We were lucky to catch up with Myra Brown-Williams recently and have shared our conversation below.
Myra, appreciate you joining us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
For years I had served as an executive in the non-profit industry. I realized that I was assisting organizations in sustaining themselves through innovative ideas, strategies, and funding (through grant writing). My life to a terrible turn and my mother became ill. I decided that it was imperative that whatever time God afforded her I wanted to do my part as her daughter. She shared with me on a plethora of occasions that I should have been working for myself, yet I doubted myself. This situation propelled me into my future and I begin to bet on myself, skills, and ability.
I started small and maintained employment, while spending countless nights on the computer building my own strategy. I believe if I was going to be a business strategist then I need a successful business. I spent several months designing my online grant writing course and “Grant Wins” was created.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Grant writing is an art, and just as with other art forms, practice makes perfect. I’ve been writing successful grant proposals for over 15 years, during which time I’ve accumulated a large base of knowledge, both from local to federal grant applications. I’ve also served as a non-profit executive director, where I experienced first-hand the powerful and transformative nature of high-level grant writing. I started this because I saw that so often many are struggling to break into grant writing simply because they weren’t aware of the specific nuances it entailed. Grant writing is very much a skill that can be learned, and Grant Wins is designed to be a comprehensive resource to help anyone achieve their grant writing goals.
Additionally, our agency provides business strategy sessions, board development, and leadership trainings that are customizable for your organization.
Myra Brown is the principal writer for Grant Wins and has obtained her undergraduate degree from Florida Atlantic University and her graduate degree in Non-Profit Management from Webster University. Myra has served as an Executive Director, Divisional Director and a Development Director. She is goal-driven and a dedicated management professional, with a strong background in strategic planning, staff management, program development and relationship management. Additionally, Myra is results-oriented and dependable with strong familiarity and understanding of various community resources, and able to develop strategic partnerships to support programs among various channels and sectors.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I lesson I had to unlearn is that working without resting is correct. However, it is balance that has helped me excel in my business. We have learned that you should work all day and all night, however I want to share that there are seasons of that in your business. You must learn that you can sustain operating that way. You will burn out and begin to give poor customer service. I have learned the art of working during my business hours and then having time for mental and physical rest.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
My biggest pivot was not having my online grant writing course not reaching the success I had envisioned for the agency. So, I changed the pricing and the length of the course. I realized that with grant writing I needed to be a little more hands on with my clients even though it was an online course, I needed to create a community for them to speak with me virtually and ask questions. This increased sales and created more opportunity for my business.
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