We were lucky to catch up with Maranda Evans recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Maranda, thanks for joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
One of the most challenging risks I’ve taken in my life was writing my first book, Troubled. This book detailed every intimate detail of my life as an abused and depressed teenager. To release those experiences to the world required courage. There was some backlash, but it turned out that most people supported me as an author and my book. That very risk helped me build and create my company, Victorian Publishing LLC.
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.
As a multifaceted entrepreneur with multiple businesses, I’ll answer this question based on each business.
As for my nonprofit, The Troubled Movement, it was rooted and birthed from my first book. I knew that I needed to help the teens of today’s world become more than I was as a teenager. I didn’t have anyone to talk to or lean on. I promised myself that “Troubled” would be “A Movement”, hence the creation of The Troubled Movement. We mentor teen boys and girls, provide scholarships and host education events, and assist abuse victims through our #PurpleForRandy initiative that I began in honor of my late father, who lost his life to domestic violence on March 14, 2004.
I have accomplished many things since the age of 22, and as I look back on the past 8 years I have no one to thank but God. He had a purpose for my life and I’m determined to follow His path.
How’d you meet your business partner?
My Vice President, PR Specialist, and partner is Christian Simmons. We met at Sam Houston State University in 2012 when I was an undergraduate student. I was pledging a fraternity and she was assigned to be “my big” (also known as an accountability partner who was already in the fraternity). From day one, she protected me, was my voice of reason, and did everything in her power to help me succeed. Though I didn’t make it through the pledge process, we remained friends. Here we are 11 years later and she is everything I prayed for. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her wisdom, guidance, and assistance. When I need a break, she picks up the slack. I trust her with my nonprofit and businesses.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
It is said that 90% of all nonprofits fail within the first year due to funding. When I first began The Troubled Movement, we had $500 or as I also state in a chapter title of my upcoming book, “Big Dreams, Small Pockets”. I didn’t want to give up, even knowing our funds wouldn’t get us far. I decided to go into debt in order to begin a movement I knew would one day be one of the biggest in Houston. I could’ve easily given up and been a part of that 90%, but my ambition and resilience wouldn’t let me quit. Here we are 7 years later standing stronger than ever and growing throughout not only the city but the country.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.marandaevans.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elementsofme
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marandamotivates
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elementsofme/
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/_elementsofme
- Other: https://www.thetroubledmovement.org https://www.victorianpublishing.com
Image Credits
Clearshutter Photogrpahy