Kendra C. Sikes is a 3x Best Selling Author, founder and CEO of B&B Publishing Co. Although Kendra accomplished many things in life the road to success was far from easy. Kendra had a hard childhood and witnessed many things from drug use, lack, alcoholism and abuse. Reared In the cycle of abuse, Kendra also is a survivor of domestic violence for over 13 years. Her upbringing did not stop her, it added fuel to her passion to break the cycle Her background includes brand-building, Sales and Business Coaching. Kendra is known in the marketplace as “The Bookologist” she takes aspiring authors’ ideas and helps them give birth to books in as little as 90 days. Within one year of launching, Kendra’s boutique publishing company published over 100 books for new found authors with 12 going on to become Best Selling Authors in 1 year with her new found strategy.
FWM: You have achieved many successes in life however, there have been
challenges. Tell us your backstory.
Yes, I have been blessed with success, but we know sometimes that comes
with challenges and you have to have the strength to endure what comes
with any sort of success or promotion. I am far from Beyonce, I didn’t wake
up like this. I literally had to work my butt off naturally and spiritually to
give birth to my business and still do. I didn’t come from money, in fact my
family was poor and dysfunctional. I had a father who had an addiction to
crack cocaine and a mother who dealt with her pain by drinking all the time
on top of that there was physical violence. Dealing with all of that took a
toll on my self esteem and mental state. I wasn’t the girl who was always
confident . I suffered low self-esteem and lack of self-worth. No one taught
me the things I needed to be successful in life so I had to learn the hard
way in a school called Hard Knock Life. I went down a dark road, but even
then I still had something in me that wanted to break free from the cycle I
knew oh so well. The cycle of lack and being unsuccessful. I wrote my 1st
book to share my story. I didn’t have the help I needed to write a good
book. I didn’t know that it was so much more into writing a book then just
putting everything on paper. I had someone I knew refer me to an editor
and I published my 1st book. Well, It didn’t go well. I probably sold 7
copies. I was devastated so I researched how to write books. I read other
best selling books to see their style of writing and I rewrote my book and it
was a success. I knew then I wanted to prevent others from going through
the same thing I did so I decided to start a coaching and publishing
company and that was how B&B Publishing was founded. It wasn’t easy. I
remember starting my business in the midst of being flat out broke. I mean
I didn’t have a dollar to my name. All I had was determination, faith and a
word from GOD. I remember having to walk 2 miles to the nearest Dunkin
Donuts just to use WI-FI to prepare the launching of my business. I also
remember promoting my business on social media in hopes to gain
potential clients and months went by without 1 call. However, because I
was determined I kept showing up and being consistent. I got a message
from a well known business mentor and she asked me to be on a panel
with other influencers. I was nervous but I showed up. I had to get a room
to shower in because our water was disconnected at home for non-payment.
I came there and walked in with confidence. I remember sitting
on the panel next to millionaires and successful business owners and there
I was a girl that had no money, dealing with a husband that had addictions
and many other challenges yet when I spoke I gave advice from my heart.
At the end of the night many women were lined up to talk with me. I knew
then all I had to do was “show up” Many nights I cried and wanted to give
up but didn’t. Even to this day I still face trials but I don’t give up and I
show up and that is why I am still blessed to have a successful publishing
company.
FWM: Your upbringing didn’t stop you from fueling your passion to break the
cycle. You are a well-known brand builder and Business Coach. How are
you helping clients today?
I would say what sets me apart from others is because even though my
business is how I feed my family it is also my passion. I have a real
passion for seeing women WIN. I have a policy at B&B Publishing Co. No
client left behind. The mission behind that statement is that we always find
a way to help our clients whether it is customizing a plan to fit their needs
or teaching them how to do it themselves . I am a firm believer that when
you love what you do the money will always follow. I also believe what
makes my brand stand out is we make our clients process easy. We are
what you call a One Stop Shop which means we are a full service company
. We offer everything our clients need to get their story out to the masses.
We offer coaching for clients who have never written a book before. We
help draft our clients outline to make their writing easier and with the
strategy we use we have seen our clients finish in as little as 90 days. We
offer editing, formatting, graphic design, ghostwriting for the busy client,
printing, distribution , marketing and book launch planning. We do it all.
FWM: Within one year of launching your boutique publishing company, you
published over 100 books for new authors. Tell us about B & B
Publishing Co.
I am very proud of our supernatural success. After many prayers and
mountain moving faith we always revamp and come up with different
ways to make our services better. We treat our clients like family and
that is why about 80% of our clients come by word of mouth. We
absolutely love what we do.
FWM: Share a few successes.
I am a 3x Best Selling Author and have had the pleasure of publishing many Best Sellers from my clients such as “ Girl, Pick Up Your Crown” “The Fragrance of A Resilient Woman” that’s just to name a couple .
FWM: What do you bring to the publishing business that no one else can?
I really feel that my desire to operate in the spirit of excellence is what makes me different . We don’t rest until all of our clients are satisfied. We don’t turn anyone always unless it is a client wishing to publish something against our beliefs and we offer every service you can think of when it comes to publishing.
FWM: Tell us about your workshop at different women’s shelters.
Write To Heal Workshop was born from my own personal story. I know what it is like to live at a shelter feeling hopeless, like a failure and no one to help. Yet I also understand how being at the shelter is the best thing that has happened to me. I wrote amazing projects , I came up with amazon ideas and I also found a hidden strength within that I didn’t know was there. As a professional writer I know the healing that takes place in journaling so I decided to be a blessing and offer a free 7 day workshop to different women’s homeless shelters to not only help guide them into their own personal healing but also show them how to turn their writings into a stream of income. It’s my way of giving hope and restoring faith by using my own personal story and gifts. I plan to take this workshop all over the nation.
You are a transformational speaker. Where can we expect to see you next?
My next event to speak is at an event in Dallas called When Bosses Link Up. I also will be making appearances on multiple podcasts and radio interviews. Follow me on Social Media to see where ill be @KendraCSikes
