Desiree Doubrox Talks Entrepreneurship and What it Means to be an Empowered Woman
Interviewed By: Ty Fischer | Photography By: Steve Ragland | MUA: Erica Bessinger
Desiree Doubrox is the definition of An Empowered Woman. Having spent her entire life as an entrepreneur, her vision, focus and mentorship has benefited countless women and their businesses. Never one to sit on previous successes, Desiree is in the middle of launching a game-changing real estate company poised to alter the way we work and play. We sat down with this empowered woman to get the scoop on success in business, the challenges of an entrepreneur and her exciting new company, HomWork.
Q: What is your background as an empowered woman in business?
DD: I started as an entrepreneur at the age of 12. It’s interesting… I have always had my own business or have been an independent contractor. Throughout the course of time, I have had multiple business ventures. I have gone through that amazing journey and now I consult on how to start, fix and build your business with content marketing and monetizing your expertise through multi-media marketing.
We’re currently launching a company called ‘HomWork’. Live where you work, work where you live, anywhere in the world. It’s designed for women in business who want to live and work in safe, luxury homes with other professionals.
Q: As an influential woman with a seven-figure business, what do you find to be the most important qualities you possess which make you successful?
DD: A quality for any successful person is the ability to focus. I often see entrepreneurs doing too many things at one time. For example, the other day a woman said, “oh I am doing three different businesses at one time.” Well, that is going to affect her success. You should focus on one thing at a time to really build it, and once you get some traction under it or you get a certain momentum behind it then you can add on something different. You want to dig deep as opposed to digging wide, so being able to focus, even if only for a minute, is huge. That focus will allow you to stay consistent with your message and different levels of engagement. Consistency allows you to reach your milestones, which is empowering for you and admirable to those who may be following you.
Strength. Knowing that this journey will have its highs and lows. There will be some days that you won’t want to get out of bed, or will start to question yourself or this brilliant idea. And at times things could get very tough. It will be your strength that will keep you strong and committed, especially when you hear the constant chatter from the naysayers in the background.
Be honest and have integrity because it affects everything, from your personal life to your business life. People will be more inclined to give and assist you if they can see that you are truthful and honest. If they don’t trust you, they are not going to support or invest in you. You never know when you will need that referral or helping hand.
Be human. Remember that you are human, and that other people are human too. It doesn’t matter what your level of interaction is on any given day, it’s the awareness that your statements or actions could hurt or heal a heart. Staying human keeps you kind, humble and available for feedback and assistance. It also gives you the latitude to fail forward in a healthy way. Being human enables you to acknowledge and embrace the support that’s available to you. As a woman, it actually demonstrates your strength instead of weakness. It shows that you have not had to compromise your femininity and that you know how to get what you want and need while creating win-wins. Above all: be human.
Q: What would you say is the biggest challenge you have faced in your professional life?
DD: For me, the biggest challenge is when you hit those financial tough times. In entrepreneurship, lack of revenue can not only affect what you’re able to do, but have repercussions in your personal life.
For example, there is an incident that I will never forget. I like to support other women and their missions, and there was a lunch fundraiser for a nonprofit organization I attended. I was short on extra cash at the time, it was right during the economic crisis, and every dollar I had went towards keeping the business alive. When it was time to make donations, I could only make a $20 donation, but I wanted to give something. What I didn’t realize was that they were going to list the names and amounts of donations that people made on the big screens. Every other donation was $100 and above. I felt very self-conscious and later shared my feelings with a friend. She reinforced the fact that I gave what I had, but it still hurt. It’s not about what I can do for myself, but what I can do for others. My goals are not only to fulfill my dreams but to be able to support others in fulfilling theirs.
Q: What has been your biggest achievement in business?
DD: I think the biggest achievement has been making a difference in people’s lives. In my opinion, that is still the greatest gift of what all of us can do. When you see a woman that’s starting a business and you see them able to support themselves, their families and their communities thanks to your advice or training, it’s very rewarding and makes it all worthwhile. It truly is the ultimate gift that keeps on giving.
Q: Tell us about your newest business: HomWork.
DD: Prior to An Empowered Woman, for 25 years I was a real estate investor and broker. And now, I’m blessed to be able to blend my two loves and create HomWork. We will be acquiring luxury type homes and will build out the bedrooms as live-work suites. The dining rooms can be converted to conference rooms, and our living rooms can be converted into meeting rooms. And there will be business centers with every amenity desired. So, you have a living area, a work area and a bed area. It is designed for people to live in full-time, part-time or drop-in. For example, if you’re going to a city for a few days for a convention, drop in. Ladies that are bi-coastal or want someplace near their grandchildren or desire to travel and have multiple residences this will be their perfect home away from home.
We will also offer concierge, housekeeping, catering and other services so that your time can be dedicated to work and play. Perfect for those who enjoy traveling and don’t want to compromise their standard of living. Everyone is a vetted member so safety is ensured and every property will be personally inspected and branded. In addition to our signature properties we will be partnering with homeowners all over the world to expand our footprint. These are homeowners with guest rooms, houses or casita’s that will be branded with our custom bedding, linens and more.
Our Facebook Live announcement is scheduled for July 17, 2017 at 7:00am pacific time. We will be sharing more details and available properties. Go to HomWork.com, opt-in and you will be the first to know about our events and launches.
Q: Do you have any advice for women aspiring to follow in your footsteps?
DD: Never let anything or anyone dim the light that shines within. There are many entrepreneurs walking with a dim light that perhaps came from a broken relationship, loss or huge disappointment. It’s the obvious look in their eyes that lacks life, love and laughter. I know there are matters out of our control, but there is a lot that we can control. You do have choices, even when it seems like you don’t. Let’s imagine the staircase of life. Once you get to each landing, you must decide whether you are going to put that luggage you’ve been carrying down and leave it behind so you can go up the next flight or drag it with you. You cannot take everything you have accumulated in life all the way to the top, it’s too heavy.
So, make a decision – one that allows you to shine! Wishing you all the love and laughter in life. Until we meet again…Stay Empowered!
To learn more about HomWork or An Empowered Woman contact Desiree Doubrox at (818) 865-8563 or email [email protected].
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