Today we’d like to introduce you to Tanisha Nunn Gary.
Hi Tanisha, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Tanisha Nunn Gary, and I am President of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida. I was born in Blackshear, Georgia, a town of no more than 4,000 residents to a close-knit family. Built on hard work and simple, old-fashioned values, this humble town gave me an empathetic mindset, always driven to help others. “Be neighborly” and “Treat everyone as you want to be treated” were the moral codes that guided me in my adolescence and forever imprinted on my decision-making to this day. My upbringing also gave me a profound understanding of business professionalism and the opportunities that exist in owning your own business.
Entrepreneurship runs deep within my family on the paternal side, starting with my grandfather. He instilled this way of life within my father, who has always been self-employed as a construction contractor. I had a front-row seat to witness both the challenges and the immeasurable value that comes with business ownership. With my passion for leadership and my small-town values combined, I knew that I wanted to help others reach their full potential in life, so I decided to pursue law school. I attended Spelman College, a Historically Black College, for my undergrad and then Quinnipiac University School of Law. I practiced law for 18 years before I decided to make a complete career change. Then I landed where I am today, as President of the African American Chamber of Central Florida, putting my passion for people to work for businesses both big and small in 6 state counties.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
After finishing my undergrad, I was waitlisted for most of the law schools that I applied to. I later learned about a program with the Council of Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO). If accepted to CLEO, students do a summer program at a law school as a pathway to fall admission. By the time I discovered the program and was ready to apply, the deadline for the southern region had passed. I called the CLEO office in Washington D.C. and begged to attend the program. Despite my pleas, I was told it was simply too late. At that moment, I knew that success depended on me. I couldn’t give up without a fight, so I asked if there were any other programs with space left. To my relief, the North East Program still was open and accepting applications. I didn’t meet the residency requirements, but I still applied.
A few weeks later, I was on a bus headed to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to attend Dickerson School of Law. I finished the program and was offered admission into Quinnipiac University School of Law in Hamden, Connecticut. I received the offer on a Wednesday and had to be in Connecticut on Sunday… to start law school on Monday. It was tight and a close call, but somehow it all worked out. I believe that God was working all of this out for my good, but I also am thankful that God has put a little fire in me. I don’t take no for an answer, and that I know that my success depends upon me. Sometimes, you can’t wait for opportunities to fall out of the sky. You have to create opportunities and be persistent. On that note, things don’t always work out, even when we fight. In fact, when I decided it was time for a career change, I applied and interviewed for many local positions with no success. There were some interviews that I walked away from feeling like they were definitely mine, but life had other plans, and I did not get the offer. Then, it happened. I was introduced to the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida. It was the perfect blend of both leadership and helping others to succeed. I finally ended up exactly where I’m supposed to be.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
The African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida (AACCCFL) is a membership organization serving public, private, and not-for-profit African American-owned businesses and organizations in Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Volusia counties. For over seven decades, the Chamber has served as a resource for advocacy in legislation, access to capital, contract procurement, and Entrepreneur Training & Development. We aim to serve as the leading advocate in the Central Florida area for Black-owned companies in Business Development, Wealth Creation, and Economic Empowerment.
Businesses and individuals can join the chamber at various stages in their professional journey to gain access to valuable resources. From the entrepreneur with a start-up idea to the successful business mogul ready to expand their business on an international scale, we have membership options for everyone. AACCCFL works hard to serve the black community to help bridge the gap in available resources and opportunities. We strive to serve the community on a large scale with grants and partnerships that address specific and timely needs. For example, we recently partnered with Florida Technical College to give one member a full-tuition scholarship! The Chamber has also given out over $100,000 in grants during the Covid-19 pandemic alone.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I grew up surrounded by a family of hard workers and mentors who made me who I am today. My maternal grandmother was a huge inspiration and a role model in my life. She worked hard in and outside of the home and never complained as she made a better life for her family. I’ll always be grateful that she taught me that you don’t have to lead with an iron fist to be effective. She showed me that there are many effective leadership styles. You can be genuine and authentic to who you are and still get business done. The success of the Chamber is most definitely a group effort. We couldn’t have the impact that we have without my amazing staff and the help of numerous sponsors, trustees, and partnerships all around Central Florida.
Pricing:
- “Entrepreneur” Level of Membership $175 per year (Ideal for individuals just starting out in business)
- “Emerging” Level of Membership $275 per year (Individuals looking to take their business to the next level)
- “Established” Level of Membership $550 per year (Created for stable businesses focusing on growth and contract acquisition)
- “Enterprise” Level of Membership $1000 per year (Large companies in a position to offer contracts to Entrepreneur, Emerging, and Established members)
Contact Info:
- Email: tgary@blackcommerce.org
- Website: www.blackcommerce.org
- Instagram: Instagram.com/aacccfl
- Facebook: Facebook.com/aacccf
- Twitter: Twitter.com/aacccf
- Youtube: https://bit.ly/2VyCAo2
Image Credits:
For the images of the Empowerment Conference with multiple people on stage (1) credit “First Klass Memories Photography” link to https://www.firstklassmemories.org/
For the images of the Empowerment Conference with Tanisha sitting at a desk (1) credit “Jaslyn Marcal Designs” link to www.jaslynmarcal.com
For the last photo at the Eagle Awards (1) credit “106 Foto” link to https://www.106foto.com/
For the Golf Outing photos (2) credit “Reality Marketing Group” link to https://realitymg.com/
For the photos at our Black Professionals Night Out (2 photos, Tanisha in a red dress) credit “Jaslyn Marcal Designs” link to www.jaslynmarcal.com
