Welcome to the heart of Texas City, with our vibrant guest, Phyllis Williams-Strawder, a barbecue restaurant owner turned brand strategist. She's not just a businesswoman; she's a storyteller, a mentor, and most importantly, a fighter who battled imposter syndrome to build a multi-million dollar brand consultancy, Brandma's House.
The Accidental Entrepreneur
Phyllis never intended to become an entrepreneur. While her husband loved cooking, Phyllis candidly admits, “I don't cook on purpose, not even for my child.” Yet somehow she ended up co-owning two restaurants and a catering company with her husband. Though immensely successful, Phyllis eventually stepped out of her husband’s shadow to build her own brand consultancy firm.
Overcoming Self-Doubt
Despite building a mutli-million dollar business, Phyllis struggled with imposter syndrome, doubting her own abilities. Yet her expertise in branding gave her the confidence to push past those insecurities. As she explains, “When you’re good at something...you can get your confidence from that.” Rather than focus inward, she chose to focus outward on serving her clients.
The Power of Authenticity
Phyllis believes in the power of authentic branding, using language true to herself without filters. As she transitioned her brand consultancy from CKO Creator to Brandma’s House, Phyllis fully embraced her identity as the “ghetto country brand mother.” She explains, “It has a lot of history and it speaks to who I truly am.” This authenticity resonates with her clients too.
Turning Weakness into Strength
Phyllis empowers her clients to turn perceived weaknesses into strengths. She gives the example of a graphic designer who happened to be colorblind and dyslexic. Rather than hide it, his brand leaned into it, dubbing him “the colorblind consultant” who does website audits for colorblind accessibility. As Phyllis puts it, “Where some people will see him as a weakness, it’s like no, [we’re] making money off of being colorblind and dyslexic.”
Telling Her Story
Phyllis writes like she talks, embracing her unique voice. Her memoir shared “all my dirty little secrets” so no one can use her past against her. She also penned self-help books for entrepreneurs seeking to understand their place in their industry and market. Her podcast “Brandma’s Spilling the Tea” offers free coaching to give back. As she says, “Somebody has to get out there and say something about it.”
Valuing Time Over Money
Phyllis caps her clientele at 10 per year, valuing deep relationships over scale. As she explains, “Having a lot of clients means that some won’t get served as well as others.” She wants to fully serve each client, whether that means managing their social media while they’re on vacation or advising them on key business decisions.
The Courage to Be You
Imposter syndrome almost held Phyllis back from being an entrepreneur. Now she spreads a message of courage to others. As she urges, “Be courageous enough to go and put it out there and then fix it later.” Because at the end of the day, no hater or audio glitch should stop someone from pursing their dreams.
So if you’re an entrepreneur struggling with self-doubt, take a page from Phyllis’ book. Learn from her journey at Brandma’s House and soak up her hard-won advice on authentic personal branding. Just remember, it takes courage to be you – but oh, is it worth it.
