Today we’d like to introduce you to Kendyll Locke.
So, before we jump into specific questions about what you do, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth” – Muhammad Ali. Service is nothing new to me; however, I would have never imagined that I would be giving it in the form of entrepreneurship among a host of other endeavors.
I have always been the person to take charge and lead from the front as I have a natural gift of seeing an end result and knowing what it would take to accomplish a specific task. 2016 was the year in which my entrepreneurial spirit was birthed as I started my first business, The Dapper Man. This business was booming for several months through me selling men’s accessories such as designer socks, ties, cufflinks, etc. Little did I know, that my weekends would soon become filled with networking and setting up as a vendor at different events. With this, I got very stressed out quickly which lead to me putting the business on hold. I was super excited when I launched the business however, at the rate in which the business was coming in, it was uncontrollable for a 14-year-old who was in middle school. Becoming a businessman was never apart of my plan; it was just something that presented itself as an opportunity and I took it and ran with it.
Later that year, I was approached by a non-profit that I had been connected to through personal ties in which I was asked to take over the social media component for the organization. With this task, I would be responsible for promoting upcoming events in addition to creating creative content relating to the organization’s values. So of course, I accepted the offer and had pride with what I did. Through doing this task for several months, I grew to really enjoy social media from a marketing standpoint. One day, while doing some self-reflection, I started to craft a new business in which I could provide business owners with social media marketing as a service. I was doing it for the non-profit so I just knew that it wouldn’t be a problem doing it for others on a much larger scale. In addition, upon entering my 9th-grade year, I was accepted into a collegiate program where sports were not allowed so I needed something to keep me busy outside of school.
KD’s Socialhouse Maintenance was officially birthed in March of 2017. I was able to obtain a logo from a family member who was a graphic designer and from there, it was time to start promoting myself on social media. I reached out to business owners I knew personally in addition to cold calling which eventually led to my first 2 clients, a catering company and a barbershop. As the months started to pass and new clients came, I started to put new systems in place, expand my services and grow my business. With this, I had a new clientele that started flooding in which has led my business from being just a small social media marketing company to a full-on marketing-public relations firm. I have now worked with a wide variety of clients ranging from politicians, business owners to even some large well-known organizations. Knowing that nothing is possible without God, I pride myself on remaining humble in which I believe is what allows me to continue to grow not just as a company but as a young influential black progressive powerful man throughout today’s society.
Has it been a smooth road?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. Challenges and obstacles are things that I face daily as a business owner. One of the main obstacles that I have had to overcome in my company is the age barrier between myself and the client. Often times during onboarding, the client finds out my age and will start to rethink their decision doing business with me. Furthermore, age has played a factor with my pricing as several people would try to “work me down” because they felt that a 14-year-old running a business shouldn’t be charging what I was charging. In the beginning stages of my business, this would really get to me as it became very discouraging. I would start to question myself, my business and just if what I was doing was the best thing at the moment. However, as I have matured and grown in age, I have learned to not let age have an effect on me. People will pay for the level of service that they want. In addition, if they can’t see the value that you bring to the table, then it is best that you avoid entering into a service agreement with them. I now understand my purpose and what I can bring to a business/brand which has created more room for confidence when performing the operations of my business in addition to dealing with clients.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with KD’s Socialhouse Maintenance – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
KD’s Socialhouse Maintenance is a marketing-public relations company based out of Dallas-Fort Worth. We use the most innovative marketing techniques and tools helping the overall image of your brand.
Some of the services that we specialize in includes:
– Social Media Marketing
– Brand Development (Most Popular)
– Content Creation
– Website Development
– Email Marketing
(and a host of other services)
One of the main things that sets me and my company apart from all of the other marketing firms is the level of attention to detail I provide for each client. Every client that I have has a specific need whether they know it or not. I pride myself on working with the client to develop a plan including realistic and strategic goals in which the business/brand cannot just grow from a marketing standpoint, but as a whole company improving overall brand awareness, efficiency and sales.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I was born here in Fort Worth and through my 17 years of living here, I have enjoyed every moment of it. Like every city, Fort Worth has its flaws, however, it is a city that is rapidly growing in size and diversity. New developments are constantly being created to help touch on all important facets of life. More specifically, in recent years, I have seen the city start to develop new programs and incentives for the business community at large creating a more inclusive and innovative city. Fort Worth will always hold a special place in my heart.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kdssocialhousemaintenance.com
- Email: kendyll@kdssocialhousemaintenance.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/kdssocialhouse_maintenance
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/kdssocialhousemaintenance
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/kdssocialhouse1
Image Credit:
Jeff Crawford – J Crawford Agency, Crowley ISD
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