SBA Women's Month Inspiration & Innovation, Deone McWilliams, Entrepreneur

The Richmond District office is responsible for the delivery of SBA programs and services to 92 counties in Virginia (excluding the counties of Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun, and cities of Alexandria, Fairfax and Falls Church which are served by ourWashington, D.C. District Office). The Richmond District office is located in the Federal Building, Suite 1150, 400 North 8th Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219. Office hours are from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.  Visit us online at www.sba.gov/va.

Richmond District Office

Deone McWilliams, Editor-in-Chief, Talk Show Host Learn about her Inspirational Story, the Unique Lessons that May Assist Your Business

DEONE McWILLIAMSEditor-in-Chief &amp; Talk Show Host Learn about her Inspirational Small Business Story and the Unique Lessons that May Assist Your Small Business!I was just 7 years old (second grader), loved to read and write, and my 2nd grade teacher saw “something special within me”!My second-grade teacher, Ernestine Green, resident of Richmond, VA’s Northside, was my core foundation which led to me being who I am today (next to my parents). She saw something special within me and allowed me to be free—express myself (reading, writing, acting, singing, etc.). Fast forward to now (being a grown adult). I went through life totally confused because I was different/unique. I tried any and everything I felt I could do (there was no such thing as not being able to achieve a goal). I knew I was an entrepreneur because my father was one and he taught me so much. I just loved how he would freely create things (carpenter by trade). My mother taught me how to be a respectful young lady. I was a writer, singer, model, legal secretary, public relations and marketing rep, and the list goes on! In 2014, after losing 7 family members in 1 year, I left corporate America, and made the biggest decision of my life (entrepreneurship!). I lost everything — house, possessions, sports car (drove my mother’s pickup truck), let my hair go natural, and whittled my bank account down to $22. I opened an office in a 6x9 closet at a friend’s education academy, spent my days standing on street corners handing out flyers in a deserving community in Richmond, VA--announcing a good-news newspaper was coming, and scouted out potential advertising clients. The hard work paid off! I quickly saw success and outgrew my closet office. Today, I have a studio/corporate office in RVA’s Capitol District, working on incorporating a talk show (podcast)—The GOOD TALK, and building a photography studio. Not only have I launched 3 newspapers—but the one that has survived the longest recently made it 101 “consecutive” months/issues (Northside Vibes), and today it’s named GOOD NEWS USA. Deone McWilliamsDEONE McWILLIAMSEditor-in-Chief &amp; Talk Show HostMy $22 Faith Walk – God’s Assignment Fulfilling a 7-year old’s request: STOP THE BAD NEWS by Writing a GOOD NEWSpaperBack in 2010, my grandson was a precocious 7-year-old, told me he was tired of the bad news—it was scaring all the kids—and asked me to write a newspaper filled with good news only, which started my journey and my 1st newspaper was published in 2010. I was beat out by competition. I would go back and forth to corporate America, but I knew I had to fulfill this child’s request. In 2014, I lost 7 family members. In 2017, I lost my 34 year old son, but God wouldn’t let me stop. I rented a hotel room for 3 days (after losing my son), prayed, and told God “This has to be your assignment and I’m going to keep going”—and I did! I wrote/created another issue in 3 days—and… it was on time. It hasn’t been easy! It has taken a lot of prayers, love, and support from so many people who believed in me—and I had to ignore those who didn’t. This paper is more than just a newspaper. It’s therapeutic for me and so many communities. I take great pride in every single supporter, every single person, and every child with a dream. Yes! I risked it all and have no regrets whatsoever!

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SBA Women's Month Inspiration & Innovation, Deone McWilliams, Entrepreneur

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SBA Women's Month Inspiration & Innovation, Deone McWilliams, Entrepreneur

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SBA Manufacturing Resources and SBA Financing

SBA Surety Bond Guarantee Program

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