We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Piggie Andrews. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Piggie below.

Piggie, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Our mission statement is: To bring back the value of home economics in the community by involving and introducing metropolitan area youth to positive activities, events and cultural awareness. To provide an innovative outlet to the future leaders of our community and inspire them to be substantial leaders of our nation. To coach, train, redirect and guide the youth into making a dream become plan, a plan become an effort, and an effort to become the movement that makes a difference.

Growing up we had so many different activities in the community that kept us involved and out of trouble. Now a days activities don’t exist and opportunities for growth and development are not in the Metropolitan areas.

We host different community events such as pageants, easter egg hunts, picnics, toy give-away, summer jams and back to school drive. (To bring back the value of home economics in the community by involving and introducing metropolitan area youth to positive activities, events and cultural awareness.)

We offer hands-on training and development in different career fields to help encourage the youth on their career choices. (To provide an innovative outlet to the future leaders of our community and inspire them to be substantial leaders of our nation.)

We offer mentoring services to youth which includes both a mentor and a youth liaison. (To coach, train, redirect and guide the youth into making a dream become plan, a plan become an effort, and an effort to become the movement that makes a difference.)

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

I am a muti-entrepreneur. My companies include: Gifts 2 You (a nonprofit for the youth)
Majic’s Kloset (A boy clothing line named after my son)
Coached by Piggie (my business coaching business)
Miss Piggie Cafe (Soon to open coffee and tea shop)

Although my companies are not all in the same industry, each one of them solve a problem for the general public.
Gifts 2 you- create positive activities for the youth
Majic’s kloset- brings quality accessories for young men
Coached by Piggie- helps others to become entrepreneurs including children.
Miss Piggie Cafe- brings families together for the sake of enjoying each other and activities.

The thing that I am most proud of is the fact that I didn’t give up. There were obstacles, there were haters, I even had people close to me banking on my downfall, but yet and still I flourished.

Gifts 2 You is very dear to my heart, as well as my other companies, but this one is one that I have birthed from personal experience. I have watched the communities changed right before my eyes. I have seen so many children lose their lives to nonsense. I remember being 13 and losing my cousin Andre Dunn aka Buttercookie. We had just graduated from Bunche Middle School when he was killed defending someone, he thought was a friend. So, one of the things I have always visualized is implementing programs that reinforced positive alignment in the communities. The name Gifts 2 You come from the Gifts that are inside of us giving to us by higher powers that we have to bring out, hence the name “Gifts 2 You.” Gifts 2 You give children the opportunity to participate in things that they have never had the opportunity to do because they were never introduced to it. For example, in 2019 we held our first youth pageant. We had 16 girls and each and every one of them was first time contestants. These opportunities are not often presented to families of low-income families. So Gifts to You Give hope and opportunity to everyone from any walk of life.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn that your friend will always support you.

My expectation has always been that regardless of what I was doing, friends and family would support. Whether it was participating or sharing a post, I just wanted to feel like the people I would do anything for would do the same for me, but that’s definitely not the case. I had friends who wouldn’t even share a flyer for an event, or better yet would rsvp for an event and I include their kids and they don’t even show up. But those strangers would be front and center and those are the ones that I had to put in that business circle.

Any advice for managing a team?

Always remember you started from the same place they are in. Respect goes a long way and being open to constructive criticism will allow you to have a relationship with your team that no one can break. You are the image that you want to be mirrored, so you have to keep that reflection aligned with what you want to see.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.g2yinc.org
• Instagram: gifts2youinc
• Facebook: Gifts2youinc