After love brought her halfway across the globe, Tanisha Colon- Bibb decided to stay in New York.
The youngest of four children, theentrepreneur grew up in Harlem. She launched her first business, Rebelle Agency, after graduating from Spelman College, helping clients in entertainment, non-profit and other fields coordinate their marketing and advertising strategies.
Colon- Bibb tells CNBC Make It that she has tried to work with people that want to use their voice for good. It really brings me joy to help give a voice to marginalized people, whether it's women, Black and Brown people or members of the LGBTQ community.
She launched her second business in the year 2018, a talent management firm called Rebelle Management. Colon- Bibb says she felt stuck in New York by the end of the year because she was running two businesses. She says that she felt like all of her time and energy was spent building her business. I realized I wanted to travel more.
She would change her life if she went to Cape Town. Colon- Bibb went to South Africa for a friend's wedding and met her boyfriend, a professional cricket player from Cape Town. She recalls that there were instant fireworks and love at first sight. They traveled throughout Africa and Europe together before the coronaviruses hit.
Tanisha and her boyfriend.
The photo was taken by Walter Randlehoff.
International border restrictions were lifted in October 2020 after the pair had been in a long-distance relationship for several months. In that month, Colon- Bibb moved to South Africa. She says she came to live with him and build their relationship. I would say love made me move to South Africa.
Some of Colon- Bibb's friends were skeptical at first about her moving in with a new boyfriend, but they have been supportive of her decision. She says that most people are excited, but they have a lot of questions.
The South African government considered travelers from the United States to be high-risk for coronavirus transmission, so Colon- Bibb couldn't fly from New York to South Africa. She flew to South Africa after she was scurried for two weeks in Ghana.
The 90-day visa was granted to Colon- Bibb due to rising coronaviruses cases throughout the continent and safety concerns. She traveled to the United States to visit family and friends at the end of the month and was granted a new 90-day visa so she could stay in South Africa after she returned.
The 90-day tourist visa has been helpful for the initial move, but Colon- Bibb is considering applying for a business or partnership visa to live in South Africa permanently.
Colon- Bibb says she used to feel like she was living paycheck to paycheck in New York, but now she is able to save more money and raise her credit score. Anyone who lives in New York knows that if you step outside, you end up spending at least $100. I have more financial freedom after moving to South Africa.
They split the cost of rent and utilities when they moved into their new apartment. The largest expense for Colon- Bibb is rent. She has saved money by turning off her cell service and using the internet instead.
She spends a portion of her budget on self-care activities like nail and hair salon treatments. Colon- Bibb spends $26 a month on a PureVPN service and a streaming service to be able to watch American TV shows.
Colon- Bibb likes to explore different restaurants in and around South Africa each week with her friends. She says there is a lively energy in South Africa. I enjoy going to different bars and eating new foods.
A recurring donation to her church in New York is one of the items in Colon- Bibb's budget.
The average monthly spending by Tanisha Colon- Bibb.
Gene Woo Kim is on CNBC.
Here is a breakdown of Colon- Bibb's spending for the month of August.
Rent is $979.
$565 for self-care.
$300 for entertainment.
$256 for utilities.
The phone bill is $150.
Debt Repayment: $92.
Food is $85.
The cost of transportation is $80.
Donations are $60.
$65 is the price for Subscriptions.
There was a total of $2,633.
Many of her clients thought she was just taking a vacation when she first moved to South Africa. They didn't know it was a permanent move. She says it was an adjustment.
She wakes up at 5:00 a.m., completes a morning prayer meditation, and runs two miles around her neighborhood. Breakfast and coffee are a must before she can log on to work from her home office or a local coffee shop. She works until 8:00 p.m. if she needs to have video meetings with clients in the United States.
She notes that the process of moving her business from the United States to South Africa has been relatively painless because more people are willing to work from home.
Tanisha Colon- Bibb is a woman.
The photo was taken by Walter Randlehoff.
South African officials raised the alarm last week on a new variant of the virus, but the discovery hasn't changed any part of Colon- Bibb's routine. She tries to spend time with her friends outdoors as much as she can. A curfew is in place until 4:00 a.m. and face masks are required in public places. She says that the variant isn't very scary to her.
One of her college friends moved to South Africa before the Pandemic struck. She has been learning how to cook traditional South African dishes like Vetkoek, a fried bread filled with mince, or watching old South African films, when she isn't exploring new restaurants or live music venues. She says that he does a great job of explaining different ceremonies and traditions so she can get a better sense of the country.
She loves the city's natural surroundings and wildlife. Colon- Bibb says it is refreshing to be able to go hiking by the beach or mountains and be among animals. I freaked out when I saw a zebra for the first time, because I had never been that close to an animal outside of the zoo.
A future where both South Africa and New York are her home bases is what the entrepreneur envisions. Colon- Bibb moved to South Africa for love, not expecting to fall in love with the continent as well. She says that being in South Africa has allowed her to grow emotionally and spiritually, because she feels connected to her ancestors in a way she didn't feel in New York. Being with Malusi has made me more patient and interested in learning more about people and the world.
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