We recently connected with Andrea Williams and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Andrea thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Parents play a huge role in our development as youngsters and sometimes that impact follows us into adulthood and into our lives and careers. Looking back, what’s something you think you parents did right?

Imagine growing up in a rural environment with barely any diversity and trying to navigate your place in the world as a child. I grew up in a small town where my ideas and thoughts surpassed the minds of the individuals that I came in contact with, it was not that they did not have the intelligence to think big it was that the surroundings were extraordinarily stagnant that they couldn’t fathom doing things any other way. The only way of escaping the small town feel and freeing my wildest dreams was my parent’s ability to let me be myself, that’s the one aspect that they did right that greatly impacted my life and career.

As a child, I questioned everything, why we lived where we lived, why my parents did what they did for a living, and why we could not just move or buy another house. The answer was simple, my parents lived where they lived because it was the best option for them to let me thrive. They did what they did for a living because it provided them time to spend with me and why we did not just move was because we owned the land and several acres for them to pass down to me for inheritance.

Knowing what I now know about my parents and their reasoning for doing the things they did set me on a path to be able to be who I am. They instilled confidence that I may not have otherwise ever experienced if they did not stick to their mission of alleviating a sense of struggle. The impact that my parents have had on my life will allow me to mimic the same values. I know that no matter where I come from is no match for my dreams, everything I thought I could do my parents made it happen even if they were not there to witness it all. They sent me to summer camps, let me partake in vacations, and funded all extracurricular activities showing me there was life beyond the town with only one traffic light.

Throughout my career journey, I have had highs and lows. From not getting a job right out of college and not knowing if I fit into the workforce. In those times of highs and lows, I can remember my parents’ work ethics and their conversations surrounding work. They worked to ensure that I had the things I needed. They worked and illustrated the value of a hard-earned dollar.

My parents did a lot of things right even though they may not have known the impact it would have on my life. I am confident because no matter how outlandish my dreams were they supported me. No matter how much I questioned them about their chosen lifestyles they inspired me to reach beyond their capabilities. They made the biggest impact by just sacrificing elements of life that they could have easily indulged in to ensure a better life for me. And for that I am grateful.

Andrea , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m Andrea Vinson Williams, co-founder of BeastRob, we raise Colorectal Cancer awareness. I was heartbroken when my father died of stage IV Colorectal Cancer in 2008, mainly because this type of cancer is preventable. From 2008 to 2014 I went into a deep depression, partly blaming myself for not making my dad go to the doctor. After countless secret therapy sessions and trying to distract myself from his death I thought that telling others about this preventable cancer would be the proper fix. In early 2015 I went into beast mode, I immediately started reading books on how to formulate a non-profit and interviewing non-profit owners in the Atlanta area to get an idea of what I would be up against. By November 2015, my husband and I had a 501(c)(3) non-profit. We started hosting fitness and social events in and around the Atlanta area for free. Anyone we encountered we told them about Colorectal Cancer. We have hosted countless fitness events, held informational sessions about Colorectal Cancer prevention, and continue to partner with sponsors to raise awareness. We don’t plan on stopping.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Having a non-profit is hard work and should never be underestimated. We thought formulating a powerful mission and outlining our values would bring donors. We were wrong, over the last six years we have had board members come and go because of the massive work involved. Although we have hit some roadblocks with our board of directors we continue to educate ourselves by attending webinars and seminars, interviewing other non-profit owners, and staying on top of our industry news. When not running at full capacity we have managed to reach hundreds of individuals to warn them about preventable Colorectal Cancer. We have used our connections via work, church, neighbors, and businesses to get out our message. We have not stopped looking for the right board of directors and we have not missed a beat in raising colorectal cancer awareness. Our resilience is unmatched when it comes to letting everyone we encounter know that this cancer is preventable.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

With any venture, there may come a time when the first drafted plan is not working. The BeastRob team has had to pivot several times to reach our audience. We begin our mission by hosting fitness events but quickly realized that fitness, no matter what level, can be intimidating. We immediately shifted gears and started hosting more social events to attract a greater number of individuals. At our social events, we introduced our fitness programs and were able to explain that we have low-impact options along with the benefit of introducing a fitness regimen that will significantly decrease the risk of formulating colorectal cancer. That small pivot allowed us to gain more donor support and increase our following. Pivoting away from our original plan was difficult because we are passionate about maintaining an active lifestyle. Having a platform at our social events to reach more people allowed us to broaden our message.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://beastrob.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beastrobinc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeastRob/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beastrob-inc-/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/beastrobinc

Image Credits
Krys Alex Photography