As she sits behind her desk on a Wednesday morning, not even the woman she was three years ago could imagine life playing out as it has.
Aisha Thompkins believed she had it all figured out when she graduated from Florida A&M University in 2016. She had spent two of four years working on the campus to get her bachelor’s in criminaljustice with a minor in sociology. Her post-graduate plans changed when she took an externship and realized that becoming a probation officer was not at all what she assumed it to be.
“I took an externship with the state of Florida to become a probation officer and it was miserable. I would sit inside my car for an hour before I went inside that place because most of the officers were depressed,” Thompkins said. “I got the feeling that they didn’t like what they were doing or they went to school for it like I did and felt like they had to do it because they had a degree in it and I didn’t want to do it after that.”
The now board-certified credit expert had to take a lot of steps before she rearranged her version of happiness.
The first step: get a job. Thompkins took an entry-level desk job at a senior assisted living facility. Underpaid and overqualified, she began to shadow her boss who would groom her into the business office manager she currently is. Despite going from the bottom to the top in a short span, she needed more.
Reconnecting with her passion for helping people, she began to look to a new career in credit. The self-proclaimed “numbers girl” was able to see the importance of credit up close when she wanted to make a big purchase — her first home.
This led to BAE financial solutions.The credit repair and budgeting company focuses on building and educating, hence the acronym BAE.
“Not only are we building your credit, but we are educating you on these processes, making sure you understand credit so you can educate your family and loved ones and build generational wealth,” Thompkins said.
Since launching her business, Thompkins has found joy in being able to help others.
Jacquelyn Cain, a client of BAE, loves the optimism she gets with her professional services.
“When dealing with a sensitive topic like credit, it can get depressing. Aisha has a way of making it all seem OK,” Cain said.
At its three-month mark, the company has hit the ground running. With a current roster of almost 30 clients and two free local seminars under its belt, BAE is already sharing knowledge and making a name for itself.
“Power of Credit” attendee DaBra Loften appreciates the value of the information from the event.
“Really learning so much! I thought I knew a lot but I learned so much more. Aisha Thompkins is helping me to always hear ‘Approved,” read a Facebook comment from Loften.
Bad credit is an issue that plagues many Americans. For more information on credit and services, visit www.baefinancialsolutions.com