Featured Member – Tammy Kniffin

Tammy Kniffin

When did you start your business and how has it evolved since then?

I have dreamed of somehow serving other parents of special needs children for some time. I have the unique perspective of not only being the parent of two children with special needs, but also a special education teacher and a school counselor. I know that I can use these collective experiences to support and connect with other parents. It just took a while to find the way to accomplish this. So, although ideas and plans have been festering for a while, the culmination of all this officially launched June 29th 2010, as the Global Alliance of Special Needs Support.

What do you love about being a female entrepreneur?

I love putting my energy and passion into something that has so much potential to help others and at the same time is such a blessing to my life. It feels good…and scary to know that I have the potential to do big things, if I choose to step out in faith and if I choose to put myself out there for the benefit of others. I am a “behind the scenes” person and I love that being an entrepreneur pushes me out of that comfort zone and into areas that challenge me. It means so much to me that my daughter sees me stepping out on faith, trusting God and working hard to make my dream come true.

How does your faith play out in your business?

That’s an interesting question. On the one hand I know that God has a hand in whether my business succeeds or not and yet I know that I am the determining factor based on how much I put into it, how much drive I have and how hard I work. God will allow me to succeed or fail, I have to decide which it will be. It has taken me time to get to a point in my faith where I believe God is ok with success. Success does not equal “worldly”. God wants to bless us and see us succeed, but sometimes we get in our own way by giving in to fear, being too comfortable with the status quo and not dreaming BIG.

What is your BIG DREAM for your business?

I have several… the BIG dream is to reach so many families who need this type of help and support. I keep thinking what if there is someone who needs these things, but they don’t hear about us, how can I let people know about our community of support? This drives me to push myself when I don’t want to. It is a challenge for me to set specific BIG goals, having faith in what I cannot see. So I am going to make myself set a big goal and share it with all of you. I am working and praying for a membership of 500 by the end of 2010.

What 3 tips would you share with a friend who is launching her own entrepreneurial adventure?

• Believe in yourself and your ideas. Give credence to them and pursue them.
• Invest in yourself!  You need coaching and support, and you have to make it happen.
• Somebody needs what you have to offer but they can’t find it if you don’t put it out there!

Tammy Kniffin
Global Alliance of Special Needs Support
www.ga-sns.com