Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika Wilson.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
As an August Virgo with a famous birthday (August 28), I truly believe that at nearly 40 years of age, I was “born to be different” and leave my mark on this Earth while making a meaningful difference with my life’s dash. Born the oldest child and only daughter of William and Quincie Humphrey, I was birthed into a loving village filled with faith, music, and leadership. It started with my parents meeting at a mutual friend’s birthday party; my father, a drummer and freelance photographer, and my mother, an endearing alto, created their world quickly yet measured, and between my paternal and maternal lineages, music and creative expression flow freely through my being. Growing up in St. Louis County’s Normandy, I was fond of being around people. If anyone were to review my report cards during that time, they’d find a unique theme, “creative, helpful, and talkative,” as I aged, I learned when and how to use my superpowers best.
By 1994, the Violin found me at Bel-Ridge Elementary, a former school within the Normandy Schools Collaborative, and in 2024, I will celebrate 30 years of public and professional performance. Running My Mouth and Violin took me from Normandy to the Cameron Youth Chamber Orchestra and then to Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. While Terre Haute was quietly known as the home of the Klan (or Klan chapter), it also birthed a spirit of resilience and community.
Like most young people in undergrad, I found myself, most specifically, my voice in activism and leadership. As an employee of the Charles E Brown African American Culture Center, ISU Orchestra member, and Vice President of the campus’ Black Student Union, I begrudgingly learned how to manage my time, advocate for myself and others, and strategically plan, market, and troubleshoot in real-time. But like most college graduates without a job offer, you begin to make decisions to get by, and that’s how entrepreneurship truly penetrated my life. It started with making candles for two dear friends who joined sororities; this allowed me to use my hands differently. I would stay up all night in my childhood room researching recipes, ingredients, products, pricing, and vending opportunities to share my newfound love with all who would listen and buy. I’ve done every vendor show and had a table at every farmer’s market – I was outside with these candles!
Soon after, with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Communications, Sallie Mae started knocking, pushing candle-making to the side. Violin returned to becoming the easier business model because it and I were unique and had a much cheaper overhead. I would switch between Violin gigs, candle-making, and communications/marketing support for five years. Once I met and married Darryl, the creative and entrepreneurial spirit was intertwined into our foundation, birthed The Wilson Group LLC, an umbrella firm with products and services for creatives and small businesses. This frontier allows my husband and I to support our target audience with consulting, violin instruction, violin performance, candle-making workshops, and communications support. Depending on the season, I could go from teaching violin to beginners with Gateway Music Outreach to hosting a candle-making seminar at the local Y and then off to edit documents for a small business owner needing marketing support.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road was rough when I was traveling alone. The African proverb states, “If you want to go fast, go by yourself, but if you want to go far, go together.” This statement is profound because, as a solo entrepreneur, I did all things, some of them poorly. Still, once I connected with like-minded small business creatives, I began to lean on my village to grow strategically while minimizing burnout. I was working full-time and then coming home and fulfilling candle orders in my parents’ kitchen. Then I’d oversleep and do it all over again. I also learned through my small business tribe that I didn’t have to do everything alone. I started sharing vending tables with other businesses to cut down on costs and ramp up exposure. If I had a gig or rehearsal during a farmer’s market, I would give a set of candles and marketing pieces to the tribe so I could be in multiple places simultaneously. I would also begin offering private label products and wholesale options to engage a different audience and keep me from being at poorly marketed or attended vending shows.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
What do I do? By day, I am the Vice President of Communications and Marketing for a national non-profit based in St. Louis that supports 45 communities within 25 states across the country so that all children and families in those disinvested communities can become stable and thriving. Through this creative work, I still support and advocate for marginalized communities. I create, market, and dedicate time to run my mouth on panels about the importance of arts education and equitable access to the arts, closing the racial wealth gap, and creating equitable storytelling platforms. I give back to my community through advocacy and community building when I’m not at work. I still teach private lessons, perform at public and private events, and support the young people of Gateway Music Outreach as a Violin instructor. I’m working on my YouTube space and collaborating with talented Black string players as we embark on a platform that showcases and honors minority composers through music performances. It may read like a lot, but I’ve organized my life to support community building and equitable access to fine arts.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
As a Creative Virgo, I pride myself on doing all things well, and in this work, I’ve mastered the ability to lean on my village and build community where I am while empowering others to do the same. I’ve found the courage to say “yes” to new opportunities and the power to say “no” to overextending myself and my resources. I use my personality for good and my platforms to connect with fellow creative superheroes to take St. Louis toward its greatest iteration.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thewilsongroupllc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewilsongroupllc/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikanwilson/
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/@twgtalks
Image Credits
Main Photo: Wiley Price, Supporting Photos: – Couple Shot: L Page Photography – Violin Student: Alexus Hatley – Dinner Shot: The Davis Project – Panel shot: Kellie Vincent – NHS Shot: Papara Z Media
