a business.

I had to develop my own roadmap. I traveled abroad to Africa, Asia, and Europe to learn about trade and production in other countries and built relationships with international liaisons. I returned home having built relationships with patent lawyers, business attorneys, CPAs, graphic designers, animators, game developers, editors, fashion designers, and countless other professionals. I had an opportunity to take classes at the New York Stock Exchange, a priceless experience!

Pursuing My Purpose in Creating a Beautiful World for Our Youths!

Each of us has a purpose to fulfill in our lifetime, and some have more than one. My ventures were a collective of various concepts that allowed me to pursue multiple businesses. I built relationships across the globe that enabled me to create the GVW executive handbag, R U Ready 4 BIZness game, pop-up financial literacy simulation called “Surviving in The Real World” (SITRW), Serving Solver app, an online school called “Do It BIG Academy”, as well an art collection of Kemetic Ancestry called “Know Your Greatness,” a tribute to African greatness before slavery and our civilization’s contribution to the world. I have also published interactive business and financial curriculums sold on Apple Books. 
My partnerships provide a platform to help youths step into their greatness fearlessly with guidance from someone who has been there and done that. Our youths will have the “blueprint” to create a beautiful world that replaces fear— with a brighter tomorrow.

Leaving My Fingerprints On The Future

My story began in 2007 in two Detroit Public Schools, one a training center for cognitively impaired students, the second a general education middle school. I saw hidden gems in the cognitively impaired population that were being overlooked. Those students were not given the same opportunities as general education students in other Detroit schools.
These students had gifts and skills that were not being embraced and developed into career opportunities. Yet, there was another Detroit Public School in the community servicing general education students who did not know these cognitively impaired populations existed.  I brought both Detroit schools together and designed the country’s first inclusionary entrepreneurship program. Students worked together in teams of four, two cognitively impaired and two general education. Students created a company, developed their own products, and sold them throughout their community.  It has been an honor to receive national awards for my entrepreneurship pedagogy from the Institute for Educational Excellence and Entrepreneurship (3e) Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education, National Entrepreneurship Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Field of Business Creativity and Entrepreneurship, Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, Leavey Award for Excellence in Private Enterprise Education, and The Council for Exceptional Children Entrepreneurship Classroom of Year. 

Having The Courage To Turn What Others Say Is Impossible - Into I’M Possible!

Yes, I had failures, but they became my biggest successes. Failures were my most profound lessons and I used them as stepping stones of growth.

I had countless criticisms and rejections, even betrayal. Yet, I used these as my fuel to prove the doubters and haters wrong. My entrepreneurial journey inspired my business name, R U Ready 4 BIZness. Some of us say, “Yes, I am ready!” But in reality, we have no idea of the costs involved, costs which amount to more than just money.

Starting your own business means making great sacrifices, being relentless, persevering through the rejections, and holding onto the possibility when it seems impossible. It’s truly being “UNSTOPPABLE”! My true fulfillment came when I realized my mission on earth is to empower “beautiful souls” to live out their truest potential. I will execute this mission until my last breath. My golden rule is “Never chase money; pursue your purpose with passion, and money will surround you”! Do “Everything” in Excellence!”  Become Unapologetically “YOU”!

Laketa Dumas (Founder)