Today we’d like to introduce you to Keisha Williams.
Hi Keisha, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
We are Keisha & Ron, an Airborne Veteran Couple who completed our service and Retired from the U.S. Army in 2015. We were expecting our beloved son Bryce, who passed away in 2016. He was born with a rare CHD, Hypoplastic Left Heart syndrome. With tragedy comes triumph and though our family’s loss broke our hearts, we did not let it break our drive to survive beyond our military service. In our healing, we discovered how much we love to serve our community and share our skills with others.
At the top of 2017, my husband & I founded our catering company (B.P.W. Tavern on the Move & Catering, LLC), named after our son, where he serves as Executive Chef. Chef Ron’s healing comes in the form of the satisfied palettes of every single client he serves.
Later that year, we attended an event with a fellow Veteran couple where you could tell there was a gathering with dancing & singing but there was absolutely no music playing. Being that we both suffer from severe PTSD, Anxiety, even heavy ringing in the ears, that kind of break was perfect for us. Three genres of music/entertainment plays through a headset where we can control what we hear and how loud we wanted to hear it! It was such an experience, we could not wait to share this idea with our fellow veteran service organizations who provide services to Vets. In Jan of 2018, we incorporated BlackOut Experience, LLC., a silent headphone production company. We supply silent headphone events rentals, i.e., lights, equipment & music worldwide to everyone, anywhere. You can check us out each & every Sunday @BonfireATL to catch the vibe!
Since its existence, our company has become a sound ordinance throughout and for the City of Atlanta. Some of our clients have practiced mindfulness and meditation guided via a Yogi, various Universities and College groups, Amazon Web Services presentations, Church youth group concerts, TV silent party scenes, wedding receptions, Team building exercises, drive-in movie, night/day festival entertainment, the list goes on and on.
Early 2020, like many many businesses and corporations, we had to shut down or scale due to the pandemic which significantly reduced the numbers in attendance for both entertainment and culinary operations. Like the soldiers we are, we pushed through and contemplated an alternative to our usual path. We teamed up with partners and formed an environmentally safe residential & commercial cleaning company, NGA | No Germs Allowed, LLC. With the focus being on the pandemic, we felt the need to provide our community with a way to survive the pressures of the pandemic by keeping your home or office clean without coming out of pocket when there already has been so much loss thus far.
Today, we are continuing to maintain the standard we set out for ourselves and our family. To keep going and always aim for the rainbow at the end of your dark tunnel. People are always amazed at our resilience and honestly, we amaze ourselves everyday that we wake up with the breathe still in our lungs. With three fully operational small businesses, two more small children (2,4) and two college-age (20,17), we feel like we are serving the legacy of our beloved son Bryce who blessed us with the motivation to keep going no matter what.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Not at all. As an entrepreneur, you will come across obstacles every day. You are THE ultimate hustler. We’ve dealt with losing a business partnership, an entire COVID outbreak worldwide, staff turnover, politics vs imports & exports, delays in shipments, increase in cost of supply’s, products and materials…you name it. But then you get back to the strategy room and figure it out.
Can you imagine operating 6-figure producing client-based companies to catering a ten-person wedding with to-go plates? Or not shipping any headphones for a silent event for the first two quarters of a fiscal year…Summer season included. 2020 was a struggle but a teachable moment.
We are blessed to have multiple streams of income and a solid contingency at all times. Even though some took bigger hits, we were able to adjust and improve our business model because of it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We are Veterans-100%- A Soldiers Soldier.
We pride ourselves in coaching, teaching & mentoring our fellow veterans and active military as well as our youth.
We are a team – At ALL Times
Information is FREE! – Starting out, we wished there were answers in a book or at least a guide to walk us through the early beginnings. We’ve assisted over 30 veterans start their business, earn funding, start their website and build their personal & business credit.
We are the Ron & Keisha of ALL trades- our wide range of skills and resilience is infectious and most definitely encouraging.
Our story matters and we encourage others to share theirs too.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love this city’s contrast to the fast life in my hometown (NY) and the hospitality is unmatched. Atlanta is a forever-growing melting pot of culture, cuisine and activities. There are a few potholes that in need of TLC but other than that, there is nothing negative to say about this beautiful Mecca of opportunity. Atlanta gave us two disabled Veteran migrants a chance and we are forever grateful.
Pricing:
- $5/per wireless headphone for instate rentals (GA)
- $6+/per wireless headphone for out of state rentals
- FREE SHIPPING! (Anywhere)
Contact Info:
- Email: info@blackoutex.com
- Website: https://www.blackoutex.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/blackoutexperience?utm_medium=copy_link
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackoutexperiencellc
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCoeNzVSSrAkwlrN9L8y4YKA
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/cHETej7tBmb
Image Credits
Williams Family Photo @blackoutexperience @bpwcatering @SevenFootFilms @yojpgirlaki @tulumyst
