Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dawson Davidson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Dawson, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
I can truly say I have been truly self-taught to become a taste-maker. I have grown up in the era of social media and the internet, thus I have had so many resources at my fingertips. It takes a lot of trial and error with whatever you are trying to do yourself, and trust me I have had my fair share. I do have some major inspiration in my life and career like Martha Stewart & P. Allen Smith as they are large role models for me and work in the area I would like to be in as well. My most valuable skill I hold is my ability to communicate. Communication skills are the most important skill anyone can hold, in my opinion, because they give anyone the ability to sell themselves on their own accord. If you can speak well for yourself and business, truly you can work anything in your favor. Some major obstacles for me are being so young in a primarily older dominated field. Truly there are no 22 year old southern guys who want to create amazing tablescapes; society is most used to seeing a sweet older lady taking on that task. As I also love that aesthetic, I work towards being a mold breaking pioneer for men who want to create a career in this field as well.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am a young Southern Television Personality and Lifestyle Guru from Cookeville, TN. My background is in Agriculture Advocacy, with a main focus on Exhibition Poultry. I had a very successful career in the Poultry industry for many years, and that was the launching pad for my future endeavors into television and taste-making. I work frequently as a television show host / public speaker for both my event design business and agriculture advocacy. I currently run an upscale event design business, creating beautiful table spreads and floralscapes for many high end clients and businesses in Middle Tennessee. I am working towards having my own series on either television or a streaming platform based on my career in agriculture and event design. What makes me special is that I am a man in a primarily feamale dominated industry, that has a completely different background than any other lifestyle guru; agriculture. My degree is in Agribusiness Management, and I pride myself on not only creating elegant occasions, but knowing how to produce the items we use and teach others about those skills. I am most proud of my work in Tennessee Agriculture, as I am a highly awarded young person in the field, both in the poultry industry and many other areas; even having Tennessee Resolution Bills created in my name for my work in agriculture. I am 22 years old, but that has never stopped my determination for educating others on the importance of agriculture advocacy, all while doing it excellently dressed and surrounded by a gorgeous creative space
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
The primary goal driving everything I pursue is advocacy. While my ‘brand’ is built on beautiful things, I work towards showcasing both sides of the story. If I create a spralling tablescape with gorgeous peonies in arrangements, I also want my clients and viewers to know how those flowers were grown, and what kind of grit it took to make something so delicate. I advocate for agriculture in everything I do, as it sometimes is difficult for some people to grasp how my many areas of practice are connected; although, I strive to build that bridge that intermingles the world of elegance and labor in an educational and entertaining way.
How did you build your audience on social media?
As a young person just freshly leaving college, Social Media is a huge part of my life and career. I live and work in an area of expertise that is founded on making things aesthetic and glamorous. But for those that might not know, creating a following on social media is not easy whatsoever. It actually is very difficult, even for someone who only knows the world to have these platforms. Primarily, I built my audience and followers through my in-person achievements and activities in Tennessee. I would just document anything I was doing. Every chicken show, charcuterie class or television segment I hosted, I had it photographed and documented, as I still do. This was not always professionally shot and curated, but people yearn for originality in the areas of social media, as there are so many people who do the same thing. The quickest way to grow your following on social media is to be 100% yourself and showcase that. After I began following these rules, many more people began to look at my platforms and bodies of work, excited to see more and even pursue hiring me for their next occasion.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.definitelydawson.com
- Instagram: definitelydawson
- Linkedin: Dawson Davidson
Image Credits
Pictures by Sammy Baye Parrish