Meet Adrienne Mays | Store Owner

My whole reason why I started a business is my son. My son is on the autism spectrum. I was working for an insurance company and I never got to see my son. It was hard getting appointments for him that would work around my work schedule and it was hard scheduling time off. Something had to give. Being a single parent is hard but being a single parent with a child on the spectrum is super tough. One day I was sitting in an office with a parent of a teen young man that is on the spectrum and she was talking about how her son wants a part time job so bad but no one would hire him. A light bulb went on in my head and that how my vision started. I wanted a space where I could improve my son and my life. If my son would ever need or want a job he could have one. That holds true for anyone who wanted to work and never gotten the opportunity. My online greek boutique offers so many learning tools for individuals on the spectrum to learn how to gain employment, maintain employment, learn social skills through peer to peer contact and customer service, and so much more. I give them a space to be who they are and earn an income while doing it. My son is now 9 and he has learned from my drive to succeed and he started his own business. He is a self-published author and is doing an awesome job with his company. As long as you have the drive to succeed, you can do absolutely anything.

How did you get to where you are today business-wise. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges?
As a child, I have always worked. We had a farm so that is some hard labor but it gave me such a great work ethic. I focus on a task I want to make and make sure I put forth my best. My brand is my baby and I take care of it daily. Nothing in life is easy or even in the business world. But everything in life and business is a lesson. Whether it is good or bad, it is always a good lesson to learn from your obstacles to be better than previous. To overcome challenges is to expect that you will have some downfalls but it is how you get up from those pitfalls is all that matters.

What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way?
Just like Covid has change the way we live, it has not taken the core meaning of who we are. As long as you stay true to yourself then everything will work out for the greater good. Having a positive outlook to things helps as well. There are going to be days where you want to throw in the towel and just walk away. Those are the moments where your breakthroughs are coming. It is right there don’t walk alway from it.

What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Life gives you a whole lot of lemons. I know I have had a ton but it is what you do with those lemons that matters . I make lemonade with lemon pond cake.`My story and my brand has come from so many failed projects and disappointments. But those moments have gotten me here , where I am today.

We love to explore new things and places in the city. The Real Milk and Honey is a great place to eat breakfast. My friends and I love to shop so just depending on the area we will shop. Atlantic Station is a good place because everything is there and also we can break for a movie. The Battery Atlanta is another good spot for shopping, eating, and movies. My son’s favorite place is Mary Mac’s and The Cheesecake Factory.

I love to shout out my family for all the help and hard work they do. I want to thank the wonderful ladies of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Without you Ian and I could not live out our dreams. I would like to thank Marilyn McCluskey for being that mentor I truly needed. Jasmine Wood you already know. Shawntel Joseph, Monique Agnew, and Crystal Hughes-Whiters for always being my cheerleader. Dr. Deborah Brown for always pushing greatness out of me. Tanya Blackshear for always having my back and making sure I’m ok. Last but not least, Catherine Harper and Rachel Reid for helping me shine.