To Dr. Constance Longmire, her personal and professional coaching skills are more than just a business endeavor – they’re a gift from God. “I feel a sincere call in my life to teach and to help people get better,” she shared. Dr. Longmire founded Peek Institute Training and Development in 2018 to coach businesses and individuals who seek to improve in areas such as personal development, healthy conflict management, and DEI.
Peek Institute Training and Development, named in honor of Dr. Longmire’s parents Harvey and Mamie Peek, is a continuation of her family’s entrepreneurial legacy. Dr. Longmire’s father moved the family to Ohio when he was barred from starting his own business in the South due to Jim Crow laws. She attributes her audacity and ambition to her parents’ determination to succeed in the face of adversity. “My parents are the real heroes,” she praised. The lengths they went to pursue their dreams gives Dr. Longmire the confidence that she can achieve anything she sets her mind to in today’s world. “That’s easy compared to leaving your family and your life because of the color of your skin,” she said.
In the spirit of her mission to improve peoples’ work and personal lives, Dr. Longmire doesn’t shy away from sensitive topics. When discussing her approach to DEI, she said, “There’s no way I can list a bunch of vocabulary words and say ‘Well, we’re done.’”
Today, Dr. Longmire has the time and energy to perfect her craft due to the financial support she received from ECDI in 2020. She used her loans to hire staff, which helped her shift from working “in” her business to working “on” her business and fulfilling her calling. “I don’t want to think about what would have happened if ECDI wasn’t there for me during the pandemic. I might not be sitting here right now,” Dr. Longmire somberly shared.
The life and business coach appreciates the way ECDI minimizes discouragement, obstacles and red tape that many entrepreneurs face when obtaining financial support. "ECDI doesn’t kill our entrepreneurial spirit. I love that they honor it because some of us are born to be entrepreneurs,” Dr. Longmire praised.
“ECDI is more than just a lending institution. It's a relationship.”
Growth is the goal for Peek Institute Training. “I'm never satisfied if we're not changing or adding something every quarter, because the world is changing really fast.” Dr. Longmire has mapped out many plans for her business’s future, from expanding her staff and offering additional trainings to more ambitious goals such as franchising, expanding internationally, and landing more contracts with the government.
From the inspiration and opportunities handed down to her from her parents to the timely financial support she received from ECDI, she feels as if the stars aligned to create her dream career. “I love what I do,” she beamed. “Not a lot of people can say that. I'm one of the most blessed persons and just humbled to do this work.”
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