Coffee With E

Start Before You’re Ready, Say Yes Then Figure It Out

• Erica Rawls

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What if the only thing holding you back is waiting for the perfect moment?

In this episode of Coffee with E, Erica Rawls welcomes MaDonna Awotwi, a multi-hyphenate creative, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Hit the Angles, for a raw conversation about business, grief, and trusting your gift. MaDonna shares how she turned imposter syndrome into impact, how loss reshaped her mission, and why being fancy is part of the vision, not the problem.

From building a media company to mentoring local entrepreneurs through Harrisburg University, MaDonna reminds us that faith, creativity, and grit go hand in hand. If you’ve ever delayed your dreams waiting to feel “ready,” this episode is your sign to begin.

💡 “Ordinary will always be there. Why not try extraordinary?”

📲 Connect with MaDonna

Instagram: @hit360pa (https://www.instagram.com/hit360pa/)

Website: Hit The Angles (https://www.hittheangles360.com/)

📩 Moved by this episode? Drop us a comment, leave a review, or share it with someone who needs this.

#CoffeeWithE #CreativeEntrepreneur #WomenInLeadership #FaithAndBusiness #StartBeforeYoureReady #ImposterSyndrome #BlackWomenInBusiness #LegacyBuilding #BoldMoves #HitTheAngles



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Erica Rawls:

Welcome to another episode of Coffee with E. We have a dynamic episode for you. I need you to sit down, grab your coffee. If you're watching this in the evening, grab some wine and some popcorn, because I'm telling you she does not disappoint. I'm sitting down with Madonna Awatri and she is absolutely amazing. You know what she talked about. She was talking about. Well, she was talking about her journey through entrepreneurship.

Erica Rawls:

She's multifaceted. She has so many businesses. She had fallen down. She has gotten up. She is a published author. She has done some amazing things in a short period of time. And guess what she said? I'm not done yet, but the one thing I took away from this episode I think you will enjoy is the fact that you have to do the thing. Don't let fear get in your way. Do it, do it fast and if it doesn't work out, pivot and try something new, because you know what she said. That sticks to me, rings loud and clear to this day that anyone can be ordinary. Ordinary will always be waiting for you, so why not choose to be extraordinary? Madonna, I'm so happy to have you in my chair, thank you for having me.

MaDonna Awotwi:

This space is beautiful. This is a gorgeous, gorgeous you're so welcome I love pine hill builders.

Erica Rawls:

This is the second time um in two consecutive months that we built. We actually had a podcast recorded in one of their homes. Yeah, this is beautiful. Yeah, they're just they're really good.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Oh my gosh, this is so nice.

Erica Rawls:

Yeah, so I want to have this great conversation. We're going to add some great value. Yes, Just a little bit for our viewers and our listeners, because one of the things that I love to do is to bring people that are in our community okay, local or otherwise that are doing the darn thing. Thank, you.

MaDonna Awotwi:

I appreciate that. I think anytime that I have an opportunity to share what it is that I do, to share my time, talent and resources, like I'm all for it. So I appreciate you having me.

Erica Rawls:

Yeah, you are so welcome. You're so welcome, madonna. So you've been an entrepreneur for at least what 15 years.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Yes, yes, absolutely. So I started out like I'm a self-taught graphic designer. Self-taught, that's crazy. Yeah, self-taught graphic designer. I went to school for communications, but, yeah, I've been doing marketing, graphic design, social media strategy, brand strategy since, if it's 2025, I've been doing it at least since 2010, 2011. Like, and so it's so funny.

MaDonna Awotwi:

For a long time, it was like this secret yeah, nobody knew almost like you had to have a code like, oh, I know somebody, I know somebody who can get that done. You had exclusively let me call us, you know, and so you had to like know somebody, to know somebody like to get me to do the work for you, because it was like I had like a lot of imposter syndrome. I didn't want to like put myself out there. So it's like I felt like if I kind of stepped out like I'm this design company or I'm this marketing agency and, um, that nobody either nobody would support me, or it was just going to be like there was so many things like swirling around in my head what do don't know, like it was just I don't know, because I didn't have like a degree in graphic design or anything, and maybe I felt like people would like oh, she's not, um, she's not well qualified to do that. And so I had all of this like kind of the self-sabotaging thoughts or these limiting beliefs around my work and around my talent.

MaDonna Awotwi:

And I remember I was standing in a room with Miss Vera Cornish and it was one of her dreamer events, ok and she said I know somebody in this room who is so talented and they won't put themselves out there in this room, who's so talented? And they won't put themselves out there. They don't even have a business card. And she called me an hour full of how many people? A room full of 50, 60 women and she said I want you to have business card by Monday. No, by Monday, by Monday. And I went home, made myself business card and I sent it to her and it really, um, it kind of really changed and shaped the way um I put not only perceived myself but perceived the work that I was able to do in the community.

Erica Rawls:

So her belief in you, gave you the courage and the confidence to go put yourself out there absolutely.

