From Coloring Books to Culture Trips with Tiffany Heard of Hues of Africa

Hey, friends. Welcome, and welcome back to noseyAF conversations about art, activism and social change.I'm your host and friend, Stephanie Graham, and it's Black Business Month.And so all through the month of August, I'm excited to bring you conversations from other black entrepreneurs, creatives, and business owners from across the country.So today's guest is Tiffany Heard, a founder of Hughes of Africa, a company built around coloring and activity books and culture immersion trips that show Africa the way Tiffany has actually experienced it. It started with a study abroad trip to Ghana that left Tiffany crying because she did not want to leave.And it has grown into three books, group trips to Ghana, Tanzania, Thailand, and nearly a hundred travelers she's taken across the world.In our conversation today, we will talk about making history fun enough to hold your attention, what it feels like to bring home to a naming ceremony, and why you should never host a trip somewhere you've never been. So let's play some theme music, and we'll get into today's conversation with Tiffany. Welcome to noseyAF.Gotta get up, get up to the whole world. You a winner, winner. Vision of a star with a mission in the cause what you doing, how you doing?What you're doing and who you are Flex yourself and press yourself Check yourself, don't wreck yourself if you know me then you know that I'll be knowing what's up. Hey, Stephanie. Graham is nosy as. Tiffany. Welcome to noseyAF.

Thank you. Thank you for having me.

Yes. I am so excited to have you. Los Angeles is one of my favorite cities, so it's really cool to be talking to you coming in from there.

Yes. LA has the best weather, so definitely if you've never been to la, come check it out.

Yes. So I want to just get right into it with your company, Hues of Africa.What made you choose coloring books as the entry point for teaching culture and travel?

So shout out to my late grandmother. She always would get and at that time, they would get stuff sent in the mail, so she would get crossword puzzles and different things like that.I love coloring. I don't remember the troll dolls. Those are my favorite things to color because I can color the hair different ways.Oh, y. I feel like it was an entry point because although I am college educated, I did not want to write a novel. Okay, let me just put that out there. So I felt like because I loved coloring, my grandmother loved puzzles.I love looking on the back of the cereal box and doing those activities. I feel like that was the entry point. So it's A fun way for people to learn about history and culture.And with our 22nd TikToks and reels, like, you got to keep the people attention. So how do we do that? We do it in a fun way. And then my background, I was in social work. And coloring is very therapeutic.So that's how you get the coloring aspect and the activity aspect. And that's why we decided to do it in that way.

Okay, yeah, that's a really great idea. I feel like there's even like adult coloring books now. Like, everybody's all about coloring.

Exactly. So we got adult people always ask me, what ages are the books for? And I say, everybody, I say, we have 5 year olds to 75 year olds doing this book.So it's for everybody, honestly.

And when you were first building Hues of Africa, what did you feel was missing in how African culture was being represented in travel or education spaces?

Oh, yes.So I feel like back in the day when you would look on the tv, I don't know if you remember this, but it was always the starving children coming on at midnight. And I was like, okay, we gotta show something differently. I've been to Africa before, and yes, there are poor people, yes, there are villages.But then I live in downtown la. That's skid rope. So let's be honest and real here. And then also, I just want to show the beauty of Africa. Africa is so beautiful.There are 54 countries and they're all different. And so I wanted to showcase that. And Hughes of Africa came out during the pandemic. We could not travel anywhere.So I'm like, how do we bring Africa to the people? And I feel like now we're like, embracing African culture. But growing up, it was seen as a negative thing. They would say African booty scratcher.And, you know, people would try to probably kind of hide who they.Because of what kids will say about each other, because you got an accent, you look different, you sound different, and so, you know, kids can be cruel. So overall, I wanted to show the beauty of Africa. And so that's how we came up with Hues of Africa.

When did you first visit Africa?

So my first passport stunt was actually to Ghana. It was summer study abroad. So I was there for about six weeks. Best time of my life. I was like, yeah, I think I'm living in the wrong country.Like, literally, that's what I said. And my parents were like, oh, she's gonna be able to. She's gonna want to come back home because I was gone for so long.Yeah, I cried because I had to leave, so.

Oh, really?

That tells you how much fun we had.

What were you up to? What was so fun about it?

So we. First of all, it was the group, so there was at least 12 women.And sometimes you don't always get along with people, but we were black, white, Hispanic, Hawaiian, everything in between. And so me and my roommate got along very well. We. I had just never been out of the country to Africa, so I think it was, um.We had to take classes, but we were experiencing the food, we were going out dancing, and we're just experiencing the culture. So, yeah, hands down, one of the best trips I've ever had. And I've had a lot of great trips, but that was the beginning of it.

