Episode Summary
Dr. Tanisha Lemelle, founder of The Clever Site, joins the show to talk about her transition from teaching and HR into the world of digital marketing. What started with building her own ministry website eventually evolved into a full-service agency serving small businesses across the country. In this episode, you’ll hear how a self-taught web designer became a doctoral-level strategist, using her research on government contracting to improve not just her agency but those of her clients.
Episode Highlights
- Career Pivots: How Dr. Lemelle transitioned from teaching Spanish and corporate HR to web design.
- Building Without a Blueprint: The unexpected way she landed her first web clients and the role ministry played in it.
- The Power of Process: Why project management became the linchpin of her business (and a central focus of her doctoral research).
- Scaling Through Delegation: The game-changing mindset shift that helped her grow her team and stop doing everything herself.
- Entrepreneurial Lessons: What she learned from getting hacked in Bermuda, and how it changed her approach to security and operations.
Agency Info
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Company: The Clever Site
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Guest: Dr. Tanisha Lemelle
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Year Started: 2011
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Employees: 1-10
We’re no longer just building pretty websites, we’re building clever growth plans.
Dr. Tanisha Lemelle
Key Takeaways
Your Background Doesn’t Define Your Future
Dr. Lemelle didn’t begin her career in marketing or even tech. With a degree in Spanish and experience in HR, her pivot into digital strategy came from noticing a real need in her community. Opportunity often comes disguised as a side request.
Strategy > A Pretty Website
The Clever Site emphasizes combining web design with strategic business planning. Dr. Lemelle’s teaching roots help her coach clients through more than just visuals…she crafts systems to ensure a return on investment.
Project Management Is the Backbone of Business Growth
Her doctoral research focused on minority- and women-owned small businesses in government contracting. The biggest takeaway? Mastering project management is a universal growth driver. She now uses her research-backed framework to audit and optimize both her and her clients’ operations.
Know What to Let Go
Growth came when she stopped doing everything herself. She began with tasks she disliked (like bookkeeping) and moved on to those she enjoyed but weren’t the best use of her time. Her advice: ask “Can someone do this better?” and be honest with yourself.
Invest in Accountability
Dr. Lemelle is a strong advocate for hiring a business coach, not to be told what to do, but to be questioned, challenged, and held accountable. “It’s one of the best decisions I’ve made for my business.”
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