Today we’d like to introduce you to Savannah West.
Savannah, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My story began when I barely graduated high school. I walked out with the lowest GPA my school would accept. My friends left for college and I was stuck at home. I was taking community college classes and working. I started looking to transfer after one year. I applied and got accepted to Clark Atlanta University. My mom, grandma, my best-friend Asija and I booked our flights and planned our campus tour. I was only on campus for less than an hour and my mind was set, I was moving to Atlanta.
During my first two years at CAU, I was on probation for a tactless mistake I made before I left for college. In fact, the main reason the judge didn’t send me to jail was because I got accepted to college. The lawyer, my grandma, hired took the redemption angle. My family supported me through every high and low and did all they could to get me to college, so I knew I couldn’t fumble this blessing. In my three years at CAU, I had 14 internships and two fellowships, all while working two part-time jobs and a few side hustles to keep money in my pocket and never had a car. Our university motto is “I’ll Find A Way or Make One” so that’s always what I did. I wrote and edited papers, volunteered at shelters, revised resumes and even tutored Spanish. I stayed busy, humble and focused, gaining as much experience as I could. I wanted to be employed and I wanted to be paid. I always told myself, “focus on you until the focus is on you. This is a lifestyle, there is no finish line.”
The last internship I had was at CNN. My internship ran from September to December 2018. I was on track to graduate in December and I refused to graduate without a job. I took 18 credits, worked 30 hours a week as a hostess and 40 hours a week as an intern at CNN. I showed up early and left late. A Senior Director of my department saw how I hard I worked and hired me an Assignment Editor and Producer for Digital. I started working 5-6 days a week, making more money than I ever imaged straight out of college. While at a National Association of Black Journalist (NABJ) convention, I met the Executive Producer of The View, who used to produce the Oprah Winfrey Show. She liked me and hooked me up with one of her friends and former colleagues who is a Senior Producer for HLN at CNN. That’s how I ended up working as a freelance Editorial Producer (Guest Booker) for HLN. I went from interning to graduating and working two jobs for Turner Broadcasting, one of the biggest media companies in the world.
A friend of mine who has a lot of experience in media, specifically in Atlanta, reached out to me about combining our skills and experiences. That’s how “The Golden Group” came about.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I had a few bumps along the way, for sure. There have been people who try to discredit me or make me feel like because I haven’t publicized my struggles, that they don’t exist. All people see is your “yeses”, but they don’t know how many “no’s” came first. I applied for 20+ internships every semester and only ended up with 2-3. I missed out on so many parties and kickbacks because I chose to study and hone my craft as a writer. Every paid opportunity I applied for came with a background check. I have been let down countless times because “although I was the ideal candidate, my criminal history prevented them from offering me certain positions.”
The trend in my struggle, though, is Black women taking a chance on me. I never stayed down for long because there was always a Black woman there looking out and reaching back to help me when I lost my way. They saw me, they felt me, they realized my potential and spoke to broken parts of me that could only be healed with compassion, wisdom and tough love.
The judge who didn’t send me to jail, the woman in CAU admissions office, my first advisor at CAU, my first mentor, the woman who gave me my first internship, the HR woman who fought for me to be hired me at CNN despite my criminal history, the Senior Director who gave me first job out of college, the woman who contacted me about this interview, the list goes on…Every single one is a Black woman. I love us, for real.
Please tell us about The Golden Group.
The Golden Group was a collaborative effort between my friend Kodaq and I. The initial concept was all his. He brought the idea to me, and we worked together on every single detail until it was perfect. TGG is now PR consulting firm. We offer an array of personalized services to individual clients, as well as companies. Our project managers do things like craft unique social marketing campaigns and interactive websites, design custom media kits, and info-graphic resumes and so much more. From the ambitious college student to the social media influencers and young CEOs, we believe everyone’s career could use the Golden Touch. We specialize in marketing and overall professional presentation.
As a young media professional, I had to figure out a lot of things on my own. Now I am dedicated to helping other young professionals elevate their careers by leveling the playing field. Over the years, I’ve learned that opportunities are endless. The pool of diverse candidates is constantly overflowing, but what’s missing is good branding and the perfect pitch. Although corporate consciousness and diversity initiatives are increasing, we always need to be at the top of our game. It is imperative that we polish ourselves professionally and perfect our public presentation. Pursue your dream career by putting your best foot forward. That’s why I’m here. Therefore, we created TGG. We want to help connect the dots between you, and your dreams.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I believe if things don’t make you, they’ll break you. I may bend but I’ll never break, so I wouldn’t change a thing. Everything thing I’ve done and every place I’ve been as led me to the place I am today, and I wouldn’t trade places with any else.
Contact Info:
- Email: contact@thegoldengroup.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldengroupatl/
Image Credit:
Danielle Collins
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