We recently connected with Tia Zatonya Brightwell and have shared our conversation below.
Tia Zatonya , thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
I can honestly say that the resilience inside of me definitely comes from my faith and the faith that was demonstrated from Women in my family and community delayed through the good, bad and ugly time that life shows us. I truly believe this even for the women I do life with.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I like to say “Just Tia,” which reflects my humble beginnings and resonates with my story and T.I.A. Through It All INC., Just Be initiative motto. As an entrepreneur, I’ve faced some challenges in the workforce that just doesn’t allow me to show up as I did at sixteen years old with my first job in downtown Savannah, Georgia, where I was born and raised. Keeping the arts alive and vibrant is essential to my quality of life, and I truly believe that it’s important to share this passion with others.
In terms of what I’m focused on professionally, I’m currently working on growth and expansion—both with the nonprofit I co-founded with partner Glenada Davis who is currently the Executive Director of T.I.A., and with my telecommunications company. This venture allows me to express my love for branding, especially within the arts.
I’m particularly excited about some upcoming events, as well as product and service launches that will take place in the next week or so. One thing that the audience can definitely look forward to is our Birthday Calendar that will benefit T.I.A. Focus On HER series. This project will spotlight beautiful women of all ages. This calendar will soon be available for purchase on our nonprofit website.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back, I would say the three most important qualities that have significantly impacted my journey are empathy for others, adaptability to new conditions, and a sense of humor—believe it or not, laughter truly is medicine for the soul.
As for skills, I consider my experience in project management, my strong problem-solving abilities, and the creativity I have developed over time to be essential.
In terms of areas of knowledge, I have a deep connection to history and a genuine eagerness to learn. Additionally, my long experience as a laborer—working behind the scenes in various businesses—has equipped me with the knowledge needed to start, operate, and pivot in the businesses I currently manage.
For those who are early in their journey, my advice would be to remain consistent while also being persistent. You will encounter pitfalls, trials, and blockages along the way. While consistency is important, persistence is even more crucial. Through persistence, you can learn to pivot and prevent the walls from closing in on you and the areas you are responsible for.
Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
Over the years, I have become more transparent with the Creator of heaven and Earth, as well as with my family, community, and city. I believe I am a leader in my community and throughout my city, and one of the biggest challenges I face is the ongoing struggle for a healthy quality of life and the protection of housing.
Economically, funding is also a critical tool that we all need to continue our work. To achieve a healthy quality of life, I require support for housing and economic resources. I am sharing this in the hope that someone in the audience might resonate with these challenges and consider how they can help me, Miss Tia, as I navigate these issues and continue my efforts in the community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tiathroughitall.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiazatonyabrightwell?igsh=c25xZjV2ZHF6YzZ1&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tiazatonyabrightwell?mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tia-z-brightwell-949a79132?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Twitter: https://x.com/brightwelltia?s=21&t=h7HuubNtZ7dCT202o8h6CQ
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@userzatonya_40?_t=ZT-8tnjXvXitX1&_r=1
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