Who. Who suggested that you go? Was it, like, in a class? That it was a requirement? Like, how did it come about?

So seeing as, you know, you have nosy in your title. I was being nosy. I was in the computer lab at the time. I was at Cal State Long beach, and I heard this girl talking about Ghana. And I'm so.I'm like, so he. It was funny because I would always visit the study abroad office. But funny enough, I didn't see brochures about Ghana.I always saw, like, South Africa. So in my head, I was probably gonna go South Africa first. And so I was like. She was like, oh, we just went on this trip.And I was like, so, are they having another trip? Like, what's going on? And so she ends up giving me the information for the lady. Didn't hear anything back from this lady for a very long time.And so I didn't think too much about it. And the lady finally contacted me and said, hey, we're about to do a trip the following year. We want to start fundraising.And so that's how we started it.

Okay, very cool. I love it. See, you gotta ask and butt in to what people are doing. Just ask.

How many people? Business.

Yeah. I love that. She's like, oh, it's this. Instead of being like, none of your business, you know?

You know, she would know. Yeah, she. She gave me information. She was cool.

Yeah. And. And now since this, you've traveled to, like, over 20 countries, right?

Mm, yeah.

That's a lot. Like, what's a moment from your travels that have completely changed how you see your work now?

So it was actually that first trip. So because of that first trip, it's become full circle. So loved it so much, I began hosting group trips.So that's now the company named he's of Africa. That's where we. Well, actually, we wrote the book first, and then I just used the name for the company.But anyway, so I was in Target one day, hadn't seen an old coworker, and she know I used to travel. And so she was like, hey, I want to go to Ghana. And I was like, okay, are you serious about it? Let's put your money where your mouth is.We talked for about an hour and a half just standing in Target. And then that was the beginning of me putting this group trip together.So about a year later, we put the group trip together, and now it's been five years. So we're in Ghana, Tanzania, Thailand. And so the ex.The feeling that I had when I was there for six weeks, although it's compressed to 10 days, like, people walk away with that same feeling once they do our group trips. Anytime I ask, they've traveled to other places. What's your best trip? Ghana, hands down, is their best trip that they've been on.Because I feel like you get to experience something that you're not experiencing somewhere else. And my trips, we are making sure that you're immersed into the culture. I can't have you flying across the world and you're just partying.No disrespect to those people that go to Ghana just for partying, but I was like, you can do that. But we. We're going to go to the slave castle. We're going to get our naming ceremony.We're going to do the cultural and the historical aspects, because you just cannot fly this far and not do any of those things. So first Ghana strip, definitely full circle.

Yeah, that. That sounds like. Okay, let me take this back. So what's it like? You loved your trip to Ghana, right?You loved that experience, and now you are showing others. What's it like being a host, hosting folks internationally? Because, like, they're just following you, right?

It's funny because I joke with people. I used to do day trips to Rosarito, Mexico.So I'm in the LA area, and you go down to San Diego, you cross into the border, and we're in a whole nother country, which is Mexico. And so I would tease them, and I would say, hey, I could do anything to y'. All. Y' all don't know me.Because I would get people from social media, and anything can happen. So we laugh and joke about, like, you know, it's funny. I'm gonna get y' all back home.But y' all don't know what can happen once we cross this border. So we always laugh about that.But to be able to like, I think being able to bring somebody to a different continent because almost sometimes when you go on these trips, you're to find something within, right?So going on a name or having a naming ceremony, we don't know where we come from as African Americans right now we got DNA testing and sometimes they say, you know, stuff going on with that. So honestly, where do we actually come from? Right?So when you're in Ghana, although we don't know if we actually came from Ghana, the point is you get a naming ceremony. So one of our last naming ceremonies, the our clients were actually named after elders in the village and they actually were at the naming cerem.So one of the ladies was like, oh my God, this, you know, one of the ladies looks or reminds me of my grandmother, right? And even right now getting chills telling the story because you get to say, I come from this and this is my name, My name is Akwe.I was born on a Wednesday, right? So to be surrounded by elders and your other friends or just people there, like, to me that's like a comeback home celebration, right?And so to be able to have them experience or able to be able to take them to the slave castle, you know, it's 50, 50. Some people say, I don't want to hear that, I don't want. But there's some people like, no, I need to know my culture, right?And is there different experiences? Some people are sad, some people are crying, some people are angry at white people. Sorry, but that happens a lot too.But to be able to have you experience these things while we're there is like, to me is like the best gift as a host that I can give to anybody, right? And a lot of people, maybe you never went to college, maybe you don't have a degree, but traveling is learning.So when you get to learn, when you get to taste the food, like for me it is just awesome. And then two weeks we had a brunch with the LA folks that had went on the the trip last year and the year before.So then for us to still come together and be able to talk about our experience, but to see, like, hey, we're eating, we're karaoking, like, this is what I do it for. Like, I want them to have that same feeling I had years ago during my six week trip, during their ten day trip. So being a host, oh gosh, that.

