Chynna Clayton worked in and out of the White House with the Obamas for seven years.Clayton says Michelle Obama became her mentor and encouraged her to start her own business. Investing in a lawyer and accountant is one of Clayton's best tips for new entrepreneurs.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Chynna Clayton, a 35-year-old entrepreneur from the outskirts of Liberty, Florida, about her experience working with Michelle Obama and launching her own business. It's been edited for length and clarity.

By the time I graduated from high school on the outskirts of Liberty City, Florida, I knew I wanted to have my own business one day. I didn't know in what field or how, but I remember thinking to myself, I'm an entrepreneur.

When I attended the University of Florida, there was a brief moment (maybe a few hours and a Greyhound bus ride home) when I contemplated dropping out of college, but I didn't. Instead, I decided to change my major from business to event management.

I decided to bet on myself. I secured an internship during my senior year of college at the White House during the historical Obama administration in 2010. Eventually, after a decade of assisting high-profile public figures and executives to make their lives easier, my boss at the time, Michelle Obama, planted the seed for me to start my own business.

Being an advance associate in the White House gave me the opportunity to use both of my degrees at once

I was assigned to work in the presidential scheduling and advance office for my internship. But after I completed my degrees, double majoring in event management and political science with a minor in business, I returned back to the White House as an advance associate.

Clayton with Michelle Obama and colleagues in the Rose Garden before a 2016 College Signing Day event.



Chuck Kennedy

When you see the president or the first lady on TV delivering a speech, talking to kids, visiting a disaster site, meeting with heads of state overseas, or even going on a family bike ride, those details are accounted for and intricately planned by an advance team in coordination with secret service and military agencies.

Advance provided me with the opportunity to use both of my degrees at once.

I became former First Lady Michelle Obama's body person

My hard work didn't go unnoticed, while in my role as an advance associate. I was recommended to apply and secured an administrative position in Disney's government relations office, supporting C-Suite executives in the nation's capital before returning to the White House to become the "body person" for former First Lady Michelle Obama during her second term.

A body person is an assistant who is quite literally the right hand to a political figure, following them around the clock and accompanying them everywhere. They anticipate their principal's every move. In this capacity, I helped Mrs. Obama connect with communities around the world. I ensured every detail of her personal and public-facing events was executed flawlessly, directing teams who coordinated her domestic and international engagements.

Clayton assisting Michelle Obama backstage before a "When We All Vote" rally in 2018.



Chuck Kennedy

After President Barack Obama's term ended in January 2017, I was retained by the personal office of Barack and Michelle Obama as their director of travel and event operations. I helped manage their family's personal obligations while overseeing the coordination of Mrs. Obama's engagement until 2022.

Michelle Obama gave me the ultimate vote of confidence to start my business

Mrs. Obama was the person who planted the seed for me to start my business. She made a statement that stuck with me, "Everyone in my friend group reaches out to you when they are trying to find an assistant … so Chynna, 'there is a there … there!'"

This was the ultimate vote of confidence coming from someone I looked up to as my mentor. With the help of a few friends who knew how to set up a business, some strategic planning, a little soul-searching, and a notebook full of ideas, I launched Matriarch Made Development in 2022.

My company focuses on business development, personnel development, and personal development. Essentially, I help executives, celebrities, government officials, heads of human resources departments, and business owners find assistants. Additionally, I help with continued assistant training and development and consulting on events.

I have six tips for anyone ready to become an entrepreneur

Here are some quick tips I'd share with anyone who's ready to materialize their dreams of entrepreneurship.

Baby steps. It takes time and hustle to get clientele and keep them.Give yourself grace and be patient with yourself.Try to maintain a job on the side that will ensure you have a consistent paycheck, before diving headfirst into entrepreneurship.Invest in a contract lawyer and accountant. It's the best thing you can do for yourself and your company.Please set aside 30 to 35% of your revenue for your taxes. Do not play with Uncle Sam.It's OK to fail. Every business will not be a million-dollar one. Sometimes the audacity is what makes the difference. My business honors four generations of maternal women

I decided to name my business, Matriarch Made Development, in honor of the four generations of maternal women who paved the way for me to become who I am: My mother, my grandmother, my great-grandmother, and my great-aunt. I'm forever indebted and grateful for the lessons they taught me, and use them daily as an entrepreneur.

I really have to credit my late aunt Linder Williams for introducing me to entrepreneurship and event planning. She was so creative, resourceful, and our family event planner.

Top photo: Clayton posing with Linder Williams (Great Aunt), Margaret Berry (Great Grandmother), Mildred King (Grandmother), Doris King (Mother) in Kathleen, Georgia | Bottom Photo: Clayton with colleagues in the White House.



Courtesy of Chynna Clayton

My aunt would take me with her as a kid to wholesale shops and allow me to assist her in scouring clearance racks for items that we'd later beautifully package and sell on the corners of Miami for holidays like Valentine's Day, Mother's or Father's Day, and Easter.

I think if my late aunt could add one tip to my list for aspiring or current entrepreneurs, she'd say shop the day after a holiday to get the best deals ahead of the next year.