Today we’d like to introduce you to Ebonee Brown.
Ebonee, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Honestly, I’m just a small town girl from Gary, Indiana, who knew she wasn’t better than anyone else. I just knew I was different and needed an area to spread my wings. I moved to Atlanta back in 2007 and knew from the moment I touched down that this was home. After ten years of working in higher education, I was laid off from my full-time corporate job. Six months into marriage and with two kids, I knew I needed to choose to either go back into corporate America or go into full-time entrepreneurship for myself. Although I was scared of the unknown, I wasn’t new to significant transitional changes and was up for the challenge knowing that I had been praying for new career opportunities in the last year. Before leaving my job in higher education, my niece and I decided to start a full-service event planning company called Pretty and Planning. Our first event was a Mother’s Day-themed event called “Mommy and Me.” Mothers were able to come out with their children for a day at the park to experience bonding through crafts, games, and connecting with other moms from the Atlanta area. From that event came The Ultimate Vision Board Party for the Creative Girl Boss in October 2018. With over 50 tickets sold, women showed up with a personalized vision to create the life they wanted for 2019. From a fun and interactive networking icebreaker to a powerful speaker and influencer in the entertainment industry, the attendees left with additional support and connections that could be useful in their future endeavors.
I received so much support during and leading up to that event. I was led to birth EmpowerHER World. And from that moment I decided to focus on events solely centered around women. Currently I work a 9-5 job as well as manage my business full time. I’m enjoying the journey and grateful for where I am in life, although I will continue to set goals for myself and crush them one by one.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There have definitely been some bumps along the road, but I’ve always been one to fight for everything I’ve ever wanted in life. My parents taught me at an early age that anything worth having is worth fighting for. So I’ve applied that saying to every single area of my life to help create the woman I am today. I’m a true perfectionist, so when things don’t go exactly as planned, I have to take a moment, internally reevaluate the situation, then come up with a plan to incorporate improvements for the future. And although I help to empower women daily on my social platforms, fear of rejection is real. Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy. Thinking of all the reasons why something won’t work or how it will go wrong will place you in a state of indecisiveness when all you have to do in order to gain the reigns of your life is to decide. One thing life has taught me is to control the controllable, and whatever the uncontrollable is let it be, there is nothing you can do or say to prevent it from happening. LEARN from it then GROW from it. The bumps along the way keep us focused on our game and allows us to critique our craft, self educate ourselves, and utilize the countless resources around us. It also allows us to create a contingency plan as a way to be proactive vs. reactive.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
EmpowerHER World is a community built for women to empower, support, and celebrate each other’s accomplishments. It’s more than just events or trips; it’s connecting women from various backgrounds, industries, and walks of life into a circle that does not judge or knockdown but thrives off of showing love, empathy, support, or just a listening ear when needed. We all need each other in the long run, whether we know it or not. Relationships are a vital piece in knowing who you are from within and how you can help empower someone else along the way.
I’m most proud of the strides I’ve made since starting my sisterhood community in 2018. I’ve hosted several networking events and took my 1st International Girlfriends Getaway to Mexico, where ten women from ATL, Dallas, New York, and Chicago accompanied me across the World to Cancun, Mexico.
I believe what sets me apart is my drive and ability to fight through adversity. No matter what happens, I’m going to get back up and try again. I have the best support team, and it has definitely helped me to continue to push and create outside the lines. I honestly don’t know what I would do without my family and close friends that continue to push, empower, and support all of my crazy ideas. They have talked me off the ledge a few times and have selflessly refueled my tank when it got low. I honestly couldn’t do all of this without them. I will continue to pride myself on serving others and not losing sight of creating an impact in everything and every woman I touch.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My plans for 2020 and beyond is to continue to be consistent, dream bigger, and go after everything that has my name on it! With my Lemonade Mixer around the corner, I plan to fast, pray, and fine tune all the small details. If you’re reading this and you’re in the Atlanta area, you should definitely come out and support the event and hear from some of my powerhouse girlfriends that are making major moves in the ATL.
Memorial Day Weekend I’m hosting my 1st Signature Getaway “Villa For Twenty” in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and “You can Beach with Us” in Ochos Rios, Jamaica, July 23-26. Our girlfriend getaways have grown from just 10 women in 2019 to 50 women in 2020. I’m excited for what the future holds for EmpowerHER World, but most importantly, for the lives that I will continue to impact each and every day. It’s definitely a movement. You should join us!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.empowerherworld.com
- Email: empowerherworld@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/mrsempowerherworld/
- Facebook: wwww.facebook.com/Empowerherworld/
Image Credit:
Nathan Pearcy (personal photo)
Zoe Brown (outside shots in gallery)
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