We caught up with the brilliant and insightful CJ Rothwell-Thompson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
CJ, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
I work the room and make the room work for me. I pray before entering unknown rooms and ask God to send his angels in before me and give me the words to make an impact in the room. I walk in with my head held high because I know I am bringing a seat to the table. I have learned not to be intimidated by what you see and just go off what you know. What I know about myself is that I am confident and I worked so hard to build our brand and making our brand to speak for itself. There have been many of times where I walk in, introduce myself and business, and their reaction would be “OMG, I love your business and what you have created.” I am genuine and I remain myself at all times. It maybe because of my huge smile that attracts the eyes of many. I have to thank my orthodontist for this million dollar smile!
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My name is CJ Rothwell-Thompson and I own and operate Booze & Bubbles LLC. The most exciting part about my business is that I can be creative in many ways whether I am dealing with flowers, cocktails, and overall planning. I thoroughly enjoyed being creative. It is a side of me I have always embraced as a leisure time activity. I find myself escaping into my creativity as it is a happy place for me. I get lost in the Cocktails haha. I want people to know that Booze & Bubbles is more than just a small business. Booze & Bubbles is an actual brand, a luxurious brand at that. We have put in blood, sweat, and tears; literally to make Booze & Bubbles a renowned brand. I always tell people I’m not attracted to making money however, I’m more infatuated with: planting seeds, watering those seeds, and watching the fruits of my labor bloom. In Other words, “faith without works is dead.” I would like to elaborate a little more on that, what I mean by planting seeds is, networking and building relationships. In any business, especially a growing small business, networking in building relationships are important. Next, you have to water those seeds. To water your seed, it is important to foster those relationships and revisit those relationships frequently and so those relationships can “grow.” Finally, “the fruits of your labor will begin to bloom” meaning now you have solidified business partnerships and now those partnerships are beginning to expand into monetary and market growth.
Nonetheless, Booze & Bubbles is now in a position to “watch the fruit of our labor begin to bloom”, as we are expanding into different markets and cities. We have so many great things happening behind the scenes, and I am so excited to announce to everyone know what we have been working on.
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?
I’m actually happy this question is being asked. Coming into the business, I had no idea of what I was doing or where I was going with Booze & Bubbles. Again, here I am with a Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology with no education in business or entrepreneurship. I took a leap of faith and followed God‘s plan. But I use three important skills I learned while in college: Research, Networking, and Time-Management.
Before jumping to owning a business, I researched the basic fundamentals of being a business owner. I had to understand there are steps and protocols one must take to run a successful business. I also researched the market I was going into. I thoroughly researched day and night, google searched, made countless phone calls until I really had an in-depth analysis of what I was going to do. I wanted to make sure I set myself up for success.
Networking is key. I would advise anyone to network within their market and form genuine relationships with people. You never know who you’re going to need in the future. From 2020 until present, I am still a very big networker. I thrive into networking with different groups within the market and outside of the market for potential growth. When I first created Booze & Bubbles, I hit the ground running with putting myself into positions, so I could create great success for our company.
Self-care days are just as important as admin days. I had to learn that the hard way. I found myself working and not making time for myself and personal life. I had to find a balance to manage time to cater to my personal needs as well as my family needs. Prioritize time, because it is such a delicate matter we seem to take for granted. Time-management is so good for your mental health as you will find yourself to be more organized and you have a clearer state of mind.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
Honestly, my current challenge is myself. I get in my own way and into my own head. Imposter syndrome starts to kick in and then I begin to have a mental break down and then bam, I’m OK again. This challenge comes when I have a lot on my plate and I feel like I’m not going to complete what I have to get done. I began to question my abilities and my “why” and the imposter syndrome takes over. I am extremely blessed to have a support and partner, my husband Terry, who is there to bring me out of such an episode. It is amazing how support can come and make everything go away within a split of a second. However, it builds character, and it is actually a motivator for me to go even harder for success.
Contact Info:
- Website: Theboozeandbubbles.com
- Instagram: @boozeandbubbless
- Facebook: Facebook.com/boozeandbubbles Tampa
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