We were lucky to catch up with Aamber Mckinney-Williams recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Aamber thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
One of the very first jobs that I obtained as an adult was working in retail. I worked for a big box well know-retailer in fact. That career lasted for almost 15 years (2006-2020). I worked for the company from the ages of 19 years old to 33 years old, which was most of my early adulthood. I can remember my first day working there and being super shy to speak to not only the employees but the customers as well . I started out as a regular salesfloor associate in the infants department. At that time in my life I did not know that I would be introduced to a series of growth, developmental challenges, and successes through my time with the company. I learned very quicky the skill of effective communication and that helped me to excel really fast in not only personal development but professional development as well. Throughout my tenure I was not only promoted to the highest leadership positions but I also learned SO MANY invaluable skills that has helped me to become the business owner and leader that I am today. I never attended formal college and honestly never had the desire to, I always knew that I would eventually become a business owner, I just did not know that my career at that tome was preparing me for that very big move. I value all of the knowledge that I learned while working with the company such as how to be an effective leader, planning and execution, communication, sales and marketing, as well as how to read and dissect financial statements and reports. I’ve always been a fast learner and had a drive to be the best at whatever I did. Little did I know that those years of hard work and efforts were preparing me to be the best business owner and serial entrepreneur that I am today! I decided to take a huge risk in 2020 when I decided to become a full-time entrepreneur. I had reached and accomplished so many milestones at that point in my life but also knew that I wanted more! I did not take the safe route which is what most people would have done by staying at the job and working my business part time. I knew my potential and what I was capable of and I knew that this new journey of entrepreneurship would require my full attention in order for me to be successful at it. So that is exactly what I did and never looked back. Was it scary at first? Of course. But knowing the years of dedication that I was able to give to a company any organization gave me the fuel that I needed to give even more to myself! When you are used to a steady paycheck as a W2 employee it can be very overwhelming and fearful to shift to entrepreneurship. But in my opinion it’s so much more rewarding. I have always had dreams, ambitions and goals that reached far beyond what I had already produced so I knew I had to go to the next level and you can only go so far working for someone else. That is why I was willing to take the huge life-changing risk of becoming an entrepreneur and so far it has paid off in more ways than I ever could have imagined.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Financial Services Rep (Licensed Agent)- I entered the world of financial services Feb of 2023. I became a licensed rep for a few different reasons, I not only wanted to gain a new sense of financial literacy firsthand, I also wanted to take that knowledge and teach it to as many people in the world as I can. I am licensed in several states in the U.S. with Arizona being my resident state. I am also building a team of agents in all 50 states. This business has been very rewarding for me not only on a professional level but most importantly on a personal level for me and my family . I help families to understand how money works through several financial literacy concepts as well as the importance of securing life insurance policies to protect their families. I have clients in many states and am able to assist anyone needing to look at different coverage options,
Life Insurance Questionnaire: https://form.jotform.com/232018330043137
Queen’s Notary & Services- I am owner and CEO of Queen’s Notary & Services, I started this company honestly because my father was Notary and it was something that I’ve always wanted to do. I am currently commissioned in the state of Arizona but am working on becoming a Remote Online Notary so I will be able to service clients in all states. I also help others become Notary Publics by hosting beginner level classes. These classes are held monthly and cover all of the basic knowledge requirements to begin a rewarding career in the world of Notary Publics. I will also be pursuing becoming a loan signing agent in the near future!
Notary Class Registration form: https://form.jotform.com/233525467489166
Visions Beauty Supply- I am owner and CEO of Visions Beauty Supply. I started this business with the intent of having a brick and mortar store in the local community that I live in. It was and still is a need in our city due to their only being one other beauty supply that carries ethnic beauty items nearby. Most local customers including myself have to limit ourselves to either commuting to another city or solely purchasing all of our beauty products online. So I wanted to be a solution to that problem. I saw a huge demand for this type of business not only from a consumers perspective but from an investors perspective as well, With all of the limitations during the pandemic I quickly re-routed my business to mostly e-commerce. I still service local customers in-person as well. I regularly attend events such as pop-up shops as a vendor in order to get in front of potential customers throughout Arizona. I have also networked with lots of business owners within the beauty industry in an effort to support and build strategic partnerships where possible. We offer an array of beauty product from from our Luxury Hair Line to our Luxury BLING hot tools, lashes and much more! This was my very first business that I started in 2020 and am proud to still be in business today! We are always looking for affiliate partnerships and brand ambassadors.
Affiliate Sign-Up form: https://form.jotform.com/232048287373157
Bounce House Visions LLC- I am owner and CEO of Bounce House Visions LLC. Before I am an business owner, I am a mother of 4 beautiful daughters. I pay attention to the trends and needs within my community and as a parent I noticed a large demand for more party rental companies. This was the 2nd business that I started and it has had many rewards! With the demand being so high we get consistent business and are able to to serve our community in different ways. We have been able to partner with Non-Profit organizations and local business owners to Sponsor community events such as Holiday drives and School events. We offer party rentals such as Bounce Houses, Concessions, Table & Chairs and much more!
BounceHouseVisionsLLC (Facebook)
Amazon Seller- I am an active Seller on Amazon’s platform and have my own storefront. I initially started my Amazon Business with the intent to only sell my product from Visions Beauty Supply on. But once I saw the huge opportunity to make money from all angles with several products I quicky grew my business models. I use two different business models on the platform, (Private Seller and Amazon FBM/FBA). I already possess the knowledge on how retail works from working for one of Amazon’s largest competitors for many years. I also help others start their very own Amazon store and show them how to run a profitable business using one of the business models as described in my E-book ( How to make $10,000 monthly in Amazon FBA).
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1430707560/how-to-make-over-10000-monthly-in-amazon?ref=share_v4_lx
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
The best source of new clients for me has been through social media marketing, I am able to post content that resonates with the needs of my ideal client/customers in order to gain their attention into doing business with me. I am very consostent when it come to this type of marketing so that helps me to be found a lot easier, especially by locals. Referrals are also a big source for gaining new clients. With the right communication and great customer service, good word of mouth has helped to maintain the sustainability of my businesses as well.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I would say that one of my biggest pivots in life was taking the step of faith and becoming an entrepreneur full time. Retail management was all that I ever knew, Or so I thought… I unconsciously spent several years preparing myself for this large transition in my life and although I was not 100% prepared I made and am still making it work , Entrepreneurship has it’s Pros and Cons. Some of the Pros are that I am able to have more time freedom to work on my goals and dreams without the heavy demands from an employer. Some of the Cons are entrepreneurship is not easy! Overall it has been a rewarding journey and I look forward to what the future brings!
Image Credits
Kevelyn Tellez