We had the good fortune of connecting with Quintin Williams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Quintin, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Taking risks is a major decision to follow through on when finally deciding to become an entrepreneur. It will consist of many days and nights of uncertainty, frustrations, and problem solving. Ultimately, how I evaluate risk-taking is a simple breakdown of the following: passion, network, and market analysis.

If you don’t have enough passion for this risky endeavor, you most definitely will burn out during the process of growing your business. This is not for the faint of hearts.

Network is essential for your survival down this journey because it includes pieces like industry experts/veterans, financial capital, and/or potential customers. If you don’t acquire the proper network around you, the journey to the peak of the mountain top will almost certainly leave you mid-way through the hike without the proper help and guidance.

Analyzing the marketplace of the particular product and/or service you plan to create to compete with existing competitors is a major key to understanding WHY you should take this risk. If you’re not solving a problem and purely adding to the mass of products and services out in the world, you are lowering your chances of having longevity in success. You’re just inserting yourself as a copy of something that has already been done.

Taking risks for over 11+ years has built more character, self-appreciation, and added to my ensuing endeavor of leaving behind a legacy. It’s a vital reason why I am the man that I am today.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I graduated from SCAD with a Bachelor’s in Industrial Design, which gives me the ability to design a wide range of products – soft and hard goods. Originally, my design passion laid in car design and later transitioned in footwear design. Being that I played basketball for the majority of my life, and still do, the interest in footwear and the function of it made a lot of sense for me. As a cherry on top, I loved the process of stylizing, innovating, and story-telling through shoes – it brings me much happiness pushing those limits.

The journey overall has not been easy. There’s so many moving parts in the footwear industry, it takes years to truly have a grasp of how it all works. Once I had close to 5 years under my belt through internship, freelance, and corporate experience, I felt confident enough to step out and try producing shoes and products on my own. I failed many times but never lost courage. Through those fails, I understood that what I lacked was team. To build a footwear brand from scratch requires team and individual efforts due to its high barrier to entry. Through my years of networking and chiseling of my talent, I was lucky enough to find my team and we were off to the races and we are still running.

In tandem with learning that lesson, I learned that this is not a race but a marathon. To be in business for multiple years will require mental fortitude and clear goals. When you’re tired, do not be afraid of taking a mental breather….it’s needed for the long haul. Moving too quick will leave you breathless with low energy to make the correct chess moves to win the game you set out to win. Always keep your North Star (your vision) in line and keep working towards it no matter what – every step counts.

I want the world to know the message of Q4SPORTS. It’s all about the 4th Quarter – where we get to separate the winners from the losers. Every second counts. Every person on your team counts. And every play counts. We use the mantra “Work4Yours” because it encompasses the mentality of working for all things you want to acquire in this life. But to acquire those things, you will first need four elements: Purpose, Passion, Commitment, and Focus. Keep working for what you want out of this life – you only have one!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I must give a shoutout to my parents, Horace and Wycile Williams, for setting a loving, disciplined, and accepting environment since I was young to empower me to go out into the world and create. I love them dearly for it.

Secondly, I must shoutout all of the industry veterans that over the years have given me so much encouragement and knowledge to be able and confident to step outside of the corporate journey and create something more self-fulfilling. They include Michael Mack, D’Wayne Edwards, Dallas Stokes, Robert Purvy, Kenny Carroll, and so many more! Without them, I wouldn’t have the foundations of a future entrepreneur.

I also give many kudos to the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) for all of the support, funding, and education I received from this amazing institution. They sparked my creative mind and gave me the right amout of tools and access to resources that in the fullness of time converted me into a knowledgeable, professional designer. I am a proud alumni….SCAD Bees for life.

Website: www.q4sports.com

Instagram: @q4sports

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeastronautventures/

Twitter: @q4sports

Facebook: @q4sports

Other: If you’d like to follow my personal Instagram page, my username is @q_designs. If interesting in learning more about shoes and how to render them in Photoshop, you can follow me at @_creativeastronautventures

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