Meet Falina Long | HR Professional & Creative Director of ForMil Designs LLC

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

Hi Falina, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
“You need to work for yourself,” my mother would remind me for years and it has always resonated with me.  I have always been a well-known individual.  I am either personally acquainted with the individual or know of someone who can help them realize their vision for event planning and décor. I enjoy tailoring the concept to the individual client. One day I began to believe that maybe I could do event planning, but uncertainty and anxiety overtook me. As someone who enjoys people, planning, and pleasant surprises, event planning has long been a goal of mine.  Those talks with my Mom paid off and ForMil Designs LLC came to fruition. The business is affectionately named after my late parents who adopted me at the age of 5.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Being a human resources professional is not for the faint of heart! I began out in retail as a manager and eventually became a store manager. When I first started on this route, I was just trying to pay my expenses; I never thought, “Oh, this is what I want to be when I grow up.” I quickly realized I was recruiting, hiring, onboarding, training, coaching, employee relations/reward & recognition, and so on. HR encompasses all of these responsibilities. I had the experience, but I didn’t have the qualifications at the time. So I went back to school and worked full-time for a staffing organization as an Onsite Manager at a manufacturing factory. As a result, I gained more experience while pursuing my degree. The road was not easy; I had to drop out of a few semesters due to a lack of cash; there were many late nights of studying, completing papers, and returning to work with barely two hours of sleep. When I reflect on the lives I’ve changed as a result of being in a position to assist people discover their full potential and encourage them to pursue their aspirations, the reward comes from the lives I’ve helped to transform. People that worked with me are still in touch with me, and they value my advice, opinion, and tough love. HR has a reputation for doing nothing but hiring and firing, but in reality, we just provide recommendations and genuinely want the best for our people.

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?
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Ok let me put on my event planning hat! For a week of fun in the Magic City we would have the following itinerary:

 Day 1-

Spa Services at IEnergy Wellness Spa, followed by lunch at First Watch and Dinner and Drinks at FIVE Birmingham

Day 2-

Visit Botanical Gardens for an impromptu photoshoot and Lunch at Slice, Happy Hour and Live Jazz at Perry’s Steakhouse

Day 3-

Shopping, Shopping and more Shopping! We will visit our local malls The Galleria and The Summit and also visit local boutiques and consignment shops. Dinner will definitely be simple and be a home cooked meal. ( Grilled Salmon with yellow Rice and Side Salad and lots of wine)

Day 4-

Morning Hike at Vulcan, Smoothies at Homewood Nutrition, Relax for the day, Dinner at Ocean’s and Ladies’ NIght at Cassanova Bar and Lounge

Day 5-

Tour Civil Rights Museum, Lunch at Gus’s Fried Chicken, Dinner and Live Music at Perfect Note

Day 6

Travel to Montgomery for Sip-n- Cycle Pedal Cruise

Day 7-

Brunch and Wine Tasting at Corbin Farms Winery

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The journey has just begun and I would not be this far along without my sisters Janella Long and Latasha Bennett. They continue to support  and encourage me to take the leap. My mentors Delonna Michelle Stinson, Erika Patrice Kellom and Bucarrui Simms Akles. These ladies have prayed for me and prayed over my business, kept me encouraged and are the best teachers in the game. There is always one person I can call on for support and manpower when needed. Cheri Crump has always been on the front lines with me from planning to decorating and I truly appreciate all that she does, seen and unseen. Last but absolutely not least, my fiancé Eric Wilson. He is a true blessing. Eric has always supported this dream even when I wanted to shy away from it. He listens to the ideas even though I know this is not his ministry. The support I receive from him is unmatched and without it the losses would outweigh the wins. I am forever blessed and grateful for his love and support.

Instagram: @formil_designs05

Facebook: ForMil Designs

Image Credits
AP Photography