MaDonna Awotwi:

And there's, there's been, a ton of people in my life who have believed in me more than I believed in myself Really. And yeah, just you can do it. You can do it. Sometimes, you know we all need that. I call it putting a battery in your back. So you know, we all need somebody who can give us that encouragement, who can give us that validation, who can put a battery in our back to do what it is. We already knew we we could do.

Erica Rawls:

But sometimes, you know I say God works through people, so sometimes you just got to get a little extra, a little extra push, yeah, yeah, yeah, I love that about you. So then, share your journey, because I've watched a little bit, you know, on social media, and I see the highlight reels, if you will.

MaDonna Awotwi:

The highlight yeah, the social media is the high level. Yes, right, we don't get down in a week. Well, let's see what do we start with? The good stuff.

Erica Rawls:

Yeah, let's start with that. Let's start with that, yeah.

MaDonna Awotwi:

How you got started. Yeah, so I mean, like I said, I'm self-taught in graphic design and my background is in communications. I've been the comms director for the African-American Chamber of Commerce of Central Pennsylvania for 13 years. 13 years, yes, shout out to the chamber doers in Central PA. I've done various things in the community.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Right now, I am the program manager for the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Harrisburg University, which means that I have the pleasure and opportunity to help people take their ideas and their dreams that are in their brains and kind of bring them to fruition. I love that and it's so much fun and really it's really cool because just to watch a person come in and say I have this idea, I've had this idea for 10 years. I don't have the money to make it happen, I don't have the resources to make it happen, I don't know what to do, and Harrisburg University will invest up to $75,000 in resources and interns and consultation fees and helping them kind of either produce their MVP, build their app, build their website, get them to where they need to be in order to be able to go to funders to say can you pitch to me, can I pitch to you, can you fund my business, what? Okay, so I know we're here to talk pitch to you, can you?

Erica Rawls:

uh, can you fund my business? What? Okay, so I know we're here to talk about you, but $75,000, we can't do a slide by that.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Yeah, so how do you actually get enrolled into the program? Like, how to? How you get enrolled into the program is literally, you can send an email. You can send an email to us, you will come in. Um, well, I always do a discovery call with some people first, like, so I come in. Well, I always do a discovery call with some people first. So I do a discovery call. It's like, hey, tell me about what you have going on. If I have to sign an NDA, I'll sign an NDA. Tell me about what you have going on. Let's take a look at what your idea is. Let's see what you need help with.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Sometimes people need help that has nothing to do with incubating in the CIE. They may just need to know what direction to go in. They may need to know how to get a business loan. They may want to know how they start their social media, and we have several programs that aren't necessarily the incubator that can also help with that, and I also know a lot. So I'm talking to people and helping them with that kind of stuff. But they come in. Talking to people and helping them with that kind of stuff, but they come in. They pitch my executive director, jj Mohan, who is he's exited out of two businesses, so he does this because it's his passion. What really made me want to sign on was that he told me his goal is to close the racial wealth gap, and how you close the racial wealth gap is through startups and entrepreneurship.

Erica Rawls:

So that's his goal, which is really dope. So I don't know. I might be the only person on the planet that knew that this actually existed in our area so to this magnitude, so an entrepreneur could literally get funding for their business.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Well, yes, so we won't hand you a check for $75,000. Okay, what we will do is use the students at Harrisburg University to build your app, use our advanced manufacturing department to build your prototype, got it. If you need your website built, if you need interns to do marketing or admin work, all of that. So the program is for 18 months, up to 24 months, and then you're coming in with nothing. You're leaving with your prototype, with your minimum viable product and all of the resources and time that we put in so that you're ready to pitch to venture capitalists.

Erica Rawls:

Got it Okay. Okay Cause I got excited Like wait a second, I got some ideas I need to be.

MaDonna Awotwi:

But if you do have ideas, it's for anybody. Anybody that has an idea that has like a tech component, like, even if you have like, say, if you had an idea for the next Zillow or some type of app that had to do with real estate or anything like that, you can say, hey, hu, will you fund this?

Erica Rawls:

That is awesome. Yeah, that's an awesome resource I'm gonna be looking into that more. Absolutely send me an email.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Yeah, see, see what you just said so, look, but uh, but yeah, outside of that, um, everything with hit the angles, um, so we are in the gospel, thank you. Yes, we are an experiential marketing company that operates in the photo booth space, so we have 360 booths and digital booths and dslr and we do photography and videography and brand activations and we are so busy, so busy all the time so blessed, yeah, like so blessed.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Sometimes, erica the rooms that we are in, I am like mind blown. Yeah, I am. I am completely like, completely in a space of gratitude, completely on the floor at like what god has allowed, like so, um, when my mom passed in 2023, I remember I'm like, okay, what is this like? What was? How am I, how am I operating and moving in this space? It was the first time in my life that I felt like a grown-up, really. Oh my god, I was no, because at the end of the day, like I could just go home, like what do you mean? I'm just gonna call my mom, I'm gonna go home, like you know, like screw you guys, I'm out of. So when my mom passed away, it was my first time, like I felt like because I call my mom for everything, sure, like all the time.

