Meet Kayla Williams | Founder/CEO

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

Hi Kayla, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When it came time to choosing a college… I remember the obstacles I faced as a first-generation student preparing for college. The college admissions process was complicated and a daunting task of having to remember deadlines, applying for scholarships and completing financial aid forms in a timeline manner. After much trial and measure and precious life experiences, I completed my goal and graduated from college twice!

After earning my Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration at the University of West Georgia, I continued my education on a scholarship and received a debt-free Masters of Education degree in Professional Counseling with an emphasis on student affairs. It was my six years at UWG that I fell in love with helping other first-gen students succeed and graduate.

Afterwards, I began my career as a college recruiter and have worked through several students facing functioning areas at some of Georgia’s prestigious colleges. Some of my efforts in the retention and graduation initiatives of “at-risk” students were recognized by Bill Gates. I wanted to do more for students and parents that looked like me in my community. I want to provide a guided stress-free approach when applying to scholarships and college applications.

As I believe, with the proper guidance and resources, every student can create his or her path to personal success. Being an advocate for students is the foundation to helping them avoid the pitfalls, I once encountered, with the transition and college admission process. Through my determination as an advocate, All Star College Coaching was born!

All Star College Coaching eliminates the college application information gap by matching our seniors and their families with coaches, who will virtually guide them through the college application and financial aid process stress-free as possible with the ultimate goal of getting into college but doing it the #allstarway which is the debt-free way!

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?
There has definitely been a lot of struggles as I am still tackling struggles as of today. However, I know that with GOD all things are possible!! So, I have learned to embrace the highs and lows as they have come and molded me into the person and the business that I have today. This business was created from scratch and having to wear several hats and juggling different aspects for the business can be very draining. Normally, I am not the one to ask for help but during my journey as a business owner, I have learned to lean on friends and family who support me and my business mentally, spiritually, and financially.

All Star College Coaching – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
The United States has over $1.7 Trillion in student loan debt… wow!

And, what’s even more alarming is that 86.6% of marginalized students plan to borrow money to attend college compared to their white counterparts.

Breaking the cycle of going into debt for a college for marginalized families means addressing financing options and systemic causes.

The mission of All Star College Coaching is to increase the number of low-income and marginalized students and their families with college access initiatives through a virtual learning platform and personalized student coaching service. We virtually assist and support high school students and their families by providing them with college access resources. By sharing and exposing an array of educational resources to our student population, we not only provide them with a transformative coaching experience that warrants their transition into college successfully but also provides individualized actionable feedback about their college preparatory efforts.

I am beyond proud to say that as of today:

· We have helped 42 students get into college
· 39 of those 42 students have gotten into one of their top 3 college choices
· Over $318,000 has been awarded in scholarship money… and we still going for more!!

I am currently looking to partner with college and high schools to decrease the amount of debt for a degree.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
ooooh there are so many spots that I can think of but here are my favorites.

For breakfast/brunch, I would take my guest to Nouveau on Main Street. You have to try their Seafood grits, lambs chop, seafood pasta…..well everything is delicious!! You will get a good vibe, music, fun, and superb service.

For lunch, we would visit Restaurant 10 located across the street from the MB stadium. I love this place because the food is always on point. Good food, great vibe and they have outdoor patio!

Of course we would need to walk of this amazing food so we would take a stroll or a bike ride through the belt line and check out the local shops.

For dinner, we will head over to Spice House on Cascade rd for some Caribbean food.

At the end of the day, I am all about the vibe, food, and customer service!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Taronda Gibson Takeshia Berkley

Website: www.allstarcollegecoaching.com

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

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