We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Wilonda Previlon. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Wilonda below.
Wilonda, appreciate you joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.
When I first started social media back in 2012, I think one thing I did that really set me apart was love on myself unapologetically. Being a darkskin woman, there were so many unhealthy habits we did both consciously and subconsciously. Too scared to wear bright colors, using filters that made up look shades lighter, bleaching our skin (cultural), feeling lesser than, and how dare us have an ounce of confidence.
So I think young dark-skinned woman were drawn to the confidence I oozed via my social media platforms.
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
Hi, my name is Wilonda Previlon, 28 years old, born in Gonaive, Haiti 🇭🇹.
Although I am a full-time content creator, I like to wear the hat of an entrepreneur more. I love to dip into different genres besides just social media. I started off of YouTube back in 2012 and gradually made my way over to Instagram providing content on fashion, beauty, and natural hair. Now my content is just overall lifestyle, so anything I’m into at the moment is what I share with my audience. I got into YouTube while I was in college just providing tips and hacks to look fly on a budget as a broke college student. It was really just a hobby and nothing I purposely intended to flourish into a career. Throughout my social media career I’ve worked with brands such as NFL, Open Door, and Sephora just to name a few, opened a curated online female fashion boutique and released my CHOCOLATE. merch which empowers others to love and appreciate their dark-skinned tone.
What I am most proud of is being able to stay true to who I am and not allow socials/number counts/trends to try to redefine me. I am also super proud of taking this industry and make it work for me instead of me working for it. I believe when content creators can truly see the importance of that, is when their job becomes way more fulfilling.
I loved Atlanta for the opportunities it brought to my life and career while I was there for the past 3 years, but like I mentioned earlier, I am more of an entrepreneur, so I love to invest into other things, which has now brought me out to Dubai, UAE as of January 2022.
What I want the readers to know (doesn’t matter if you are a business owner or have a 9-5) is to always strive to define YOUR happiness and stop listening to what others think you be doing.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
A lesson I had to unlearn is to “view money as a source”. Growing up at first low income, then ended up middle class income family, money was tight, but we were surviving. As I started to make my own money and invest in myself through businesses, I realized money is not and will never be the source. It’s merely a resource; a tool to get you in a better position in life. Hoarding money does not help at all. Money has to flow in and out. Once I realized it was a resource, I used it as such and is constantly thinking of new ways to invest it so it can multiply and work for me; not me work for it.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Most definitely. I believe, just like failure, it is pivotal to have times in your life, business, or career where you will have to pivot. Pivoting does not mean you’ve failed, nor isn’t good enough. It means you learned something new and is adjusting your life to accept that new gained knowledge. You can pivot from something bad, or into something good.
I had to pivot in my life many times. In college, I initially wanted to be a Dentist. I honestly just couldn’t make the grades. It’s a very competitive field and I’m just an OKAY student. Not the top of my class, but not failing either. So I pivot to Dental Hygiene. Same thing. Lol. So I pivot to Dental Assistant, which I worked as for 2 years before quiting and becoming an entrepreneur full-time. Those initial pivots made me realize it’s actually OKAY to pivot. It’s, like I mentioned, means you’ve learned something new and is adjusting your life to accept new opportunities.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wilondaprevilon.com
- Instagram: Imported_chocolate
- Youtube: Wilondaimported / Or Just Type My Name (Wilonda Previlon)
- Other: Pinterest: Wilonda Previlon