MaDonna Awotwi:

And I remember I'm like kind of at an odds with the business. At a crossroads I'm like what are we doing? Like what is this? And we got a call out the blue from QVC, which was my mom's favorite. My mom's favorite QVC, the national TV, like shopping network. Yeah, qvc is actually in Westchester, pennsylvania. And they called and they said, hey, can you come out here for two days and do the booth and sent the price, and the price was the biggest contract that we had ever sent to that date and I was just like. So I had to ask the lady I'm like how did you, how did you find this? Because I would think for me that both booth owners in Philadelphia would come up for Pittsburgh Right, I mean, for this would come up for Westchester prior to Harrisburg, pennsylvania. And so she's like oh, like, I typed in black owned booth owners on Google and yours came up first yes, and I was just like it's that marketing?

MaDonna Awotwi:

wow, you didn't yeah the school for, but you were able to come back to see and so I was like, wow, and there's been like the people, the rooms, like I remember, um, it was so crazy. I went, we did the uh, the block party for the Grammys in DC. So the like the Grammys have, um, like different chapters all over the country. Oh my god, so much fun. I have to take you with me next time, so we do the parties and events for the one in DC and the one in Philadelphia, right, really, yes, oh my gosh. And so, um, we did the one for DC and Demetra came with me and so I was like I had to take the snobbiest person with me.

MaDonna Awotwi:

I think Demetra was me and we're having a great time and Raheem Devon just comes like in front of the booth. No, and you know how, like, because I was in work mode, right, so I didn't realize it was him at first. So I'm just like giving him the instructions, like okay, you need to stand here, it's about 10 seconds, you're gonna move back and forth. And he's like, um, I think I know what I'm doing in front of a camera, right, and I look and realized it was him and I was like, oh yeah, I think you, I think you know what you're doing in front of a camera and then I got super nervous and then me and DeVitra kind of had like this girl moment afterwards oh my God she did.

MaDonna Awotwi:

But just the rooms that we've been allowed to be in and and and the way that like God has just like blessed and blessed and blessed the business, like I am internally eternally grateful for, um, just for this space, like just for this space, like there's so many events that I would have paid an arm and a leg to go to that they actually pay us to come and I still get to dress up and have fun. That's right. So, yeah, it's just, it's a lot of work. It is a lot of work, like I have to leave from here and go somewhere else, but it's a lot of work, but it's a lot of fun.

Erica Rawls:

So then, okay, so this just didn't happen overnight. So one of the things that I love to um to dive into is sharing, like your, challenges that you had, because once we get to a certain level, people see us up here in the clouds, right, but you don't see us in the dirt behind us, they don't see the dirt hours crying oh, oh, my goodness, like I remember.

MaDonna Awotwi:

So even when we were thinking about like getting a 360 photo booth, because that's like the, it was thought about for a while and I remember mentioning it and at the time my best friend, candace, had, she had a party for a living, so we were partying and event planning and doing throne chairs and all of that kind of stuff over there and I called her and I was like don't you want to get a 360 photo booth with me? She's like no girl, I'm in, I'm getting my master's. You got like I'm, I'm off that like you got it Right. So I kept saying, like I wonder, like I want a 360 booth, like I want one, like I want it.

MaDonna Awotwi:

And I and I mentioned it, I kept saying it to Carl and I kept mentioning it to him and I didn't even, I feel like only mentioned it twice, I didn't mention it many times. And then, randomly in April, he was like oh yeah, I ordered one, it'll be here on Friday. And I was just like, ok, man, all right, all right. So it came and we took from April until June to kind of learn what we needed to do, get the software, get everything up. I had time to do my branding, my ramp up, my rollout, all of that kind of stuff. So we do that.

MaDonna Awotwi:

We do one event, the very the second event that we did, yeah it broke, oh, and we had five events on the books, and so it was then a scramble to like, figure things out yeah and um, no, it's not been like this in this business.

MaDonna Awotwi:

It is the, the, the epitome of having backups. To have backups, to have backups. There's been times where you're there and something breaks. What are you going to do? Tell the people you can't do what you need to do? No, go out to the car and get the backup. So I'm grateful that I have somebody who is super well-prepared and who always, like, he's the logistics person, he's going to make sure that I have this, this, this, this and this, and that we're super covered on all sides, which is a blessing. And um, with like, with that, trying to like make sure that we have what we need. There's been times where I remember driving he was driving to dc for an event and realized he didn't have a piece that he needed and he had to stop at the stop at the warehouse that we get the stuff from pay 800 for the piece just so that we could do what we needed to do. So a lot of times it is, it was. It is not cheap, you know it's so. It's so funny because we get that question a lot.

MaDonna Awotwi:

People look at like, especially when we were doing mainly like 360. People would look and they'd say, um, oh, wow, I want one of these. How much is it? And I say you really want to know, like you want to know. And then they say yeah, and then I'll just point to this part right here and I was like just this part right here is $800. And they say for real. And I say yeah, I said really, if you want. Like we were $20,000 in before. We like wow, before we started, like before we really like yeah, ramped up. And part of that is because I'm just very fancy and I want things to be right and done a certain way, fancy, have a standard in the way that you would to present.

