DFSC Board Member Garri Davis is an inspiring representation of black excellence this Black History Month. We are proud to share her story, as well as resources for our readers to take advantage of to achieve their dreams, just like Garri has. We hope you enjoy her impactful story.
As a little child, I often dreamed of what it would be like to be the CEO of someone else's company. I imagined myself sitting in my big, nicely decorated corner office on the 20th floor. I imagined a window next to my chair, where I would answer calls, attend very important meetings, and make corporate decisions. I would have my own personal assistant who would make sure that all of my administrative needs were always taken care of. I dreamed of having a team of employees that would love being in my presence, understanding and respecting the decisions that I made for the company because all that I would do would make the world a better place for them and the clients that we would serve. I worked as hard as I could to achieve this dream, but it was a dream deferred because my life had other plans for me.
On one winter day in 1986, a day that started off just like any regular day, I woke up and skipped breakfast as I usually would as a teenager and rushed out to school. I returned home from school and hung out with my dad, discussing my day and my future. We talked about college and life after college. I shared with him my CEO aspirations. It was just a typical day. We had dinner and I fell asleep, excited about the possibilities of my future.
That night, I was jolted out of my sleep by someone banging on our door. It was so loud that I thought they would break the door down. My heart was pounding 100 beats per minute, my hands were getting sweaty, and I tried to call out "Who is it?" but my voice was shaky and inaudible.
There was more banging at the door. I tiptoed to the front of the house and saw my dad. My eyes met his eyes and lingered for a second as I tried to figure out why he was looking at me like that. He mouthed the words "I'm sorry" and quickly turned around and opened the door. At that moment, four huge police officers busted into our small apartment and started yelling and screaming at him, asking questions without giving him time to answer. I watched as he handled the situation with dignity. He would never allow this situation to change how he looked in my eyes. He was a strong, proud black man who had made a bad decision that would now affect both of our lives.
The police walked him out of our apartment, and he ultimately was sentenced to 8 years in prison.
After that, my world spiraled out of control. I found myself as a teenager with a part-time job, living in a room in my grandmother's house where I was completely, 100% responsible for taking care of myself. This included everything except for paying rent. She allowed me to stay in the room for free. But for the first time, my CEO plans were erased from my brain. I was in survival mode.
After finally graduating high school, I decided that I would still accomplish my CEO dreams and I started to put things in motion to pursue them. I had no plan on how I would get this done but I was determined that I would get it done. I decided I would go to college and I would graduate. Nothing was going to stop me.
By this time, I had two children, which only turned out to be more motivation for my success. I graduated with an associate degree in finance. I thought this would help me get a promotion at my job, but it didn't. So, with two children and a full-time job, I obtained my bachelor's degree in organizational management. I'm also so proud to say that I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA! I then pursued my master's degree and graduated with a 3.7GPA. And even after all of this work, my employer still did not feel that I was qualified to be more than just a manager.
Have you ever worked really hard to accomplish a goal, hoping that someone would notice and see value in you and your contributions, only to be overlooked? Yes, me too! I was frustrated, but my CEO dreams were about to come true.
Ten years ago, I decided to be my own boss. To run my own business. To be a CEO of my own organization and my own brand. I started my first Child Care Center, Water Lily Learning Center. Water Lily has grown to two locations. Both of our locations are highly rated Step Up to Quality programs. The campuses are located in Pendelton (Downtown) and Eastgate and combined we can serve over 200 children each day and employ over 20 minority leaders in Early Childhood Education. Water Lily has been awarded as the finalist for Goehring Family and Private Business awards and just last year it was awarded as one of the ‘Best Places to Work’ by the Cincinnati Business Courier.
I am also the CEO of the Garri Davis Agency and a transformation strategic business coach who assists female entrepreneurs, supporting them in moving from stress to structure and from being under pressure to building profits. I have helped many women strategize, rebrand, and reignite their businesses. As a part of the Garri Davis agency, a business partner and I founded LeadH.E.R. Events, where we will have a female business leadership and entrepreneurship conference in Cincinnati in May. I have also started dabbling in Real Estate as the Vice President of Brown Girls Real Estate Group.
It's now that I sit back and see that my vision started as a child. I always knew I was a CEO. I am super proud that I am the CEO of several successful businesses. And I know that my dad is proud to know that that day back in 1986 did not stand in the way of my future accomplishments. The road has not always been easy, it has not always been fun, and I have not always had all the answers. It has taken literal blood sweat and tears to get here. I attribute my success to always making sure my actions and my decisions are in line with my integrity. I also attribute it to serving other people first and having a ‘don't give up’ attitude. My best advice to budding entrepreneurs is:
Be resilient – Things are going to happen. Don't take things personally. Stay focused on your goals.
Be grateful – Appreciate the small things.
Never Give up – Will it get hard? Yes. But will it be worth it? Absolutely!
As I close, I want to say let's celebrate Black History every day of every month. There are countless other African American Entrepreneurs who deserve your support and your acknowledgment every day of the year.
You can email Garri Davis at garri@garridavisagency.com or connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/garridavis/ or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GarriDavis17
You can learn more about the LeadH.E.R. Heart, Energy, & Revenue Conference at www.leadherevents.com
If you want to take the first steps toward achieving your career goals, just like Garri, consider enrolling in our HigherHER four-week Career Development Program. This course teaches you skills for thriving in any career field and moving up within your company or organization. You can learn more at HigherHER | Career Development Program (dfscincy.org) To enroll, contact Programs Director Dr. Angela Rivers-Harper at ariversharper@dfscincy.org.
Going after your dreams takes confidence, and Dress for Success Cincinnati strives to instill that confidence in our clients through our StyleHER program. This program offers you a one-on-one personal styling experience, during which, you will receive a fabulous outfit for your upcoming interview or new career. To schedule your styling appointment, visit Dress for Success Styling Program (dfscincy.org).
