We recently connected with Dawn West and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Dawn, so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?
I’m not sure at what age I felt like there was no ceiling for me. I always just wanted “more.” Even at a time in my life that I didnt even know exactly what that looked like, I knew that I had what I needed in me to achieve anything. For starters, I knew at a young age that my home town wasn’t where I felt was always going to be “home” for me. I had initially planned to go off to college and never look back. Life had other plans, so that dream was deferred. Several failures and disappointments later, I decided it was time to jump out on faith and take that risk. That leap landed me in Atlanta, Georgia for eleven years. The next time I decided to leap, I found myself grounded in Miami, Florida. Where the palm trees and water welcomed me. I finally feel “at home.” The thing about risk taking is that it requires a level of blind faith that not everyone has. No matter how many times things didn’t work out for me, I continued to fail forward. Doing it afraid and alone, but knowing that it was essential to my growth. Each leap also came with a new level of life experience to help me do better at the next juncture of life. I often say that I have probably lost more than some will ever acquire. Being obedient and finding your calling can sometimes translate in that way. I am very proud of myself for being a risk taker. For without risk, there is no reward.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
With a history in the arts, event planning and hosting, I decided to utilize those skills to build a business from scratch in Miami. The thing that I know about business is that offering a service that people need, while offering it with a stellar level of professionalism and branding is undeniable. Being a tourist destination, offering services such as excursions, luxury rental cars, reservation making, lodging, decor packages, and more was a no-brainer for me. Starting with no client base at all, I took to social media with my offerings, and began to focus on “living” and showcasing the lifestyle in which I was offering to the clientele that I wanted to find me. One client at a time, one business card exchange at a time, one referral at a time, and one great experience at a time, my brand is flourishing. As the new girl on the block, that is very special to me more than anything. I bet on myself and it panned out. For instance, yacht charters, there are many other options here, yet I have been sought out and referred to many people. Celebrities, athletes, and more have also sought me out and booked my services. That is such a blessing. I have also recently added yacht sales consultant under my umbrella for the clients looking to have their own vessel. Another thing for me is the importance of having multiple streams of income that all work together as opposed to seeming that I’m all over the place. My goal is to continue to grow and enlarge my territory here in Florida.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Resilience, Perserverance, and faith are the only qualities that I can attribute to what I have been able to accomplish and still working toward. My journey has been far from the easiest, but hopefully it will serve as inspiration to someone else who’s watching. I went to college, took the extra courses, and did all the things. However, nothing was more impactful than the life experiences. Knowing when to pivot would be the next most important thing that I adapted. That is something I always speak on whether talking to a room or an individual when offering business advice. Know when something has ran its course, is not working, or no longer serving you. That could mean a shift or pivot is in order. Lastly, and most cliche sounding, never ever give up on yourself.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
“The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz is by far one of my favorite books that helped me to shift my mindset in both personal and business relationships. There is literally no room for emotions in business. If you aren’t familiar with the four agreements, they are be impeccable with your word, don’t take anything personally, don’t make any assumptions, and always do your best. It is also a read that I always suggest to people.
Next “Love language” by Me. Author Dawn West (shameless plug) Lol. This guided journal is a great read and reminder to treat yourself how you want to be treated. Also how the relationship with self sets the standard for every other relationship. Self love and integrity are a couple pillars of my business that help me to remember my worth and not to negotiate that with anyone while doing good work.
I made a quick mention of myself and the arts earlier in the interview. I am a three time published Author who has helped some other great Authors through their publishing process as well. Just another fun fact about me. There are lot of layers to Dawn West, and I can’t wait until the world gets to experience them.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.iamdawnwest.com
- Instagram: @Iamdawnwest
- Yelp: Dawn W
- Other: [email protected] For Information and booking
