Charlyn’s Story: Empowering others through marketing support

Charlyn Miller founded Impact Business Solutions in 2021, turning her ten years of sales and marketing experience into a company that helps entrepreneurs position their businesses and bring their ideas to life. With support from the Cherie Blair Foundation’s Road to Finance, Growth and Leadership programmes, she has built a more structured, sustainable business and accessed bank funding.

“My business, founded in 2021, was born from recognising a need in the market: people wanted marketing and social media support.  With over ten years of experience in sales and marketing, and a natural love for social media, it felt like a natural step to start my own venture.

From a young age, I was fascinated by business, always studying it in school and imagining myself running my own company one day. While I wasn’t certain what type of business I would pursue, I found myself in marketing: a field that feels like second nature to me. Initially, I offered help to friends and family with their business pages on Facebook and Instagram. What began as a hobby quickly turned into a business when people started offering to pay for my services.

What I love most about my work is helping people bring their business ideas to life. Many entrepreneurs know what they want to achieve, but don’t always know how to position themselves effectively. When they come to me, I listen carefully, share strategies, and guide them in a way that makes their vision more attainable. Seeing their confidence grow and knowing that I played a role in that transformation brings me genuine joy.

Of course, the path hasn’t been without challenges. As a young female entrepreneur, I’ve learned to keep all my interactions with clients, especially male clients, strictly professional to avoid being taken less seriously. Financial challenges were another hurdle, but programmes like the Road to Finance gave me the tools to organise my finances, maintain proper records, and even access bank funding. These trainings, along with Road to Growth and Road to Leadership, have been instrumental in helping me build a more structured and sustainable business.

Digital tools, particularly AI, have been a game-changer. My team and I jokingly refer to AI as our “CEO” because whenever we encounter a roadblock, we turn to ChatGPT for guidance. From drafting proposals and writing content to generating marketing ideas, AI saves us hours of work. This time savings has allowed me to balance two businesses and free up evenings to focus on other ventures. Of course, AI outputs need to be humanised, but even with that step, the efficiency it brings is unmatched. Alongside AI, tools like Zoho Books and MMG mobile payments have streamlined financial operations, improved client trust, and boosted credibility by enabling transparent, business-name transactions.

For me, business success means freedom and impact, freedom to manage my time, finances, and future, and impact in supporting other businesses to grow. I want Impact Business Solutions to become a household name for business development and marketing support, the first call entrepreneurs make when they need guidance.

Most importantly, my success enables me to create opportunities for others and spend more time with the people I love, such as my nephew. Women in business uplift entire communities, and when we’re supported, we, in turn, support families, children, and future generations. That’s why my mission is not just to grow my business, but to empower others to grow alongside me.