Is really so sweet. And it's actually making me think I need to Take to my journal because I am a person who would go to Ghana just to. So oopsie.Maybe I should go for some more meaning.

Listen, listen. We do got. They do get. They party in. There's a concert. So we go during Daddy December. So there's a big two day concert. They go to a concert.Not last year. They had on the beach. When I say my group was lit, they was lit. So they definitely had. They had they fun time in for sure. It was like.They was like, we wanna stay. I was like, okay, y', all, we gotta get up early in the morning. And then we've had trips where they.So because it's New Year's, we have people either going to church or going to a club or whatever the case is. So honestly, they get it in. They definitely get their party in. You know, maybe not as much as if it was just partying like every single day.Sure, sure. But you're definitely gonna get aspects of it in if that's what you choose to do for sure. So there's definitely time for that. Yeah, yeah.

I think a well rounded trip obviously has like history, culture and like party involved.

Yeah. But I feel like I was like. But partying in Ghana is part of the culture as well because they. I don't. They. I think our clubs close at 2.Unless I don't really go out here in LA, but closes at 2. They'd be open to like 7. So I feel like, oh, wow. You gotta experience it because it's part of the culture as well. So every. I feel like everything.You got to experience it all. So.

Yeah, I love it. So Hughes of Africa, you do. Is it like experience trips or how do you categorize that?

So culture immersion trips. That's what I.

Culture immersion trips. And then also the book that you.

Have, we got two coloring.

The coloring book and then you have your new book. Right.

So we got two books, Hues of Africa. So Hues of Africa came out first. And that is all about Africa. We got the different countries. We talk about hair, language, music.And then our second book is hues of HBCUs. So Hughes of HBCUs is very popular because I attended Howard and Hughes of HBCUs. We go into the schools.The schools buy them and purchase bulk orders for their students and stuff like that. So we partner with middle school, high schools, elementary and college. And our third book, which is called Hues of Love.Super excited about this book. It's different from our other two, but it's all about love.So we are talking about divorce, marriage, self love, std, grief, infertility, pregnancy, whatever you can think of. We are talking about it in this book. And then this time we're also gonna have conversation cards to go along with this. So I'm very excited about it.

I love conversation cards. Is the third book also a coloring book?

Yes. It's less coloring conversation. Yes. So they're.They're following the same themes, but I wanted it to be less about that and more about these conversations that we need to have with ourselves and with our partners, if you have one.

Yeah. What has, like, building. You're like, building these worlds and experiences for other people, obviously, and yourself.

Right.

I'm sure you keep learning each and every time from these trips. Do you, like, what do you learn from, like, the groups that you take? Are you, like. Like, I've done this before.Like, what's your experience like in that?

So I was like, you know what? I've learned? Because I used to be like, I'm a different person when I'm the host, right.Because I'm worried about the next day, the next step, making sure everybody's okay because they are coming through me, with me, and I gotta make sure everything is good. But I realize it depends on the group that I'm hosting. Okay.And I say that because I've noticed that I've been more uptight on some groups, and it's based off the energy, based off of if there's complaints, based off if there were rolling with the flow. And so I noticed when I've had other groups who roll with the flow, I feel like I can almost be a participant more than I can be a host. Right.So if they're.Because, you know, with traveling, you cannot let the little things upset you, because I guarantee you, as many times as I travel, something is may go wrong. Okay. I don't think I've ever had a trip where they. Nothing went wrong. It could be something little as, oh, the.The luggage didn't come in when I landed, but it came in the next day. So it gets resolved. But the point is, stuff happens, right?And so I feel like if you're a traveler that cannot understand that stuff happens and also understand that you are leaving your country of America and you're entering somebody else's culture. If you expect for things to be the same, you're going to be unhappy. So I remember we were in Ghana.The trip was going great, but we had a snafu, and the snafu was the food. Okay. We're at this restaurant, Ghana Is slow. The food is great in Ghana, but I'm telling you, the service is not the best, right?So the food took, I don't know, maybe an hour and a half. Could have been longer. Somebody their food. Somebody did. And then by the time one of the ladies food comes, she was like, I don't want it no more.Mind you. We all hungry. So I know she was hungry, but she was so upset that she's like, I don't even want the food anymore.And so she was like, I'm gonna write a review. And I laughed so hard because I was like, girl, a review in Ghana don't mean nothing.So when I say that, it's like, you can't take these same expectations into another culture because it's not the same. Write your review. That ain't gonna mean that the restaurant ain't gonna get shut down.The people still gonna come to the restaurant, and they still gonna be slow. The next time we come back, we will have to come back on a. When it first opened and ain't nobody here.Like, maybe that will work, but other than that, you can't.

