BIG personality, BIG hair & BIG
jewelry lead to speaking success
BY BARBARA PARUS
is a familiar expression that alludes to a cat’s
ability to survive and thrive under any circumstance. But those famous words do not
apply to felines only, unless you notice a
vague resemblance between a fluffy, white
Persian outfitted in a jeweled collar and Mikki
Williams, CSP.
Williams has been compared to Dolly Parton
on steroids—you can’t help but notice her big
hair, flashy jewelry and sparkling smile a mile
away. Known for her flamboyant appearance,
personal style, business savvy, and razor-sharp
wit, Williams has had nine successful careers—
and counting—in the business world.
Almost effortlessly, she made the jump from
housewife and mother to dancer, choreographer, dance studio owner, a dance company,
health club, and boutique store owner, caterer,
fitness instructor, natural products sales, meeting
planner, life coach, and professional speaker.
But, hold on, in addition to her speaking, she is
a trainer, coach, consultant, author, radio and
TV personality, and a serial entrepreneur.
Simply by being herself—her authentically
outrageous self—Williams became her own
brand before the word “branding” was a marketing term. Rather than fit in, Williams was
born to stand out, and it has paid off well. She
was chosen to appear on the front page of the
Wall Street Journal purely because she doesn’t
look like other speakers.
In fact, Williams takes pride in her individ-
uality while emphasizing, “Anyone can copy
different, but no one can copy ‘unique.’ You
must exploit your own uniqueness to stand
out and be remembered.”
Williams says speakers can set them-
selves apart from the crowd in many ways;
