Today we’d like to introduce you to Jimmy Bodies.
Jimmy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m originally from Clarksdale, Mississippi where I was born and raised, I’d say growing up in Clarksdale has helped develop my character coming from a small city with big city crime rates. It may not have been the ideal place to grow up in but for me and some Clarksdale was home. I wanted a better life for myself, I was a first-generation college student and I After college I became an Army Engineer Officer where I served in multiple locations stateside and overseas. I was on a fast track successful career and a Bronze Star Medal recipient by the time I was 24.
When my military obligation ended, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do or live. I worked with multiple recruiters and headhunters and Dallas was the location to be for my career field and professional background. Needless to say, Dallas became my new home in summer 2016, it has definitely grown on me the more I got engaged in the city.
Has it been a smooth road?
Yes, coming from a place like Clarksdale there wasn’t a decent-paying workforce so my family struggled to help me with college, but my mom and I were determined to see it through as it was a dream for both us for me to graduate college. She sacrificed a lot and I’m forever thankful for her. When I started Cultured Encounters the principles for me were the same, spite not having a lot of excess income it was important enough to see it through and make a few sacrifices.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I moved to Dallas Summer of 2016 after serving in the Military. It didn’t take long for me to notice that Dallas was a city that had a large population of transplants from everywhere with different cultural backgrounds. Over a period of two years, I found myself constantly interacting with young professionals and minority business owners who were operating in silos, independent from each other. While we all were accomplishing great things on our own, I saw a unique opportunity to develop a network where we could come together to collaborate and leverage each other’s resources, knowledge and talent.
Cultured Encounters was officially launched in January of 2019. My mission and purpose are to serve the people through offering premiere events that promote networking, stimulate conversations around how to improve our communities as well as provides an outlet for us to have fun.
I want to make an impact politically, socially, professionally and create cultural experience across the metroplex. which is what makes us different is this ability to operate on a multifunctional level. Our slogan “Events, Experiences and Excellence” is what we aim to deliver at each event we host.
The feeling is unreal when people attend a Cultured Encounter events and make life-changing connections for their business and or professional life all through a form of networking.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade
Over the next five years, my vision is to be a full-size firm connecting professionals all over Texas. Community engagement is important to us. We’d like to be in a position to support the youth and provide scholarships, etc.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 4699843654
- Email: culturedencounters@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultured_encounters/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cultured.encounters
Image Credit:
Rhedeont Photography
GBADEBO CLS Media Group (SoSo City)
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