Serial Entrepreneur Empowers Others

Entrepreneurship Award 2024 Recipient

Tia Upshaw (Adult Learning Program ’06) is an awarding winning serial entrepreneur, accomplished author, podcast host, mentor and passionate advocate for women's empowerment.

From being a teen mom of three to building multiple successful businesses, she defied societal expectations through resilience, grit and determination.

“I've always had the hustle about me because as a young mom, I didn't have the education, the support where I could go get a job and I had so many barriers against me that I had to hustle and figure out a way to survive,” explains Tia, who grew up in Mulgrave Park in Halifax.

In 2013, Tia was at her personal rock bottom as a newly single mom who was back on social assistance, going to the food bank and moving into a one-bedroom apartment with her three kids. She faced additional employment barriers due to previous conflict with the law.

Determined to support herself and her children, Tia decided to start a small cleaning business, Top Notch Cleaners, but no one would give her a loan. She worked overnight delivering newspapers to fund her business and spent the days knocking on doors to offer cleaning services, starting out with only dollar store supplies.

“I didn't know anything about the market and didn't know how to price, so I was doing cleans that would take six hours for $50. I started building the company, reading about the market, keeping up to date with the new trends with cleaning supplies,” says Tia.

After two years, Tia had so many clients that she had to hire someone to help and by 2017 she employed a staff of 12 plus herself.

While providing cleaning services to residential clients, she noticed that Airbnb was a lucrative business and soon launched her second business, Lux Overnights. Tia rented units from a friend and grew from one unit to eight within a few years.

She closed this business during the pandemic and didn’t re-open since many people needed homes with the worsening housing crisis.

Tia’s entrepreneurial spirit continued to flourish as she launched a cosmetics company called Lips N Lashes in 2021 in addition to the Airbnb business she started in 2016. In 2023 she passed her cleaning company down to her eldest daughter after 10 years in business, and launched another company called Femme Noir. This virtual & in person consultancy business is run by Black professional women and supports many clients from across Canada.

“We do business plan writing, financial projections, market analysis and more. We have certified health and wellness coaches, and growth strategy coaches” explains Tia.

Empowering Black women entrepreneurs

After overcoming many barriers in her entrepreneur journey, from the lack of available resources to discrimination and racism, Tia wanted to help other Black women navigate the business terrain and break through barriers.

“I started the organization Blk Women in Excellence in 2020 to help other Black women who look like me, who may come from low-income, marginalized communities. No one wants to help them, but they have a great idea. I want to be that sounding board to help them get to the next stage,” says Tia.

It first started as a social group but after seeing a clear need and interest from Black women, Tia founded the not-for-profit organization Blk Women in Excellence (BWIE).

As the CEO, Tia dedicates herself to uplifting Black women by breaking barriers, creating opportunities and fostering a supportive community where they can thrive.

BWIE has a chapter in Nova Scotia and British Colombia to expand reach from coast to coast. The not-for-profit offers many resources, networking events and pitch competitions with a $10,000 prize. Their core offering is a 16-week program teaching important business skills that Black women have typically been excluded from.

“I have worked with over 284 Black women to help them to start businesses through the 16-week start up program, 80 women through the accelerator program, 500+ through mentorship initiatives and various other opportunities. I have personally facilitated 16 cohorts of a 16-week program literally by myself,” says Tia.

She describes her work with BWIE as rewarding with every day being a milestone and highlights that she also learns a lot from the participants.

Continuing her deep commitment to empowering others and transforming communities, Tia has worked with NSCC on a few initiatives. She was a proud alumni panelist on the annual Ask a Black Entrepreneur Panel in 2023.

The following year, Tia worked with NSCC Entrepreneurship and Alumni Relations to launch a unique cohort program called Entrepreneur-in-the-Making Black and African Nova Scotian Cohort, partnered with Blk Women in Excellence which supported Black female students and alumni.

“I never thought when I was a student on welfare walking the campus halls that 18 years later, I would be now working with NSCC to do something that I wish was there for me when I went there,” says Tia who is now working towards her MBA.

Natural facilitator

Tia has played a significant role in various educational and business initiatives across Nova Scotia and beyond.

In addition to being a guest speaker at several postsecondary institutions, Tia is a facilitator for Nova Scotia Workplace Education where she is involved in designing and delivering educational programs.

She also has served on multiple boards for organizations such as Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute, Fusion Halifax, Annapolis Valley of Chambers and more. Additionally, Tia has been a mentor for over 9 years through several organizations.

“I give a lot, but I learn a lot so it's equal. It's a tradeoff. Mentorship is very important to me because I never had it,” says Tia.

She also uses her various platforms on radio, TV and her own podcast to uplift people and create actionable change.

Through her bi-weekly Tuesdays with Tia segment on CTV Morning Live Atlantic, she spotlights businesses across Nova Scotia by inviting BIPOC entrepreneurs to share their story. She hosts Crown Conversations every Wednesday at noon on 97.5 FM where she brings on anyone who feels like they’re a king or queen.

On her podcast The Identity Shift, Tia shares inspiring stories and practical advice to empower all listeners, especially Black women, in their personal growth, relationships, and professional journeys.

Tia has been recognized for her outstanding leadership and contributions with numerous accolades, a few include the NS Human Rights Burnley “Rocky” Jones Award, Canada’s Top 100 Black Women, and CBC Black Changemaker.

“I love everything to do with entrepreneurship – I love risk taking. I love my community, supporting the Black community and the impacts. I'm very big on empowerment of other women.”