Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jessie Williams. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jessie , thank you so much for joining us and offering your lessons and wisdom for our readers. One of the things we most admire about you is your generosity and so we’d love if you could talk to us about where you think your generosity comes from.
This is a question I get asked a lot since the whole reason I started WE EVENTS was as a way to have fun while giving back. When my daughter, Charlotte was 6 months old (and I was 30 – my age is relevant so as not to get confused by the details later) I decided to step away from working outside the home and stay home with her. While I am incredibly blessed to have this opportunity, staying home with a kid and managing a household can be incredibly exhausting mentally as well as very lonely. One of my goals as a mother was instilling a sense of community and helping others and I hoped if we started young then giving back would come natural to her. So, from about the time she was 3 I found ways for her to do kindness projects. These were projects like chalk bombing the neighborhood with inspirational quotes, leaving anonymous flowers on neighbors’ porches, writing the mail person a nice letter with a water and candy bar etc… As she got older we were able to volunteer together at Ronald McDonald House (crafts with kids) and prep and cook dinner for the guests living at LP Community Center. These were fun things we could do as a family while meeting new people and giving back.
My daughter, Charlotte is growing up very different than I did. She doesn’t get hand me downs, she’s has heat in her entire house, has flown all over the world and essentially never goes without. I had a very modest upbringing, an alcoholic dad and a mom who essential never wanted to be a mom. I hated my childhood and couldn’t wait to move out so I took extra classes and graduated from high school at 16. At 17, I did exactly the one thing that was going to prevent me from changing the narrative in my family… I got pregnant. My mom told me if I kept the baby I had to move out but if I placed the baby for adoption I could stay. Well… I moved out, but plot twist, I placed my birth daughter, Hannah for adoption (story for another article) so she could have a better life. When I moved out at 17 years old I was only allowed to take my clothes. I had to work my butt off because I didn’t have anyone to fall back on. My first apartment (with 4 other friends) I had a mattress on a floor and Tupperware as a dresser. To keep this from becoming a novel I’ll wrap it up. Throughout my late teens and 20’s I struggled with mental health issues (I was devastated about the loss of my birth daughter even thou I knew she was living her best life). I had several friends who helped me when I struggled financially or emotionally. Two separate occasions I found myself without a home and both times a friend let me stay with them for free until I could get a job and back on feet. I can never fully pay them back for the generosity so instead I choose to pay it forward.
While I would go back and change some things in my childhood, everything that happened to me or because of my choices has made me who I am and I am proud of who I am now. Someday I hope that my daughter will go out into the world and help make it a better place.
I believe that when you can and in the way that works for you, we all should help each other. It took me awhile to be able to find my way to give back and that is why I started WE EVENTS, so I could give back by #purchasingwithapurpose
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?
WE EVENTS is an event planning company with the mission to have FUN & do GOOD. WE EVENTS specializes in creating unforgettable experiences that you can feel good about by #PurchasingWithaPurpose . A portion of all our services directly contributes to supporting local charitable organizations and community projects.
Our comprehensive range of services includes full and partial event planning, unique balloon installs, event rentals and custom backdrops. Whether you are planning a birthday party, baby shower, corporate event or fundraiser, WE EVENTS is here to make it memorable.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Determination – starting a small biz in the event world is not for the faint of heart. You have to want to keep on going and you need to enjoy your job because let’s be real entrepreneurs work 24/7. Problem solving – something is bound to go wrong at almost every event. You have to be able to figure out things out quickly and quietly.
Level headedness- never let a client see you freak out. If you they see you freak out, they will freak out. Keep cool and game plan a solution to whatever that event throws at you.
You need to love what you do, it will show to others and it won’t feel like work. Someone once gave me this advice after a HUGE mishap at an event: Mistakes happen, what matters is how you deal with it.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
Cry in the shower with a glass of wine 😉 Just kidding. I have learned this the hard way but I have found that I can not make work my #1 priority. I have to make time for myself, time with friends and time with my amazing partner and daughter. For me this means daily exercise, even if just a walk with a friend, at least one dinner out with a friend a month and prioritizing family dinners or my daughters volleyball games.
I realize this is not groundbreaking info but meditation (even if just for 5 min in the car) or reading a book really helps me chill out. Also I take 2 trips a year with my best friend and I come back refreshed and revitalized and ready to survive the next 6 months(until our next trip).
Contact Info:
- Website: www.WeEventsChicago.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weeventschicago/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weeventschicago/
Image Credits
Headshot photos of Jessie and super hero party– Heather Hackney Photography
Guys Girl Photo – Jaclyn Simpson Photography
Mini Crates Photo / Top Photo of Jessie – Ale Alvarez Visual
