Academy Alumna Turned Surprise Volunteer!
Atiya Smith’s journey to becoming a Corner to Corner volunteer is unique and so authentic – just like her – which is why we love it so much!
Atiya is the first entrepreneur in her family, and she graduated from The Academy in the spring of 2017 to start Atiya Etc., which is a one-stop party shop. She also offers party consulting and day-of coordination services, which is why we reached out to her for our Academy Graduation event in the fall of 2021.
Since Atiya graduated, she has been balancing a full-time career while also running her business in her spare time. But when Covid-19 hit, she decided to quit her 16-year phlebotomist career and start doing Atiya Etc. full-time. “So when Corner to Corner called to hire me for graduation, I was super excited.” Atiya came on as our day-of coordinator to help the event run smoothly, which it did! At the end of the event, though, she did something unexpected!
“It took me by surprise to learn how much money the Academy Alumni businesses were putting back into the community.” In 2021 alone, our Academy Alumni were responsible for putting $13 million back into the neighborhood economy here in Nashville. In 2022, we’re aiming for $15-18 million!!
“That was very overwhelming and emotional to learn and to see that all of these people had stepped out on faith was amazing. Hearing each of the pitch contestants’ stories, one after the other, knowing what made them go full-force with their business was inspiring!”
At the end of the night, Atiya refused to take payment for her work. She wanted us to rip up the check! For her, using her passions and skills to serve the community as a volunteer was a source of joy. Now, of course, we sent a gift basket (with a gift card to Coneheads!) to say thank you!
Atiya, and so many others, are the volunteer heartbeat that keeps this community going with skill, passion, and joy. And if you need any type of party planning help, Atiya Etc. is the business to call!