Meet La Shawna Griffith | CEO Write Right PR Services

We had the good fortune of connecting with La Shawna Griffith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi La Shawna, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
My favourite quote/affirmation would have to be “I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me”. My faith is something that is very important to me, as from a young age I grew up in the church, attending Sunday School then later being a Sunday School teacher. Knowing that God who is omnipresent has a plan and a purpose for my life and has been guiding me and leading me along life’s journey is heartwarming.

As I reflect on this quote, I think it also allows me to know that I can do anything because of the inner strength that I possess from God.

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?
Write Right PR Services is a public relations and digital media company that was founded on March 2020. The company prides itself on being able to tell persons stories. In the past three years, the company has grown strength to strength initially offering public relations services to small and medium sized enterprises, and has since pivoted and offers services to our Governmental and Non-Governmental clients, Small and Medium Sized enterprises, individuals and entertainers.

I am most proud of the fact that our company gets to spearhead campaigns on topics of vast importance like culture and reparations, which are two topics which are very important to people of Afro-Caribbean descent especially Barbadians.

To know that the work our company is doing is changing the landscape of Barbados is mind blowing.

How did I get to where I am today?
It is through alot of persons believing in my talent, and seeing the potential of the business and allowing the company opportunities. I honestly would not be where I am without persons buying into my potential and seeing all of what I bring to the table.

The journey was not easy. In fact I would say it was very challenging. In 2020, when I started this business with my co-founder Akeem Chandler-Prescod, I had just resigned from my job as a freelance reporter and I was living off my savings.

I had gotten a new job working at a popular hotel as their Resort Shop Manager and just as I was getting comfortable, the resort shop closed. Shortly after Barbados was hit by COVID. I sat down at home and I thought ‘What am I going to do?’ and then it hit me. I could use all of my skills as a freelance journalist and develop a product that was affordable but offering high quality services.

And that is how the company Write Right PR Services was born. When we started we had a few clients who knew of me as a freelance journalist who decided to take a chance with us and see how their articles did in the media. The articles were a resounding success and following those initial articles in March 2022, more and more persons came to our company requesting press releases, photography and videography.

In August 2020, our Co-Founder Akeem Chandler-Prescod decided that we would add media production to the company as we were getting alot of enquiries into that service, and I must say that that was one of the best decisions that we made. Since that initial decision we have gone on to work for major entities in Barbados and have interviewed Members of Parliament, Ambassadors, Veteran Soca Entertainers and so much more.

Write Right PR Services is slowly becoming a house hold name in Barbados and I am grateful for the blessings that have been bestowed upon the business.

There are so many lessons that I have learned along the way, the three I would share with you are:

1. Believe in yourself- You are capable of amazing things, believe and walk in your purpose.
2. Surround yourself with persons who want to see you succeed- Network is your net worth! Be around persons who have similar drive and ambition and who want to see you become everything that God intended you to be.
3. No means Next Opportunity- Being a business owner means that many times you will be told No, or not given the contract you worked tediously on, but what I have learnt in the past three years is that No sometimes is God redirecting you to a bigger opportunity, to a bigger contract, to a bigger client. All you have to do is trust and believe in him.

It would be remiss of me not to mention some of our company’s biggest moments:

1. 2nd place in the Barbados Trust Loans Pitch It To Win It Competition
2. Finalist in the Global Entrepreneurship World Cup
3. In 2022, I had the pleasure of being invited to Disrupt HR Caribbean to present a 5 min presentation on PR +HR a perfect Marriage. I was the youngest presenter there and that opportunity has led to many corporate jobs for our business. I must thank Julie Turney for this opportunity as it was truly life changing.

What do I want the world to know about Write Right PR Services brand story?

We are a company that prides ourselves in telling our clients story the way they want them told. We are professional and enjoy working with the client to ensure that their brand/image is of the highest possible quality. As we say in our slogan ‘We write it right the first time!’.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Barbados has so much to offer!

If you are visiting Barbados definitely you have to visit Oistins on a Friday night and be sure to head to Pat’s Place. The food is delicious. Oistins is an historical fishing village thus, all of the canteens serve fresh fish. There is also live music happening on the grand stage that persons can enjoy when they wait.

Barbados also has alot of beautiful beaches, one I would recommend is Pebbles Beach. It is a beautiful beach and also has one of the oldest canteens Cuz. Trust me, you would not get enough of his signature Fish Cutters. They are so delicious, you may have to wait in a line to get one but definitely it is worth the wait.

But my favourite thing to do in Barbados is just get on a ZR Van and head to Bridgetown, and enjoy the food. (I am a foodie, and I love a good meal). In Barbados, the food is very flavourful and prepared with love, you can find a restaurant, bar or canteen all over the island and trust me 98% of them are absolutely delicious. So when you are coming to the island be sure to come with a hearty appetite.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

I definitely would have to shout out my parents. My late father Sean Griffith and my mother Sharron Gibson. From a young age they allowed me to be creative and supported me throughout life’s journey. My dad taught me that “I can do anything I put my mind to” and that has stuck with me over the years. And while, he unfortunately passed last year, I owe alot of my success not only to him but to my mother as well. My mom has stuck by my side through thick and thin, and has been front row in all of my pursuits.

Outside of my parents, I have to thank my partner Akeem Chandler-Prescod, he has been with me on this journey, supporting my ideas, helping me execute my ideas, and also being the person to inspire me to start our company Write Right PR Services. I would not have this business if it was not for him telling me “Do it!”. When I came to him in 2020, in the height of COVID that I wanted to start a PR company, he listened attentively and then asked me, “So, why haven’t you started it?”. And that same night, we worked on conceptualising the business, finding a business name, starting our Facebook and Instagram pages and then sharing it with the world.

He is truly a special human being and I am so proud to not only be his business partner but also to be his life partner because he is a gem of a person inside and out and his drive, passion and ambition are infectious. Together we make a hell of a team.

So, Akeem Chandler-Prescod thank you!

I also must take this opportunity to thank Marcia Armstrong from A Purpose Life because without her recommendation this interview would not have been possible. I met Marcia a few years ago when she contacted my company for a press release and some videos. After our initial interaction, our souls clicked and we have been supporting and assisting each other ever since. I am so proud of all she has achieved thus far and I am excited to be a small part of her journey, the same way she has been a small part of mine.

Website: https://www.writerightprservices.com

Instagram: @writerightprservices246

Linkedin: Write Right PR Services

Twitter: @pr_writes

Facebook: Write Right PR Services

Image Credits
Akeem Chandler-Prescod