We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Deanna Butler Gayle a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Deanna , thanks for joining us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

Creating a name for your business can be one the toughest things because your name defines who you are, your brand and equally important, it needs to be unique. For the last six years, I have been on a mission to help people diagnosed with MS and their families through a monthly support group, raising awareness with live community events and sharing my personal story after being diagnosed as a college athlete. This year my organization, ‘The Stay Low Initiative’ officially became a non-profit organization. “Stay low” simply represents a term used in sports meaning to stay in a low position ready to easily pivot on the playing field, and boy, does life cause us to constantly pivot and adapt. As we overcome challenges, we must remember to express gratitude in every season and display sincere compassion for others.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

The younger version of me growing up in the country parts of SC, heavily involved in church, sports and music could not fathom an MS diagnosis at the age of 19. Anything that I thought I would become seemed to slowly fade behind what MS would choose. It took some adjusting and conversations with God to forge my new path and truly rediscover myself. Through all the obstacles, I am still that little girl who loves church, sports, and music, but now I share my story differently as I inspire and support others who have faced what I have. It took over ten years to be comfortable enough to share my diagnosis. I have experienced complications and have had to be hospitalized, but it has mostly been a private battle that only close family and friends are aware of. “You do not look sick” is something many people with a chronic disease may hear and that is a struggle within itself because you are compared to others who have a more complicated disability. My goal is to even the playing field for those who need a little extra support to overcome day to day. My journey is my brand, and it affords me the opportunity to be of service to others. The Stay Low Initiative is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing unwavering support to individuals and families affected by life-altering diseases. Although the origins lie in helping specifically for individuals with multiple sclerosis, the mission has evolved to encompass anyone impacted by any life-altering disease or condition. Recognizing that the hurdles faced when living with a chronic illness or disability can be daunting; therefore, my organization is committed to delivering a wide range of comprehensive support, educational opportunities, and valuable resources to empower individuals and families as they navigate these complex challenges. With eleven services and programs, participants will gain access to resources that will improve their quality of life.

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

Resilience is a key foundation in being a business owner. As things will change, being able to withstand or recover quickly is the difference in survival or quitting. We all experienced the impact and uncertainty of the pandemic. So many people were unable to keep their businesses and others seem to flourish astronomically. There were parts of my business that suffered as we were planning another big community event that would raise funds and bring awareness to life-altering diseases while providing light-hearted entertainment. During that time, many support groups discontinued, and we lost access to our regular meeting place, but we decided to maintain our meetings via zoom. Since we were no longer confined to one area, our group grew, and we can now visit different parts of the region.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I have been so fortunate to be introduced to the author, Florence Scovel Shinn. Her publication, “The Game of Life and How to Play It” written in 1925 has the most simplistic approach to managing our thoughts and our words. We are all very conditioned by our upbringing of the voices that raised us and what we believe about ourselves. This book opened my eyes to how words create or destroy what we have. One of the biggest lessons I have learned is that our sub-conscience does not have a sense of humor, so whatever you are telling it will come to past. Great things have happened to me and my business as I have learned to be accountable for every word and every thought!

Contact Info:

• Website: staylowcampaign.com