Meet MJ Cunningham | CEO of The Redhead Solutions

We had the good fortune of connecting with MJ Cunningham and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi MJ, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I had been doing freelance bookkeeping for a few clients over the past few years and when Covid happened I knew it was the time to step out on faith and create The Redhead Solutions.

I wanted to create a business that allowed my employees to work remotely and create opportunities for stay at home moms. I also knew that in the midst of Covid being able to provide a service to small & medium sized businesses that would allow them to reduce their expenses and save time would be vital.

What should our readers know about your business?
The Redhead Solutions is a black owned, woman owned HR, bookkeeping & Payroll firm. We service small & medium sized businesses across the U.S.

What sets Redhead apart from our competitors is that we want to have the anti- corporate America culture and send the message that we have the freedom to be ourselves and wear what we want and still find success, which is how we came up with the name The Redhead Solutions.

One of the biggest challenges was wondering if launching the business during a pandemic would be smart. I knew with businesses closing down it was a risk but I also knew businesses needed assistance more than ever. It ended up paying off and in less than a year the company has retained 25 clients.

A huge lesson for me was learning how to delegate. I realized I couldn’t do it all on my own so slowly but surely I had to build a trustworthy team. I didn’t expect for us to grow so fast so in combination with my 9-5 I was working almost 70 hours a week, which was brutal for my personal life. Within 6 months I was able to bring on other employees that made my workload much easier.

I want readers to know that The Redhead Solutions is a top quality business that prides itself on delivering top tier service and show women of color being successful in the financial industry. It’s important for anyone who is considering an entrepreneurial career to know that social media and the image you show can only take you so far. The work you deliver and your reputation for how you treat your clientele and employees is what will elevate you.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m not sure if it’s open again but I love Wi Spa located downtown. It’s a perfect way to decompress. I’d suggest some shopping on Melrose and happy hour at Te’Kila. If we were in the mood for a girls excursion then I would definitely recommend the Malibu Wine Safari. Of course no trip to LA is complete without a trip to the beach, I’d suggest Manhattan or Redondo if we prefer a smaller crowd.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Lillian Jackson has been a great resource for me to go to when I need assistance with business matters. Her platform, Brown Skin Brunchin has been a great networking platform.

Website: Www.Theredheadsolutions.com

Instagram: Theredheadsolutions

Linkedin: The Redhead Solutions

Image Credits
Photo cred: Lillian Jackson