We had the good fortune of connecting with Shawndra Onwuchekwa and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shawndra, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My thoughts behind starting my own business initially involved creating more freedom in my life (or creating the life that I wanted to live and not one that someone else dictated for me). So, I started my journey as a creative freelancer.

This journey quickly transformed into that of a creative entrepreneur when I discovered a lack of diversity and inclusion within the industry. Agencies were often looking for a certain type of diversity – one that was more polished – and I knew that waiting for anyone to adapt/acclimate to a “dominant culture” was a waste of time. I wanted to create a clear and immediate pathway for people like me to gain knowledge and skills, and advance their careers without having to hide who they are or become someone else in the process. I also wanted to work with people in my particular creative field whether they presented as “polished” or not. In my opinion, talent has no “dominant culture” or “proper presentation.”

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I founded Chroma, my Experiential Marketing agency, for businesses and brands wanting to gain a closer connection to their community of customers. We curate exciting and forward-focused events, experiences, and environments. As far as getting to where I am now, it took me some time to figure it out. When I discovered Experiential Marketing and witnessed the power it possessed to turn skeptics into raving fans, I knew that I had to be involved in some capacity. It was challenging getting into the industry because there are just so many layers to experiential and it is a lot to learn, but it was also extremely rewarding because it came naturally to me (it married the creative with details management). That’s what kept me going. A key lesson I learned along my journey is that knowledge is power. So, we make it a practice in our work with clients to ask tons of questions throughout the process, even if it’s just to clarify something we’ve already discussed – that clarity can give you the power to act and work freely. Another lesson I’ve learned is to always treat others with respect. I’ve worked with people that have rubbed me the wrong way, but kindness will always go a long way with any person. And winning the respect and confidence of those involved with a project is key to its ultimate success.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
For me, a good time always involves good food and outdoor activities. Also, I love supporting other black-owned businesses. So, for this week-long trip, we’d definitely visit the Gathering Spot. I am a member there, and it’s just a great place to meet and connect with other like-minded people. I’d take my guests to our coffee roastery, Portrait Coffee in the West End for a tour and coffee tasting or go over to Gilly’s Brew Bar – their elixirs are delicious. We’d eat at some of my favorite spots like Virgil’s, The Real Milk & Honey, Bar Vegan, Local Green, Tassili’s Raw Reality, etc. We’d do some bike riding on the Beltline or hikes near the Chattahoochee River. Whenever I have people come into town, they always want to visit Dr. King’s childhood home and other attractions. So, we’d probably do that as well.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My two greatest influences and mentors are my husband and best friend. They are both successful in their own right and are people that I look to for advice and to be challenged. My best friend, Erika Brown, started her career in corporate finance and after switching industries, she quickly grew her real estate business from nothing. She now garners a ton of respect in her industry. She’s taught me the power of following my gut and thinking strategically. My husband is a speaker, author, and business owner. He’s taught me a lot about impact and how success is nothing if you’re not helping others around you become more successful as well. He’s a people person and treats everyone he knows with the utmost respect. He’s taught me a lot about paying it forward and the relational work of business ownership.

Website: https://www.chromacreative.co

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chromacreativeco/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chromacreativeco

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chromacreativeco

Image Credits
A Deng Good Life Photography – Portrait &Photo 1 Zurii Creative – Photos 2 &3 Maverick City Music – Photos 4&5 Envisioning Freedom Photography – Photos 6&7

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