It.

You just can't be like that. So I feel like I realize I'm so easygoing, and I just have fun. Cause I have fun. When I'm solo traveling, we have a lot of fun.Cause I don't have to worry about nobody. But I realized when I have a good group of people that join the trips, I can be myself, I can be relaxed, and we just have a wonderful time.So that is one of the differences that I've learned about myself when it comes to hosting.

You know, speaking of solo travel, who comes to the trips? Could I just come by myself and be matched up with the group? Or do I need to get like a crew or my family? How does that work with your company?

So we have both. So we have people that say, hey, I'm bringing my best friend. I'm bringing my cousin. I'm bringing my mama.But if we don't have any of that, the solo people still join us. And then we match you up with another solo person.So if the numbers are even, if it's eight people and I got two solo people, they're gonna room together. But let's say I have an odd number of seven. That solo person will get their own room. And so, yes, I'm like.Cause people be like, I need somebody to go. And I say, no, you don't. I said, we are the trip. If anything, I'm a host, Right? So you'll have me or know me.And then that's the whole point of getting to know other people. Right. Getting to know other people will bring out other friendships.I think the girls that went to Ghana, that two of them came back and went to take a salsa dancing class. Another one got. She's a book editor. Another two twins were writing a book. And then so she provided a service to them.So you never know how you're going to connect. It can be financially or it can be just socially.So I say all that to say that you may not know nobody, then you'll leave with at least knowing five different people, six different people, and whether or not you stay in contact with them, that's a different story. And I've met people where I've had a great time. I was traveling in Africa solo for three months, and I met so many great people. Right.Do I talk to them people now? Some of them, some of them not. But in that moment, those are the people that I needed to be around with and needed to be be with.So I feel like that's how you have to take solo travel. But yes, they will be with a group, and so that's how they are paired up.

Okay. And what's one misconception people have about group travel that you've had to reframe?

I guess sometimes I would say the misconception or a thing that we get dinged on all the time is the cost of a trip, right? Oh, the trip is too much. I can do this on my own and I can plan it. Okay, well, go plan it. This is not for you.This is a service for people who just want to show up and have it planned for them. Everybody has a different audience, right? I always talk about the bread. Al, there are 500 types of bread. You like wheat, I like white.Somebody like sourdough. Somebody don't. Can't eat. Eat this and that in there. And so I feel like if it's not for you, then it's not for you.But the price you have to realize comes along with somebody planning your trip. It is hard to plan a trip, okay? You have to find a place to eat, transportation, food. Is it safe? Is it not? We do all of that stuff for you.So you're actually paying for convenience, right? And you're paying obviously for the cost of your, you know, hotel, excursions, drive or whatever the case is.But for me, it's for those people who want an ease of convenience and want to go with other people versus doing something on their own. So I Feel like that's the misconception. That is too much. No. You're paying for a service.

Absolutely. Yeah. What's been like a proud moment for you with your business?

I feel like we've had a lot of proud moments. So I guess some proud moments is like being in pitch competitions and being able to get first place several times.

Tell us more about that. Kind of a pitch competition.

So they're business pitch competitions.So, like, I was in a cohort, and we had the class and we got a certain amount of money for finishing the class, but we got a chance to earn additional money by pitching our business. So I won first place with that. Actually, I won first place twice within a couple weeks. So that was wonderful.So I think that's a proud moment, and I think another proud moment is just doing something that I had never done before. When it came to the books, I didn't have a mentor. It was Covid. I went to Barnes and Nobles. There was no book out there like mine. There still isn't.Not to the extent the death. The illustration. I can toot my own heart and say, I still never seen a book out there like mine.There may be coloring, there may be activity, but the two together and the in depth and the coloring illustrations, I'm like, what does their hair look like? Somebody gotta have locs, Somebody gotta have braids. Somebody gotta be bald. Like, I make sure I'm very intense about that.So I would say my proud moments is just doing something I didn't know how to do. And then now we're on our third one, and then again, the other one.Related to the trips is just being able to bring, I would say the time that we've been in operation, we're getting close to almost 100 people that we've taken across the world. And so that's exciting that people would trust me enough to be like, hey, I'm coming with you. And just to hear their feedback when they come home.I think that's the important activity. We love the staff. I mean, the staff. We've seen the intention that you put in there.So for me, that is, like, that warms my heart because I'm like, my hard work is not in vain. We're actually putting something together that these people are enjoying and they're coming back there some.Sometimes we have just one off, but we have repeat customers, so that shows that we're doing something right. We had another customer. She went to another country, and she was like, Tiffany. Nope. Yep. Compared to your Ghana trip, like, it was Nothing like it.And then they're headed off with me again next year for a Tanzania trip. So to hear that type of feedback warms my heart. So those are like three different proud moments with different aspects of the business.

