We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Aureal Carlock. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Aureal below.

Aureal, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So, let’s imagine that you were advising someone who wanted to start something similar to you and they asked you what you would do differently in the startup-process knowing what you know now. How would you respond?

It’s pretty funny that this is one of the questions asked. I am currently in the process of starting over with Local Dynamics. I went through a period of lack of motivation, where to start with improving or doing things differently, should I close the business down, etc. I think God has a way of allowing things to take course in a way that makes you stretch beyond where you think you can go. So I came up with the idea of doing a completely new direction and launch with Local Dynamics but offer the same services. With information and trends taking over social media, having quick and easy access to whats going on at any given moment is always right at your fingertips. With that being said, I wanted to relaunch Local Dynamics in a way that allows us to be competitive in the area of access, ease of use and visibility. I’ve learned to not be afraid to compete and make my services known. With Covid hitting less than a year after my first launch of Local Dynamics, I realized my business is highly vulnerable to expected and unexpected local, city and even state economic challenges. In the business of service, my product is my ability to produce an experience for others and in doing that, a part of it is the element of surprise or introducing the client to unknown gems in the local and surrounding mid-south area. Well, with social media and trend after trend, the challenge is succeeding in those areas with quality service while producing/fulfilling a need.

Aureal, 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 am Aureal Carlock, Founder/Owner CEO of Local Dynamics. The idea/concept for Local Dynamics came about from several years of debating with people, whether it be locals or out-of-towners on how much Memphis has to offer. After I moved back home from college in 2009, at 21-22 years old, I got to see and explore my city differently as an adult. I basically wanted to do more, so I began looking for more and once I did, I realized how much we were growing as a city and how much there is to do.

Fast Forward to 2019, I decided I wanted to take it further and make money while doing what became a growing passion. I saw it as a challenge to get people invested back into the city and see it how I see it, the beauty of the city. We hear a lot of negative narratives about Memphis and I just wanted to change that narrative one client at a time.

This birthed Local Dynamics, a curated experience business, dedicated to creating fun, different and exciting itineraries for clients in the areas of Girls/Guys Night, Date Nights, Anniversaries, Special Occasions, family outings, and small getaways.

My focus is to debunk the idea that Memphis can’t compete with other well-known larger market cities with trendy events, nice restaurants, adventure spaces, etc.

I’m most proud of following what God has placed in me and I would want people to know/take away that Local Dynamics is a brand invested in representing, shinning light on and making Memphis a positive experience for all who a ready to explore it.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

In the past 2 years since December of 2021, I have several moments where I had to pivot in business, career and life. Being transparent life’s pivots have also been a reason for my lack of motivation in my business and believing this is something I can do. I said December 2021 specifically, because my personal life a s a mother was hit hard with my daughter’s health, this began effecting my marriage, my work environment was shifting and as of January 2024, there are still pivots in these areas that I had to adapt to and make hard decisions on what had to take priority over my wanting to grow my business.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In the summer of 2023 I made a decision during several pivots in my life to rebuild and rebrand Local Dynamics from the ground up. I am still accepting clients, but Local Dynamics is under maintenance and I am doing so with my own financial backing. I have solicited a business coach and business constituent this go around and building on Faith alone. In the 5 years of it’s existence, Local Dynamics has been hit with Pandemic, self-doubt, and personal struggles I have had to overcome to get this off the ground and I am so blessed to be considered amongst other small businesses.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Localdynamics_
• Facebook: Local Dynamics