Meet LaWanda Morris, Esq. | CEO & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with LaWanda Morris, Esq. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi LaWanda, we’d love to hear more about your end-goal, professionally.
I have ambitious end goals that include changing the world for the better through business and philanthropy. By the end of my professional career, I will have employed hundreds with great paying jobs (including competitive healthcare benefits) through my brands Morris Media and Enterprises, LLC., LaWanda Morris Consulting, Black Audacity Magazine/Publishing, and LDEME. Additionally, I will have assisted hundreds if not thousands, of new entrepreneurs with starting their businesses and others with scaling their businesses to make millions and build generational wealth. Giving back to the community is a huge focus for my brands as well and helping under-served communities build will continue long after my professional career has ended.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

Morris Media and Entertainment LLC is our parent company that houses our entrepreneurship courses (launching this summer so stay tuned) plus all of our brands – Black Audacity Magazine (our local magazine publications offering strategic adverting to small businesses and entrepreneurship opportunities to individuals) and Publishing company (where we publish independent author’s books and magazines), LaWanda Morris Consulting (offers business consulting and brand strategy services), and LDEME (our fashion, home, and luxury lifestyle brand).

There are several things that set us apart from competitors that we are proud of and excited about. Not only are we a minority woman-owned business, but we also employ other minorities and women. In addition to our mission including hiring hundreds in good-paying positions, it also includes us helping entrepreneurs to focus and scale their businesses. We are excited to help new entrepreneurs make their first million through launching their magazines, publishing their books that big Publishers refuse to support, or by providing consulting services, courses, and other resources that help them set and reach their business goals.

To speak bluntly, my business is unique because of me. I bring everything that I have learned over the last seven years from running multiple businesses. I also bring all the experiences gained from my early years working in the legal and publishing departments of Black Entertainment Television (“BET”), all my time consulting with and writing multi-million-dollar contracts for small businesses, as well as my experience launching Arlington Lifestyle. This is some of the value and expertise that I am most proud of and excited to bring to the table for all my customers, clients, and students to help them take their businesses to the next level.

It was not easy getting to where I am today, business-wise. I have had my share of struggles. To get to where I am today, I first decided to focus on my education by getting an undergraduate degree and then a law degree with a concentration in business. I always knew two things about what I wanted for my professional life from an early age – one was to be a lawyer, and the other was to be a business owner. After practicing in the securities law field for years within the federal government, I decided it was time to pursue my business aspirations. I started out consulting with small businesses helping them win multi-million-dollar federal government contracts. I later launched my first magazine, Arlington Lifestyle, in partnership with another publishing company. That led to the creation of my independent magazine and publishing brand, Black Audacity Magazine/Publishing. I decided to go the Indy route to maintain more control over the magazines and to help others realize their dreams by launching their magazines. My business is unique because I bring everything that I have learned from my early years working for Black Entertainment Television (“BET”) in its legal and publishing departments, all my time consulting with and writing multi-million-dollar contracts for small businesses, as well as my experience launching Arlington Lifestyle Magazine and my mastery of negotiation skills during my legal career. This is the value that I am most proud of and excited to bring to the table for all my customers, clients, and students.

I have had several challenges since launching my first business. The more successful your business becomes, the more challenging it becomes. I overcome these challenges first by facing them head-on. It is best to address challenges as they arise, so they do not fester and grow. Also, I have found that surrounding yourself with the right people and hiring the right professionals is a key aspect of being able to spot and overcome challenges as well as being successful in business in general.

This leads me to lessons learned along the way. Surrounding yourself with the right people and hiring the right professionals will hold you accountable and create an environment that fosters success. I have learned to trust my instinct and to take risks. You must take strategic risks in business to reach the next levels of success and scale. If you are afraid to make a certain business decision, you should take a step back and seek help from a business consultant and/or a successful business mentor. Never be afraid to ask for help; just be sure to ask the right people. Take note of your areas of strengths and weaknesses. Then focus your efforts on those areas where you are strongest and then hire or partner with professionals who are strong in the areas where you have weaknesses. Do not be afraid to admit where your weaknesses are because that is the first step to strengthening those areas. You cannot fix a problem that you cannot admit is a problem. The consulting side of my brand helps business owners with this and so much more. Business owners must also be leaders. If you know that leadership is not one of your strengths – consider enrolling in training courses and lectures, hiring a business coach, or hiring an experienced CEO or Manager to lead your team.

What I want the world to know about my brand and story, first, is that none of this would be possible without the Grace of God. God has blessed me in ways by which I am still shocked. He will do the same for you if you ask for His help, have faith, and act based on that faith. I continue to follow my faith with action steps, and I continue to be blessed. I also continue to try to be a blessing to others. Additionally, I want the world to know that you must give to receive. Give in a big way and you will receive in an even bigger way. I want everyone to know that I am passionate about using my brands – Morris Media and Enterprises LLC, LaWanda Morris Consulting, Black Audacity Magazine/Publishing, and LDEME – to make this world a better place by empowering others to build generational wealth and reach financial freedom through entrepreneurship. We invite everyone to check out our brands. If you are a serious entrepreneur, and you believe us to be a good fit for you or your business, schedule a free consultation with us to get started.

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 my best friend came to my stomping grounds in Washington, DC, one of our very first stops would be to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture. This would be after we ate a couple of half-smokes from Ben’s Chili Bowl when I picked them up from the airport. We would still visit the original Ben’s location on U Street later in their visit. We would eat at so many great restaurants! There are too many to choose from in the DMV (DC, Maryland, and Virginia) area, but I will do my best. We would grab brunch at Founding Farmers and The Dabney. We would have dinner at The Capital Grille and Old Ebbitt Grill after visiting the White House and walking the National Mall. Later in the week, we would sit down for a Michelin Star breakfast at The Pembroke Restaurant. We would pick a day to have a fabulous brunch at Unconventional Diner – since they offer brunch every day! They are also a Michelin restaurant. For drinks and out-of-this-world appetizers, we would go to Wolf Gang Puck’s CUT DC rooftop restaurant. Also, if my friend loves Ethiopian food, I will take them to Keren Restaurant (yes, they have a Michelin too). For our seafood fix, I would take them over to Hello Betty in North Bethesda, MD. We would shop our hearts out at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City and Tysons Galleria then eat dim sum at Han Palace or head over to P.F. Chang’s. We would hang out in Dupont Circle where we would grab a gourmet pizza at Boogy and Peel or Thai at SURA Restaurant. When we want to really play, we would head down to Paradiso Game Room in Georgetown or Punch Bowl Social at Arlington’s Ballston Quarter. Finally, we would spend time together, shop, get drinks, eat more tasty food, and entertain ourselves for one or two days at The Wharf DC, another at BloomBars, and finally at Busboys and Poets on 14th Street.

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?
I want to dedicate my Shoutout to my mother, Katherine M. Pitts. From the beginning, my mommy has been in my corner wanting the best for me, supporting me in any way that she could, and believing in me. She inspires me to work hard, to be a good person, and always do my best. She believed in me when I said I wanted to be a lawyer and when I said I wanted to leave the legal field years later to become an entrepreneur. I have so many mentors, inspirations, and supporters in my corner to name here, but my mom is at the top of that list. Thank you, mommy and I love you!

Website: www.MorrisMediaEnterprises.com

Instagram: @morrismediaenterprises

Linkedin: @blackaudacitymagazine

Twitter: @blackaudacitymg

Facebook: @blackaudacitymagazine

Other: Instagram: @thelawandamorris, @ blackaudacitymagazine, @arlingtonlifestyle

Image Credits
Photographer: Javier Flores Location: Our Industrious Arlington Offices