We had the good fortune of connecting with Katrina Mosley Stinnett and Quentin L. Stinnett  and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katrina and Quentin, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My name is Katrina Mosley Stinnett. My husband Quentin Stinnett and I started the company, Everything Life Brings, LLC, affectionately known as ELB. We started ELB as we were working regular jobs and we grew tired of not being paid what we are worth.

It grew difficult to have more experience, and go through promotion interview and they know you are the most qualified for the position and they still pass you over for the position, yet because you are the most experienced person, they bring the person to you for you to train, but yet be your supervisor as they to this person, “Katrina is a plethora of knowledge, she knows everything, If you need to know anything or don’t understand something, she is our go-to.” That statement resonates in my mind and will never be forgotten because it showed me that I am dark enough to be a great trainer, but not light enough to be great leader. This situation is not new to the world, but it is new to me. We wanted to no longer have a cap on our growth and we also wanted to help others who are wanting the same. That is the ultimate reason why we started ELB.

Through the ELB umbrella we have successfully developed, Alabama Black Expo… for minority business owners to showcase their goods, services and talents, and the Miss Alabama Black Expo Pageant to help launch careers and platforms. There is a book written, titled, Collecting Wooden Nickels: A Journey of Stepping Out On Faith and Receiving Everything Life Brings… to empower individuals to take the step of faith, walk away and actually start their own successful businesses.

We developed Blac On Blac Bath & Body which was developed in part from items grown on our family farm. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these products benefits our non-profit which is the Step Out And Receive Everything Life Brings Foundation… We offer empowerment and awareness to the areas of infertility and kidney disease. We also assist individuals who are in need of assistance getting their businesses off the ground.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
ELB has been a directory magazine as well. Before the name officially changed to ELB the name was Katwalk Planet. I was the creative director over photography and graphic design. I had the idea to take the photographs that I was taking and turn it into a magazine for artists, models and other talents.

I was taking beautiful photographs, but still had two huge problem; #1… I couldn’t afford to pay a graphic designer to layout my magazine and #2… I didn’t know how to do it myself. I spoke with a guy who knew how to do graphic design layout, told him about my ideas and before I knew it he had taken the concept and created his own magazine. I was crushed because now I’m going to look like a copy cat. But, I still didn’t have a graphic designer. So I went to book stores, went on the internet and learn how to do graphic design on my own.

Eventually launched my publications and have successfully gone on to do graphic design for other publications and develop flyers and cards for people. I want the world to know that the saying is true, “There is always more than one way to skin a cat”, because I tried to get help and thought I was defeated, but learned to do graphic design on my own.. Nothing stopped me, nothing ever will and I hope nothing stops you too.

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?
If my best friend was visiting. We would take a road trip and go to my family farm. She came to visit me their and it has been years since she had been back because of work and she lives in Georgia.

We would walk in the fields, eat seafood till we are stuffed and go to the casinos and of course head to the beaches on the gulf coast. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My Co-Founder, Quentin L. Stinnett My Parents: Larry Mosley, Sr. & Rose Ann Lilly Mosley
My Brother: Larry Mosley, Jr and wife Charletha Patrick Mosley
My Nieces: London Yvonne Mosley and Laylah Rose Mosley
My Dog: Jack Russell: Major Mosley Stinnett affectionately known as (Major Mo)

Website: www.everythinglifebrings.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elb.everythinglifebrings/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinglifebrings

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elb.everythinglifebrings

Image Credits
Lasting Look Photography Owner, Larry Mosley, Jr.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.