MEMPHIS TRENDSETTER: Mid-South businesswoman Tammie T. Polk is the face of the city’s first black-owned empowerment center
Andre Johnson 
“Every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities. And to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourself in a way that others might not see you, simply because they’ve never seen it before. And we will applaud you every step of the way.” — Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris
SASSY AND CLASSY
Memphis undoubtedly has something to be proud about.
That’s because native Memphian Tammie T. Polk is breaking barriers in ways unimaginable in the Bluff City.
Polk is the proud owner and CEO of Professionally Sassy, LLC, Memphis’ first and only black-owned, — and first woman-owned — empowerment center.
Suitably known also as unique library, of sorts, Polk — an accomplished author of close to five dozen books — opened her bookstore in April 2019, then witnessed Professionally Sassy, LLC go into operations in October 2019.
Located at 5300 Cottonwood Road, Suite 4 in Northeast Memphis, Polk’s featured endeavor has been as good as advertised.
MORE ON PROFESSIONALLY SASSY, LLC: https://www.professionallysassy.me/
“It’s one of a kind in that it provides a by-appointment only and a personal shopping experience for the avid reader who is in search of something different,” Polk, 39, told Making Headline News this week.
For Polk, who made her authorship debut in 2015 with the ceremonious release of the book, From One King’s Daughter To Another: Understanding Your Value, her rise to birthing of Professionally Sassy, LLC comes amid humble beginnings, something she doesn’t merely take lightly.
“I tell my story from a place of challenge and triumph,” Polk said. “It hasn’t always been as pretty, nor as easy as it seems, yet I have fought for my dream throughout all that I have endured — illness, loss, distractions, misunderstandings, and more.”
Despite the rash of obstacles that have surfaced in her life to challenge her faith, amongst the things to which Polk was destined was pressing and navigating her way to her destiny.
Mission accomplished with God, her Helper, steering the way.
“I am still here and going strong by God’s grace, taking a nap or two, and using cookies as fuel,” Polk says without hesitation. “At the end of the day, I want to be able to quote Erma Bombeck, who said, ‘When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say I used everything You gave me.’”
A 1998 graduate of Bethel Baptist School at the tender age of 16, Polk was the valedictorian of her class and was the school’s only African-American student at the time. Consequently, she acquired a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Memphis’ Christian Brothers University and has since garnered a host of ministry certifications and public speaking awards from Toastmasters International.
A business that accommodates people and groups ranging in 17-and-up — “I won’t reveal the age of my oldest (client),” Polk jokingly said — Polk’s immeasurable gifts as an empowerment extraordinaire has afforded her the golden opportunity to flourish in a variety of places nationwide.
“I have spoken at live events all across the Southern United States — Montgomery (Alabama), Miami, Destin (Florida), Falls Church (Virginia), Atlanta, and many virtual events across the country,” she said.
As for those who steadfastly inspired her to pursue her entrepreneurship goals and ambitions, Polk said her late mother unquestionably tops the list.
“(She) died without seeing her dreams come to light,” Polk recalls. “My three daughters will not share that same pain. Also, my husband, who made a tremendous sacrifice for me to build what I wrote in my ideal book two years ago.”
Polk this week announced the startup of what is known as Professionally Sassy Saturday workshops, which debut November 21 from 4 to 6 p.m. CDT. More information about this workshop is available on the Professionally Sassy Facebook.
Also, Polk is scheduled to speak at the No More Trauma Virtual Summit in December, as well as the Success Women’s Conference in January 2021.
“I’ll also be holding my own events — “all of the events, the pandemic caused me to cancel — and that calendar will come out on the first Monday in January,” Polk said.
MORE ON PROFESSIONALLY SASSY, LLC: https://www.professionallysassy.me/
Widely regarded as a “goal and dream fulfillment” author, speaker, and coach, Polk relishes the notion that she stepped out on faith by carving out a bit of history in her native hometown.
“There is someone out there who thinks that they are alone…that they are crazy…that no one understands them, nor what they are going through,” Polk said. “I’ve always sensed that someone, somewhere, sometime, somehow, someway needs that something that you do. So you are doing the world a disservice by keeping it to yourself.”
In her case, Memphis undoubtedly has something to be proud about.
A RELATED STORY
Memphis author Tammie Polk has composed 46 books — and counting — in span of four years
For more information about Mid-South-area Author Tammie Polk of Professionally Sassy, LLC, or to schedule her for a public appearance or speaking engagement, call 877.287.1197 or connect with her via social media at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/professionallysassybusinesswoman/; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammie-polk/. Also, she can be reached via email at: [email protected].
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EDITOR’S NOTE: If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, producer, author, athlete, musician, barber, life coach, motivational speaker, cosmetologist, tax preparer, model, or pastor/minister who is seeking exposure and would like to share your story with an in-depth news feature, call Reporter Andre Johnson at 901-690-6587 or Facebook message him under “Andre T. Johnson” for details.
Andre Johnson is the award-winning Founder and Publisher for Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former staff reporter of sports for the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send email to [email protected] or to [email protected]. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist or Instagram at @makingheadlinenews.
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