We recently connected with Marques Cook and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Marques, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I came up with the concept riding around the city of Memphis. I just seen all the thing Memphis had to offer and decide to create a page that showcased Memphisculture, entertainment options, and restaurant options throughout the city.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am Marques Cook, creator of Unapologetically Memphis, a blog about all things Memphis related. I began the blog just wanting to showcase some of the things that were looked over in our city. Many of the small businesses and events didn’t receive a lot of attention so we shedded light on some of these restaurants and events.

One thing I am proud of about the brand is how people embrace our culture which is often misunderstood by people outside of the city. It gave people the opportunity to understand the way we talk, dance, and live in the city we love.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I started the business accidentally. I started out just posting about the places and things in the city. From there it just evolved into a business. It is entirely fund by me and my 9-5 job. Starting out I would just buy a few shirts with my logo on it. I started going to events with it on and people would ask how to get a shirt. From there the brand began to turn into something people liked.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Starting the brand around the time of the pandemic showed me a lot about not giving up in one of the toughest uncertain times in American history. It taught me that being consistent was the best way to make yourself stand out from everyone around you.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.UNAPOLOGETICALLYmemphis.com
• Instagram: @unapologeticallymemphis
• Facebook: Unapologetically Memphis
• Twitter: @noapologies901
• Youtube: Unapologetically Memphis

Image Credits
Marques Cook