Non-profit changes lives by teaching business and painting skills.
by Lauren Caggiano
Everyone has the power to change the world for the better if they try. That's the mantra Norma Williams embraces in her personal and business life.
The entrepreneur currently operates a successful residential and commercial painting business, Excellence By Design, which celebrated its tenth year in 2015. But it's not just about making money. Norma has a huge heart for helping others, as evidenced by her non-profit initiative, “Girls and Paint.” Started as a mentoring program for at-risk high school girls, she has taught countless local women how to operate a business and acquire painting skills.
Norma, now 46, sees a little bit of herself in each program participant. That's because she herself fell on hard times, as a single mother of three at age 36. It was a struggle to make ends meet and raise a family.
“(What) pulled me out of tough times were two gifts I received from my mother … the gifts of tenancy and hard work. Because of those I was able to pull myself up by my bootstraps,” she says in retrospect.
She previously held a demanding position in corporate America, but that was no longer a viable option with the demands of a family. Instead she decided to return to what she already knew: skilled labor. She had operated a handyman service with her husband at the time, so painting was a natural extension of that. She put herself out there and began to seek out prospects. Eventually she had built up a business that could support her and her family.
When there's a will, there's a way, as they say. Williams subscribes to that motto with her approach to the non-profit. She likes to work with women who might have been shortchanged in life due to family circumstances, but want to rise beyond their current situation.
She works with the women on a temporary and as-needed basis. The average length of employment is about a year, she says. The short-term nature of the program is by design, as Williams hopes to provide the nudge women need to navigate their situation and improve their lives.
“The goal is to offer someone hope in an area they need a helping hand … to get to the next place (in their life),” she explains.
The goal is simple and the expectations straightforward. There are no prerequisites, other than the right attitude. Williams says only two questions really matter in the end: “Are you ready for a change? Are you willing to be accountable?”
She puts out a call for assistance from time to time, but the reality is there's no shortage of women willing and able.
“For every job, there are several women waiting in line for work,” she says.
The interest is there, but that doesn't mean every woman is right for the job. She admits she can be a perfectionist at times, so the expectations are high. Some do well in the fast-paced and physical demanding environment, while others not so much, she says. Still the optimist in Williams sees a success story in every woman. It's a matter of perspective. In her words, “If you look, there's a success story in every story.”
Some are more dramatic than others. For example, temporary employment can mean a mother is able to pay the mortgage and keep her house.
Speaking of mothers, for Williams it's difficult to separate her roles at times. A nurturer by nature, she tries to build up each and every woman she employs.
“There's a shortage of love in this world,” she says. “What I'm providing for these girls shouldn't be surprising [or in short supply].”