What's. It seems like you're having these trips.

That you take people on.

It seems like it allows you the freedom to be able to work on your books. Is that true? Like. Like, is. Is that making sense?

So I feel like what has given me a little bit freedom. I had a remote, so I told you my background is in. So my. I ain't gonna say my background. My degrees, okay, they. Them degrees are expensive.My degrees are in so short.

Okay.

So I had a job. I had a remote job that I will say kind of attributed to me being able to focus on the group trips and focus on the books.

Okay.

So I'm. Now I'm not at the job nowhere. So I can say this. I don't think they knew I was the country, but it allowed me to grow my business for sure.Because as a social worker, normally you're sitting in the office for, you know, nine to five. There's no way I could have grown my business if I would have had a regular 9 to 5.So if that job ain't did nothing else, it allowed for the flexibility. It allowed for me to be able to take the time to write. So I think all of those things are, like, super important. For sure.

If someone is into travel and they're like, hey, I really like what Tiffany has accomplished, maybe I should start hosting trips, what advice would you give them?

I would definitely say do a lot of research. And I would say start taking trips on your own, because I know some people no knock to travel agents because I guess technically I'm one too.But a lot of people are organizing, but I've never been there before. And I would not do that because your clients have questions, right? What to where. Where should I go to eat? How do I exchange money?And all of those things come from experience. Like, I need to be on the ground. I need to see if I do. I. Am I hopping on. Are we taking the motorcycle? Are we taking a TRO troll?How are people acting towards us? Where's the best food spot? Because you hate to take somebody to a food and it's horrible, you know?So I feel like going to the cities, the countries where you're at before you're hosting these people, taking all their money. That would be my advice if you want to start hosting trips. For sure.

Yeah. Like, how Many times.

You think even if you just go that one good time, like, I feel like me. I'm not saying you have to go 50 times before you do it, but at least you gotta go once. Gotta go once. You can't. Like, no, you.Yeah, a one time would be good. And then you get to. Because then I go with my clients. So even if I've been there one, we still get to experience it again for a second time.But at least I can say, oh, okay, I remember how they did this, I remember how they did that. Let's do this, let's do that. So, yeah, I mean, if you could do it one to three times. But that's. It gets expensive to keep flying out there.You ain't making no money from the people coming in. So. So that's why I say at least one good time. And even if you.That one good time could be a week, two weeks, three weeks, like, you know, so that would be my advice to them.

Okay.And then if you could, like, design the perfect experience for someone interacting with you and your work for the first time, what would that journey look like? Either it's from your. Like, from your book to travel, like through the travel conversion.

Um, so I was. I guess y' all talk about one of the young ladies coming to find out. It was so funny. Cause we ended up up knowing a lot of people once we connected.And we're like, wow, we're like same age, all this kind of stuff. But she ended up getting my book. I don't know where or how she even found the book, but she found the book in my.In the back of the book, there is a page with my email address, you know, in social. So she. I think she followed me on social first and maybe I added it, but probably didn't pay too much attention to it.But then she reaches out with an email and she's like, hey, you probably don't know me, but I've gotten a.

The book.

And would you be open to like, going to a coffee shop or something like that? And I was like, okay, I'm a friendly enough person. So we did that. And then that's where I discovered that we had all these people that we knew in.In common from high school. And then I think, what, maybe a year or two later convinced her to join the Ghana trip. She has a wonderful time.This is the one that I said that got the client. So she ended up making. So I feel like she spent money on the trip, but got some money back by getting. Exactly. And she Had a wonder experience.I even think she did a YouTube video which got 15,000 views or something. So I feel like this Ghana trip was like really good for her. And then I end up actually hiring her for a couple months to do some admin work.So I feel like she got a really well rounded experience and it came from just reaching out. Like sometimes people may not answer, sometimes they will, sometimes they won't.But I say shoot your shot because you never know like what could happen. So I feel like to me that is a well rounded experience.She got the book, she loved them, and then she was able to take this trip and then if there is a Ghana page in the hues of Africa, so she gets to see Ghana come alive, right? And then she also got a chance to work with me. So to me that would be like a full kind of circle.But if you were asking, that's like a, what do you call a one off. But if they were just experiencing these things, I like I said, I go into the school and sometimes we don't just give them books.We're explaining what is HBCUs, what is Africa. So being able to go through the book is that type of experience.And then of course on the trips which was we Tanzania, that was a wonderful trip because we have the Maasai in the hues of Africa. And to be able to check out my Instagram, you'll see me dancing with the Maasai and all that kind of stuff.And people love it because they're like, oh my God, you get to be with them.And for me, I'm like, oh my God, the book is coming alive because the book was written four years prior to me making it to Tanzania and being with the Maasai. So for me, I get they, y', all, they get to experience stuff and I get to experience stuff along the way as well.Um, so that would be the, the experience that they would experience if they got books or if they went on trips. And then again, hopefully they get a chance to have both experiences. Yeah, for sure.

