Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to D’Voya Wilks. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
D’Voya, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s talk about innovation. What’s the most innovative thing you’ve done in your career?
I’d say the most innovative thing I’ve done in my career is monetize my skillset and my image, individually and jointly. That in itself isn’t revolutionary or anything but our society has the population wired to pick one career or one lane and stay there, particularly in corporate America. That’s a box designed to support a structure that stifles personal growth and expression so I’ve never allowed myself to be comfortable conforming to that standard. Operating in the mindset that all of us are capable of being a variety of things has been an interesting journey so far personally and definitely rewarding in many ways.
That said, the marketing world grabbed me early on. My very first job was as a telemarketer ten years ago. My hunger to conquer and learn more now has me rooted in the digital marketing arena. I recently joined the FIRESIDE Group as a partner and our companies specialize in Facebook ads, Google ads, TikTok ads, social media management, content creation, and podcast production. Never a dull day, trust me! It’s such a fun industry and being in a position to work with platform specialists, content creators, and other fantastic minds to support clients with growing their brands through their digital marketing efforts is rewarding. Simply being able to deliver on the promise of expert strategic guidance makes me happy but other great perks of this space is meeting so many great people, the ability to travel so often, learning from the experience and expertise of those on the team, learning about our client’s businesses, and free merchandise from my happy clients.
Speaking of free merchandise, that’s a smooth transition into my alter ego haha…the modeling side. I actually stumbled into modeling on Instagram after a breakup a few years ago. A few thirst traps (yes, I admit it) led to a quickly growing following which led to small brands looking to leverage this to funnel new potential customers their way. Being a businessman to the core, the concept of mutually beneficial situations is deeply rooted both in my professional approach and my personal life/relationships. I always look for ways to add value to those around me and this approach sends many blessing and dope opportunities back my way. So, I constantly make deals with various brands to promote their merchandise and it’s a fun way to unleash my creative side, my sensual/sexual side…whatever I’m in the mood for. and this extends to invitations for modeling events, fashion shows, networking events, and other communities so it’s a whole world I’m grateful to be apart of.
The innovative component comes in how my modeling presence actually complements my marketing career as social media is obviously a key driver in the marketing space for almost every business these days, whether it’s fashion, tech, fitness, legal, consumer goods…all of it.
The key is simply balancing the crazy life. I actively ensure I don’t commit to more than I can effectively manage and make certain that what I do commit to receives the attention and execution it deserves. Also, making sure that I actually enjoy the fruits of my work…being present, enjoying time with the important people in my life, and tapping into whatever plans God has for me next.
D’Voya, 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?
We’ve already hit on how I broke into the industry and me recently joining the FIRESIDE Group team so that’s that. The problems we solve for our clients center around their digital marketing strategy and brand presence. This allows us to truly be a strategic partner for our clients as we help them grow and scale their business by generating new customers for their products/services. The more successful we are, the more successful our client is and this secures the happiness and longevity of the relationship. I couldn’t be more proud to be a key member in providing these services to the public.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
The best advice I can give on managing a team is advice given to me years ago….be a leader, not a boss. There’s a different mentality in striving to be a leader. Leaders hold themselves accountable for what happens or doesn’t happen among those their responsible for overseeing. Leaders hop into the fire with the team to solve problems, strategize, game plan, and whatever else is necessary to get the job done. This allows me to build that relationship with each individual, accomplish what needs to be accomplished with them, and take advantage of opportunities to share my knowledge and expertise with them so that their skillsets continue to evolve. This way of operating allows me to quickly become a backbone of the team where they know they can rely on me.
Bosses are known to simply delegate and hold people accountable. While this can be effective, it doesn’t generate a welcoming and collaborative work environment nor does it actively engage the team to identify learning opportunities and ultimately invest in their longevity with the team. So my advice….be a leader, not a boss.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
Two fantastic books I’ve read the last few months are Whale Done by Ken Blanchard and Mindfulness Without the Bells and Beads by Clif Smith. Highly recommend both!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @_dvoya_
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/dvoyawilks