We were lucky to catch up with Whitney Stovall recently and have shared our conversation below.

Whitney, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you take vacations? Why or why not?

As an entrepreneur, I believe vacations and time apart from the world’s noise are essential. It can be more difficult when you’re working for yourself; harder to find the time to get away and not feel guilty that you aren’t closing deals and projects. But vacations aren’t only vital self-care. Travel is an excellent way to get your creative juices going.

Do you have writer’s block? Hike a waterfall in Costa Rica. Are you feeling distracted? Find solitude in a cabin in backwoods, Tennesse. The world is beautiful, and the more you see and experience, the more you diversify your perspective and creative eye.

Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of money. We were fortunate enough to have clothes and never had to worry about our basic needs, but we had to skimp on many of the luxuries in life, including vacations. I spent my spring breaks watching music videos on the couch or trips to my local library.

But going to college with students from all over the world opened a new door of exploration for me. I got the urge to see the places my classmates described as home and started traveling. I believe seeing new places and things have opened my mind and shaped the person I am today.

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?

For me, it starts with storytelling and service; both have been at the root of my career since the beginning. In my early years, I dedicated much of my time in college to mentoring youth groups and interning at local nonprofits in Washington, DC.

After completing my undergraduate degree at Howard University, I found my purpose in the social sector. I enrolled in the master of public administration and nonprofit program at Georgia State University and started working in Atlanta’s nonprofit space.

For the next seven years, I managed community programming and grants for projects throughout the U.S., Africa, and the Caribbean. Much of what I did was share the stories of underserved persons to encourage community investment in programmatic solutions. In 2014, I incorporated Hello, My Name is KING, Inc., a nonprofit to support Black boys and men in education and self-awareness. I also spent time volunteering abroad to aid literacy and empower youth.

Eventually, my work started to grab the attention of close friends and family, and soon I was writing grants and creating business and marketing plans to help them bring their vision to life. By 2018, I was working with organizational leaders and small business owners as well. It was becoming clear that I had what it took to grow my side hustle into a profitable business. I decided to leave my job and founded Whitney D. Stovall Enterprises (WDS), a Writing and Development consulting business.

For over six years, WDS has grown into a trusted brand that helps B2B/B2C corporations, educational institutions, and mission-driven organizations reach their goals. I research client ideas, write copy, and develop plans that engage audiences and drive them to take action.

The internet is swarming with writers and consultants, but my clients want content that simplifies complex topics and inclusive messaging and tone for diverse customers. It’s been a dream come true to run a business that’s positively impacting a community of people who look like me and to help other brands do the same.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

I attribute much of my success to hard work and skill, as a believer in divine timing, it felt like the pieces fell into place because it was supposed to be that way.

At first, I honestly didn’t realize I was starting a business. I only helped people I knew and provided my services for free or charged a minimal fee. I was happy that people trusted me with their mission and vision, and I wanted to do my part to help them. Two years passed, and I started receiving unsolicited referrals and more client projects. At the same time, my job pushed back against my requests to work remotely and nurtured a toxic work environment. It was time for a change.

I set off on my own. But it wasn’t a smooth ride. I spent the next two years pouring hours into growing my business. I launched the WDS brand and blasted my network, informing them of my new venture and services.

I took my pile of business cards and turned them into an email list, created a website to showcase my work, and got friendly on LinkedIn.

It wasn’t easy in the beginning to secure clients. Initially, I blamed it on my portfolio and the lack of support when the truth was that I had a severe case of imposter syndrome and was scared to price my services according to the value I provided clients. Instead, I feared clients would think my prices were too high and go elsewhere.

Then COVID-19 happened, and everyone transitioned online. As the digital world boomed, I got active on LinkedIn and contacted agencies in search of new writers. My confidence reached a new level with more projects and positive client feedback. I raised my prices and targeted clients whose budgets could support the costs. This move also allowed me to improve my service quality and focus on fewer clients instead of spreading myself thin across dozens of projects.

Today, I have been able to niche down and design a suite of services and processes around my primary offerings while remaining flexible and willing to make improvements as needed.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

“The Freelance Content Marketing Writer,” a book by Jennifer Goforth Georgory, helped me to think of my writing as more than a hobby and see it as a business. The book provides valuable insight into how and where to look for clients, pitch services, and various ways to structure your writing business.

The Side Hustle Pro podcast, with Nicaila Matthews Okome, is also a preferred resource. Her podcast doesn’t solely focus on one business type but gives aspiring and emerging business owners tips and advice to take your side hustle to a profitable company. She interviews entrepreneurs from all backgrounds, but I favor her episodic entrepreneurial updates. She shares what it took to grow a podcast business, both the good and bad. Ultimately, I find Nicalia’s transparency refreshing.

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Image Credits
Derek Wilson https://www.instagram.com/aymrwilson/