So this conversation obviously is coming out in August for Black Business Month, when your next trip, like, how can we connect with you and like take part in everything Hughes of Africa has going on?

So our big trips, we have Tanzania is in October, the end of October. And then we have Thailand November 9th and then we have Ghana December 28th through January 5th.And so you can find it on our website, hughesofafrica.com and then our third book, Hues of Love, that'll be out this month. And then our Instagram is H U E S underscore of Africa. So that's hues of Africa but underscores and monith.So you'll be able to find out information on the website or through the Instagram. And we also have actually a travel page called Sweet Tiffies.I know that's like random from the other names, but we started traveling before we ever became an author. And so so to try to merge was like negative.

No, absolutely not.

People want travel, people want books. Even though under the umbrella of the business name is all the same, we keep them separately. So follow us on Instagram so you can see the travel.Like you can see the examples of the group trips or me solo traveling. And we have a YouTube channel too. We're in the Hurst Tiffany. I know that's even more random. But the name, Sorry, not the channel.The name is kind of off from everything else. But yeah, so we are on Tik Tok Fact. We're on all the platforms. So check us out. Definitely post. And the podcast. We got a podcast. We're in the herd.I mean international interludes, love and dating abroad. There's our podcast. I love it.

You have a full empire going on over there. Do you have a big team or are you rolling solo?

Oh, it's funny because I say we a lot. I be like, so we. And they'd be like, so who is we? And I'll be like, don't you. It is just me. It is me. Everything is by myself.Every once in a while I will get in interns from like, I'm in these different business cohorts. So technically I have a intern now, but the cohort is about to end. So I have.I've been getting some really great interns that'll help out several months at a time. Once in a while, like I said, I hired that person for a couple months, but mainly it's just Tiffany. So yeah, trying to do it. Trying to do it.Like that's what. So I do have to like concentrate. So I'm like, okay, this minute I'm doing emails.The next minute, minute I'm trying to create a reel to market for a trip. The next minute I'm making sure we're loaded up onto KDP for this book. The next minute, okay, I'm talk to the person for the, the conversation card.So yes, Networking. Where. Yeah, I just take it day by day, hour by hour and try to figure it out.

I get that. I'm a one man band too, so I totally understand.I'M always trying to think of like a jazzy way to say like I don't want to say one woman band because I feel one man band just flows so much cooler. I need to think about like a good like one man band. Yeah. Like, yeah, it just needs something else. Last question before I let you go.What's one thing for like aspiring business owners? Like what's one thing that you wish people understood about running a business?

It's hard. I always say the phrase I could have a dollar day but 10,000 the next day. And it's such a true statement because businesses es and flows. Right.One day you're like, oh my God, I got so many wins. And then you're like, dang, I got a rejection over here. So I would say definitely entrepreneurship. Business.It's a roller coaster and I feel like you have to hold on for the ride. Right? Because when you hear it's all great when you down here, you still got to hold on because it's going to go up one day. Right? Right.But you still hold on because it may go down. Like it's just this kind of like up and down thing. And I feel like that's what you have to realize. And you have to realize too.I would say just keep going because I would say, for example, the Hughes of Africa, we did do good for it being the first book. We sold over 500 copies I think within that whole year. So that was cool, right? But I'm like, okay, what are we doing now?Now when we get a Hues of hbcus now they're buying. So those were individuals orders. Now with Hughes of HBCUs, a school will buy 100 books at a time. So had I stopped at Hughes of Africa?Yeah, it was good because it was my first book. But Hughes of HBCUs, now we're on the map in terms of Money. Right. Because 100 books at a time, that's pretty good.And also along with that, speaking engagements. Right. But again, had I just stopped at Hughes of Africa, I wouldn't have known what we can do with Hughes of HBCUs use. Now we're at Hues of Love.I am nervous because I'm like, how this going to work? Because Hughes of HBCUs we we doing a good thing. We still are. But I'm like, how is this going to work?But I have to trust the process because we're going up, we're not going backwards.So I have to imagine that Hues of Love is a whole different category, whole different, different audience but we're going to roll with this because I have a good feeling about this one. Like I did about hues of HBCUs and how I did about hues of Africa. Right. And then you go on to the group trips. That first group, TR4 people.And I think the trip after that I had one person. So should I have stopped? Ideally, on paper, yeah. But then after that, my next group trip was 19 people.So do I quits or do I stop based off of the first round? Right. So that's why I say you have to keep going. Right. Even on the days it look like what's going to happen?Where are these people going to come from? And sometimes some of the. That even that one person that I had, I was like, should I do this or should I not?I didn't make no money on that particular trip. It was one person. But when I tell you we had such a good time. She can travel with me anytime. Had such a good time.And on that trip, I did a photo shoot. And I definitely believe that photo shoot helped out with advertisement for the group that we got 19.So again, I say to any entrepreneur, do not stop at the first round. That can just be the catalyst to what you can be. Right, Right. And with the nos in the process, you know, I would say grieve your feelings.As a social worker, you can sit in the feelings, but just don't stay there. Right. Because if we stayed in our feelings, you know, we wouldn't be doing nothing because every day we got a feeling about something.Somebody said something, did something, looked at you a certain type of way. So, yeah, we can't sit in those feelings. But acknowledge. I don't feel like you should just wipe it away. No. Acknowledge the feelings.And then, like, you got to get over it at some point. And I do. After about a week, I'll be like, okay, move. Moving on to the next thing. Like, you know what I'm saying? So I feel like that would be.My advice is to start. Don't stop, keep it going. You never know what's at the end of the. Like you said, we never know what's at the end of the rainbow.

