Today we’d like to introduce you to Briana Parks.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
It’s been a crazy ride of highs and lows but I’m grateful because each experience taught me something. Life has given me a few lemons, so I would say today, I am in the process of making lemonade.
My parents grew up in Molena, GA and that is where all of my family is from but I was raised in the Carolinas. For the most part, my parents raised my sister and I in Kershaw, SC. It’s a small town in the middle of nowhere, really.
I went to college and got my BA in Theatre Performance with a minor in Business Administration. The business part was a decision influenced by my parents so that I could have something to fall back on which I just realized was indicative of my life now. They are two very technical and corporate-oriented people and don’t know much about the arts. Somehow, they birthed this artsy, free-spirited creature. ME.
I’ve battled anxiety and depression for as long as I can remember but at 23 I slowly started developing a skin disease called Vitiligo. It was a very slow progression but it made me question my career as an actor. I was under a lot of stress at that time in my life and I lost all of my confidence but I remember reading this poem called “Love After Love” by Derek Walcott. There is a line in the poem that says, “Feast on your life”. As crazy as it sounds, that one line shifted my perspective on how I wanted to live my life. To me, it meant doing what I want with my life, despite the fear of failure because we have been given time to do the most that we can with it.
So, despite developing a skin condition, I decided to still pursue my passion of acting and went on to get my MFA in Performing Arts from SCAD Savannah. That experience ended up being a shock to my system because it made me step back and realize how hard I had to work. In so many ways, I’ll have to work even more hard to be successful. Even if a casting director never gives me a chance, it would mean something to me to know that I am capable and proud of the work that I do. I learned accountability and how to give life to a character in the way that they feel, walk, talk, etc. The professors are top-tier. Although it was a hard experience, I am incredibly grateful for my professors.
As I approached my last semester, I was hit with another blow. I woke up one day covered in hives and that lasted for almost two years. It took months to find a diagnosis. I lost almost all of my muscle strength and couldn’t stand for more than 30 minutes before my legs would swell. I was on methotrexate and thought I was dying because it was like my body was deteriorating and I was uncomfortable 24/7. I couldn’t wear most of my clothes because it was like my skin was a million times more sensitive to certain materials. I was truly under constant suffering. I wouldn’t wish that disease on my worst enemy. Many people become suicidal when they deal with it.
The diagnosis with Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria and what was thought to be Rheumatoid Arthritis. That was a misdiagnosis. There is no official cure for the CIU so I made it a point to dig through as many medical case studies that I could and linked it all to my body having an overload of histamine. So I eliminated those related foods from my diet and started taking these shots called Xolair. I still have to watch what I eat and I can’t drink alcohol but it’s worth it.
By the grace of God, I was already off the Methotrexate when the pandemic was hitting the news. I worked at a hotel in Savannah, GA and we had no masks, no hand sanitizer, nothing. I went into work one day and 90% of the staff was laid off. I was a Night Auditor so I knew my days employed there were about to come to an end.
When that time came, I moved back to Molena, GA. I spent a lot of time getting to know my extended family which I am so grateful for. Growing up in a different state, I wasn’t able to get to know my extended family as well. I didn’t get to know my maternal grandmother like I wanted to before she passed away, but once I left Savannah, I moved to her house. I had to spend a great deal of time alone in her house but I really got to know more of my extended family.
My depression and anxiety were at an all-time high. Looking back on that time, in the end it gave me even more clarity on who I am and what I want for my life. I really had to think about what matters in life. All I want is to be healthy and have access to happiness. I want good people around me.
I’ve always wanted to be a nomad and travel around to different auditions around the country. I daydream of #vanlife but I didn’t come from money, so building a van or bus wasn’t something I could do financially. It was so difficult to find a job that was willing to pay more than $30,000 a year and working a 9 to 5 was too restrictive to work with acting. I started thinking of how I used to be a leasing agent and am really knowledgeable about the move-in and move-out process for apartment complexes. When I moved to my grandma’s house, my old landlord actually told me that she didn’t even have to hire a cleaning service because my old apartment was so clean! Instead of waiting for someone to give me a well-paying job that I actually liked, I started brainstorming about starting a business.