MaDonna Awotwi:

I do, and there's nothing wrong with that, and I think it's so interesting to me because I always tell people I've reinvented myself a couple of times.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Like there are some people who would meet me who know me as a professional spoken word artist because I'm a professional spoken word artist. There are some people who meet me and they know that I am a seven or eight time published author, and so there are people who meet me who know that I am a seven or eight time published author, and so there are people who meet me who know that I am a community engagement. So so many different pockets now, like so many different pockets, but this is like this is a position that I'm so grateful, or like this, this section of my life or this chapter of my life where we're doing this like feels like I get to kind of merge everything together and use it in a way that best benefits the business, which is like really, really cool yeah.

Erica Rawls:

No, you're really good at one. You're really good at showing people like what you're doing right and attracting business to you, and then, once you attract the business to you, you deliver. Thank you.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Yeah, you do.

Erica Rawls:

Thank you, so it is. So when you say you know I'm, you know what'd you say you bougie? You say bougie, I'll be at that in there, fancy, okay, fancy. Yeah, you said you were fancy. It's just the quality of the deliverables. I mean you're fancy. You know what you expect when you see yourself like, the way you portray yourself and your business is the deliverables that you actually receive. So, yeah, kudos to you. I do love that.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Yeah, thank you.

Erica Rawls:

Then the creativity y'all. Let me tell you, we she actually did her and Carl did an engagement for the Keller Williams Young Professionals. And I said, hey, you got to reach out to Madonna and Carl. They have the 360, hit the angles, they're really good at what they do, and so I allowed the people that were running it to take care of it. And then it was back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, so I ended up getting a phone with them. I remember, yeah, and then Madonna, I, and the way that I expect you to say it's like okay, so what do you really want? You guys, send me something so that I'll be able to give you exactly what you want. Okay, and I love that, because you're like, look, communicate it to me and I promise you we're going to get it to you, absolutely. So I'm here as a testimonial. Thank you, she will tell you, you will tell someone.

MaDonna Awotwi:

But that's the goal. So a lot of times, especially when we're working with, like, corporate partners, it's like what is the goal? Like, yes, you want to have something to entertain your guests or you want to have something to entertain your people, but at the end of the day, you are trying to accomplish a goal. So what is the goal that you are trying to accomplish? What are the metrics that you are trying to accomplish a goal? So what is the goal that you are trying to accomplish? What are the metrics that you are trying to hit? What is it?

MaDonna Awotwi:

The photo booth is it a bait and switch? Are you trying to attract people over to you? Like, what is it and tell people what you can't do? Yes, you can't do that, yeah, and so um in, uh, developing, like in developing a plan, cause it's like a project plan. So in developing a plan with a corporate partner for an event, it's really understanding and getting down to the brass tacks of what is it that you want to accomplish. How do you want to be presented? You know, because sometimes there's more graphics if they want it like oh yes, this is for social, so we want it to be really dynamic, or no, it can be super understated, it's just internal. You know things like that. So I'm grateful that I have the knowledge in that space to kind of really deliver All your background from your past, you know experiences and small business ventures into this one.

Erica Rawls:

Absolutely Nothing ever happens by accident. No, it doesn't Right.

MaDonna Awotwi:

No, it doesn't.

Erica Rawls:

Never how. What is happening today is preparing you for tomorrow.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Right.

Erica Rawls:

That's why I said you never take anything for granted, absolutely. I don't care the good or the bad. There's a reason for everything, absolutely, and most times it's for his glory. I always say that All it's time to support his glory. I always say that All things work together for the good.

MaDonna Awotwi:

All things work together. Sometimes you know I'll be like Lord. I didn't sign up to be one of your strongest soldiers this year. I didn't. Don't put me on that list.

Erica Rawls:

Yeah, right, right.

MaDonna Awotwi:

So what did you motivate, madonna? Like, what is it that? What's that one thing that you wake up for? And you know that you do this, you win the day. So for me, I'll win the day. That's. I'm like that. Um, for me, what keeps me motivated really is, um, it's funny. So I I've like two things, right, okay, so two things. So, first, the one thing is that I work so hard because I don't want to be sad and poor, so I have, of course, we know, I don't know, some people know, some people may not know I lost a bunch of people during the pandemic. So my grandmom, my mentor, my little brother, my uncle and my mom, all during the pandemic from 2020 to 2023. Like, just take me out of here, put me in a crazy house, because I'm just so sad.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Right In 2014, I lost my son at the age of 13. In 2016, I lost my dad. So it's been a time, but for me, I figured like spend a time. But for me, I figured like and not to say that money is everything, but to live a life that's comfortable would be a greater reward for not having the people here that I want here. So some of that, some of it is that, and then some of it is really because years ago, there was a lady that said to me her name is Patricia Ashley. She was here at the Hilton years ago.

MaDonna Awotwi:

She's like a motivational speaker and a preacher and things like that are supposed to be doing what you're doing and doing your work, because somebody is supposed to see you doing that and be inspired to do what they are supposed to do.

