We recently connected with George Davis and have shared our conversation below.
George, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear your thoughts about family businesses.
One rule of industry that you always hear is, “Never do business with family.” “You can’t work with family.” I’d like to think that that me and Ja’Gared Davis (3X CFL Allstar and 2x Grey Cup Champion) have changed that narrative. We’ve been partners for over 5 years and somehow we’ve made it work. I think for one we’ve managed a balance. Yin/Yang type vibe. One big thing is communication. The second is trust. I seldom make any decisions without conferring with him. We’re similar like that. Sometimes there are those one offs where one or the other isn’t available, but that trust is there that a solid decision is made. Like I said yin and yang. You have to understand how each other’s minds work. And always know the overall goal of your business model and plan. There’s always risk, but over the years we’ve been able to maintain stability in sound decisions. We’re both big on family so generational wealth and creating jobs is a key focus. I started early with my kids in teaching them how to run and learn business structure, payroll, best practices, and any other aspects. They know you have to be teachable and have a willingness to learn. I want them to be part of the legacy I create as well as have their own. I’ve learned from others over the years of what to do and not to do.
George, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I think my industry now would be entrepreneur or influencer. I’ve been able to make some great moves over the years and I guess that kind of gives me a few different titles to go with them. I got my start by being motivated. Not settling or being content. Not accepting end all be all. I needed positive distractions and what better way than starting businesses. I’ve always been a thinker. I really just started putting my thoughts into fruition. I’ve always held some type of leadership or management role which made it easy to apply discipline and delegation to everything I did. That’s definitely a factor in ownership. Accountability, focus, maintaining consistency, and always have a mindset of what tasks you complete in-house versus outsourcing. Start-up costs can be a big factor in a new business. So always look for cost-effective ways to save that money for other things that can occur later on. There are a few points of industry that I’ve been involved in. Mentorship, investing, coaching, advisory, management, graphic design, entertainment, fashion, and media. Davis Global has always been the think tank to allow and open numerous opportunities. There would be no Champ 56, Ink As Usual, Ja’Gared Davis Foundation, LA Beasta or any of our endeavors without it. The first business is the test. Anything after that is successful because it was the testing phase. Because of this I’ve been able to build a tried and trusted network and successful track record for clients and investors alike. That I’m very proud of. The work speaks for itself. We’ve accomplished some great things because of it. Ja’Gared became one of the first athletes in the CFL with his own shoe campaign. It was released to great success and is still one of the top performing brands in that market today. It’s been nothing short of amazing.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
One thing about growing customers, clients, people of industry or anyone is one key word. NETWORK. Meet new people. Learn the type of people you need to know in your network. My work phone has over 2000 contacts. I update it yearly but I’m not afraid to interact with new people. It’s not really a secret. It’s a format that has to be part of your blueprint. Be sociable or have someone in your organization that is. Interaction and positive presentation go a long way. Your name needs to ring in the right places to create the best outcome. Social media allows you to touch places you may never visit. It gives you expansion opportunity.
Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?
Monthly sometimes weekly check ins. Always follow-up before things get critical or needed. It really shows people that they are more than just a dollar figure. More than a number. Send gifts. Usually when we invest or start a new product we send it out to our network. Ja’Gared has a new dessert topper called East Texas Dirt. Comes in two flavors Strawberry Vanilla and Chocolate Blaspberry (blueberry raspberry). Before we do the major launch in December we’ve sent out roughly 200 samples with former and current clients which helps because it can give us return business as well as feedback on this new venture. Sometimes a text, email, or phone call doesn’t show as much as a gift or advice. Do what works best with your personality.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://hype.co/@dbg
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/dbg.936?igshid=MzNlNGNkZWQ4Mg==
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-davis-87056645
- Twitter: https://x.com/DBG936?t=sVr_6P5FGWfiKXpRpVZY9w&s=09
- Other: https://hype.co/card?via=george https://joinwisdom.audio/dbg936