For Tynetta Dance, entrepreneurship is more than a business model — it is a calling rooted in empowerment, strategy, and transformation.
A proud alumna of Morgan State University (MBA, 2005), Dance is the founder of UnlockU Coaching and Consulting, a firm dedicated to helping individuals and organizations reach clarity, confidence, and sustainable growth. Through executive coaching, leadership development, and organizational strategy, UnlockU provides tools that help clients unlock their best selves.
Dance launched her business after recognizing a recurring challenge among professionals and entrepreneurs: many had the talent, education, and ambition to succeed, but lacked structured guidance and accountability to move from potential to performance. Her solution was simple yet powerful — provide coaching grounded in both lived experience and professional expertise.
“UnlockU exists to expand access to clarity, confidence, and capacity,” she shares. “When individuals are aligned with purpose, their impact multiplies.”
Her HBCU experience played a significant role in shaping that mindset. At Morgan, Dance was immersed in an environment that emphasized excellence, resilience, and community responsibility. She credits the HBCU experience with reinforcing her leadership instincts and affirming her voice in spaces where representation matters.
“There’s nothing like the HBCU experience,” she says. “It teaches you to own your narrative and lead boldly.”
Like many founders, Dance’s greatest challenge has been scaling while maintaining quality and balance. Building systems, investing in infrastructure, and managing growth have required discipline and adaptability. Through that process, she learned the importance of strategic partnerships, operational clarity, and protecting her energy as a CEO.
UnlockU’s impact extends beyond individual coaching sessions. The firm works with organizations seeking stronger leadership pipelines, improved team communication, and measurable culture shifts. By expanding access to executive-level coaching—particularly for professionals who may not traditionally have access to such resources—Dance is helping diversify leadership at every level.
Looking ahead, she envisions UnlockU operating nationally with a team of certified coaches and expanded corporate partnerships. Her three- to five-year goal includes deeper digital programming, group coaching cohorts, and scalable leadership development initiatives that reach emerging entrepreneurs and executives alike.
For current CIAA students and HBCU alumni considering entrepreneurship, Dance offers grounded advice: start where you are, but think strategically. Develop your expertise, understand your value proposition, and build with intention.
“Entrepreneurship is not just about income,” she says. “It’s about influence and impact.”
As CIAA brings together alumni from across the conference, Tynetta Dance stands as an example of what happens when purpose meets preparation — and when leadership is treated not as a title, but as a responsibility.
Website: www.UnlockUcoaching.com
Harold Booker Jr.
Harold Booker Jr. is the founder and principal of DrewJenk Consulting, a boutique firm that specializes in project management, technology, and community engagement. He is also a frequent contributor to the Baltimore Times, writing about arts, culture, and social issues that connect personal history with community impact.