Right.

And I think they.I don't know if you remember that they post this video where the guy is, It's a rock, and he has to get through the wall and he's, you know, hammering, hammering. Doesn't see anything. But then he stops before he gets there. And then you can see on the other side what the outcome will look like.Like you just got to keep hitting those rocks and you, you, you'll break out eventually to something beautiful. So.

Oh, my gosh, I'm so inspired.

I have, like, little trickles in my stomach. I'm like, hell yeah. Where's the rock?

Going to beat the rock. Oh, my gosh. Tiffany, thank you so much for sharing Hues of Africa with everybody here at noseyAF and the World. Because. Because what a treat.I mean, I feel like maybe I can get. Oh, my gosh. In a, in a world like maybe like no Zaf crew would like, like to travel with Hughes of Africa. We can go to Africa.Like, I feel like I just love a guided trip because it's like, like you said, it's the convenience. Like, I don't need to do it. Tiffany's been there a billion times. They know what to do, they know where to go.And they're gonna make sure that we have a culture, cultural fun experience versus just like, not that it's wrong to hang out at the art museum all day and at the brunches, but, like, you'll make sure it sounds like we'll have like a full, well rounded trip. Even doing things like the naming ceremony, things I wouldn't even think to do myself.So I think that's like such a gift when folks have that passion to want to share culture with other people. Like, I'm so excited.

I am fired. And it's the intentionality too. Like everything we cure right now.I will tell you, if you want to rest on my trip, don't come on my trip because I'mma have you busy. And I say intentionality. So, for example, really quick, there are two examples. My sister has been with me twice.The first year, her friends were supposed to come. Everybody dropped out. I bought her ticket, funny enough. I bought her ticket. She bought a friend ticket. They canceled the friend ticket.Her ticket state. I said, you need to come. I said, at some point, you know, you're getting older, you can't follow your friends everywhere.Like, you can't miss out on something because they're not come. She came and she had a ball. And the people that came were just slightly older than her. And now that that's their little sister.Okay, these are like, you know, some of them I know. And they're like, no, that's my little sister. They probably have more for my little sister than my little sister is the turn up.She gon, she, she the hype man. Like, all of that kind of stuff. I'm more like calm, cooling, collected. So they love my Sister. So I say all that to say.She was like, yeah, I would have never thought to do these if I were on vacation. She was like, but every activity that we did, I actually enjoyed. And then another example is we. We were out and we were kind of running late to this.We were going to a cooking class. And they were like, we don't want to go to the cooking class. Woo do. And I said, listen, y' all don't have to go. So I was just about to give up.I was like, listen, they don't want to go. I'm not going to put. Push it. Well, the staff. This is why you have staff.So my staff, he was like, well, y', all, how about we just go and check it out? We don't like it, then we'll leave when I tell you. They had such a good time at this cooking class. The food was good. They was like.It felt like they were like, oh, we thought we were gonna be inside in the kitchen. I was like, well, I didn't say that. I said, we're going to a cooking class. So it's outside. There's like, it feel like a little backyard boogie.We got a music on. We, you know, we're learning. And so I say all of that. I make sure we're very intentional about everything because.Because cooking and food is such a huge component of the Ghanaian culture or any culture that we go to, right? We gotta eat. And so I feel like I plan everything intentional. So you take something away, right?Not only are you getting good food, but you're learning how to pound fu food, right? And food fu. Like, it's hard work pounding this thing, but that's not something that we do. So you get to learn something.My cousin went before she came back and recreated one of the menu items that we. That she had ate while she was out there. So. So every little thing is intentional for you to get a different experience from it.And I guess I don't post the men enough that go on our trip. We have several men that go. We've had men that cried on the trip because they're like, I didn't even know about this. This is so.Like, I wouldn't have learned this if I were here. I think one of the last night we had a guy, they're smoking cigarettes. I was like, we can't believe we're in Ghana.We're in, like, you know what I'm saying? So to that point, we also make sure that we're intentional. Intentional about everything. I want you to go Home, tired, fulfilled belly.Physically, you know, emotionally, spiritually, if that's how you think of it. You know what I'm saying? So just very. And I will leave with that. Just very intentional about what we put together and how we put it together.

