I've always thought of myself as an entrepreneur, it's in my DNA. My dad has owned his own business for almost 40 years (and is still driving his crew crazy); My brother has started a couple gigs; My uncle started and ran his own venture until he sold it for mega-bucks. That's all not including the various side hustles they all have, my dad’s hunting career is a business in itself [insert eyes rolling emoji]. From the jump, it seems, I've been destined for entrepreneurship.

So when I moved to Atlanta (4 years ago this August) the plan was to find a job, pay the bills, build my network, and launch my thing. I thought I’d you know, just figure something out. Several side hustles later, I’m still working on that. It’ll be another blog post for another time. :) In terms of a “job” I wasn’t sure what I wanted, but I knew, if I was going to work for someone else, it's going to be with a mission or impact focused organization.

While at Points of Light, I discovered the world of social entrepreneurship and community building (online and in-person). I fell in love with these incredible entrepreneurs that were solving real world problems. I loved all of it. We were teaching people how to scale their ventures through the Civic Accelerator and that work was very meaningful, but I didn’t know what that felt like. I had never gone through it. Like a football coach who’s never stepped on the field, I couldn’t put myself in their shoes. Could you imagine Dabo talkin' 'bout BYOG if he never did it himself? ← I Googled it for you. 

So, the transition to SUPPLY.com, (joining a UX team of a scaling e-commerce company selling toilets online) was pretty natural for me. I wanted to know what it felt like, what it meant. I got the experience I was looking for, but really missed the community and the satisfaction of knowing I was a part of something greater. Don’t get me wrong, capitalism is a thing. A great thing. Make a great product, sell the shit out of it, and make a ton of money. Yes, awesome. Maybe even do so well, one day you can then give something back. Maybe. I tried, but it’s just not me. My heart wasn’t in it. I learned so much, so, so much. But it’s time to move on and get back to me.   

Enter, Hands On Atlanta.

Like Coca-Cola, Home Depot, Mailchimp, or Delta, Hands On Atlanta is an Atlanta institution. Since 1989, they've been connecting volunteers to nonprofits in need, providing hands on programming (focused on at risk families and youth), hosting community focused events (MLK Day, Hands On ATL Day), and activating some of Atlanta's biggest and best companies to volunteer or support community improving efforts. All-in-all they just want to engage everyday citizens to Do Something Good.

About a year ago, a regime change took effect at Hands On Atlanta. So, in addition to an incredible staff already in place (some of which have been there over 20 years) there's a new CEO, new Director of Development, a few new teammates, and a new Director of Marketing and Communications - aka, me. Over the course of the next couple months we’re going to launch a new website, roll-out a rebranded look and feel (both pretty close to being finalized), and host our annual day of service where 2,500 volunteers will make their mark on Atlanta at 50 projects across the city.

As the new Director of Marketing and Communications, I've been tasked with making that rebrand and the new website happen. I’ll also lead the creation and distribution of marketing materials for internal and external projects and programs. This includes everything from social media management and email to supporting our fundraising and program teams. I'll have a seat at the table when it comes to making decisions that affect the organization, and inevitably Atlanta. 

I'm beyond excited about this new opportunity. It allows me to take all of my experiences from starting Pakmode (just figure it out) to helping SUPPLY.com scale and roll it all into something that matters to me; Atlanta. This city I've fallen for. The place my daughter is growing up. A city reborn. I can't wait to see what happens.