Meet Maria Williams | Content Creator

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

Hi Maria, what role has risk played in your life or career?
We take risk every day doing common things. Walking from the store to even sleeping in your bed at night. Common risks could be life or death for poc’s in this country. There is not a day that I live, rather I leave my house or not, that I don’t take a risk. Being born into a society with were “profits over people” is the motto, smart risk-taking is a survival skill. I dared to be more than what was expected of me. I served my country honorably, educated myself, started a business and still found time to go to therapy. I learned NOT to be afraid of risk because we take them unknowingly every day. Life isn’t promised but it is meant to be lived. And if I’m going to take a risk, it’s going to be a risk that makes me soul dance!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I go by the name Maria the Cre8tive because it sums up who I am. I began this journey 4 years ago when I decided to blow up my life and take a risk to follow after my dreams. Working as a IT engineer, making a 70k salary, a homeowner and I was ready to drive my car over a bridge. Needless to say, I was so unhappy with my life. I thought I was doing everything right but I wasn’t doing with was authentic to my being. I wanted to be a filmmaker. I have always love storytelling. When I was a teen, I use to write and produce plays for church and a teen program. During that epiphany, I had started producing plays for my current church (Brighter Hope Christian Fellowship). Then I met a man who showed me that I didn’t need to move to LA or NY to truly have a career in the entertainment space. So I quit my job, sold my house and founded my company, Godbox Productions, LLC where I provide branding content for indie artist, filmmakers and small business owners. Some of my work have been published in magazines, a billboard and on Fenty beauty line website. It wasn’t easy blowing up my life like that., especially when I had a “good job”. I’m also a single parent…so there’s that. But I knew I couldn’t stay where I was because that was even harder. I’m glad I took the risk because I would have never known what life was like with success that actually brings me joy. I have learned to stop hiding. I believed that no one wanted to hear what I had to say or want to see me at all. I used to be so afraid of too much attention, speaking in public, meeting new people. Now, I working with some of the most amazingly talented creators in my area. I have 32k followers on Tiktok and 700 subscribers on Youtube. The moral of the story is: TAKE THE RISK!! Don’t let the risk TAKE YOU!

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.
My favorite spots in Raleigh is as followed: 1. Jack’s Seafood (Rocky Quarry Road): Some of the best soul food you will EVER taste. I recommend the chicken wing dinner. Tell them Maria sent cha!
2. Jerk Man Island Cuisine (Food truck on New Bern Ave.): This Jamaican food is “melt in your mouth, not in your hands” food. If you love caribbean food, you love this spot.
3. Frankies Fun Place: This place is for everybody! They also have bumper boats, a sky trail, batting cages and more!

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 would like to dedicate a shoutout to my creative partner and friend, who has helped me to become the creator that I am. Steph Perry is an up and coming Film Director (who you will definitely at the oscars) has taught me everything he knows about filmmaking. Because of him, I have a deep understanding of content creation, lighting, and most importantly…storytelling. It has always been my goal in life to be one of the world’s greatest storytellers. Having an amazing storyteller as a friend and mentor is nothing short of amazing. God is too good! I also would like to dedicate a shoutout to all of my friends and family who have supported me and my crazy business endeavors over the years. You all of always give me room to be my authentic self. I will forever be grateful. And finally, I want to give a special shoutout to the two men in my life who is my covering, Bishop Blanzie Williams and Baron Woody. My birth father and my spiritual father, they are my ground zero. Thank you for always being there for me and being a standard for men who enter my life.

Website: www.godboxproductions.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/godboxproductions/

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6b1vx8AEn677px66VicpeQ

Image Credits
Godbox Productions, LLC