MaDonna Awotwi:

And that's where I got the whole God works through people day. She was like because God works through people and you not doing what you are supposed to be doing is stifling somebody else's gift and that is a heavy responsibility, and so for me, I felt like even days there are so many days, yeah that I don't want to get up, and when I don't want to get up or I don't want to do something, I have to get like really cute and dress like really nice, because it's hard to be sad when you dress nice. But you know, I tried to. Those are things that I've tried to do and and how and methods in which I approach my work. And so, yeah, even when I don't feel like it, even when I want to stay home, even when, like, I could do everything else, just eat some pasta and binge watch Law Order, svu oh, not you.

Erica Rawls:

No, you too, God knows, svu my girls.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Yes, but even when I could be doing that right, there has never, really never been a time that I have gone outside to go work an event or go and do something that I have not gotten confirmation from God that that is what I was supposed to be doing. Every single time, and in the way in which, like people will celebrate me that I don't know. Like, I'm one lady and it's so crazy, I do not know her name. She is the dearest, dearest lady. I just know her aesthetic because every time I see her she is on black and white. Every single time I see her. And so the very first time I saw her, we were downtown working Capona. It was like the largest event we had done yet we were only about four months into the business and she was so kind and so encouraging. And then I saw her again, maybe like a year and a half later, and she said I'm watching you guys, I'm so proud of you. She was like I remember when you guys were on the riverfront, you were trying to get it together, and she said you guys are everywhere and I am so proud of you. And the thing is, we are like everywhere, but we're everywhere like, not just here, yeah, like people in Philly will say, oh my God, I saw you at such and such, or we're in DC. And they say, oh my gosh, I saw you here. And then it's like, wow, it gives the appearance that we're like this company that's larger than two people and all of the dear wonderful friends that help us out, you know, but it is what it is, right, you know, and it's just the the, the blessings that we get is so random, like even last week I was, we had to do the Jordan Classic event at in DC and I'm like, oh my gosh, jordan Classic, so fancy, yeah.

MaDonna Awotwi:

And I'm randomly talking to this lady and she's like, oh yeah, where are you guys from? And I'm like, oh, central Pennsylvania, pennsylvania. She's like we're in central Pennsylvania and I'm like Harrisburg. She's like I'm a wedding planner and I have a wedding um in Harrisburg in November and they only want black owned vendors. And then she called and said I'm the girl you met on Friday.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Wow, so it's to me there's never been a time that I haven't been in a space, that I haven't like gotten that type of confirmation, that I haven't run into somebody who is like from home or knows me or, or know something, and it just feels really, really, it feels really good. And, mind you, like people might look at us or even look at our sales report and say, wow, y'all out here, y'all really doing it. And to us there are people we're on a call one time with this guy because there are people that are way bigger than us in this business and a guy was like, yeah, I just closed a contract for Coachella and it was $850,000 for 11 days. I'm like, oh, wait a minute why. He said, yeah, the lawyer, the lawyer I had to pay so I could sign the contract cost $27,000.

Erica Rawls:

And I was just like oh, he got $27,000 to close the contract, yeah.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Well, he had to pay the lawyer $27,000 so he could get this eight hundred and fifty thousand dollar contract. And he said and it was for 11 photo booths for Coachella, wow. And I was just like oh, okay, so we're still a small business, got it got it, but I know he's still a small business too, he is for sure.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Yeah, but just to know that there are, like, there are levels, yeah, levels and magnitude, and just that's why I'm just always in a space of gratitude, I'm always just like you know, god, whatever you have for me. Wherever I'm supposed to go, I'm going to go where I'm going to go, I'm going to take my feet where you tell them to go. I might go reluctantly, yeah, but I'm gonna go where you, where. You lead me in the direction people aren't noticing.

Erica Rawls:

I mean, you just got um awarded one of the women of excellence. I did I did.

MaDonna Awotwi:

I am part of the uh tribute to women in excellence, the ywcaCA of greater Harrisburg class of 2025. Yes, me and Dr Dawn and Nicole Brown and Mary Majors and more and just I am. So that was a dynamic baby, dynamic baby I was very, very surprised, but it was. I said okay, they got everybody in here. So, yeah, I was very surprised, yeah, yeah it was.

Erica Rawls:

It was they were intentional, you could tell they took their time. They did.

MaDonna Awotwi:

It felt very intentional. It felt very intentional and it was it was good. It was good. I was surprised because because I got nominated by my, the partners, our partners at MNT, cie's partners at MNT, and so I think it was confirmation for me that sometimes people notice your work and don't like say anything, like you're doing the work, but somebody else is watching you, you know, and somebody else is inspired by the work that you're doing, and so Guarantee that someone is always watching.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Somebody is always watching Always, always, and so like in like October or so, gail D'Angelo from MNT and Natalie shout out to them had sent me an email and was like hey, can you send me your bio and a headshot? I'm thinking it's for our small business lab. I love it, the small business lab that we have in partnership with CIE. I'm like, oh, yeah, they must be like putting a program together or doing something. They don't say anything else to me. They call me on my birthday. What Christmas Eve?

