Brian Flewellen

By Laci Ollison Photos by Michael Duncan

Building and establishing a legacy is something that many strive to do. It is also something that Brian Flewellen is extremely familiar with. Not just in persevering his own legacy but being able to live out the legacy of his late grandmother as well.

A native of Dallas, Texas, Brian is the founder and owner of BF Configurations. The company specializes in TV mounting, home theater setups, picture hanging, equipment relocation, and computer repair. “We’ve been in business a little over seven years,” said Brian. “We currently operate in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Houston, Texas, Atlanta, Georgia, and we’re branching out to San Antonio soon.”

Although Brian is now a successful entrepreneur, he actually gained the inspiration to start the business from a manager at one of his previous job. “When I worked for another company as a corporate sales trainer, I was installing security systems for employees. One day my director at the time said, ‘man you should start your own business.’”

Brian disagreed and felt that starting a business was not the right decision for him.

“I said no. I will never start my own business. I’m making money as a corporate trainer. I’m not about to leave what I’m doing to go start a business.” But his manager gave him advice that stuck with him. “He told me to remember that I’m black and I’m always replaceable in corporate America.” Brian still wasn’t convinced that he had a need to start a business. “I said they’ll never let me go. I’m black and the only sales trainer in the building. However, one year later, Brian was let go from his job. His manager, who was also let go from the company, offered Brian a job at a new company and gave him the opportunity to work on his skillset and perfect his craft. “The second company that I worked for does the exact same thing that I do; they specialize in TV mounting and home theater setup. He put me in a position to really perfect my craft. And once I perfected my craft, he pretty much pushed me over the edge and said go swim.”

Continued on the next page

That was when Brian took the leap into entrepreneurship. From there he jumped out and ran and never looked back. Now, BF Configurations has grown and Brian has been able to scale to multiple cities in multiple states. “While at the first company, I trained a guy that lived in Atlanta. About a year and a half after I got laid off, he got laid off. He reached out to me and asked if I had any work because he heard that I was starting a business. He asked did I have any work in Atlanta,” Brian says.

At this time, Brian had not considered expanding to Atlanta. “I said I didn’t really have anything. But I always knew that my Grandmother, my Aunt, and my Dad had a connection in Atlanta. So, I had a good resource there so I kind of ran with that.”

But the expansion into a new market was not an easy process. “In the midst of going to Atlanta, there were a few times where I considered closing the doors because it was hard. I was managing Dallas and then trying to manage Atlanta. But I had to let go and I had to trust and know that Rodney was going to run the location,” he shared. And now, BF Configurations is celebrating three years of operating in the Atlanta area. Brian says that most of his clientele come from social media. They pull about 60% of their clients from social media, and 30% are from referrals.

His goal for 2021 is to improve the relationship he has with his current clients by checking in and performing customer satisfaction surveys. “In 2021, we’re really going to focus on putting the client first. We’re going to be making phone calls to our clients, to learn if there is anything that we could have done better, what can we improve on, so we can learn and grow tenfold,” he says. Brian shared that the hardest part of entrepreneurship has been the fear of failure. “The fear of failure involves not knowing if I’m going to get a phone call today, or if the lights are still going to be cut on tomorrow,” he says. In order to overcome his fears, Brian said there were some things that he had to sacrifice. “I motivate myself. But as a business owner, what you put in is what you’re going to get out of it. When I’m working, I’m working 110%. I’m giving it my all,” he shared.

Those sacrifices, however, have paid off and are evident in the success of his business. It has also allowed him to reinvest back into his business. “My biggest accomplishment has been purchasing three trucks in one year,” Brian said.

The business owner wants to encourage other entrepreneurs to not be afraid to fail. “Les Brown said something like when you fall, and it’s not a matter of if you fall because you will fall. But when you fall, fall on your back because you can look up. And when you look up, you can get up. And when you get up you can look around and see the mistakes you made and understand how to not make those same mistakes again,” Brian said.

