Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Marquise Willis. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Marquise, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
After separating from the military in 2012, I wanted to continue my service in uniform. I tried for the Police & Sheriff Department and was rejected from both. After being rejected, with little too no explanation, I wanted to get back into uniform. Shortly after I started working for another Security company while going to school. In 2018, I decided that I wanted to continue my uniformed service for myself. I started looking into different ideas and finally I looked back on what I was doing for the security company I worked for in the past. A year later I sat down and completed the paperwork to start Willis Security Services.
Marquise, 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?
I decided to start Willis Security Services after being rejected from two Law Enforcement agencies. By this time I’ve had over 8 years of experience. I wanted to give people a sense of security, if you will. I wanted them to enjoy their time and events without having to look over their shoulder. I started out as a private contractor for security. I was an one-man show trying to build my name from parties, clubs, lounges, and social events. I’ve been hired to do quite a few events over time, but my best time was securing a night spot or lounge. Checking people, making sure nothing illegal entered the building gave me that feeling that I had stepped into the field that I love. I was the defense line to make sure everyone inside remain safe and enjoyed themselves.
That’s also when I went from an one-man show to hiring 4 additional people. They began to run the show so I could sit back and work behind the scenes to build my brand. I never sent an officer to a place that I didn’t or wouldn’t work myself. My ultimate goals are to secure the people and make sure my team return home safely.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Social media was and is my biggest platform to market and advertise. My business was solely financed from my primary job. Once I started sharing pictures, videos, and posts of what I was doing, many people began to share with others. I post almost every job I’ve done within every category (i.e., weddings, receptions, birthday parties, clubs, etc.). I had quite a few people that supported me and shared every single post to get me to where I am today. My advice to anyone stating a business and advertising through social media is this; don’t be afraid to erase and start again. There were many times I’ve deleted posts to make sure it’s 100% golden. On the other hand, be yourself. Let your audience know what and who their getting. When I took that into consideration and stopped trying to sound like Webster’s Dictionary, my clientele grew.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
Funding a security company is NOT easy. I worked full time in retail management while attempting to do everything I needed to get this business off the ground. I had to put uniforms together, buy self defense equipment, get my name branded on my vehicle for advertisements , etc.. I had to use what I was making to take care of my household and help build my company. After purchasing items and revamping the logos and t-shirts, I finally found something that worked and I stuck with it and because of that my clientele picked up due to the professional attire I wore to events.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: willis_security_services_llc
- Facebook: Willis Security Services
Image Credits
Mr & Mrs. Reed Ms. T. Brown Katrice Willis David