MaDonna Awotwi:

So they call me on my birthday and they're like what's up? They're like you busy. I'm like, no, like it's my birthday. We're like what's up? So they're like, oh, we're calling you because we wanted to let you know you were awarded TWE for 2025. And I'm like what? And they're like, yeah, they selected you. I'm like, oh my God, like I was just. I was like you guys made my birthday. I was really really excited. So I was super, I felt super honored to be amongst a class of so many elite, like women and leaders in the area, and it was just like it was like it was, and we had our photo booth there.

Erica Rawls:

Yes, I love that. It's like we just recently did something in Pittsburgh. I saw for the women. That, as we just recently did something in Pittsburgh, I saw for the women. So this takes me back to the beginning, when we started talking and you said that you know you suffer from imposter syndrome with the graphic designing because you didn't go to school, and Vera Cornish said, no, make that business card on Monday, fast forward to 2025 yes you all the way in Pittsburgh.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Oh my gosh. So we had to do shout out to Perry Media and Marcia and Sharonda and Demetra and the whole black maternal health team fantasy everybody. But I had to. I did like the branding and all of that for their Black Maternal Health Week Summit and it was like one of the largest projects that I've ever had to do. I was so glad that, like I had help.

MaDonna Awotwi:

But I had to design a bus wrap and I was completely Erica, I was completely out of my depth. I was just like and then intimidated Were you intimidated? Yes, very intimidated, but very intimidated. But I also knew like I was like I don't even know how to like approach this. I don't know how to do it. Like the largest thing I've ever designed is a billboard, like I never. The bus is 70 feet long and I'm just like what am I supposed to do? So I got some help and shout out to Bitsy. I got some help. Bitsy has been designing forever and so she helped me and Sharonda helped me and we got it done and it is beautiful.

MaDonna Awotwi:

But the part that was so emotional for me is that the designs are like were from my brain, like it's it's graphics that I made up in my head like I, I created them like, and so for me, it's like this bus is driving around with, like something that I dreamt up, basically, and something that I like God gave me the vision. Like I've always had a gift of ideation, I can come up with a good idea in a heartbeat, and so to like to have that and to do that like it was just oh my gosh, I was so emotional, like seeing the bus for the first time, and then the bus will be running until August 15th, so we will be back in Pittsburgh for Barrel and Flow, which is the largest Black beer fest in the country. Yes, we will be back in Pittsburgh for Barrel and Flow from August 4th to the 7th, and so I'll get to see my bus again. Hopefully it's a bus, so, but if anybody is in Pittsburgh and they see my bus, take a picture, send me a picture. I love it.

MaDonna Awotwi:

But yeah, just, the whole summit was so awesome. It really was and it was like. It was like a full circle moment for me because I was able, like I went back to I still had on my Facebook the very first graphic design that I actually got paid for in 2011 was a friend of mine was their wedding and I got paid in 2011 to design their wedding invitation and so I had that and it was like I postured that next to the picture of the bus and it was like how it started, like how it's going, and so I was like this is the very first design and I think they might've paid me like $30. Like, I was like I don't know girl, like $30.

Erica Rawls:

Right, I don't care.

MaDonna Awotwi:

And so they made like $30 for it. But like to be able to design a bus and like anytime I see something like there's like different billboards or like different things I see online or even storefronts of logos that I've done Like it feels good. Like it feels good and it also feels like that's something that's going to be here like after me.

Erica Rawls:

That's right, yeah, it's a legacy. So do you ever sit back and just think about all the things that you've done in your young age? You ever sit down and think about it and you just get overwhelmed I do, or do you get sad? I'm thinking about it. Things just get overwhelmed. Do you get? I do, or do you get sad? What are you doing? So I was thinking about those things.

MaDonna Awotwi:

So when I think about all of the things that I have done, like because I don't think it wasn't until I thought about all of them that I even felt like I did a lot, you know.

Erica Rawls:

But Is it that?

MaDonna Awotwi:

we always do that to ourselves. It doesn't feel like that until I, like I have to talk about myself or like come to something like coffee with e, and then, you know, I'm forced to talk about my legacy. But you know, um, it doesn't feel like I've done a lot, but it feels like there's so much more like left to do, like I feel like there's still more. Like this is like this is not enough. Like I can't, like, pay for this house in cash, like this is not this is not enough.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Like we're soon, soon, soon, soon, yes, so I think about what am I going to do next? What is the next iteration going to bring me, you know? And so I think that, yeah, it doesn't feel like it doesn't feel like enough, you know. And so I think that, yeah, it doesn't feel like it doesn't feel like enough, you know. And so I think that's where I struggle, because it's like, yeah, I could always, but I could always be doing more, like, but I didn't, like, you know, just go work from Aruba for three weeks, you know, still got to have a job like that, right, you know? Still, health insurance is important, so those things, it's like I feel like when I get to a point where I have the financial freedom to like. That grants me more time.

Erica Rawls:

I got you.

MaDonna Awotwi:

You know, that's when I feel like okay.

