Just Do - the Georgia Crawford-Williams Story
Published:Thursday | July 28, 2016 | 12:00 AMJody-Anne Lawrence
Georgia Crawford-Williams was born to be a teacher, inspired by her ability to help her students come into themselves and that she was capable of dynamic things.
As a sociology teacher, Crawford-Williams is living out her dream as she admits that she could stand on her feet from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and never get tired of the classroom. This is where she feels most alive.
"I think that I was born to teach," she admitted with much enthusiasm.
It was through teaching that she found her entrepreneurial skills. She had asked her students to start a business for her sociology class and was initially thoroughly disappointed by the outcome when the majority came up with selling sweets.
"I could not believe it. The best they could come up with was sweets! So I told them all to do it over and that this time, I would do it with them to show them that it could be done," she told Flair.
'PAY TEXT'
Well she kept her word and developed the idea of Paytext, a bill-payment business by text messages. This was a bit before its time and while it later failed, she never gave up on her entrepreneurial dream and later started who-to-use.com a website dedicated to helping individuals find trained professionals to assist with their business needs. The site also allows people to post available jobs for professionals.
This time she went through Start-up Jamaica for their expertise and has managed to maintain a fully functional website.
Her ambition keeps driving her to try new things and while this is the case many would not know that this vibrant woman was born in Kingston and raised in a lane off Hagley Park Road so small that they gave it the name, 'Small Lane'. She has four siblings - three sisters and one brother whom many Jamaicans know, politician Damion Crawford.
While she came from humble beginnings Crawford-Williams admitted that she did not even know that she was poor until attended high school.
"My childhood was so much fun. I remember being very happy - us always playing and daddy ensuring that we always read the newspaper and gave us spelling bee. Dandy Shandy and water war were games that I lived for," she said filled with joy recalling the memories like it was yesterday.
"It was not until high school that I realised that I was poor. Not that I was treated differently, but when I said to that I had to go catch water outside and people would ask why I would need to do that. That's when I realised the difference in our lifestyles. But I was never wanting, the shoemaker knew us by name because we had to always get our shoes fixed, but all I have are great memories," she told Flair.
These great memories are what she wants to place in her children's life. Crawford-Williams is married to Emil Williams and has three children Rheanna, Ghianne-Sky, and Nathan George.
NO SUCH THING AS SUPERWOMAN
She admitted there is no such thing as the superwoman who perfectly balances everything - job, wife and mother - but she does try to give them as much attention as they need. Crawford-Williams insists on giving them a bit of her childhood.
"I do not want them to depend on the technology. It is good, but I want them to interact. So I have play time with them and teach them how to play Dandy Shandy, hop scotch, Chinese skip. I make my own dolls with them. I must admit I am no good at it, but it is fun to do it with them even if it is not perfect," she told Flair laughing.
She also praised her helper Pamela Williams (Miss Pam), whom she calls a blessing. Her close family is always ready to assist her.
She still has the entrepreneurial bug and is working on another business venture which includes providing technological support for banks, for which she is doing the plot now.
There are no limitations for her and if there was one piece of advice that she would give to youth is, "Do".
"We are always talking and hoping, but it is time that we just get up and do. Create something. We are always consuming and talking about it, it is time that we start making things and be that change we want to see."