Overcoming Challenges to Success
Meet the last two of the four business owners celebrated by the Cherokee Office Of Economic Development during August, which was Black-Owned Business Month in America. We hope these stories, including those of Jerry King and Shalakay Gibbs in our September issue, inspire you. You can see the interviews in their entirety at cherokeega.org, or on the COED social media outlets.
Gerald Griffith
VoiceOver City Media
https://voiceovercity.com
Gerald is a U.S. Army veteran. Originally from Florida, he relocated to Woodstock in 2009, with his wife and two teenage children. Gerald is active in the community and enjoys meeting new people.
How did you become an entrepreneur? What is VoiceOver City Media?
My background is a pretty mixed bag. I am originally from Florida where I grew up as the youngest of 11 kids. I was always around extended family and as the nephew of a pastor, I often found myself around very social and engaging people. That continued as I became a Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Combat Veteran of the U.S. Army. It is in my DNA to want to contribute to the growth and development of others.
VoiceoverCity Media Services has become so much more than a business that started as a voiceover training and event resources provider. I personally work with people and organizations to find creative ways for them to leverage various types of media to increase awareness of their events, products, or services. I am a partner in education at Etowah High School and E.T. Booth Middle School, where I spend time sharing with kids who have an interest in media. I have a kid that attends each of these schools, and they are involved in the media programs. One of the highlights for me is being able to assist with the live streaming of their sports programs.
How have you overcome obstacles you’ve faced?
As someone who relocated to Cherokee County in 2009, I had ZERO connections within the community. That was a huge challenge when you are in a smaller community where referrals and word-of-mouth are often the way businesses grow and evolve. I started a voiceover conference from nothing that grew into the largest event of its kind, attracting people from around the world. Yet, here in Cherokee, I am largely unknown.
In this county, it takes time to build relationships and earn the trust of those making decisions. If you are working with schools, churches, or community organizations, it is important to understand things are often decided by committees, which can slow the process. If you do not have any connections that can speak up for you, it is going to be a harder road to travel. It is still possible to get through these layers, but it takes time and patience.
Has COVID-19 caused you or your business to adapt?
PIVOT … PIVOT … PIVOT … PIVOT. It is very important that people and businesses understand that pivoting is crucial to success and survival. There will be times and situations that arise that are completely unforeseen and if we cannot adjust our plans, goals, ideals, we are likely to fail.
How did you stay positive in the midst of challenges?
Our reaction to the moment makes a big difference in how our situation unfolds. It does not mean I see everything through rose-colored glasses, but it does mean I strive to make a conscious choice to have rose-colored thinking. After all, being mad, angry, or quitting is highly unlikely to move you any closer to a solution. One thing that keeps me positive is taking time to visit nature. My favorite place is the beach, but there are other places in nature that will work too. When you take time to get away from everything, you have time to remember that life is more than the things we surround ourselves with or the titles we wear. Nothing reminds me of this more than watching the sunrise over the ocean as I listen to the sounds of the surf.
How are you working to stay competitive?
I am staying in touch with my contacts at schools, local businesses, and The Circuit.
What lessons have you learned about yourself or your business?
Between the loss of my oldest brother on New Year’s Eve, COVID-19, which wiped my calendar clean, and a recent health emergency involving a family member, I’ve learned that what I do is about more than business in terms of dollars and cents. It is about finding ways to positively contribute to those I meet. I have learned that in a minute everything you thought you knew could change and what you are left with is something you could have never prepared for.
Maduka Chidebelu-Eze
Knnktor
www.knnktor.com
Maduka’s road to entrepreneurship goes back to his father’s private hospital in Nigeria. A student of medicine in England and Germany, his father aspired to improve accessibility to healthcare in his home country of Nigeria. Maduka, was born in England and lived in Germany before moving to Nigeria, where he watched as his father’s passion impacted his community, in the large city where he operated and in his hometown.
How did you become an entrepreneur? What is Knnktor?
I studied engineering at Oral Roberts University and mechanical engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. My a-ha moment came in a macroeconomics lecture at Emory University, where I obtained my MBA. The data available on African nations was inconsistent. It has always been evident that Africa is rich in resources that could solve a multitude of the world’s problems, but there was one underlying thing that made those resources seemingly less obtainable: the lack of foreign direct investments (FDI). I am passionate about the well-being of the people in that region of the world. Even though there are so many factors that affect the economic health of the middle class in Africa, I was focused on one thing that I believe would drastically improve the accessibility of FDI in the region: perception.
How have you overcome obstacles you’ve faced?
The obvious obstacle is COVID-19 – a unique challenge that started affecting my business in early February because of the global nature of my venture. Deals that should have closed went through months of delays because of numerous changes and reallocation of capital. To overcome, we have focused on our client and partner relationships and have been transparent about our challenges and the steps we are taking to overcome them. We have also improved our focus and have continued to develop our products and forge new relationships to help solve the current challenges we face.
Has COVID-19 caused you or your business to adapt?
COVID-19 did not affect the nature of the business but forced us to shift our focus. Knnktor was focused on supporting the establishment of international business partnerships. But as COVID-19 began to take shape, Knnktor has since shifted its focus on the development of the KBCI platform. This unique tool is at the heart of all Knnktor services while preparing Knnktor to scale for maximum impact.
How did you stay positive in the midst of challenges?
The foundation for everything I do is based on my faith as a Christian in Jesus Christ, and I have learned to hand over issues that seem too difficult to bear. There is one word of wisdom that I have held close for years in my career and it came from a client for whom we were trying to solve a problem early in my career at Lucent Technologies. This engineering director said, “Change your mindset and view every problem not as an obstacle, but as a challenge to solve the problem.” Each new challenge helps me grow as an individual.
How are you working to stay competitive?
My wife, Ciara Mokeme, along with her boutique marketing agency, The Adaobi Group, is the reason why I am visible and will continue to have a competitive advantage. She keeps me digitally relevant through the original design and redesign of my website. With her permission, I am also able to network in the community. It has been a bit difficult lately to effectively network but maintaining and building on the existing relationships has been my focus. From there, many opportunities have come to fruition.
What lessons have you learned about yourself or your business?
I was recently rushed to the hospital and had to go through an emergency appendectomy. Through that experience, I learned a few things. Anything can happen at any moment. Life is very fragile, and it is only by God’s grace that we live. Hug your loved ones and say “I love you” as often as possible because they will not always be there. You may have to go through it on your own sometimes, so live every day to the fullest. This experience has taught me as an individual and business to always be ready. As my wife, Ciara would say, “You do not have to get ready if you STAY ready!”
Leave a Reply