By Shoutout Atlanta

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dwayna Williams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dwayna, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The journey of entrepreneurship has been one heck of a ride. I’ve learned so much throughout this process, which allowed me to be where I am today. Being a business owner isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a lot of sweat, tears, mistakes, and victories that come with it. Sharing my journey and process will show other women that they, too, can do it. I’ve started my business with little “know-how” and no money. However, my work ethic has allowed me to flourish and grow my business to where it is today. Since undergrad at North Carolina Central University, I knew that I wanted to work in the creative space; however, I didn’t know how to make that vision happen.

After graduating in 2013, I had one of the most exciting and challenging years of my career; I honestly had no clue what was in store for me. I can truthfully say that I did not prepare for all the “nos” I received from countless job applications. The rejections put me in a negative mental space but also gave me tough skin. I had the academic scholastics, I had meaningful internships, but yet it seemed like no company found my work ethic a tad bit interesting. Thank God for temp agencies; about three months of an unclear career, a well-known hospitality brand manager gave me a chance. I worked for the company for a year. It was great! I made enough money to pay bills, and I was a part of a great team, but something was missing.

Read more here.