Meet Patty Williams-Downs | Founder & CEO, BreakingBounds
We had the good fortune of connecting with Patty Williams-Downs and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Patty, other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?
One of the most important decisions I’ve made that has contributed to my success thus far is – letting go of relationships that don’t serve me and revised and deepened existing relationships that support my highest and greatest good. The process was both difficult and peaceful which told me, “Patty, this is where you’re supposed to be.”
My definition of relationships is inclusive and holistic. When I say ‘relationships’ I mean: people, institutions, food, alcohol, and my DREAMS! I let go of a few friend groups and connected with new and incredible ones! I broke up with a few institutions like leaving my executive role earlier this year after spending nearly a decade with them and connected with new ones like Rice Business School’s Coach Rice Program.
I deepended relationships like the one I have with The American Leadership Forum. I’m a Senior Fellow for Class 56, which wrapped last May and was grateful to immediately take on the role as co-facilitator for an upcoming class or Class 56. December 24, 2021, I started an alcohol free journey that’s changed so many aspects of my life! I also began intermittent fasting: focusing on healing and inner journey work. I’m confident that these changes lead me to metaphorically release toxins and take in new and healthy relationships. In the social sector this phenomenon is called Breaking and Bridging. A friend and peer named Niiobli Amrah IV, an equity strategist for We Collab introduced the concept of Breaking and Bridging about a year ago. In the context of this question, I had to break up with quite a few things and build bridges for others.
This journey led me to boldly take on my first entrepreneurial endeavor: BreakingBounds. It provides executive coaching and consulting to leaders and entrepreneurs in order to break boundaries in their respective sector.
And this just in! I’ll be launching ‘Boundary Breakers,’ a podcast to elevate those leader’s voices in February of 2024! Stay tuned!
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Leadership can be lonely. I experienced this loneliness acutely during my first year as an Executive Director of a large education non profit. Financially, culturally and programmatically, we were in a fragile place. My team and I, and all of our supporters, swung for the fences and we won! Five years later, we’d established ourselves in the market and within the organization.
What lever helped me pull this off? I hired an executive coach! My executive coach was the game changer for me. She coached me through that dark time. She was ‘my person.’ To me, she felt like the only person I could confide in, find solace with, confront my greatest fears with and turn that fear into fuel. And I did! We did! She helped me use my strength and intellect to improve my financial understanding as a profit and loss owner. Her coaching helped me access the courage and genius in me which led me to support my team to redesign our revenue strategy and our culture practices.
Executive coaching helped me lead the region to celebrate its 10th birthday; a feat only 3% of social sector organizations have the privilege of celebrating. With over $2T (yes, 2 trillion dollars) only 38% of social impact organizations make it to see their 2nd birthday. While I’m proud of my team and I hurdled that feat, I knew I wanted to provide the essential service of executive coaching and consulting to other leaders across the globe to sing happy birthday in their organizations and watch their impact have the good they intended.
BreakingBounds was registered in 2020 but not given full life until June of 2023. Since then we’ve served leaders and entrepreneurs in several industries across the United States. 100% of our clients would recommend our services and are ready to take their learnings to the next level!
We provide 3 services anchored in teaching and learning: coaching, facilitation/workshops and public speaking. In just 6 short months, we’ve accomplished quite a bit:
* We provided executive coaching to amazing leaders and entrepreneurs across the US
* We were invited to keynote with at least 8 companies
*We facilitated several leadership convenings for Boards of Directors, leadership teams and groups of leaders
*Including this publication, we’ve been featured in at least 4
And within weeks, tune into Boundary Breakers! My first podcast!
3 pieces of advice I’d pass along to others:
*Get quiet and dream. Dream BIG. And do it in a place where no one can diminish or scare you out that dream. Listen to that voice inside of you that tells you who you really are: someone destined for greatness.
*Create a revenue plan. #NoMoney #NoMission. Your passion won’t make your business happen: strategy and execution will. Get the support you need to arrive at a foundational plan to accumulate the revenue you need to sustain your business.
*Find your people. You know the people I’m talking about. The people who want to see you win. Find a mentor, a thought partner, a cheerleader and someone who you trust to provide you with an honest opinion.
Go get you some peace! Follow that thing inside of you that is destined to come out!
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Wow! This is such a great question. Here’s where we’d journey…
The Breakfast Club! A Black owned restaurant staple for the Houston community nestled in downtown. And since you’re full for nearly the entire day after this amazing cuisine, you’ll need to walk its deliciousness. We’d head to a few of Houston’s beautiful parks: Hermann Park, Discovery Green and Buffalo Bayou! We’d spend the next day exploring Houston’s roots by visiting the Freedman Town’s museum and the Leonel Castillo Center in the East End. We’d of course enjoy the food scene with Lucille’s, Etoile, Masrafs, Goode Company seafood, and Pappadeux (a Houston hometown favorite). We’d explore Houston’s universities: University of Houston, Rice University and Texas Southern! We’d explore the diversity of neighborhoods by tracing the 26.2 mile Houston Marathon route! I ran it back in 2005 and it was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life. So, yeah, we would absolutely trek those routes to get a deeper look into the evolution of this incredible city.
Houston is the 3rd largest city in the US with so many treasures. I can’t hit them all but would hope to show its diversity, complexity and joy!
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
“My people” are the ones that pour into me for just being me. They don’t pour into me for being an achiever or a hard worker, heck, not even a worker! Just me. They hold no grudge against me. They do not expect anything from me. They are with me as a change, grow, fail, succeed and evolve. Their love and acceptance give me permission and space to be ME.
My people!
My husband, Tony Downs, my best friend Christina Scott and the other incredible humans I call close friends, my mother, sisters, brother, in laws, and people I’ve formed deep and lasting friendships with all deserve this shout out!
My husband deserves a special shout out. He is my home. He’s a safe place for me to dream out loud. He is the first person to lend a shoulder, an ear and put me, my worries and my concerns on his back. He’s also the first person who celebrates my wins, my growth and my joy. He was the first person to encourage me to take the leap to become an entrepreneur. Yeah, he’s kind of incredible. He’s my person, in my Meredith Grey voice from Grey’s Anatomy.
Website: https://www.breakingbounds.com
Instagram: @breakingbounds_executivecoach
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pwdowns/
Facebook: @pattydowns
Image Credits
@steviedphotos (IG) Stevie Reed Photography Companies featured in pictures – Empowered CDC – DivInc – Boston Consulting Group
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