Mary Fashanu is striving to help fellow entrepreneurs grow their businesses and help to provide effective results to service-based business owners to make an impact, grow their revenue and land clients consistently in their businesses using the Clarity to Sales™️ Strategies. MaryFash provides strategies, principles, and guidance to make sure the right foundations are set to propel her clients' business for growth and success. Mary is known as The Business GPS. She has recently co-founded the association of black coaches, this is a non-profit membership organisation promoting best practice and maintaining the standard of black professional coaches worldwide. We discuss business and why becoming a business coach means much more… Mary, we would love to know about what inspired you to become a business coach? My story inspired me to be a business coach. I started my journey during my university days. I was in love with anything to do with strategy. During that time, I actually wrote my first Strategic concept note for anyone who wants to start a business. I am entrepreneurial at heart, a trait I inherited from my parents (God rest their souls). In 2013, when I moved back to Nigeria, I met with my first mentor and started working with her. She mentored me, coached and guided me because I had showed her my interest in starting my business. Before meeting her, it was difficult for me to do it alone as I was trying to get somewhere that I have never been before so it would make sense to speak and work with someone more experienced about my goals. Hence, meeting my mentor was a breakthrough for me. That was when I made the choice that I want to be that path and direction for as many people as willing to start a business to guide them; because going on an entrepreneurial journey can be lonely and hard. Can you tell us about your career history? I attended North Trafford (known as the Trafford college) where I studied National Diploma in Business. I then went onto Aston university where I obtained 2:1 in International Business & Management. I decided to go and study at Grenoble Ecole de Management, France where I got a bachelor’s degree in international business. I then became a Certified John Maxwell Coach and speaker. Growing up, did you intend to become an entrepreneur?  Yes, watching my parents do it - it sparked an interest in me and I’ve always knew that I wanted to be coach and consultant but never knew in what! However, as life unfolded, I found my path. If you had to describe who is MaryFash in one sentence, what would it be? The Business GPS who does not take no for an answer. Who has been your biggest inspiration so far? My mother. Briefly tell us about the services you offer.
  • Business Strategy coaching services (1:1 and group programmes)
  • Business process, structure, and systems
  • Business Mentoring
You recently launched the association of Black Coaches as the co-founder, tell us how that came about? Yes. ABC came about as a result of an increase in the number of new coaches during the pandemic especially within the black community. Coaching industry is not a regulated one. We created ABC to help black coaches maintain the high standard, get the support they need and have a community that they can grow together with. What has been your experiences so far as a Black Business Coach? Phenomenal. As a coach, regardless of your colour, I decide what I want, I work for it and do not allow anything or anyone to stand in my way. Where do you see your brand in the next 5-10 years? In the next 5 to 10 years, I want to have set up a business academy for new start-ups to go through. Equipping them to be set up for success. In the next 5 to 10 years, I want to be doing things I want not because I have to but because I want to. I want to have positively impacted as many businesses as possible. The ultimate goal is to become a full-time business owner. What advice would you give to business owners to succeed in business? Never take no for an answer! Know what you want, work hard and smart to get it. Prayer & patience are key.   You can find more about Mary Fashanu here: https://www.maryfash.com/ Association of Black Coaches: Website: https://www.associationofblackcoaches.co.uk/ By: Lawrencia Nelson  Freelance Writer