We were lucky to catch up with Morgan Banks recently and have shared our conversation below.
Morgan , appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
At Capri Couture Marketing, our mission is deeply rooted in my journey and my unwavering commitment to partnering with businesses I believe in. My purpose is clear: I strive to apply my strategic expertise to businesses on the brink of breakthroughs, particularly those led by passionate entrepreneurs who need the right guidance and effort to propel their vision forward.
This mission was conceived when I was just 15 years old, during my time as the official “promotion runner” for Cuban Revolution, a restaurant in Baltimore, Maryland. In this role, I displayed a natural talent for devising innovative marketing strategies that would later form the bedrock of Capri Couture Marketing.
In 2015, I initiated a blog named Capri Couture Creations with the intent of helping individuals develop a deeper relationship with Christ. My desire to create a brand consistent with my overarching mission of spreading the gospel led to unexpected opportunities. Business owners, drawn to my compelling, attractive, and strategic work, began seeking my assistance. Even though I was already engaged in a steady flow of freelance creative work, life threw me a curveball with the surprise birth of my son Omari and the loss of my father.
These events left me feeling like I was struggling to make progress, causing me to question whether there were any compelling stories left for me to tell. However, as I processed these life changes, I recognized a significant gap in the marketing world – the lack of representation for young Black voices. Determined to be a part of making people of color more visible in the marketplace, I relocated to Houston, Texas, in late 2021 to establish my business and take on a leadership role at my church.
This new chapter in my life presented fresh challenges, as I ventured into working with larger companies such as Krab Kingz, Good Eatz, and Real Estate Professionals. While I had a solid foundation in marketing from my church and freelance work, handling such large companies was uncharted territory. Nevertheless, my determination to help them grow their brands was unwavering. Thus, I conceived Capri Couture Marketing, an agency dedicated to providing services for other Black-owned businesses in need of marketing strategies and support.
In essence, my company’s mission is a testament to my journey of personal growth, my commitment to spreading the gospel, and my desire to empower Black-owned businesses by making them more visible and successful in the marketplace. At Capri Couture Marketing, we are not just a marketing agency; we are a vehicle for positive change and empowerment in the business world.
Morgan , 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?
Capri Couture Marketing is a marketing agency that specializes in assisting small businesses, franchises, and corporations in effectively reaching their target markets, all while keeping budgets in mind. Our approach centers around creating clear and comprehensible marketing plans tailored to each client’s unique needs.
At our agency, we have a strong emphasis on crafting marketing strategies that revolve around the stories businesses wish to convey. Our motto, “Marketing what matters with brands we believe in,” underscores our commitment to sharing compelling narratives through products and services. Beyond strategic marketing plans, we excel at developing engaging storyboards that enable our clients to communicate their company’s narrative to consumers effectively.
We offer a comprehensive range of products and services to meet the diverse needs of our clients. These include Social Media Scheduling, Paid and Non-Paid Influencer Marketing, Traditional Media Marketing Materials, Photography, Content Creation, Videography, Email Marketing, Copywriting, Website Development, Event Management, Reputation Management, and Maintenance. Additionally, we provide digital downloads and merchandise to enhance our clients’ branding efforts.
As an entrepreneur, my primary objective is to provide our clients with turnkey solutions that drive leads and sales. Witnessing the growth and success of the businesses we partner with, seeing them bring their visions to life, and achieving significant milestones has been the most rewarding aspect of this journey. I focus on raising awareness, generating leads, and crafting effective strategies, often working behind the scenes as a coach to empower our clients.
In 2022, we welcomed Talia Ward as our Co-Founder. She has been a dear friend for a long time, and her dedication to creating remarkable outcomes for our clients aligns perfectly with our mission. Talia’s presence has been invaluable in helping us navigate challenging moments and maintaining our commitment to creativity even during slower business periods. We are incredibly proud to have her as an integral part of our team.
The core essence of who I am as a professional revolves around reliability and skill. I possess the mindset of a builder and am driven to collaborate with visionaries to help bring their ideas to fruition. This ethos is at the heart of Capri Couture Marketing’s mission, as we aim to provide the same level of dedication and expertise in our work alongside our clients’ visions.
How’d you meet your business partner?
I had the pleasure of meeting our Co-Founder, Talia Ward, nearly 12 years ago, and our shared history runs deep. From the outset, I recognized her as a creative, inspiring, and exceptionally skilled individual. One pivotal moment brought her from Baltimore, Maryland to Houston when she spontaneously decided to lend a hand with an event I was organizing. During her time in Houston, she quickly developed an affection for the city, sparking my hope that she might choose to make it her home.
After some consideration, Talia made the decision to relocate, and since her arrival in Houston, she has been on an unstoppable journey of growth. She initially joined us on a single project, where she contributed her graphic design expertise and offered invaluable concepts and ideas for an event. I distinctly remember thinking, “I need her on my team.” However, her impact extended far beyond the project at hand.
Talia began identifying areas within our core business plan that required refinement, filling gaps in our storytelling needs, and embodying the latest trends in content creation. It became evident that bringing her on board as a co-founder was a no-brainer, given the wealth of essential principles and contributions she brought to the business.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
As a business owner, one significant lesson I’ve had to unlearn is the tendency to over-deliver while underpricing my services. When I first started as a startup, my primary goal was to secure a minimum of three clients. I was so focused on honing my skills that I neglected to consider the financial aspect that should accompany deliberate skillset growth.
I was in a continuous phase of learning, growth, and self-improvement, but I found myself consistently underpaid. My passion for marketing and strategies led me to offer my expertise almost instinctively and even discuss it freely. However, I noticed that some of my competitors were thriving simply because they delivered what was agreed upon and had a well-structured budget to support it.
At times, I felt frustrated with my business because I had numerous exciting projects on hand but limited budgets to work with. In an attempt to compensate for the budget constraints, I would often over-deliver, hoping that the quality of my work would lead to greater recognition and rewards. Unfortunately, this approach did not yield the desired responses.
Through this experience, I came to realize that over-delivering should be reserved for situations where you are being compensated appropriately for your services. It’s essential to establish a fair and reciprocal exchange with clients. While delivering services with excellence remains a priority for every client, it’s equally crucial to set boundaries and place value where it’s deserved and earned mutually.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.capricouturemarketing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capricouture/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morgancapri
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgancapribanks/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUsY1LtWHJaPUnTuYe3XFBA
- Other: www.morgancapribanks.com for professional booking of Morgan for speaking.
Image Credits
Roy Williams- The Becoming Project @tbp.images https://www.instagram.com/tbp.images/ Talia Ward