Today we’d like to introduce you to D’Voya Wilks.
Hi D’Voya, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I view “my story” as a novel that’s still being written but, retrospectively, I’d sum up how I’ve landed where I have in one word…focus.
At any given moment, I’m focused on multiple tiers of goals separated by time (1-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-24 months) and my bucket (professional, personal, financial, impact on others). The focus has allowed me to hit many of my goals earlier in life than I’d planned but, more importantly, it taught me how to learn. To learn from the world, from books, from seminars, from the folks I interact with daily, and from the hundreds of folks I meet as I travel which has been incredible.
But, my journey in the marketing world began ten years ago as a telemarketer. Ironically, I was very shy at the time (still am sometimes, haha) and those introvertive tendencies didn’t make me the ideal candidate for the role. However, being extended the offer, practicing the scripts, studying my products, and honing those conversational and negotiation skills allowed me quickly rank among the top producers in the market. This break into the space was the first time I’d surprised myself and I’ve allowed it to be the catalyst to my career in the marketing world.
Of course, telemarketing was just my beginning and the last ten years have seen me build two call centers from the ground up in the real estate and home improvement industry, pilot the development of an app called “Windingo,” engineer and execute social media strategies for tech companies, build brand ambassador and influencer programs for clients, and lead Google + Facebook + Amazon strategy and implementation for businesses in the retail space. It’s been such a quick escalation but I’m fully grateful for the journey so far.
My consistent focus throughout this decade has been in three primary arenas. Firstly, fulfilling my purpose on this planet. I’m a man of God and that clear focus of why I’ve been granted this life has directly impacted my professional decisions. Secondly, focusing on the life I want for myself has fueled the creation and execution of many of my goals. Thirdly, focusing on how I can impact those around me, whether in small or large ways, has been consistent. I’ve witnessed this energy circle back to me in the most amazing ways so I have no intention of changing this mindset.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Someone more wise than I said: “There is no life without struggle” and I’m no exception to this.
Some pretty heavy ones are the lack of having parents in my life and being the target of prejudice in the professional space. These have certainly molded how I see the world and people which impacts how I maneuver. However, appropriately responding to these challenges have forced maturity, emotional growth, a balanced perspective and expectation of others, among other things.
Some challenges almost anyone can relate to would be occasional self-doubt and mild loneliness honestly. The self-doubt piece comes in asking myself “Did I make the right decision?” or “Should I have explored this over that?” I believe it’s a good exercise to conduct personally on a regular basis but a natural side effect is the idea that my reality could have, should have, or would have been different if I’d operated differently in a given scenario.
The mild loneliness, interestingly, has been a by-product of my relocation from Virginia to Austin. Even though I meet so many people through my travels and work daily with some amazing folks, the depth of the relationships are different because my time is primarily dedicated towards my goals. This obviously has made dating impossible but that’s changing as we speak.
You grow as a person through challenges though so embracing them head on is the most effective way to tackle them.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We’re keeping the name of the firm a secret until launch. However, the goal is to position the business to support media buying agencies, not take their place or compete with them, in addition to servicing private businesses. We’ll share more details when the time is right!
My personal brand and presence on social media is as spontaneous as I am honestly. Not afraid to show a little skin but I try to keep things positive. Fitness, fashion, personal development, and music are some things important to me which you’ll see on my page. I’ve slowed down accepting sponsorships for now to focus but my current ones include a bookstore in California, two fashion lines, one fitness brand, and one underwear line.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
It’s as easy as hitting my DMs or sending me an email which you can access from my Instagram page.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_dvoya_/
