Meet Taylor Dru Williams | Business Coach & Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Taylor Dru Williams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Taylor Dru, what role has risk played in your life or career?
As I reflect on my journey and the role that risk-taking has played in my life and career, I realize that embracing uncertainty has been instrumental in my growth over the past decade. Taking risks are important in life and have been a huge piece of my story. Risks propel you forward towards a life that you can actually love. Choosing to attend college out of state was a bold move that pushed me out of my comfort zone. Leaving behind familiarity in Akron, Ohio, I ventured to Miami, Florida, to study aviation at Florida Memorial University. Despite the initial apprehension of starting anew in an unfamiliar environment, this risk exposed me to diverse perspectives and opportunities for personal and academic growth.

After graduating from Florida International University, I took another leap by relocating to Atlanta, Georgia, with no job lined up and minimal resources. My decision to immerse myself in the vibrant black American arts community and pursue a career in business administration was a calculated risk driven by my passion and determination. While the transition was challenging, it ultimately led to valuable connections and career advancements.

Perhaps the most significant risk I took was leaving a lucrative corporate job with a tech giant to pursue entrepreneurship full-time. Despite the security and stability of my corporate role, I followed my heart and launched my business as a business coach and operations consultant. This decision required courage, resilience, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty. While the journey has been filled with ups and downs, the freedom and fulfillment I’ve found in pursuing my passion have been immensely rewarding.

Throughout these experiences, I’ve learned to trust my intuition and embrace the unknown. Every risk I’ve taken has been guided by a deep desire for growth and fulfillment, and each step has reinforced my belief in the power of resilience and perseverance. As I navigate future challenges and opportunities, I’m reminded that life is inherently unpredictable, but by embracing risk and leaning into discomfort, I can continue to unlock new levels of my dream life.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am the founder of SystemsGuru, an international operational coaching, consulting and training company. We are dedicated to revolutionizing the operations and efficiency of service-based businesses. Our mission is to guide and support small business owners in implementing tailored strategies, cutting-edge systems, and expert consultancy, ensuring their ventures are not just competitive but thrive in today’s dynamic market.

We serve our clients through hands-on implementation support, tech trainings and entrepreneurial coaching. I’m most proud of our reach in the past four years. We have worked with small business owners to huge corporations across seven different countries so far. It’s been a beautiful story and journey.

Building my business not easy because I had no idea what I was doing at first. Even with a business degree, running a business is scary and intimidating. I had to learn lots of hard lessons and failed quite a bit but I tried to fail forward and fail fast so I could get to my next win.

A few lessons that I’ve learned along the way are:

1. Everything is an experiment. You have to be ready for things not to work out the way you may have planned, even when you are a great planner.

2. Excellent customer service is how you will retain your clients. If you create a system to guarantee consistent excellent experiences, you can generate more income with less effort.

3. Community is everything, you have to place yourself outside of yourself. Find external accountability to stay disciplined and sharp. My community is why I’m still in business today.

What I want the world to know about me is that I’m here to ignite the light in you. I’m here on this earth to be a source for you to find your purpose and mission. I will never allow you to dim your light.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m definitely taking them to Chattahooche Food Works in West Midtown, Atlanta, Food Works is a food hall that has several delicious cuisines from around the world, a great bar, and a beautiful outside seating area. You can easily walk to other restaurants and activities around the neighborhood. The parking is plentiful (and you know how important that is in Atlanta), and it’s always a great vibe.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to extend a heartfelt shoutout to the amazing members and supporters of Systems Systas, the incubator and learning program I’ve created to uplift operations-focused womxn-of-color entrepreneurs. Your dedication, resilience, and unwavering support for each other inspire me every single day.

Witnessing the beautiful relationships and community that have blossomed within our spaces fills my heart with gratitude and purpose. I am truly honored to serve as the gardener of this masterpiece, nurturing a community where each of you can explore your skills and abilities outside of entrepreneurship.

Whether you’re a past, present, or future member, your presence in this journey is invaluable, and I dedicate my story, accomplishments, and impact to you. Your dedication and perseverance remind me of the transformative power of community and the impact we can create together. Thank you for being part of this journey with me and for allowing me to hold up mirrors to the light within each of you.

Website: www.taylordru.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thesystemsguru

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/taylordru

Twitter: www.twitter.com/thesystemsguru

Facebook: www.facebook.com/thesystemsguru

Youtube: www.youtube.com/thesystemsguru

Other: TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@thesystemsguru

Image Credits
Freshdew Onuzurike and Mike D.