Exploring Life & Business with Davonna Willis of 4 Nineteen Education & Training

Today we’d like to introduce you to Davonna Willis.

Hi Davonna, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m the first entrepreneur in my family. I’m from The Bronx in New York. My experience in Sports Medicine led me to become an entrepreneur when I was laid off when I was on maternity leave in 2012. It was at that time that I heard from God that I needed to start my wellness center, as I wrote about it in my Master’s Thesis. However, with no funding and cash flow, all I could do was sublet from an Esthetician and start my massage-only business. 7 years later it developed into a full wellness center with 5 employees that provided clients with holistic rehabilitation care such as massage therapy, corrective exercise, and stretch therapy.

In 2015 I started working as a contractor continuing education instructor part-time for 2 years. I saw the need that clients were looking for regarding their holistic healthcare needs and knew that my team and I can’t do it all.

Therefore, at the end of 2019, I filed my Article of Organization for 4 Nineteen Education & Training where I teach a variety of massage curricula and also offer to consult on marketing and strategy to new business enterprises. I am committed to the development of my colleagues and students, so they to continue the health and recovery of their clients, athletes, and patients. I am an advocate of elevating the way the massage is perceived in society as a whole, but so that people fully recognize the power of healing in an expert’s human touch. In June of 2021, I sold my wellness business client list to focus on my time and efforts to grow and build 4 Nineteen.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it has not been. I’m a Black Woman business owner at the time in Gilbert, AZ, and now in Queen Creek. I was known as the “Black Massage Therapist” in Gilbert. I have many stories to tell. Too much to type.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
4 Nineteen Education & Training’s mission is to embrace the pursuit of excellence both inside and outside the classroom. We facilitate a variety of continuing education massage curricula to both licensed massage therapists and certified athletic trainers and also offer processes & protocols on marketing and business strategies to start-up businesses in these professions.

4 Nineteen Education & Training vision is to educate and instruct Holistic Healthcare Practitioners to provide excellent health treatments, and services and improve business practices with simple processes & protocols to implement for your career & business.

I started this business because of the need for manual therapy and business education in the industry as well as the lack of diversity in the continuing education profession for both certified athletic trainers and licensed massage therapists. I know I may be 1 of 5 in the massage therapy field and 1 of 1 in the athletic training industry. As far as pushing boundaries in my industry. I’m the first to organize the first Annual Black Massage Therapist Conference on October 14, 2023, in Charlotte, NC. According to the 2019 US Bureau of Labor Statistics in the Massage Therapy Industry, only 8.8% of Black Americans are. Research states that 83.6% of therapists are White Americans and 70% alone are women.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Sell Like a Lady Book by Dr. Nadia Brown Straight Talk about Sales Podcast by Dr. Nadia Brown, Pivot Podcast, and R&B Money Podcast.

Some of these podcasts are not always business related, but I take certain gems in these discussions and apply them to my business and ideas.

Pricing:

• Baby Massage for Momies $25 (non CEUs)
• Various pricing for CE classes
• Business Templates $25-$35

Contact Info:

• Website: https://4nineteeneducation.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/4nineteeneducation/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4nineteeneducation
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/4nineteeneducation/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVeKQt7Ia1T8mJy_2UTbsdg