Meet Erica Williams | Designer & Founder

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

Hi Erica, what is the most important factor behind your success?

What fuels my success is my personal story; Growing up from a single mother and the youngest 3, my why was always about giving back to my family. Being a first generation American, I’ve never took the struggles of my family for granted.

What has built the success of my businesses and brand is the internet. Using the internet as a marketing tool by way of social media, websites, SEO, and Meta advertisements has opened a lot of doors for me.

For personal branding, having a business page on Instagram very early on (Since 2015) and growing what I like to call “digital real estate” has helped with the success of building my brands.

If people can’t find you online with a quick Google or social media search, the perception of your credibility goes down. I’ve built trust with my community by showing up as my authentic self which allows me to connect and helps my businesses grow.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I grew up with a love for the arts (drawing, painting, music), so when I learned about architecture when I was 15, I felt it was a way to make creating things into a career. My industry focus is Architecture (Masters of Architecture from USF) and Interior Design (over 15 years of experience combined); I’ve worked at some of the top firms in the world and was on the design team for projects like Mercedes Benz USA headquarters, Home Depot Headquarters, 400 Biscayne, Mercedes Benz Coral Gables, Starbucks Coffee Shops, and more. I’ve recently resigned from a company and I’m in a transition period to find what’s next for me.

In addition to design and architecture, the internet has always been intriguing to me – even from a young age. Around the age of 6 years old, I remember getting our first “family computer.” Then around the age of 10 I started using AOL (America Online); Talking to people around the nation was such a fascinating experience for me.

Then I remember when Facebook came out in college, then Instagram, and the rest is history.

In 2020 I found a way to merge my love for architecture and the internet when I created my ecommerce brand Cafe Cloud™ Shop. It is an online experiential coffee/tea/mug brand that allows people to connect with each other around the world. My goal was to help combat anxiety, loneliness, mental health conditions, and isolation (especially during the pandemic). As of December, I’ve recently revived it with my newest sub-brand of Cafe Cloud™ called – The Heart Mug Club™.

I’ve curated a set of QR codes that are structured around themes like, mediations, working out, money manifestation, and abundance to help people retrain their habits and reach their goals. I do this through music playlists, voice messages, scannable 3D halograms, and even a virtual coffee shop that I personally design every launch. Members of the Heart Mug Club™ automatically gain access to the virtual cafe with every mug purchase.

Drinking tea and Coffee is a ritual-like experience already so by integrating meditations and music made sense to me. My products are trademarked and I’m ready to share it more with the world beyond my social media pages.

Some friends call me the Archi-tech, because I’ve truly found a way to mix my two loves together, and blend it with my personal brand on Instagram: @ericawilliams.1

In addition to that, during this transitional period, I’ll also be taking on new interior design projects to help stay active within the local design community. For more information, people can reach me at: erica@thedesignbloc.com

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

If I had a friend coming to town I would start the weekend with brunch at the PAMM at Verde, with a quick walk through the museum before heading to Wynwood for the must-do mural photoshoots and ice cream at 1800-Lucky.

Then off to Crandon Park (North Beach) or Bill Baggs for some beach time and/or a stroll by the water with some kayaking to see some ocean life. Passing by Coconut Grove for the farmers market for some fresh coconut water.

After that, by then it would be around late evening, so I would take them to City Centre to see Brickell from above and to do some shopping.

Dinner at La Veinte for great margaritas, tacos, and amazing live mariachi music. Ending the evening with late night drinks and music at Lagniappe or if they’re up for it – Ball and Chain for some salsa dancing!

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?
Maria VanDeman: mvandeman@ofs.com

She wrote a book! Great inspiration in the architecture and design industry.

Website: www.thedesignbloc.com (AND) www.cafecloudshop.com

Instagram: @ericawilliams.1 (personal brand) …. AND @cafecloudshop (for my virtual cafe and mugs) …. AND @thedesignbloc (architecture and design)

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

Other: email: erica@thedesignbloc.com

Image Credits
Photo credits: Dara Shelton, JT Dampier, Piero Madu