Meet Marissa Williams of 2BKaribbean Productions in Buckhead

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marissa Williams.

Marissa, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have always had two major driving forces in my life and the work that I do. That is firstly serving my community by giving a voice to the voiceless and secondly professionally promoting Caribbean culture to the world. Sometimes those two missions are intertwined.

I decided that I wanted formal training to fulfill those passions so I pursued my academic studies in marketing, first at North Carolina Central University focused on a BBA in Marketing & Strategy. I then completed my graduate studies with an MBA in International Marketing and Global Strategy at Emory University. The formalized training I received there gave me the foundation to work on a plan to professionally market and brand the Caribbean region throughout the diaspora.

Having a well-rounded perspective was important to me. I did not just want to have academic knowledge without real-world application so I decided to serve in several Caribbean organizations. My goal was to create programs and a structure that were rooted in formalized marketing strategies so that the organizations’ work would get the attention both within and outside of the Caribbean community.

Some of the role I worked in include, serving as the Youth Officer for Trinidad & Tobago Association of Georgia Inc., working as a Marketing Consultant for Georgia Caribbean Culture Inc. (G.C.C.) Inc. and for the Atlanta Carnival Bandleaders Council (A.C.B.C.) where I was one of the leaders executing Atlanta Carnival at The Underground in 2014. I also organized the launch of Caribbean American Heritage Month at Atlanta City Hall in 2015 while serving on the GCAHC board. I also coordinated the Thirty under Thirty awards for the Institute of Caribbean Studies in 2016 and 2017. I have also worked for a variety of media houses in various capacities such as columnists for the Caribbean Spice Magazine and Talawah Journals. I currently serve as Chief Editor for 2BKaribbean LLC. I have also served as a board member at WRFG 89.3 F.M and contributed as an air-shifter for the Caribbean Runnings Show for several years. My current radio work is as an on-air personality for the Authentic Caribbean Show with Chubb Rock.

All of these organizations gave me great platforms to showcase Caribbean culture and promote it throughout the diaspora. However, there was one common recurring theme in every one of these experiences and that was a lack of formalized structure and marketing practices. That hindered the ability of these organizations to really display and get the necessary attention on the great work that they were doing.

That is how 2BKaribbean was born. I wanted to create a platform that would professionally highlight the best of Caribbean music, business, and events. My goal is to elevate the brand of Caribbean culture to be as competitive as others out there so that our cultural artisans can be adequately compensated for the value they bring. As an extension of that goal, I also offer marketing consultancy services to upcoming artistes and event promoters to accurately and professionally represent themselves and by extension elevate the brand of the Caribbean the world over.

Great, so let us dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you have had to overcome?
Being a pioneer in any capacity is never an easy road lol.

Part of professionally promoting the brand of the Caribbean includes raising awareness of the rich cultural heritage of the islands and how it has influenced our music, festivals, and businesses. In today’s world of never-ending content creation, educational posts are often ignored as consumers prefer to engage with funny and entertaining posts. Finding that sweet spot of education and entertainment has not always been easy for me. My target is a very small niche market. In a world that thrives on metrics such as ‘likes’, ‘follows’ and ‘engagement’, I may not meet the traditional standards of social media success.

Not to mention, the pushback comes often and sometimes from the places you least expect. Getting full buy-in from the community has not always been easy. Some people are comfortable with the brand of the Caribbean being one of parties, beaches, and fun. Those like myself who challenge the status quo and demand that we also look at the deep cultural heritage of the Caribbean are not always welcome. I get those ‘who does she think she is ‘looks very often lol. It is also a competitive space so forging alliances is important but still challenging in a community that sometimes has ‘cliques.’

On a personal note, finding time for the constant content creation demanded in today’s world is also a challenge. Engaging, exciting new content requires time (a lot of it). My full-time job in corporate America is demanding and time-consuming. I am also the caregiver of someone with mental health challenges so time is a very limited resource for me. Sometimes it is hard to find the time to strategize, plan ahead, and create content at the same time. And without the plan, it can be a challenge to give direction to the team. I am lucky to have a few dedicated team members who have rocked with me from the beginning and their support definitely keeps me going. I would like to give special mention and thank you to Jason Walker and Bronson Blair for being day one team members.

We’d love to hear more about 2BKaribbean Productions.
2BKaribbean is a marketing consultancy agency that is focused on professionally promoting the best of Caribbean music, business, and events. Our mission is to elevate the brand and representation of the Caribbean region in the fields of music, business, and events. Our business pillars include advocating for new Caribbean talent, celebrating the success of those who are succeeding in their chosen genre, and educating new talent on how they can become experts in their field.

We offer professional marketing services to upcoming artistes and festival promoters who are targeting the Caribbean demographic. My MBA from a top tier university and over 18 years of experience as a marketing manager in corporate America provide a business foundation that helps to elevate the marketing and promotion services we offer relative to the competition. I often incorporate practices that I learn from my corporate gigs that have successfully reached multiple targets. My work on the Authentic Caribbean radio show also gives my services some additional reach and impressions as we have multiple platforms to promote the work of our clients.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Resilience, focus and determination have been my keys to continuing on this journey. There are many obstacles to overcome as an entrepreneur and if you buckle under the weight, your dream can die very easily.

Allies become the competition. Limited time to execute on big dreams. Not meeting success metrics, you set for yourself. Not having a cheering squad to keep your spirits lifted. Not having the capital to execute on the level you want. Not having the time to plan. And the list goes on… The key is bouncing back after running into every obstacle on the road map of entrepreneurship. Staying focused on your mission despite detractors, distractions, and challenges is an essential success ingredient to meeting your business goals.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.2BKaribbean.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/2BKaribbean
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/2BKaribbean
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/2BKaribbean

Image Credit:
Chubb Rock and Marissa, Marlon Asher Pressure Buss Pipe, Kevin Lyttle, Mr. Killa.

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