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

Hi Britney, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?

I am from Houston, Texas. I grew up with my mother and two older siblings. My mother was an educator and always echoed the benefit of getting an education. Her motto was: “Do something productive!”

She believes that education starts in the home. I was introduced to African – American city leaders, historical Black neighborhoods within the 610 loop and trips to the downtown Houston library before I could walk. She laid the foundation for my unrelenting love for learning.

Growing up in Houston in the 80’s was euphoric. Nothing was better than going to the infamous Astroworld theme park, skating at Lockwood Roller Rink on a Saturday night and watching the 4th of July firecracker show from your rooftop in the unpolluted sky.
But the world that I knew quickly changed in the 90s. Mass shootings in schools became more prominent, more inner – city communities were severed for interstate advancement and people became less community – oriented. I longed to feel like a free natured child once more but worries seemed to intensify as the years passed. Simply mastering daily transportation to / from school became cumbersome.

That intense sense of belonging haunted me until I decided to do something about it within adulthood. My abbreviated experience of community in my early years impacted me so much that I wanted to create a place for others to experience it as well. I created Ginger Me Events LLC in 2018 and it was the best decision I’ve made to date.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

Ginger Me Events is an event hosting company that specializes in inclusive spaces. We specialize in speed dating events for professionals, singles mixers and community – based programming. Our main goal is to bring quality face – to – face engagement back to society. We seen a need for people to come together in a safe place so we created it in the name of love, healing and culture. You will never feel alone or out of place at our events.
I decided to take time off this year to study trends of engagement among singles and to revamp internal processes. I became a certified matchmaker and date coach with Love Pro University presented by The Duo (Kelli Fisher and Tana Gilmore). I want to ensure that the Ginger Me company is providing holistic services within the dating field. Our newest brand, “Ginger Me Life” debuting in summer 2023, will feature date coaching and matchmaking services.

I sacrificed a lot of my time, energy and personal savings to get to where I am today.  It was not easy but I knew that I had to stay focused if I wanted my dreams to come true.

I am most proud of my growth in demonstrating vulnerability with clients. Becoming more confident in sharing my journey has benefitted my business exponentially. People feel more connected to the Ginger Me brand when they can relate to the story behind it.

The more that my personal insecurities took over, the less my business grew. I realized that I was the sole force affecting my business development. My business is an extension of myself therefore I had to heal internally to become a better leader. I became more visible as the owner. My business is something that I am proud of so standing front and center is imperative. Working with photographers such as TyeVisuals in Houston, TX. showed me that photos are just as beautiful if you too are the muse in front of the lens.

The biggest lesson that I learned is to follow your first mind. Your first thought is most likely your best idea. I began to second – guess my business vision as other single events and speed dating engagements became more popular in Texas. The events that I did not feel comfortable in my leadership  suffered the most in attendance. I quickly realized that you cannot get ahead by being someone else. Vowing to stay authentic as competitors rose was the best decision that I  made for the brand. People seek businesses that are unique. The best way to be different is to be yourself.

I want the world to know that Ginger Me Events is the social place of refuge that you’ve been looking for. Sometimes, we enter spaces / groups out of desparity because we can’t find a place that truly feels like home. Ginger Me Events is it! There are no cliques, cold shoulders or rude remarks. You become family the moment you cross the threshold to join us.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take my best friend to Target for shopping (I’m a Super Target fanatic 🙂 . Then we would overeat and drink at Pangea Restaurant & Bar. We would play pickleball at Chicken N Pickle and hang out at Klyde Warren Park.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to send a shout out to Betty DeRamus, author of “Forbidden Fruit: Love Stories from the Underground Railroad.” I read Forbidden Fruit when it debuted in 2005 and it transformed my perspective on the power of undying love. The novel touched my soul, heart and mind. The book planted the seed within me to create Ginger Me Events as a safe space for love, healing and culture. I recognized that I could reignite the flame of love in the 21st century if ancestors in the most atrocious conditions could find a way to stay connected. Ginger Me Events is a tribute to those before us that pathed the way.

Website: gingermeevents.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gingermeevents/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gingermeevents/

Other: https://www.meetup.com/ginger-me-events-llc/

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.