From there, I started The {Crew}, which is a cleaning service that does commercial and move-in, and move-out cleans. I have now expanded to doing event center cleanings as well. Cleaning is a great stress reliever and it allows my mind to go quiet. There are so many points in the day where I can allow my mind to go down a path of negative thoughts but I have the time and mental capacity to stop myself and just focus on cleaning. I can listen to a podcast, play music, or sing. I want to grow my company to the point where I can manage it while traveling on my self-built “skoolie”. Acting is still my #1 passion but I also want to give other people who don’t mind hard work a chance to train to be a cleaner and relieve stress WHILE earning a living. It’s for people who don’t mind hard work and it’s okay if they have other passions, as long as they come to work and give me what they can, I fully support them in pursuing their dreams.
So, to where I am today? I am proud. I am really proud of myself. My happiness is more accessible and I am doing things that I, at one time, I thought I would never be able to do again. I think people underestimate the toll of being physically uncomfortable in your own body 24/7 and having it revolt against you takes on your mental health and how you view yourself and the world around you. I came out on the other end of that. I am starting to get back on track for acting and hope to take an acting class soon. I can’t wait to get back into it because I really love it and daydream about acting again whenever I am cleaning.
I am looking for more commercial clients for The {Crew} because I know that I had an amazing person train me to clean. I want to show my clients that maintaining a clean space for your customers and employees is important. In a way, I am working for their clients/employees too because how well I clean affects how their clients view their business. It’s about accountability. I am so proud of myself because I made it and didn’t quit.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve hit a few obstacles along the way. Right now, making time for self-care is a huge obstacle. I have to limit the amount of time that I am going to dedicate to work so that I am able to have some free time.
Cleaning has also challenged me physically but doing the same work that I expect future employees to do was important to me. I know every contract that I work, inside and out. When I pass it on to someone else, I don’t want there to be any lapse in the quality of service.
As you know, we’re big fans of The {Crew}: A Cleaning Service. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
So my business is called The {Crew} which is a cleaning service dedicated to providing detailed cleaning services for offices, apartment complexes, yoga studios, co-working spaces, you name it! Right now, I do turn-over cleanings for event centers but I hope to add apartment complex turn-overs to the list in addition to providing commercial cleaning services for businesses.
Regarding my brand, I am most proud of my decision to step outside of the status quo in terms of the name and design. I am very team-oriented and had a lot of education on leadership so “The {Crew}” is the cleaning crew that comes together to provide cleaning services. We focus on making businesses presentable and clean for the best first impression.
The pandemic also made me really consider all the chemicals that I was using. I try to stay up to date on the EPA’s list of chemicals that are effective at killing certain viruses and bacteria. Because I clean facilities where a lot of people congregate or work, I have to consider what chemicals I am using. I can’t just use anything.
Also, I have never been a competitive person but when I get more crew members, I hope that if they want to start their own cleaning business or any business, I can give them the information that they need and share the ups and downs so that they can learn from it and make their businesses better. I have met so many other cleaners along the way and they have helped me grow my business and taught me a lot about the industry. I love working with other cleaning business owners that don’t view me as their competition. Cleaning businesses are important all around. The pandemic showed us all that.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking.
I guess my life as an actor and a cleaning business owner has been about taking risks.
Every decision that we make in life is risky if you think about it. Aren’t we all wondering if we are taking the right job, marrying the right person, going to the right doctor, or taking the best route to work to avoid being late?
Nobody in my life expected me to start my own business. They all told me that I shouldn’t but I made it work. I told myself that as long as I make informed decisions, then it doesn’t matter if the best or worst thing happens because I did the best I could with the information that I had.
I love being an actor and to quit now would do me more harm than good. I love giving characters life. If I only get as far as I am now, then as much as it would hurt because I wanted more, I know that I will not regret trying. There are a lot of risks that come with getting in an audition room and giving the best you have and then letting SOMEONE ELSE decide if you are what they want. I started thinking about auditions more like opportunities to act. Every audition that I get is an opportunity to act.
Risk isn’t necessarily the problem, but rather regret is. If my decisions in my business and acting require risk, I try to think about the possible outcome and prepare myself for both. Having employees is probably my biggest risk because I am responsible for making decisions that will affect their life and finances. Having an acting career requires putting energy into my passion and risking not being as successful as I want to be.
For me, it all comes back to that line in the poem, “Feast on your life”.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cleanwiththecrew.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/cleanwiththecrew
- Other: instagram.com/briana.gabriel
Image Credits
Gina J Photography Audrey Morton Photography
