Tam Williams Integrates Business With Advocacy To “Live Life Grand”
Without failure, there is no experience” is one of Tam Williams’ two favorite quotes. Although her career and community service appear to be lacking in failure, but not in obstacles. Williams (known as Tammy Camper until her 2013 marriage) became an entrepreneur after fleeing to the West Coast with her young children in tow, to put 3,000 miles between them and an abusive spouse. The obstacles she endured gave her the experience needed to become not only a successful businesswoman, but also a strong advocate for women, minorities and small businesses. Thus, her second favorite quote came into being, “Live Life GRAND!”
In 2004, Williams was the host, producer and owner of the show, “Tammy Says,” dedicated to bringing business experts up close and personal with the small business community. The show, which was a division of her company, Strategic Transformation Partners, featured the tagline “Business & Politics Entwined.” As a media unknown, Williams overcame insurmountable odds by producing shows on Talk Radio Row at both the 2004 Democratic National Convention and the 2004 Republican National Convention.
Williams’ advocacy work in the ensuing years or as she calls them “my years with no personal life, just business” includes partnering with Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) as a state advocate director and serving on the Board of Directors as executive vice president for the National Association of Child Abduction Prevention. She was honored as one of the 25 Influential Black Women in Business by the Network Journal, appeared on Bloomberg Business and was a featured speaker at several national conferences, including the National Black Chamber of Commerce, Virgin Island’s Business Center, National Association of Women Business Owners and more.
Currently, Williams serves as a member of the West Chester, Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and sits on the advisory board of the chapter’s Women in the NAACP committee. Williams was a Pennsylvania State co-chair for the Women’s March on Washington and founded/co-chaired the Women’s March Diversity and Outreach (WMDO) Group in 2016, which grew over 12,000 members in a few short months.
Not only did she work tirelessly on the WMDO group, but she personally chartered four buses to the March on Washington and made sure that transportation and meals were covered for a group of underserved women to attend the march.
From Adversity Comes Innovation
During Williams’ trying times, she “realized that no matter how much [she] planned, things would often get off track.” Small business success often brings corporations knocking, so in 2013, she moved back to corporate America as a Global Education and Corporate Communications executive. However, she soon found her entrepreneurial spirit dampened and her overall wellness threatened. She kept herself centered by working nights and weekends building out the concept, brand and technical aspects of her next company. Overnight success never happens overnight.
After four years of planning and preparation, the time was finally right for Williams to leave corporate America, again, to pursue her passion as an entrepreneur or as she aptly says it, to “Live Life GRAND!” In 2017, this businesswoman, entrepreneur, advocate and activist fully launched She’s It, LLC—a lifestyle technology brand—to deliver an experience of well-being through technology with a personalized approach. All of Williams’ life experiences came to bear on her unique perspective to well being through the She’s It app combined with a personalized approach for a “HEALTHy, WELLthy” journey. Williams views wellness as journey “because things change but the most important thing is that you stay the course.”
As a self-described “mother, granny, wife, sister, auntie, friend and businesswoman, who loves to help other women Live Life GRAND,” Williams continues to work in her community. She has successfully integrated her business, her volunteerism/advocacy and family into one life which she lives “grand.”