TolHouse is proud to present the Take the Leap: TolHouse 2025 Entrepreneurship Grant, a program supporting Toledo’s next wave of visionary founders. Recipients gain a full-year TolHouse Membership, workspace at Panda Workspace, business mentorship, and opportunities to showcase their businesses—all designed to help entrepreneurs build their legacy in our city.

Meet Keyanna Harper, founder of Harper Assists, a virtual assistant and business operations company dedicated to empowering small business owners and creatives. In this interview, Keyanna shares the story behind Harper Assists, her passion for problem-solving, and how TolHouse is helping her take her mission to new heights.

TolHouse: Share the story behind Harper Assists. What inspired you to create a virtual assistant and business operations company, and how has it evolved since launching?

Keyanna: Harper Assists actually started with Obsidian People Company, a blog I created back in 2018 to celebrate Black culture, art, small Black-owned businesses, and lifestyle. I loved writing about those topics and even started pitching to other publications to expand my reach. As I worked on OPC and wrote for others, I realized I could take it further. I’d spent years learning about small business operations, which I have my bachelor’s degree in, and I have over 13 years of experience in office management in a small business.

Those tools weren’t just helping me with OPC; I knew they could help others too. I taught myself how to design websites with the help of YouTube University and my brother, who owns his multimedia design business in Brooklyn, New York. I managed my own social media, which grew small but mighty, and stayed ahead of all the latest tools and trends—all to grow OPC. But as my audience and people I knew saw what I was doing, they started asking for help, and I realized these skills I had could make a real difference for other small businesses. That’s how Harper Assists was born.

At first, I resisted stepping into this space. I wasn’t sure it was the right direction, but eventually, I gave in because I knew what I was doing could help others. Now, I have steady clients that I genuinely enjoy working with, and I’m always open to helping more businesses grow. My dream is to partner with my family and bring OPC back into the mix. Harper Assists has taken the lead in such a short time, and I believe that with the right tools and strategies, I can grow Harper Assists into an agency with employees that focuses on helping others grow and learn.

TolHouse: Talk about how Harper Assists empowers small business owners and creatives. What challenges do your services address, and how do you approach solving them?

Keyanna: Harper Assists is all about giving small business owners and creatives the tools and support they need to focus on what they’re passionate about. A lot of the people I work with are juggling everything—running their business, creating their product or service, and trying to market themselves. It’s overwhelming, and they often don’t have the time or know-how to organize their back-end operations, build a website, or manage their social media consistently. That’s where I step in.

I help with everything from streamlining daily operations to setting up websites that work for them, creating content, and finding ways to automate tasks so they can focus on growing their business. One of the biggest challenges I address is helping people get organized. Many small business owners have the vision but lack the systems to make it happen smoothly.

My approach is simple: I take the time to understand each client’s unique needs and pain points. I do my research on their business, then customize solutions to fit their goals. I’m not just giving them tools—I’m showing them how to use those tools effectively. I also prioritize making things simple and sustainable, so they’re not stuck in a cycle of chaos once our work together is done. If they need more help, they hire me to take on some of those tasks to free up their time to put into something else.

For creatives, especially, it’s about helping them show their art or talent in a way that feels professional but still true to their voice. Whether it’s creating a functional website, managing their content, or setting up automation, I work behind the scenes to make sure they can shine front and center. At the end of the day, my goal is to help my clients not only get things done but also feel confident and in control of their business. That’s empowerment.

“At the end of the day, my goal is to help my clients not only get things done but also feel confident and in control of their business.”

TolHouse: What excites you most about joining the TolHouse community, and how do you think this Membership will support the growth of Harper Assists?

Keyanna: What excites me most about joining the TolHouse community is the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals who are just as passionate about growth, innovation, and community building as I am. TolHouse isn’t just a space—it’s a hub of creativity and entrepreneurship, and being surrounded by that energy is incredibly inspiring. I’m excited to share ideas, learn from others, and collaborate with people who understand the challenges and rewards of running a business.

For Harper Assists, this Membership represents a chance to grow in ways I haven’t explored yet. The access to Panda Workspace and networking events will provide me with tools, resources, and connections to elevate my business operations and expand my client base. Meeting other entrepreneurs within the TolHouse community means exchanging ideas and forming partnerships that can help me refine my services and discover new opportunities to serve small businesses.

I also see this as a chance to give back. TolHouse has created an inclusive and supportive environment, and I’m looking forward to contributing to that culture. This membership is more than just a recognition of the work I’ve done so far—it’s an investment in what Harper Assists can become. I believe this opportunity will help me grow not just as a business owner, but as someone who’s committed to empowering others and contributing to Toledo’s future. The journey ahead is exciting, and I’m ready to embrace it.