Mission Statement Our Mission is to service customers with such a focus and desire that our services will make the home improvement and installation process enjoyable, exciting, and most importantly successful for everyone

Core Values C- Continuous Improvement P- Professionalism R- Reliable C- Customer Focus S- Safety I- Integrity

Yet, Brian also pushes business owners to go after what they want. His biggest jewel that he shares with anyone is to follow your dream, and to not stop until it is fulfilled. As he has pursued his own dreams, Brian owes much of his success to his late grandmother, Mary Flewellen. “My grandmother opened a beauty salon 51 years ago, Flewellen’s Hair Salon. It was the first black beauty salon south of Dallas. She told me coming up as a kid, if I don’t go to college, go get a trade,” he says. His grandmother’s dream was for him to be a barber, just like his father was. But Brian refused. He told her there was no way he would be a barber but promised her to figure things out. Brian shares how he learned from his father the importance of preserving legacy. “My dad told me when I was a kid to protect my last name, because my last name has value. But me being a kid, I didn’t really understand the name Flewellen and the value of Flewellen. But after I started my business, I realized how much weight the name held. I have encountered people who trust me because of my last name, and because they knew my Grandmother and knew that she did good business. My business is now flourishing because of the relationships that my grandmother and father created,” he says. If you are in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and in need of tv mounting services, please contact Brian Flewellen and BF Configurations, and allow his team to serve you. h

325 N. Saint Paul St. - Ste 3100 Dallas, TX 75201 (866) 573-5753 www.bfconfigurations.com

Jackson

By Terry L. Watson Photos by Lechele Jackson

Lechele Jackson aka “Kamragurl” describes herself as an average woman living an extraordinary life. She is a lifestyle photographer that’s based out of Richmond, VA. She specializes in family, business, and event photography. The name of her company is Photography by Lechele LLC.

Most importantly, Lechele loves God. She also loves her family and her community. When she doesn’t have a camera in her hand, she can be found traveling or soaking the rays from the sun on the beach, listening to the ocean, or enjoying the quiet splendor of the mountains. Lechele’s story began in 2008. “By the Grace of God, my creative gift and love for photography turned into a business. My pastor and Bishop had preached on a sermon entitled “Your Gift Will Make Room For You” and with my faith and the support of family and friends, as well as my clients, I am here today, doing what I am passionate about,” she says.

For Lechele, photography is more than just providing a service to capture images to go into a magazine, a photo album, or to be put in a frame and hung on a wall. She shares that photography is about creating moments and capturing memories that will last a lifetime. “Photography is not a business for me, it’s a ministry. I would like to think that after having a session with me, you come away with a memorable experience!” Photography has afforded her to build long lasting friendships and partnerships. As a woman of God, and a believer in the love of God, Lechele shares why it’s always important for her to have faith, and to be faithful. “It all begins with my trust in God. We must walk in your calling, follow our hearts, and live your dreams. When we trust God, He will open doors and pour out blessings you won’t have room enough to receive. God has definitely been the giver and source of this business and He is still opening doors and opportunities for me. For the last couple of years, I have been praying and speaking about having a larger studio space. Currently I am partnering with someone to do just that. We must be reminded that your words have power. Speak positive affirmations into every aspect of your life and watch the fruit of your labor coincide with the words of your tongue. The creator of every good and perfect gift has already worked it out in your favor,” she says. While enjoying a natural talent of her own, Lechele is inspired by other photographers. “My peers in the photography industry are so creative and talented, and it is an honor to be among so many awesome souls. I love and appreciate each one of them,” she says.

Her advice to others who may follow in her footsteps is to go for it. “Don’t give up. Take your time and listen to your spirit. Do not compare yourself or your work to others because everyone is different and has a unique style of their own. Find it and never stop evolving. We can be our own worst critic,” she shares.

In the future, Lechele plans to continue to grow, learn, and develop her skills. “I have dreams of possibly creating an agency to bridge the gap in the industry by working with various talents and creatives who need their dots connected,” she says.

To learn more about Lechele Jackson, please visit her website or contact her directly. h

“Photography is not a business for me, it’s a ministry. I would like to think that after having a session with me, you come away with a memorable experience.”

www.photographybylechele.com