You know, Quick question. Even though I. Well, quick question. What is. What if folks are like picky eaters? How do they handle that?

So we have people that are vegan, right? And so they have been able to find vegan dishes in Ghana. So it kind of works out, like. And I don't. So far, I don't think any.We have any picky eaters for Thailand, but if we did, I'm pretty sure they probably would be more adaptive to vegans or whatever. But we haven't had any issues yet. Everybody has been able to, you know, go along with the program. We have vegan eaters.I had somebody who had just had a surgery, so she wasn't hungry at all. And so it's so funny because you're like, okay, I had one group who didn't complain about eating.So typically when I'm on vacation, I'll eat breakfast and I'll eat dinner. We kind of like skip lunch because of stuff going on. But then when I had the big group, everybody was hungry, and I was like, oh, shoot.We didn't plan for this because our other trips, they didn't eat hardly. So it's like, again, you have to, like, go with the flow of the group. And sometimes we have to figure it out. And the moment.Okay, we were stopping at KFC because that was the Quick, remember I told you gonna take so long. We had a big group, so we did a couple KFC runs, you know, So I feel like it's about kind of like adapting to your particular groups.And sometimes you can plan, plan, plan until you get there, or maybe you didn't think about something like that. You know what I'm saying?So I feel like we've been able to navigate the picky eaters, but luckily we have less picky eaters and then versus people that just kind of be everything. So, okay, that's been the. That's been the good thing. But now when we were in Tanzania, we just.We had some vegan eaters, and I think they just serve them. Oh, no, they're vegan. And seafood. But they didn't serve seafood while we're in tan. So they got a lot of vegan options.But when I tell you, they lick their plates clean every single meal, so it worked out perfect. And then can Kids come.

Can kids come?

So we have not did any kids. True. But I always tell people, let's say you have a kid and your friend got a kid and your other friend got a kid. Let me know.We can organize something. But I don't necessarily host them on my own, but I would, I would be cool to do a mommy, daughter or whatever. It had to be mommy daughter.But, you know, it would be cool to do that because I grow when people request things from me. I'm like, yay, we get to do something new, right? Yeah. When it comes to kids, you know, it's a lot going on.So you have to be really, really intentional about some stuff. Right. We can't. Wouldn't be able to do as much because kids get tired. We need a break in between there. So it will require plan. But I'm open to it.If people came to me with a group and said, can you plan with these kids? They're this age and we can definitely look. Because I would love to do kids because I want to do like, I want them to have the culture emerging too.I want to be a pen pal with somebody from Conor.

Oh, yeah, that'd be fun.

Another three year old. So this is your assigned person you gonna play with.I don't know if you're gonna remember that when you turn 10, but we gonna take a bunch of pictures and videos and be like, oh, I remember that girl. So, yeah, I would love to do that for teenagers and kids because honestly.And even the college students, because for me, since I went in college, it would be full circle. So we're gonna believe that that will come. I'm gonna believe that we will be able to do a trip with high school or college students for sure.

Cool. Yeah. Awesome. Thank you so much for talking to me. You are doing a the thing.

Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.

That concludes another episode of nosy AF31 Days of Black Business. I'm your host and friend, Stephanie Graham. I hope you took something away from today's conversation and had a good time hanging with us.Be sure to check out the show notes to learn more about today's guest and consider supporting their work. You know how it goes, whether you're making a purchase, hiring them, or simply spreading the word. Listen, who doesn't love a referral?It truly all makes the difference. Quick thank yous go out to Queen Lex and Freddie. Bam Bam for the nosy AF theme music.And Emma McGoldrick who hooked me up with the COVID art Embracing shout out to the partners and supporters for this series. You could check them out in the show notes as well. Super grateful for a partner. Hello. That's the show Friends until tomorrow.Stay curious and take care. Bye.