Erica Rawls:

Like, oh yeah, did you think 360 will be the ticket to get a list, or do you?

MaDonna Awotwi:

think I hope so I could see it like. I can see it because we're, we're, so we're such a diverse business. Now you know like, yeah, we have 360, but we don't even really like we have prom season. Of course, we're going to be really busy with 360 because prom season is upon us, so the kids love the 360, so we gotta bring that 360 out. That's right. But, um, you know, we have all of these different um experiences and AI experiences and the photography and the videography and all of these different aspects, as well as now doing like full brand outs and like like adding the graphic design back in and building websites and doing all of these things that are really making for making hit the angles a robust media company, you know, and being able to offer all of these things, and it's like, what more can we add? What else can we layer on top of this? That would really get us. You know, above the mark. You know, and it's like, oh, if that would really get us. You know, above the mark, you know, and it's like, oh, if that doesn't work, and you know, throw something else against the wall and see what sticks next time.

MaDonna Awotwi:

You know, next time I reinvent myself. Always tell my homegirls like you know, next time I reinvent myself, I'm gonna open a detective agency. Oh my god, I'm so nosy. I'm so nosy and looking up stuff is so fun to me. Oh my god, it's so fun. It is so fun, like, I love to look up stuff like I do. Oh my gosh. So I'm like I'm gonna open a detective agency. It's gonna be great. So maybe when I turn 50, open a ticket agent. No, I'm just playing, I'm playing guys, I'm man. Okay, you're not, I'm you're.

Erica Rawls:

I'm not, you are not, and that's okay. So share with us some of the lessons that you learned, because you had different ventures, yes, okay. So what were some of the lessons? Some of the lessons, maybe the biggest lesson that you learned.

MaDonna Awotwi:

The biggest lesson that I learned is that don't let perfect be the enemy of good.

Erica Rawls:

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Don't let perfect.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. So it is like just start, like just start, like just start. Start the podcast, start the business, start the um, start whatever you start, start your content creation journey, start your hair salon, start your nail salon, start your car detailing business, whatever. Whatever it is that you are trying to do, whatever it is that God has placed on your heart to do, whatever will not let you sleep at night, do that thing, do not wait, because people are dying with their dreams inside of them, so do not wait. Do not wait another day, do not wait another minute, do not wait, because people are dying with their dreams inside of them, so do not wait. Do not wait another day, do not wait another minute, do not wait another second, do not wait another hour. However, you have to start it, start and figure the rest out later.

MaDonna Awotwi:

She's over here just preaching. Figure the rest out later. Figure the rest, say yes to it and figure the rest out later. That is the biggest lesson that I have learned in life is just saying yes and figuring the rest out as you go. And I think a lot of times we are afraid, we are stifled, we are hesitant to start the thing that we are afraid of, not because we're afraid that it won't go well, but because we're afraid that it will go well.

MaDonna Awotwi:

We are afraid of the success, because to know is to be responsible for the knowing. So now that I am successful, there's a whole level of things that come along with this success. But if I am not successful, if I don't start, then I just get to be like, oh you know, like I would have done it but this, or I would have done it, but that you know. And it's interesting to watch people like people that I've seen on social media for three years, for four years, for five years, and watched when they had 600 followers and they got half a million followers. They got a million followers. You know people on Twitch randomly during a pandemic, making $30,000 a month Right, playing video games, playing video games. Let your kids play the video games, y'all. It's some money there.

Erica Rawls:

It's some money.

MaDonna Awotwi:

But seriously just figuring out what it is that you want to do and do it, and then, if it doesn't work, not being afraid to go do something else.

Erica Rawls:

Go do something else, that's good.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Yeah, not being afraid to go do something else because it just if it works, it works, and if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. Yeah, don't be afraid to ask for help. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Don't be afraid to to share your vision. Share your vision with the right person, but don't be afraid to share your vision because you may not know, until you share, what that person may have for you. So in sharing, oh, I want to do X, y, z this person may say, hey, I have all the equipment you need in my garage that I haven't used in five years. Yeah, I'll give it to you. Right, you know. So until you're able to kind of open your mouth, speak about what it is that you want to do, then nobody can help you, nobody can bless you, until you're ready to talk about it.

Erica Rawls:

That's right. That's right. Yeah, you want to be careful who you share your vision with. You want to share your vision with those that can handle Absolutely the vision that can handle your vision?

MaDonna Awotwi:

Yeah, absolutely, because you know we all have like. I remember. So the first time I got laid off from my job was the day after I published my first poetry book, right, yeah. And so I published my first poetry book, I got laid off my job. I didn't think anything about it, I was. I felt like God was like, yeah, girl, go get the go get the money. Like go get the money. So I remember my parents are freaking out, my grandmother is freaking out and she's like oh well, you know, you can go get a job at the state. And I called so-and-so and I did such and such and I'm like poking, like do you want me to show you how much Amazon, like right, sent me the money for? And that's when $700 was a lot of money. I was like they sent me $700, my rent is $500. I'm good, I'm good, I made the rent money, you know.

