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

Alright, Malaysia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

It was 2020 well into the pandemic. I was not working and in the middle of cosmetology school. The only thing I had under my belt was a teaching degree. I had watched so many YouTube videos about ways to make money at home during this unfortunate time, but I did not know what method I resonated with most. I was approached by someone in the beauty industry to work on their Instagram. They had come across my personal Instagram page (@DrowninChocolate) and loved it. Soon after I began taking on administrative tasks such as creating and editing documents, creating courses, and so on. I was qualified to do so because of my teaching degree I had neglected. Studying to become a social studies teacher taught me skills such as researching, paying attention to detail, writing a lot of papers, and how to build arguments as well as persuade others. Soon after I began working for others in the beauty industry and across diverse industries. It was a time when everyone was starting or looking to scale their business, I began to refer to myself as a Copywriter and Brand Coordinator.

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

I am a Copywriter and Brand Coordinator. I am the person business owners lean on when they are getting started or restrategizing. My experience in education provided me the skills to think critically, formulate resolutions, and create opportunities. I am most proud of my ability to continiously push forward. I also have the experience of being a business owner selling wigs online. I did well until I just stopped. It was extremely overwhelming. I am now the person I needed then. I believe everything happens for a reason. With the experience I have, I do plan to rebuild and stay relevant in the beauty industry in a new way now.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn is that opportunities are limited. I became discouraged and afraid to put myself out there after making a career pivot. I felt embarrassed for stopping and restarting. I read about the infinite careers people have and something I enjoy most is their journey. No one starts and end in the same place. We create the reality we live in so while I’m here, I choose to live life in the reality I choose. I can live with failing and gaining a learning experience out of it. I can’t live with wondering “What if?” years down the road. That thought does not sit well with me at all.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

I started as a Copywriter and Brand Coordinator during the pandemic. It was a side hustle that had helped financially for the time being. Over time I built my clientele and began to take my skills more seriously. The pandemic fostered so many businesses that I saw opportunity to pivot forward in the industry. Starting in 2020, I am just now making a virtual presence by getting a website, branding, and advertising online whereas my services initially spread through word of mouth. Outsourcing and increasing my relationship across business owners is an opportunity to seize in order to continue to grow.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://malaysiabrooks.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malaysiaandco/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malaysia-brooks-68b174163/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgIlJyyjpwbJwvj4qzYf4Yw