Happy and Here to
Starting and Maintaining a Successful Business
by Patrick Evans-Hylton
Stay
When coal goes through tremendous pressure , a diamond emerges . For two Volusia County couples , the desire to change and the pressure it created forged two successful businesses .
It was at the height of The Great Recession in 2009 when LaToya Carey , who was in banking , and her husband James , who has a background in media
production , picked up and moved .
LaToya Carey
“ I needed what every human being so desperately desires , an entryway that leads to the fulfillment of purpose ,” says LaToya .
“ The harsh reality is I wasn ’ t fulfilling my purpose . I knew I was called to do more and that internal frustration overwhelmed me to a point where change was inevitable .”
Our move to Volusia County uncovered how burnt out we really were . We left South Florida during one of the worst economic times . When we moved , we decided to leave all of that behind us .”
The couple picked the region based on their need to be closer to family . It offered a change of pace , LaToya notes , a stark contrast in comparison to the big city chaos they were accustomed to .
“ We didn ’ t come here with such intent in mind but isn ’ t that how destiny works ; it ’ s discovered , not necessarily planned . I think Volusia County offers business owners fresh soil for growth , figuratively and literally . It ’ s a hidden gem –– not only a place to establish a business but also a place to benchmark your creativity and innovation and even revolutionize the industry you ’ re in .”
Once settled in Daytona Beach , the couple hired a photographer for their church gala , but unfortunately , they were left with an awful experience and subpar pictures . That experience sparked the idea of doing it themselves .
Their business , Kenneth Grant Inzpirations , the middle names of their two sons , launched . Both LaToya , 41 , and James , 44 , balanced full-time jobs with their fledgling business .
Then , one day in 2017 , LaToya came home deeply discouraged and disturbed .
“ I felt stuck , unappreciated and I knew I was lacking the one thing every human craves , the fulfillment of purpose . I shared my heart with my husband and we put an 11-month plan in place to redefine what our future would look like ”
LaToya says she and James resigned their jobs , stepped out into full-time entrepreneurship in 2018 , and never looked back .
Kenneth Grant Inzpirations offers signature photography and design , including professional business portraits , creative photography for editorial and fashion , photos for personal branding and lifestyle and event photography . They also provide logo development and web design . The business is located in Daytona Beach . “ Volusia County is home by default –– extending our family , purchasing a home , raising that family and launching and operating a successful business . We didn ’ t choose Volusia County ; Volusia County chose us .”
“ Our biggest challenge was the fear of the unknown , not knowing if any of this would actually work , be productive or be lucrative for our family ,” says LaToya . “ We continue to develop strategies to overcome obstacles .”
EVOLVE-SUCCESS . COM SUMMER 2022 | 19 |