MaDonna Awotwi:

And so it's like that part like just not being, like not being afraid and like not letting, like people saying, well, you gotta go do this or you gotta to go do that. You know, like I can't imagine the person who like thought about Airbnb or the person who thought about Uber, right. And they said, oh yeah, I'm going to make a business where people going to drive their other drive their own cars around and drive other people around in their cars, right, and I'm going to make money off of it. And I'm sure if they would have told somebody who was a naysayer, they'd have been like that's stupid. Why would anybody drive somebody else around in their car? Exactly? Why would anybody go pick up somebody else's food, right? Why would anybody let somebody sleep at their house? Yeah, yeah, this is an entire industry, yeah, of people sleeping at other people's houses. You know, people buying houses just so that other people can sleep in the houses, you know.

MaDonna Awotwi:

And so it's like these ideas that are inside of people, you know, like there are ideas that change the world, that change the way we do things, that change our infrastructure, and it's like, don't be afraid, like you got that idea in, you let it out. Let it out, and if it works, cool. If it doesn't work, maybe go do something else, because ordinary will always be waiting. Ooh, regular, regular will always. That's the one thing I say After you get done doing extraordinary things. Regular will always be there. Ordinary, ordinary, nine to five job.

Erica Rawls:

I don't think I was ready. I was all right. You came hot today a little bit, I love it. Yeah, a little bit ordinary will always be ordinary ordinary will always be here.

MaDonna Awotwi:

A nine to five will always be there. People will always need nine to five workers. But that opportunity to do that extraordinary thing, god's not always gonna keep that there for you, so you got to go do it. Go do it and if it doesn't work, baby, go back to your job. It's fine, wow, it's fine.

Erica Rawls:

Wow, this is really really good. So Ty yes, she said I think the biggest takeaway for me is go out there. You didn't say Nike, but I am Just do it, just do it. You said just do it, go, do all of the things, do all the things. Other than, you said it's not perfection, it's progress, yeah, and if it don't work, try something else.

Erica Rawls:

Yes, and this is why you are successful. Thank you. Yeah, you are so welcome. So what is the last words that you want to leave with our listeners and our viewers today? Because I mean, you said a lot. I mean you just start right there, you're good, but I'm just saying you want to close us out. What's?

MaDonna Awotwi:

the thing you're saying. Let's see, I would say, to close us out. Really, don't be afraid, don't be afraid.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Fear and faith cannot exist in the same space. So if you proclaim to believe in God or believe in a higher power, you have faith in anything. Don't be afraid to change. Don't be afraid to do something that is extraordinary. Don't be afraid to start. Don't be afraid to do something that is extraordinary. Don't be afraid to to start, don't be afraid to walk away. You know, just look, we only got one, we only get one. Crack at this one. You know, like reincarnation has not been proven right. You know that's's my little nerd in me, but I see all my little cousins and nieces Right.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Reincarnation has not been proven. We only get one crack at this, and people are dying with their dreams inside of them. So go and do what it is that God has for you to do. That's what I would say.

Erica Rawls:

Thank you so much, absolutely. Thank you Joining us today, absolutely.

MaDonna Awotwi:

This was great, yes, thank you Joining us today. Absolutely, this was great. Yes, coffee, water, water Shout out to Pine Hill Building.

Erica Rawls:

Everyone is giving me a hard time about the water, but you know what it happens. It does happen.

MaDonna Awotwi:

It's all good, it's not a coffee day. It's not a coffee day. It might've been a margarita day.

Erica Rawls:

I mean I don't Okay, so I'll share it on this episode. So you'd want to know why we're not having coffee? Because I want to cleanse. You did tell me that. You told me that I want to cleanse. You're supposed to give me the stuff. You got to give me the stuff.

MaDonna Awotwi:

And I did Just email it to me. It's fine.

Erica Rawls:

I will email it to you.

MaDonna Awotwi:

Yes, yeah. So that's why we're having water. I love it. Shout out to Pine Hill. This is a beautiful bottle.

Erica Rawls:

Isn't it cute?

MaDonna Awotwi:

Yes.

Erica Rawls:

I'm going to try to find. I think they'll probably tell me, because this right here is going to be.

MaDonna Awotwi:

It should be.

Erica Rawls:

Yeah, it's definitely going to be an ER right here. It should be.

MaDonna Awotwi:

This is gorgeous. Yes, super cute. I know and just tell you know, yeah, tell, I got 13k on Instagram, so it's my scene. No, I'm just saying Maybe, instead of a detective agency, I'll start my content creation journey for all my perfume that I like.

Erica Rawls:

You know what y'all, if you enjoyed Madonna as much as I did, I need you to do me a favor. I need you to subscribe, I need you to give us a thumbs up, I need you to leave a comment, because she's going to be out in the comments. I want to make sure of it. I'm going to be tagging you much, absolutely, because you were great.

Erica Rawls:

Thank you so great thank you just so much, so much stuff. This was fun, yeah, so until next time. I'm looking forward to meeting you in the comments. Peace out, guys.

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Erica Rawls

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