From a Craft Class to Ten Years in Business with Ticina Williams of Creativiti Custom Designs and Events

Ep 135: From a Craft Class to Ten Years in Business with Ticina Williams of Creativiti Custom Designs and EventsPart of noseyAF's 31 Days of Black Business series 🖤Ticina Williams started designing her own party supplies because the licensed images never looked like her sons.She founded Creativiti Custom Designs and Events in Chicago — that's Creativiti with an i, because everybody calls her T and she's the T in Creativiti. It started with a craft class at Michael's she only took because she got dropped from her college courses one summer. Ten years later it's a full-service event planning, consulting, and party supply company, and she hand-makes every product herself.What We Talk AboutHow to actually think about budget when you're hiring an event planner, and why the question isn't meant to trigger youWhy every successful event needs a program, even a loose one, so your guests aren't sitting there wondering what's happeningWhen she started doing in-kind work for community organizations, and the expensive lesson that taught her what to ask for firstThe unexpected turn: her three-year-old asked for a Miami Heat LeBron James birthday party, and figuring out how to make one changed the direction of her whole businessIf you love origin stories that don't skip the scary parts, this episode is for you.All about Ticina WilliamsYou're gonna love Ticina — she's the hostess with the mostest and she will absolutely kick in at your party uninvited. A mom of four boys and a business school grad, she brings both sides to every event: the administrative planner who wants to know your timeline and your point person, and the creative who hand-crafts the favors, the treat boxes, and the centerpieces. Her online store sells digital party supply downloads featuring Black and brown characters — her NBA 2K favors went viral on Pinterest. Her goal is to pass Creativiti on to one of her sons, all four of whom are business majors.Chapters:00:08 - Introduction to Black Business Month02:07 - The Journey of Creativiti: From Hobby to Business09:20 - The Birth of a Creative Event Planning Business16:08 - The Evolution of Event Planning22:34 - Incorporating Community Impact in Business26:41 - Understanding Client Budgets33:14 - Successful Event Planning Essentials38:52 - Starting an Online Store: A Journey of Representation47:50 - Building a Legacy Through Creativiti51:53 - Navigating Entrepreneurship During the PandemicThings We MentionedCreativiti Custom Designs and EventsThe Creativiti online store, for digital party supply downloadsDara's Safari Shower, the 2015 event that started it allThe Economic Empowerment Summit and the Woodlawn and Washington Park SummitsSCORE, where she found her first business mentorThis series is supported by Off the Grid, a podcast for small business owners who want to leave social media without losing their clients. Find them at offthegrid.fun 🖤Connect with Ticina WilliamsFind her at Creativiti Custom Designs and Events on FacebookStay Connected📬 Get the noseyAF Dispatch → Subscribe here 🏡 Grab the Good Neighbor Playbook → Download it freeMore ways to connectEmail: [email protected] on IG: @stephaniegrahamListen to more episodes: noseyaf.comSupport & FeedbacknoseyAF is listener-supported; thank you for being here. 💛🫶🏾 ⭐ Rate & Review the Show 📣 Share noseyAF with a friend who needs to hear thisEpisode CreditsProduced, Hosted, and Edited by Stephanie Graham Lyrics: Queen Lex Instrumental: Freddie Bam Fam Cover Art: Emma McGoldrick