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

Hi Christian J., what do you attribute your success to?
I think the most important factor behind the success of my brand is my strong relationship building skills. I make friends very easily, and have actually become friends with many of my clients. My outgoing personality and strong interpersonal skills really help me to connect with my clients and understand what their career aspirations are so that I can coach them and prepare their documents to sell that transition.

My ability to build relationships with people has resulted in a nationwide outreach and consistent referrals. My clients really enjoy the personalized consultation. Many people in my field will send a questionnaire or have a brief call 15 minute call to gather information. I on the other hand hold a 1.5-2 hour call to give advice and obtain in-depth information. In fact, It’s therapeutic for many because they can be honest and complain about their jobs without any judgment while I gather the information that I need. This helps me to truly deliver a magnificent product.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business provides full service professional development services including but not limited to: resume revamp, LinkedIn optimization, salary negotiations, personal statement review, interview prep, biography creation, cover letter creation, etc.

What sets me apart from others is that I offer so many services and I host a lengthy consultation so that I can really get to know my clients. I really put my all into this business. I initially used to do this for free, until a few of my friends told me that I should be charging for my services. So it was never about the money, but helping people.

In my case, running the business itself was not so much the “hard part”. It was what led up to it – working a job a hated. Fortunately, my talents and passion for helping others allowed me to leave my previous job on my own terms and pursue my passion.

I want the world to know that you can do anything you want with hard work and dedication. It may not be easy, but it will be worth it. People oftentimes glorify the entrepreneur life. Yes, it has its perks. However, it is a GRIND. Not only am I the consultant but I’m the brand and marketing manager too. I have to constantly think of fresh content to engage my audience and increase my outreach. I am the client relationship manager too as I try to follow-up with clients to inquire about their interview traction as well as gather data for statistical purposes.

Yes, there are days in which I may work a half day or work poolside if I’m out of town. No I don’t have to be glued to a desk and I set my own schedule. However, I don’t get PTO. If I don’t work, I don’t get paid. And then there are days that I may work late to adjust to a client on the pacific time zone. I don’t have a “guaranteed” direct deposit every month. I thrive off of leveraging social media marketing and word of mouth referrals. While I don’t have a “boss” per se, I still work hard and entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone.

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.
Although I am a native and resident of metro Detroit, I would say that if my best friends were in town, I’d want to take them to some cultural attractions. These include the birth home of Martin Luther King Jr. and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. I’d also want to tour the AUC to see the campuses of Spelman College, Morehouse College, and Clark Atlanta University. 

 
As it pertains to fun, I’ve always wanted to go to the Cascade Skating Rink. I used to roller-skate frequently up until the 8th grade and still have my skates.  I also want to try the Old Lady Gang Restaurant and open to anyplace that has a great day party vibe!  

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to shoutout my parents. When I initially quit my job to focus on this endeavor full time, my parents were extremely supportive. They didn’t necessarily agree with my decision initially because most people in their age bracket are accustomed to the “9-5 life”. However, they supported me. I know they thought that I was going to end up moving home, but I never did and have still been able to sustain myself.

I also have a multitude of friends who have supported me. However, I won’t start naming them because I will most certainly miss someone and I don’t want to slight anyone. So, I will just send a massive “thank you” out to all of my friends who have promoted my business, encouraged me, sent me a referral, sent me an article to post, etc. You all know who you are!

Last but not least, I must shoutout my brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. I have gained some of my best friends and best business promoters through membership in this dynamic brotherhood. I have brothers in almost every state who have supported my business vía re-sharing my marketing material and word of mouth referrals.

Website: Www.CJWConsultingGroup.com

Instagram: @CJWConsulting

Linkedin: Www.LinkedIn.com/in/cjwillmba

Image Credits
Logan McLeod Sydney Pea Christian J. Williams

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