Today we’d like to introduce you to Desi Williams
Hi Desi, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Like many Angelenos, I am a multi-hyphenate: business owner, physical therapist, on camera talent/host, and competition reality television champ. I was completing the first year of my Doctorate in Physical Therapy when I won the title of Miss Virginia 20123. After winning the Miss Virginia Pageant in 2013, a large part of my job became traveling across the state for public speaking engagements for both young and old audiences. I would be speaking at an elementary school one day and then a rotary club the next. That experience taught me the power of connecting with an audience. So when a local new station in Virginia asked me to serve as a spokesperson on air, it was a natural fit; that is how I was introduced to the world of hosting and I immediately fell in love.
Reality television also came as a by product of my competing in the Miss USA 2015 competition. A casting director found me on the Miss USA website and the rest is history. I also do some commercial acting in Los Angeles.
And in 2019–after working for other home health agencies that I felt were not always providing adequate care to their patients–I decided to start my company A Plus Care. A Plus Care offers both home health services and in-home outpatient physical therapy and occupational therapy. It is our mission to lead with care in mind, making sure our patients experience a more loving rehabilitation journey that allows them to actually get better.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Has it been a smooth road? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There is NOTHING smooth about the entertainment industry. I am about a decade into hosting, reality television and commercial acting, and it has been a journey. Some years are super busy and profitable, but most days I am grateful for my Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, which has allowed me a flexible schedule to support myself while also pursuing my passions. I think it’s important for people to know that while you should certainly follow your dreams, it’s also important to have a solid fall back plan, and physical therapy was always an excellent fallback plan for me.
The same is true of entrepreneurship. While we have come a long way over the past 4+ years, starting and growing a business has been one of the most challenging experiences of my life–and this come from a woman who starved on a deserted island playing SURVIVOR. I think when people hear the word entrepreneur, they think of the tech start ups with investors giving millions for the company to thrive. However, the beginnings for A Plus Care were much more humble. There were no investors; just hard work and a dream. For the first two years, I worked 7 days a weeks, 8-16 hour days, to keep the business going. While it wasn’t easy, without that grit, A Plus Care would have never survived.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
The part of my job I love the most is hosting! From engaging in panel discussions to conducting interviews to reading a script from the teleprompter, I always feel the most comfortable and excited about a new hosting opportunity. To date, I’m most proud of a show I host on Amazon Freevee; I’m the host of the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) episodes of The College Tour. As a two-time HBCU Graduate and former HBCU Professor, it’s so important that we share the stories of some of these lesser-known institutions of higher learning. I also have a couple of shows in the works that we are hoping to sell soon (fingers crossed), that I CAN’T WAIT to share with the world!
My reality television career includes one season of SURVIVOR and two seasons of The Challenge USA (Seasons 1 & 2). I couldn’t be prouder of the fact that I won Season 2 and would LOVE to have another opportunity to dip my toe in the reality television pond in the future. . . I’m looking at you Traitors !
In addition to my work in entertainment, I also own and operate a Home Health Agency and Mobile Therapy Company called A Plus Care (www.apluscarela.com). A Plus Care strives to provide high-quality healthcare in our clients’ homes, with our primary focus on Seniors. A Plus Care is both a home health agency (offering skilled nursing, speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy and home health aides) and a mobile outpatient therapy company (providing in-home outpatient physical therapy or occupational therapy). Our services are best for patients who have busy scheduled that prevent them from visiting an outpatient clinic, are homebound, or for whom transportation is difficulty.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Because of my pageant background, it is my natural inclination to desire for people to like me and to shy away from rejection. However, both entertainment and entrepreneurship are full of rejection. So my best advice would be to just put yourself out there: send the email, make the introduction, attend the event, ask the question. . . those unwilling to help will make that clear. But even if someone seems out of reach, it never hurts to ask.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.apluscarela.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desijwilliams
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/desijwilliams
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/desijwilliams
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/1bEUQ_x9Ki
Image Credits
Jaxon Photo Group, Frank Armstrong Photo
